valerie and kat both chased after maddy as she chased after cassie. cassie pushed her bedroom door open, before running in the bathroom and locking the door. maddy grabbed the door handle, trying to open it while banging on the door. "open the fucking door, cassie!"

maddy paused, as valerie stood behind her, biting her lip anxiously. for so long her and maddy had been best friends, it was all she knew about the two. and now their whole friendship was going down the drain because of nate?

"open the door and tell me it was worth it, you owe me that."

cassie didn't reply, it was completely silent except for maddys hard breathing and the door rattling every time maddy tried to open it. "open the fucking door, cassie!" maddy yelled, putting her face closer to the door.

valerie's heart dropped when she heard maddy start crying, she wanted to take a step closer and comfort her, but it wasn't the time to. "what kind of ducking friend are you, what the fuck?!"

kat stayed close to maddy, glancing at the ground and then back to the door and maddy.

"this isn't about nate, this is about you and me, and our friendship, and if you wanna throw it away, then fine. cause i don't wanna be fucking friends with you!" maddy yelled, putting her forehead against the door.

valerie put her head down, while kat put her hand on maddys shoulder. "come here, babe.. let's go."

maddy turned to her, "i'm just sick of it. i'm sick of it, he put me through hell and now he's with my fucking best friend, like, what the fuck?"

"it's fucked up." kat talked low.

"when is it gonna end?" maddy cried.

"it's fucked up." kat repeated.

maddy moved her head away from the door, again trying to open it but cassie wasn't budging. "open the fucking door, cassie! open the fucking door!"

"she's not gonna open it.. let's just go." kat told her.

"open the door!" maddy ignored her.

maddy continued banging on the door as kat tried to get her to leave, "maddy, come on..."

"you're a fucking coward. you're a fucking coward, and i would've never done this to you. i would've never done this to you!" maddy sniffled, before walking away.

valerie's eyes followed her, she wanted to laugh because she found it funny how 'coward' and 'howard' rhymed, but it wasn't the time. so instead, she waited for a couple seconds in the room, but still, cassie didn't come out. so she gave up, walking down the stairs and out of the house, making her way to her own.

she swung her arms in the air as she walked fast, her mind had so many thoughts. how was she supposed to comfort maddy when she didn't know how? how did she not see this sooner? that was the main two.

she was angry with cassie. she was of course angry with nate too, even more, but she had always been angry with nate. that was something she except from nate, but cassie? she never saw it coming. cassie was always nice to her and maddy, she always gave good advice and was a loyal friend, it surprised her how fast the girl changed.

when valerie arrived home she saw maddys car wasn't there, which meant maddy went back to kats house. it was understandable, but a little part of her had hoped maddy would've of went home, she wanted to check up on her older sister, be there for her. but kat was better at it than she was.

she opened her house door, walked straight to her room, changed, laid on her bed and stared at her ceiling. usually, she would immediately tell ashtray off her two friends about everything, but she didn't want either of them to gossip and the word get around, for maddys sake. she could care less about what people thought about nate or cassie, now.

                                     ———

"nothing happened?" daniel asked valerie for the third time.

"uh... no, no. they just got into an argument, friends fight sometimes, right?" valerie shrugged.

"right, sure..." dani nodded, shrugging it off.

the topic changed, the two young teenagers talked about stuff that really had no purpose, until valerie saw nate. the two passed each other, and valerie watched him walk past her, as he did the same.

nate was aware that maddy had found out, by the many, many missed calls cassie left him and the voicemails... and messages. so when valerie eyed him like that, he knew exactly why.

"do you have a problem with nate jacobs or something?" daniel laughed.

"yes, do you not?" valerie furrowed her eyebrows.

"fair." dani patted her shoulder, the two parting as the bell rung.

                                       ——-

after school, valerie called maddy to check up
on her, since she had to babysit theo and hadn't been home.

"hey." maddy answered.

"hey! uh.. you're not home." valerie bit her finger nails.

"yeah, i will be tonight. what'd you call for?" maddy asked.

"i was gonna ask if you're okay, but ya know... but like, are you?" valerie breathed out.

"ya know." maddy grinned, shaking her head.

"i'm so sorry, maddy." valerie threw her hand down.

maddy stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond to that. valerie was about to talk again, talk to her about how cassie didn't show up to school, but she cut her off. "hey, kats calling me. let me call you back?"

"oh, yeah.. okay." valerie nodded, maddy immediately hanging up after.

valerie laid back on her pillow was a loud sigh. she wouldn't call it jealousy but.... was it? was she jealous that maddy was going to kat and not her?

AUTHORS NOTES:

cassie coward