Saving Madison

Chapter Sixteen

Tyler's p.o.v »»

I began to walk as I neared my house, my music fading down and my body getting more tired. It wasn't as hot as it usually was in the mornings, but even with the black tank top and basketball shorts I had on, I felt like I was going to have a heat stroke. As I neared my house, I contemplated whether to turn around and go to the Taylor's to talk to Madison, because if I didn't do it now, I wouldn't do it anytime. I jogged over there while I could, knocking twice.

The door opened to reveal a very tired looking Madison, "Tyler? What's wrong?" she asked, rubbing her face in attempt to wake up.

"Nothing, I just need to talk to you," I glanced behind her, trying to see if anyone else was home. "Privately."
She nodded, closing the door behind her, "Well, what is it?" she questions, leading me to the bench in her front yard.

I sighed, sitting down only to end up standing again. "Why was I your last call?" I asked, getting straight to the point. I had planned for a few smaller questions, but I had to get this one out of the way. "You could have called anyone. Why me?"

She sighs, "You're overthinking this too much, I called everyone that night." she says emphasizing on 'everyone.'

I shook my head. "You didn't call me first, second, third, whatever. You called me last. That means that no one else answered. Did you call me because you thought I would?"

"Yeah," she responds as if she's thinking back to that night, "I really thought you would, but it was the most important game of the year... I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up."

"It wasn't even important, and you called me after the game, meaning I could have answered, had I had my phone. I just have to know this: if I had answered, what would you have wanted me to say?"

She looks up at me in thought, "It doesn't matter anymore... things are different now." I sighed annoyedly, sitting down and putting my face in my hands.

"If I don't get an honest answer soon, I might just lose it." I said moreso to myself, tilting my head away to look at her. "What would have stopped you?"

"It's silly, I don't know what I was expecting," she stated, "You were with Emma and well, I was just suffering in silence."

"What does me being with Emma have to do with this?" I asked, but my mind was already forming an answer. She suddenly became interested in her nails, not looking up, "Don't make me say it." she mumbled.

"Say it." I urged, sitting all the way up to look at her. She reluctantly looks at me, "I wanted you to tell me you were sorry," she pauses, looking away again, "But I wanted you to admit you loved me, too." Hearing the words made my heart stop, my mouth and brain unable to form words. We sat in silence for a minute until I got the courage to say something.

"What would have happened had I said those things?"

"Stop," she says shaking her head, "Nothing you said could've prevented this."

"Even if I said I was sorry, that I loved you, and that I knew how much of an asshole I had been, but I'd spend the rest of my life trying to make up for the shit I put you through?" I sighed heavily, my heart pounding too fast now. "Not even that I'd give up everything- football, baseball, anything, just to be with you?"

"You sound crazy," she admitted, "I partially blame myself for that, but I'd be lying if I said that wouldn't have stopped me... because it would've." I closed my eyes, unable to think clearly when she spoke. All of it could have been prevented, everything could have ended up differently had I been there.

"Damn." I mumbled to myself.

"Don't stress over this... like I said: things are different now," She says, standing up to comfort me, "I'm starting to hang around Luke and you don't have to live with thought of me dead."

"Luke is bad news," I said, looking away before meeting her eyes. "I'm not just saying that for the obvious reason, but I know when people are good and when they're not. Don't waste your time with him, Maddie."

She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, "Let's not do this again, he's a great guy, Tyler."

"No, you want to know who's a great guy? Just about anyone else. Someone that has a history here, someone who's good for you."

She suddenly snaps, glaring at me, "No, you're wrong, nobody with a history here would voluntarily get involved with me." she said, getting offended by my words.

"What about me?" I let the words come out before I could stop them, my gut tightening as I waited for her to respond. Her expression resembles a deer caught in headlights, "I- um, I didn't... Tyler what the hell?" she stutters out, unable to state a complete sentence.

"I just want to know, what about me makes you feel the need to go to someone like Luke?"

"Luke doesn't make me feel like a complete outcast, he actually wants me to feel normal. Not bombard me with a million questions like you and everybody else." she says.

"I'm sorry if I'm not just going to sit back and not try to figure out what went wrong! I'm trying here, I really am, and I can be the guy who wants you to feel normal and not bombard you with questions as soon as I get some answers!" I replied just as loudly.

"Where is all of this coming from?!" she shouts, "Nearly seven months ago we wouldn't even be talking, and now you're giving me relationship advice?"

"All I want is to move on and do what's best for you! I know you don't need my opinion but you can be damn sure that you're going to get it!"
"'What's best for me?'" she quotes angrily, "You think getting rid of Luke is what's for the best?"

"Yes, I do! You haven't been around for a while, and things change, but guys like Luke don't just show up and accept a girl who came back from the dead!" The all too familiar feeling of regret came up, my mind going through every possible scenario or options for what I could have said.

She scoffs as a tear rolls down her cheek, "That was low even for you," She says, poking at my chest, "I think you should go, and never come back."

"Fine," I said, standing up and moving to walk away. "But don't come crying to me when shit hits the fan." I clenched my jaw tightly as I walked across the street, entering my house and slamming the door closed. I took the stairs two at a time, going into my room and punching a hole straight through my wall out of anger, the events of everything from February 12th catching up with me.

"Holy shit," I heard in between punches, my knuckles bloody from having hit the wall more times than necessary. Will came over to me, urging me to stop a few times before I finally did.

"Wow," he said in awe as he looked at the holes in my wall, and then to my fist. "Next time I mess with you, I'll just think of this moment." He muttered, going to my desk and grabbing my keys.

"I'm taking you to the hospital before mom finds out." He said quickly, and I nodded slowly, following him down the stairs.