BY CHANCE

Madeline was furiously tossing items into a suitcase. She packed her shoes, her heels even though they hurt her swollen feet. Her limp red hair was tangled up into a messy, tired ponytail and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Her eyes were swollen as well, puffy and red just like her feet. Her breath still caught in her chest as she bent down and grabbed the pair of jeans that had started to fit snug around her waist.

She sniffled.

There was a knock at her door.

“Gah, what?!” She barked, grabbing a few pairs of socks out of her top drawer. The door pushed slowly open and she let out a deeper, angrier sigh. He was chiseled and gorgeous, with his tail between his legs and that stupid apologetic, sympathetic bullshit look. She shoved the drawer shut, almost crushing a few of her fattening fingers.

“No. Not you. Get out.”

“Look, Maddie-”

“I don’t wanna talk to you.”

He stepped forward and shut the door necessarily behind him. Madeline yanked her cell phone charger off out of the outlet, the cord nearly whipping her in the face. He stood there, watching her cram it harshly into her suitcase, then turn back away from him. He sucked in a deep breath and shoved his hands in his pockets.

“Will you please speak to me?”

“No.” She was running out of stuff to pack.

“Are you really pregnant?”

“Yes.”

“Look, Maddie. I’m sorry I freaked out.”

“No,” she shut the bag callously, “you’re sorry you didn’t pull out, Chance.” He started to say something, but she refused to yield. “ You just kept your shit in there as long as you could and God! It really fucking backfired, didn’t it?”

“Don’t do that.”

“Just get out, Chance.”

“No.”

“Get out of my room!” She barked, and was suddenly aware of the volume of her voice. Prefects were probably nearing her bedroom, ready to tell her to keep her voice down during study hours. Teacher’s pet ass-kissers preparing to admonish her for having a boy in her room with the door closed. If they only knew.

He said nothing, but continued to stare at her as she zipped her suitcase.

“Where are you going?”

“New York.”

“What?”

“Look,” she sighed, unable to meet his eyes. “I got a weekend pass. I’m going to New York to see my cousin and when I come back on Monday,” her bottom lip shook and she pinched the skin between her thumb and index finger. Madeline knew he used to love that about her, the bad habits that plagued her insecurities. She stroked her stomach for a second. “When I come back, this won’t be an issue anymore. You and me though… What do you want me to say?” She backed up.

“That you love me.”

She inhaled the tension.

“I did,” her voice quivered.

Chance stepped forward and managed to get a hold of her hand.

“Don’t do this. Please.” She shook it away. He wouldn’t let go.

“You had your say.”

His lip was shaking, too and he turned away from her. It sounded like he was coughing for a second and she relaxed her hand.

“Chance…”

“At least let me - let me go with you.”

“You can’t go to New York,” she rolled her eyes.

“And I won’t let you do this alone.”