The next day, Justin opened his locker, dreading his next class. History which he happened to be failing. After Madison quit, Justin couldn’t find another tutor and he was about to get kicked off the basketball team. He had gone from having everything to having nothing. He lost his friends, his rep, and the girl he loved. He grabbed his history book and walked into his class. He was shocked to see Madison talking to his teacher.
“If I was your student assistant, I could tutor the students you couldn’t who need help.” Justin listened attentively.
“Well Madison, you do have a point. Stay here and take role while I tell your study hall teacher that you’ll be my assistant.” Mrs. Milan said, walking out the door. Justin sat down as his teacher walked by him. Madison sat down at the teacher’s desk and quickly took role, her eyes landing on Justin. Justin flashed her a bright smile and she looked away. Justin’s teacher had returned and went to the front of the classroom.
“Students, we have a new student assistant. Her name is Madison Webster and she’ll also be helping the people who need it. You know who you are.” She narrowed her eyes at Justin. Justin looked at Madison who was staring at him. She blushed and looked down. Mrs. Milan gave them their homework assignment and Madison pulled Justin out of the classroom.
“Your teacher thinks I’m helping you, and I will, but I need to talk to you.” Madison said, not meeting his gaze.
“I saw Josh and Brandy together and I confronted them.” Madison said. She was starting to cry and Justin held back the urge to take her into his arms.
“I’m-” Justin didn’t finish his sentence.
“Let me finish. I’m sorry I thought you were lying. I love you with all my heart Justin and I can’t believe I didn’t realize it sooner. I’ve always loved you but I didn’t think that it would work.” By now, Justin had started to cry too.
“I want to be with you Justin. There’ll never be anybody else for me. Can you forgive me?”
“Of course Madison. So does this mean we’re together?” Justin asked, wiping the tears off her face. Madison smiled and nodded her head.
“Yeah we’re a couple.” Madison said. Justin leaned forward and softly touched his lips to hers, and sealed the statement with a kiss.
**********************
Madison had never been so happy. After crushing on him for years, Madison finally had him. If things were better at home, things would be perfect. Madison’s mom was not happy that Madison would be graduating in December and was moving to California to go to UCLA. Madison was trying to figure out how to tell Justin.
“Justin have you thought about where you want to go to college?” Madison asked Justin one afternoon as they walked hand in hand through the park.
“I’m focusing on graduating first but UNC. Why?” Madison’s heart sank. North Carolina?
“I’m graduating in December and I want to go to college in California.” Madison said quietly.
“I won’t graduate until December unless I really work my butt off. What if UNC accepted you?”
“After I graduate, I’m moving to California.”
“But I don’t graduate until May! Are you just going to leave me?” Justin asked, shocked.
“I don’t want to but I have to leave this state. the sooner I leave, the sooner I get away from my father.”
“But I won’t-You can’t!” Justin stuttered.
“I’m going to California with of without you. Hopefully with you but I need to get away from my father.” Madison said.
“I haven’t gotten a scholarship or applied to anywhere in California. It’s a little late to apply.”
“Let’s just drop it okay?” Madison was tired of arguing with him and she was pretty sure he wasn’t going to apply to anywhere in CA. Madison saw college as an escape but she didn’t want to sacrifice Justin to do it. Justin drove her home in complete silence. Justin was mad and Madison knew it. He didn’t even kiss her goodbye. Madison went to her room and looked at the pictures of California that were up on her wall. A chance to escape, to not be tortured by her father. She couldn’t give that up. It’s the only way she’d survive.
*********************
Justin dragged himself up to his room and was greeted by dozens of pictures of Madison. She’s leaving, Justin thought to himself. She’s leaving me. He couldn’t imagine life without Madison. He could see the need to get away from her father but California? He couldn’t understand why she wanted to go to California. Justin was suddenly struck by inspiration. He needed four semester credits to graduate early. It was only September. He could get the credits and graduate early with her. He was almost guaranteed a basketball scholarship if he didn’t get kicked off the team. Now that Madison was going to tutor him, he would be fine. A California coach was going to be at his next game. If he tried really hard, he could graduate, get a scholarship and go to California with Madison. Justin would start tomorrow.
*****************
Madison hardly saw Justin the next day except for when he had asked her if she would tutor him a little longer starting tonight. Madison obliged and promised to tutor him until eight, two hours longer than usual. Madison had the notion that he was up to something but she brushed it aside.
“I think you’re finally starting to get it.” Madison said, shutting her history book. It was 9:30, an hour and a half longer than she had wanted to tutor. He had finally understood the chapter and seemed prepared for the test. The test was going to be worth 200 points enough to bring Justin to a C if he got a B or higher.
“I think I’m ready. Thanks for helping me Mad. It was really cool.” He slung his backpack over his shoulder and kissed her goodbye.
“See you tomorrow Justin.” Madison said, as Justin let himself out. Madison cleaned up and went to her room. She had just laid down when her father came into her room.
“Hey Madison.” He said, his words slightly slurred.
“H-hi.” Madison stammered. Her father withdrew his hands, which had been behind his back. Madison’s eyes widened as she saw the baseball bat. Madison cringed as she felt the blows. Then she felt a searing pain in the side of her head and everything went black.
******************
Justin was worried when Madison didn’t show up for school and wouldn’t answer the phone. Josh walked up to him.
“What the hell do you want?” Justin asked. Josh glared at him.
“I thought you would like to know, since she is your girlfriend, that Madison is in the hospital. Her father beat her with a baseball bat. She’s at Orlando General.” Josh said, walking off. Justin was thankful it was the end of the day. He was going to skip basketball practice and go see Madison.
*********************
When Justin got to the hospital, he went to the nurses station.
“What room is Madison Webster in?” he asked impatiently.
“Are you family?” the nurse asked, chomping on her gum.
“I’m her boyfriend.” Justin said, getting more and more impatient.
“Room 614. Down the hall.” Justin walked down the hall and stopped outside her room. He took a deep breath and opened the door. A frightening sight lay before him. His beautiful girlfriend was lying there looking pitiful and helpless. Her arm was in cast and she had a bandage around her head. Her left eye was completely swollen shut and there were big black bruises on every place visible. Justin was in so much shock, he hadn’t heard the doctor come in.
“Are you her boyfriend?” the doctor asked. Justin jumped at her voice.
“Yeah. Um, what exactly is wrong with her.” Justin asked. Tears sprung to his eyes and he angrily brushed them away.
“Four broken ribs, a broken arm, multiple head injuries, the cuts and bruises, not to mention the internal injuries, and she’s in a coma.” the doctor said, shaking her head sadly. The tears Justin had worked hard to hold back flowed freely down his cheeks and sobs racked his body. Her father had done this to her.
“It’s sad really. A young man by the name of Josh brought her in. Poor boy was so shaken and he was mumbling something about her father but the girl’s mother said her husband was out of town.” the doctor went around Madison checking her vital stats. Justin pulled a chair up beside Madison’s hospital bed. He grabbed her good hand and gently squeezed it.
“You’ll be okay Madison.” He said softly. “You’ll be okay.”
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