spoken to Cami since she was released from the hospital and I was pretty sure her mother wanted it that way. The dynamic of our relationship had drastically changed, and I couldn't help but blame myself.
"I'm okay. Still a little bit sore, but nothin' too major. What have you been up to?" I really hated small talk, but I knew if I didn't do this now, he would just keep buggin' me until we finally talked.
"Glad to hear it. I was worried about you."
"I'm fine Jo. Where's your little girlfriend, Sarah, Jane, Carly or whatever her name is?" I let out a small chuckle. In the last few weeks since the show, Joey had literally switched girlfriends about three times.
"Ah, you mean Carrie. Nah, we're done. Nothin' too promising there."
"Oh my god Joey, you go through girls like you go through underwear. You better make sure you keep it wrapped up mister, or a new girlfriend won't be the only thing you catch." I laughed at my own joke as I caught sight of Joey laughing along with me. It felt amazing to laugh. It felt amazing just to feel something besides depressed. I had missed this. I had missed hanging out with Joey and being able to be myself again.
"There's the KJ I know and love."
And that's when the laughing abruptly stopped. “Look, Jo-"
Joey's head dropped in embarrassment and I felt bad for even insinuating that's how he still felt. "I didn't mean it like that, KJ. I just meant, well, you know I care for you, a lot. But only as a friend. I know how much you love Madison. I'm happy for you, I really am."
I placed my hand on Joey's denim covered thigh as a show of comfort and friendship. "I know Joey, I'm sorry. I love you too, as a friend. You mean a lot to me. I'm glad that we can still be friends after everything. Your friendship means a lot to me and no matter what happens, I need you to know that I need you in my life. Take that as you will, but I honestly do."
Joey snaked his fingers through mine, giving it a small squeeze.
"Hey Green, you wanna let go of my girl's hand?"
Joey pulled his hand from mine faster than imaginable and stood just as quickly. "I'll talk to you tomorrow KJ."
"Bye Joey."
I stood and smacked Madison hard on his arm. "Are you serious right now? You need to stop being so damn overprotective. You know I'm with you, Joey and I are just friends. If you can't understand that, then we are goin' to have some major issues, cowboy. You got me?"
He let out a loud sigh before pullin' me into a huge bear hug. "Yeah, I got it. How's my little girl doin' today?" His hand fell to my belly and I quickly pulled back from his touch.
"Madison, I haven't told anybody yet. You have to stop doing that in public?"
"Are you serious right now?" his deep voice vibrated off every close surface.
"Yes, I'm serious. I have enough to deal with, let's not add teenage pregnancy to the list of reasons people don't like me."
Madison stopped mid stride as we reached his truck. He turned and swept me up into his arms, then gently placed me in the cab. His deft fingers reached out and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear, before lifting my chin up with his hand so I was looking directly at him. "Are you ashamed of me, pretty girl? Because I gotta say, I'm startin' to feel a little insecure here."
"Of course not." I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to mine so my breath was now skimming across his skin. "Madison Raine, I love you more than life itself. I could never be ashamed of you. I just need some time to let things sink in and settle down around here. For Christ’s sake, since I've come into town nothing but bad things have happened."
"And you blame me?"
I pulled back, dropping my hands to my side. "No Madison. Jesus, why can't you understand that not everything is about you? Take me home."
"Kayla, talk to me, please. I need you to talk to me."
"I will Madison, I promise, but please let's go somewhere else."
My intentions were not to hurt his feelings, but I could tell
"I'm okay. Still a little bit sore, but nothin' too major. What have you been up to?" I really hated small talk, but I knew if I didn't do this now, he would just keep buggin' me until we finally talked.
"Glad to hear it. I was worried about you."
"I'm fine Jo. Where's your little girlfriend, Sarah, Jane, Carly or whatever her name is?" I let out a small chuckle. In the last few weeks since the show, Joey had literally switched girlfriends about three times.
"Ah, you mean Carrie. Nah, we're done. Nothin' too promising there."
"Oh my god Joey, you go through girls like you go through underwear. You better make sure you keep it wrapped up mister, or a new girlfriend won't be the only thing you catch." I laughed at my own joke as I caught sight of Joey laughing along with me. It felt amazing to laugh. It felt amazing just to feel something besides depressed. I had missed this. I had missed hanging out with Joey and being able to be myself again.
"There's the KJ I know and love."
And that's when the laughing abruptly stopped. “Look, Jo-"
Joey's head dropped in embarrassment and I felt bad for even insinuating that's how he still felt. "I didn't mean it like that, KJ. I just meant, well, you know I care for you, a lot. But only as a friend. I know how much you love Madison. I'm happy for you, I really am."
I placed my hand on Joey's denim covered thigh as a show of comfort and friendship. "I know Joey, I'm sorry. I love you too, as a friend. You mean a lot to me. I'm glad that we can still be friends after everything. Your friendship means a lot to me and no matter what happens, I need you to know that I need you in my life. Take that as you will, but I honestly do."
Joey snaked his fingers through mine, giving it a small squeeze.
"Hey Green, you wanna let go of my girl's hand?"
Joey pulled his hand from mine faster than imaginable and stood just as quickly. "I'll talk to you tomorrow KJ."
"Bye Joey."
I stood and smacked Madison hard on his arm. "Are you serious right now? You need to stop being so damn overprotective. You know I'm with you, Joey and I are just friends. If you can't understand that, then we are goin' to have some major issues, cowboy. You got me?"
He let out a loud sigh before pullin' me into a huge bear hug. "Yeah, I got it. How's my little girl doin' today?" His hand fell to my belly and I quickly pulled back from his touch.
"Madison, I haven't told anybody yet. You have to stop doing that in public?"
"Are you serious right now?" his deep voice vibrated off every close surface.
"Yes, I'm serious. I have enough to deal with, let's not add teenage pregnancy to the list of reasons people don't like me."
Madison stopped mid stride as we reached his truck. He turned and swept me up into his arms, then gently placed me in the cab. His deft fingers reached out and tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear, before lifting my chin up with his hand so I was looking directly at him. "Are you ashamed of me, pretty girl? Because I gotta say, I'm startin' to feel a little insecure here."
"Of course not." I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to mine so my breath was now skimming across his skin. "Madison Raine, I love you more than life itself. I could never be ashamed of you. I just need some time to let things sink in and settle down around here. For Christ’s sake, since I've come into town nothing but bad things have happened."
"And you blame me?"
I pulled back, dropping my hands to my side. "No Madison. Jesus, why can't you understand that not everything is about you? Take me home."
"Kayla, talk to me, please. I need you to talk to me."
"I will Madison, I promise, but please let's go somewhere else."
My intentions were not to hurt his feelings, but I could tell
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