Madison was sat on her bed, her phone playing music softly from her bedside table, as she read a book. She had only been reading for an hour but every 5 minutes or so she found her thoughts drifting to Daniel. It had been 5 days since her detention with him, and she was incredibly surprised to see that she had respected her wishes and had completely left her alone.

Annoyed that her thoughts kept going back to Daniel, no matter how hard she tried to keep her full attention on the book, she closed her book and stopped her music.

With her phone in hand she set out to find some food, as she hadn't eaten since breakfast, which was 3 hours ago. She quickly descended the stairs, and she heard her parent's voices sounding from the dining room where they were probably drinking coffee and reading the newspaper or working on their laptops. She also heard the TV blasting some TV show that her little brother was watching a TV show. A normal Saturday in her house.

Madison walked straight into the kitchen and went straight to the pantry to grab herself a packet of chips. Her mum looked up at her before taking another look, "Maddi, honey what are you wearing?" Madison tried to ignore the disgust she found in her mother's voice.

"Clothes mum." Madison's answer was sarcastic but her voice didn't show it, her voice remained calm and serious.

"They aren't clothes, it only covers half of what it supposed to." At this time her dad also turned his head to look at what Madison was wearing, which consisted of a crop top and a pair of black denim shorts.

"I don't care, I bought it and I like it so I'm going to wear it." Madison argued back.

Madison didn't want to fight with her mother today, she had too much on her plate already with school and friend drama. She didn't know if she would be able to deal with the abuse her mother would give her right now, without bursting into a puddle of tears. Madison started to walk out of the kitchen but her mother's voice quickly stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going young lady I wasn't finished talking to you"
"Well too bad, cause I'm finished talking to you, mum."

For the first time since Madison had gotten down here her father spoke up, but of course only to defend her mother, "don't speak to your mother like that."

"Seriously dad? Have you been listening to how she's speaking to me," Madison tried to reason but to no avail.

Her dad backed off after this, but to Madison misfortune her mother did not. Her mother droned on and on, no doubt abusing Madison, but Madison tried her best to tune out the best she could concentrating on the children's TV show her brother was watching. It really wasn't interesting and it was stupid and unrealistic but it was better than listening to her mother.

It was when Madison heard her mother mention something about the fact she still hasn't gotten herself a job. Madison groaned aloud and rolled her eyes here we go again.

"Hey mum if you could remember correctly I had a job. And then someone made me quit because it was 'interfering with my studies'" Madison used her hands for quotation marks on the last part of her sentence.

Her mother huffed in the realisation that Madison was referring to her. "Well, Madi, that was because it was your grades dropped."

Madison rolled her eyes again "I went from an A, to a B, mum it's not that great of a deal. The only reason you made it such a big deal is because you finally got me to do what you wanted and couldn't be on my back about something so you had to come up with something else. And this is it. Couldn't you just back off and give me a break for a minute."

"Do not talk to me like that young lady." Madison's mother voice was rising and so was Madison's temper.

"Why not mum, you talk to me like this all the time." Madison's voice was also rising. Upon realising that this could turn into one of their fights they often have that end up in rude comments, yelling, and quite often crying, mainly Madison, her dad stood up putting his coffee cup into the sink and leaving the room.

"Madison, I taught you better than this, stop being so rude." Madison's mum stood up now, still yelling and flapping her hands arounds, something that she did when she was angry.

"No, mum that's where you're wrong, I'm not being rude, I'm standing up for myself, you also taught me better than that."

"Jesus, Madison. Sometimes I wish we didn't adopt you." Madison's mum didn't yell it but still said it loud enough for Madison to hear it clearly.

Tears rapidly sprung to her eyes and Madison's mothers hand flung up to cover her mouth, shocking herself that she even said such a thing. It seemed like everything went silent in the moment that her mother spoke those words from the birds outside to her dog whining at the door to the TV show her brother was watching.

Madison dad reappeared and wore a shocked expression on his face, just as a few tears ran down Madison's cheeks, "Belinda!"

While her dad scolded her mother for what she said Madison found the truth of what she was saying sinking in, and it hurt Madison even more. Madison looked up to see her mother moving closer to her a worried and cautious look on her face.

"Madi, darling, you know-" Madison cut her mother off when she reached out and touched Madison shoulder. "Don't."

Madison brushed past her mother, and noticed that her mother's eyes were also glossy but neither her mother nor her father tried to stop her. Madison was unsure as to whether or not she was happy about that or it hurt her even more. She walked out of the kitchen and straight towards the front door, just before she walked out the door her little brother, Brodie, ran out in front of her stopping her from leaving.

"Madsi, why are you crying?" Brodie asked her. Madsi was the nickname that he gave her when he was younger because he couldn't decide whether he like Mads or Madi better, so he made his own combination of the two and it stuck. Madison didn't mind it at all if she was completely honest, it was nice to have a change and she also liked that it was unique between the two of them.

Madison crouched down in front of her brother, "I'm just a little sad, Brod."

"Why are you sad?" Madison loved her little brother but he asked a lot of questions and Madison just wanted to leave before her parents stopped her.

"Sometimes people say things that hurt other people and they get sad." Madison said as she sniffled, a few tears still ran down her face slowly.

"You shouldn't let other people make you cry, do you want me to hurt them back Madsi?" Madison smiled a small, sad smile through her tears. She could tell already that even though she was 10 years older than her brother that he was going to be the protective type.

She remember a year ago she was upset and was crying in her room because of a silly fight she had with one of her friends, and her brother asked the same question, and thinking he was not serious she said yes. A month or so later after her and her friend made up and Madison's friend was sleeping over, Brodie came up and kicked her in the shin hard.

"No, Brodie, remember its bad to hurt people. Hands and feet to ourselves." Madison told her brother softly.

"But I don't like to see you crying." As he said this Brodie reached up and gently brushed Madison tear away, and Madison smiled a little brighter.

"I love you, little bro." Madison reached in and hugged her little brother. She heard her parents coming through the door of the kitchen. "I gotta go, Brodie, I'll be back home later tonight, ok."

Her brother nodded, "Ok." With that he ran back off to watch TV again.

She stood back up, just as her parents started to say something she walked out the door, closing it loudly behind her, not bothering to listen to what her parents had to say.

As Madison walked down the street, once again alone with her thoughts, there was nothing she could do to stop her mind from going back to what her mother had said. She reached around to her pocket for her phone and was glad she put it in her pocket when her mother and herself were fighting. Madison grabbed her phone out of her pocket and dialled Madeline's number the number she knew by heart. She tried to steady her breathing from all the crying so she would be able to talk properly, but with little success.

The phone rang out and went to voicemail and Madison hung up and tried again but after the same result, she remember talking to Madison last night about Madeline's date with Scott today and how they turn their phones off when their together. Damn young love.

Madison's fingers quickly dialled another number she was very familiar with but her hand hovered over the call button, unsure as to whether or not she could still rely on the one person- other than Madeline- that Madison knew she could always rely on. Felicite.

Recently Felicite and Madison had a fight and weren't talking, the fight was over the dumbest thing and Madison reckoned she was overreacting and maybe Madison was to but either way it was hurting Madison. Thinking of the possibility that she might not be friends with one of her closest friends was scary, Madison hoped and prayed that they would work it out and overcome it, but for some reason deep down she had a feeling they wouldn't.

Madison deleted Felicite's number off of her screen and slid her phone back into her pocket. She continued to aimlessly walk around the streets, getting some weird looks from drivers, probably because of her tear stained cheeks, red puffy eyes and the frown plastered on her face.

Soon enough Madison found herself heading in the direction of the park, and Madison decided that she would go to one of her favourite places, one down at the park. There was a seat on the point probably about 200 metres away from the playground and it had a lovely view of the lake in which Madison loved and Madison also loved how peaceful it was. She rarely seen anybody else there and you could never hear any noise from the children from the park either.

During Madison's childhood the park was also one of her favourite places just to play on the playground. She had her 7th birthday party at the park and it was one of the best parties she can remember in her childhood. She also had her 12th birthday party here, she mainly had it here because of the space and why the party was alright, later that night her parents had dropped the adoption bomb and it ruined the whole day for her.

Madison neared closer to the seat and she noticed that someone was already sitting there. Sitting on the table and their feet were sitting on the seat of the picnic table.

Madison considered turning around and going somewhere else but decided against it and just decided to walk up there anyway hoping that whoever it was might see Madison and leave and if worst comes to worst Madison could walk around the point just out of view and sit on the rocks. Madison just hoped that if it came to this, the tide was low and she would be able to sit on the rocks otherwise she had no idea where she would sit or go to.

As Madison was close to the table now she could tell that the person was quite young, possibly a teenage boy with brown hair. She continued to walk closer and realised that even though she was making noise subtly so that this boy could hear her but not doing it too loudly.

After realising that this boy was not going to leave Madison decided to give him privacy and walk away and out to the rocks. She walked past the boy not even glancing back at him as Madison of all people knew that if someone was out here all by themselves that they were probably thinking and wanted to be alone.

"Madison?" The boys voice sounded from behind Madison and Madison's breath caught in her throat. She recognised that voice. It as Daniel's.

Madison didn't know whether or not to pretend she didn't hear him and kept walking or to turn around and answer him. Before her brain could even catch up to her Madison had already turned around to him, and the first thing she thought was how gorgeous he looked today.

Madison went to say something back but before she could say anything Daniel had gotten off of the table and came closer to her, his head tilting to the side slightly, and for a brief second Madison thought he looked like a puppy before he spoke and Madison lost the thought from her mind. "Are you ok?" It sounded like there was actual concern in his voice, much to Madison's surprise.

"Yeah, I'm fine why wouldn't I be?" Madison was so used to saying this that she forgot that at the moment she couldn't really lie because of her tear stained cheeks, red nose and puffy watery eyes.

"Next time you wanna lie, try to wipe the tears off your face first." Madison reached up and just lightly brushed her fingers over her cheeks not really bothered now that she'd already been caught. "So you wanna tell me what actually happened?"

Madison took a deep breath, considering whether or not she should tell Daniel. Realistically Daniel would be the last person she would turn too, but today with nobody else to turn to and they do say its easier to tell your secrets to a stranger, Daniel was sort of a stranger but at the same time she sort of hated it.

What's the worst that could happen? Madison thought. So she climbed up onto the table next to where Daniel had just sat back down, still unsure as to whether or not she was gonna tell him what happened.

"Ok, so what's got you so upset? Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?" Daniel said the last part in a sarcastic voice and for some reason this was all it took for everything that Madison had been stressing over lately including from the fight with her mum and with Felicite to come flooding back, and a few tears slipped out of Madison's eyes. Madison wished that it was all as simple as Daniel had said.

Madison hated herself for being this person, for crying this much over something people would class as stupid. Madison hated herself for being this person, the person who cries in front of random people at the park. Most of all Madison hated herself for being so weak, because the smallest things make her upset or hurt her feelings.

Daniel noticed Madison's tears and did the last thing Madison expected, instead of laughing at her, he pulled her into his arms and wrapped his arms around her. Madison felt so satisfied in his arms and if there hadn't been tears running down her face she might of actually smiled and enjoyed the experience, but that wasn't the case.

"Please stop crying, I don't know how to deal with crying people, I'm not prepared for this type of stuff."

Despite how Madison felt she let out a little chuckle and slowly pulled herself out of Daniels arms, and even though she would never admit it aloud she was slightly reluctant too, but this certainly didn't mean that she liked him, only that she liked being in his arms.

Madison wiped the remaining tears that hadn't soaked into Daniel's sleeve off of her face, and tried to compose herself, promising herself that she wouldn't cry again, well not here in front of Daniel anyway.

"I didn't have a fight with my boyfriend, I'd need one in order to do so, but I had a fight with my mum." Madison voice was a light husky but she couldn't give a shit, because it was the least of her worries.

"Wanna talk about it?" Daniel asked softly.

"Not really." Madison forced a smile.

"Ok get up." Daniel slide off of the table standing in front of Madison, and Madison looked at him confused, not a clue what he was doing. "C'mon princess, we don't have all day, get up." Daniel held his hand out to Madison. Madison just raised her eyebrows, and jumped off the table refusing Daniel's offer of his hand, causing him to awkwardly put it down.

"What are you doing?" Madison followed behind Daniel, without getting a response.

They were heading away from where they were seated and heading in the direction of the play equipment and the exit of the park, leaving Madison even more confused. Just as Madison thought they were about to pass the equipment, Daniel runs and climbs up the slide, leaving Madison confused at the bottom.

After he got to the top, he turned and looked at Madison expectantly. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Madison decided that she might as well go along with Daniel's plan, after all its not like she had anywhere else to be or anything else to do. So she climbed the play equipment and followed Daniel what Daniel wanted to do.

*****

Hours had passed and Madison and Daniel were nearing the end of Madison's street, after he insisted because it was dark out, and also because he lived in the same area.

Madison and Daniel said goodbye to each other and just as Madison turned to walk away, another thought popped into her head, and she felt like she should tell Daniel. So she did.

"Thanks for everything today. You made me forget the bad stuff and actually have a good time so thank you." Madison smiled slightly.

Daniel smiled back, "Your welcome, it was nice to let loose as well."
"And please don't tell anybody about this." Madison's voice was slightly pleading.
"I guess I could do that, princess."

Madison shivered after all it was getting cool and she was in limited clothing. "You cold?" Daniel asked.
"Just a little yeah."
"I'd give you my jacket but I don't have one with me."
Madison had a bit of a giggle, "ok I'm gonna go now, because this is getting too cliché."
"Agreed. But I just have one more thing to say, whatever happened today, or whatever someone said, they're not worth your tears."
"That might be true. Ok bye." With that Madison turned and walked away with a small smile, hearing Daniel also say goodbye.

In no time Madison was trying her best to be silent when she climbed through her bedroom window thanks to the tree outside of her room. Madison lied down on her bed, exhausted from everything today.  She plugged her charger into her phone as it had died long ago.

After playing on the play equipment for a while, which surprisingly Madison found enjoyable, they walked around for a while before Daniel decided he was hungry and he and Madison went and got hot chips.

Madison quickly got up slipping into a pair of sweatpants and a baggy top and lied back down on her bed, easily drifting off into a deep sleep. Madison stirred from the feeling of her phone vibrating on her bed, Madison rolled over trying to ignore the call, just wanting to go back to sleep. However after it started again Madison blindly felt around for her phone and swiped to answer it.

"Hello?" Madisons' voice was groggy and she still hadn't opened her eyes and probably wouldn't.

"Hey! Are you ok? Wait, did I wake you?" Madeline's ecstatic voice sounded through the phone.

"Hey Maddie. And yeah you did wake me but its fine." Madison yawned at the end of the sentence.

"I'm sorry, but are you ok? I got home today after Scott and saw the missed calls then tried calling you a thousand times but you never answered, and I got worried, so I thought I'd call you one last time before bed." Madeline rambled on.

"Madeline calm down, I went out today and my phone died."

"Ok, but are you ok?" Madeline sounded calmer now and Madison was glad because she was too tired to deal with it.

"Yeah Maddie, of course. I'm perfectly fine."

Madison wasn't actually fine she was a mess of emotions, but she had a feeling that she would be fine, happy even, sooner or later.
******
Guess who finally updated after like 17 years!!
Anyway hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
Do you guys think there was a reason Daniel was sitting at the spot Madison was going to sit at?

Anyway PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote and comment. It means the world to me.

(Unedited)