The Wrong Man

Chapter 9

We ride various rides in the entertainment center before riding the pirate ship. While holding on to the lap bar, the water splashes in sync with the cave's sound as we move back and forth.

“How are you and and your boyfriend these days besides wanting to move in together?” I ask.

Madison shrugs. “We’re doing well. We sometimes argue here and there.”

“What do you two argue about if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I don’t mind. We just argue about our bad habits.”

“I know I already said this before but I’m glad he’s with you.” I tighten my grip on the lap bar when the pirate ship goes down again. “I hope you two don’t break up.”

“Thanks. And I’m glad you’re not arguing with your lover yet.”

“What do you mean?”

"It's not my place to say, but, as your best friend, if you two ever argue, believe me when I say that quality time is necessary. And remember, don't be petty and give him the silent treatment. Communication is key, my mom told me that every time we bicker in front of her." She reflexively grabs my arm when the ship goes down again, cursing under her breath.

She takes a deep breath before continuing. "My boyfriend and I may argue a lot, less than Justice and Gena, but we try to remember to be verbal with our problems. My advice might not work for you two since all couples argue differently and different s**t triggers their arguments. Such as," she grins sheepishly, "keep this between us since I half-heartedly promised not to say anything but Gena got upset last week when Justice didn't give her enough attention."

I shake my head in disbelief. I think Gena knows you planned to tell me. She knows you like the back of her hand.

Madison continues, not noticing my reaction. "Justice is mostly tired from work when he gets home but, I guess, since Gena works from home, she just gets extra clingy when he's gone. They've been together for a good while." She lets go of my arm to grab the lap bar. "Every since their sophomore year of high school, at least to me, they have been arguing over little things like cuddling or lack of attention."

"All the time?"

"It doesn't happen every day of the week, mostly when one of them feels the need to point something out, but they're still going strong despite everything. The fact that they haven't broken up from their arguments amazes me too still."

"Oh... What else do Justice and Gena disagree about?" I ask, having a feeling that's not all they quarrel over. "I didn't think they even disagreed over something like that. They're usually all sunshine and rainbows."

"In most cases, it's always the same tune between them; power is treated with a discrepancy at work. Justice tries hard to show that he wants to improve to Gena, so that he would be capable of handling everything by himself, with no assistance, whatsoever, since he's tired of someone on his team not helping him correctly."

Justice always did hate imperfected work, even in his classwork.

Madison continues. "Gena told me that she doesn't want to cause a mishap if she lets her boyfriend bear all the pressure of perfecting a project, then she would be obligated to let the entire department handle their own projects, which will cause HR to deem her as irresponsible." Why? Because she would've given someone the role that a few people could tackle? "She told me that the option of using favoritism is not the right mechanism or a coordinated way of managing a department. In her eyes, should be managed correctly. Like how you help in the office sometimes."

"Aren't they the team leader and manager of a chain business? Why do they fight over small things like that?" I ask, extending my arm out when she leans forward a bit too far.

She laughs at my protectiveness and grabs my hand. "Justice sometimes indicts her, in the heat of an argument, of being dissuading of his determination to lift the load off the staff. They argue about this same old topic to the point that they unintentionally overwork themselves and ignore each other."

She sighs, shaking her head in disappointment at our friends' constant dispute. She always calls them a 'married couple' as an inside joke in the group chat. And now that she told me that, I can see why she calls them that. I never asked or really knew in-depth about their trouble in paradise. I, more or less, just catch wind of the little news Madison tells me or what they remember to tell me.

Quite frankly, Justice and Gena might be polar opposites but they correspond well in the relationship.

"Even if they have disagreements about stupid things, they are still going to be together through thick and thin and will never stop loving each other. Harvey and I are like them, hate to admit it, but I guess that's what makes us friends, right? We have the same issues to talk about and help each other fix them."

I doubt Joshua and I's future issues will correlate with theirs.

"Initiately, I didn't mind when Justice joined our friend group. He's my friend just like everyone else is. But when they bring their s**t during hangouts because they're too stubborn to communicate after arguing, I just feel upset at both of them." She sighs, grabbing her bag off her back once the staff stops the pirate ride.

"I don't intervene, that's their love life," the safety bars slowly lift up to let us off the ride as she digs through her bag for something, "but I also feel relieved they don't ignore each other despite everything." We carefully walk down the stairs to head toward the exit of the entertainment center.

Me too… I also feel relieved. I wish I can be more normal to build a better friendship with them, then I wouldn’t need to ask her these things.

"Their relationship is close enough for them to understand what the other wants without speaking. Gena always manages to order exactly what Justice wants without asking him or looking at him. There is a special connection between them that no one else has, and if they lived together they would still be together when they grow older. The two have been together for a long time, so I don't think they will separate any time soon."

I look around us, partly as a subconscious habit of mine to check for anyone suspicious or anyone that could have their g*n pointed at either of us. It's not abnormal to see that in broad daylight. "What about you and your boyfriend?" I ask, looking ahead of me to go through the gate where a few staff and security guards wait for our wristbands to let us through.

"You want to know about us?" Madison asks, handing her wristband to the staff at the same time I do. "Ours isn't that interesting to know.”

“I’m sure it is. I just want to know more about you, if that’s okay?”

“Well... These days, we basically just go back and forth about our bad habits mostly." She opens the gate for me and we head to the two vehicles waiting for us further down. "Some days I forget to take time for myself after working or after going to school, so my boyfriend tries to remind me every time I forget to take a break and feed myself, or if he's not too busy with anything, he'll come over, cook me something that I like to eat, and bring it in my room while I'm studying so I can eat without needing to get up from my chair."

That sounds romantic. I never really heard about their relationship these past years. I was always tugged to work somewhere and rarely knew who she was dating. It’s nice to know this. It makes me feel less of a shitty best friend. Madison takes out an envelope from her bag and hands it to me before zipping it up to shrug it back on her shoulder. She puts her sunglasses over her eyes and groans. "Meanwhile, my idiotic boyfriend sacrifices his sleep to get his work done."

She emphasizes by nodding to a guy coming into view, leaning against the same car Madison came in. Which gives me the impression that I can safely assume that's her boyfriend. And I can tell they had another fight based on how he's not looking up at her but he's holding out the car keys in her direction while his other hand played on his phone.

"I always tell him that he needs to sleep but he always has to argue back." Madison grabs the keys from the guy, kisses his cheek, and tilts her face to the side so he can do the same before he goes to the passenger side. "But in the end, we really are just like Justice and Gena.

Not really, but, as far as I know, in a certain way you are like them.

"We know what the other wants, we know how to give each other space, and yeah, I shouldn't depend on men. Blah, blah, blah. And the thing is, I'm not. My mom thinks I am. His mom too. They keep telling us to not let the other become a distraction or whatever. But I'm f*****g doing great. I got my own s**t to handle, he does too, so why the hell do I have to listen to others just because I got a boyfriend?"

"Our families sound so similar in a way, you know?" I mutter, motioning my driver to wait a moment. Glad I told him to bring us our stuff when I saw the exit so he could bring the car to the back, it'd be a waste of time to walk all the way to the front just to leave.

"Seraphine, I'm not saying this to be a mom to you or anything. But s**t, I'm scared of what you might be going through. You never wanted to deal with love but suddenly, overnight, you're flying to live with one. I don't know what your damned guy is capable of, let alone his strict parents, but if you need me, let me know. I don't care how you got to this point in your life, and I won't judge you for it, I'm just scared.”

I didn’t mean to make you feel scared.

“My gut is just telling me your parents got something to do with this. No hate toward them or anything, but," she leans against the car, placing a hand on her neck, looking disheartened, "I always felt uneasy around them, Seraphine. They tell me things to provoke me, they glare at my parents, they judge my boyfriend, and when I hug you, they look like I'm a dog in your arms. I can't explain it."

"My parents..." I sigh in resignation. I don't need to lie to her about all of this. The world is aware of the g**g world but I don't know how she would feel knowing I was forced to be a part of it. "They don't like me but they don't want me to ruin my value in the world either. Profit is profit and if the 'beautiful' teenager of the country loses her place on the chance for them to get their money... That's it. I'm as important as a piece of gum on the bottom of their shoe."

"Why? What the hell is going on, Seraphine? Why are they treating you as if you have a f*****g price tag dangling from your neck?"

"All you need to do is that they're consumers in this world of money and power."

"Then, what will they do if you want to break up with that guy? Are you even allowed to argue? To leave? Can you talk to the police about this?"

"Before, you said that every couple has their own arguments. And despite arguing being a way for couples to resolve their conflict, I can't go against their expectations. I can't tell you just yet what's going on. But if you can wait for me, I'll tell you one day. I'm almost able enough to let you in my personal life more. Just give me more time and I'll tell you everything you need to know."

Madison runs a hand through her hair, clearly in distress about my life, but nods. "Okay, I trust you." She gets off the car and crosses her arms over her chest. "I'm trusting you to do whatever you can to leave this―" She licks her lips, trying to find the right word, "―this coffer called a god damn relationship. It's not my life, nor is it my business, but I sure as hell have no issue fighting for you. I did it before, I can do it again."

"You can't win this fight. Simple things don't work on them. My parents aren't―" I glance at my driver then at her, "―they aren't people to be taken lightly. They're as strict as they can be, so if you want to fight... You better be prepared to cry, because that's all you will do in their style of fighting. "

Madison stares at me for a few seconds and looks down. "How weak am I compared to them? How much of a chance do I have to save you from them?"

"To be blunt with you, Madison. You would be a damsel in distress if you fought them right now. I'd say you have a ten percent chance to win. And that's if you want to do a court type of fight."

"What about a physical one?"

"You have a five percent chance of winning."

She exasperates. "Well, fuck."