Mr. Average

Madison spends the night at the Tully household.

Sunday was uneventful.

I spent the whole day in my bed with a dumb grin on my face, texting Scott. I didn't realize it was night until Scott told me he was going to bed.

Me: Isn't it, like, 5 or 6 pm?

S: Joel, it's 2:00am and we have school tomorrow.

Me: You're shitting me.

I then looked at the clock, which read 2:03. My jaw dropped.

Me: Okay, me 2. See you tomorrow, x

S: Ditto, x.

Me: I love you.

S: I love you too.

Biting my lip, I clicked off my phone and I instantly realized how tired I was. Exhaustion pummeled be as soon as my phone's LED light died, and I blinked for a few moments in surprise.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

_~_~_

My alarm blared out the next day, making me jump and flip around so I was holding myself up on my elbows. I strained my fingers through my knotted hair and slowly got up, stretching my limbs so I hears little pops in my back and shoulders.

I sighed and walked to the bathroom, halting by Finn's door when I heard small giggles and something like tongue clicking but... wetter. I c****d my head to get a better earshot, but it subsided. I sighed and walked into the bathroom.

After the bathroom propositions were done, I walked out to go back to my bathroom to pick out some decent clothes to wear-- and met the blue eyes of no one else but Madison Meadows.

My jaw dropped, I opened my mouth but nothing came out.

All the color drained from Madison's face. She gasped, "Joel, I can explain!"

It handn't clicked yet, "M-Madison, what are you doing in my house?"

Finn appeared, shirtless and smug. He had some muscles, visible abs and some built biceps, but none of it was all that impressive. He put his arm around Madison's shoulders, his smugness increasing when he saw my gaping mouth.

My eyes shifted quickly between the two of them. I gasped, "You didn't!"

Madison turned a shade of read that I had never heard of. "I don't think that's any of your business, what do you think, baby?" Finn said, pressing emphasis on the last word.

Anger flared inside of me, I pressed my lips together, biting them until I was sure they were porcelain from blood deprivation.

"I... don't know..." Madison whispered, shrinking into Finn's side.

Finn grinned, kissing her temple. "Well, we'd better be off. Come on, Joel, I'm driving you."

"No," I immediately said, holding my hands up. "Scott's driving me." He had been, recently.

Finn chuckled, "He isn't today!"

Madison touched my shoulder, and it felt like it was the hand of Judas. "Come on, Joel. Let's carpool!"

I would rather die. "He's already on his way."

"Fine," Finn sighed, "But tell him to stay away tomorrow." He shoved my shoulder playfully, to my disgust. "I miss our brother-brother driving times."

"Yeah, that's not happening," I said, dabbing at my shoulder.

Finn gave me a sour look before turning back to Madi, "Come on, Madsters. I'll drive you."

I fought my stomach from emptying, spinning around back to my room and pulling on a dark grey tank top with lighter grey vertical striped,and faded jean shorts. fighting on my raggedy Vans with American flags printed on them. Madison gave them to me last Christmas, claiming my shoe selection was "POSITIVELY DREADFUL, JOEL!!!!". Remembering Madison in the hallway, I had an odd urge to burn them.

Before I could think more on the plan of arson, I heard Scott's rhythmic knock on the door. I slung my bag over my shoulder, walking out.

I was fuming with hot rage, and I almost felt bad for sucking Scott into it, but as on as I opened the door, I threw myself into his surprised arms and kissed him, leaning into his ear. "I am going to rant until my lungs cave in, so prepare yourself." He c****d an eyebrow, but said nothing. When he saw Madison and Finn canoodling (still lingering in the hallway) ((ugh)) he gave a little gasp, but before he could say hello or goodbye, I grabbed his hand and pulled him downstairs.

_~_~_

"I just can't f*****g believe her!!" I shouted, tugging awkwardly at my seat belt, since my hands didn't have anything else to do. I had finished up my story, and Scott had listened intently (as always) and was gnawing at his lip, trying to think of a response.

"Yeah, that's bitchy," he said simply.

I sighed into my hands, "That's the understatement of the ages. Finn is by asshole older brother!!"

"I don't see why he's so bad, honestly."

I groaned in frustration. "He is trying to break us up in retaliation, how worse can he get? By strangling puppies?!"

Scott winced, "Please, don't talk about dead, small animals. It's barely 7:45." He paused, "Wait, how did he try to break us up?"

I narrowed my eyes, "He set up Adonis to see you kissing me! He's trying something, and it includes Adonis."

Scott looked at me through the corner of his eye, "Who the Hell is Adonis?"

My stomach dropped, "You don't... oh, William Shitner."

"Joel, who is he?" Scott asked after a few moments, gripping the steering while slightly tighter.

"He's... nobody. Just Finn's friend from college who has a crush on me, that's all." I felt my face go so hot, if someone touched it they would get a second degree burn.

"Is he your ex, or something?"

"It's complicated. It was complicated. We liked each other, I'll admit, but he liked me a lot more-- and we may have kissed once or twice-- but it was a different time. I didn't even know you back then!" I was over-explaining and blushing, I felt like I was getting choked up. I was impossibly nervous. I had wanted to keep Adonis and Scott in separate universes, Adonis' the bearable one with nice sights and good meanings, but Scott's was my home. It was full of love, love was the stratosphere and the oxygen I breathed. Adonis was a broken, abandoned, rusty universe compared to Scott's, which was full of everything I'd ever want or I'd ever need in life. I wish he would understand that, and I tried to understand, but I was babbling and stammering.

"I-- you-- Adonis is the past, you're my present and future-- no, pretend I didn't say that, it's too corny. You-- I-- home, you're my home-- no, I didn't say that either." I buried my face in my hands, fighting tears. "Please-- understand."

Scott sighed, I could tell he was holding back chuckled. I peeked at him through my fingers, he had a tight smirk on his face. His next words were like a cold bottle of water after decades of a dry desert, "Joel, I understand."

I wanted to fly over to the driver's side and kiss him until he was pruned, "I am so relieved." I breathed, raking my fingers through my hair.

"I can see you care," Scott said, "I can see that Adonis isn't in your life anymore." He gripped my chin, making my face him. He looked at the road and back at me, his cute focus divided. "Not even Finn can separate us. Not over my dead body."

I glared into his warm, brown eyes. He licked his lips, and I leaned into a kiss, casting a quick glance at the road.

"SCOTT, LOOK OUT!!!" I screamed, as loud as I could.

"s**t!" Scott shouted, swerving out of the way of a speeding black Mercedes SUV. I vaguely recognized it, but my brain was completely numb from where.

Scott's car sped into the grass, where Zola was walking, shoulder to shoulder. Scott slammed his fist on his horn and, to their anguish, jumped at separate sides of Scott's car. It slammed into a utility pole, and Scott's arms jutted out to me, covering my face and chest from any shards of glass. I heard him cry out as the car forcefully stopped and some blood leaked from his arm.

As the airbags exploded from the dashboard-- extremely delayed, but my head was shielded from collision by Scott's arm-- I racked my brain for where I remembered the car.

I gasped suddenly, anxiety going off in small bombs in my chest.

Adonis really had seen Scott, after all.