"Briefly on the TV with my grandpa. My grandpa thinks your dad's work is a load of crap and changed it. He, in general, thinks your dad is a fake POS."
I chuckled. "I knew I liked your grandpa."
Ricky laughed.
"My dad has a new successful clone."
Ricky straightened up. "Seriously?"
I nodded. "Yeah, it's a baby, but the boy has been alive around three months, I think, so they announced it to the public today."
"That's crazy to think about."
"Honestly, I barely listened about the details. I was more focused on Madeline. She attended this conference. She, as usual, didn't speak, though."
"How long has it been since you've seen her?" Ricky's voice was softer.
My shoulders rose and fell as my eyes went to his window. Dark, thick clouds covered every inch of the sky.
"When she was in the hospital before Christmas."
"That's a long time."
I nodded. "Dad told me it was official that Madeline wasn't coming home."
Ricky's eyebrow fused together. "Where is she?"
"At his center." I shook my head. "She's living in that huge building. I don't know where. I just know she has her own room. Dad said she wasn't coming back between the attack on her immune system and what I said. That I'd never see her again."
"What did you say?" Ricky's voice came out slowly.
I started to wring my hands between my knees as my heart was racing. I hadn't told anyone about that night or my confession, my realization. I hadn't uttered the words since.
"That," I paused, "that I love Madeline."
I glanced up at Ricky. The muscles in Ricky's face relaxed, and his shoulders fell.
"Run that by me again."
"Dad and I were arguing about her as usual, back when Maddie was in the hospital. The words just came out. I don't even know what caused me to say them. I didn't even know I felt that way."
Ricky smirked. "Really? You are super protective over her. You two have always cuddled. The way you two look at each other. You didn't know?"
My face was flat. "No."
"It's one of the things that piss Justin off. He can tell too. When you said you two were sleeping together, Justin was convinced that you two were doing more than just sleeping."
"So was my dad."
It had been so long since her body was alongside mine. Our arms wrapped around the other. Now I was going to have sleep the rest of my life, not having that again.
"Did you two…"
"No!" my head shot up. "We never had sex or fooled around. We kissed once by accident. That's it, I swear. I don't know if I can keep living with him. He is driving me to the brink of insanity. I don't think I'm going to make it to graduation."
"You could move in here."
I raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
His face softened. "My parents and I have talked about it before. You're welcome to move in here anytime you want, whether it is for the night or until graduation."
"I can't do that to your parents."
Ricky shrugged. "They love you, and they know your dad. I'm at school, so my room is free. Madeline isn't there anymore. You're going to have to think about yourself for the first time. What is keeping you in that toxic home now that she is at the center?"
"You're right," I mumbled.
"It happens occasionally."
He laughed, and I smirked.
"I'll think about your offer."
"That's all I can ask for. Now, are you hungry?"
Ricky was in his bed, and I was lying on the floor in his room. His parents found an old blow-up mattress. They put sheets and blankets on it. I felt awkward telling them I wasn't staying. My dad didn't even contact me to see where I was. My hands were behind my head as I stared at his ceiling.
"I know you didn't have sex with her, but did you ever think about it?" Ricky's voice broke through the silence of the darkroom.
I groaned and rubbed my face.
"Dude, I thought you finally fell asleep."
"Nope."
"No, I thought about kissing her for real, though."
"Do you still love her?"
"I don't know." I groaned. "I do miss her, though."
"More than when Lisa broke up with you."
"Honestly, Lisa breaking up with me didn't upset me as much. Being away from Madeline is what is bothering me."
"Then there's the first clue that you have feelings for the girl that shares your bed."
"She had her own bed," I muttered.
Ricky rolled over onto this side and peered over at me.
"Yeah, but she mostly slept in yours."
A ding came from my phone, causing the whole screen to light up. It was an email. I clicked it, and it was junk, but my eyebrows scrunched as my eyes were adjusting to the light. There was an email from the college that I had applied to. How did I miss this email? I clicked it and sat up.
"Holy shit."
"What?" Ricky sat up as well.
"I got in at the college in Boston."
"Seriously?"
I nodded my head as I continued to read my acceptance letter. My heart pounded.
"Yeah." A grin grew across my face.
"That's awesome! You really can get away from him."
I chuckled. "A fresh start."
"You'll be in Massachusetts, and Madeline is in the center. You both will be protected from your dad."
My clothes and a few belongings sat in the backseat of my car in plastic garbage bags. My heart raced. I left a note on the kitchen table letting dad know that I was moving in with Ricky's family. Taking in a deep breath, I opened my car door and pulled out two bags. As I carried the bags to the house's front door, Ricky's dad opened the door. A smile was on his
