𝕿he woman in front of her seems to take forever in deciding whether she'd like to pay with cash or card and with each passing second, Madeleine is sure that if she's made to wait any longer she will be found passed away right here on the floor of the store.

A dramatic exclamation from the back of the line catches her attention.

"This is never-ending", the words are followed by a groan and there's something about the voice that is mildly unsettling to her.

Her brain aggressively signals her to not turn and see who the voice belongs to, to remain oblivious for as long as possible but her body seems to have a mind of its own.

Craning her neck, she glances back and she immediately wishes that she hadn't.

She would've been so much better off if she had never seen that side profile ever in her life again.

Shock penetrates through her senses, alarm bells sounding loudly in her head, her reflexes on an instant alert with the sense of impending doom slowly and gradually closing up on her.

She stares back at that alluring face, those calculating blue eyes — the same ones that once stared so lovingly at her, that she'd dream about for days on end after he walked away and left her brittle heart bleeding — narrowed in irritqtedly at a person a bit farther back in the line.

Averting her gaze, she feels her eyebrows pulling into a frown when she finds none other than Jack Hughes standing there staring at her favourite shade of blue with an equally annoyed expression.

She wants to look away so bad, she knows that it'll be disastrous if she's caught staring at them, but it's just so damn hard.

He's beautiful, in every way possible.

Even his now wide-eyed gaze laden on his friend looks like the prettiest and most adorable thing she's ever seen.

The highway never seemed like a better bed before.

"Uh, ma'am?".

The voice interrupts her gawking and she snaps her neck so quickly that she fears she may have dislocated a bone.

Damn you, Trevor.

The attendant looks at her expectantly and now that she's back to her senses, she wastes no time in getting her groceries checked out and scurries out the automatic doors practically sprinting to the rented car parked nearby.

She unlocks it in a hurry and begins shoving her bags inside the trunk, her stomach knotted in a serious fever of anxiety as the thought of them seeing her here starts closing in on her sanity.

Apparently, the big bag of vegetables she bought does not like the idea of being brutally shoved inside the car.

And so, it casually topples over spilling out all of its contents on the dirty parking lot floor, everything strewing around close to her car.

Cursing under her breath, Madeleine bends down and starts picking up all the unapologetic vegetables, collecting some in her arm before dumping them in the sad grocery bag leaning against the other bags on the top of the car.

She shakes her head at the mess she's created, momentarily forgetting about why she was in a hurry in the first place.

And then she hears another familiar voice which has her freezing on the ground, a cucumber clutched tightly between her ring clad fingers.

"Here, let me help you".

She sees a hand extended towards her, offering a few rogue potatoes and then her eyes fall down to the white spotless vans which honestly makes her want to disappear into thin air.

She's quick to stand up straighter, making the person also stand up to their full height and stare at her with wild confusion laced in his features, the hand holding the potatoes still extended in her direction.

"Mad—".

"Please don't tell him".

The words are out of her mouth before she could think and the pleading tone in her voice has Jack blinking quietly.

After gazing at her for another second, he simply nods and begins wordlessly collecting all the vegetables helping her load the bag to its full limit once again.

She shuts the trunk and glances at him but he only nods, giving her a tight lipped smile and walks back to the car she can see Trevor standing by, hands on his hips and eyes firmly fixed on the groceries loaded in the boot.

Before she could start staring at him again, she shakes herself off and settles down inside the car turning the key and igniting the engine to drive away.

But the sudden shock of seeing them there and subsequent encounter of a surprisingly understanding Jack, she can't seem to move a muscle behind the steering wheel.

Her eyes stay rooted to the windshield, the air-conditioner blasting off its cool air and colliding against the bare skin of her shorts and arms to cool down her inflamed skin — both from the unexpected surprise and the scalding heat in the air today.

She screws her eyes shut, trying to clear her head before she pulls into the road again, mint green coloured fingernails tapping incessantly against the leather coating on the steering wheel.

She's so focused on her breathing that the sound of tapping on the window makes her jump in her seat.

Taking a deep breath, she slides the window down and leans forward only to roll her lips together at the sight in front of her.

Trevor, holding a tomato in his hand, staring at her like he's just seen a ghost.

He remains unblinking, mouth slightly parted in shock and though she's surprised to see him, she's also panicking inside.

She hopes it doesn't show on her face.

"Yes?", she asks attempting to sound nonchalant, trying to keep her breathing in check.

He continues looking at her for a few more seconds before finally clearing his throat.

"Your tomato was lying on the ground".

He holds out the vegetable and slowly, she reaches her hand out to cradle it in her palm.

A sigh involuntarily makes it past her lips and her the feathery hair of her bangs gently caress her skin as she prepares herself for whatever is about to come.

"Thank you", she presses her lips together hoping it looks friendly enough.

But also, fuck friendly?

Fully expecting him to just nod and retreat, she tries to mask her surprise when he speaks again.

"What are you . . . what are you doing in Michigan?".

Oh, wait.

In all the panicking, she'd completely forgotten where she was.

She's in Michigan and he's in Michigan . . . which can only mean one thing.

Not knowing what else to say, she simply says, "Vacationing".

He stuffs his hands in his pockets, a nervous tick she picked up on during those first few months of knowing him — he's nervous? — "Vacationing? In Michigan? Are you with someone or . . ."

The unspoken meaning behind his words is not lost on her. He's curious to know if she's here with someone or not. Maybe even hoping that she's not.

That makes her want to snap but she really just wants to get out of this conversation as soon as possible.

"Alone. I like my alone time".

He looks relieved — the urge to punch him is growing by the second — and replies, "No, I'm sorry how are you—this is where the lake house is. I'm here too. For the summer".

He looks at her with his classic puppy face full of hope.

So much hope.

And that only pisses her off more.

"I didn't follow you here if that’s what you're implying. I didn't even know this is where the lake house is located. Millie booked me a cottage for the summer and", she waves her hands, gesturing to herself, "here I am. So don't go feeling flattered or some shit", she ends it with a scoff, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.

He looks apologetic but also who the fuck cares?

"No, uhm. No. I wasn't thinking that at all. I'm just surprised".

She will either punch his perfect face in or bawl her eyes out.

"Okay? I really have to get going now so . . . .", she chooses a more mature option.

He hesitates but eventually steps back allowing her to back up and almost turn the car towards the exit when he speaks up again.

"Nice seeing you here!", he yells and she almost considers looking his way but she stops herself.

Feigning ignorance, Madeleine drives off leaving him there behind but thoughts of the interaction linger, and every other memory on the back burner comes rushing back in full force.

( 𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗂𝖾 , 𝗆𝖺𝖽𝗌 )

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
please tell me u didn't
know he'd be here

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
who?

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
trevor.

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
wait what?

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
wdym

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
i just ran into him &
jack at the GROCERY
STORE

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
jack hughes?

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
YES

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
OH SHIT???

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i promise u i had NO
idea they'd be there

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i would've never gotten
u the cottage if i'd known

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
u sure? bc it's difficult
trusting u rn

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i am SURE, bubs

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
if i could i'd throw him
out of this UNIVERSE
just so u don't ever have
to see his pathetic face
again

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
pinky promise

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
okay well

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
this is where the hughes
lake house is, apparently

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
what a happy coincidence

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i'm sorry :(

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
u can leave if u want
to, i don't mind. come
stay here, we'd love to
have u over for the summer

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
no that's fine

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
i came here for a peaceful
summer and no matter
what happens, i WILL get
it. i'm not letting anyone
ruin that

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
and besides, he should be the
one running. not me

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
u'll be ok then?

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
yeah dw

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i know i didn't do this
intentionally but i can't
say the same about orla,
she could've tricked me

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
so i'll talk to her to make
sure she hasn't officially
lost her mind

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
why would orla do this
tho

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
bc she's a "hopeless
romantic" and she hated
it when u and that bitch
broke up

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i once caught her calling
him on my phone to
"make things right"

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
thank GOD i hung up
before he picked up

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
woah woah what???

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
why did i never know
about this

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
bc i didn't want u thinking
i was meddling in ur
business when i obviously
wasn't, it was orla through
and through

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
he did call me back tho but
i didn't pick up

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
he called several times
actually and i ended up
blocking him

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
i'm sorry my gf's crazy

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
ur fiancée i think u mean

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
might have to reevaluate
that if she sent u there on
purpose 😔

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
shut up 😭

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
i'll be fine, just don't be
mad at her if she's done
this intentionally. i really
want to wear that
bridesmaid dress

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
okay i'll try

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
but call me if u need
anything ok? and if u
need someone to make
him disappear u know
i'm just a text away

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
i appreciate the sentiment
but u won't do well in prison

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
who said i'd be found
out? this wouldn't be my
first time dealing with a
body

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
right

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
so heroic

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
text me for whatever
no matter the time.

𝗺𝗮𝗱𝘀
ok! i'm gonna go cook
now, love uuuuu

𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲
💗💗💗💗

***
😋✊️