Chapter 1

                                        Brooke's POV

        “Hello?” I said as I picked up my phone and clicked the answer button. “Hey it's me.” My bestfriends voice came through from the other end. Her voice seemed different, not like it's usual bubbly tone.

“Oh hey, Madison. How are you?” I asked shaking off the weirdness.

“I'm fine, you know. What about you?” She attempted to say. Her voice was getting shakier.

“What's wrong-?"

"Can we have a chat tomorrow morning?” She interrupted. I was taken aback.

"Yes! Of course! Anytime! Why dont you call in for me extra early tomorrow morning?” I said softly.

“Okay see you then.” She went to hang up.

“Wait!” I said a little bit too loudly.  

“What!?” She hissed surprised at my outburst.

“Are you sure you are okay?” I asked concern washed through my whole body.

“Not really, I just need to get it off my chest.”

“Okay bye Madison.”

“Bye Brooke.” She replied flatly then hung up the phone.

 

        I couldn't sleep that night. I kept thinking about Madison. We have been best friends since as long as either of us can remember. It's hard to think about her being upset or hurt in anyway. She's aIways so happy and lively.

I got up earlier than expected the next morning. I had to find out what Madison wanted to tell me. The anxiety was killing me.  I had to call her. I picked up my phone ready to ring her, but then I put it back down again. I will give her some space I thought. I lay back on my bed waiting for the door bell to ring. Before the door bell rang i started to fall asleep again.

I jumped with fright when it rang twice. I almost fell down the stairs too, I was moving so rapidly. I ran halfway down nearly banging into my little devious nine year old brother. Luckily he moved quickly out of the way while i just caught hold of the door handle. I opened it, and there she was, standing in the door way with red puffy eyes and tear streaked cheeks. “What the-?” My mother started to say but I silenced her with a look.

“Okay Mam, since we are early we are going up to my room and please  do not disturb us okay?” I looked at my brother, David. 
"I will make sure he doesnt go up sweetheart. Take ur time talking... I will give you a lift to school. C'mon honey you need to finish getting ready or your going to be late... again" She ws leading him back into the kitchen.  He glared, I simply smirked. I pulled Madison along to my room. I checked in the hallway for any annoying little spies around. I closed the door gently.

“Come here , Maddy.” I gesturing my arms out for a hug. She came into my arms and broke down crying.

”Oh Madison, it's okay, it's okay.” I said comforting her.

“No! That's the thing Brooke everything is not okay!” She pulled back to look at me.Tears streaming down from her face. I sat down on the bed, she slowly sat down beside me.

“Okay, my parents are fighting and its so bad that they might be getting a divorce and I might be moving.” She said in one big rush, holding back the tears.

'”Wait,what!” I couldn't hear it at first, I couldn't understand her. Then i heard her.

“My parents got into a big fight it even started to get physical too my Mam wants to take me and my brother to my granny's house.' She looked away from me in shame.

      “Which granny?” I asked, I knew practically all her family. “The one that's in America...” I stared at her, gobsmacked. Now I couldn't even hold back the tears. “You're really moving?” I asked, choking when I said the word moving. “I think so. I'm not a hundred percent sure but it will only get worse at this stage.” We sat there in silence, staring off into space. We both dried off our eyes. “We should get to school we don't want to be late.” I stammered. “Okay, let's go.” We walked out of my room. It seemed like forever until we got to school. It had been a long disturbing walk in silence from my house to our school. I couldn't concentrate on my subjects in school that day, my mind was all over the place. All I could think about was how to survive secondary school without my bestie, defeting the royal b*****s alone and who else was I supposed to share all my secrets with, who to tell everything to and honestly I don't think I can do any of that without her. The bell for lunch jerked me out of my daze. I was almost out of the classroom when the teacher called me back.

He was my favourite teacher in my school, (not just because he is my uncle) My English Teacher, Mr. Wallace “Yes,?'” I said walking back towords his desk. “Amm, Brooke are u okay today? Do you feel sick?” He asked. “I feel fine Mr. Wallace.” I said assuring him. “Oh please call me uncle Paul, class is over. It's just that you seem distracted today.” He said, worry filled his eyes. “I know. I am, its just that I found out a secret that is going to crush me.” I trailed off as I looked away.

“I won't push you into telling me Brooke, but if you need to talk...” He said in a gentle tone. “Do you know Madison?” I asked, taking a seat in front of him. 'Yes. Very bright girl. What about her? ' A puzzled look crossed his face. 'She's moving to the other side of the country.' I looked away blinking back the tears. I told him about the conversation I had with Madison earlier this morning. “I'm sure it's a false alarm. Remember the false alarms before?”

It was true There had been false alarms before. It cheered me up a little. “Thanks Mr. Wallace.” There was a knock on the door. It was Madison. “There you are I was looking everywhere for you. Hello Mr. Wallace.” She greeted Mr. Wallace. “Hello Madison.” She greeted back politely. “Sorry Maddy, I was... Asking about homework. I think I got it now. Thanks again Mr. Wallace” “Your most certanly welcome Brooke.” She said with a smile. I linked arms with Madison and just when we reached the door I looked back at my English teacher and he said goodbye with a little wink.Later that day, we were unusually quiet. We didn't want to talk about the situation because we didn't want to get upset either.We went to my house and all we talked about was school when we were doing our homework. .

This is the most tense moment i had with Madison in a very long time. “Okay Madison, We need to talk about this.” She faced me with a dead look on her face. “Fine. Let's talk.” I sat on the bed, obviously thinking she was going to sit beside me. Instead she chose a seat in front of me. “Okay Maddy. Do you know the full story of what happened between your parents?” I asked, not wanting to offend her in anyway. “Yes, I do. If you wouldnt mind can I tell you what happened? I need to get it off my chest.” I was actually surprised she asked that. “Ya! Of course. Tell on.” She switched seats to come over beside me on the couch in my sitting room. My parents were at work so it was just me and her and privacy.

“At the beginning everything was okay.” she began as she was discussing her parent problems.She began with money issues. “My parents often fought about money and what it was being spent on. My brother and I have no care for money at all. We think our parents are rich but their not, and I hear them talking about how they have no money to spend on us anymore. Then as I told you before it got physical.After that my dad went to the pub, and spent a load of money. He got really drunk. When he gone my mam got my brother and I to pack a bag each. She packed a bad herself, and she took us to our nanny's house near here.”

      She looked out the window into the Baltic horrendous thunderous January day. “Awh Maddy! It's alright you can stay here for a while. No! Scratch that. You can stay here as long as you like.” “Really?” she asked me turning back towards my direction. “ Of course.” She smiled at me. Suddenly we were interrupted by Katy Perry Firework.

It was her message tone. She picked up her phone and there was a message from a number that was put down as A friend ;) xxxxxxxxx. “Who is that!” I exclaimed. She started blushing. “No one” She said quickly. She sat on a seat under the window. I snatched the phone out of her hand when she was reading the text. It said: “Soo did u make up your mind honey?xxxxxxxxxxx.”

“Ohh la la Maddy has an admirer!!” I said three times. She got the phone back off me. “Who is it Maddy?” i said walking towards her. A smirk spreading across my face. “No one! It's probably the wrong number there is no point in texting back. Haha.” she said nervously. She got a new text then. She slowly opened it, and from the same number was a text saying“Come on Maddy text back. I need to know. I really like you. So what do you say? Xxxxxxxxxxxx” “Definitely not the wrong number anyway..” I strolled away from her.

“Okay it's this guy...” She started. “Well, thanks for recognising the obvious brain box!” I mocked. She laughed. "So... How is your love-life going Little Miss Glamorous?" She said under her breath. "Well you know that I can hear you right? And never better."