Read Online Friends till the End by Laura Dower - Free Book Online Page B

of her friends’ comments. Did they really think Madison was going to break up with Hart and ruin their perfect little group of pals?
    Aimee pinched Madison on the shoulder. “Maddie, don’t look so serious. We’re just kidding,” she said.
    “Yeah, Maddie, don’t worry. We know your true-blue feelings.”
    Madison laughed along with them, even though she didn’t find any of their jokes very funny. How ridiculous of them to think that she’d throw Hart Jones over! Even if they were kidding. It had taken Madison an entire seventh-grade year to gain Hart’s affections, and she wasn’t about to jeopardize that for some random kid from Camp Sunshine.
    Or was she?

Chapter 8
    A S MADISON, AIMEE AND Fiona approached the last block before school, talk of boys ceased, and talk of science and English homework commenced.
    But Madison was still thinking about Will.
    She would never admit it to her BFFs, but Madison had had a bit of a crush on Will at camp—and she knew that feelings like that didn’t evaporate, no matter who was involved. Maybe there still was something between her and him…
    Guilt, guilt. Twinge, twinge.
    It was hard not to wonder about the possibility…
    After getting her books out of her locker, Madison headed off to Mr. Danehy’s room. Almost immediately, she ran into Hart.
    Guilt, guilt. Twinge, twinge.
    “I saw you walking,” Hart said.
    “What’s up?” Madison asked, biting her lip.
    Hart gave her a funny look. “Nothing much.”
    Madison bit her lip again. One of her occasional weaknesses was that of showing utterly transparent facial expressions. What if Hart saw right through the forced smile, all the way to the guilty twinge that lurked beneath?
    “I’m so-o-o-o great,” Madison said. “Really.”
    I am such a bad liar, she thought.
    Hart shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, hands in pockets, backpack on his shoulder. Why was he acting so strange?
    Madison was about to say something positive and upbeat about Hart’s T-shirt when she was bumped from behind.
    “Excuse me,” Poison Ivy Daly huffed, pushing past them.
    “Now that was uncool,” Hart said disdainfully.
    “We’d better get seated or Mr. Danehy will freak,” Madison said, nudging Hart with her elbow.
    Hart took his seat over by Chet, who was scribbling something into his notebook. Madison veered toward the stool next to Poison Ivy.
    “So, Mr. Danehy knows how you’ve been acting toward me,” Ivy growled.
    Madison wanted to jump up on the lab counter and scream, “Oh, yeah? Well what would that be, Miss Stinky-pants Traitor-girl?”
    But she said nothing.
    “Did you hear me?” Ivy growled again. “I said that I—”
    “Yes, I heard you,” Madison said softly. “The whole planet can hear when you talk. You don’t have to bark.”
    Madison sat back, satisfied with her retort. Lately, she’d been rich in sassy comebacks. She felt pleased knowing that Ivy’s feathers would be permanently ruffled for the entire length of the class.
    As if on cue, Ivy leaned back, away from Madison’s stool, and let out an enormous squawk. Everyone heard it, including the teacher.
    “Is there a problem, Ms. Daly?” Mr. Danehy asked from the front of the room. It was his usual question.
    “No,” Ivy said, glaring right at Madison.
    “Oh, yeah, everything’s just hunky-dory-doo,” Madison quipped under her breath.
    “Excuse me?” Ivy asked.
    Madison looked Ivy straight in the eye. “Would you just chill out?” she said. “We have to get this project done somehow. There’s no escape, and you’re not helping.”
    For some reason, Ivy didn’t have a comeback this time. She just stared at Madison.
    Madison took advantage of the silence. “Just take a look at the notes, will you?” she asked, shoving her notebook back at Ivy. “According to you, this notebook is part yours, anyhow, right?”
    Ivy nodded. “Fine.”
    Madison flipped through the pages where she’d drawn diagrams and scribbled ideas.