"So, I want to know about everything." Maya says excitedly. "I don't even know where to start first. I have so many questions."

We're both seated at the bar of her job, the music blaring loudly through the speakers. This probably wasn't the best place to talk, but I wanted a drink, and they're free here since Maya just got off the clock.

I twirl the straw around in my dirty shirley temple, taking another sip. "I assure you that you'll be disappointed. My life is really not that interesting."

"Oh, come on, Maddie. Yale? That's so cool. I knew you were smart, but never yale smart."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes, becoming so tired of all the questions about Yale. "Tell me about you. How are things with Ethan?"

She smiles just at the mention of his name, giving me my answer. "We're doing really well." She says. "I feel like every year just gets better and better for us, you know? We're talking about moving in together this summer."

"Really?" I ask. "Here?"

"Yeah, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. This is where my family lives. Cameron tried to talk us into moving to Pennsylvania, but I hate the snow. I could never do it."

"It's the worst." I tell her. "It's so freaking cold. It takes like twenty minutes to even get the ice off of my car in the morning."

"I forget that you and Cam aren't that far away from each other. Why the hell didn't you guys pick things back up when you went to Yale?"

Ah, the dreaded question. The one I'm still trying to explain myself.

"Honestly, I don't know. When I went to college a part of me changed. I got so focused in being at the top of my class that I lost connections with everyone. Not just cam, but with you too, and Maya I regret it everyday. I miss you, and I'm so sorry I was a shit friend who pushed you away."

A random drunk guy pushes his way in between Maya and I, a gross smile on his face. "Hey ladies." He slurs. "Can I buy you a drink?"

Before we can shoo him away, Tre stalks over from the other side of the bar. "Fuck off, Tony." He threatens. "You've had too many. Do I need to get security again?"

The guy, who I'm assuming to be Tony now, throws his hands up and immediately steps away from us. "Nah man, we're cool. We're cool. Sorry ladies."

He leaves us alone again, and after Maya and I send a grateful smile to Tre we erupt into a fit of laughter.

"I don't know how you do this damn job!" I yell. "You have to deal with guys like that every night?"

"Tony's a weekend man." She shrugs. "He keeps things interesting around here. It's really not as bad as it seems."

The song changes, and Maya's eyes soften when she remembers what it was I had said before creepy Tony interrupted. She leans over to grab onto my hand and gives it a tight squeeze. "You don't have to apologize for living life." She smiles. "I was busy with college too, and if you hadn't ignored me then I probably would have ignored you at some point. It's life, and I understand that things get in the way. It never bothered me Maddie because I knew that whenever you came back it would be just like it is right now. Natural. Like you never even left."

I blink away tears and lean over to give her a hug. "I love you, Maya."

"I love you more, girl. Oh, did I tell you about the plans I have to open my own salon?"

"Wait what? Maya, that's incredible! I had no idea."

She nods, her eyes becoming alive as she pictures it. "It's just so crazy to think that it's already happening. Who would have thought that I would want to do hair and nails for my career?"

"Um, that doesn't surprise me one bit." I laugh. "That's literally all you did when we would hang out. You were the only reason I didn't look homeless my senior year."

"Okay, maybe you have a point." She giggles, but when she looks behind me her eyes narrow slightly, cocking her head to the side.

"What is it?" I ask.

Maya reaches her hand out to stop me, but I turn around before she can. There's so many people out on the dance floor, but my eyes are immediately drawn to what she's looking at.

My father.

He's dancing with a woman I've never seen before, her back pressed against his chest as he grips firmly onto her hips. I want to throw up, the bile immediately rising into my throat at once.

What in the actual fuck?

The woman spins around and suddenly kisses my father. They go into an intense make out session, his hands running down her back before I finally can't look anymore. I face the bar again and put my head into my hands.

I feel like I'm going to pass out.

Is that why he's been coming home so early in the morning? For this whore? Does my mom even know? Does anyone know?

"Maddie, I'm so sorry." Maya starts, but she knows there's nothing she can say to me at this point. All she does is hold a finger up to Tre so that we can get another shot.

Tre doesn't ask questions thankfully, he just sets the shots down in front of us, his eyes lingering on me for a half a beat too long before he goes to help someone else.

I down the shot quickly, my eyes burning from how badly I want to cry right now.

How does he think this is okay? He wants to destroy our family? He wants to throw away an entire marriage for some fucking whore? My mom is a saint. She would do anything for anyone. How dare he?

I stand up from the chair, Maya quickly gripping onto my elbow. "Maddie, you've been drinking." She warns. "Just sleep on it. Have this conversation with him in the morning."

I shrug her off and waltz over to the two of them. The woman he's with looks like a tramp. Overly applied makeup that makes her skin look too dry. She doesn't know who I am, and that makes me even more upset. Does she even know he has a family?

"Dad." I practically spit in his direction. "What a surprise to see you here."

His face pales when he turns around, and I can immediately see his brain try to rack up some sort of excuse. There isn't one. I just saw everything.

"Maddie..." he trails off. "Honey, I was just-"

"Just out at a nightclub for young adults with a tramp you picked up from the street?"

The woman arches a brow, but I think she's so in shock that I'm his daughter that she doesn't even reply.

Smart choice.

"How dare you do this to mom! How dare you do this to us! To your family. And to think I actually believed your bullshit when you said it was because you were working late. What a bunch of shit. You should be fucking ashamed of yourself."

"Madison, watch your language." He warns. "You know nothing about this, so I suggest you stop while you're ahead."

"Watch my language?" I laugh in disbelief, throwing my hands up into the air. "You've got to be fucking kidding! I'm not watching my language. You're a piece of shit, and I hope mom finds out. I really hope she does."

"That's enough." He says, but before I can put more of my two cents in I feel Maya drag me outside. The cold air hits me directly in the face, sobering me up slightly.

"Did I honestly just catch my dad having an affair on my mom?" I ask and rub my temples, attempting to wake myself up. "I'm dreaming, right?"

"Maddie, it's going to be okay." She tries to console me and pulls me into a hug, but I'm so frozen in shock that I can't even tap into my emotions.

All I know is that I'm not okay, and the last place I want to be is home. Reaching into my purse, I pull out my phone and see that I have two missed calls from Cameron. He's the only person that could remotely make me feel better right now.

"What are you doing?" Maya asks.

I fumble around in my purse until I find my wallet. "I'm calling an Uber." I mutter, but I'm so drunk that I can't find my card. I end up pulling out the gift card that Cameron gave me. The one to American Airlines.

"Here, I'll do it." Maya takes her phone out and enters in the information as I continue to twirl the gift card around in my fingertips.

He's only a plane ride away. I'm drunk, and hurt, and the only place I want to be right now is in his arms. I don't want to go home and face my dad. I don't want to have to lie to my moms face, or even worse, break the news to her. Does Ethan know? It's doubtful, but I know he'll figure it out sooner than later. Maya will tell him everything.

I need to get out of here, and with this gift card I'll be able to escape every single ounce of pain I'm feeling right now.