Zack and Madison get a room and talk

Zack and Madison sat together on his bed in the bedroom Zack was sharing with Chloe and Gavin.

"I had no idea," Zack said. He looked at the black-haired girl, twin sister of Zack's best friend Brandon. Chloe and Gavin, well...he'd known them so long, they were almost like a sister and brother, too close for just "best friends".

"Brandon's on me all the time," Madison said. "Trying to keep me out of trouble." She blew out a breath through her nostrils in annoyance. "The only time I saw you, he was around too, or Lisa. So when I saw you today on the couch with...with your dick out, I thought, it's now or never."

"How long?" Zack said.

"All year," Madison said. She dipped her head, looking down. "Every time you and Brandon were studying together, I'd watch you. See you laughing together. I mean, Brandon's all up in my ass because he's trying to protect me, but when I saw you two together, I could see my brother is really a good guy, and you help make him better. And then when I see you with Chloe and Gavin, I see how good a friend you are." Madison looked up at Zack. "I want a friend like that."

They stared at each other.

"The cheerleaders?" Zack said. "I mean, you're really tight with them, right?"

"It's," Madison began. She shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh. "Well, I guess," she said. "But there's this weird competitive thing going on at the same time, you know?"

They spent another minute looking at each other silently.

Madison let her head dip again. "You think I'm a slut for throwing myself at you."

"I think if you were looking for a friend, I mean..." Zack said.

Madison looked up. "It was the only way Brandon would have let me be your friend," she said. "I just had to take you and hope you liked me too." She dropped her head down. "God, I hope I didn't mess it up for you and Bran. That would make all the bullshit he believes about me true." She looked up, tears running down her cheeks. "Did I just throw everything away?"

Zack opened his arms. Madison pressed herself into his embrace.

"God I'm so stupid," Madison said.

"No," Zack said. "No, I was stupid. I didn't know."

"Do you like me?" Madison said.

"I like you," Zack said. "You're incredibly sexy. You're so beautiful and alive."

Madison nodded her head into Zack's shoulder. "You don't need to say anything else," she said. "Just hold me."

After a time, Madison pushed back. "We should go find my brother," she said. She sniffled. "I guess we got a room and talked."

"Yeah," Zack said. "So, uh, you want to try this thing out? Friends?"

"With benefits," Madison said.

"Okay," Zack said.

"I think we'll know by the end of Spring Break," Madison said.

"Sure," Zack said.

"Let's go find Brandon," Madison said.