Love Me Back

Copyright ©2013 by Michelle Ly

All Rights Reserved, including the right to reproduce, distribute, or transmit in whole or in part by any means.

This book is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and events portrayed in this book are the product of the author’s imagination or are either fictitious or used in a fictitious ma

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Cover Design by Kerri Reaves

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The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:  Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, Ford Mustang, FJ Cruiser, Jeep Wrangler, Chevy Silverado, Mercedes, Adidas, Velcro, Skype, Brides Magazine

Chapter 1 – 11 years old

“Madeline Dolores Je

“What do you want Bryan Otto Edwards?”

“Hey, I’m just joking, Maddy.”  Bryan runs up the hill throwing his arm around me.  “You knew it had to be coming, I have been holding it in all day since Ke

I hate the days my mom ‘worked late’.  It entails me having to walk up the grassy hill from my grade school to my brother Jack’s, football practice with the other latchkey brothers and sisters of the football heroes of our small town.  There were half dozen of us that made the trek every day, all boys except for Macke

Macke

Our brothers are teammates but not the best of friends.  In fact they have been known to fight with each other on several occasions.  Currently over a girl named Cindy Rydel.  I don’t see what is so intriguing about her but I am not a seventeen year old hormone induced boy either.  It doesn’t matter to Ke

Jack glances up to the bleachers on his way to the field giving me a wave checking to make sure I made it safely across the hill from our schools.  I wave back and take my seat next to MacKe

“Alright Ke

“Let’s do five today, I can’t decide who to leave out, Jackson or Tyler.”  She puts her finger tapping her lips.

“Fine, five.”  I reply.   Macke

“Ok, well my usual four boys and…” she pauses glancing over to the field next to us where the younger latchkey boys are tossing a football around.  “Bryan” she spits it out so fast I barely catch it.

“What?”  I scream at her.  Bryan just told her that her butt is big two days ago and now she is picking him to be her future husband.

“Maddy!  Shhh…it’s my choice.  Write it down.”  She points to the paper with her neon green painted nail.

“Alright but I don’t understand you at all.”  I shake my head back and forth writing it down hoping the rotation eliminates him.  I love Macke

Luckily after I am done Macke

“Not my best life but I’ll take it.  I got my Range Rover.”  Macke

I dig through my bag and pull out my purple binder handing it over to her.

“Maddy, you ca

“I only did that once Ke

“I’ve heard that before” she taps the pen to the paper.

I have known Trent my whole life.  His brother Doug is Jack’s best friend.  We have been thrown together during cub scouts, t-ball and football our whole life.  We would play together when we were little but as we get older, we learn to ignore each other, doing our own thing when forced to be around each other.   Macke

I hate Trent today because during recess Evan Graham said Trent asked him to ask me if Macke

After we finish my MASH I am married to Jimmy Schmidt, the class clown with one child in Alaska driving a minivan.  Not even close to my best life.  I throw my binder on the bench in front of me leaning back letting the vitamin D soak through my skin.

“Let’s do it again.”  Macke

“No, I’m tired.  Let’s just relax.”  I don’t open my eyes.  I want my mind to empty and enjoy the peace knowing it will end when Jack and I go home.

“You go ahead, I am going to play some football.”  Macke

I open one eye peering down at her.  I am jealous of her confidence.  She just walks right up to the guys, grabs the football from Trent and throws it to Bryan.  The boys seem a

About fifteen minutes later Macke

“Move your asses little’s” Doug, Trent’s brother yells over to us.  All the latchkey younger siblings are called the Little’s.  We are Madeline Je

None of us say anything as we venture down to the end of the gates to meet our older siblings.

“Let’s go Mad, we’re going over to The Basso’s for di

“I will be right there.”  I hold up my finger and give Macke

“Hey Maddy” Trent says turning his head to stare out the window.

“Hi Trent.”  I stare out my window.  That sums up our friendship lately.  I have tried to figure out what happened to us but came up with nothing.