Laguna Nights by Kaira Rouda Page B

like that to someone like her?”
    “I was young and stupid, and I was caught up in the show, the fame,” Josh said. “I’ll get out of your way. See you later, Madison. Annie, I’ll walk you to your car if you’d like.”
    Madison didn’t want Josh to leave, but she had to talk to Dolby, explain what was going on, even if she couldn’t quite explain it herself.
    “That would be lovely. My own celebrity escort,” Annie said. Kissing Madison on the cheek, she whispered, “Call me later.” Josh nodded and walked away.
    “You like that guy, even after what happened on that show?” Dolby said, his arms were crossed on his chest, his jaw clenched. “I mean, it took me a couple of days to get over it, just watching what they did to you. I mean the girls, sure, they were horrible but he was the douche who made it all come together.”
    Madison felt the shame from the show, from high school, from her weight gain, from living on the wrong side of the tracks. She felt the loneliness wash over her again. She tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, the lump of hurt and despair she’d worked so hard to move past. “Dolby, I know. Remember, I was there. The show wasn’t the whole story though, I’ve learned that now,” Madison said, thinking back on what Josh had said, how they’d made him out to be the playboy for bigger ratings, to make them all more money. She felt her shoulders tensing and reminded herself to relax. It was all in the past.
    “Well, so you’re getting back together with him? That guy? Man, Madison, you’re something,” Dolby said, bending to pick up his board. “Are you already a thing?”
    “No, of course not. I haven’t seen him for fifteen years. He got to town Friday, we just, well had dinner, that’s all,” Madison said, reaching down for her tennis shoes lying in the sand.
    “I saw the photo of you two in town. The guys at the surf shop made sure I saw it. You could’ve given me a heads up, you know, before the guys at the shop had a chance to pull it up online,” Dolby said. “ ’Laguna Nights are heating up again now that Holly is back in shape and better than ever! Hot!’ What a headline. And to think, me, your supposed boyfriend just found out you had a whole other life going by the name of Holly, right here in this good ole town.”
    “That’s why I wanted you to see the show, to understand my past, so you wouldn’t be the only one who didn’t know about all of that,” Madison said, but his eyes were squinted, arms still crossed. He’d made up his mind, she was sure of it.
    “I must be the last guy on earth not to know how screwed up you are. It’s all crazy, Madison, or whatever you want to go by now. I’ll see you around,” Dolby said, picking up his board.
    Madison dropped her head into her hand. She couldn’t explain anything that had happened during the show senior year. She knew she had seemed crazy on air after Josh’s betrayal. The producer had edited episode five together in a manner that made her seem suicidal, using only shots of her crying and looking pathetic. They even asked the other kids on camera if they were worried about her, and they’d all said yes, of course. It hadn’t mattered that in remaining episodes that followed, she seemed normal, although very overweight and clearly depressed. She had been trapped by her contract and the last months of her senior year in high school. Her image as the crazy, suicidal scorned chubby girl was set. And that’s who Dolby was seeing now, for the first time. She could tell – it was in his sad, angry gray eyes.
    “Dolby wait,” Madison said, starting after him on the beach, walking quickly to catch up.
    “What, Madison?” he said.
    “I’m not crazy,” Madison said.
    “No, I am for trying to love you,” Dolby said before he ran up the stairs to the street.
    As she watched him disappear at the top of the stairs, her view of his back blocked by the throng of tourists descending