Task #1: In which Madi helps herself to Jace’s credit card, with the encouragement of the Simon Team.
Madeline hated herself for what she was about to do. She took a deep breath and told herself for the millionth time that she could not put her task off any longer. She knew her best friend’s credit card information well enough from all the times he had allowed her to use it before. Jace was one of the only people who knew how little Madi’s family had, and he was more than willing to give her whatever she needed- which was why this task was so hard for her. She had been putting it off all week, but finally, she knew that it was now or never. And she loved Jace, and felt bad stealing from him like this, but she couldn’t put herself on the line.
Madi figured that if she was going to steal from her best friend, she would at least do good things with the money. She began buying new work clothes for her mother. New shoes for her father, which he so desperately needed. She just bought and bought, and with every purchase it almost felt... good. It felt good to have money, if only just for a moment. Of course, the feeling rushed away as she bought something for herself and knew that Jace would have happily gotten it for her if she had just asked him.
Madeline put in for another purchase when all of a sudden- “Error” came up on the screen. She had done it. She had gone completely overboard and maxed out her best friend’s credit card, all to save her own ass. Madi’s stomach churned when she thought of the look on Jace’s face. He would probably be getting an email right now. Madi shut her computer and laid on her bed, picking up her cell phone. She opened her text messages with Jace and frowned.
“I love you” she sent him, before curling up in her blanket and forcing herself to sleep so she could forget what she had done.
