bam, what!

you're the competition, and you're going down.

[rooneysmaddie]

Name: Madison "Maddie" Rooney Age: Twenty-one Occupation: Girls' basketball coach/Counselor at Echo High Sexuality: Bisexual Pronouns: She/Her Currently Playing: You Belong With Me by Taylor Swift Big Three:  Scorpio sun, Gemini moon, Scorpio rising

Headcanons:

A native to Echo Isle, Maddie had never really pictured herself living anywhere else. It was where she was born and raised, and where most of her family remained, except for her older sister, Liv. While she, her parents, and her two brothers, Parker and Joey, had never lived anywhere off the island, Liv moved out of the house when she was in middle school to pursue her dreams of being an actress and pop star. It's been ten years since they permanently lived under the same roof, but once the borders were supposed to close, Liv decided to finally make her way back.

Though she loves her sister more than anything in life, the two could not possibly be more different. While Liv sparkled wherever she went, Maddie found herself leaning more into sports than singing. It was where she felt like she could detach herself most from being just Liv Rooney's sister. Maddie started playing basketball just before her sister left to go film her first show, as one of her dad's players, and fell in love with the sport. A three-season athlete, Maddie also played volleyball and softball in high school, but basketball remained her first and main love. Getting to connect with her dad was a plus, as being his player, and then captain, brought the two closer together than she could've imagined.

To say that Maddie has a competitive spirit would be an understatement. She hates losing more than anything else in the world, and often gloats when she comes out on top. Though she'd never admit it, concretely winning at things was just a solid way to prove that she was better than someone else at the task at hand, while dealing with the inferiority she felt being the younger sister of someone as successful as Liv.

Despite Liv being slightly older, and the two not being entirely identical, they were able to fool people at school for a time when they were younger. The classic Switch-a-Rooney was something they tried to pull off a handful of times, though it never worked in front of their parents or their brothers.

Maddie knew she wanted to be a basketball coach when she applied to college, but also had to pair her coaching with becoming a school counselor, too. It was the best of what her parents both did: her mother was the high school's psychologist until she retired last year, and her dad remained the head coach of the girls' basketball team while taking her on as his assistant until he decides to hang up the clipboard. Though she dreamt of becoming a professional player when she was younger, being a college athlete was enough for her to live out some semblance of her dream while focusing on a realistic future.

Though Maddie had a feeling she liked girls, it wasn't confirmed until she and her best friend, Willow, hooked up before they went to college. Before that, she'd only had one serious boyfriend, Diggie, who decided to study abroad in Australia when he went to college before her, and they'd decided to break up before he went. She was hung up on him for a while until she started dating her current boyfriend, Toulouse, who's helped her get over Diggie and realize that he wasn't the only boy for her, like she'd thought back in high school. Maddie would never want to hurt him, but there's just something missing in her relationship that she can't quite put a finger on. Until then, though, she's happy enough, has a guy who really likes her, and that's really all that matters, for now.

Now that Liv's back, it's weird sharing a new apartment with the person who had once left her for something bigger and better. She'd always felt something missing in her life with Liv gone, and yet, it feels like the hole is complete, but also shifted, in a way. Maddie's grown up since she was here permanently, and so has Liv, and figuring out how best to navigate co-existing again has been an adjustment. Their parents had suggested they get an apartment together to bond and get Maddie out of her childhood bedroom, so they live in the city, in a way too nice place that she pays Liv next to nothing for. It's a really nice gesture, but it's just another way that Maddie feels somehow indebted to her, but she's trying to shove that feeling away until she can afford to be Liv's other half in all aspects of life.

[howromantic]

⋆⋆ ❤ ⋆⋆

The story was unfolding but Marie wasn't entirely convinced this had included all the details. It would need to be run by her brother the following morning. Her eyes were already squinting while Maddie tried to tell her what had occurred the night of the engagement party. "What did you say to him? If you didn't mean any of it why did you say it?" There was an edge to her words, cutting through the rambling response of the brunette. As much as she might've wanted to believe Maddie didn't say any of that intentionally, it was Toulouse whom she would protect with her life and not the other female. "Like you think someone spiked your drink or something?" It was an interesting thought that Marie didn't know if she bought into. Regardless of what had happened to the drink, the words had exited her mouth and those consequences had to be faced, which included the small blonde in her passenger's seat. "Hm, if you say so," the girl disregarded the comment with a simple shrug. Even if she had given Liv a hard time in the past that wasn't something Marie had been entirely innocent of. Regardless of what happened between them, it wouldn't change her opinion of her new friend. "I'm not sure, I don't know if I should be showing people, you know." That and the fact that her sister could possibly pose a threat and knowing Maddie herself had said unsightly things to her brother.

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie could tell that this was unlike any other side of the blonde she'd seen so far, as she and Toulouse hadn't gotten in this deep of a conflict before. As much as she wanted to run to her own defense, she understood where Marie was coming from--she would have rushed to protect Liv's heart in the same way she was doing for her brother now. "I don't know why I said it, I think--yeah, actually, that someone spiked my drink, or something, because I don't think I was, um, the nicest to Liv, either. And, y'know, we fight sometimes, but not like this." That was what she'd said to Toulouse, too, and had meant it--she and Liv fought like siblings did, but Maddie had known this was different. She'd never be so dismissive of her sister the way she'd been. "I talked to Toulouse, though, and I apologized, and I think we're gonna be okay. I'd said ... that I didn't know why we were together, if we're so different, but that's exactly what I love about him. I would never say that, I mean--we are different, but that's my favorite thing about him, now. Marie, I swear, you know me. I would never say something like that, to hurt him on purpose," Maddie practically pleaded, praying that she could see just how much she hadn't meant to get into this mess.

[paintingtoulouse]

When she agreed and accepted the drink, Toulouse had simply nodded his head and glanced back down at the coffee in his own hand. Just looking at her was harder than he had expected it to be - feeling completely unbalanced and unsure of where they stood with each other anymore. Which was just a chance in the norm, given that his relationship with Maddie was one of the only things he had been sure of in his life. Right after his connection with his siblings and the fact that he would do anything or even die for them. So much had changed over the course of the past few months, ever since the news of his father’s identity had been revealed, but he had really thought that things with Maddie would be the one constant he could rely on outside of all that family drama. Now, after just one night, it all felt like it might be falling apart right before his eyes.

Or maybe not. His eyes snapped up to meet hers when the promise that she didn’t want to break up was made without any lead up or warning. And while it did settle a part of Toulouse’s worries, hearing that she hadn’t come here with the intentions of ending things between them, it didn’t put all of them to rest. “But do you still want to be with me?” he asks, feeling as if there was a distinct difference between simply not wanting to break up but still wanting to be together. “Are you dating me purely to be in a relationship or is it actually me that you want?” That had been the real question that haunted him all night. The way that Maddie had questioned why they were together, why they had ever even started dating in the first place, had him wondering if perhaps she had simply wanted a boyfriend in the general sense more so than having been attracted to anything specific about him. He had wanted to ease their way into this conversation, but it seemed like there was no doing that now.

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie hadn't really anticipated any particular kind of reaction out of her boyfriend, but the questions he had to ask were good ones. She thought back to something she could remember saying to her sister the night before--that there was no logical reason why she and Toulouse should be together. Today, with a clear head, that still might have been true, but it didn't really matter. The differences between them were what Maddie actually liked best about their relationship: Toulouse made her a softer, more thoughtful person, proven true now, when she didn't just rush to the conclusion that there was a part of her subconscious that hadn't wanted them together. Instead of running away, she wanted to stay, and work through this.

She nodded her head at him, only hoping that he might believe her. "Yes, I swear, I do. I know what I said, but when I'm telling you that I didn't mean any of it, that includes ... that part, too." This had been the only time she'd truly feared that he might walk away from her--in the past, when she could sense that coming, Maddie had been quick to be the one to break things off herself. But, unlike what she'd said, no part of her wanted that now. "I think someone might've spiked my drink, or something I ate, or ... I don't know what, but I swear, I was not myself. Apparently, I wasn't the nicest to Liv, either, which, I know, I have, y'know, moments of that, but I would never on purpose, not like that. And, I don't know why I said what I did, but hearing it back now, it's not what I want, at all. I like that we're different, and whatever that Maddie had to say, she ... can fuck off because I don't want anything to change."

[howromantic]

⋆⋆ ❤ ⋆⋆

What she'd initially thought would be a totally normal midnight snack fun with her friend was shifting into something else. Things were coming out that she wished she'd heard from her brother first but that wasn't the case. She'd been so consumed with her music that Marie hadn't asked either of her brothers about their night. Now the blonde knew what she'd be doing upon returning home. "What does that even mean?" It seemed like Maddie didn't entirely know but the blonde wanted more details than just that. "What were you questioning about it? Did you say something to him?" When she thought the conversation couldn't turn more south it seemed Sharpay was a name sour in Maddie's mouth. At least she saw that all the girl had been was helpful to Marie but it still didn't sit well. "That doesn't sound like her," the blonde defended her new mentor. "At least not without a reason. It's unfair to hate her without meeting her." A temper usually not tampered with tonight was being pricked with names of people she cared about coming out the way they had. "I wouldn't even have my single coming out if it weren't for her. She's like my hero, Maddie."

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie nodded as she looked into her milkshake, far more embarrassed than she'd ever been in front of the blonde. "I said some things that were ... I mean, I know I can be really honest sometimes, but I was just mean. And I didn't even mean any of it, at least, not when he was telling me what I'd said the next day. I think something might've happened to my drink, or something, it was so weird. We're okay now, I think, but, like, trust me, if I find out who fucked around with me, they'll regret it." Maddie still hated the thought of not being able to control her own body, like she hadn't been able to filter her words in front of neither Toulouse nor Liv. "Oh, no, they've met. You know, both kids trying to be stars, and stuff. But, Liv landed more roles and stuff when they were younger, so, she's just a vengeful--" she stopped herself before saying something to taint her friend's entire view of the other girl. "Just be careful, okay? Back in high school, especially, she was super mean to Liv. And, you know, I know people can change, but I don't know if they can change that much. A single is huge, though! Do I get a super-exclusive best friend preview?"

[paintingtoulouse]

~ timeskip, the next day ~

After the way that Maddie had treated him towards the end of the night at the Northwest-Finnegan engagement party, it was hard to really get excited about seeing her again today. Normally anytime he knew he was going to see his girlfriend was enough to put a pep in his step - but today Toulouse couldn’t help but be slightly dreading it. While they had left a lot of things unsaid when they parted ways the night before, there had still been a lot thrown his way. Questions regarding their relationship, implications that she no longer cared or felt anything for him the way she had before, and a general disregard for his own feelings had him worried for whatever else she may have to say. It was either going to be the end of their relationship as a whole or a fight of some kind, he knew that much for certain - and neither of those options were something Toulouse wanted to face. But if he put it off, the issues that Maddie had would likely only grow. And he had long since decided he was done being a coward in his life, nor was he going to just sit back and take whatever was thrown or handed his way.

So despite wanting to do nothing but go back home and try to wait out the storm that was potentially brewing, he arrived five minutes early to the cafe he had told his girlfriend to meet him at. Thankfully, Maddie wasn’t there quite yet, and Toulouse was able to order for the both of them and find a spot in the corner away from the rest of the handful of patrons. The tea in his hand did nothing to calm his nerves like he had hoped it would, and by the time the brunette was entering the building, he felt ready to puke. But there was no backing down now - no running away - so instead he lifted his hand and gave a forced smile as she made her way over towards his table. “I ordered for us already,” he started with a nod towards the hot chocolate in the to-go cup and the few pastries on a plate in the middle. “I hope that’s okay.”

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie had driven over to the café with a deep pit in her stomach, overwhelmingly embarrassed and guilty for how she'd treated her boyfriend on what was supposed to be one of the most important days of the year for them. Still unable to piece together just what had happened to her, Maddie had tried to make sense of just how she had been feeling and where it had come from to gain some sense of control over her actions. She kept falling short, though, still unsure what had made her want to run off with her ex-boyfriend and question everything with her current one. Though she had always been insecure about being in relationships, especially with how things had ended with Slightly, she was now feeling like Toulouse had every right to leave her, and he just might. But, knowing her boyfriend, he was one of the most forgiving people Maddie had found in her life, and she hoped that he would continue to give her the benefit of the doubt now.

It had taken her a few minutes to gather the courage to get out of the car and meet him inside the café. She'd given herself the same pep talk she'd recite before a basketball game, treating this like something she needed to go into with a winning mindset. Losing meant losing Toulouse, and she couldn't have one bad night make that happen. Maddie gave herself a light slap on the cheek, a few deep breaths, and slid out of the car, ready as she ever would be. The first sight of him was like seeing someone who had just been beaten up, and she felt the guilt resurface as she knew that she was responsible. "Hey," she greeted, feeling slightly better with the peace offering on the table. "Thanks. This is perfect." Maddie took the paper cup in her hands, though she didn't have much of an appetite or thirst for anything while the air between them still hung with uncertainty. "I don't want to break up," she blurted, "I can explain all of it. I mean, I can't, really, because I don't know what happened, actually, but whatever I said, I didn't mean any of it. I'm sorry." Maddie met his eyes, hoping he could see how sincere she was.

[howromantic]

⋆⋆ ❤ ⋆⋆

A conversation that she thought she saw the trajectory of was taking off in another direction. Her brows furrowed upon hearing what Maddie had expected from the blonde tonight, unsure of what could've brought that feeling upon her. "Pourquoi?" The blonde shifted in her seat to face her friend. Something must've happened that she had yet to receive the tea on, wondering why her brother hadn't told her of what unfolded yet. "He didn't tell me anything. Did something happen? What happened?" Before losing her cool Marie wanted to get the story. If there was one thing she couldn't get enough of it was gossip, needing to hear what went down before making her judgment. The blonde was now leaning forward onto the middle console in wait for the tea. "I think I'm just getting in my head. Maybe I should shoot her a text, or Sharpay. She's like basically taken me under her wing with this whole thing, can you believe?" Marie still couldn't believe how perfectly that had come together, having instantaneously fallen in love with the fellow blonde.

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie's shoulders sunk in relief as Marie's expression quickly shifted to one of confusion. She wanted the chance to explain herself to her friend, to assure her that she hadn't been out to hurt her brother with what she'd said and done at the engagement party. Whatever had gotten her to turn so cold to Toulouse, she still didn't know, but she hoped she'd never feel that way again. "I don't know," she admitted, "I don't even remember all of it, to be honest, but I swear, something happened to me. Like, one minute, I was fine, and then, I was questioning everything with Toulouse, and I have never done that before. It was so weird, and when I find whoever messed with my drink, or whatever it was, they're going to get a swift kick down under for almost fucking up my entire relationship." It sounded crazy, now that she was admitting it, but Maddie prayed that her friend would understand just how little control she felt over her emotions and her body while it was all happening. Even now, she couldn't tell what had come over her. "Sharpay? The singer? She hates Liv, you know, for some reason, so, I have to hate her by association," Maddie explained with a shrug. She couldn't be bothered knowing what kind of pop star drama was going on, just that it was happening. "That's nice of her, though. Maybe she does have a heart, after all."

[howromantic]

- timeskip -

⋆⋆ ❤ ⋆⋆

When it came to men she had been striking out as of late. Marie was feeling a bit more down about it than usual, fearing her music career could be in the dumpster since her falling out with Luka. Of course, she could call him and continue to be friends but that would've looked pathetic as far as she was concerned. He had eyes for someone else, a girl she didn't even know from more than her social media and she hated her all the less. Changing his feelings for another girl was out of Marie's power, even if she had thought there had been something between them. Instead of holing herself up alone to write all night, she'd asked her friend for a late-night milkshake run. Besides, the sugar helped her think or that's what Marie told herself. She took a sip of her strawberry shake and gave a content sigh once her craving had been finally satisfied by her favorite midnight snack. "Thank you again for coming with me, I don't know what I'd do without you," the blonde thanked her friend, giving her knee a soft squeeze from the passenger's seat of the car. For once, her brother actually had good taste in women. "Drinking a milkshake at this hour alone is just sad." A laugh followed her words as she nestled back into her seat with her beverage between her hands and close to her chest like a precious artifact. "This is exactly what I needed. My lyrics were getting too... bland. You know?" Some late-night ice cream was the perfect ingredient for her creative process.

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie had admittedly been avoiding the other Bonfamille siblings after Valentines' Day after how how awry things had gone between her and her boyfriend. She hadn't even known what had come over her still to make her question her entire relationship, but, whatever it was, it'd been entirely gone the next day. It had felt like she was in her body but her mind had been in the past, having the sudden obsession with her ex-boyfriend out of the blue. Marie's text to meet up especially late had her nervous, thinking that maybe she'd finally confront her over how she'd nearly broken her brother's heart. As she slid into the car, Maddie all but doubled over until the blonde had actually thanked her, and a dramatic sigh of relief left her lips. "Oh, thank god," she let out, "I thought you were here to fight me." Which, Maddie was always on edge and ready to tussle, but never with a friend as good as Marie. "Whatever Toulouse told you, I already told him I'm so sorry, and I don't know what came over me." She finally was able to take a sip of her vanilla milkshake as she settled on the nervous nausea washing over her. "Your lyrics are not bland, I know that," she disagreed, "but, you know, if you ever want some inspiration, you could always talk to Liv. She'd probably even be willing to collaborate, if you wanted to work with her, too."

[intheslightest]

༝༝ 🦊 ༝༝

It would've been a lie to say he hadn't missed hanging out with Maddie, not that he didn't like Toulouse enough but it was different when he was around. When they were together the duo was inseparable and after the breakup, it felt like he lost his best friend. Not that he ever admitted that to her or any of the Lost Boys. He was the suffer-in-silence type, never wanting to burden any of his friends with his issues or come off as anything besides the confident, carefree Slightly he usually was. Her offer made his eyebrow arch and his confused gaze turn down to the shorter girl. "Is that so? And you think she'd want to employ your ex-boyfriend? Yeah, right," the boy chuckled. It felt wrong to tell her that he just so happened to also have a crush on his boss which was unprofessional enough as it was. In fact, the less people knew about that now, the better. He didn't want to jeopardize his career because he noticed more than just the vocal talent in Sharpay. "Is that so? You're telling me that the lightweight champion Maddie Rooney can handle her liquor now?" Slightly wasn't entirely convinced, having held her hair back enough by then to wonder when she'd had enough. If she wasn't drunk he wondered what brought about the warmth that he hadn't felt from her since they were together. He hadn't expected it but wasn't unwelcome to have his friend back. "I mean, we can still hang out whenever, Rooney. As long as your boyfriend is cool with it. You know, that he knows I'm not a threat or anything," Slightly said with a shrug that ushered his hands into his pockets.

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie gave him confident nods to both of his questions, knowing that Liv would take whatever requests she had at least into consideration when it came to who was on her touring team, and that she had become less of a quick drunk than she used to be. "Ex-boyfriend, current friend," she corrected him, though, right now, she was feeling like she wanted it to be something more than that. "Excuse you, I can do it legally now, so it's a lot easier to train," Maddie reminded him. The agreement to be closer friends after this felt bittersweet, almost melancholy, as she thought of her current boyfriend and what she really wanted for herself. She almost wanted him to be a threat, to piss off her current boyfriend so much that he wanted to break up with her. Instead, she felt the overwhelming need to get to the bottom of the truth that her sister had imparted on her, needing to know if her hunch had been right. Maddie had never been known to bite her tongue, even in public, but, now that she had the sudden urge to change things between them, she had to know if she was truly up against another girl. "Is it true that you like Sharpay?" she blurted, stopping her steps for a moment to look at him while he answered.

[rooneysliv]

Theoretically, Maddie made sense, the compatibility between those too shouldn’t have been that great. However, none of that mattered if it came down to how they felt about each other. Liv was sure she was going to make sure her sister could comprehend that, “Don’t think about what you think should make sense, as long as you like him then that should be enough.” That statement felt easy enough to follow along, but then came the issue of this situation coming down to the question of whether her feelings for Toulouse had changed. “Unless you don’t like him anymore, then that’s a different issue entirely.”

Though she’d love to see the showdown between her sister and the petulant blonde she now had to work with, this wasn’t the time nor the place to do it. Regardless of that though, it just didn’t seem right that her sister was thirsting after an ex who, in her opinion, wasn’t that cute or worthy of wanting back. Liv grabbed her sister by the arms, playfully shaking her back and forth, “Well if you’re not drunk then you need to wake up because you’re acting weird.” Maddie was clearly going through something and Liv’s only guess was that it had to do something with the fact that Valentine’s Day brought out funny behavior sometimes. She’d seen the way it brought out the worst and the best in relationships, maybe this was something her sister was temporarily stressing over. “You can talk to them in a second. Right now, I need you to help me find somewhere I can touch up my makeup.”

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie felt like she knew exactly what she wanted to do right now, but her sister surely wasn't going to let her commit such an act of self-sabotage while she was around. Even if she hadn't explicitly said that she felt like she wanted to throw her entire relationship away in favor of an old one, Liv knew her well enough to know how impulsive she could be. The normal feeling Maddie couldn't blame her for this, but, right now, she had thrown all reason out the window for the way she was feeling about Slightly. "Ugh, fine," she groaned, following her sister in the direction of the bathroom. "I am feeling weird, but not drunk, y'know?"

Unable to think about really anything other than Slightly, Maddie was reminded of just what he'd said during their conversation about the blonde the sisters had mentioned. "She's supposed to be touring, he said. Sharpay. He said she wants to bring him with her, to play?" Maddie told her, keeping her voice low. Sharpay supposedly had eyes and ears everywhere, from what her sister had told her about the girl who her ex had a crush on. "Don't you guys have to finish filming your movie still? And she's just gonna straight into touring? I can't imagine she'll have any time for rehearsals between all that. Then again, no one could outdo your shows," she reminded her, bumping her shoulder lightly into Liv's.

[intheslightest]

༝༝ 🦊 ༝༝

What Sharpay had done would go down in history or at least in his mind. Being able to watch her verbally assault a guy and his girlfriend was a sight to see. Slightly knew he shouldn't be smiling at someone else's pain but he couldn't help his amusement. It was the prank of a lifetime, all the sweeter because it was revenge which the boys had still been looking to achieve. After watching her fight her own demons Slightly had an idea for their own, looking around to find Peter before he forgot his ingenious plan. It was short-lived when his sights locked on another familiar face instead and Maddie's face still brought a smile to his. "Hi stranger," he said with a low chuckle at her tone. It was unusual for Maddie but he figured a drink or two must've loosened her up. Even her actions took him by surprise yet he didn't argue, wanting to make sure she was around someone safe if she had a little too much to drink. Without any sign of Toulouse, he took that job upon himself. "Thank you, Mads. I mean, it's been crazy but it's like things might actually be working out," he said breathlessly as it hadn't even sunk in for him yet. "She asked me to tour with her, you know. Think about it. Playing a different city every night, living out of a bus, it's been my dream for shit, I don't even know how long." She would know that after having to watch him look failure straight in the face so many times before. He hoped if anyone was going to be happy for him it would be her. "Sure but how many have you had already, Lightning McQueen?" Slightly laughed with a nod to her question, though quietly wanting to make sure she was alright before jumping into another glass of liquor.

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie wanted to be happy for him, but the only thing she could think right now was that she couldn't stand the thought of him being on the road with another girl for that long. Something about the night, and seeing him perform in front of everyone when he had once done it only in front of her, had made Maddie feel strangely possessive over him. He had once been hers, but the anger she'd once felt for him dumping her was all-too forgotten right now. "You could do that with Liv, you know, if you ever wanted to. Just 'cause, y'know, Liv plays way bigger shows than someone just starting out," she pointed out, boasting on her sister's behalf. Even if there was no inherent benefit to bragging about Liv, Maddie would talk about her until the end of time, if she could. She gave him a shrug, having lost count of how much she'd drank at this point, but all Maddie knew was that the alcohol had nothing to do with how she felt about her ex right now. "I can handle myself, sir, thank you very much. I'm not a lightweight anymore." Things had changed since they knew each other best, including that. "I miss this, you know? Hanging out with you. I don't want to only get to see you on stage and when I'm kicking your ass on the court."

[rooneysliv]

Hearing all of this was shocking, to say the least, it was enough to have Liv’s jaw practically drop to the floor. If Liv knew anything about her sister, it was that she would never stoop so low as to make herself look like an idiot for a boy. “Because you’re acting crazy.” She grabbed her sister’s arm and guided the two further away than any guest could hear them. “First off, you are way better than someone who begs to get back with an ex that dumped you in the first place. He shouldn’t need any convincing to take you back, if anything, he should be the one begging.” 

The next order of business being the very boy Maddie came to this event with, granted he was too busy taking pictures for the event to spend much time with his girlfriend but regardless, that could not have been enough to leave Maddie with wandering eyes. “Second, I thought you really liked Toulouse. You blew me off to spend New Year’s with him, I would think you like him more than like that.” If anything Liv thought the two were getting serious between the couple, she was happy to see it happening for her sister even if it did come at the sacrifice of sisterly bonding time.

Though the first two reasons felt more than enough to convince Maddie that what she was saying was crazy, this time around, Liv decided to indulge in this weird reality where her sister really wanted to get back with her ex, “Third, even if you weren’t dating - which, I feel the need to reiterate - your current boyfriend and you did happen to want to go back to Slightly, after talking to a bunch of other guests, I know for a fact he’s been going after Sharpay. He’s not even available for the taking. So you’re better off taking all this weird energy and talking it over with Toulouse, okay?” For Maddie to be saying all of this, Liv had to think there was more than something wrong with their relationship at all. No, there had to have been something going on with her sister, “I think we need to get you home, you’ve clearly had enough to drink.”

[rooneysmaddie]

Her sister had a point to her first statement: logically, there was a part of Maddie that knew, deep down, she was correct in that she should not be the one fighting for a boy who had been the one to break up with her. It wasn't even in her nature to fight for a boy in general, much less one who hadn't wanted to stay with her. But, it had seemed that all logic was thrown out the window tonight, as none of this seemed to matter to her. Future Maddie would be appalled to know that all of her principles surrounding men were practically abandoned, but all her focus was now, in the present, pointed towards getting her ex-boyfriend back.

"I don't know about that," Maddie sighed, much more dramatically than she typically was over anything, much less romance. "You're saying that, but I really ... I don't know. Now that I think about it, he and I don't make much sense, at all. He takes photos and he's French--that sounds like someone you would date, not me." All of this was true, but her heart was simply forgetting what made her forget logic in favor of love when it came to her boyfriend, which, any other time, would be for the better.

Maddie was not the kind to back down from a challenge, as her sister very well knew, which was precisely why her pointing out her ex's infatuation with the singer didn't seem to faze her a bit. "They're not together, are they? I could take her," she mused, feeling herself straighten a bit as she surveyed the blonde across the room. "What? No, I'm not drunk, Liv. I haven't even had that much to drink, I swear. I should ... I need to talk to them, before I leave."

[wildcatboltons]

Leaving the party probably would have been the smartest move, to give himself time to go and truly process everything that had happened and to finally sit down and listen to the entire damn album that he had a sinking feeling was going to be filled with even more songs about him. But that would be like admitting defeat, and Troy’s never been known for just giving in when tough situations arise. So he stayed. And so did Gabriella, though she had been off talking with some coworkers for a bit now, leaving him to stand at his table and nurse his beer in solitude.

Or at least, he had been until someone approaches him, Troy looking up to find his coworker slowly making her way to stand on the other side of the high-top table he’d claimed as his own for the past twenty minutes or so. “Hey,” he returns the greeting, forcing a small smile that falters almost as soon as Maddie brings up the night’s performance. She didn’t even have to outright say that’s what she was talking about, they both knew perfectly well it was Sharpay’s songs that had him in this bit of a funk. Not that he was going to admit to that out loud either, but it was an unspoken and very obvious truth. “Yeah, I’m alright. Nothing I can’t handle.” And that much at least was also true, considering this wasn’t exactly the first time he’s been on the bad side of one Sharpay Evans. Even if this go around felt far more personal and hit harder than any of the others before it. “What about you? Having a good night?”

[rooneysmaddie]

Maddie really couldn't blame him, if he wanted to pretend to be fine, but, from the way he'd been standing alone and looking like someone had punched him straight in the gut, she was assuming this was a lie. Clearly, she'd missed a chapter in which something had happened between himself and the two girls he'd surrounded himself with, ending in the singer more vindictive than ever with the way she'd performed. But, as she tried to remind herself, they were just coworkers--to push the boundaries on this one would be diving head-first into close friend territory. Maddie had never been one to bite her tongue all too often before, but she deemed this one-time exception for clear heartbreak to make the list of exceptions.

She gave him a shrug, her night going about as dull so far as one could have for a holiday meant to be focused on her and her boyfriend. "The photographer's my boyfriend--the curly haired one. He was hired, so he invited me, and my sister's ... somewhere. I just couldn't say no, because it's Valentines," she explained. "Not that I relish in the sight of you sulking, but the music was probably the most entertaining part of the night so far, to be honest. I think I'd give anything to be on the couch right now," Maddie admitted with a lighthearted laugh, thinking he might agree.

[paintingtoulouse]

The moment that he felt Maddie move ever so slightly under his touch and then the scowl that took over her face at his simple question, Toulouse knew something was wrong. And he was pretty sure if he had to take a guess of what it might be, he’d have a high chance of getting it right. “Oui, Marie is here tonight. I can go home with her, if you want, but I thought you might want to spend some more time together,” he answered, frowning ever so slightly as he knew that was likely what the problem was. So much of his night had been spent taking photographs and focusing on the job instead of his girlfriend - which he had warned might happen and had thought she was fine with, but perhaps he’d been wrong. “I know I was busy tonight, I am sorry. But we can go anywhere you want now. Or tomorrow, if you would rather celebrate then.”

Only, as soon as he made that suggestion, Toulouse wasn’t sure if it had been the right thing to say. Not when she followed up with a question as to why they were even dating, admitting that she couldn’t remember what could have compelled her to agree to go out with him. “What?” he finds himself asking, unsure of just what she means. It’s not like her to pull some kind of prank like this, not something that could genuinely hurt him, but surely that’s what this has to be. Right? Why else would she be asking such questions, so out of the blue, on Valentine’s of all days? “I… I don’t think I understand what you mean?”

[rooneysmaddie]

As her eyes narrowed, Maddie was focused on remembering what it was that she liked about her boyfriend now, more than ever. She'd even wondered aloud, leaving him very clearly hurt and confused, but, to her core, Maddie had always been the kind to need to get to the bottom of a mystery, no matter what. Softening the blow had never been her strong suit, but if this really was what a former version of herself had wanted, then why couldn't she remember all the reasons now--especially when the desire to be with someone else was so strong, she was nearly bursting at the seams?

"No, that's exactly what I mean--why did we start dating? Like, what was the reason?" Maddie reiterated, just as sure of her question as the first time she'd asked. She could see the hurt on his face: this was someone some part of her had to have cared about, if she'd ever agreed to go out with him, logically. But, the more she looked at Toulouse, the less she could recall what made him better than the boyfriend she'd had before him. "Because, if I liked you so much back then, then why can't I remember what made me agree to spending so much time on a boy?" she questioned, her words spoken with more confusion and frustration than the cruelty of simply being mean.

[rooneysliv]

Liv wasn’t always informed of Maddie’s love life, maybe it was because she had a terrible habit of meddling in it but that was out of helping her sister, or that’s how the older Rooney saw it. Still, she was informed of some things and of the small pieces of information she was given, she held onto it for future reference such as instances like this, “Wasn’t he the one that broke up with you?” It was odd enough that her sister was asking about an ex, she supposed mention of him was from being in close proximity to him at this party but then Maddie went on about how good he looked. Assuming it was a joke, Liv let out a small chuckle until realizing her sister was being serious.

“I can’t say I saw the same thing as you did.” It was fair to say the two sisters had different taste in men, but regardless of that, Liv wasn’t paying much attention to the guitarist in the performance, she was much more entranced at witnessing the stunt Sharpay was pulling at an engagement party of all places. But this was no time to revel in the drama her rival was in, now was about getting her sister snapped back into reality. “Maddie, what is going on? You’re literally here with your boyfriend. Remember him? Toulouse?”

[rooneysmaddie]

Though logically Maddie knew her sister was right: she had been broken up with, not the other way around, it still didn't quite compute for her just why things had gone south between her and Slightly. Maybe it was something she'd done, in which case, she needed to go and fix things now, before it was too late and he left the party without Maddie knowing just how she felt. "Yeah, he did, but was it something I did? I should go apologize. I would never do something so bad that someone would want to break up with me, would I?"

The mention of her boyfriend's name added another layer to the haze she was experiencing: she was dating someone, but why was it him, of all people? "Yeah, I know, but I don't ... what if I made a mistake, if he's not the one I'm supposed to be with? I thought Toulouse and I were just really good friends. I don't even know him that well. I mean, of course I like him, but I don't like him like that." Now that she tried to think about it, she couldn't really recall much of what she knew about the guy who was supposed to be her boyfriend. "Why are you looking at me like I have three heads?"

[paintingtoulouse]

~ timeskip ~

Events such as this, huge parties dedicated to a single person’s recent achievements, had been quite common back in the social circles Toulouse had grown up within in Paris - but he had really thought moving to Echo Isle without his mother meant that he and his siblings would be free of expectations to join in on these festivities. And in a way, he supposed he was, because he was here for a photography gig and not just as a regular guest. But even still, that didn’t mean he wanted to spend any minute here longer than he needed to, stuck inside his suit with a tie that felt as if it were going to strangle him any moment. And he was fairly certain his girlfriend felt the same way, especially given how often he had to leave her to go take more pictures of the elite societal circle of the island. The Northwests wanted photographic evidence of practically everyone that showed up tonight, needing that solid proof of how important they were.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the party was beginning to die down. Or at least, it was settling enough that Toulouse felt confident he had everything of substance he was going to get for the night and his presence was no longer needed. With his camera hanging from its strap around his neck, he was quick to make his way back to Maddie, his hand coming to rest on her hip as he leaned into her side the moment he was next to her. “Please tell me you are ready to leave,” he requests, praying that she would be as done with the night as he was. “I just want a cheeseburger and to take this tie off. Flo’s sounds amazing right now, does it not?” He’d been a bit too busy throughout the whole event to actually eat much of anything and he could only hope his girlfriend would be alright with a pit stop for something other than finger foods on their way home.

[rooneysmaddie]

For the last few hours, not a single voluntary thought on her mind had anything to do with her boyfriend. Of course, her sister had all but called her crazy when she'd come to her with the dilemma of needing to recall why she was in her current relationship and not her previous one, but Maddie still hung around at the beginning of the end of the party thinking of the musician. It was only when Toulouse actually approached of her that she was forced to think of him again, but his request to leave was far from what she actually wanted. She would much rather pull Slightly away from talking to Sharpay and have him back for herself--anything that her current boyfriend wanted to do sounded much less desirable. In fact, in her attempt to recall why she and her ex had ever broken up, Maddie was failing to remember why she even liked Toulouse in the first place.

Maddie felt herself squirm as a hand came around her, the simple discomfort of wishing it were someone else. She gave him one look and the distaste she'd been thinking about came washing over her and resulted in a scowl. "Are either of your siblings here? I was gonna go back with Liv." It wasn't that she particularly wanted to go home, but after spending the whole night pining after someone else, Maddie didn't feel like entertaining a boy who just didn't seem as good to her now. In an attempt to uncover why she was feeling this way, and perhaps in too sharp of a sentence, she blurted, "Why did we start dating? I just--I can't remember why I ever agreed to going out with you."

[rooneysliv]

Liv sighed at the realization that yet another Rooney tradition had been occurring all these years without her. It was clear to her that sacrifices like missing out on precious family moments were going to happen with her being away, but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting every time a joint family memory was brought up that Liv had no idea about. Her mood was brightened by the small joke her sister made, she chuckled along, agreeing on how it did sound uncharacteristic of her to want to miss out on spending the night out. “Fine, okay, I get how it looks but it’s Sharpay’s party. That girl’s vibes are waaay off, I’d rather not be somewhere she’s going to be. I actually wanna have fun tonight.” She didn’t think it was a tall order to ask her sister to bail, especially if it involved a party that she’d gone to many times before but if convincing was what she’d have to do then she went along. “That place is huge, they’ll barely notice you’re gone anyway. Plus, you see Toulouse, like, all the time now. What’s one night without him?”

[rooneysmaddie]

~timeskip to valentines day~

It had come as a shock to her that her sister wanted to go to the engagement celebration of a girl Maddie knew she couldn't stand, but thus was show biz. It was nice to know that she had someone else to hang out with besides her boyfriend, who was technically working as he took pictures of the seemingly happy couple. Except, her boyfriend wasn't even a thought on her mind right now; her heart had become overwhelmed with longing for her ex instead. Maddie didn't offer up much information about any crushes upfront to her sister until she was absolutely overcome with liking that her heart couldn't take it anymore to hold it in, which was exactly what she was feeling right now, for another boy.

"Liv," she gushed, taking her sister by the arm as she whisked her away from a conversation she could tell she didn't want to be having, anyway. "Did I ever tell you why Slightly and I broke up? Can you remember if it was a good reason? Because I can't," she remarked, still frustrated with herself that she was having trouble recalling how her previous relationship had ended. If there wasn't any one reason she could think of, it must not have been a good one. "He just looked so good playing up there, right?"

[wildcatboltons]

“Oh you could definitely take her,” he agrees with an easy nod, not at all doubting that. But thankfully before he has to point out just how bad of an idea it would be to start such a public fight in the middle of a party as large as this, Maddie gets to that conclusion on her own. Chuckling softly, his head just bobbles as he nods once more. “Exactly. And like we just decided, having a paycheck is kinda great. Don’t want to go losing that.” The easy grin that had been plastered on his face since he had first approached his co-worker falters ever so slightly at the mention of both Sharpay and Gabriella, especially in the context of one of them being his potential date for the night. The truth was Troy had no clue what he was doing with those two girls, or with his love life in general, but he didn’t want to seem like such an obvious mess in front of Maddie. So instead of answering honestly, he simply raised a shoulder in a half hearted shrug. “Gabriella’s back, yeah, and Sharpay’s here too - but I’m not here with either of them. Not as a date, at least. We’re all just friends.” It was far more complicated than that and anyone with eyes could probably figure that out, but he still hoped it would be convincing enough. “As far as any of the students are concerned though, I’m like a monk. Celebate and married to my job.”

[rooneysmaddie]

~timeskip to valentines day~

Agreeing to come to Pacifica's party after having a not-so-pleasant interaction with her over the holidays wasn't her idea of fun, but Toulouse was working, and it was Valentine's Day, so here she was. She had heard that her sister's known arch-nemesis was going to be performing, too, which Maddie was simply interested in hearing after listening to the first bits of the album this morning, alone. After his firsthand promise of being just friends with the singer, Maddie had a feeling that he'd left out some crucial pieces of information the moment she noticed her coworker's face turn ghostly white and his jaw fall open.

Maddie watched as he and the brunette standing beside him left the main room immediately following the performance, and she figured she might not even see him the rest of the night. But, after parting ways with Slightly, she found her coworker again, standing at a high-top table, alone. "Hey," she greeted, cautious as she approached him. "That was, um ... something." Maddie had never been good with holding her tongue, especially not when she knew her sister would be asking her later for whatever drama she could uncover. "You good?"