Siobhan smiled, �I think it�s cool! But you�re right, it�s not what makes you you. It�s your sparkling personality and caring nature that makes you Madison Chantelle Winters, and I love you for it.� she grinned sleepily.
�I love you, too.� Madison smiled, and she opened her arms and Siobhan slipped into them, and they hugged for several seconds before breaking apart.
�I hate to breakup this little love fest, but can we pleeeeease get some sleep? I�m dying here.� Tara said, yawning hugely.
�Yes! Yes we can!� Alyson reached for the lamp and turned it off, so now all that was visible were the shadows cast by Madison�s seashell night light. She was still afraid of the dark, but her friends never teased her about it.
�Goodnight guys, I love you!� Kennedi began the nightly charade.
�Love you guys more!� Alyson said.
�Love you more than more!� Tara grinned in the dark, even though her friends couldn�t see her.
�Love you more than infinity!� Madison called out.
�I�m not going to even argue tonight guys. I love you, period!� Siobhan said, too tired to talk much longer.
�I think we have a winner!� Tara said, as if on a game show.
�Night guys!� Alyson said, sleepily.
�Nighty night.� Madison said.
�Sweet dreams, all!� Siobhan said, and they all fell asleep quickly, as if they�d been given big doses of the magic sleeping sand.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She was awakened later on in the night. She looked over at her friends and realized someone was missing. She slipped out of bed, and padded out the door and down the hallway to the bathroom. There she could hear the slight sound of someone crying.
�Honey?� she called out quietly. There was no response, but the crying continued.
�Honey, if you don�t open the door, I�m coming in.� she said a little more loudly. Still no response, so she eased the door open. The bathroom was dark, so with a huge amount of dread in her stomach, she flipped on the light.
�Sweetie, why were you crying in the dark?� she asked, as Kennedi saw Madison on the closed toilet seat, head in her hands, and crying.
�Maddi, please talk to me, you�re scaring me.� Kennedi said, kneeling in front of her friend and trying to take her hands away from her face.
Madison let Kennedi take her hands and she hiccuped before beginning, �I was so scared! I-I thought I was going to lose her!� Madison sobbed.
�Lose who?� Kennedi asked, although she was sure she knew who Madison was talking about.
�Syvanni. I-I never thought she�d go so far as to hurt herself like that. I-I thought she was fine. I-I didn�t know....� she trailed off, tears streaming down her cheeks.
�Sweetie, come here.� Kennedi said, pulling her friend into a hug. She sat there rocking back and forth, trying to soothe her friend.
�Guys, it�s almost three in the morning. What are you doing?� Tara�s sleepy voice asked as she padded into the bathroom, �What happened?� she asked, fearfully.
Madison looked up at her friend and held out her arms for her. Tara joined the hug, not exactly knowing what was wrong, but she could�ve hazarded a guess.
Kennedi pulled away and looked into her friend�s eyes, �Madison, Siobhan will be fine. Thanks to your phone call Thursday night we caught it before she could do any serious damage to her body. You did very well, honey, you noticed it before the rest of us did. And she�ll be fine. The school nurse said so and her doctor thinks so too. Don�t worry, honey, it�s all going to be okay.� Kennedi said, her eyes teary as she looked into Madison�s eyes.
Madison nodded, �I-I know.� she sniffled.
�I will you know. I will be fine. Thank you, Maddi.� Siobhan�s voice came from the doorway, where both her and Alyson were standing with tears in their eyes. All Madison had to do was hold out her arms and within seconds, all five friends were hugging on the bathroom floor.
Alyson kissed the top of Siobhan�s head and sighed, �You guys, it�s really late. Let�s get to bed before we wake up Madison�s parents, okay?� she asked.
�Okay.� Tara agreed, and helping each other off the floor, they headed back to Madison�s bedroom, all crawling into bed and laying down on the pillows.
�You guys?� Siobhan�s voice could be heard through the dark.
�Yeah, sweetie?� Kennedi asked.
�I�m sorry I made you worry, and I promise never to do that again.� Siobhan said, her voice both sleepy and tearful.
�You�d better not!� Madison scolded, before they broke out into tearful laughter.
Alyson sighed and closed her eyes, �Night, guys. Love you.� she said, sleepily.
�Night, love you too.� all four of her friends echoed, and they all fell fast asleep for the second time that night.
THE END, THANK YOU FOR READING
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