57. Maddy
57
MADDY
A few days later. Again.
M ax was here.
There was no chill.
None. The chill had left the building, because I know he didn’t think I saw him, but I did. An arm came down around my shoulders as a body pressed against my side where I was leaning against my locker. “What’s up?”
I didn’t look, already knowing it was Traine. I reached up, lacing my fingers with the hand that hung over my side. He squeezed me back. “Max is in the office.”
He tensed. “Wait. What?”
I was breathless. I was so excited. “He’s transferring here.”
Angling his head so he could read my face better, he arched an eyebrow. “No shit?”
I was so happy. “No shit. He doesn’t think I know today’s the day he’s transferring, but I do. I overhead the entire conversation he had with his parents and mine. Come Monday, he’s an official Fallen Crest Academy student.”
“Shit. We still have football. He should play. He kicks literal ass.”
I wrinkled my nose at him. “He’s mine first.”
Beltraine relaxed back against my side, giving me a fond half-grin. “Maxie boy is always going be yours first, and the same the other way around. We’re cool with that.”
“Yo.” Steele and Axel joined us.
Steele tipped his chin up while Axel gave us a half-hearted wave with his book.
The other students automatically moved for them. It was so ingrained in them and us, that I almost didn’t even notice anymore. We got looks too. There were always others watching us. Other girls. Guys eyeing me. Guys eyeing the guys. We drew attention. It was just part of the deal now of going to school here. Max would be included in that soon, not that he wouldn’t by himself because it was Max. Everyone was going to be as obsessed with him as I was.
Which, come to think of it, I wasn’t okay with that.
The last bell just rang, but I’d snuck out of class early because I wanted to see Max going into the office. The plan had been to surprise me, but well; that was hard to do with me.
I had my ways.
He’d been pissed at me for drugging him, but furious because he hadn’t been able to be there for me when I stuck my half-aunt in the tummy. There’d been an entire discussion about my behavior. My parents were alarmed. Like, hella alarmed. Max’s parents were just as concerned, if not more because what were they going to do if they decided I couldn’t see their son? Talk about waving a red flag in front of a bull. I would’ve declared war the size of a small country on Heather and Channing if they tried to take Max away. It’d be a different story if Max himself decided that was it. Drugging him was the final straw. I’d have to respect his wishes, but it would’ve killed a part of my soul.
I still would’ve done it.
I messed up. I got that. I really did. (With drugging Max, not with anything else.)
But even with the other stuff, it worked out.
Everyone rallied for me. I wasn’t sure if they should’ve. I mean, I did stab a person, but she needed to be stopped. I’d done that. She was gone now. Her parents flew in. I officially re-met my grandfather. The whole re-meeting Grandpa Garrett again was weird. It’d been awkward. Nolan and Nash were confused as well, but Mom seemed happy to see him. That’s all that was important.
They left the next morning to take Brinna to Switzerland. That’s where the facility was located, the one that was supposed to help her.
I’d been giving my parents the side-eye lately because if they started getting ideas, I had a plan. So far, they’d not said anything about shipping me off. They were just the ultra helicopter parents. Watching me. Telling me they loved me, but also, what was I doing? Where was I going? Like I didn’t know they would increase the Parental Maddy Watch Program.
I even understood it.
But I’d been good. I really had. Course, it’d only been a week but I had no intentions to use my tendencies for bad. Only good. Protecting my loved ones, if I could do something that others couldn’t, sign me up.
That included these three guys because all of them covered for me.
Even Steele, who was technically my uncle? Half-uncle?
I gave him a look, and he noticed. “What?”
I didn’t answer.
Traine started laughing. “She’s trying to figure out the family connection again.”
“Oh.” Steele cringed. “Let it go, Mads. We’re related. Just leave it at that. We got our whole lives to deal with that shit.”
That made me happy because he was right.
The office door opened, and I straightened away from the locker. My heart was thumping in my chest, so hard.
Max came out and stopped, seeing me. He gave me the cutest grin before shaking his head. “I should’ve just known you’d know.”
I launched myself at him.
Max caught me, with ease and that was hot. One of his arms curved around my back, keeping me in place, and he held the other out behind me. “Hey, man.” He was doing his fist-greeting thing he’d started with my friends. “Yo. Hey. How’s it going?” I couldn’t decipher who the last two were for, but it didn’t matter.
I was just so happy.
This was part of the Parental Maddy Watch Program. They’d discussed if I should transfer to Fallen Crest Public, but the general consensus was that I would get in more trouble there considering the students were rougher? I probably would’ve loved going there, but Max agreed with coming here instead. The parentals also sat down with the three guys behind me.
Steele moved into the house. That’d been an automatic, but Beltraine and Axel were given the option if they wanted to also move into our house.
Both agreed immediately.
They were transfixed with my parents. Both of them, which I got too. My mom and dad both fought for them, each one of them. My parents had a special conversation with the twins, making sure both of them were okay with the guys living with us for a year. Though, we all knew it wouldn’t be for just the year.
They’d go away to college, but when they came back, they’d come to our home. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Easter. Draft Day. All the major holidays, they’d be at our house.
I’d been concerned because I didn’t know if I wanted them in the house, not around Nolan and my little brother. But Nash was already the top guy in his class. I didn’t need to be worried about him. It was more Nolan, but my little sister reassured me everything would be fine.
When she gave me the look , I knew not to question it. She knew in the special way she knew things. So if the twins were good, I was good.
We’d unofficially adopted three more kids.
“What’s up, Stevie? How’s it going.”
I tensed, hearing Max greeting another girl. A deep possessive churning swirled in my chest.
Max was mine. He wasn’t allowed to have female friends, or talk to other girls, or look at other girls.
Okay, okay. I needed to bring back the chill.
I eased down to the ground, and Max threw me a frown, but he let me go. Stevie stopped at her locker, which I forgot was in this area. She opened it, casting a wary glance at me and the others behind us. “Hey, Max. How’s it going with you? You headed to Cieran’s this weekend?”
Max stayed by my side, but he answered her. “The fighting shed got shut down.”
“What?”
“Yeah. It burned down last weekend.”
I could feel the looks the guys were giving each other behind me.
“You’re kidding?”
“Nope.”
Stevie stared at him, a blank expression on her face. She was caught off guard by the news. “That’s horri—”
“What are you doing here ?” Aurelia Avoy’s snide question cut Stevie off, who immediately schooled her features. The momentary surprise was gone and her whole face was blank.
Aurelia put her hands on her hips, facing off against Stevie. Her head angled to the side. “I asked you a question. Answer me.”
Stevie didn’t even blink. She just shut down. “Nothing.” Her gaze met Max’s and her eyebrows furrowed, but she shook her head. “It’s nothing. Cool to see you again, Monroe. See you around.”
Aurelia cast the guys a look, some mean shining from her eyes. Her mouth lifted up in a cocky smirk.
I was moving without thinking about it, but as Stevie shut her locker, she began to turn toward the parking lot. She put her foot forward, and Aurelia tossed her bag in her way. Stevie hit the bag, tripping, and she fell down.
Or she would’ve.
Aurelia tossed her bag, but two things happened before that happened.
I reached for Aurelia’s hair and yanked her backward, and as she let her bag loose, Max plucked it out of the air. He swung it around before he got a better hold of it.
“Damn!” Beltraine whooped behind us.
A few others made sounds of surprise because everything happened so fast, so seamlessly, it was as if Max and I had been doing things like that all the time. Which, I guess we had.
Stevie braked abruptly, blinking a few times because her brain needed to catch up with her body. Nothing happened. She was still standing. She hadn’t tripped. All was good.
“What the fuck?” Aurelia shrieked.
I let her go, but I only stepped in front of her. I was now face to face with Stevie.
I smiled.
She gave me another alarmed look.
That made me frown because I’d never done anything to her. “Hi.”
“Uh, Maddy…” Max sidled to my side.
One of the guys snorted. Another one began snickering. Or the same one. I wasn’t sure.
“Shut it, man.” That was Beltraine.
He always stood up for me. I puffed my chest up, but I was here for a reason. I cleared my throat. That seemed to make Stevie even more alarmed.
I deflated. “Jesus. I’m not a monster.”
More than one of the guys coughed behind me. I gave them a middle finger, which made them break out into laughter. Others were joining in. We were attracting an audience.
Max wasn’t laughing. He was regarding me with caution.
I ignored him, instead saying to Stevie, “My parents are throwing a birthday party for me this weekend. It’s at the house on Sunday. You should come.”
Aurelia scoffed from the sidelines.
I cast her a warning. “You’re not invited.”
Her face twisted up, but she stormed away.
Stevie watched her go, unable to hide her worry.
“Look, whatever. Come if you want. It’s a family thing and after last weekend, your uncle is basically family now.”
“What happened last weekend?”
“Nothing,” Max said quickly, inserting himself into the conversation. He put his arm around my shoulders, tugging me against him. “We’re also having an unofficial birthday party for Mads at Bell’s house.”
“That’s right. We’re still using it for parties.” Beltraine stepped up.
Steele joined beside Beltraine.
Axel was to Max’s left. He flicked up two fingers to Stevie. “It’d be cool if you joined. It’s after the football game. We’ll be at the Sunday event too.” He winked at her.
Stevie floundered, momentarily unable to say something back, but I’d extended the invitation. If she came, she came. If she didn’t, then that was on her. As if we were all one being, the five of us began walking for the parking lot. Max’s arm dropped from my shoulder, but he tucked his finger in the back of my pants, keeping me next to him.
Which I loved. I really loved.
Axel groaned. “We should’ve made a rule no dating within the group. Watching you two is going to get old.”
Traine laughed. “Speak for yourself. This is like constant foreplay happening live and in person. I’m going to have so much sex watching them.”
“Seriously, you guys!” Steele snapped. “Her mom is my sister.”
A guy going the opposite direction overheard him and stopped in his tracks. “Her mom is your what?”
Steele cursed. “Nothing. We’re just—we’re cousins. Move along.” He glared at the guy, who blanched and sped away. He looked over his shoulder a few times, but no one was going after him.
I grinned at Steele. “Cousins, huh?”
He rolled his eyes, but he didn’t respond.
The others laughed, and I moved closer to Max, making our sides brush against each other.
His eyes darkened, watching me back.
I got all happy inside, all warm, all giddy.
I loved that we moved to Fallen Crest.
As we got to the door, it swung open. I frowned at seeing who was coming inside. “Uncle Mark?” Technically he was my mom’s stepbrother, but for all intents and purposes, he was Uncle Mark.
Steele stiffened, throwing a dark look at him.
“Oh hey, Maddy.” He saw Max and did a double-take. “Max. What are you doing here?”
“Transferred in. I’m going to school here now.”
“What? When?”
“Just transferred. First day is Monday.” Max was studying the bouquet of roses my uncle was holding in his hand. “Got a study date?”
Mark was still frowning at Max, and at how close we were standing. At Max’s question, his face cleared before he jerked the flowers up. “Oh. Right! I forgot. Uh. No. No study date, but a date. I’m here to see…” He caught himself, taking note of my sudden attention, his gaze sliding to a few other students how they stopped to eavesdrop. “Never mind. I’m just here getting to know someone. Not anyone for you to cyberstalk or tell your mother about.” He rethought that, adding to Max, “Or your mother.” Back to me. “Or my mother. Got that. Keep this between us.”
Steele shook his head. “Yeah. That’s one way to stop the gossip in its tracks. Good luck, dude.”
I asked, “So you and Cass are really done, huh?”
Uncle Mark softened. “It’s for the best. If we were supposed to be together, we would’ve made it work a long time ago. I, just, I got comfortable. It’s all on me, but if you’re attached to Cass, I don’t think you should worry. Rumor has it that she’s on a plane to Hawaii as I speak. I don’t think she’s going to be leaving the adult group chat any time soon, if you get what I mean.” He pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. “Love you, Mads. Don’t tell any of your mothers about this. Thanks. Gotta go.”
Me, I couldn’t move. He just dropped the bomb of all bombs on me. My mouth was on the floor. “There’s an adult group chat ?”