Page 11 of Maddox
Eager to do anything that will save me an interrogation, I turn to the door when Josh enters and says, “Yo, who wants a shot?”
Josh is on the football team and therefore buddies with Micah. If he’s here, then that means…yep, the rest of the team is too, I confirm when Cillian shouts, “Fuck yeah!”
The remainder of the guys crowd around while the remaining members of the cheer team enter through a side door from the backyard.
For a moment, it’s pandemonium as Josh pours shots and everyone speaks over each other. It’s so familiar after months of feeling alone that my heart swells.
That is until Micah takes my hand and pulls me from the kitchen.
With a silent sigh, I follow behind him when he steps down another hall and pushes me gently into a bedroom. I’m assuming it’s reserved for guests because beyond the bed against the wall, there’s nothing here to indicate it’s lived in.
Micah turns to me in the semi-darkness, and I bow my head. I fought with Joey on the way out the door and despite almost six months existing with the freak, I’m still not used to how he acts toward me.
Mom and Peter were strict but they were never assholes. Joey doesn’t care that I’m his child and he’s not shy about showing me in every way possible just how much he resents me.
Beyond that, my feet ache from the shifts I worked after school last week. I know I’m going to fail my test on Monday because I haven’t had time to study and frankly, during class, it’s all I can do not to fall asleep.
Mom keeps calling me and I know she wants me to come home now that she’s been receiving treatment, but I can’t because there’s too much history standing between us.
Where did my simple life go? Did I do the right thing when I ran away?
I just want some semblance of normal so when Micah pulls me into his arms, I lean against his chest and choke back my tears.
His warm arms cover my shivers, and I soak in his calming presence, while he rocks me gently. This is the Micah that I know, and love and I miss this. I miss how we used to be and much like everything else, I don’t understand where the simplicity of our relationship went.
“What is it, babe?” he asks. “Is it…you know?”
Although I appreciate that he’s asking, I can’t help but roll my eyes. He can’t even say Petey’s name.
“No,” I mumble, pulling away. “Yes. No. It’s just…”
“It’ll be okay,” he says, and I stiffen. I know he’s trying to help but fuck me if he says that one more time…
It’s not going to beokay. It’s all fallen apart, and I don’t know how to put the pieces back together.
None of this I can speak out loud though because Micah doesn’t understand. How could he?
His parents are still married. His mom treats him like a little prince and his dad practically worships him as the star football player.
Meanwhile, I’m dealing with a drunken asshole who hates me all because I ran away when I realized I couldn’t handle my mom. I know it was the right choice for me, but I suspect it willonly push her further into the abyss, thoughts of which press at my chest almost constantly.
“Babe?” Micah says, and I cover my face when the tears come again.
Thankfully, he just holds me until I can speak without crying and eventually, I lean back, meeting his gaze, to whisper, “Thanks.”
“For what?” he asks, his warm breath fanning my face.
“For, I don’t know, this,” I say.
I’m not sure how to put into words the way this helped to ground me when I felt like I could fly away at any moment. Instead, I shrug as he grabs my hand and leads me to the bed.
After sitting down, he grabs my hips, and I step between his legs with a kernel of unease. Why can’t he just freaking hold me? Why does everything lead to this?
Wiping my eyes, I meet his gaze when he runs his fingers up the outside of my thighs, and says, “I’ve missed you, babe.”
The husky tone of his voice rolls over my skin like ice and I mentally groan and say, “Micah…”
He looks up and flashes that boyish smile but what once made my heart flutter leaves me achingly cold.
