I looked at Colton, waiting for him to continue. “What?”
“He likes to disappear for a day or two,” Colton slowly admitted.
“So, something is wrong?”
He must have seen the alarm on my face because he was already shaking his head. “Not exactly. It’s just… some days, Maddox gets low. He doesn’t like to be around people when he’s feeling like that.”
I grabbed my shoulder bag and slammed my locker close. “Do you know where he is right now? Where he goes when he’s like this?”
Colton gripped my shoulder, his face intense as he pinned me with a harsh stare. “Listen, Lila. It’s best you leave him alone when he’s like this.”
“He’s my friend,” I claimed out loud.
Colton let out a humorless laugh. “He’s my best friend. So what?”
“I know him.” I wrenched away from his grasp and glared.
“I know him better than you,” he said simply. “I’ve known him since we were kids.”
But he hasn’t seen Maddox like I had… trapped in that broom closet, screaming to be let out… crying and begging for someone to save him.
Colton didn’t see that Maddox. I had. I held him and sung to him.
I gnawed at my lower lips, Colton’s warnings ringing in my ears, but my need to run to Maddox and to make sure he was okay was strong.
“Don’t do it, Lila. Leave him alone. He’ll come back when he’s ready.”
I hefted my bag over my shoulder and stepped away from him. “Here’s something you need to know about me, Colton. I don’t listen well to warnings.”
“You can’t fix him,” he said to my back.
No, I couldn’t.
But that was the thing… I didn’t want to fix him.
I wanted to hold his hand.
Nothing more; nothing less.
So, I did the opposite of what Colton told me. I took a bus to Maddox’s house, er… mansion. That would be my first stop, and I hoped he was there. If not, then I was about to go on a wild goose chase. If he didn’t want to see me, I’d leave – but after making sure he was alive.
The Maddox I knew didn’t disappear and go radio silent on his friends.
No, the Maddox I befriended was an annoying, pestering jerk. Like the time he gave me roses.
Maddox was walking toward me with... flowers? What the hell?
I leaned against my locker and gave him a look, a look that said – what are you up to now?
He halted in front of me with a smirk I wanted to smother with a pillow. I raised an eyebrow and nodded to the flowers in his hands. “What are those?”
“Roses,” he said, looking mighty proud of himself.
“For you.” I rolled my eyes.
“They’re dead, Maddox.”
He gave me a petulant look, like a child who had their favorite toy taken away. “Yeah, dead like my heart because you won't let my dick anywhere near you because you friend zoned me. So here you go. Roses for you, Garcia.”
“You need to see a shrink. I don't think you're mentally stable,” I announced, already walking away from him.
He fell into step beside me. “You won't accept my roses? I'm hurt.”
My lips twitched. Okay, it was really hard to stay serious when Maddox was in one of his pranking moods.
“You're so fucking silly. I don't know if I should laugh or... be concerned.”
“Anything to see that smile on your face,” he said with a grin.
And it was then I noticed, I was smiling. It had been a frustrating day, one of those days where nothing seemed to go my way. I was feeling moody and a tad bitchy, but here I was…
Instead of being annoyed with Maddox like I would have been before our truce, I was smiling. Damn it, this wasn’t good. He couldn’t have me smiling so easily.
“Are you flirting with me, Coulter?” I still couldn't wipe the grin off my face.
“Are you falling for it, Garcia?” He shot back, his eyes dancing with mischief.
“No,” I deadpanned.
“Good. The harder you play to get, the more fun this game is.”
“I'm not playing hard to get. We're friends,” I stretched out the last word, putting more emphasis on it. Because obviously, Maddox didn't understand the meaning of 'just friends.’
Maddox let out a small chuckle. "Oh, I know. Besties forever. I'll do your nails and you'll do my hair type of shit.” He paused, glancing down at me with a wicked smirk that should have warned me of what was about to come out of his mouth. “That won't stop me