She sneered. ‘You’re right, we are wasting our time. Bye, Maddison. I’m sure I won’t be seeing you around campus.’
I watched as Aiden turned on his heel and left my already shaky reputation in tatters on the floor. He didn’t even care. Why would he? He clearly hated me. Lucy had pretty much made sure that everyone at that party did too.
I spent the last semester in turmoil, barely leaving my room unless it was to attend a seminar. Any assignments not pre-written suffered badly and I submitted one a week after the deadline, which sank my overall grade so low I considered retaking the year.
I’m broken from the memory as Aiden scoops his hand under my chin to pull me eye to eye with him once again. I catch my breath the second he makes contact, tremors of worry stilling in their place. They can’t move– I can’t move.
‘What Lucy said that day. . . the way she said it wasn’t true.’
Her words echo in my head as if she were right here saying them.
‘God, Maddison, you were always such a piece of work. Drove Aiden here up the walls– he could never stop going on about how irritating you were.’
His arm swings around me, pulling me close until my head rests on his bare chest.
‘I called her out on it after we left. We argued forhours. Broke up for like three or four days after that.’
‘That couldn’t have been easy. . . arguing over some random girl from school,’ I murmur.
He was so warm, so open when he stared at me that night. I would have never pictured their evening ending that way.
‘Oh, you weren’t random.’ He chuckles, pillow rustling as he shakes his head. ‘That’s the one thing she said thatwastrue– I could never stop going on about you. I think she could tell, even back then, that I was a littletoopreoccupied. That’s my bad. It wasn’t fair to her and it certainly wasn’t fair in the way it got taken out on you.’
I scoff. ‘You weren’t preoccupied with me.’
‘Maddison. Even back then, you consumed most of my waking thoughts.’
He’s so resolute. Nothing hidden, nothing left behind. It’s as scary as it is exciting, and I can feel my heart triple in speed.
‘I just need you to know how sorry I am,’ he continues, his arms tightening their hold. ‘I would never let anyone make you feel like that again. You’ll always know exactly where you stand with me. I can promise you that.’
‘I believe you,’ I whisper.
And I do, wholeheartedly. The man across from me would never let anything hurt me. I can tell by his gaze, by his hold,by the way he speaks. I’m safe with him. He’s safe with me. No matter what’s in our past.
I turn back around and he cradles me, softly resting his chin on the top of my head. I’m encased in his arms, back pressed firmly against his chest. He’s got me, now and for ever. At least, that’s what I can’t help but hope.
Nudge 31
The Group Chat
‘Good morning.’
His lips brush against my skin as he whispers into my ear, voice gravelly from our lie-in. Then he turns to face me, his tongue eagerly exploring my mouth.
‘Good morning to you too,’ I whisper in between kisses.
He laughs softly into my mouth, teeth grazing my lower lip. The small nip drives me wild. I grab on to him tighter, clawing at his arms as our kisses grow deeper and deeper.
‘We need to stop.’ His lip curls as he eyes my frustrated face. ‘If we keep this up, we are never leaving this place. We’ve still got to tidy up and get you home.’
He punctuates his warning with a teasing tap on my nose, which is scrunched in a very forced anger as I scowl back at him. I want to mean it, but I’m too damn happy to give off anything that looks mildly believable.
‘One more hour,’ I say in protest, stroking down his arm.
‘And mess up your Sunday routine? Never.’
‘I don’t have a Sunday routine!’
