Michelle
I’m running, and I manage to make it outside the library before tears run down my chin like rain. I wipe
them away with a trembling hand and dry my cheeks with my sleeve.
“I’m stupid, so fucking stupid for thinking Maddox could be nice!” I yell at myself and quicken my pace
down the street. It’s dark and scary, but I don’t give a fuck
I’m so humiliated.
Why would Maddox pick up the letter and read it out loud?
Why would he do that to me?
What the hell is wrong with him?!
I don’t understand.
My heart is shattering. Of all the damn people to develop feelings for, why did it have to be that idiot?!
He is a big, fucking bully! 1
More tears crawl out of the corner of my eyes. I’m working up a sweat while sobbing in the dark.
Maddox Daniels is a heartless jerk. I don’t understand why the girls at campus love him so much! How
could he possibly be popular?!
Well, I do know-girls don’t care about his cold-bloodedness. All they want is his looks and money. He is
hot, but fucking hell; he treated me like shit back in the library. 1
But the joke is on me because I thought we were beginning to become friends, and then he pulls this
stunt and humiliates me!
I swipe yet another tear with my sleeve.
People pass me on the street. Someone bumps into me, reminding me I’m not safe out here. I quicken
my pace, I should probably run. Other people aren’t to be trusted, and I’ve already been raped.
I don’t want it happening again. My heart is racing at the mere thought. Slamming against my ribcage
as more scary people pass me on the narrow street. The dim light isn’t powerful enough for me to see
their eyes. I
All I see are Cheshire Cat smiles.
Shudders crawl over my skin.
I have to get out of here and fast.
A large hand landing on my shoulder has my spine turning tense. Maddox’s face appears above me,
and I sigh in relief. He might be a bastard, but I don’t think he would ever physically harm me.
Only bully me until there was no self-confidence left.
“What do you want?” I snap at him. The last thing I need is him knowing I feel safer with him here. His
ego would blow into dangerous proportions. “You shouldn’t walk home alone in the dark. It’s not safe,
especially since you’re so damn small.”
There he goes, belittling me again.
Rude.
Yet, I don’t want him to leave. I swallow thickly. “Are you going to walk me home?” He peers down at
me. “I don’t… I don’t know.” My chin lifts stoutly, and I glare at him. “You don’t know?”
“Michelle.”
“No… I asked you a question.”
He sighs. “You’re mad at me…”
“For a good reason… Did you come to apologize?” “I-I don’t… Fuck, I don’t know.” “That much is
obvious…” The sarcasm in my voice is dripping.
I’m proud of it too. For one in my life, I’m standing up for myself and pulling off the bitchy tone to
perfection. I’m too angry and devastated to be afraid of this bloke and give myself a mental pat on the
back.
You got this, Michelle.
Now, the only thing I need to avoid is looking up at Maddox, and see his handsome face and confused
puppy-dog eyes.
It would melt me.
There is a sigh. “I thought you already knew I was an asshole.”
“I did, but I thought we were getting somewhere…” “Getting somewhere?”
“Becoming friends.”
Silence.
“What do you want from me, Michelle?” Seriously?! “Respect, Maddox!” I stop in my tracks to meet
those eyes. He is so much taller than me that it’s fucking annoying. “Respect?” He blinks slowly as if
the word is alien to him and he needs to speak it with freaking caution. It angers me. “Yes! I’m your
project partner, not your damn servant! And that deal we had about me
becoming your fake girlfriend? If you want me to go through with it, you better listen to me! Don’t read
things without permission!” I can’t believe I’m lecturing him about this. These things should be obvious!
I’m fighting the urge to yell at Maddox and ask if his parents dropped him as a child or something. Like,
what the hell is wrong with him?! But since I’m a prime example of a mature person, I lower my voice to
pick my following words carefully. “Listen, when you’re with your other friends, do you usually take their
stuff without permission?!’
“Yes.”
Jesus fucking Christ.
–
“Well, don’t do that with me ever again.” It’s a miracle I manage to not raise my voice at this idiot again.
“Okay, I fucked up by reading that letter.” “Thank you.”
His eyes narrow. “Why do I get the feeling you’re still mad at me?”
“Because do you mean that apology? Do you understand what you did wrong or why it hurt my
feelings?” “What do you mean?” “I mean, do you even realize why I got upset with you?” “I do… I’m not
a total idiot…” 1
“Okay.” He totally doesn’t understand… I resume walking, and Maddox sighs in agony. “I said I fucked
up; what else do you expect? How many times do I have to say it before you act like normal and don’t
look at me like that?”
“Look at you like what?”
“Like you’re disappointed with me because, let’s face it, Michelle: not everyone is nice and perfect. Lord
knows I’m not. I’m an asshole!”
Instead of snapping, I’m just left feeling defeated. Maddox’s confusion wears me down and I can feel
my shoulders slump. “You don’t get it, do you?”
“No.”
“You‘ve been doing small stuff to disrespect me ever since we started this project. I’m not sure what
I’ve ever done to you, but you haven’t precisely treated me like a friend. And I’m not sure if I need that
Maddox in my life. So, sure we can be project partners, and I will pretend to be your girlfriend, but
newsflash: there is nobody here, so let me walk home alone, okay?”
“Michelle
”
“No! Be quiet! I’m done listening to you and stop saying my name!”
Maddox tries again. “Michelle, please, if you would just calm down—”
“NO! Are you deaf?!” I yell at him. “You can’t tell me what and what not to do! I’m done being frightened
by you!”
Maddox, for some reason, sticks by my side. “Okay, Michelle. Let me explain something: it was never
my goal to make you frightened by me.” “Bullshit, you want everyone to fear you.”
I try to walk faster, but the idiot has longer legs than me. He doesn’t even seem tired freaking football
players and their endless stamina.
“Well… I don’t want you to fear me.”
“Then what do you want? Do you want to humiliate me again?!” Why is there a hill here?
I don’t remember there being a hill here…
“Wait. Are you mocking me?” Maddox sounds insulted. “Maybe.” I’m breathing through my mouth. I
wasn’t made to walk this fast. “You’re seriously making fun of me?” “Who knows?”
Suddenly, Maddox cuts the path in front of me. I stop in my tracks, and we regard each other in the
middle of the street like two street cats ready for a showdown. I drink him in, this dark behemoth before
me, and try not to show an ounce of fear. He is tall and grumpy, and his eyes are tired.
Maddox is ridiculously handsome. Blue eyes. Thick eyebrows and sandy hair that looks like he has run
his hand through it. Damn. I bet he wakes up looking perfect. His cheekbones are a sculptor’s dream,
and his masculine jaw flexes while he glares down at me.
“I’m not letting you go before we have solved this.”
I hiss at him. “We won’t solve this tonight.”
“Fine,” Maddox shrugs. “Then I’m coming home with you.”
“What?!” I snap. “You can’t do that. My roommates—”
Maddox bends down, picks me up, and throws me over his shoulder. I kick and hit his back, but the
idiot doesn’t seem to care.
“Release me!”
“How about no?” Maddox resumes walking, smiling, and saying hello to people who stare at us coming
down the street. “You’re such an asshole!” I want to slap him, but my head is level with his butt. It would
be inappropriate to touch that thing… And Lord, even that part of his body is bigger and better than
mine!
“Relax, Michelle,” Maddox yawns. “All I want is to talk… Give me what I want, and I will put you back
down on the ground again.”
“Screw you!” “Ah, walking home with you it is.”
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