006

Flynn Cahallan

~•~

She was haunting me.

That had to be it because there was no fucking way I spent two whole years at Northridge High without running into her, but for the past two weeks, I’d interacted with her almost five times.

Was she trying to fuck with my head or something?

I tried my best to stay away from her. I really did, but I also couldn’t abandon her when she was stranded. However, helping her once gave her the pass to talk to me freely and I really didn’t want that.

I didn’t want anything from her. I didn’t want to be near her. If anyone had told me they’d be having a joint family dinner tonight, I’d have slept at the auto shop.

Madelyn looked surprised to see me. Did she truly not know that Lucas and I were stepbrothers? Or was she acting oblivious as always?

I let out a breath, dispelling every thought of her from my head. Being curious about her was not good for me. I had one year left of high school and I wasn’t going to spend any second of it on Madelyn.

I dropped my bag on the table and removed my shirt, heading straight for my bathroom to take a shower. My thoughts immediately strayed to Madelyn. My jaw clenched at the reminder of her sitting next to Lucas. I didn’t know what she saw in that asshole that she was always beside him. I didn’t know what her parents saw in him that made them decide that he was a good fit for their daughter.

After showering, I put on a fresh shirt and started to open my door, intending to go downstairs and find something to eat, but paused. It hadn’t been long since I lied that I’d eaten. The Vance family could still be downstairs and I didn’t want to risk running into anyone from that table.

I was just about to close the door back when I saw someone turn the corner towards my room. I paused. I could hear her careful steps as she continued wandering and the logical thing for me to do would be to close the door and pretend I didn’t see her.

But the logical part of my brain didn’t work with her, which was why I fully opened the door and leaned against my doorframe. “Are you stalking me, golden girl?”

Madelyn jumped, startled before her eyes found me in the dark hallway. “I’m not stalking you.” She hissed, her cheeks tinged with pink. “And I have a name. It’s Madelyn. My friends call me Maddie.”

I placed my hands in my pockets to hide my clenched fists. Her friends called her Maddie. “Seems that way to me. First you show up at my workplace. Then, my house. Were you looking for my room?”

Her eyes widened, letting me know that I was right. She wrapped a lock of black hair around her finger, twisting it. “I was looking for the bathroom.”

I rolled my eyes at her lame excuse. “You’ve been here multiple times. I’m sure you know there are several bathrooms downstairs.”

Instead of turning around, she took a step closer. “You know I come here a lot?”

I averted my gaze at that question. “Everyone knows you and Lucas are getting engaged as soon as you finish college.”

“So,” she took another step closer, “why didn’t you tell me you and Lucas were brothers?”

“We’re not brothers.” I spat out instinctively, not bothering to hide my disdain for him. “Besides, we’re not close enough to talk about our familial relations. Why don’t you go ask Lucas why he kept it a secret?”

She scowled at me. “You’re so rude. Why can’t you just answer a question like a normal person?”

“Why can you just say you’re interested in me like a normal person instead of following me around?”

“I already told you I’m not following you around!”

“So you’re interested in me? Ah.”

“I’m not!” Her cheeks grew ever hotter. “God, it’s such a chore talking to you. Either you annoy me by staying quiet or you annoy me by talking too much.”

I clicked my tongue. I hadn’t spoken this much to her since… forever ago, but it was fun to tease her. “I didn’t beg you to talk to me, golden girl. I’m sure your future fiancé wouldn’t be pleased if he finds out you’re talking to his—“

“You said you’re not brothers.”

“Enemy,” I completed. “He’ll be pissed so you better go back downstairs like the dutiful little girlfriend you are.”

Madelyn clenched her jaw, glaring at me. “He’s not my boyfriend.” She gritted out. It seemed like she hated the idea of being Lucas’ anything, but she was always around him so what was the deal with them?

I blinked innocently. “Is that your subtle way of hitting on me?”

“I am not—“ she cut herself off, taking in an exaggerated deep breath. “You know what? I’m not going to argue with you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes.” She took a step back from me. “I don’t argue with people.”

“Sure,” I said sarcastically.

She turned around to leave, but paused before she could turn the corner.

“What? Do you want to see my room?”

She turned to face me, ignoring my words. “You respond to me outside of school but ignore me inside. What’s the deal with that?”

A muscle in my jaw ticked at that question. She was the last person who could ask a question like that and I wasn’t going to grace that with an answer. “Go back to your boyfriend,” I repeated instead and without waiting for her reply, I went back into my room and closed the door.

I expelled a sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. Madelyn Vance was talkative and confrontational. She should have just gotten the hint that I wanted nothing to do with her but it seemed like she wasn’t going to drop it.

She hadn’t changed much.