Love Again ✔

6. Friends

"That's a bad idea, Theo. And it's gonna come back and bite you in the ass." He states and I get even more nervous.

"What the fuck was I supposed to do? She's heartbroken, Ty. She has trust issues. She made me, a total fucking stranger, promise to be completely honest with her just so we could meet up and study. She has some condition she mentioned earlier that I still know nothing about. She gets startled with every sound and she flinches every time my finger barely touches hers. How on earth was I supposed to tell her that I've been in love with her for a year and a half like some goddamn freak? She would've had a heart attack. Or called the damn cops."

Tyler suddenly breaks into a loud laughter at my pathetic situation and after a couple of seconds I join him. "Well, when you put it like that I get it, I guess. When will you introduce me, then? I mean, I'll be the best man at her wedding, so she might as well get to know me now."

Fucking hell, my heart just skipped a beat at the image he planted in my head. It seems like a dream miles away from where I'm standing, but I won't lose hope. I love her, and no matter what it takes, I'll make her happy.

Shit, if being the best man on her wedding with another fucker would make her happy, I'd put on my best goddamn suit for her.

"When I feel like she's ready. From what I gathered today she has some type of social anxiety or something. I don't want to overwhelm her." I shake my head and he frowns, sadness covering his features.

"She's always been such a social butterfly." He reminisces with a sad sigh. "If you ever find the fucker who did this to her, count me in, yeah?"

I nod my head and we decide to call it a night soon after.

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Rose:

I walk with my head down and a frown between my brows as the cold bites through the wool cardigan I'm wearing and straight into my bones. I shiver with a huff of annoyance.

I didn't get any sleep last night. My evening with Maddox kept replaying in my head all night, and even though that was actually the most fun I had in a year, I'm ashamed to say I now have cold feet as I make my way to the lecture hall.

I said I wanted to be his friend. I do, but am I even ready for that? A friendship can do a lot of damage, and my battered heart has no room for any more pain.

Besides, I'm no longer an easy person to be friends with, so what if he gets bored? What if he gets sick of the stutter, the anxiety, the nervousness, the doubts? Of me?

Yes, Maddox seems like a genuinely sweet person, but I've learnt that it doesn't necessarily take someone evil to cause you pain. Some people hurt you because they think that's what's best for you. Some people hurt you because they care too much. Some people hurt you because they love you too much, they don't know what else to do.

Jaxon broke me because he thought he was saving me. Cassandra broke me because she thought she was protecting me. I broke myself because I thought I was only helping myself get what I've always wanted.

None of us was evil. And neither is Maddox.

I snap out of my thoughts when I walk into the lecture hall. Keeping my eyes on the floor, I silently pray I don't see Maddox as I take a seat.

"Morning, Rose." I jump at the sound of Maddox's voice and he smiles apologetically before taking the seat next to mine, oblivious to the thoughts that run in my head. "I got you a cupcake."

I watch as he holds a chocolate cupcake in front of me and my heart melts at the sweet gesture. My eyes search for his again and when he smiles at me so brilliantly I feel all my bad thoughts vanishing. It's like the demons inside of me hide when they see his smile. I wonder if he knows that. "What did you do that f-for?"

He narrows his eyes as if to say you already know the answer. And I do. Giggling, I take the cupcake from him, careful not to touch his skin and say, "because you want to spoil me."

"You got that right, Angel." He winks with a grin and I swallow my heart back down to my chest, where it should stay.

"Thank you." I mumble, unwrapping the delicious treat.

"You're most welcome." He takes out his notebook. "Today we're applying those figures of speech things you taught me last night. If I learn that you've been teaching me wrong, I'm suing you."

I try not to laugh as I chew the heavenly chocolate piece of cake. "Don't blame me if you're too dumb to understand something as simple as a metaphor."

Realizing what I just said, I choke on my cupcake. Maddox shots straight from his chair with wide eyes as I cough into my fist and he looks around frantically. "Shit, are you okay? Breathe, Rose. Or swallow first. Shit!"

He goes to pat my back put then retreats his hand quickly and shakes his head, dismissing the idea instantly. If I wasn't having a difficulty breathing right now I would've swooned at how considerate he is.

"Here." Kneeling down in front of me, he pulls a water bottle out of his backpack and shoves it in my face. "Drink."

I'm about to grab it when he pulls his hand back. For a moment I think he's doing some sort of a silly, mean prank on a choking woman, but he mumbles an apology as he quickly uncaps the bottle and gives it to me again. I take as many gulps of water as my throat allows me, coughing one more time after to make sure nothing is still stuck in there.

"You good?" Maddox asks, still kneeling before me, and a blush runs to my cheeks when I notice how we must look to everyone around.

"Yeah. Sit up." I demand in a whisper. Chuckling, he gets up and sits back down beside me. "I'm so sorry ab-about what I said. It w-was a joke, but it was too r-rude of me. You're not dumb at all. You're actually r-really smart, Maddox."

He flashes me a grin. "I know it was a joke, don't worry about it. You're fine."

I sigh in relief, my anxiety leaving my body at his words, and go back to happily munching on my cupcake. A couple of minutes later, and our professor walks in. Maddox and I don't talk much during the lecture except when we start applying the imageries on a sonnet together. He looks at me with confusion all over his features and I giggle whispering a promise to explain that part to him tonight. As soon as the lecture is over, Maddox and I head out.

"So tonight at seven?" He asks and I nod my head. "Cool. I have a finance lecture now, and the professor has been hinting on giving us a pop quiz. Wish me luck."

I turn to face him. "Finance?"

He gives me a cocky smirk. "I'm a business major, Angel. You didn't know that, did you?"

"What the hell are you taking English Literature for then?" I furrow my brows.

"It's an elective. I thought it sounded easy enough." He shrugs noncommittally and I laugh. He's truly an idiot. But I'm glad he is, because through that idiotic choice he made we're now friends. I hadn't even realized how much I needed a friend until Maddox showed up.

"You should laugh more, Rose." Maddox states and the blush returns to my cheeks with full force.

"I'll s-see you tonight." I mumble before turning around and leaving like my ass is on fire. I don't know how to respond to compliments anymore. I don't think he's flirting or anything, because I know he's in love with someone, but compliments still make me nervous. They make me vulnerable for some reason.

But as I walk into my next class for the day, I find the smile on my face still perfectly intact. And I know who's responsible for putting it there.

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There you go.

Love you.

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