"𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚗𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚕𝚕."
♛
Maddison Lockhart was a depressed introvert, addicted to books and television along wit...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
***
"Thank god your not under house arrest anymore. No offence, even though I've seen you everyday for the past week, I'd prefer it if you didn't have your entourage looming over us every second of every day." Caroline laughs opposite me in the booth.
Smiling, I nudge her foot with my own gesturing to the bar where two of the Original siblings sit. Both trying and failing to make it obvious that they're eavesdropping on our conversation as they sip on bourbon with matching smirks.
"Oh." She instantly deflates seeing them, provoking a giggle from my lips.
"Exactly my reaction." The British blonde bombshell appears with our food, scooting next to Caroline with a scowl directed towards her brothers.
"They have been a little overbearing." I mutter quietly to the two, Rebekah sending me a look. Pouting, I wave my hand casting a silencing spell and give her a nod.
"They have not been a 'little'overbearing. I love my brothers but they are hovering over you like a baby taking her first steps. They need to give you space, Maddie. And you need to put your foot down and not let your guilt allow you to give them permission to treat you the way they have, especially Nik." She finishes with a glare in her brothers direction from where him and Kol are pouting, reaching for one of Care's fries.
Looking away as she dips the fried potato in ketchup, I bite the inside of my cheek and sink in my chair at Caroline's look.
Sighing, she scoots out of the booth and takes the seat next to mine. "I know what you need. A nice long weekend away from them all to think," she trails off before looking at Rebekah with a smirk. "And have fun, of course."
"What are you talking about?" I frown uneasily, sitting up in my chair.
"Look, Maddie. With everything your going through and have gone through, you need this. You haven't had a moment to think about yourself since we started high school. You've been worried about everyone and everything, every second of every day while pushing all your problems on the back burner. It's time for you to be selfish—"
"But I have been—"
"Nu-uh don't interrupt me." She hushes me with a shake of her head. Sighing, she takes my hand in her own and interlocks our fingers with a sad smile. "You have been through the worst of the imaginable. You've been kidnapped, tortured, killed— more than once, and seen people you love being brutally murdered in front of you... I don't know how your still standing, Maddie. But I am so glad you still are. And on top of all of that you've had to battle your own mind daily. You need this. You need a break, to get away from all of this and to just let loose and have fun."
Biting my lip, I take in her words and glance at two of the men who hold a deep place in my heart and feel guilt consume the love I hold for them. "I—"
