Last To Know

25

The whole thing was a lot to process.

The doorbell rang—for the third time today—and I was tempted to chuck the mug in my hand at the door.

I ignored the doorbell, heading back to my room and closing the door. After speaking to him yesterday I had no desire to see him today. If he couldn't respect my wishes for space then I would tell him to leave me alone and that I didn't want anything to do with him anymore—that I couldn't forgive him.

My heart clenched at that thought.

The stupid organ still yearned for him.

It was annoying.

All I wanted was to be able to think clearly and rationally, but I couldn't do that when my heart wanted other things.

And maybe that was the problem, love wasn't rational, it just was.

"Emma!" My mom called.

Dammit, she got the door.

"I'm busy cleaning my room!" I called back. It was a pathetic lie, but all I could think of off the top of my head.

"Emma!" She called again. "Come here!"

Oh no. She used her stern voice. I was in trouble.

I grabbed Aquilla from his cage and cradled him in my hands. I figured if I was holding the baby hedgehog I'd be less likely to chuck something at Maddox's head.

I padded down the hall, my eyes on the hedgehog in my hands as I cooed at him.

When I stepped into the living room and looked up I promptly took two steps back, shocked to see Ezra, Mathias, and Hayes standing there.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, putting a hand on my hip and holding the hedgehog in the other. I felt like they were ganging up on me and I was probably about to endure an intense lecture. Great. It was really beginning to feel like no one was on my side. It was unfair. I wasn't the one that lied about who I was. I didn't betray anyone's trust. Maddox did. But everyone seemed to think I should let this go like nothing happened.

Couldn't they see that I was hurt? I felt like I'd had my insides ripped out. The boy I'd fallen in love with had been keeping a huge secret from me. He was no longer Just Maddox. He was also Willow Creek Maddox.

My boyfriend was freaking famous.

Or ex-boyfriend.

Ugh, whatever we were. I didn't even know anymore. It was all so confusing, not to mention exhausting.

"We wanted to talk," Mathias spoke. "Can we sit down?" He pointed at the couch. "Or will you pelt us with a fucking drumstick?"

"Language!" My mom warned as she left the room.

I sighed. "It was in the heat of the moment," I defended. I hadn't apologized to Maddox about that when I spoke with him. I'd wanted to, especially when I saw the bruise on his forehead, but I'd once again been too mad to be sensible.

Today, I didn't feel quite as angry. More sad. Defeated.

And frankly, I was really starting to miss him.

I just felt so conflicted.

It was like my emotions were one big ball of tangled yarn, and I couldn't unravel them. When I tried they just got more twisted.

"It was kind of funny," Hayes chucked, taking a seat. Even sitting the guy was a giant.

Mathias speared Hayes with a withering glare. "She could've given my brother a concussion. I don't find that funny."