Maddox's POV:
The car ride was quiet, until I needed to be told when to turn. I looked in my rearview mirror to keep an eye on the late night cars behind me and realized Brooks was sound asleep. I smiled softly and glanced to Emmi, who sat beside me. She was writing something and from what I could tell by the glimpse of it before turning my attention back to the street in front of me, they were song lyrics. "You write songs?" I asked.
She looked at me, "I do. Most are crap though. They're usually just my feelings. Nothing to rave about."
"I'm sure they're great. You have any recordings of them?"
"No...too embarrassed to show anyone, plus...Zach always said I sounded terrible and that the lyrics were horrid..." I heard sadness in her voice.
I grabbed her hand gently, since I didn't need to switch gears, and I felt sparks. It felt like a small firework show happening between our palms. "Don't listen to him anymore. Okay? I know that's going to be hard, but it will be worth your self-confidence. And your happiness will thank you." I stopped at a stop sign and turned to her, "If you want my help, I will be glad to do so. But if you don't, I won't be hurt. You need to do what you want. Not live by Zachariah's words. He doesn't rule you anymore. No one does. You control your life, Emmi. No one else. You."
She didn't say anything, but I could tell the gears were turning in her head as she stared at the glove box in front of her. I felt her hand tighten around mine and I wasn't sure what it meant. All I knew was that deep down, I didn't want our hands to separate. I wanted these sparks to last forever.
The moment was disrupted abruptly by a car horn behind us. I quickly let go of her hand and put my car in the gear I needed to be in as we moved again. Her head instantly turned to me when our hands split. I couldn't tell if she was beginning to have feelings for me or if it was just something she needed at the time, but I wasn't sure what my own feelings were either. So how I could I figure out hers, if I didn't even know my own?
She gently rested her hand on mine that was on the gear and a smile rested on my lips. She whispered to turn left on Sycamore Ave and that her home was the fourth house in.
Once I found it, I pulled into the driveway and saw what looked to be her mothers car in the driveway as well after I parked. I looked in the back to see Brooks still asleep and then I looked to Emmi who had more tears threatening to fall. "It will get better. I promise." I whispered.
I put my hands on her cheeks and brushed her tears away with my thumbs. My heart couldn't take much more of this teasing of feelings. It kept telling me to dive in the delicious pool that were Emmi's lips. I tried to ignore it for so long, but I couldn't anymore. I needed to taste her.
I pulled her into a gentle kiss, not wanting to go any farther, but my tongue wanted more. Once it got a taste, it wasn't going to stop until it got what it wanted. I wanted it. God I wanted it so bad, but I didn't want to scare her. And then, I felt her lips part a little as her fingers slithered through my mess of hair and I took that as my que to move forward within the kiss.
Our tongues danced beautifully for a few minutes before she pulled away, both of us breathing a little heavier. I tasted the strawberry lip gloss she had on all day and I chuckled. She pushed her dirty blonde hair behind an ear and blushed, "I'm um...not sure what came over me..."
"It's okay." I smiled. God, I have wanted to do that for a long time...since I met you, Emmi. My feelings were a giant ball of confusion, but that kiss...that was something I was missing. "Um...you need help getting Brooks inside?"
"Please. I'm sure my mom is asleep by now."
I nodded and we both got out of the car. She grabbed both backpacks, while I picked up Brooks. She unlocked the front door and walked inside. "His room is in the back of the house, off the den." She explained and walked me toward it.
I set him down on his bed and Emmi tucked him in, kissing him in the forehead. I smiled, watching how much she cared for her little brother. It was sweet and made me realize she really does forget to take care of herself most of the time.
When she was finished, I took her by the hand and took her to the couch in the den. I had an idea. "Can I make you an offer?"
She raised her brows, "What...kind of offer?"
I chuckled, "An offer that will hopefully remind you that others care about you." She nodded and waited for me to go on. "This might sound weird, but I know you forget to take care of yourself quite a bit. You mentioned it in the note you gave me, but I can just see it in a day to day basis when we are at school." I paused, trying to figure out how to put what I wanted to do into words. "What if...I helped you out a bit? Like, took you and Brooks to school. Made sure you had lunch every day. And other things that you may think of that you need my help with." I waited for her answer before continuing but she stayed quiet. "I'm not saying I'd be your parent, cuz that would be weird, but I just want to show you that someone does care about you that barely--"
"Yes." She cut me off.
My eyes went wide, "Really?" I wasn't sure that was going to work.
"Yes. Sometimes I need reminders to eat and take care of myself and you did that today. So did my girls, but they do it all the time. I'm used to them doing so, but they know me really well. You don't, so the fact that you want to help me...it's strange to me yes, but refreshing." She explained. "The one person who I thought cared, hurt me. Cut me deep, physically and metaphorically."
I looked at her stunned, "Seriously?" My eyes scanned her body, trying to pin point where he would injure her deep. "Where did he do that to you?"
She shook her head, "Not now. Maybe in a few months. I need sleep and you need to get home." She stood up and headed for the front door. I grabbed her by the wrist, harder than I anticipated and she winced. I slipped her sweatshirt sleeve up and saw a clean cut from the base of her wrist and went up to the middle of her forearm. The stitches were gone, but it still needed to do some healing before it stopped hurting. Why didn't I notice it earlier during school? She wasn't wearing long sleeves. I looked into her green eyes and she had that scared look in them again.
I fell to my knees, pulling her in close for a hug. "I'm so sorry..." I whispered.
I felt her hand lift my head to look at her, "You couldn't have stopped it even if you wanted to."
"Bull shit! I noticed you weren't in class for a week and didn't think you were in danger. I could ha--" I was cut off by her lips crashing into mine.
She pulled away moments later, biting her bottom lip shyly, "Maddox, you and I have never been close. Yes, you tease and torment me during Geography, but that's it. I never expected you to come and see if I was okay. My girls did that and if you asked any of them, they kept my secret."
"Maybe not, but I still...I still care about you, Emmi. I'm not some heartless jerk with tattoos that everyone thinks I am. I have a heart, feelings, and even care for others I am not close with. The one person that has made my heart ache because they are hurting is you, Emmi. I have never felt my heart ache so much in my life than I have today."
She looked at me, shocked. "Are you confessing your undying love to me or something?"
I stood up, never losing eye contact with her, "I don't know. My feelings are so jumbled right now, but I do know that I want to see a smile on your face. I do know that I care about you a lot, even if we barely know each other."
She slipped her sleeve down and rubbed her upper arm, nervously. With that action, I immediately knew I scared her. I came on too strong, not realizing it. I sighed and headed for the front door, leaving her in silence.
I heard quick feet behind me and someone jump on my back. "Thank you...for caring so much." I heard her whisper. "I don't think I want to be in another relationship so quick, but friends is always nice for now."
I chuckled and stopped at the door, "Friends that secretly kiss?" I glanced at her. I could tell she was blushing so bad, but I didn't care. She was adorable and I loved how shy she was acting. I grabbed her gently and moved her to the front of me. Her legs still wrapped around my waist and arms around my neck. "So?"
Emmi giggled and leaned in for a simple kiss that turned into a passionate one. Our tongues danced with each other as her fingers raked through my dark locks and my fingers got tangled in her long dirty locks. We parted and she bit her bottom lip, "Sure, friends that secretly kiss."
I plopped her down on the couch and she giggled softly, "Now, I need to get going. I put my number in your phone and texted myself in the parking lot. I'll text you in the morning." I kissed her on the cheek. "Good night, Emmi."
"Night, Maddox." She smiled and as I left, she locked the door behind me.
That girl is going to drive me crazy, but it's worth it if I can do my best to make sure she cares for herself.