Murder In The Attic

Chapter 4

Authors note* I'm not introducing anyone in this chapter because this is mostly focusing on Seth and Madelyn because of the wedding. If I Do introduce anyone it will be Skylar.
Madelyn's POV
Who would want to ruin my life. The only person who I know who knows my favorite roses is Austin and Seth. Seth and I may be starting a secret relationship so I doubt it would be him. Austin, however is so mad at me it wouldn't put it passed him.
I hear a knock at the door. It's Seth. I look out the window and see him all dressed up in his tux. He's so cute and charming. I get to looking at him, what do you know. A vase. A vase holding yellow roses and a little stuffed panda. Pandas are my favorite and only Seth knew that. Why would he be giving me roses again if he is the one who gave me the threatening note.
"Hi Seth!" I say jumping in his arms
"Hey Mads" He said hugging his arms around me.
"I got you your favorite flowers and a stuffed panda" Seth said smiling
"Awe thanks Seth, you're the sweetest" I say kissing his cheek
As far as I'm concerned Austin and I are not together. I'm just scared to tell him that I like Seth.
"Hey Seth?"
"Yeah"
"Did you see anyone go up to my doorstep before you came over and left some flowers ?"
"Yeah, I saw Peyton's boyfriend" "Colten right?"
"Uh, yeah"
"Why? Is something wrong?"
"Yeah"
I gave him the note. I stared at him. He looked up at me. I could see his mood swing from happy to angry.
"Seth I'm so scared."
" It's gonna be okay" Seth said softly "I'll take care of it."
"Why don't we go ahead and go to the wedding. It will get your mind off things."
I smile. "Okay"
I get in the car. All I can think about is Colten is the one trying to threaten me. I bet Peyton won't even believe me when I tell her. She's all over Colten all of the time, sometimes I wonder how she isn't pregnant. Peyton hasn't said anything about someone sending her weird stuff. So why is Colten even threatening me?
I don't want to think. All I want to do is have an amazing night with Seth so I can forget about everything. When I'm with Seth I only focus on the good things and he makes me forget about all of the bad things that's happening around me. That's what I've always liked about Seth, he cares about everyone else first then himself last.
"Are you ready to dance?" Said Seth
I never really thought about dancing. I just thought about seeing a couple get married I forgot about the after party.
" I can't dance."
"You can't dance? Maddie.. You used to dance all of the time. You lie" he said smiling
I look over at him
"Shut up" I said playfully then kissing him on the cheek
He gets out of the car and runs over to the other side of the car to open my door and help me out. He held my hand the whole time walking up. I have to admit, I wasn't used to all of this attention because the only thing Austin ever did was call me a slut, or a whore.
When we get inside, we go sit down side by side waiting for the wedding to begin. Still, Seth held my hand. The wedding was so romantic and I'm so happy for his cousin.
When the after party starts, that's when the fun really began. The music was really modern and that was something I wasn't expecting. One of the songs that came on, Seth and I used to listen to when we were thirteen. He would always sing it to me. It's called "with you" by Chris Brown. It was one of my favorite songs. Seth smiled at me and took me out to the dance floor. We started to dance close and we were practically hugging each other. I smelled the great cologne I loved that he wore on special occasions. He put his head on mine and everything felt so perfect in that moment. He started singing the song to me and I couldn't help but laugh.
" You still sing this song?" I ask
"Of course." "This song makes me think of you." "You have no clue how much I listened to this after we weren't friends for the longest time." " I cried for days."
"Awe Seth." "Please don't make me feel as bad as I did at the time." " There is so much you don't know."
"I'm not trying to." "It's all over now." He said
I look up at him. I kiss him softly only to be interrupted by someone. I open my eyes to find nobody I was expecting. It's Skylar.
"Did I just miss something" she said with a smirk on her face
"What are you talking about?" Seth stepped in
"Oh nothing." She said giggly
"Hey Seth" I said "could you go get us some punch?"
"Yeah I'll be back"
I turned back smiling.
"Skylar, what are you doing here?"
" What am I doing here?" "What are you doing here? And with Seth?"
"He needed a date and I said yes okay?"
" It seemed a little bit more as a friend to me"
"You can't tell anyone okay?"
"I won't." "I'm not going to do that to you and go tattle to my brother okay?" "I'm not like that" "you can trust me Madelyn"
Thank you I said hugging her.
"So what are you doing here."
" Seth's cousin married my cousin."
"Oh that's weird."
"I know." She said laughing.
Seth comes back.
"Hey I got you a vanilla coke since they were out of punch and Skylar I got you a cherry coke."
"Thanks." I said smiling.
" Well I'll talk to you guys later." Skylar said
Skylar pulled me in to whisper in my ear.
"Don't get too intimate." She said winking.
I playfully hit her. "I didn't plan on it." I said laughing
She leaves and I'm finally left alone with Seth.
"Hey, do you wanna go on a walk?"
"Sure" I said taking his hand.
We walk out of the building walking in the grass that has mildew that has been blanketed onto the grass.
We were walking when the sprinklers kicked on. I scream out and I start to run. Seth follows me. As I'm running I feel a heel break and I slip in fall in the mud. As I sat up I noticed Seth next to me also laying on the ground covered in mud. I start to laugh. He sits up and takes a hand full of mud and throws it on me.
I gasp. "Thats gonna stain!"I shout
"Is that funny to you?" He said laughing
I give him a death look and pretty much fall on him. I throw mud on him and get it in his hair. We looked so disgusting and I felt so gross with all of the mud on me. I look up at him.
"What?" I ask
"You're really beautiful."
"Even with all of this mud on me?"
" Even with all of this mud on you" he said smiling
He kissed me all of the sudden and I felt guilty for some reason. Austin and I are not together, but when I saw Skylar tonight, I'm not so sure she wouldn't tell Austin that I'm was with Seth. And with Colten threatening me for some reason, who knows what he is doing right now.
"Seth?"
"What?"
" Do you think Colten was really the one who would do that to me?" "I mean I'm Peyton's twin, why would he want to put me through all of that?" "I didn't do anything to Colten."
Seth started stroking my hair. "I don't know." "I'm gonna talk to him though."
"Why are you so kind to me?" " I pretty much tortured you." "You can't be nice to me!" I said wiping the tears on my hand as they stream down.
" Madelyn Rose Martin, get this through your head, I've known you since you were seven. I know how you are. You had stuff that went on and you had no choice but to shut me out. I'm in Love with you. I've always been." He put his hands on my cheeks and looked me in the eye.
"I Love You"
I laugh while sniffling. I hug him
"I love you too."
"Now let's go home so you can take a shower and go to bed."
On the way home I just randomly got this boost of energy when I heard the song "Waka Waka" by Shakira come on and this is my favorite pop song. I was dancing as much as I could with my seatbelt on.
We pull in the drive. Everyone in my family was home.
"I had an amazing time tonight." I said
"Me too." It's been a long time since I've seen you be yourself" he said
"I'm glad to be myself with you. " I said kissing him
"I'll see you tomorrow at school."
"See you at school." "Oh and am I coming to your party on Friday?"
"You know you can't." "Austin's gonna be there."
He stares at me.
"What?" " You know that."
"I know but I'd like to be at the party with you."
" I know and I want you to come but we can't risk anything." "How about I sneak over to your house after the party starts then we can hang out."
Seth smiles.
"Okay?"
"Okay."
"Goodnight" I say as I climb out of the car.
"Goodnight."
He waits to pull out of the drive until I get inside. I walk inside to hear laughing. It's been awhile since I heard laughing in my house. I put my keys and wallet down. My mother the. Called out to me.
"How was the party with Skylar?" She asked
"It was good." I said coming around the corner
"I had....fun."
I see everyone at the table. Peyton, my dad, mom, Colten, and Austin.
Why in the world was Austin here. I just stare and run to my room. I get into my room and change in my sweatpants and a hoodie. I pack a bag and I called Seth.
"Hey Seth, I need you to come pick me up, but not at my house, I'll explain when I see you. Meet me on Lindsay street."
I hang up and I take one last look at my room. Clothes check. Deodorant check. Toiletries check. I grab my favorite blanket and pillow. I grab my locket from my desk drawer. I take one final look and I open my window to escape from my fears.