𝑊𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑇𝑟𝑒𝑒

Chapter 5 ~ Betrayal

Willow

Stacy convinced me to come out tonight and I'm not feeling it. I'm wearing one of my mom's dresses that is too big for me. I don't feel safe in a bar or anywhere that has drinks or drugs. Because after what happened to my mom many years ago, it still scares me.

She was drugged on Halloween and nobody knows who did it or how it happened because according to everyone who was there, her drink never left her hand or my dad's hand. And obviously my dad would never drug her. The only conclusion they came up to was that someone had put drugs in it and made it seem like the bottle was unopened.

"Uh Willow?" Stacy gets my attention. "There are two guys coming this way!" She smiles wide at me. Sure enough when I look to my side, two very attractive guys are coming our way and keeping eye contact with us.

"Ladies." One of the guys says and scoots in by me while the other goes to Stacy's side. She is all giggly and very smiley. "Hey." She says in a rather seductive voice. "What's your name?"

"I'm Miles and this is Carl." The guy next to me says. I don't bother looking up from my drink when I feel an arm going around to the back of my chair. "What's your name?" The guy next to me murmurs to me.

"Willow." I keep my eyes on my cup.

"How about we go somewhere less gloomy?" The man next to Stacy asks. I hear her agree, all three get up but I'm stuck in place. "C'mon Sweet Peach." Miles, the guy who was next to me grabs my arm to pull me up.

I remove my arm from his grab but he goes back to grab it.

"Don't touch her." A familiar voice makes me look up. I see Maddox, he storms over here angry, he shoves Miles away from me. "Maddox, c'mon, we are just having a little bit of fun." They know each other?

"She doesn't want to and you're too freaking blind to see that. She's not going with you, now get lost. You, come sit back down. You shouldn't be going over with them." Maddox points to Stacy as she sits back down with her head hung low.

The two guys leave and it's just me and Stacy sitting exactly where we were with Maddox hovering around. "Are you guys okay?" He asks in a gentle voice that makes my head automatically nod.

"I'm going to get going." Stacy walks away without another word. I have no idea what her deal is but I know she was my ride. I don't say anything though. I pick up my cup and swish around the juice.

"Those guys are jerks, I know them from high school. I'm sorry about them. I tried stopping them from going over here." Maddox keeps spitting out words that I don't even have the motivation to listen to.

"Carter?" I blink once. Then twice. But I don't move. "She was your ride, wasn't she?" I don't say anything giving him the answer. I hear him give out a sigh. I feel his arm wrap around my arm and I don't pull away.

"Let me take you home?" I don't say yes or no. I just get up and follow him. It's fast because before I know it I'm sitting in his car and we are driving to my house. "My mother was drugged, that's why I wasn't drinking. Stacy forced me to come, I'm sorry I'm in such a bad mood." I spit out my first words to him.

He doesn't try to get answers out of me. "My dad was an alcoholic, I don't drink either." I nod feeling a little bit safer with him than Stacy.

"You shouldn't hang around those guys anymore." I say and look out my window. "And mauve you shouldn't hang out with Stacy."

"Touché."

We drive to my building in silence the rest of the time. Not until we get to my complex does he speak up. "Willow?"

I look at him, we stare for a while. "I'm sorry, again." I nod my head not saying another word. Walking up to my house and as soon as I slam it I hear him drive off. I'm thankful he was here tonight.

🌿

I woke today feeling like a new person. I was going to try and be friends with Maddox. I mean I feel like I have come to the conclusion that maybe if we were friends, my life would be less stressful.

That's why I got up at three in the morning and made him my mom's famous brownies. I thought that it could be a peace offering. A fresh start. If he dislikes them, Ima be mad, one because I spent an hour on them, and two, because if he doesn't cook mama's cooking, I don't know if we can be friends.

I get in my car and place the brownies on the passenger seat. I even use the butt warmers to warm them up. I walk up to school with a smile. Handling these treats in my hand as I try to find Maddox.

I walk into our homeroom and see him surrounded by what I'm assuming are his friends. I blow out a breath and walk towards the back.

"Maddox?" I call out his name and I see him and his friends turn to me. He doesn't change his facial expression.

"I um- made you brownies, for helping me last night, and for the advice." I stick my plate of treats out waiting for him to take it, but when he doesn't, I look back up and see him and his friends laughing.

I bring the plate back to me. "What's so funny?" I ask.

"Maddox, you really helped out this chick last night?" One of his friends asked.

"I don't know who you are, but I don't recall meeting you." Comes from Maddox's mouth. My face falls and my mouth parts. I can't help but feel the sting in my eyes. I'm emotional, and I don't handle rejection and denial well.

"Oh, okay then. Maybe it was someone else, sorry." I turn on my heel and walk out of the classroom, running to the only place I know.