I. Heart Of Gold (Uneditied) ✔️ ORIGINAL

Thirty-Seven - Nightmares Filled with Guilt

Emmi's POV:

I was excited to surprise Maddox when he came back from school. Briggs was coming over around two, since he had to get a few things done beforehand. He and I had gotten to know each other pretty well from the monthly video chats he has with Maddox. Yeah, we had only met each other twice, but we clicked instantly. He reminded me a lot of Maddox, but older and scarier in some ways.

I had just gotten off the phone with Doctor Numan when I heard the doorbell and a knock on the door. I looked at the oven clock and saw eleven. "Briggs said he'd be here at two. He's super early." I questioned and went to answer the door. "You're early, Briggs. Didn't take as long as yo--" I shut my mouth and a shiver went up my spine.

Standing in front of me was the person I never wanted to see again. Marlowe Smith, the girl who helped murder my brother. I tried to shut the door, but she stopped it with her foot. "Emmi, I just want to talk." She smirked, walking inside.

I ran to the kitchen, searching for a weapon for self-defense, but before I could reach anything, I was pulled back by my arm. I let out a yell and she laughed. "Let me go!" I cried out.

"You put my little brother in jail. You're gonna get exactly what your brother got." She threatened and then began wailing on my stomach. I tried to scramble away, but she grabbed me by my knee and arm, holding me tight. I squirmed and flailed, but nothing worked.

"Let go!" I screamed in a panic and squirmed out of someone's grip. I landed on the floor with a thud and my eyes shot open. I looked around frantic and saw Maddox looking down at me from the couch, worried. I felt my eyes widen as Maddox's face turned to Zachariah's. I scrambled to get away, eventually feeling a wall behind me. I was trapped and I starting having a panic attack. Tears streamed down my face, "Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" I begged. "Zach, please!" I closed my eyes tightly and threw my hands to my ears, covering them.

I felt protective arms around me and my head told me it was Chester. I suddenly heard the door open and I scrambled away again, or tried to, as I sobbed. "Please, no more." I begged weakly.

"Emmilia, breathe. Focus on my voice.  Just my voice." I heard. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew that voice. It was soothing and I loved the sound of it whenever I heard it.

I buried my face into my brother, "I love you and I miss you every day." I choked. "I'm sorry for not doing anything, Chester."

"It's okay. None of what happened was your fault or dads. And I'm never far away to chat, baby sis. I'm just a whisper away." He told me. "Don't forget to give mom and dad a hug for me and Brooks too."

I nodded in his chest, crying even harder. I felt guilty. Guilty over not seeing him. Guilty over not doing anything when it all happened. Guilty over not accepting he was officially gone. I didn't want it to be true, even if I witnessed it. But what I didn't realize was it hurt me more not accepting my brothers death.

I felt my heartbeat steady and my vision was back to normal. I saw everything around me for what it was and the arms that were around me were...Maddox's. I looked at him and I realized his face was buried in my neck. I felt his strong body move rhythmically as if he was crying. Oh my God! He was crying! I looked to my left with wide eyes and saw our friends and Maddox's brother, standing there just as worried as I'm sure Maddox was.

I moved my right hand to Maddox's hair and he flinched, moving quickly away from the crook of my neck. I noticed tear streaks down his cheeks and his eyes were red and puffy. How hard was he crying? What the hell happened that made him so...scared? I thought quietly. We locked eyes and before I could say anything, he put his hands on my face and pulled me in for a kiss, clearly not caring if our friends or his brother saw. I was stunned, but a hum escaped my mouth before he pulled away. I could tell he was internally fighting with himself over something and when he looked over to the others, I could tell they were encouraging him to say what was on his mind.