The Fallout | ✓

34 - last person on earth

Q U I N C E Y

I woke the next morning alone and naked between my sheets.

I frowned at the time plastered against my phone screen and the text thread underneath it from my friends and somehow mom had found out and texted to ask if Mads is okay since she didn't have his new phone number.

I untangled myself from the sheets and pushed myself to the edge of the bed, looking over my shoulder to make sure that the man I'd been bathed in his warmth all night wasn't really there. I found nothing but cold air when I walked out to the living room and faced disappointment.

* * *

I left my parent's house when the stars in the night sky twinkled.

I checked my phone and was greeted by unanswered texts and calls.

My mind became foggy with worry the moment my eyes opened to the daylight and although I'd tried to stomp it down by being around my family, Mads's silent disappearance had teased my mind.

I cut the close destination from my family house to the old house and tried the knob I found out it was locked. My shoes crunched the grass as I walked toward one of the windows and pressed my face to the glass, trying to search through the darkness for his figure as my hands grew clammy and my heart wild. I fumbled for my phone as I hurried toward my car and settled in, my phone rung against my ear with Hazel's number.

I turned the car on and drove over to their house before she could even pick up the phone, and when she did her voice eased bits of my nerves, "Quinn, whats up love?"

I gulped the dryness in my throat before I spoke, "Maddox, is he there with you guys?

"Huh? I thought you guys hung out together last night."

"He- he had a panic attack and we had to leave early—"

"He what? What happened? And why did no know tell me about this?"

My fingers clenched against the steering wheel, "I-I don't know Haze okay? Everything happened in a blur. Is there there with you or not? I just need to make sure he's okay. He was with me yesterday, I thought he'd feel better when he woke up this morning, but I have no clue where he is how he's doing, and why he isn't picking up my calls and it's eating at me."

"Hey, it's okay Quinn. Please try to calm down love okay? Wherever he is right now, I'm sure it's nothing serious. He's a grown man who's capable of taking care of himself. Maybe he just wanted to be alone for a bit, we've got to give him his space, he's told me that he felt stressed a few days ago and maybe he's just unwinding."

Distress caved up on me. Why didn't he tell me any of this? Did he not think I could help him? I swallowed away that poisonous thought, "Okay I get that but I just want to make sure he's okay, that he won't have another attack if there's no one there to help him." 

"Come over. We'll try to get a hold of him but I need you to calm down alright? You can't drive over in this state and hurt yourself or the people around you. Want me to get Ian to pick you up? I'm sure he wouldn't mind a minute to get off work."

I shook my head, my eyes shutting close, "No, it's alright. I'll be fine."

"Got it love, watch out for the road and drive safely kiddo."

I smiled despite myself, "Will do."

We hung up and I ran my sweaty palms against the sides of my jeans as I continued the drive.

*   *   *

Haze hugged me and I awkwardly patted her back, trying not to push myself against her belly.

She wore a tight sweater knit black dress that emphasized her 9-month belly and for someone who's been carrying a watermelon for that long, she sure looked good doing it.

"You look great Haze," I attempted a smile that wanted no place to be there when thoughts of Maddox getting hurt were flashing in my mind eyes.

"I wish I looked as good as I do today half the time," she rubbed her belly before allowing me inside, "Come in, I'll make some tea while you tell me what happened."

I closed the door and followed behind her, my mind confused, "I don't mean to be rude Haze—"

"You're the last person on earth who can pass up as that."

My stomach churned, "Um, I'm just wondering how you're so calm and collected when I feel like I'm a ticking bomb about to explode any second."

"That's what love does to you. Besides, my doctor will kill me if I overreact. I know my brother and I sure do know that he didn't leave for no reason. He'll come back Quinn, please don't assume that he'll repeat what he did to you when he knew that it killed you the first time around. What happened all those years ago? It's probably still chewing at him, and it might just be the reason why he needed some space to think about it out..." She turned the kettle on and opened one of the drawers, "Green, Black, or Earl?"

"Green please."

I felt the deja vu creeping up on me from all those weeks ago when mom had talked to me about Mads.

"Let's sit down, I'll try his phone first."

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Guys this chapter exhausted me istg

We're not allowed to have our phones at school and sometimes I have the inspiration to write bc classes are boring asf so I took out my notebook and started doing just that but the thing is, it's so hard to copy the words I wrote from my notebook to my phone and it's so boring to rewrite what I've already written yk

And yes I tried to use the voice thing but idk how to put quotation marks and stuff with that thing

Anyway

I'm finally starting to wrap this story up and it for some reason terrifies me to start another story, I think I got attached though I'm super excited to start a new book and all and I've been saving up pics on Pinterest so that's fun

Also,

Thank you so much for 680 reads this is all insane to me and it's just so addicting to watch this baby grow even though I don't like looking at numbers for that reasons. I appreciate all the love and it makes me so happy and inspired to keep going.

I have lots more to say but I'll end it here

Thank you thank you thank you

9:44am
FRI | Dec 1st (what? Istg Nov won the racing Olympics)2023