"Patience, Princess," I murmured against her lips, the words almost a growl.
She bit her lip, her frustration clear, but she didn't argue. Instead, she focused on the way I was driving her mad, her body trembling as I continued my slow, deliberate...
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JAYDEN
I carefully shut the heavy wooden door of the principal's office behind me, a stack of papers for my coach clutched tightly in my hand. I took a step forward and suddenly collided with someone, sending the documents scattered across the floor.
"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention," I muttered, quickly bending down to gather the fallen papers. "It's fine," the person replied, sounding unbothered. As I straightened up, my gaze met the last person I ever expected to see again.
Madison.
To say I was shocked would be an understatement. My heart pounded against my ribs. What was she doing here, looking like just another student? How long had she been back? I wondered, struggling to process her sudden appearance.
Her expression was a mix of relief and trepidation as if she'd been hoping for this encounter but dreading my reaction. She looked different—thinner—but still undeniably beautiful. Yet, the spark that once lit up her eyes had vanished, replaced by a dullness that mirrored the emptiness I'd felt for so long.
"Madison?" My voice came out as a raspy whisper, laced with the lingering anger and frustration from her betrayal. How dare she reappear in my life just when I was starting to piece myself back together, to find happiness?
"Umm, Jayden, it's been a long time. How are you?" she asked hesitantly, her eyes searching mine.
"Yeah, it has," I replied, my tone guarded. The memory of our last encounter, the pain of her abandonment, still haunted me.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded my voice tight with a mixture of anger and confusion.
"I guess you could say I'm back," she said, a tentative smile tugging at her lips. "I transferred here on scholarship. I wanted to finish out the year... and maybe... see if we could talk."
"Talk about what?" I spat, my anger flaring. "You already said everything you wanted to in that letter. Just go away."
"Please," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion.
Who the hell did she think she was, waltzing back into my life as if it was hers to own? I didn't care if she'd moved back or changed schools—she needed to stay out of my way. I tried to brush past her.
Madison reached out, her hand hovering near my arm before retracting. "I know I hurt you, Jayden," she said, her voice shaking. "I made a mistake, and I regret it every single day. But I'm here now, and I want to make things right. Can we... talk somewhere? Please? If after I explain everything, you still can’t forgive me, then I’ll stay out of your way," she pleaded, tears welling in her eyes, her arms wrapping around herself as if to shield against my anger.
I hesitated, my mind caught between anger and curiosity. "I have training right now, and class after that, so it'll have to be after school," I finally conceded, partly because I wanted to hear the excuses she’d cooked up.
