Wholly Apart

Chapter 39

LOREN KENSINGTON

When Warren and Emma were gone, Madelyn took a long shower. I didn't want to tell her to keep the door open if she wanted to have some alone time, but it would have made me feel a lot better. I purposefully came up with something that I wanted to ask her every few minutes just to make sure she was still alright and still talking to me. When she came out she was wrapped in a big towel and she came to me with red eyes, "Can we cuddle?"

She broke my heart, the way she was looking at me like she was worried I'd say no to her. There was no way I was saying no to a single thing she asked me. Ever.

"Of course, Mads," I whispered, pulling her in for a tight hug, "You wanna put some clothes on or stay like this?"

"Just underwear," she said thickly and when I pulled away a little to watch her face. She had tears in her eyes and I hated that she was hurting. I wanted to take all the hurt away.

I guided her to our closet and pulled out some underwear, helping her step into it and drag it up. She let the towel fall and gripped my hoodie, starting to pull it off.

"You too"

I tugged it off my head and looked at her, waiting for her to tell me what she wanted to do. She just took my hand and tugged me to our bed, pushing me down and then climbing on top of me.

I liked this a lot.

I wrapped my arms around her body, holding her to me tightly. Her legs were bent on either side and she had her face pressed into the crook of her neck. Also, she was nearly completely naked on top of me and the feel of her bare, hot skin against mine was so nice.

"I always wanted to ask you something," she spoke quietly and I ran my fingers along her spine softly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember last summer," she started, "When I went to that graduation party from some girl I knew in elementary school?"

I thought about it for a long while, the days and weeks and months completely muddled together since I was drunk all the time.

But it did vaguely ring a bell.

"A little," I told her, "Why?"

"You picked me up from the party an hour after I got there," she said quietly.

I didn't remember that part at all. I picked her up a lot of times, so those all kind of felt like the same.

But I wanted to remember all the memories that we were making now. I wanted to remember every single moment with her properly, not just like a distant dream.

"That was nice of me," I spoke with a small grin, wanting to lighten the mood. Wanting to make her feel better somehow.

I had no idea if it'd work, but it was worth a try.

I felt her lips tip up just slightly against my neck and that was a success to me. A big success seeing as I thought that I'd spend the rest of the evening and maybe the next few days trying to comfort her and make sure she didn't get too many panic attacks.

"I don't think you wanted me to go," she told me and that sounded a lot like me. Madelyn going to a party without me?

Definitely wouldn't love that idea.

"I had one glass of punch there," she continued and shifted a little, "It's a bit awkward"

Madelyn lifted her head from my neck and looked at me, actually looking a little ashamed. As if anything she could do or tell me would make me laugh at her.