Chapter Two
Maddie tiptoed out of her bedroom and down the hallway, slipping around corners as quiet as a mouse. Her heart was beating fast and her senses were on high alert. She didn’t like being alone in the dark, even if she was only in her own house.
She finally slinked out the side door into the yard, wincing as her slippers crunched some dried leaves on the grass. She glanced at her parents’ bedroom window. Don’t wake up! she commanded them internally.
She couldn’t help but smile as she caught sight of Evan sitting in his car in her front driveway. She always smiled when she saw Evan- she couldn’t help it; it was impossible not to. She motioned for him to come to the side yard, away from her parents’ window at the front.
One last goodbye for my boyfriend! she thought with a pang, feeling sad and excited at the same time.
There was an old dilapidated treehouse on the side yard that her dad had built her when she was a kid. She hadn’t been in the thing for years, but Cassidy used it sometimes. She knew it was quieter up there and would be a good place to talk.
Once they were both up there, she grasped Evan’s hands and stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss. He kissed her forehead, then her nose, then finally her lips.
I could never get tired of kissing. She briefly wondered how many times she and Evan had kissed since that first time after the press conference. Probably about a thousand.
He smiled, “You’re wearing the necklace I gave you,” he said in a pleased voice.
“I’m never taking it off!” she declared.
Ever since Maddie had found out she was going to Paris, she had been trying to spend as much time as she could with Evan before she left, but it was still never enough. He picked her up from school most days and they hung out for a few hours before Maddie had to be home for dinner. It had become like a little game between them to find spots around town where they wouldn’t get snapped by the paparazzi. They’d ended up in random bowling alleys and weird little cafes where they could spend a few hours together uninterrupted.
But it never felt like enough time, between his acting career and her modeling commitments. And now they were about to spend the whole summer apart.
“Promise me you’ll visit me for my birthday!”
“I promise. You know I’ll get time off from the movie.”
Maddie made a small face where Evan couldn’t see. She knew how excited he was to work with that director- Taran-whatever-his-name-was. But she was admittedly less happy for him when she realized how many beautiful young female actresses were going to be costarring in the film with him.
“Maddie…” Evan started softly, tracing his thumb around her face, his lips inches away from hers. “I just wanted to tell you I---“
Her heart quickened. Omg, is he about to say ‘I love you?’ Maddie’s heart sped up.
Evan was cut off as a flashlight suddenly shone on them.
Maddie suppressed a shriek and instinctively ripped herself away from Evan the way her body automatically did whenever anyone who might be her parents was around.
“Hey guys! Watcha doing?” Cassidy hoisted herself into the treehouse, dressed in fuzzy pajamas and slippers with big ducks on the toes.
“Cassidy,” she hissed as angrily as she could without raising her voice. “What are you doing here?”
Cassidy shrugged. “I thought you might have been a burglar or something,” she said dismissively. “Besides, what are you doing up so late anyway? Better get back to bed before mom and dad wake up!”
Maddie scowled, her mind seething. I am going to kill her!
Evan nodded, “yeah, you should try to get some sleep. You’ve got a long flight tomorrow.” Without another word he pressed his lips to Maddie’s one last time and took off, climbing down the treehouse.
Maddie glowered at her little sister who was smiling innocently up at her. Stupid Cassidy! Maddie grumpily stalked back off to her bedroom to finally get some sleep.
Decoding Boys’ Body Language!
When He… It Means…
Kisses you on the forehead He wants to protect you
Puts his hands in his pockets He’s closed off
Has his chest and shoulders pointed towards you He’s interested
Hugs you for 5-10 seconds Just friends!
Hugs you longer than 10 seconds More than friends!
He fixes his hair or clothes around you, or touches his face He’s trying to impress you and make you notice him
He looks at you often, especially after saying or doing something funny He’s looking for your approval
