STARGIRL

29. Ephemeral

Minutes later and she was still leaning on him, her head rested against his broad chest while the fabric from his black Nike hoodie was tightly clutched in-between her frozen fingers.

Maddox stood still with both of his strong arms wrapped around her slim waist. The moon was covered behind the deep gray clouds and would be nowhere in sight for the time being. The 17-year-old was at a complete loss for words.

No clarity in his mind was present whatsoever. There were so many questions and thoughts colliding with one another inside of his head. He suddenly tightened his hold on her, there was a small shred of doubt in his mind telling him not to say anything and that silence was the best thing for the two of them.

He bit down on his lower lip trying to fight the urge to say something to her.

"Arabella?" His deep voice suddenly rang in her ears both smoothly and unexpectedly. She opened her eyes quickly but stayed in the same position she was in. With her body slightly leaned onto Maddox, and her arms both laying in front of her and on him. Meanwhile, her hands were gripping tightly at his sweater while she felt and reveled in the comfort of his presence but now, the peace between the two was shattered.

"I'm sorry." The apologetic tone of his voice tugged at her already heavy heart. The apology sounded forced, insincere and only brought up because of the moment.

The girl swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat but kept herself completely still to process her feelings.

Maddox cocked his head to the side, a small sigh came from his parted lips and the teenager felt himself struggling more than ever to find the right words to say, "I don't know what to tell you anymore. I fucked up and I wasn't-"

Arabella's grip on his hoodie tightened, with a swift tug forward she managed to jerk his body closer to her only to roughly shove him away and off of her. Confused and having been caught off guard, he only tumbled back a little.

An arrogant and bitter chuckle filled Maddox's hearing. The grin that was etched so effortlessly onto her sharp face was unnerving. She seemed wicked as if it weren't Arabella but someone else.

He leaned back onto the porch railing while Arabella leaned back onto the exterior of the light blue house, "I promise you I didn't know." He attempted to reassure her.

"Shut up." She abruptly snapped at him, her head moving back so she could stare up at the roof. She propped her foot up and on against the exterior of the house with her arms crossed over her chest and a careless expression drawn on her face. She blew out some air from her mouth which expelled itself out into the cold in the form of vapor.

Maddox ran both hands through his hair in desperation, "Bella, just listen-"

"Don't call me that." She interrupted him, "Don't apologize either, I don't want to hear it."

Silence had draped down over the two of them again. Arabella ignoring his burning hazel glare while Maddox completely focused on every detail on her long and tired face.

"Do you want me to leave?" He had finally mustered up the courage to ask. She stayed both still and quiet for a few more seconds before she looked down at the deck and shrugged her burden heavy shoulder.

Arabella sighed as she pushed herself off the wall with her foot to take a stance right in front of him. She slowly shook her head in defeat, "No, I don't." She softly replied to him as she pushed a strand of her black hair behind her ear, "I don't want you to leave again." She blatantly admitted.

It was the truth, she wasn't in the mood to mess with his head. She didn't want him to go again.

Maddox showed no expression. He was surprised by her confession and change of heart. He once again found himself struggling for the right words.