More Than Friends - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 1)

Chapter 7

Maddie's POV

My first intention is to knock the shit out of Hayley. But Caleb is pushing her away. Tears are threatening to spill from my eyes. Caleb leans back, away from Hayley and looks up at me. Hayley looks up as well and smirks at me.

"Maddie," Caleb says.

"Don't," I say before turning around and walking in a fast pace down the hallway to my room.

Am I overreacting? It's probably all a scheme from Hayley. But he didn't pull away. I quickly whip out my room key and scan it as I see Caleb running out of his room and towards me. I open the door and shut it fast before he can reach me. Then I go over and lay on the bed, on my stomach. I put my head in my pillow and just sob. This ISN'T what I was expecting. I never thought Hayley would do something like this.

Caleb's POV

Maddie's door shuts before I can get to her. I sigh before pressing my back against the door. I slide down it so my knees are up to my chest.

"Maddie," I say loudly. All I hear is a faint cry from her room, "Maddie, let me in. Please?"

"Go away," she says.

But I don't. Hayley comes out of my room and smirks at me.

"No," I say angrily, "Stay away from me."

She starts walking my way and I stand up, staying in front of Maddie's door.

"Oh, Caleb," she says softly.

"NO!" I yell.

Just then I see someone quickly cut the corner and start down the hallway we are in. It's Catie. And she looks pissed.

"Move," she says when she's standing next to me.

"Catie, I-" I start.

"Move." She stares at me with anger in her eyes. I breathe out and step out of her way. Catie bangs on Maddie's door.

Hayley steps forward a little, "Catie-" she doesn't get to finish.

"Don't you dare speak to me, bitch."

Hayley's eyes go a little wide, "Well you don't have to-"

Catie slaps Hayley, and in response, Hayley gasps.

"Leave," Catie growls, and Hayley hurries down the hallway, then Catie looks to me, "And you shouldn't be here either."

"I want to talk to her," I say.

"I don't think she wants to talk to you right now," Catie glares.

Defeated, I turn around and go back to my room. As I go in, I hear Catie faintly in the hallway.

"It's just me now, Maddie. You can open the door."

Maddie's POV

"Tell me EVERYTHING," Catie says, sitting with me on my bed.

I tell her everything that happened. Everything I heard.

"But she said she was into Cade. I don't know, I just..."

Catie scoffs, "What a bitch."

"Yeah," I sigh, "but Caleb."

"I don't know," Catie shakes her head, "Wait, she told him to 'ask Gabby'?"

"Yeah," I look at the floor.

"I'm texting her," Catie takes her phone out and starts typing. Then she gets another text and replies to it, and after a moment, she lays her phone down and looks up at me, "So what are you gonna do?"

I shrug, and then there's a knock at the door, "I swear, if it's Caleb..."

"I doubt it," Catie says.

"But I'm confused about what Hayley meant about Gabby," I say standing up.

"Me too, she should know that you love Caleb."

"I wonder what she meant," I say, opening my door.

Gabby stands there with her arms crossed.

"I'll tell you exactly what she meant."