Good Girls Have Secrets

Chapter 2

Finally, in my joggers and fuzzy socks, I plop down on my bed to relax. Coaxing my long brown locks into a high bun, I glance in the mirror, noting that a few highlighted strands around my face fell out. A few bobby pins tame the fly aways.

My phone buzzes. As I pick it up, I groan. Why does Will keep calling me? I don't want to talk to him. I wish he would take a hint. Or at least leave a voicemail to tell me what he wants.

Hitting the button, I snap. "What do you want? And since when do you call me?"

"Can we Facetime?" His tone is clipped.

Rolling my eyes, "Why? Can't we just talk on the phone."

"Maddie, why are you always so hard to deal with?"

"Because you deserve it." I hit the button to switch over.

His face comes on the screen. Handsome as ever. Too bad he's such a player. "Where are you?" He asks.

Pulling the phone closer to me so he can't see my surroundings, I answer, "What difference does it make?"

His brows furrow. "Whatever. I'm coming to Santa Barbara this weekend for a business meeting. I'm calling to see if you want to spend time together?"

What he means is he wants to know if I want to hook up this weekend. It's our pattern. He didn't even know I existed during awkward middle school years, when he would come over to hang out with my brother, Max. My freshman year, when we ended up at the same parties, the flock of girls around him, made me invisible.

But things changed my junior year. The summer before I spent time in Los Angeles, learning how to style clothing and hanging out with people who were the hottest trend in the makeup industry. My grandma connected me with the group and found me a place to stay with one of her friends. The guest house on the back of the property let me come and go as I pleased.

I learned a lot that summer, including how to score cocaine. With no one keeping tabs on me, I went off the rails, taking my style and beauty routine to the next level.  

Returning home, the attention from guys made me bolder and at times aggressive. I admit that I played games with Will to suck him in. Max flipped out, when he found out we hooked up.

"I won't be in Santa Barbara this weekend." I'm not lying. "You'll have to find another girl to entertain yourself."

Clenching his jaw, his voice is silent and stern, "What's your problem? The last time we hung out in October you were fine."

"Yeah. You left without even saying goodbye. Talk about humiliating." There I finally called him out.

Will smirks, "You're the one who said you wanted space, so I gave it to you."

"You're such a jerk. I'm done talking to you."

As I get ready to hang up, I hear him say, "Wait. Don't hang up. I'm sorry." He gives me the charming little smile that wins me over every time. "When can I see you again?"

He always does this, and I always fall for it. Once I'm hooked, he'll leave me hanging again. I wish I didn't love him so much.

"I'm not sure when I'll be home again. I'll message you before I come." That should make him back off. "I have a ton of homework, so I need to go." I can see the frustration on his beautiful face. "Let me get a better handle on the semester. Then I'll know more."

"Fine." He pouts. His eyes narrow. "You're hiding something. I'll figure it out. You're always quiet and hard to pin down when you're up to something."