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I shake my head, disbelief still lingering. Even though I knew Madison was only pretending, it still hurts to find out that she could be so cruel. “She was the one who encouraged me to report you guys to the police. I was trying to figure out what to do and she dragged me over there. At the time, I thought it was because she was concerned and trying to help, but now I know that she was being self-serving.”
Levi’s eyes soften as he looks at me. “People can be good at hiding their true intentions. But you don’t have to worry about her or any of them anymore. We'll make sure they can't hurt you again.”
A wave of gratitude floods over me. Despite everything, these boys have shown me unwavering support. “I don't know what I would have done without you guys," I murmur.
Archer’s lips press a tender kiss to my shoulder. “You don't have to worry about that anymore. We're here and we're not going anywhere.”
I close my eyes, letting their words and their presence wash over me. For the first time in a long while, I feel safe. I feel whole again.
But I’m angry. I’m pissed that someone I considered a friend would stoop so low as to trick me into turning on my boys likethat. I’m furious that I trusted her around my son and that I let her into my life after everything she did to me in high school. I was so blinded by her, dazzled that a pretty, popular girl like Madison would want to be friends with a poor “loser” like me.
Now that the boys have had my back, it’s time that I have theirs. I need to find a way to get Madison to admit the truth so I can pay her back for all the turmoil she’s caused us.
For now, I relax into their arms, letting the worries wash away. I can’t believe how good I feel around them now. I never thought we’d get here. I never thought I’d be able to be around them and feel so relaxed and comfortable.
I missed this so much. Having it once again is like a dream come true. All I want to do is bask in the glow of their warm affection forever.
My heart flutters as I slowly realize I’ve been in love with them for a while, but it’s taken me until now to admit it to myself. We’ve slowly rebuilt the bond we once shared, regaining trust in each other. I’ve let my heart be open to them and now I’m falling in love.
It doesn’t feel scary like I thought it would. It feels more like coming home after a long day. I close my eyes and let myself drift off, content to be by their side.
The next few days, the boys seem reluctant to leave my side, despite the results of the hearing. I think they’re worried that something might still happen. It’s going to be tough to get away from them long enough to find and confront Madison, but I’m determined to be the one to protectthemthis time.
It’s time for Madison and Cameron to pay for what they did to ruin the Hudson’s lives. They got away with endangering the student body and blamed it all on Archer, Levi, and Zane.
My chance comes one day when Levi decides to take Eli to the comic store with him for a Daddy-son outing at the same time that Zane and Archer have a class together.
I make it seem like I just plan on lying around in Levi’s room until they get back, but as soon as the two of them leave, I jump up and grab my coat, taking the opportunity to rush out the door.
Tracking down Madison isn’t as hard as I expected it to be. I find her in the student center, surrounded by a few guys from the other fraternities.
“Mads,” I say, sniffling as I approach her. “Can I talk to you?”
“What do you want, Lyric?” Madison snaps, glaring at me.
“Please?” I ask, lowering my voice so it sounds soft and weak. “I really need to talk to someone right now.”
She rolls her eyes, gripping my upper arm and leads me away. “What do you want?” she demands. “I thought I made it clear that I wasn’t your friend.”
“I don’t have anyone else to talk to,” I tell her, sniffling again and wiping my eyes. “Archer, Levi, Zane… they left me. They couldn’t deal with me anymore and they left! I don’t understand why.”
“Oh.” Madison pauses. “Well, sorry. I guess. I mean, I don’t know why you’d think I’d be sympathetic.”
“You know how much I care about them. I’m worried. I mean, ever since the prank, they’ve changed. I never thought they’d be capable of pulling something so horrible, but I guess you never really know people, do you?”
Madison smirks, crossing her arms over her chest. “Sometimes, people just aren’t who they seem to be,” she says, a hint of smugness in her voice. “But you know, Lyric, you should be thanking me.”
I look up, my brows furrowing in feigned confusion. “Thanking you? For what?”
“For helping you see their true colors,” Madison says, her smile widening. “You were always so weak and pathetic. I knewthey’d get bored of you eventually. It was only a matter of time before they lost interest.”
I nod slowly, trying to keep up the act. “I guess you’re right,” I admit, my voice soft. “I just wish I could understand why they want to ruin everything in their lives. The pep rally, the arrangement and their relationship with their son… it seems so out of character for them.”
Madison’s eyes gleam. “Oh, God, that prank at the pep rally? That wasn’t even them,” she says, chuckling. “My cousin Cameron and I planned the whole thing. We knew switching the confetti for explosives would cause a big stir. It was perfect. Cameron was so tired of the boys overshadowing him at everything and they were always pranking him and Max. And I knew it would be the perfect way to keep you and them apart.”
My heart races with anger, but I keep my expression neutral. "You and Cameron planned it together?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Madison nods, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “You have to admit, we’ve always been a great team. And we knew we could get everything we wanted if we played our cards right.”
