Please Believe Me

Chapter 21 - Madison

"This is him?" I stare at a wide-eyed Trinity through the mirror. It's been a few days since I agreed to go on a 'date' with Jake, AKA, my boss, no thanks to Vanessa and I'm getting ready. I honestly can't wait to get this over with. Friday came way too soon.

Meanwhile, Trinity couldn't resist the idea of searching Maxon up. The more I don't want people to bring him up, the more it seems they talk about him. I sigh inwardly and nod my head.

"Yeah," I answer her question.

"Damn, he's good-looking."

That's our family's way of saying he's hot as hell and Trinity really isn't helping the situation here.

"I know." I scan through my things looking for my concealer. Where the hell is it?

"And you say he likes you? That's crazy. He's probably the most attractive guy who's liked you." My head shoots up, finding my sister with a smirk on her face. "Because, you know, your ex-boyfriends are ugly compared to him."

"They weren't that bad." I reason, finally getting a hand on my concealer and applying it under my eyes.

Trinity gapes, "Uh, excuse me, compared to this guy? They look like trolls."

"T!" I burst out laughing.

"What? It's true."

She goes back to staring at the picture of the four of us. It's from the last day we were in New York at Central Park.

I expect her to go on some more about Maxon but she says instead, sighing, "I still can't believe you got to ride with horses. You're so lucky."

My sister's biggest dream has always been to own and ride a horse. I always tell her that one day she will. I recite the same thing now.

"I better. I can't settle for anything less than what I want."

I roll my eyes. That confidence of hers.

"Speaking of not settling for less, what about Sean? You haven't mentioned him." I finish applying the rest of my make-up and start working on my hair. I usually couldn't care less about how I look but I just want to feel extra pretty today. For me. Not for him.

"We broke up." She says suddenly and that was so not what I was expecting to hear.

"What?!" I spin around with wide eyes. "When?"

"The week you went to New York." She shrugs, talking as if their break-up doesn't affect her in the least.

"Why?" I prod.

"Because he was annoying. He was always asking to hang out. Like, I have my life too you know?"

"T, you do realize he was your boyfriend. That's what they do."

"Yeah, but I just got bored. He was also starting to sound too much like your ex so I was like hell no, not dealing with that. Besides," She inspects her fingernails. "I didn't feel a connection, why waste more of my time?"

I shake my head. Jesus. I was only gone for one week. One. "How did he feel about that?"

Sean loved her—or at the very least, extremely cared for her so I'm sure this was hard on him.

"Obviously he didn't want us to but I told him the truth. I don't care what he thinks. I know I'll find someone better."

Damn, I wish I had the same optimism as my sister. If she were me I bet she would've given him a chance.

"I wish I were more like you, T," I confess my thoughts aloud.

She stops inspecting her nails. "What? Why?"

I shrug brushing my fingers through my hair. "You just have so much faith in yourself. In life. Aren't you worried you will find a bad man?"

"Not really." I cringe at how stupid I sound. "Madi, I get it. I know you may think I'm not traumatized by dad acting the way he did but what can we do? I believe there are still good men out there. Call me naïve or whatever but it's the truth." She softens her tone a bit more. "Maxon sounds like one of them from what you told me. He's made mistakes in his past but who hasn't? We all make them and you know it."

I lower my gaze, feeling ashamed of what I've done to him. No matter how hard I try I can't seem to escape the feeling that what I did was wrong. Just plain and simply wrong. Nothing about this has felt right—as much as I thought it would.

"You can't hold that against him." T goes on. "You should've texted him, Madi, at least. I'm sure he's worried."

Emotions start building up in me. "I did the right thing, T," I argued weakly.

"Oh yeah? Then why have you been so sad since you've returned from New York?"

I don't answer. I didn't think my being upset was that obvious.

"Madi," She pinches the bridge of her nose. "I have to agree with Vanessa. You're being very stubborn about this. More than usual. I feel like you and Maxon can be a thing. A real thing. I don't understand why you 'friend-zoned' him."

I flip around and find her rolling her eyes. "Would you—"

She doesn't even let me finish the question. "Yes. I would be stupid not to give that man a chance."

"I'm trying really hard not to get offended, Trinity."

"I mean what else can you ask for Madi? He made it extremely obvious he wanted you. He told it directly to your face for God's sake!"

"But what if—he's probably moved on already."

"Now why would he do that."

I bite down on my lip. Trinity always has a way of making me seriously rethink my life choices. No matter how confident I was at the moment I made them.

"I don't know. Isn't that what men usually do?" Weak. You sound weak. "I mean, he never even bothered to find a way to contact me."

"That's because you—" She points a finger at me. "Didn't text him back. What if, Madison, he thinks you don't want to talk to him? Huh? What then, Madi?"

"Then I guess that's okay—"

"Stop bs-ing yourself, Madi. You're hurt because he didn't bother looking for you but that's all on you." A pause then, "You're acting like a victim when this was all caused by you."

I try to hold back tears, trying not to ruin my freshly done make-up.

"What if he came looking for you?" She suddenly asks and I stare at her, stunned she would say such an absurd thing. "What are you talking about Trinity? Why the hell would Maxon do that? He's a football player."

She raises a brow as if that is the most stupid excuse she's ever heard. "And?"

"I'm sure he's moved on to the next woman—"

She bursts out laughing. "Oh Madi, sometimes I wonder if you're the oldest." She shakes her head. "I can assure a million times over he hasn't moved on to someone else."

"But he—"

"Will prove you wrong and prove me right. Because from what you've also told me, that man doesn't give up easily." She gets up, leaving my phone on the bed. "Just you wait and see Madi, that man will come here to get you. Mark my words."

Then she stalks to the door, leaving me rooted in fear because if he does come looking for me? I swallow. I'm screwed. So very screwed.