Last To Know

11

"Well, this is interesting," someone laughed.

I blinked my eyes open and rubbed the sleep from them. Maddox groaned, tightening his arms around me and squeezing...

"Did you just squeeze my boob?" I shrieked, sitting up.

"Sorry," he grinned, "it was a reflex."

"Uh-huh, I'm sure," I mumbled, standing up from the couch. I avoided eye contact with a smiling Ezra and brooding Mathias. My shirt had ridden up and I hastened to pull it down. I wrapped my arms around my chest, like that could protect me from the penetrating stare of Mathias. There was something about him that set me on edge. I wasn't afraid of him, but something about him told me to keep a safe distance. I wondered what could've happened in his life to make him so unhappy.

Ezra smiled at me, pushing dark colored curls from his eyes. Looking from me to Maddox he said, "Hayes wants to hang out."

"Who's Hayes?" I asked.

Maddox spoke before either of the other guys could say anything. "He's a friend." He eyed the other two, like he was daring them to dispute him.

I couldn't understand what was going on. "Oookay," I drew out the word. "I'll head home then," I mumbled, then realized I didn't have a car.

"Nonsense," Ezra grinned, glancing over at Maddox with a victorious smile, "you'll come with us."

"Come with you?" I repeated. "To do what?"

"Bowling," Matthias answered in a lazy drawl. "Fucking bowling, because there's nothing else to do in this stupid little town."

"Hey," Maddox pointed towards the door, "we currently have a ball pit in our yard. I'd say there's plenty to do."

Mathias rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to smoke." He stormed outside, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket.

"He's such a joy," Ezra deadpanned. "Sometimes I can't believe you guys are twins. Hell, if you weren't identical I wouldn't know."

Maddox chuckled. "I'm pretty sure he came out of the womb with a chimp on his shoulder."

"Chimp?" I laughed. "I'm pretty sure it's, 'chip on your shoulder.'"

"In Mathias' case it's a chimp," he chuckled, "a very large, very hairy, very smelly, chimp."

Ezra and I both laughed. I couldn't help picturing the tall, brooding, Mathias with a chimp on his shoulder. Yeah, it was a pretty funny sight.

Maddox stood up from the couch and stretched his arms above his head. "Alright, let's go, but we're taking your car. No way am I going to listen to Mathias bitch about sitting in the back of mine."

Ezra chuckled. "Mathias bitches about everything."

"It's true," he shrugged. "I'll be right back." He ran up the steps and I looked questioningly at Ezra, who simply shrugged in reply to my questioning gaze.

Maddox wasn't gone long, and when he returned he wore a black beanie. Strands of his brown hair stuck up in the front. "Alright, let's go."

We headed towards the door, with me lagging behind. I smiled at the sight of the drumsticks in Maddox's back pocket. He almost always had a pair with him—like it was an important extension of himself.

I followed the three guys into the garage and stared at the row of vehicles. Normal people didn't have this many nice cars. Their parents must have made a lot of money.

I tried not to gawk too much when Maddox held open the door to a shiny black SUV. The thing was huge—more like a tank than a vehicle.

The leather was cool against my bare legs and buttery smooth.