Can't be Bought

Chapter 14 - What Now?

My mind is racing, thoughts running wild. In a split-second decision, I nod my head up and down a couple of times. Instantly, Maddox smashes his lips against mine. The hand that was on my cheek moves to the side of my thigh. My hands find their way around his neck and I can't help but run my fingers through his curls. 

He pulls my leg up, indicating for me to wrap my legs around his torso, I follow his lead. The kiss is passionate and full of lust. It lasts for quite a few seconds before I pull away. 

Maddox spins me around, staring into my eyes with that smirk of his. 

He gently lets me back down, my arms drop from around his neck and my shoulders submerge under the water once again. He stares deeply into my eyes, trying to figure out why I stopped. His face looks concerned and hoping for more. 

I'm not sure why I stopped, I didn't want to, but I did. Maybe I felt it was too good to be true but honestly I think I was worried about where it might go. I really like him and don't want to rush into anything, especially in a pool full of people. 

Instead of saying anything, Maddox grabs my hand under the water, intertwining our fingers. I stare down at our hands and then look into his eyes, giving him a closed mouth smile. I let out a small laugh of relief that we both feel the same and he joins in. Our faces begin to move closer again.

Within seconds, I can hear some of Maddox's friends swimming our way. They hadn't noticed us until they got close to the bridge.

Maddox lets go of my hand and backs away from me, giving us distance. 

My shoulders slump a bit, is he embarrassed by me? 

I back against the wall of the bridge and shoot Maddox a look of disappointment. I'm not sure he noticed though.

"Maddox, check out that skyline bro!" Dash jokes, grabbing onto his shoulders and shaking him. He's clearly had a little too much to drink. Dash spots me out of the corner of his eye, they widen and his eyebrows raise.

"Oh sorry, didn't know you were here Cammie." he laughs to himself and passes on through with a few other guys. 

Instead of looking at Maddox or waiting for him, I head out from under the bridge and head back to the girls. I hear them in the hot tub so I make my way out of the pool. 

Confused, I try to think about what just happened. To get to the hot tub, I walk over the bridge I was just under. I look down to see Maddox moving out from under the bridge towards the boys, he looks up at me with puppy dog eyes. 

I can tell he feels bad but I don't like what he just did. I look away and ignore him. 

But maybe it's my fault he did that, I mean I did pull away from that kiss.

Climbing into the hot tub, I brush off my thoughts and join my girls. 

"Where have you been?" Brooklyn asks. She smiles and raises her eyebrows up while biting her lip. 

I relax my shoulders and lower myself into the steaming water. 

"Just checking out the skyline but the view is better from up here." I don't want to say much. Maddox is only a few feet in front of us in the pool, messing around with his friends. He might be able to hear what I'm saying so I try to keep quiet. 

"I think I'm just about ready to go," I add, hoping someone will agree. Justice nods, her lips purse with attitude before she speaks.

"Yup, I'm ready to leave." She says.

"I can't wait to shower this chlorine off," Breanna adds, standing up as though she is ready to go. We all make our way out of the hot tub and to our towels. 

A few of the boys notice and come over to ask what we are doing. We tell them we have to leave but thank them for the fun time. After talking for a little bit, we decide to plan something again and with that, we are on our way. By this time, everyone has made their way out of the pool. All of the guys came to talk to us except one person. 

Instead of talking to me before we leave, Maddox just watches. He stares at me from a distance, watching my every move. 

As I walk into the house to leave, he still doesn't come to say goodbye. I give one last look through the glass door as I exit the front door, that's when I notice he's moved closer. He looks as though he's going to come inside, but he doesn't. 

Our eyes connect one last time as I begin to close the door behind me. He winks at me, I feel a sharp tingle rush through my body and I shut the door. A small smile forms on my face as I walk to my car. 

What now?

The second the car doors close, I can't help but tell the girls what happened. I need their advice, their opinion and honestly, their unfiltered thoughts. I can always count on them to tell me the truth. After I tell them everything, they can't help but make speculations. 

"Maybe he's just shy around his friends?" Meghan blurts.

"I mean there are lots of people that don't like PDA." she adds, waving her hands around. 

"Or it could be the fact that you pulled away, he got scared or something?" Brooklyn asks, scrunching her eyes and shrugging her shoulders. 

Justice laughs to herself. 

"He could have realized you're a bad kisser and he doesn't like you anymore." She giggles again and we all join her. It seems harsh, but I know she's only kidding, that's her kind of sarcasm. 

"You guys could just be moving too fast and he got scared?" Mary adds. Her tone is actually harsh, unlike Justice. It's like she questioning what really happened under that bridge.

I furrow my brows, looking at her in the rearview mirror. I hope she doesn't mean that we hardly did anything.

"I don't think so," I respond. It's a little harsher than I would have liked it to come out, but I feel a little offended. 

"We hardly did anything," I add, trying to shake off her comment.

"Yeah, Cammie's not really like that anyway," Breanna says, sticking up for me. 

The rest of the car ride, the girls continue to talk through their theories but I can't stop thinking about what Mary said and how she said it. I tune the girls out and my thoughts override my mind. 

She seemed defensive almost like maybe she was jealous. She can't be jealous though, she doesn't know him. Maybe she wants to. I'm shaken out of my thoughts by the girls yelling at me to stop. 

I slam on the brakes and look up to see a red light in front of me. Luckily I've stopped in time. With my eyes wide and my hands shaking, I turn to look at the girls. They are all a little shocked, mouths open. 

Justice starts to laugh.

"Someone is caught up in her head." She pulls on her curls, twirling them around her fingers. A few of the girls laugh with her. 

I throw my arms up as if to say whatever.

"Sorry!" I'm smiling nervously and let out a small chuckle. 

"And I didn't even drink," I add, laughing to myself. Everyone laughs at my joke except Mary, she smiles but it doesn't look real. 

Something is going on with her and I need to figure it out.