𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 ✓

44

"So you told him?" I ask Lexi. We decided to get together as soon as possible after the whole 'pregnancy scare' situation, so here she sits on my couch. Reece is out for soccer so we can talk privately. Lexi and Chase decided not to tell anyone else, and I would never dream of telling anyone something like this. It isn't my business.

"Yeah. He was upset that he wasn't there, but I think there was more to it. I don't know how to feel about that. The only thing that I felt when I saw that one line was relief..." She trails off but I know that there is more on her mind. "I think he wants kids, and it's made me think about the fact that I don't. I don't think I've ever wanted kids, and I don't know if I will change my mind. I can't give Chase that if it means compromising myself you know?" Lexi asks and I nod.

"You're entitled to your feelings, Lex. You don't need to feel bad for admitting your truth. Sometimes relationships need compromise, so when you're both old enough and mature enough and in the places in life that allow for more opportunity, you might change your mind, or he might. Don't start any problems where there aren't any though, okay?" I tell her. My heart hurts for her right now because I can't imagine. Relationships are about compromise, but something like this is often a "make or break" situation because who gets to decide who compromises?

"Thank you, I really needed this," Lexi says, hugging me tightly to her and I do the same, reveling in her familiar embrace. This amazing girl has gotten me through every tough time in my life, and I will always be here for her through her own challenges. I just wish that the decisions that she would have to make and the conversations that she will have to have were going to be simpler. Easier.

"Come get pizza with me." A deep voice sounds from the speaker on my phone. I roll my eyes and smile.

"And how many people did you call before you called me?" I laugh, not at all bothered as I continue to do my laundry in the machine that came with the apartment. Reece took his training team out for dinner, so he wouldn't be coming back anytime soon and I wanted to keep myself busy despite still feeling under the weather.

"Aurora is out with Chase. So I called you. Are you coming or not?" He growls and I laugh again at his seriousness and shake my head, knowing that he can't see me.

"Come get me and text me when you're downstairs," I say and hang up the phone, turning on the washing machine and unloading the dryer, carrying the full basket into my bedroom, because I still keep most of my clothes in here due to the larger closet, dumping them onto the clean, made-up bed. Reece's bed is where we sleep every night now and my bed has only gotten used when laundry needs to be folded, like now for instance.

My phone vibrates in the pocket of my denim shorts and I quickly grab a plain red tank top from the pile of clothes, slip it on over my sports bra, and walk towards the door, setting my phone down to slip on shoes and sunglasses, exiting the apartment.

"Took you long enough," Maddox says from the driver's seat of his gorgeous new Lamborghini Huracan which was just recently re-done in a Matte Charcoal color, and it currently has the top down, perfect to enjoy the weather. I roll my eyes and hope that the pizza place that we're going to is extremely far away.

"Shut up and drive Maddie," I mockingly use the nickname that Lexi uses for him, and as soon as I plant my ass in the passenger seat and the door is closed, the car shoots forward, pushing me back into my seat as I struggle to clasp my seatbelt. I glare at Maddox's chiseled profile. feigning anger, but give up quickly to stare out at the open road ahead of us as it zooms past. Maddox turns up the music but I don't mind because neither of us are fans of small talk.

I hang one arm over the door and feel the wind envelop my skin, pushing my hand up or down depending on which way I tilt it. My tank top is blowing like crazy and Maddox's hair that hasn't been cut on the top in a while is crazier than usual; I can't imagine what my own hair looks like and I don't think that I want to.

The Huracan rumbles to a stop in a gravel parking space outside a hole in the wall pizzeria that we know for a fact has the best pizza we've ever had; if only we'd discovered it sooner. Maddox turns off the car and we open our doors and climb out. I smile at him, eagerly awaiting pizza and he rolls his eyes but despite the darkening sky, I can see a hint of a smile, or most likely a smirk, grace his full lips.

We each order one pizza for ourselves and sit down across from each other in a booth. I'm about to pull out my phone to see if Reece texted when I notice that Maddox actually looks slightly off, nervous even as he wrings out his rough hands on top of the table and doesn't make his usual intimidating eye contact.

"What's up?" I ask, keeping my voice light but serious. Maddox's jaw clenches and I think that he isn't going to respond until he clears his throat and speaks.

"Aurora has been asking me questions. Things that I don't know how to answer." He says quietly, looking down at the table but I put a hand on top of both of his to let him know that I'm waiting patiently. "What did you tell Reece? How did you tell him about your...past? Like relationships and shit." He says and my eyes widen. I just realized that I only told Lexi and Reece about Elijah, and none of our other friends know that he was my first, and Reece is my last.

"Um...about that. I know what I led everyone to believe, but I had actually only been with one guy before Reece," Maddox starts to groan and covers his face with his hands but I pull them away quickly and force him to look at me, "But, I was eventually honest and told him the situation, and he was understanding. I wasn't straight up right away, but I wish I had been. If Aurora is asking questions, answer them. Tell her how you felt about those girls, she'll understand." I tell him but I can already see Maddox withdrawing and turning cold like he used to be. I pout and he rolls his eyes.

"I didn't feel anything for them, but I don't want to give her any reason to be jealous. Imagine she asked for names? She would want to avoid half the female population," He scoffs and I cringe. It is true that Maddox was a bit of a player, but I don't think that Aurora is much of a jealous type.

"It seems to me like you're just reflecting how you would feel if Aurora had been with anyone else before you." He growls at the thought and I raise my eyebrows. "Which she wasn't, so there's no use for what-ifs." The two of them were lucky in that aspect because I doubt the poor bastard would have lived long if he existed. "As long as she knows how you feel about her, I don't see this being a problem."

He just shrugs, so I keep my mouth shut. Obviously my opinion didn't penetrate that thick skull of his, and I don't want to hang out with Mr. Moody so I change the subject, smile when our pizza is delivered to the table, and wave goodnight when he drops me off and drives away. I sigh as I walk up the steps to the apartment but become eager once again to be greeted by Reece when I walk through the door.