Truth After Lies

Confront & release

The next few hours I watched Jaylen play tennis with an instructor. He was incredible! He took off his shirt in between breaks and Maddy practically drooled seeing his abs glistening with sweat in the sunshine. She turned around before someone caught her staring and her gaze wandered off to the horizon. It was a beautiful view of the city, Maddy enjoyed watching the little children play in the parks and the old grandparents walk the dogs.

"You alright Maddy?" Jaylen was out of breathe and he was right next to her.
"Oh yeah," she looked him up and down and he chuckled as he caught her sneaky glance.
She was so embarrassed that she excused herself and started to make her way to the kitchen. She walked dreamily on the cleaned path and smiled to herself. However, her thoughts were blocked out by someone calling her name. She turned around to let out a shriek as she saw how close Brad was to her. She turned around to make a run for it but he caught her wrist which made her freeze to the spot.

"Please," he begged her as tears welled up in her eyes.
"No Brad, you don't get it," she tried to get out of his strong grip but it was useless.
"I don't get it, so please, explain it to me," he was practically crying, he looked so hurt that Maddy winced in pain.
"No," her voice was so soft, so low that it sounded like a whimper.
"Please, I thought you weren't upset at him, at any of us. What happened?" Brad said after a while which made Maddy's face go pink.
"That's it? I haven't seen you for like years and the first question you ask me is why are you angry at us? Really Brad," she spat his name like it was poison and he immediately lost his grip.

She twisted his wrist and ran into the bush maze. Maddy turned at every corner, didn't think twice but she still didn't make it to the end. It was hard work, especially with Brad hot on her trail but she still managed. She turned around to see if he was still there only to run into something solid.

"Ouch," she looked up to only to find those same hazel eyes, yet again. Her breath quickens as his eyes fill with pain.
"Why did you do that?" He asks, his voice shaking just a little bit.
"Leo, it's in the god-damn past," she turned around to find that she was circled. Molly, Brad, Vixen, Drix, Alex, Mat, Rob, Rex and Carson were all there, surrounding them.
"Thanks Maddy," Vixen whispered and she felt as if she would faint right there. He was thanking her for the sacrifice she made, years ago.

"Yeah," she muttered and made to push past Leo but he blocked her way.
"Maddy, what's wrong?" Leo seemed intensely confused.
"You, Leo. Who in their rightful mind would think it's okay to kidnap someone just to marry them to takeover their fathers stupid business? Oh yeah, that's right, you," she could see the damage she was putting onto him and it hurt.

"I thought you weren't angry about that," he frowned and her heart ached seeing him so unhappy.
"Yeah well I've had a good few years to think about it," she looked him right in the eye and wondered if her legs were gonna give away.
"Maddy, I can explain. It's not what you think," he said and suddenly everyone felt uncomfortable. Maddy looked him dead in the eye.

"You've explained not once but twice already," she spat and he took a step back and examined her face. The pain, the anger, the venom that he saw through her eyes made him step back again.
"Don't you trust me?" he muttered, scrunching his eyebrows.
"Where has that ever gotten me, Leo?" tears spilled down her eyes but she looked straight ahead, trying not to look weak.

"Maddy just him a chance," Mat begged her.
"Please Maddy," Alex pleaded.
"Maddy, you don't know how much guilt has consumed us throughout these years," Molly's eyes were close to spilling as well.
"Please forgive us," Rex added in.
"Stop, all of you," he ordered them and they all fell silent.

"What made you hate me, Maddy?" he looked at her, genuinely looked at her.
"I read your letters," she hesitated.
"What letter?" his face held no emotions, none at all.
"The black leather book," as soon as she said those words his fist tightened and his eyes were filled with tears threatening to drop.