Page 93 of Love me, Maddie Mendoza

Maddie bit her lip and looked at my lap. “I think you like it a little too much for a public place.”

“Do it again, Maddie,” I asked one more time.

And she did. Strong and harsh at first, tender and sweet after. I was a second away from throwing her over my shoulder and dragging her home.

“Isn’t this cozy?”

The shadow over our table had an annoying haircut and a stupid polo shirt. I rolled my eyes when I saw Peter Adamson-Burton III standing over our table. I was ready to send him away when Maddie’s quick movement distracted me.

She removed her hand from me. I looked from my arm to her face, but she wasn’t looking at me anymore.

“What do you want, Peter?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I just came to say hi. Wish well to the couple.”

I shook myself from my stupor after Maddie’s retraction and turned to our unwelcomed guest.

“I thought I explained myself well, how I feel about having you around.” The dry tone scratched my throat.

Peter didn’t acknowledge me. His eyes were zoomed on Maddie. “I can’t believe you’re doing this in front of everybody. Everyone knows you were cheating on me.”

I opened my mouth, but Maddie was faster. “I never cheated on you! Oh my god, why are you so obsessed with this?”

“Because I don’t like liars, Maddie.”

The chair behind me dragged when I stood up. Towering over Adamson-Burton, I looked down at him, my jaw set. “And I don’t like stupid names and pompous little bitches.”

He looked me up and down, aware of our height difference. That wasn’t the reason why I could kick his ass. I could kick his ass because he was a jackass, and the universe was on my side.

“You were always sneaking.” Peter hissed. “Wanting what was mine.”

“Maddie was never yours.” I shot straight away.

“Cause Maddie isn’t a thing and doesn’t belong to anyone.” Maddie reminded everyone.

I pointed at her, nodded. “Oh, yeah. That too.” I turned back to Peter, “Can’t steal something that was never yours.”

“Shut your mouth, you asshole.” Peter spat. His angry expression was painful to watch. I rolled my eyes.

“Any problem?” the voice came from our right. Our regular waitress asked me instead of Peter.

I sighed, rubbing a hand on my face. “Sorry, Winnie. No, we’re good here.” I stepped back, reminding myself I couldn’t start anything in our favorite restaurant. The food was too good for me to get banned.

Lowering his voice, Peter continued. “I can’t believe you are going to sit there and be with him and let the whole school…”

For the first time, Maddie’s frown loosened. “I’m sorry for what they are saying. But I never cheated on you. Zeek and I weren’t together, and we aren’t together now.”

Peter opened his mouth to argue, but she kept going. “You knew how much my friendship with him meant to me. I never lied to you. But you have to let it go. We aren’t together, Pete. And I didn’t cheat on you. I’m sorry you never got to know me enough to understand that I’d never do that to you.”

Peter didn’t accept her words, but she kept talking with patience I wasn’t sure anyone would have. The nasty feelings toward the man seemed to have disappeared and now she only wanted him to let it go. They talked, but my mind wasn’t there anymore.

The only thing that kept looping through my head were the words;Zeek and I weren’t together, and we aren’t together now.

Whatever was happening, it had to stop.

Maddie’s words from that afternoon played repeatedly in my head. We aren’t together now.

She was right. We weren’t together, we never agreed that we were, and I wasn’t going to be stupid enough to think for a second that it was where we were headed.

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