Chapter Fifteen

When the doorbell rang the next day, I told Mum not to open it.

“Honey…” she said, shaking her head. “I have to open it. It’s rude to make someone wait out there.”

“Please,” I begged, coughing pathetically.

Mum rolled her eyes and went to get the door. She returned to my room, leading Belinda behind her.

“Aren’t you glad I opened the door?” Mum twittered happily. “It turned out to be Belinda!”

“Fantastic,” I muttered.

Mum left the room and Belinda folded her arms, glaring at me. “Well?”

“Well what?” I snapped.

“Have they broken up yet?” Belinda demanded.

“You only asked me, like, a day ago!” I cried. My voice sounded all stuffy. “Ugh, I think I need some more Panadol –“

“If they’re not broken up by this time tomorrow, say goodbye to your friend Eva,” Belinda hissed, putting her big ugly face near mine. I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Is that a threat?”

“Yes,” Belinda said. “So break them up, or else.”

“I’ll tell Kieran! He’ll stop you!” I cried desperately.

Belinda chuckled. “No, he won’t.”

“Get out of my house!” I shrieked. “Get out, get out, get out!”

Alarmed, Belinda took a step back. “Um… okay?”

“Get lost!” I screamed. Belinda fled from the room and I clenched my fists, then I grabbed my phone and stabbed in Kieran’s number.

“Hello?” he said after four rings.

“Argh,” I spluttered, unable to put my feelings into words.

“Maddy?” he said anxiously. “What’s wrong?”

“Your cousin!” I yelled, then I tried to calm down. “Okay… okay… Belinda wants Eva and Brad to break up.”

“Why?” Kieran asked, nonplussed.

“She’s in love with Brad or some shit! And she threatened to beat up Eva if I don’t break them up by tomorrow!” I said shrilly. “Help me!”

“I’ll talk to her,” said Kieran soothingly. “I’ll take care of this. Just rest, okay? Calm down. Don’t panic. Trust me.”

“I trust you,” I said willingly, placid all of a sudden. It’d be so nice just to drift off, and leave it to someone else…

“I’ve got to go take care of this, okay? I love you,” Kieran said. I put my phone on my bedside table, realising too late that I hadn't said ‘I love you’ back. Well, he knew I did…

Sleepily, and I rolled over, hoping Eva would be okay. And she would. Kieran would take care of it…

I drifted into an uneasy sleep.

The next day was Thursday. I felt better, but not well enough to go to school.

“You’ve missed two and a half days of school,” Mum said worriedly as she brought me my toast. “Can you catch up with schoolwork?”

“Of course,” I said dismissively. “I'm a good student.”

I kept glancing at my alarm clock, waiting for the digital numbers to roll around to four o’ clock again. The time Belinda had come over yesterday.

Mum had spread the toast thickly with strawberry jam, just the way I liked it. When I’d finished, Mum came in and took the tray away. She gave me a glass of water and a Panadol. “Have that in a few minutes, honey. You’ll be fine soon enough. And then you can go to school tomorrow!” She smiled comfortingly at me.

“Thanks, Mum,” I said gratefully. She left the room and I swallowed the Panadol down with a mouthful of water. I couldn’t wait to be healthy again. Being sick was so boring.

I grabbed my schoolbooks and skimmed through them, wondering if I should catch up on homework. No, too boring. God, I was so unmotivated.

Unconcerned by this, I yawned and decided to take a little nap.

The next thing I knew, someone was shaking my shoulder. I batted them away with my hand but they persisted and eventually I opened my eyes. “What?” I said grumpily.

Kieran knelt beside me, his face pale. “It’s Eva.”

I sat bolt upright. “Is she okay?”

“Belinda beat her up,” Kieran said, his voice wavering.

“Oh my god. Is she hurt badly?” I demanded.

“She’s pretty battered and bruised, but she’ll be okay,” Kieran reassured me.

“Is Belinda going to be punished?” I asked.

Kieran paused. “Eva’s parents called the police.”

“Good!” I said. “She should be locked up for a year. I can’t believe she just… ugh.”

“I'm so stupid,” Kieran said, his voice raw. “I phoned Brad and Eva. Brad and I were going to drive to her school as soon as school was over and drive her back to my place.”

“What happened?” I asked, trying not to make my voice sound accusing.

“Belinda must have skipped part of her last class. She was there way before us. When Brad and I arrived, Eva was already surrounded by her friends, all bloody…” Kieran’s voice cracked and he looked pleadingly at me. “I'm so sorry.”

“You tried,” I insisted. I took one of his warm hands in my icy ones, and he didn’t even flinch. “I don’t blame you at all.”

When he looked into my eyes, I could see the tears threatening to fall, and the pain and guilt glimmering amongst the brown and green. My heart instantly melted and I leaned forwards and wrapped my arms around his neck. He kissed me, not softly this time, but with an intensity that stole my breath away. His hands cupped my face, his palms soft and warm on my cool cheeks. He pulled away slightly, shining tracks of tears on his cheeks, and he wiped away tears from my own cheeks. I hadn't even realised I’d been crying.

“You trusted me,” he said haltingly, his face only inches from mine. “I let you down.”

“No,” I said comfortingly, softening as I stared into his dispirited eyes.

“I'm so sorry,” he breathed, leaning in slightly so that his warm, delicious breath fanned over my face, leaving a blush tinging my cheeks. “I will never let you down again.”

He kissed me again, his thumb stroking my face as Leo’s had. After having this thought, I immediately stiffened.

“What’s wrong?” he murmured against my neck, the heat of his breath creating tingles in my spine.

“I – “ Oh no. What do I do? Tell him? Right now? Talk about bad timing.

“I should probably call Eva or something,” I said quickly.

Kieran pulled back. “Oh, of course. God, I'm sorry. I'm going to go home, okay? If you need anything, I'm just next door.”

“Right,” I murmured, as he gave me a quick goodbye kiss on the cheek. “Oh damn, I hope you won’t catch my cold.”

“I wouldn’t want to catch one from anyone but you,” he grinned. Once he’d left, I grabbed my mobile and dialled Eva.

“Hello?” She sounded terrible.

“Eva… God, I am so sorry.”

“Maddy… Why are you apologising? And why did she beat me up?”

I took a deep breath. “It’s my fault. I was either supposed to break up you and Brad so that she could have him, or let you get beaten up. Eva… I'm so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” she said. “I’d rather get beaten up than break up with Brad, Maddy. I love him so much.”

“Is this serious?” I asked interestedly, my thirst for gossip overwhelming everything else.

“Hell yes,” she answered. “He’s totally gorgeous but can still carry an intelligent conversation. That puts him way up over my ex-boyfriends.”

“I'm sorry you had to get beaten up though,” I said apologetically.

“Don’t be. I’ll live. And Brad just appreciates me more now,” she said happily. “He and Kieran found me unconscious at the school and drove me home, and you should have seen his face when I woke up in the car. He was so relieved.”

“Did your parents freak?”

“Yep. They’re only mad at Belinda though – they want to sue her. Only, Belinda’s parents are really influential or something. My parents don’t actually care about that, though. You know them – you don’t mess with my parents!”

I laughed, agreeing. “Scariest parents I’ve ever met.”

“They’re just protective of me,” Eva said. “My doorbell’s ringing. I think it’s Brad. I’ll talk to you later, okay? Love you, Maddy! Don’t blame yourself or anything.”

“Love you,” I said gratefully, and put my phone down. Thank god she was mostly okay. I closed my eyes, trying to get to sleep again. Thoughts chased themselves around my aching head. What if Belinda wasn't finished? What if she kept trying to steal Brad, or kept beating up Eva? What if she came after me because I hadn't broken them up?

Several minutes later I gave up attempting to sleep, and heard the doorbell ring. I sure was getting a lot of visitors, I thought wearily.

A few moments later, Leo strode into my room.

“Maddy,” he said formally, smiling at me.

I glared at him. “What are you doing here?’

“Is that any way to treat a friend?” he protested.

I scowled. “You are not a friend. Now, didn’t I tell you to get out of my life?”

“I'm sure you didn’t mean that,” objected Leo, but I rolled my eyes and faced away from him.

“Oh, don’t be like that,” he pleaded.

“Piss off,” I said waspishly.

“Maddy,” Leo said determinedly. “I'm just trying to wish you a speedy recovery. Will you please look at me?”

“You ruined my conscience,” I muttered childishly to thin air, still refusing to look at him.

“Oh, please. You ruined your own conscience by letting me. You know we’re right together,” he told me gently. “Kieran shouldn’t even be in the picture.”

“I don’t know where you get these theories from,” I said acidly.

“My heart,” Leo said simply. I snorted and buried my face in the pillow.

Then someone was brushing my hair back from my face with a gentle hand, cool fingers trailing my suddenly flushed face. .

“Don’t touch me,” I mumbled into my pillow. “Or I’ll bite you.”

A low chuckle rumbled from above my head.

“I will,” I insisted. “You don’t stand a chance.”

Leo’s phone beeped and the hand withdrew. After a few seconds he said regretfully, “I have to get home. I’ll visit you later, okay?”

“Don’t bother,” I grumbled. Warm lips were pressed to my head, and then my bedroom door was closing gently.

Sighing, I flung back my quilt, feeling a blush light up my face. I was trying to be good, but why did he have to make it so hard?