by Mj Fields
Harper stood up and walked away as they all laughed.
Ava ran up to her, ���Remarkable speech! It���s hot as hell out here, let���s go swimming!���
Harper and Ava dove into the pond and swam to the floating raft.
���We are going to Jersey for a month and are renting a house on the beach. You should see if your parents will let you come for a while. Blow off a week in the South, wherever.���
���They would not go for it. Sounds fun though,��� Harper laughed and pushed Ava in the pond and jumped in next to her.
���Jerk,��� Ava splashed her.
���The cousins are coming, the cousins are coming!��� Ava pointed to the guys on the dock.
Harper laughed and watched as Blake unbuttoned his shirt.
���Damn, Harper, is that a cousin?��� Ava looked over her sunglasses at Blake.
���No, that is Matthew���s roommate,��� Harper answered and rolled onto her stomach to dry her back in the sun���s heat.
���Wow, you should be all over that,��� Ava put her hands behind her so she could watch as they all swam out, ���Your mom and Jade are watching us check him out.���
Harper laughed, ���You mean watching you check them out?���
���Us, me, the same thing.��� Ava laughed, ���Here they come — sit up, sit up already.���
Harper giggled and rolled over as Blake jumped on the raft and smiled slightly at Harper before turning and giving Matthew a hand. He was bent over reaching out to Matthew, and Harper looked at Ava devilishly. She lifted her foot and gave his rear a push, and he fell over Matthew, and into the water.
Ava and Harper laughed, ���Not a word, Ava.���
Matthew jumped up and laughed as he shook his wet hair over them.
Blake jumped out of the water and laughed, ���Which one of you is in serious trouble right now?���
Ava and Harper pointed at each other and started laughing.
Luke Lane grabbed Ava from behind, threw her over his shoulder, smacked her on the butt and tossed her in.
���It was that one,��� he pointed at Harper.
���I thought so,��� he looked at Harper, and she looked back at him smugly, ���You have two choices.���
���Oh yeah?��� she laughed.
���Yes. Stand up and yell at the top of your lungs that you are sorry and will never do such a hurtful thing to me again,��� he smirked.
���The second option,��� she smiled.
���Be tormented by me all summer long. Wondering when I���ll strike back.��� Blake stepped back, ���I will give you about three seconds to decide.���
���One, two, three,��� Harper rolled her eyes and jumped in the water and when she surfaced she was laughing.
Harper looked around for Blake and began swimming to shore. She felt someone come up between her legs and within a split second she was on Blake���s shoulders high in the air.
She laughed out loud and grabbed his hands that were holding her legs as he walked out of the water onto the dock, ���You ready?��� He did not wait for a reply and Blake ran down the dock and jumped in the water holding her tightly on his shoulders.
When they came up they both laughed. Harper swam towards the dock and climbed up onto it. Blake was right behind her.
���We even now?��� Harper wrung out her hair and smiled.
���Probably not,��� Blake smiled, ���I have the entire summer to torment you. I gave you the opportunity.���
���The entire summer?���
���I���m going with your family to South America,��� Blake smiled and jumped back in the water and swam to shore.
CHAPTER EIGHT
O2 Bound
London and Lexington had passed out on Brody���s lap three hours after they arrived at their home in Liverpool. Maddox sat with Emma and Brody in the den talking about plans for the week ahead when Birdie rubbed up against Brody���s leg.
���I can’t believe you did that to me,��� Brody smiled at Emma.
���He loves you and look, you don���t even look ill when he comes near you anymore,��� Emma picked Lexington up off his lap; ���I am going to put her down. Be back in a minute.��� Emma disappeared up the stairs,
���You seem glad to have them here.��� Brody smiled as he lifted London up, ���I���ll be back down in a minute.���
Maddox grabbed his IPad— He was so happy that London had set it up for him. He looked at Harper���s social media page. While it was loading he grabbed his phone.
- Congratulations Harper Abraham���MH
He pushed send and waited for her reply.
Harper sat up and grabbed her phone, her stomach did its usual somersault, and she could not stop the grin from spreading across her face.
- Thanks Maddox, you too���HA
- How was your party?...MH
- Good, how was the arrival of the new Queen of England? I miss her���HA
- I missed them as well, I am glad they are here, sorry they missed your party���MH
Harper was sorry Maddox had missed it, too.
- You still there?���MH
- Yep. So what have you been up to?...HA
- Playing a lot, singing a lot and writing even more. Zach, T and I are looking for a pianist and a band name���MH
- What is Zach���s last name?���HA
And who the hell is T, she wanted to write.
- Taylor why?...MH
- Band names, Brody Hines Band. Just trying to brainstorm. What���s T���s last name���HA
Harpers page came up, and Maddox was looking trying to open the links to the pictures, but it would not allow him to.
- I am going to send you a friend request would you accept?���MH
- I thought we were friends, Maddox���HA
- On your page. I sent it it will be from JD anonymous��� MH
- Oh, give me a minute��� I have not been on in weeks���HA
Maddox waited until she accepted his request. He clicked on pictures she was tagged in. There were several of prom, one with Carter in the background. Maddox tried to delete it, and it would not allow him to. The next link was of her graduation speech, it was a video and he watched it. Hearing her voice made his chest tighten, a feeling he was not comfortable with. She was beautiful��� even more so in that prom gown. He clicked back on the pictures of prom, looking at them dancing. He wished he could see her look at him that way again.
- Do you have Skype?...MH
- Yes and Facetime do you?...HA
- Yeah— may I Skype you?...MH
Harper laughed and sent him a message.
- Anytime���HA
Her heart beat faster as she went ran into the bathroom and brushed her hair and teeth. She even put on mascara and laughed at herself as she ran into the office so that she could connect with him on her father���s large computer monitor. She messaged him the link and sat back waiting for him. He popped up on the screen, and she could not stop the impending ginormous grin from spreading across her face.
���Hello Harper,��� he smiled softly.
���Hi,��� she rolled her eyes and felt her face turning red.
���Are you in your father���s office?���
���Yep. Where are you?���
���In England,��� he laughed, ���Would you like a tour?���
���Yes, please,��� Harper sat back in her father���s large leather chair and pulled her knees to her chest.
Maddox looked at her and closed his eyes and smil
ed briefly, ���One landmark at a time, alright?��� Harper nodded yes. The camera turned to a clock and away from him, ���This is Little Ben, Big Ben���s cousin.���
Harper laughed, and he quickly turned it around so that he could see her laughing on the screen. He smiled brightly in response to her laugh.
���Next time I���ll take you to London���s Bridge, and by that I mean I���ll have London make a bridge— the actual one is about a five hour drive from here,��� Maddox joked.
Harper smiled, ���Perfect. You look amazing Maddox. Happy.���
���You too. I watched your graduation speech.���
���Oh great speech, huh? I screwed that up. Wait, who put that on there? I swear I haven’t been on in weeks.��� Maddox watched as Harper stood and walked away from the computer.
���Hey, get back here!��� Maddox whispered loudly and laughed.
Harper sat down and smiled, ���Did you miss me?���
���Yeah,��� he scowled and widened his eyes, ���Crazy.���
Harper glanced up at the screen and smiled and looked back down at her laptop, ���Now we can look together.���
���The graduation video first?��� Maddox smiled.
Harper arched her eyebrow, ���No thank you, I wonder who put that up. I���ll have to thank���Matthew; I���m going to kick his butt!���
���Why, I really thought it was great, Harper.���
���It���s been a rough couple weeks.���
Maddox looked at some pictures from the party, ���You went swimming.���
���Yes, of course,��� Harper joked.
���Nice suit,��� Maddox grinned.
���Shut up.���
���No, it really is quite nice Harper, and hey check that out, which cousin is that?���
���Which picture?���
���You on someone���s shoulders. Damn you look happy. God Harper, you really are very beautiful,��� as soon as the words fell from his lips they both looked back at the screen.
She smiled, ���Back at you. We���re two beautiful souls, Maddox Hines,��� Harper laughed.
Maddox blushed and looked back at the pictures, ���I like Liam, you two seem very close. But look at you beaming in the shoulder shot, who is that again?���
Harper looked through the photos until she came to it, ���Oh that���s Matthew���s roommate Blake. He is going to South America with us for the summer. Apparently he is going to be a doctor.���
���Have you known him long?��� Maddox didn���t look back up at the screen as he continued looking at the photo.
���Just met him today. He seems nice,��� Harper smiled.
���Oh,��� Maddox sat back and took a deep breath, ���There is a prom picture you were tagged in that dick Carter is in it you should edit him out.���
���Oh wow I���ll do that,��� Harper looked at the prom pictures and smiled, ���Someone took a lot of pictures of us dancing. Should I tag you in them?���
���No, did you get that one edited?��� Maddox was annoyed.
���I���ll do it now, geesh. I was just enjoying our pictures,��� she smiled and looked at him on the screen. She reached up and touched the screen moving her thumb up trying to remove the scowl that was formed between his eyes.
���What are you doing?��� he asked as he looked at his screen now only showing her mouth, her lips. The ones he wanted so badly all the time.
Harper sat back, smiled, and looked at him, ���Trying to remove that scowl. Did you feel it because apparently it did not work. You���re pouting, Maddox.���
���It���s not funny, Harper.���
���Sorry.���
They sat silently looking at each other for a minute.
���Emma sent a gift from us for your graduation,��� Maddox finally looked relaxed.
���Okay well I need your address so I can send you one,��� Harper looked at him sadly.
���I don���t know it,��� Maddox yawned.
���You���re tired,��� Harper whispered.
���Yes, I had a glass of wine with dinner, and it kicks my ass. Which is good because I can���t normally sleep through the night,��� Maddox stopped himself from rambling; she did not need to know about his horrible nightmares.
���They let you drink?��� Harper was shocked.
���The drinking age is eighteen, but it is customary to allow a glass of wine at dinner for someone my age,��� Maddox answered, ���Hey did you edit that photo, Harper?���
���It���s not mine so I couldn���t. I removed the tag though, so it won’t be on my page.���
���Okay good. I don���t know how that would affect the charges against Carter, but I want them to nail him,��� Maddox sat back and watched as Harper looked down and her lips made an o shape, ���Harper, how is that all going?���
She looked up, ���The lawyers are all working on it,��� she whispered.
���Explain please,��� Maddox sat forward.
���Maddox, how am I supposed to ruin someone’s future? If everything works out the charges against you will be dropped, and he will have learned his lesson. All he did was try to kiss me and touch my boob. He did not������
���He touched your tits?��� Maddox gasped.
���Just for a������
���No, they are not his to touch, Harper!���
���I know but������
���No buts! Had he not drugged me, and I not left you alone������
���We can’t prove he did drug you, Maddox. So all the drama, a trial������
���They were not his to touch. You would have been mine that night, fuck!���
Harper started feeling the burn that started in her chest that moved slowly to her throat, and would eventually burn her eyes. A feeling she had known now for a year.
���Harper, do you like the fact that he touched you?���
���Maddox������
���Your lips were mine, your hugs were mine, your tits, and every other part of your body should have been mine that night. He took that away from both of us.���
���Maddox, you said you thought those feelings were because of being drugged.���
���I have wanted to be���I have wanted you since our first kiss, Harper. I thought it meant something to you as well. Now he has taken that from me, and you are going to let him walk?���
���You are hurting me and making me feel������
���How am I making you feel, Harper?���
���You���re gone! I told you I loved you again, and you said you didn���t feel the same. WHAT. DO. YOU. WANT. FROM. ME? Tell me Maddox, just tell me, please!���
���I am so angry that I let myself believe these feelings were reciprocated!���
���You were the one who said they weren���t! Stop hurting me! The charges being dropped meant that you could come home, Maddox. Maybe that we could try to������
���Try to what? I was trying to make this easy for you! But a picture is worth a thousand words���you were not home, pining away for me. Your crotch was snug up against some stranger���s neck today, and that is unacceptable. Fuck, now I get it.���
���Get what? What are you talking about, I don���t even know him, he is������
���Exactly! You don��
�t know him! You don���t know me enough to say those words either Harper! But shit, he gets you in the water and well, we do know how much you enjoy the water!��� Harper started crying, ���Oh yes maybe you could use the tears on him as well. That was a nice little trick you used on me, very effective!���
���Please stop, please Maddox--- you are just angry and I get it but it���s not you������
���Don���t you pretend to know me!���
���Maddox, I love you,��� Harper cried.
���Don���t say those words to me again, just don���t!���
The office door opened, and someone walked behind Harper.
���Hey what are you crying for little girl?���
Harper wiped her face, ���Nothing, I���m not, please just leave.���
���Should I get Matthew?��� the male voice said softly.
���No, please���I���m fine,��� Harper hugged her knees and hid her head.
���You don���t need to be alone. Let me get your brother, okay?��� He left the room and Harper looked up at the black screen.
���God, Maddox, please tell me what to do.���
Maddox lifted the IPad to his face, his eyes were blazing and red, ���Was that him?���
���Maddox, there���s only you. I���m not…���
���Was that him?���
���It was Matthew���s friend.���
���Well he is certainly better for you. I didn���t want to��� I will never be who you want me to be.���
���You are though.���
���You don���t know me, Harper.���
���You don���t know yourself.���
Maddox���s jaw clenched, and he looked into the screen, ���Thanks for that, my little vamp. This is done. I can assure you I will try my damnedest to figure out who exactly I am! Turn around and grab on to that friend of Matthew���s because I know damn well that���s what you want!���
���Just stop! Just stop��� you���re hurting both of us, and you don���t mean to,��� Harper cried.