“Car’s still here,” I say, and her smirk turns into a smile.
“Ha ha,” she says, her tone laced with sarcasm. I shut the door, jog to my side and jump in.
The close proximity is all-consuming and I can feel her presence everywhere. It doesn’t bother me, though. I kind of like it. I put the key in the ignition, turn the car on and face her. Her eyes are flitting around the interior. My guess is she’s never been in a Porsche before.
“Where do you live?”
She looks at me, opens her mouth to say something but then stops.
I smile. “I promise I’m not a stalker.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Oh, I don’t know. You’ve been following me around a lot lately.” She smiles again, then looks ahead. “Turn right up here.”
Her smile is so fucking attractive. Maybe because she never shows it, but that’s all I want her to do. Before she really thinks I’m a creep, I stop staring and turn down the next street.
“Why were you out so late? The school locks up at ten.”
“Not a stalker, huh?”
“Not a stalker, just curious.”
I notice everything about her, and even though I’m meant to be paying attention to the road, I see her hand grab the door handle and the other tap her leg. “I was taking care of some things,” she mutters. I frown and bring my gaze back to the road. I know she’s not about to elaborate.
Maddison
Holy fuck. Who is this guy? Freaking Mark Zuckerberg? Wait, no. Kingsley’s still in high school. It’s his dad that’s the freaking billionaire. Who’s he? Guy that invented Apple. Wait, he’s dead, isn’t he? But then, how am I supposed to know if Kingsley’s parents are alive or not? I know nothing about him. His dad could be Hugh Hefner for all I know. I smile to myself. That’s about all the rich people I know.
I’m sitting in a sports car. I think it’s a Porsche. It’s so freaking fancy. Everything’s so shiny. So goddamn shmoozey.
Where the heck am I going to tell him to drop me off? I can’t let him see where I live, that’s for sure. We’ll probably get mugged just driving down my street. I think the newest vehicle that’s dared to come into our area is the school bus they put on the road last year.
“Where now?” he asks.
Cynthia’s house is on this street, and even though it isn’t the nicest, it is a hell of a lot better than mine.
“Just here.”
We slow to a stop, and I watch him peer out the window, but he doesn’t give anything away.
I swallow the nervous lump in my throat. “Thanks,” I say. Just as I’m about to get out of the car, he touches my arm, and I freeze.
“You can’t do that.”
I turn around. My eyes dart to his warm, long fingers still touching me, and then he pulls his hand away.
“Do what?” I ask.
His forehead creases, and he sighs. “Walk home at this time, in this area.”
So he did make judgements, he’s just good at hiding them.
I refrain myself from rolling my eyes. “Why?”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
“I told you I can handle myself, I’ve done it my whole life.”
He scrubs his hand along the side of his face as he looks out of the window. His breath comes out in a huff before he looks back at me. Why does he even care? “What else do you expect me to do? I don’t have a car.” I purposefully widen my eyes as an idea enters my mind.
He frowns. “What?”
“I could get one.”
He shakes his head, then lets it fall into his hands. “You mean steal one?”
He looks up to me. He doesn’t seem surprised. I put both hands on my cheeks. “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” I say sarcastically.
“God, no wonder you’re known as the crazy chick.”
I laugh. “Is that what everyone calls me?”
He smirks, but when I stop laughing, his expression is hard. He purses his lips and narrows his eyes. I must admit, he’s quite intimidating when he wants to be. “Can’t you at least walk home in daylight?”
“Why do you even care? I don’t even know you.”
He releases a breath, looks out the window towards Cynthia’s house and says, “If you can’t, then maybe I will be a stalker.”
Frustratingly, the corner of my mouth tugs into a small smile, giving away what he’s doing to me, whatever it is. He notices because his eyes brighten. I have to go. I shake my head and mumble, “Well, thanks.”
He smiles that smile, and I can’t get out of the car fast enough. I shut the door a bit too hard, and it slams. I pause for a moment, waiting to hear the tires against the pavement, but as I glance over my shoulder, the car doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. Is he serious? Is he going to wait? I groan and make my way towards Cynthia’s house. God, maybe he’s just as stubborn as me. Shit, that’s not good.
I knock on the door and look over my shoulder, but I can’t see him from here. Even though this street has normal houses, his car still looks out of place. The door opens, and my attention whirls around.
“Madz!” Cynthia’s little sister, Abby, squeals. She grabs me by the arm and tugs me inside, just as I see his car disappear down the street. Something strange flutters in my stomach.
Abby’s about the same age as Tilly, but unlike Tilly, Abby talks a million miles an hour. I guess apart from the death of her mom, she still has a somewhat normal upbringing and can let the child within her live a little longer. She tugs me up the stairs and barges into Cynthia’s room.
Cynth is on her bed, her back toward us, breathing quickly.
I turn around to Abby. “Do you want to tell your dad I’m staying over the night?”
“Slumber party!”
“Shhh, your sister’s sleeping. No slumber party tonight. Anyway, shouldn’t you be in bed?”
She flashes the broadest smile and nods. “Well, go on then.” I shove her a little, and she takes off down the hallway. I quietly shut the door behind her.
I drop my bag on the floor, find some clothes to change into, then slip into bed behind her. I tug her around to face me. Sure enough, her eyes are bloodshot, and her face is red. She’s sobbing. I pull her towards me, and she rests her head on my neck, letting her tears wet my skin and torment that aching hole in my chest. Usually, when she was coming down off a high, her past would catch up with her all over again. Even though her mother died three years ago, at times like these, it’s as fresh as that day we found her overdosed in the room below us.
“It’s going to be okay,” I whisper, and she nods.
I hug her and we stay wrapped in each other’s embrace for a while. Just as much as she needs me, I need her. Eventually, she pulls back, wiping her eyes. “Thanks, Madz.” She tries to steady her breathing, “What are you doing here, anyway?”
Crap. I can’t tell her what happened. She’ll give me shit for the rest of eternity.
“Can’t I stay over?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know you can, but you usually like to go home.”
I didn’t like to go home, but I had to go home to check on the kids. The fear that draped me as I wondered if they were okay was nearly overwhelming, but I had to let it go tonight. Cynth needed me. I shrug my shoulders and her frown disappears.
“Have those bitches been giving you any more grief?”
I laugh. “Always.”
“Ugh, I told you I’d sort them out.”
“I know you will, that’s why you can’t, or you’ll probably get kicked out of the state.”
She laughs. “I don’t know why you don’t just stick it up their asses. Oh yeah, cello. Miss Goody-good now, huh?”
“Just go to sleep, Cynth.”
She smiles. “Okay.” Her eyes close and she whispers, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Party tomorrow?”
I snicker. “Go to sleep.”
Kingsley
“What the fuck, Toby?”
> “Bro, she’s—”
“Stop, stop. I don’t want to know.” I rub my face, and he laughs.
Cam sits down beside me and hands me a joint. The party is getting hectic. I can’t see beyond the sofa due to the crowd of people squished into the living room.
“Hi, K.” Suz slips in between Cam and I and snatches the joint from my hand.
“You all right, Suz?”
She smiles. “You know, I’m actually so glad you’re not with Bex anymore. She’s a real bitch.”
Toby and Cam burst out laughing, and I shake my head. I take the joint back from her. “You don’t need this.”
She rolls her eyes, takes my beer and stands up. I grab her by the wrist before she disappears into the crowd. “Let me know when you go.” I don’t know if she hears me, but she just slips through the crowd, with my beer in the air, dancing to the music.
“You know that girl’s here?” Cam sits back in the seat, and I turn to face him, frowning.
“What girl?”
“The one you’ve been hanging out with.” He arches an eyebrow. “What, you think we don’t know? You’re the king of the school, everyone knows.”
I jump up from the sofa and elbow my way through the crowd.
Maddison
A voice breaths into my ear and I suck in a deep breath. “I didn’t think you’d be here.” Kingsley leans his back against the bench with his arms crossed. I gulp, unable to contain the butterflies that just escaped my rib cage.
I raise my eyebrows. “Yet here I am.” I take another swig of my drink, and call the waiter over to refill it.
Kingsley’s watching the waiter with an expression I can’t make out as he fills it to the brim. “I’ve never seen you at these parties before,” he mutters.
That’s because you’ve never noticed me before this week. Besides, wherever there’s free alcohol or expensive things to take, I’m there. He doesn’t need to know that, though—his house could be next.
“I didn’t think this was your scene.”
I keep my gaze fixed on my drink. “How would you know what my scene is?”
“The cello isn’t really party music.”
I smirk, even though he’s right. “How would you know what music I like?”
He keeps quiet, and I turn to look at him. He arches an eyebrow. I take another sip, and say, “I like most genres.”
His lips pull into that alluring smile. He looks over his shoulder towards the crowd, then takes another step in towards me. I can see his every feature. His eyelashes are thick, and his eyes are brilliant hues of green and blue. “Are you here with anyone?” he asks, pulling me out of a daze.
I nod, and his eyes narrow on mine. It amuses me to see him react like this. I pause, and let him think whatever it is he’s thinking before I say, “She’s somewhere around here.” His expression begins to lighten, and I can’t stop those fucking butterflies from fluttering.
“So, what time’s pick up tomorrow? Or am I allowed to sit in now?”
I’m just about to give in, just about to submit to those dimples when Rebecca grips him by the arm and gives me the death stare.
“Baby, who are you talking to?”
Kingsley’s face is still close to mine, and I see his jaw clench. He pulls himself off the bench, and she slips her hand through his arm, but he shrugs it off. Those butterflies are now flying straight into a window and dropping to the ground. Dead.
I catch his eye just before I take my drink and turn to the crowd. Dark and intense, they don’t move from my face. I wonder what he is thinking—feeling.
I shove through the crowd, pushing people, not caring about the glares I’m hit with. In fact, I enjoy them. They take my mind off him.
I scour the room for goods. It’s like a candy bar in these houses: Pick and choose. Except instead of quickly popping candy in my mouth when the staff aren’t looking, I’m slipping silver and gold into my pockets.
I open the door to the first room I find. It’s a bathroom, marbled floor to ceiling. I immediately go to the sink and pick up a brand new soap. I take them as souvenirs. I’ve been told that’s what you do when you visit places. I inhale the scent and exhale. It smells rich—if something could smell rich. I search the drawers until I come across a gold chain and smile.
Kingsley
“Who’s that?” Rebecca’s face is burning up, and I can see the hate in her eyes.
“None of your business, so stay away from her,” I say.
She frowns and places her hand on her hips. “None of my business?”
“I thought you were going to Paris this morning?” I look past her into the crowd, but she’s gone. Rebecca follows my gaze and tuts.
“We’re flying out tomorrow. Anyway, I thought you would’ve had time to think about how stupid you were being last night—gotten your head straight.”
I clench my fists and look back at her. “Rebecca, I tried to end this nicely. I still want to be your friend—”
She scoffs. “Friend?”
I turn to the bar, call the guy over for another drink, then I turn back to her and mutter, “Never mind.” Just as I’m about to leave, she grabs my wrist, and pulls me back into her.
“Kingsley.”
“Rebecca, it’s over.”
Suz appears behind her, and she’s smiling at me. I yank my hand from Bex, stare into her eyes as a warning, and I think she finally gets the message.
I shove through the crowd, searching for Maddy. I look everywhere, but there are so many fucking people I have no idea where she could be.
Maddison
I find Cynth on the dance floor. She’s with some guy I feel like knocking out, but thanks to my lack of energy and my desire to remain unnoticed, I ignore his hands sliding up her dress. I grab her arm, yanking her away as she complains. I want to leave, and I don’t want Kingsley to find me. She stumbles over herself.
“Maddy!”
“Hey!” the guy behind her shouts but I ignore him. I intertwine my hand with hers, and tug.
We make it outside, and the open, fresh air is just what I need. Cynth yanks her hand from mine then takes off up the street. I groan as I jog down the front steps, about to run after her when Kingsley calls my name.
“Maddy, wait! It’s not what it looks like.”
I don’t know why I do, but I stop and hurl around to face him. “Are you sure about that?”
He runs a hand through his hair. “Yes, that’s just . . . Rebecca.”
I pull out my phone, pretending I’m on it and not paying him any attention when really I’m just trying to distract myself. Why is this affecting me anyway? And why is it affecting him? I shove my phone back in my pocket, and look up at him. “Your personal life is none of my business.” I turn and stride down the steps.
“Where are you going?”
“You have your personal life. I have mine,” I shout.
“Maddy—” he calls after me, but I don’t hear anymore when I break into a sprint.
“What are you on?” I growl. Cynth laughs and stumbles behind me. I swing her arm over my shoulder and clench my jaw. “God, you drive me mad!”
We make our way back through the estates, towards town. The hike back is the worst part about going to these parties, especially when Cynth is out-of-her-mind high. That, and I can’t seem to get the thought of Kingsley out of my mind.
Kingsley
I march back into the house and Rebecca’s ready and waiting. I almost fend her off with my fist but I realize I can’t do that. She’s a girl. Shit. “What do you want?”
“Kingsley, please.”
“You want me to make a scene? Because I will.”
She takes a deep breath and inhales. “That fucking—”
“If you do anything to her, I swear—”
“You swear what? Your daddy works for my daddy remember? Wait until he hears about this.”
I pull back, look her up and down with disgust. How did we get to this?
I tur
n and walk away.
Maddison
The next day, I push open the music room door to find Kingsley already here. I groan. Why didn’t I skip my last class so I could at least lock him out? Although, I can’t deny the jump in my pulse. He’s wearing a white t-shirt, black jeans, and his hair’s a mess like he didn’t sleep at all. “What do you want?”
He stands up. “Just let me explain.”
“What’s there to explain?”
“Maddy, Rebecca and I—”
I cut him off. “What you and Rebecca have has nothing to do with me.”
I grab my cello and walk around him. His hand darts out and grips the cello just below my clasp.
I look up at him, startled.
“I don’t have feelings for her.”
Kingsley
She’s tongue-tied, her eyes wide, her mouth slightly open. But she quickly gets herself together. A frown quickly replaces the shock. “I need to practice, okay? You can either get out or shut up,” she snaps. I smile, and that scowl only deepens. “What?”
She said I could stay. I pretend to zip my mouth shut and hand her the key. She stares at me, then at my outstretched hand, and her lips purse to stop herself from smiling. God, what are you doing to me, Maddison? She rolls her eyes, turns away, and I’m sure I witness the corner of her mouth give in, and it’s my undoing.
I sit against the wall, and she eyes me warily as she sets up. I keep my mouth shut, my gaze fixed on hers, and then when she closes her eyes, I ease back into the wall behind me, watch and listen.
Maddison
I open my eyes to see Kingsley sitting against the wall staring at me, and I inhale a sharp breath. He’s still here.
Stolen Songs Page 5