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“Pretty much. Does this mean you're becoming a fan?” I ask.
“I like watching you, if that's what you mean.” Maddie gives me a coy smile. Before I can question it, someone bumps into her, pushing her into me. I catch her stumble and wrap my arm around her to steady her. The top of her head just reaches the middle of my ribcage.
I glare at the apologizing guy who ran into her and rest my hands on her shoulders as she takes a step back. “You okay?” I question, looking down at her, noticing that her hand is still on my side.
“Yeah. He probably didn't even see me because I'm so short. He should have seen you with your freakish height, though.”
My laugh is cut off thanks to her former boyfriend grabbing her elbow and spinning her to face him.
“What are you doing?” he accuses her.
Maddie yanks her arm away from him. “I'm talking to someone, obviously.” She steps away, probably intending on leaving him, but he wraps his fingers around her arm and yanks her so hard back to him that she almost crashes into him.
“Hey, let her go.” I take a step closer to Maddie. He shouldn't be touching her like that, and I'm not about to watch him manhandle her.
“Winston, right?” he says as his fingers tighten around her arm.
This jackass is seriously about to piss me off. I take a step closer to him as Maddie tugs on her arm. From the corner of my eye, I see Neil stand, waiting to see if he needs to come break something up.
“You're being a jerk, Brad. Let me go.” Softer, she adds, “You're hurting me.”
He flicks his eyes to her and releases his hold. There may be hope for the bastard yet. Gently, I place my hand on her lower back. “C'mon, Maddie. Let's go.”
She lets me lead her away from him and outside. “S
orry, Winston. He's an idiot.”
“Why are you apologizing to me?”
Maddie laughs. “I don't know. Where are we going?”
“I was going to walk you to your dorm,” I answer, removing my hand from her back. She frowns. “What?”
“It's still pretty early. I don't want to go to my dorm, and you've taken me away from the party, so-”
“Do you want to go back?” I ask with an incredulous tone. Surely, she doesn't.
“No.” Maddie shakes her head. “I just don't want to go to my dorm either.” When I glance at her, she adds, “Don't worry. I don't need you to babysit me.” Maddie reaches into her back pocket. “I'll text one of my friends to meet me.”
Babysit her? Since when have I ever done that? “Aren't we supposed to be catching up? Getting to know one another again? Isn't that what you said? Why do you want that anyway?” I ask quietly. We walk up to a bench, and I sit down, reaching for her hand to make her sit next to me. Once we sit though, I release her hand. It feels too familiar.
Maddie crosses her legs, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets before she says anything. Her knee bounces. It's clear that she's nervous about something. She looks down the way we came, away from me. “I remembered how things used to be and spoke without thinking. I didn't want to always be seen as his little sister to you.”
“But you are,” I say, confused. It's the one thing that can't be changed.
She sighs in frustration. “Yeah, but that's not all I am, Winston.” She looks over at me. “I thought you knew that, but I guess not. You never saw me anyway, not without thinking about how I'm his sister.”
I hate that she's still hurting after all this time. I don't get the chance to say anything before my phone starts vibrating in my pocket with a FaceTime call from Dave. Damn it. I swipe the bar and his face appears.
“Where the fuck are you?” he says.
Maddie's face swivels towards his voice, and I lay my hand on her thigh, hoping she'll stay quiet. “I'm outside. Just left a party. Why are you so damn nosey?”
Dave laughs. “You look weird on my screen. How'd the game go?”
“We won, hence the party.”
“I hope y'all win when I come up. I'll be pissed if I came all that way for y'all to lose.” Dave chuckles at his comment. “Have you run into Maddie again? I doubt she'd be at a party, though.”
