I looked at my phone seeing a text from a number I wish I hadn't.
"Maddie, Maddie, Maddie, you stupid little bitch. Thought you would try and get away from your mother and me by leaving? Think again we will find you and bring you back home you will pay the rent and do everything me and your mother ask and you can bet you will be spending a few days in the black room trust me it is the least you owe us after what you made happen to Daniel"
Laying in bed with tears streaming down my face I was going over everything that the text said, it had scared me I mean I was miles away from my house but could they still find me? did I leave anything in my bedroom that suggested where I was going? What was I going to do? should I just go back home?
I looked over at the clock 3.20am. I rolled out of bed and went downstairs to grab a glass of water, in the kitchen I heard a cough come from inside the living room so I grabbed another glass and poured one for Cal too.
Going through the door I saw him propped up on the sofa trying to sleep, I tiptoed as quietly as I could and placed the glass on the table next to where Cal was laying and started going back towards the door.
"Maddie?"
I froze solid still facing towards the door hoping he would just go back to sleep
"I know you're there I can see you"
I took a deep breath in an attempt to steady my voice
"sorry I heard you coughing so I just brought you some water"
feeling another tear rolling down my cheek I walked quickly towards the door before Cal could say anything else and went up to my room, going to my sink I ran the water and splashed it onto my face. I looked at myself in the mirror and wondered how I ever got into this position and what I had done to deserve it. Walking out of my bathroom door I saw Ethan sitting at my desk with his back towards me.
"What are you doing in my room Ethan?"
sniffing and using my sleeve to wipe my eyes, he spun round towards me and stood up
"oh i heard you err crying, i wanted to come and see if you were ok, i'm sorry for invading your privacy."
he started walking towards the door
"wait Ethan.. please don't leave"
he walked back towards me and nodded lifting my duvet for me to climb underneath, I slipped into my bed and he tucked me in and climbed onto the bed next to me sitting up. i shuffled towards him and rested my head on his lap, he sat there awkwardly at first but then relaxed a bit and started playing with my hair.
"Maddie...do you want to talk about it?"
he asked so gently i almost felt bad saying no
"not right now Eth maybe someday, sorry"
"don't apologise it's your choice ok if just know you can tell me anything you can trust me i promise"
nodding i yawned and felt safe for the first time since getting that text. i felt myself drift off to sleep.
seeing the sunlight come through my curtains i blinked a few times adjusting to the light before realising there was someone else in my bed. i looked up before i saw Ethan and remembered what happened last night.
He was sleeping sitting up and had his arm wrapped around me. i smiled at the fact he had stayed with me all night it was sweet of him.
I lifted his arm off me and rolled out of my bed grabbing some clothes and going into the bathroom to get ready.
I came out to find Ethan starfished on my bed which made me laugh slightly leaving him to sleep, i grabbed my bag, phone and car keys and headed out for the day.
Climbing into my car i started driving to the gymnasium which i had gotten a job at as coach, i wanted to have a look around and meet a few people before my first day next week. Pulling into the car park i realised it was huge!
i walked through the doors and went up to the reception desk
"hi My name is Maddie I am starting here next week"
the girl behind the desk walked round in front of me
"oh Maddie! hello! my name is Ellie i'm the head coach and owner, its really lovely too meet you! would you like me to show you around?"
shaking her hand i nodded excitedly.
We went inside to the main hall and it was like a dream there was loads of space two competition floors and more than two pieces of each apparatus. I was so excited for my first day. Saying goodbye to Ellie i went back to my car and pulled out my phone
3 missed calls - Ethan
4 missed cals - Cal
5 messages - Ethan
3 messages - Cal
opening all the messages i saw they were worried as i didn't tell either of them where i had gone, plugging my phone into the hands free i started the car and pressed dial on Ethan's number
"Maddie? where are you?!"
"hey Eth sorry went for a drive "
"phew i was worried after well you know last night"
he said in a hushed tone
"Ethan i am fine you don't need to worry about me, i will be home in ten"
"that's good, i'm leaving for work now though, Cal still isn't doing great although he seems a bit better, i tried to take another look at him this morning but he wouldn't let me, please could you keep an eye on him and if you need anything just give me a call! i will be home at around 10 tonight, take care bye Maddie "
I pulled up onto the driveway and got out of the car going to the passenger side to grab my bag i stepped backwards to shut the door and tripped over a small ledge into the rose bush screaming on the way down
"Great. Just Great"
i climbed out trying to avoid getting any more thorns than i already had stuck in me
shutting the car door I stomped up to the front door, running straight up to my room and yelled a quick hello to Cal on the way.
I went straight into my bathroom and got a pair of tweezers to start pulling out all of the thorns.
2 minutes and 5 thorns later, i was now awkwardly trying to bend round to get the ones out of my back, shoulders and the backs of my legs.
"Damn it!"
"Maddie what the hell are you doing?"
Cals voice made me jump and i slipped over and fell flat on my butt. Cal laughed loudly whilst coming over to offer his hand and pull me up.
"well that is going to bruise"
"i would say so yes! but seriously what were you even doing?"
i huffed before blurting out quickly
" imighthavefallenintherosebush...andnowihavethornsstuckeverywhere"
blushing i looked up to Cal who was trying to process everything i just said and then i saw the realisation in his face and he started laughing at me
"Damn i wish i had seen that"
folding my arms in a strop i got up and started to walk away, Cal grabbed my arm and turned me to face him
"not so quick little one, I never said I wouldn't help come here"
pulling me back into the bathroom he sat me on a chair backwards so the back rest was on my chest
"No it's fine i'll find a way to do it myself"
i tried to get back up but he gently pushed my shoulders back down
"Sit. you clearly can't do it yourself so i am going to help you.."
"but Cal.."
"but nothing Maddie, no arguments they have to come out and you can't do it yourself "
huffing again I slumped forwards and leant my chest on the of the chair
he put the light on above us and grabbed the tweezers
"by the looks of it i can see about 15 still in there so hold still i will get them out"
i groaned and hid my head in my hands
"hey, hey it's fine i will be gentle i promise you ready?"
"ready as i will ever be i guess.." i said so quietly i wasn't sure if he had even heard me
i flinched as he went to pull the first one out of my shoulder
"Mads i need you to stay still"
I took a deep breath and nodded for him to continue, but i flinched again as he went to pull
"Cal i can't "
"ok, im going to hold your shoulder still with one of my hands, But after what happened yesterday you say stop and i will let you go straight away alright?"
he placed his hand on top of my right shoulder
i felt him pulling it out again and tried to shrug him off but he held me still in his strong hands and managed to get the first one out
"see wasn't that bad huh?"
"well it's not exactly high up on my list of things to do"
he laughed and continued pulling out the thorns
"right and that is the last one"
"yay! it's over!"
i got up off the chair whilst Cal laughed at me
"thanks for helping me I guess I couldn't exactly be a walking rose thorn bush huh?"
blushing i looked down at my feet
"i would have to agree with you there!"
he put his finger under my chin and lifted it gently
"i love it when you blush, lets me know so much about you" he winked which just made me blush even harder
i covered my face with my hands and ran into my room jumping on my bed
i felt the weight shift and assumed Cal sat down
i rolled onto my back and looked up towards him
"Why didn't you let Ethan see if you were alright this morning?"
he rolled his eyes at me and groaned
"he is my little brother Mads, its just weird i don't like it"
"well you can't really check yourself over"
he looked at me like i had just given him a brilliant idea
"Cal no that is not what i meant"