Page 7

I wonder if…

“You can’t be serious, Mads.”

Mads? Since when did he call her Mads?

“Why not?” replied Maddy. “He’s a nice guy, and I haven’t been on a date in forever.”

I looked at my brother’s suddenly displeased expression.

“He’s an asshole. I never pegged you for someone who would consider dating someone like him.”

“You’ve never pegged me for someone who dates because -”

Jackson cut her a steely look, and Maddy’s head whipped back in my direction with wary eyes.

“You okay back there?” she asked, trying to act like I hadn’t just overheard them. “You’re quiet.”

“That’s because the two of you haven’t shut up since we left.”

Jackson cleared his throat, and for the rest of the ride to our apartment, he said nothing. I wouldn’t consider that abnormal, but it was strange to see him flip the switch like that after talking to Maddy.

“You’re going to love our place,” she said when we stopped in the parking lot. “It’s perfect, and so homey.”

I wanted to reply, and ask her questions, but decided better of it until it was just us two. Jackson, like everyone else, got uncomfortable when we talk about “before," even though I was dying to know. My mind was constantly filled with a string of questions, questions that sometimes I was too afraid to ask.

Jackson was silent as he carried my bags to the elevator, while Maddy talked my ear off about anything and everything. She was more than happy to fill the silence with her babbling.

“I’m so glad we’re roomies again. These past few weeks living on my own has sucked donkey balls.”

I snickered. “At least I won’t have to share a bathroom with five men.”

Jackson huffed. “And at least we won’t have to see all your girly shit everywhere.”

The doors slid open just in time, but Maddy still said, “What’s the matter Jax?” - Jax? The only person who ever called him that was our Mom. “You can’t handle the sight of seeing tampons, and panties?”

“Maddison,” warned my brother. His tone was hard and brooked no argument. That shut her up, but she scowled at him. What the hell was going on with them? They bicker like a…a…couple.

Without another word, I followed Maddy and Jackson until we stopped in front of our door. It had a big chalkboard beside it that read, Maddy and Kenzi live here, and when Maddy caught me looking at it, she said, “That was your doing.” Her eyes were alight with excitement — no doubt from having me back — but I also noticed the sadness in those brown depths. I knew it well, because I often saw glimpses of it in my own eyes when looking in the mirror.

“You okay, Squirt?”

Jackson touched my arm, and I almost scowled at him for using that nickname. I hated it when my brothers called me that, which only seemed to make them use the endearment more when I was around. I was stuck with it, much the same way I was stuck with them.

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Can we go inside now?”

Maddy bounced, so much so that she dropped the keys on the floor. I caught Jackson checking out her ass and I had to smother a giggle when he started blushing like a fifteen-year-old.

Maddy opened the door, oblivious to me and Jackson having a silent conversation with our eyes, and when I followed her inside, my heart fluttered with some kind of familiarity. I didn’t recognize anything, but the smell. Vanilla, and coconut.

“Welcome home!”

Maddy beamed, and when I stepped into our small living room, I saw the roof covered by pink floating balloons. Jackson muttered a “fucking girls” behind me, but I was too busy taking in the apartment to notice. The walls were painted a light pastel pink, leading up to a ceiling painted in the same color, finished off with white trimmings. Light brown leather sofas took up the wall space, opposite a plasma screen mounted on the wall, and a dark wood coffee table scattered with books. The kitchen, a small corner space on the right, was all marble and whitewash wood finishes with stainless steel appliances. There were three doors down the short hallway — two bedrooms and a bathroom, I guessed — and I immediately wondered how my bedroom looked.

I gazed back at Maddy and Jackson, both of whom looked apprehensive.

“I love it.” I grinned widely and they both visibly relaxed. “It looks lived in.”

“Oh that’s just Maddy,” snorted Jackson. “She’s the untidy one between the two of you.”