NOAH'S POV
I hang up the phone before she can object, already on my way to my garage. Grabbing my helmet, I strap it on before climbing on my bike. The engine revs to life before I speed out of there as fast as I can to get to her.
I'm racing and swerving on the streets, snaking through the cracks in between cars in traffic. Driving like a maniac, I earn a few blaring horns from the vehicles I pass, the universal way to call someone an asshole, but I have no choice. I have to make it there as fast as I can, and the road seems to be never-ending. Staring at the way the needle on the speedometer keeps rising higher, the cold night air hits my bare hands as my knuckles turn white from my tight grip on the throttle.
When I get to Maddison's street, I almost miss the turn, swerving right at the last minute, hearing the tires screech and smelling burnt rubber in the air. I park in her driveway next to her car and when I take off my helmet, the first thing I notice is that the front door is ajar.
Alarms are going off inside my head as I hurry inside to find the house in darkness, only illuminated by the streetlights outside. I approach the stairs knowing that her room is on the second floor, and as I'm about to call out for her, I hear the faint but recognizable sound of someone gasping for air.
I bolt up the steps only to be met with a long hallway, two doors on each side and one at the end. Only the last one on my right side is open, so I charge towards that one, going inside to find Maddison balled up on the floor in the corner of her room with her head bowed between her legs.
The sound of her crying and her shortened breath is tearing my heart apart as I rush over and kneel down beside her. "Shshsh, it's okay, it's okay. I'm right here." I say taking her into my arms, hugging her head close to my chest, and stroking her hair to try to calm her down. She keeps sobbing into my shirt and I can feel her heart beating at an alarming rate. I have no idea what I'm supposed to do in a situation like this, but I try to keep from panicking for her sake.
"Can you tell me what happened?" I ask, wondering what could possibly have her in such a state. She shakes her head no, and buries herself deeper into me, still not able to stop her tears or to steady her breathing.
"Hey, look at me," I say, very softly, putting a little distance between us so I can look her in the face, fearing that she might break into pieces if I don't hold her together with my arms. Her eyes are swollen and bloodshot, her lashes wet and her cheeks red as her lower lip quivers "I need you to try to match my breath, can you do that?" I ask, and she nods shakily.
"Okay, breathe in" I say and she inhales with me. I fill my lungs to their full capacity, expecting her to do the same. "And out," I instruct and she exhales, between little sobs. "Good, one more time," I push her hair back and hold her face in my hands as she keeps her focus on my eyes. I repeat the same process a few times until I finally get her to calm down a bit. Tears are still running down her face and I wipe them away with my thumbs, but at least she's stopped hyperventilating.
I scoop her up in my arms and take her to her bed, laying her down on the mattress and pulling the covers on top of her. "W-Will you lay with me, Noah?" she asks almost in a soft, broken voice, and without hesitation I get under the comforter with her, fitting my body behind hers and wrapping my arms around her small and fragile figure.
I stroke her hair and notice her chest is now rising and falling at a less alarming rate. "That's it, you're doing great," I say, running my fingers through her soft locks, and we stay in place until she manages to stop crying and our breathing synchronizes.
I get an idea that might help make the situation better, but I'm hesitant to execute it because I don't want to let go of her, even if just for a second. "Wait here. I'll be right back, okay?" I ask, finally deciding to get up and she silently nods her head.
I head to the bathroom and go over to the bath, turning on the tap and letting the water run till it gets warm and then I plug the tub so it starts to fill up. As the water rises, I drop in some liquid soap I find near the sink, and bubbles start forming, rising to the top. As I sit down on the edge and let it do its thing, something catches my eye from the corner of the room. Once the tub is filled, I turn off the faucet and put my hand in the water to test if it's the right temperature. It's perfect.
Grabbing the pink, fuzzy bathrobe from the hook next to the door, I head back into Maddison's room. She sits up when she hears me come in, looking disoriented as she stares at the pink material in my hands."I ran you a warm bath. Thought it might help." I say handing her the robe.
"Noah...that's the sweetest thing. Thank you," she says in a low, weak voice as she takes it from my hands.
"I'll give you some privacy," I say heading out of the room as she stands up and starts taking off her clothes. I wait by the door and she comes out covering herself as much as she can with the warm fabric. She looks up at me with sad eyes "Take your time, I'll be here when you get out," I lightly kiss her cheek and she forces a little smile before disappearing into the bathroom.
While she's gone I sit on her bed and take a look around the room. Her desk is crammed with art supplies, colored pencils, paint brushes, and charcoals. I had no idea she drew, but apparently she's got some hidden talents, as evidenced by the portraits hanging on her wall. A cork board standing upright on top of the desk displays pictures and what appear to be momentos. A plane ticket, festival wristbands, a dream catcher, and a few photos are pinned to the board with little metal thumbtacks. A particular instant picture of her and Tyler catches my attention. The photo appears to have been taken at night in what looks to be a park. They're sitting at a picnic table, Tyler on the actual tabletop with his legs spread and his feet on the bench below, where Maddison sits between his knees. His head rests on top of hers and his arms wrap around her neck, as she buries her smiling face into them.
The white part under the photo has a message written on it in black bold letters. 'LOVE YOU ALWAYS, TY'
From what I've seen, they seem to be the closest of friends, and Tyler is a great guy, so I can't imagine what he could've possibly done to cause her to be this upset. I don't want to pry into her life too much though, and now is probably the worst time to ask her about it. There's a part of me I wish didn't exist, which can't help but be a little jealous of him.
I know that he has feelings for her, you'd have to be blind not to notice. I see the way he looks at her, the way he looks at me, and I've noticed the change in his tone whenever he addresses me lately. Thinking about it, I get the unsettling feeling I might be what's coming between them.
Snapping me out of my thoughts, Maddison comes into the room with her hair wet and little droplets of water running down the parts of her body not covered by the robe. I look away as she quietly goes into her closet looking for a change of clothes. She walks back out wearing a white, oversized long-sleeve T-shirt that reaches her mid-thigh, and fluffy white socks.
She comes over to sit next to me and I drape an arm around her as she leans her head on my shoulder. I look over at her nightstand and an alarm clock marks 10 p.m. "Have you eaten at all today?" I ask.
"I don't think I could keep anything down right now anyway," she replies.
"So that's a no?"
She shrugs.
"Come on," I get up, taking her hand and guiding her down the stairs, she doesn't resist. Hand in hand we head to the kitchen and I tell her to sit down as I start looking through the cabinets. I put some water in an electric kettle and set a mug on the counter next to it, waiting for it to be ready. I place a tea bag inside the mug and fill it up with water before handing her the steaming cup. "It's chamomile," I explain, "I read somewhere that it's supposed to help you relax."
"Thank you," she smiles, genuinely this time. I sit on the stool next to her and rub her back as she looks at me with tender eyes. "I really appreciate everything you did for me today. You didn't have to."
"Of course I did." I assure her "And you don't need to thank me, I'm just glad I called when I did."
"People really do misjudge you, don't they?" she asks, confusing me.
"What do you mean?"
"Everyone warned me about you as if you were a self-centered asshole who's out to break my heart," she explains, I can't help but wonder if it was Tyler who told her that. "But you're actually one of the sweetest people I've ever met." she continues, sipping her tea carefully and grabbing her mug with both hands to keep them warm. "I don't think you give yourself enough credit for that."
"I can't really blame them. I am an asshole." I shrug and she laughs. "I think what makes me one is that I don't care about their opinions or their judgement. I know who I am." She smiles sympathetically.
"Listen, I hope you don't mind, and I'm sorry if I was out of line," I put one hand on her exposed thigh, "but I texted your mom from your phone to ask her where she was. She said that she and your dad went to visit your aunt, and they won't be back until tomorrow in the afternoon." I pause, and she nods slowly. "Look, I don't want to leave you here all by yourself tonight. It seems you've been through a lot today and you shouldn't have to deal with it on your own. So if you want, I can take the couch in the living room, or whatever makes you feel more comfortable. I just need to make sure that you're okay."
She thinks about it for a moment before she finally speaks up, "You can stay in my room." She surprises me, but heads for the stairs without another word and I follow her.
She gets into her bed and I look around "Do you have a spare mattress or-"
"We can share," She looks at me shyly patting the spot beside her.
"You sure?" I ask for confirmation and she nods her head.
"Positive," she says, making room for me to lay next to her. We get into bed and I can tell she's feeling tense as I put my arm around her and pull the covers over both of us. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before rolling over to rest her head on my chest.
"Your heart is beating really fast," she says with her eyes closed. I rub her cheek with my thumb as her breathing becomes deeper and she falls asleep.
"I know."
Laying here, with her head resting on my chest, admiring her features in the moonlight coming in through the window, being surrounded by the smell of her sweet perfume, and watching her chest rise and fall peacefully, I realize that there's nowhere else I'd rather be. I'll be the safety pin for her broken heart anytime she needs it.
I'm terrified, falling hard and falling fast, with no parachute to brace me for impact.