Maddy sat at the edge of the bed, contemplating her thoughts.
After Izzy had cornered Maddy, Axl came to see how everything was going and invited Maddy to come talk with him about something serious after he left her hanging downstairs. She politely declined and left to go in the empty media room where the tv was playing an ongoing loop of everything Guns N’ Roses.
But her eyes were fixated on the tall bassist and fiery redhead. Her chest tightening as she watched them.
Izzy turned, his dark hair catching the rays of the stage light, and it was almost as if his eyes found hers through the screen.
Even from the television, Maddy felt the pull of him, the magnetic force that had drawn her in since she came out here for the first time.
His quiet confidence. And the way he always seemed to know what was going on with her, whenever she couldn’t.
Loud, brash and impossible to ignore.
Maddy dropped her gaze, her thoughts spiraling back to the moments that had brought her here, stuck between two boys who couldn’t be more different………
The first time Izzy kissed her, they were sitting in the room of her brothers apartment. It was a hot summer night, the air thick with the scent of honeysuckle. They’d spent hours talking about everything and nothing, their legs dangling over each others.
“You ever think about the future?” Izzy had asked, his voice soft, almost hesitant.
“Sometimes,” Maddy had replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “But it feels so far away, you know?”
Izzy had nodded, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, littered with glowing stars. Then he turned to her, his eyes searching hers. “I think about it a lot. And you’re always in it.”
Before she could respond, he leaned in, his lips brushing hers. It was tentative, sweet, and it made her heart race in a way nothing else ever had.
Maddy blinked, the memory fading as the present came rushing back. She glanced toward Izzy again, her heart aching. Things had been so simple back then. But now, everything was complicated.
Ever since Duff had found out, it had been nothing short of a rollercoaster of emotions tearing through her heart every single night.
Axl’s laugh broke through her thoughts, drawing her attention. He was leaning against the frame of the now opened door, his arms crossed, his signature smirk firmly in place.
And then there was Axl.., painfully arrogant, a whirlwind of ego wrapped in leather and chaos, his voice cutting through the air as sharply as his unapologetic self-importance.
But even in his world of glittering façades and hollow adoration, he couldn’t ignore her—the one who was real in a sea of fake smiles and fame-chasers. She saw through the noise, and for the first time, he found himself craving something deeper than the spotlight…..
Flashback to Duff’s apartment……..
It had been a chaotic party at Duff’s, the kind of party where the music was too loud and the air smelled like cheap beer and perfume. Maddy had been standing in the kitchen, nursing a soda, when Axl had appeared beside her.
“Not your scene, huh?” he’d said, leaning casually against the counter.
“Not really,” she’d admitted, glancing around the crowded room.
Axl had grinned, his green eyes sparkling with mischief. “Come on, then. Let’s get out of here.”
Before she could protest, he’d grabbed her hand, leading her out the back door and into the night. They’d ended up at the old train tracks, sitting on the hood of his car and talking until the sky turned pink with dawn.
“You’re not like other girls,” Axl had said, his voice low. “You’re… real.”
Maddy had laughed, shaking her head. “What does that even mean?”
“It means you don’t pretend to be someone you’re not,” he’d replied, his gaze intense. “And I like that about you.”
Now, as she sat on the worn down sofa, Maddy felt the weight of those memories pressing down on her. She cared about both of them, but in such different ways.
Izzy represented safety, the kind of love that felt like home. He was the boy who knew her favorite book, who remembered the little things that no one else did. Even when he would hurt her the little things he would do for her would make up for it.
But Axl… Axl was fire. He made her feel alive in a way that was both exhilarating and terrifying.
Maddy sat on the couch, legs curled beneath her, staring blankly at the muted television. The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the screen and the warm light of a nearby lamp. She wasn’t watching anything in particular; her mind was too cluttered with thoughts to focus. The weight of the situation bore down on her, pressing against her chest like an invisible hand.
The creak of the door broke her trance. She didn’t have to look up to know who it was. She felt his presence before she even saw him. Axl stood there, leaning casually against the doorframe, his leather jacket still on, as if he hadn’t decided whether he was staying or leaving. His eyes, sharp and unwavering, bore into her, but she refused to meet them.
“I know you see me,” he said, his voice cutting through the silence. “But you’re choosing to ignore me.” He stepped further into the room, his boots heavy against the wooden floor. “The problem won’t go away just because you’re pretending it doesn’t exist, Maddy.”
Still, she didn’t respond. Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the couch cushion, but her gaze remained fixed on the television.
Axl sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “You’re making this harder than it has to be,” he muttered, his tone softer now, almost pleading.
Before she could muster a response, another figure appeared in the doorway. Izzy. His presence was less imposing, quieter, but no less intense. His dark eyes flicked between Maddy and Axl, and a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“You’re not helping, Axl,” Izzy said, stepping into the room. He crossed the space to Maddy’s side and crouched down in front of her, his tone gentle, almost tender. “Hey,” he murmured, reaching for her hand. “You don’t have to say anything. I know this is a lot, but I just want you to know how much I care about you. How much I love you.”
Maddy finally looked up, her eyes meeting Izzy’s. There was a softness there, a vulnerability that made her chest ache. He squeezed her hand lightly, as if grounding her in the moment.
Axl scoffed from across the room, his arms crossed over his chest. “That’s your pitch, Izzy? Sweet words and puppy-dog eyes? You think that’s enough?” He took a step closer, his voice growing sharper. “I’m more of a man than you’ll ever be. At least I own up to my mistakes. I don’t hide behind pretty words.”
Izzy didn’t flinch. He stayed focused on Maddy, his expression calm and resolute. “This isn’t about being a man, Axl. It’s about what she needs. And she doesn’t need someone who’s going to bulldoze their way through her life.”
Maddy inhaled deeply, finally finding her voice. “Stop,” she said, her tone firm but not unkind. She looked at Axl, her expression pained but resolute. “I can’t do this anymore. I care about you, Axl, but this… this isn’t right for me. I need to move on. We both do.”
Axl’s jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with a mix of frustration and hurt. He opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself. Instead, he nodded stiffly, his lips pressing into a thin line. Without another word, he turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Maddy exhaled, her shoulders sagging with the release of tension. Izzy sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You okay?” he asked softly.
“I don’t know.” she croaked thinking about the consequences of her actions.
“Hey, don’t worry about him okay?” Izzy groaned.
“I can’t just not worry about him Izzy!” she sternly replied.
“Why not?” he harshly asked.
“Because I care for him a lot.” was the last thing she said before getting up and leaving out the door.
authors note: thinking about ending this at 35!!
