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walked as far as her tired body could take her. Her footsteps were quiet and light, signifying the exhaustion she felt. She sighed as she glanced up at her surroundings and the tears in her eyes blurred her vision.

Aimlessly walking around, she soon found herself standing in front of the warehouse. The same warehouse she had first had a proper encounter with Maddox, the same warehouse that resulted in their friendship. A small smile decorated her lips as she reminisced over the memories she'd always cherish of him.

Of the guy she had ultimately fallen so hard for, it was without a doubt a fact that she indeed loved him.

In that moment she regretted the breakup. She regretted it so much as she realized just how cruel it was of her to do that. To leave him alone when his mom had just died. To leave him to figure it out himself. He was never an optimistic person, never hopeful. The world was in black and white for him, there was never anything more complex. And she knew that leaving him at a time when he needed someone the most wasn't going to help him get better.

More than anything it most likely gave him the impression that everyone would leave. As that thought screamed itself in her mind, she winced at the headache that followed after.

Looking up at the building once more, she made the quick decision to step towards it and walk inside. Noticing one dim lightbulb blighting up a very select amount of the room, she also noticed the boy who accompanied the view.

Stopping in her tracks and holding her breath, she nervously stared realizing that this would be the first time she and Maddox would have spoken after she left him by the cliff four weeks ago. Everything in her mind was telling her to run for the hills and leave him be, after all, he looked like he enjoyed the loneliness. But her body wasn't listening and she found herself quietly making her way towards him.

As her small form made a shadow, Maddox jolted upwards in alarm. His gaze found hers and it was as if the world stopped. She could barely breathe, but managed to bring her hand up and send him a small wave. She offered a dim smile and it wavered as he refused to respond to it.

Taking the earphones out of his ears, he turned to pause the music playing on his phone before turning back towards her. They stayed in silence for a while until he cleared his throat and finally acknowledged her greeting.

"Hey."

He wasn't looking at her though. It's as if he refused to make eye contact with her, like she would see all his pain and unhappiness if her brown eyes found his.

"Hi," she whispered out biting her lip.

Maddox groaned at the action and she remembered how much her biting her lip turned him on.

"Fuck don't do that in front of me Evelyn," he bit out with a raspiness in his voice that made her knees weak. He laid back down on the mat and put his forearm over his eyes, as if to block her presence out.

She didn't know what to do.

Standing awkwardly in front of him for a minute or two, she eventually chose to lay down beside him as she squealed out a 'sorry'.

His response to that was only to offer her an earphone as he let his music play once again. She generously accepted it and gave him they most heart-stopping smile she could possibly muster.

"What are you doing here?" he mumbled out tiredly as his eyes barely kept him awake.

It took a while for her to form an answer worthy of being said, "I don't know," she croaked out, "I just f—foun—-I just found myself here all of a sudden."

He hummed in response as his eyes closed. But she didn't want the conversation to end just yet.

"What about you?"

Her voice was louder and more insistent, clearing implying that he not dodge the question.

He shrugged, "Boxing."

"Have you been participating in any games recently?" she asked in curiosity. She was praying that he hadn't because she knew he'd only hurt himself more.

"Yeah," he spoke out a bit annoyed, "It's the only thing that gets my mind off of the life I'm living right now."

His voice sounded bitter and Evelyn has the instinct to turn towards him and place her hand on his chest. She felt herself tense as she realized what she had done, but just as quickly she let herself relax because the feeling of him so close made her calmer.

On the other hand, Maddox stilled and his breathing stopped too. Evelyn let herself speak to make him less tense, "Just relax," she whispered as her eyes flickered up to the side of his face wanting to see his reaction.

As if she was a drug, he immediately gave into her and she felt his muscles relax under her touch. She frowned as she noticed Maddox sporting a fresh cut on his cheekbone and anger flared up inside her. Getting up slightly to lean against her one elbow, she used the hand on his chest to brush over the nasty gash.

"What the hell Maddox?" she spit out harshly, "are you hurt anywhere else?"

He turned his face away from her, "No I'm not Evelyn so fuck off."

She felt the pang of hurt deep in her body, hitting way too close to her heart and she knew that the pain would've hit her heart straightaway if he said anything more to add to his blow. Her body froze on its own accord and this only registered with her when Maddox threw her hand off his face and shifted away slightly to put more space between them.

She noticed him wince as he shifted and she knew for a fact that he was lying and that he was clearly hurt in more than one place. Without any warning, she sat up on her knees and jerked his shirt up to get a look at the gruesome bruises littering his stomach.

He hissed at her actions and quickly sat up, "Stop messing around Evelyn and let it be," he grit out in clear annoyance.

Evelyn knew she should just let him be, but she couldn't help it. He was hurt, and a lot apparently. It was instinct to worry over him.

"Did you even treat the wounds?" she managed to softly say as she retracted herself from Maddox knowing he didn't want to be near her.

He kept quiet and she knew his answer.

"Please let me take care of them Maddox," she said with worry lacing her voice.

As he shook his head in response, she begged him once more, "Please Maddox," she whispered trying to catch his eyes. Bringing her hand up to softly maneuver his head towards her, she asked him once more.

"Please Maddox."

His eyes looked into hers for a few seconds and she could see everything he felt. She could practically feel it too because it was so much. He sighed quietly before dully nodding his head with his jaw clenched.

She guided his body towards the bathroom, and asked him to sit on the counter. The very counter where he had tended to her wounds. It was a kind of irony she didn't know whether to dislike or appreciate.

"Take off your shirt."

He did as she said and when his upper body was completely bare, she gasped. The bruises and cuts weren't just covering his stomach, he had wounds on his chest and arms.

"Why are they so bad?" she mumbled out as she brushed over the physical evidence of his pain.

"I did a lot more fights," he responded without a care in the world. As if him being injured didn't really matter.

She shook her head, "No. This is worse than that Maddox. Tell me the truth."

He rolled his eyes not bothering to focus on Evelyn once, "Some guys jumped me after a fight. Got mad that I beat the guy they betted on."

She watched the way he spoke, the way he aimlessly told her the story of how he got so hurt. She noticed how he just didn't care. And she had a feeling that he probably didn't bother to fight back either.

"And why don't you care?" she said after a while, her voice hard and frustrated.

"Because it doesn't matter."

Her hand stopped midway as she applied soothing cream to his cuts. She looked up at him and his gaze was no where near hers. He was looking out at the space behind her, his eyes glazed with no sparkle.

She didn't like his answer.

"No," she said dragging out the word, "I'm asking you again. Why don't you care?" she bit out glaring at him. His eyes flickered back to hers before hardening to challenge her gaze.

"Because," he started again glaring at her harder, "I. Don't. Care."

He cocked his head to the side as if daring her to lash out at him, and she took the opportunity he handed her way.

She shook her head and her hand fell away. Taking a step back, she did this until her back hit the door. She didn't understand. Why didn't he care? Why didn't he love himself? Her fingers grabbed at any flesh she could find on her arms and she squeezed hard as if expecting to be thrust back into another reality. One where it was all okay. Unfortunately, the reality she was in right now was the only reality she'd ever know.

"Stop Evelyn," Maddox spoke once he noticed her pinching herself harder and harder. As she continued, he sighed and got off the counter.

"Stop it Evelyn," he said as he forced her hands away from her firearms.

She was shaking and he was confused. What was happening to her? She wasn't listening to him, to his voice.

"Evelyn."

She shook her head again and backed up even more against the door.

"Evelyn," he softly spoke out as he brought a gentle hand to caress her cheek.

"No!" she screamed, "Why? Why don't you care Maddox? Why can't you just fucking care? I don't get it. You don't like yourself. You don't even think you matter! Why? Why can't you please fucking care?" she shouted pushing his chest hard.

He stared at her in shock as she continued to hit his chest in frustration and anger and as the tears finally fell down her face, he was thrust back into the real world. On instinct, he brought her into his arms as she continued her harmless violence, but occasionally he winced as she managed to hit a particularly sensitive wound.

"Shh," he whispered, "shh it's okay. You're okay. I'm okay. We're okay."

"No," she cried out, "You're not Maddox. You aren't okay."

"I'm fine," he murmured into her hair.

"No you're not, stop lying," she mumbled into his chest causing her words to sound slurred and as if she was high on drugs.

She felt his chest vibrate as a small laugh bubbled up from inside him. She smiled softly at the action just happy to feel him be even a little happy. He slowly let her out of their embrace, but she wasn't in the mood to stop hugging his waist.

Looking up at him, her heart fluttered seeing the very slight smile adorning his face. What made her smile even more was the fact that she did that.

She held her breath as Maddox tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes finding her own. Closing his eyes, his forehead touched hers as they stood in silence just taking each other in. She brought her hand up to his cheek and brushed her finger over his cut. As he winced at the touch, she smiled softly before getting on her tippy toes and pressing a gentle kiss to the injured cheek.

Leaning back away from Maddox, she once again looked into his eyes, searching for anything to keep them tethered together.

And she felt as though she found something and that was enough.

"God I'm so in love with you," she faintly murmured as she continued to let her hands brush through his impeccably soft hair.

Although she knew that saying what she did wasn't the best idea, she didn't regret it. It was the truth and what was there to regret about telling someone that you loved them? If anything, if someone were to tell Evelyn they loved her then she would've appreciated it more than anything. It's never a bad time to hear someone say they love you.

Maddox inhaled sharply as her gentle words registered with him. She stood still as he leaned down to kissed her forehead, "And I am in love with you," he whispered into her ear.

Hearing him say it back wasn't something she needed but it was nice to know and the full blown smile on her lips was a testament to that.

"I'm sorry for ending it," she finally said with a regretful expression overtaking her features.

As he heard her say those words, he nodded understanding how much she wished she could take it all back, but he stepped away from her.

Looking up at her confused and dejected expression, he sighed, "It was a good thing you ended it Evelyn." His voice held guilt and pain and regret and it cut her deep hearing the internal struggle Maddox was facing.

"She died. My mother died and it's going to take me a while to get over that. I can't figure out how to do that just so I can be with the love of my life again. My mom doesn't deserve that Evelyn. She doesn't deserve some half-ass grieving so I can get you back."

Evelyn opened her mouth to respond, but Maddox put his hand up to stop her.

"Let me finish," he said as he took a shaky breath. "It's not fair to her and it's not fair to you. I don't want to be yours when I can't fully give myself to you. You deserve someone who will do that," he lowly spoke as he brought her palm up to kiss it softly, "Because you deserve so much better than someone who barely cares about themself baby."

She shuddered as he used that particular term of endearment and she choked on her words as a tear fell down her cheek. She knew what he was saying and she understood whole-heartedly, but it was her decision whether she wanted him despite all that.

Truth was... maybe she did.

"Look at me Maddox," she said raising his head towards her. They looked at each other for a while before she placed a featherlight kiss on his lips and just as quickly, she pushed away. She sent him a warm smile before speaking, "I know I hurt you when I left you there alone. I'll regret it until I have no space in my heart for it anymore. I know you think I need someone who can care about themself so then I won't have to work so hard to show them my love. But god I want to show you just how much I love you and I want to teach you to love yourself. Because you taught me to do the same and I'm so thankful for you being in my life. Take all the time you need okay? But I'll be there to help you through it. As a girlfriend or just as a friend. Whichever one you prefer."

He stared at her in subtle bewilderment before bringing her into his arms. Breathing in her scent, he softly kissed her neck. The moment was intimate and Evelyn didn't ever want to let the feeling she got from it go.

"You wait for me then I'll wait for you," he murmured as he gazed at her with a kind of love she knew no one else would ever give to her. He held his pinky finger out in anticipation. Wrapping her own pinky around his, she bit her lip and smiled as his eyes got darker at her action.

"Always."

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