Don't Tell Me

When I got home, things were a little tense between me and everyone else. I needed help doing a lot of things, but I was too stubborn to let anyone be of assistance. If Jared had to work, my dad was here. If both of them had something to do, Aaron came over. Angie was there a lot, but she usually just made me fend for myself.
Not only was I stubborn, but the pain and inability to go riding - or do anything for that matter - made me nothing less than a bitch. Soon, everyone stopped taking shit.
"Maggie, sit down. You need to rest." Aaron tried getting me back to the couch. This had been going on for at least an hour.
"No. I want to go to something." I hobbled across the house, looking for a shoe to put on the cast-less foot.
"Maggie."
"No. I'm not sitting there any longer." I opened the closet to grab a rain coat.
"Fine. But I'm done." I grabbed his keys and started out the door.
"I can smell her fucking perfume, you prick." He stopped in his tracks and turned to look over his shoulder. "And I don't remember sucking on your neck. Should probably try and hide that better next time." There won't be a next time, I can promise you that.
"I wish you weren't so Goddamn bullheaded."
"You just want me to shut up and have sex with you like she does, right?"
He walked out the door without saying another word. I wanted to cry, but the tears weren't coming. I had cried too many tears over him. Once I calmed down a little, we would be having a talk. I kicked off my shoe and hung up my coat before starting up another movie on netflix.
>> What are you doing?
Honestly, I didn't really want to talk to Matt. He had been too busy to come visit me, which is fine. I don't mind that at all. But I knew that if he came over, I'd only piss him off.
<< Sitting at home with Murphy. You?
>> Heading to your house with a box of donuts.
They're all acting like I'm not eating. If I sit on my ass all day and eat, I'm going to get fat. Get me some apples and oranges. I'll accept mango and pineapple but that's besides the point.
>> Door is unlocked
"Piss off Aaron?" He came through the door. I heard his sneakers hit the closet door and he mumbled something.
"Yeah, why?"
"He just about took off my front bumper when I was turning onto your road." He opened the box and let me grab a few deep friend pieces of heaven before putting them in the kitchen. "Want to share what happened?"
"I pissed him off and he said he was leaving and I decided it would be a good time to be like 'I smell her perfume'." I took a bite of one of the donuts on my plate, "Then he told me he wishes I wasn't so stubborn. Then I told him he probably just wants me to lay back and have sex without being you know, opinionated and what not."
"How many people have you pissed off this week?" He laughed and sat down next to me. I carefully placed my broken leg across his lap, getting comfortable.
"Uhh let me see." I started counting on my fingers, "Six? I think. Patrick just kinda laughed at me when I yelled at him. Apparently a girl with a broken leg doesn't scare him."
"You still scare me." He snuck one of the donuts from me. "I think if you wanted to hurt me bad enough you could get the job done."
"I probably could."
"So you've just been sitting here for a few days?"
I nodded, chewing at the inside of my cheek. "Yep. It's been pretty boring. We should go for a ride though."
"Horses?" His eyes widened, worried that he was going to have to fight me on it. And my goodness, were they beautiful.
"Four wheeler." I can drive, I just don't want to walk my happy ass out to the garage.
"Are you sure you can?"
"I'm not going on a hike, it's a four wheeler, Matt. I just need you to carry me out there and grab the helmets." He seemed hesitant to this, but I finally convinced him. "Come on. It's not like I'm trying to get you to give me a sponge bath, but I'm guessing you'd be more excited to do that."
"I just don't think it's a good idea." He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. I was actually surprised he wasn't wearing a hat.
"It won't be long. I'll show you some of our property."
"Fine." He stood up and waited for me to set everything down, allowing him to pick me up and bring me out to the garage. Matt set me down and went over to the shelf with our helmets.
"Let me guess, yours is the pink one."
"Nope. Mine is orange. Don't you know me at all?"
"Right. Should have known." He laughed and handed me the head protection we would be needing.
I ripped out of the garage and took the road that took us to the pond. It wasn't mine and I couldn't swim in it, but I could stick one of my legs in there. Instead of going the way I would have on horseback, I took the road to Clint's house.
"Maggie," his mother greeted us.
"Hi Dana." I stopped and took off my helmet, re-braiding my hair as I talked to her.
"I'm so glad you're okay. We've been meaning to come by, but something's going on with our fences."
"Oh, that's fine. I know how that is." A little too well, actually. "Clint has been over a lot. Thanks for the lasagna though." It was a well known fact that Dana made the best lasagna in Colorado.
"Should you be out riding the four wheeler?" She eyed me suspiciously.
"Yeah, probably not. But I'm being safe!" I slipped the helmet back over my head.
"Uh huh. Just going down to the pond?"
"Yep."
"Holler if you need anything. Have fun you two!" She smiled as I drove down her driveway and turned onto the path that would lead us right where we wanted to go.
Matt had to help me off and bring me to the dock. I could really get used to getting carried around by an attractive hockey player. I mean, what girl didn't want someone like Matt waiting on her hand and foot?
A dumb one, that's who.
We sat in silence for a while, which was nice. I always loved coming out here to think or swim while I was alone.
"Was staying worse than leaving?" Matt finally asked. I took a deep breath, not knowing how to answer. To be honest, I was suprised he remembered I sang that song at the bar. I didn't even remember until now.
"It wasn't for a while. After we had our the fight, he kind of manned up and was there for me." I leaned back on my elbows, looking up at the sky. "I guess when I started being a bitch, he needed some sort of outlet so he started going back to her. So yeah, I guess in the end staying is worse than leaving. Which is what I'm doing as soon as I won't kill him when I see him. I just hope it's a blessing, not a curse."
He didn't say anything and when I looked at him, he had a blank expression. That's what bothered me, or maybe it's what kept me so interested in Matt. I never could quite figure him out. It was the complete opposite with Aaron. I knew everything about him and could read him like a book. That's why I stuck around so long. He was safe. Whatever was going on with Matt scared the shit out of me.
When we got back to the house, the hockey player was pissed at me. I don't know why. I thought I was being pretty nice, honestly. He stormed into my house to grab his things, leaving me to hop inside as quick as I could after him.
"Matt, what the fuck is your problem?" I yelled. I was not having another guy walk out while I wanted to scream again today.
"You keep saying you're going to leave him but you never do, Maggie. Even if you did, how do I know you won't go running back when things get rough between us? I have no idea what the hell goes on in your head and you won't give me any insight, at all. Communication is what makes relationships work." He went off for a while. I guess I deserved it, but damn. That hurt.
He also went out the door without another word. Soon, I couldn't breathe. I bent over, trying to catch my breath. That's when the tears came. I knew I shouldn't be crying over him, but I was and there was no stopping it. I felt like such an idiot.
I had no idea that my family was in the house, including my mom and Patrick. They all looked on as I broke down, falling to the floor. My mom rushed over to me to make sure I was okay.
"Go away." I pushed her hand away as I started crying harder. "Leave me alone."
They all went outside and left me be. That's when I realized I was the girl that Eli Young Band sang about. I ran away from Matt every chance I got, but he still wanted me. I wanted to stop running, but it just became the normal thing when something wasn't in my comfort zone. That's why I always went back to Aaron.
Eventually, I got the strength to make it to my room and crawl in bed. I heard my family come home and someone checked in on me, but I acted like I was sleeping. I started getting a few texts from people, wondering how I was. I read them, but never replied. That really pissed off the people with iphones.
I got up and hobbled to the kitchen, tossing my phone in the closet on the way out. Jared and Clint were watching some horrible scary movie in the living room. I walked past right in time to see a girl get decapitated.
"Gross," I cringed and did a shoulder roll. Sometimes that's necessary.
"You're gross." Clint laughed. I slowly walked over to the recliner and sat on his lap, blocking the screen. "Get off me, brat."
"No. You're an ass, so you don't get to watch the movie." He immediately put his hands underneath my shirt and started tickling my back. I tried to not be fazed by it, but he got to me. "Alright, alright. Stop. I'll get off you."
"Use your damn crutches, Maggie." My brother yelled as I hopped to the kitchen.
"I lost them."
"Like hell you did."
Okay, I didn't. But they were hurting my arms so I decided to just hop. I tried getting a glass from the cupboard, but it was too far back.
"Let me get that for you." Clint reached over the top of me, grabbing what I needed.
"Uh thanks." I mumbled. Something was different about him. It was like senior year of high school again.
I turned around and he was still close to me. I swallowed, looking into his dark brown eyes. I knew that look. It had gotten me in trouble before, but it wouldn't tonight.
"Can I get some water or are you going to look at me like I'm a piece of meat for a few more minutes?" I snapped.
"You know that what we had was good." He backed up, letting me go to the fridge.
"Yeah, but I've had better since then." It hurt to think of that night with Matt, but damn. It was nothing short of amazing. "Clint, I liked the fact that we could keep a conversation even though we've seen each other naked and I'd like to keep it that way."
"Fair enough." He laughed and just like that, everything was back to normal. I wish all guys were like that.

Notes