Maddie POV
As soon as I closed the door behind me, I felt the weight of the entire day fall onto my shoulders. My chest was still tight, and even though I tried to push away thoughts of Dereck and Stephen, it was impossible. I walked up the stairs slowly, trying to concentrate on just lying down and resting.
As soon as I entered the room, I saw Averie sitting in the armchair by the window, leafing through a book attentively. Her eyes lit up when she saw me.
“Hey, Maddie,” she said with a warm smile. “How was it down there? Are the boys okay?”
I faked a smile as I threw myself onto the bed. “It was…complicated.”
She raised an eyebrow, curious, but didn't insist. Averie had a calm energy, something that made me feel comfortable having her around. It was as if, even though she was new to
