Stephen POV
I completely ignored Tiffany's words. No matter what she said or did, my mind was fixed on Maddie. She was outside, sitting in the sun next to Sandy, laughing about something only the two of them understood. The day was perfect, with clear skies and a light breeze that carried the smell of freshly cut grass.
I took a deep breath and approached. My heart was beating fast, but I tried to hide it.
"Hi girls, how are you?" I asked, trying to sound as calm as possible.
Maddie looked at me, smiling. "Hi, Stephen! We're fine, and how are you?" She replied, trying to be nice to me but totally focused on Dereck.
"I'm fine too. Maddie, you've been so missing today. What happened?" I asked with a worried look in her direction.
"She's been busy thinking about her brother," Sandy rep
