As he rushed his way upstairs, he called out to her “Corina! Corina! Where are you?” He ran along the corridor until could hear a faint sound of sniffling coming from his bedroom. Gently, he knocked on the door “Corina, you there?”

“Go Away!” She cried out through the door.

“Corina, it’s me” He tried again “It’s Maddox, can I come in?”

“Hmmm...” She seemed to think about it for a second before calling to him “If it’s you... Ok”

“Thank you.” He gently pushed the door open, revealing Corina bundled in a ball at the corner of his bed, clutching hold to his pillow tightly to her chest. “I don’t know wha...” As he began, he was quickly cut off by her damp voice.

“Why does she hate me so much?” Corina looked up at him with sad eyes.

“I’m sure she doesn’t hate y...”

“She does!” She shouted, frustrated “Why would she yell at me! I was just worried...” Her voice faltered as she dug herself deeper into the pillow.

“I know you were, I’m not sure what’s wrong with her” He admitted “but I'm sure she doesn’t hate you”

“I thought, I could finally have some friends” her face now buried, hidden behind the cushion. “I thought maybe I wouldn’t be alone anymore...”

Maddox walked calmly towards her, as she peeped up towards him though the tear-soaked pillow. “It must have been tough? Being alone”

She dually nodded “I hate it! All it’s ever been is myself...”

He knew the feeling all too well, if it hadn’t been for Daisy and Koru, he wasn’t sure he would have made it this far. All she had was her father for all this time, no one to talk to, just trapped in her own thoughts, it must have been horrible. “Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore ok? I’m your friend, and I’m sure Daisy will come around!”

“Really?” Her face slowly rose above the pillow.

“Hmm” He nodded “Really, I’ll just head back down now and speak to her, then all three of us can be friends!” As he turned to head down stairs, he could feel a slight tugging of his jacket. “What is it?”

“Can you... please... Hold me... Just a little?” She shuffled her shoulders awkwardly as she hid behind the pillow once more.

“You sure?” He felt bad for leaving her, but he was sure she’d be ok. He really needed to speak to Daisy.

However, she nodded shyly, blushing “I just feel safe around you.”

“You hardly know me”

“Doesn’t matter” She shook her head this time, the pillow following her “when you’re around, I feel like all this pain, it just goes away, if just a little”

“Fine” He brought himself closer towards her, wrapping his arms tightly around her chest as he placed his hand to the back of her head “It’ll all be ok, just leave things to me, ok?”

“Mmm Hmm” He could feel her hair rustling along his neck as she nodded. She may have been this mature beauty on the outside, but inside she was still a kid. As he held onto her, he felt his legs stumble back a little, as if something had added pressure to them. Stumbling back, Corina placed herself on top of him, his arm’ sliding to around her waist. Her eyes reflected in his as she starred into his deep Sapphires.

“Maddox” she stuttered.

“Corina?”

Slowly she brought her face closer towards him, her hand placed against his head as her lips carefully pursed, time stood still as she gently closed her eyes. Without delay, his arms pulled her in tighter, he really felt a connection with her, as he clumsily closed his eyes...

*SLAM*

The door crashed open to the sight of Daisy, standing a few feet away. “So this is w...” Her voice hesitated at the sight of a shocked Maddox turning, staring back towards her, Corina ungraciously placed on top of him. “Y... Y... Y...” She couldn’t muster the words as she sprinted out of the room, her tears glistening as she disappeared out of sight.

“Daisy wait!” He called to her with no reply, she had already gone. As he went to stumble upwards, he felt a strong grip tighten around his chest. Corina was now clinging to his back where she had been thrown off his chest.

‘Please... Wait...!” Corina pleaded as she hung firmly to him.

“Corina...” He turned, staring back into her eyes.

“You don’t need to go after her...” Her eyes faltered as she stared at the floor, avoiding his gaze.

“Corina what are you saying? Of course I do! She’s my dear friend... I’d do the same for you!”

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“But...” she stuttered as she continued to look away.

“Corina please let go, I need to go before I lose her!” He pleaded with her.

Her eyes began to swell again, her grip strengthened still “But... But...”

“I promise I’ll come back as soon as I find her ok? Then all three of us can be friends like you wanted” He hit her with a hopefully smile, but that wasn’t what she wanted at all. “So please, let go...” Little by little her grip loosened as her arms fell to the ground. “Promise, I’ll be back soon!” Quickly he stumbled to his feet as he attempted to follow Daisy’s tracks, Corina sat hopelessly on the floor, her eyes shaking and filled with tears.

“I was so close...” She slammed her fist against the floorboards. “I swear I will make you mine!” Her tears had disappeared, what took their place was seething look of determination.

As he clambered down the stairs, he rushed past Angus, still sat diligently at the dinner table. “Old man!” He called out, grabbing his attention as he slowly looked up from his plate. “Did you see which way Daisy went!”

He nodded solemnly as he pointed towards the door “She went that way, heading towards the gate...”

“Thank you!” He called as he sprinted past and out the door, running down the dirt track as he headed toward the forest once more. As he ran past the fence surrounding the farm he called aloud “Daisy!! Daisy where are you!!” no response.

He delved deeper into the forest, no luck. Even with the added senses of his dragon eyes and ears, he couldn’t find any trace of her. “Dammit!” He planted his fist into the closest tree, bruising his knuckles as the tree stood firm. “Fuck!” He shuck his hand in pain as he continued to call for her “Daisy!!... Where are you...” His voice trailed off as he walked through the dense woods. Guilt weighed on his conscience as he drifted between the trees, he never wanted to see her face like that again... What was worse was that he caused her to look like that, it may have not been intentional, but his actions caused her a lot of pain, he really needed to find her, he needed to explain to her what happened.

The sun had disappeared from the sky, but he continued to search. His body began to weigh heavy, it had been a long day and his muscles were screaming at this point, not that he could feel them, his mind solely focused on finding Daisy. He headed back towards the farm and went to search the parameter, perhaps she hadn’t run far after all, at least he hoped. Eventually he found his way to the gate he had crossed and turned right, heading around the farm. As he continued along the fence, he noticed a large tree that had fallen amongst the woodland, from beside it he could hear a faint sound. As he walked closer, the sound became more distinct, it was sobbing. He walked closer towards its fallen bark, treading lightly until he was standing almost over it. It was too tall to peer over, but the sound her could hear was definitely crying, as he made his way around, he peaked around the corner. There, crumpled against its rotting wood was a girl, her face red and glistening, no doubt, it was Daisy.

He went to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out, what could he say to her. As he took a step back to behind the tree, the snap of a branch under his feet caught her attention.

“Whose there!” She called out.

Shit! Ran through his mind, he wasn’t prepared to speak to her but he had no choice now. He appeared, stiffly, from behind the tree. Waving a single, short wave in her direction “H...Hey” he stammered.

“You...” She looked at him as tears welled up, sharply turned away. “Why did you have to come... Go Away!”

Slowly he made his way towards her. “Everyone's worried Daisy, I don’t know what’s going on but...”

“Exactly!” She screamed as she turned towards him “You don’t know what’s going on! Even if I told you, you wouldn’t believe me!”

“Just tell me, please!” He begged.

Hesitantly, she whispered her answer. “Corina...”

“What?”

“Corina!" She said loudly "She’s not who she appears to be...” Her voice trailed off, she knew she had to tell him, but would he believe her?

“What are you talking about?" He said, confused "I don’t know what vendetta you have against her but you need to stop!”

“This is what I was talking about!” Her voice was breaking as she continued to yell. “Why would you believe me?! Your childhood-friend! Even Angus knows she has a problem! You’re the only one who doesn’t seem to realise!”

“Daisy, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but making all these lies up about her isn’t very you...” His voice was condemning, how could she continue to say things like this, even now.

“I’m not lying!!” She pleaded with him as her tears surged. “Please believe me!! She’s nothing but bad news Maddox! Please!”

“She’s worried about you as well" He reiterated, annoyed at her accusations. "Please come back so we can sort things out between you two!”

“God! Why are you so dense!” Her hands flailing around in frustration. “Why am I surprised! I mean you two were ki...ki...kissing and stuff...” Her face grew red as she turned away from him.

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Everything! She’s trying to split us up Maddox! Too keep you to herself! You can’t trust her!”

He let out a deep sigh. “Daisy, let’s go back, we can resolve all this, I’m sure your just misunderstanding things...”

“Why is it I’m the one misunderstanding things! You really don’t believe me! Why? After everything, why are you choosing now to not believe me!”

“Because I think she’s a nice girl that’s why!” He roared back, tired of listening to her callous rumours “She reminds me of a me a little, I know what it’s like to be misunderstood and to be left alone! I thought you understood too!”

“Has she really got you that fooled...” A sad look of realisation crept over her face.

“I think you’re the one whose got the wrong idea Daisy”

She was beyond breaking point, she’d had enough, she did everything she could for him, yet he still wouldn’t believe her. “I’m going home... I can’t take this anymore...”

“Wait what?” His face contorted in surprise. “Don’t say that! You don’t know what’ll happen if you go back!”

“It can’t be more painful than watching you fawn all over her, knowing she's lying to you... I’m going.” Her voice matched her expression as she walked past him, lifeless.

“Daisy wait!” He called after her “IF! And only if I choose to believe you, how could you prove she’s this vicious liar you’re painting her to be?”

“If I showed you, would you really believe me?” Her eye's began to sparkle with life once more, maybe there was still hope.

“If you could show me how could I not?”

“Really?”

“Really.”

She ran the short distance between them, collapsing to her knees and holding him tightly at his midriff. “Thank you!” Tears streaming “Thank you for believing me! I’ll show you! I’ll keep you safe!”

He felt bad lying to her, but he knew the quicker she could see the Corina he saw, he hoped they’d be able to patch things up and all three of them would be able to get along. Offering a hand to help her up, she accepted as she wiped a tear from her eye. As she stood, the a small smear of hope remained, she smiled once more as the pair heded back towards the farm.