Her breath caught. Apologize? Maddie blinked, her tears spilling over as she stared at Rico. Did he truly believe she was the one at fault? Did he even care about what had happened?
It was Jane who had bumped into her on purpose. Maddie bit her lip, swallowing her retort. This wasn’t the Rico she had grown up with—the boy who had once fought off bullies for her, who had promised to always protect her.
Her tears dripped onto her injured foot, mingling with the blood seeping from the cut. The pain was unbearable, but not nearly as deep as the ache in her chest.
***
Rico’s frown deepened as he glanced at Maddie crouching on the floor. “Maddie, did you hear me? I told you to apologize!”
But before Maddie could muster a response, Jane tugged on Rico’s arm, her pout firmly in place.
“Rico, don’t be so hard on her,” she said in a singsong voice. “She’s been cooking for you all morning, after all. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.”
Jane led him out of the kitchen, turning back to cast Maddie a victorious smirk.
“Go eat, Rico,” Jane cooed. “You’ll need your strength for that interview later.”