The Book of Willow- Princess of the West

21.

"Hey, have you seen Maia? I've hardly seen her today," Miles asked as he approached Chance. 

Chance stuffed his textbooks into his locker then swung the door shut as he considered Miles' words. He was right. She'd gone ghost. She hardly had a presence today. As if she purposefully evaded them. He caught a glimpse of her when rode to school with her parents in the morning. Then she vanished into the crowd throughout the day. She even managed to dodge them at lunch. 

The last bell rang overhead. She hadn't even returned to her locker to put her books up. He wondered silently if she avoided them because of what happened last night. He could hardly feel her anymore, nor could he hear her thoughts. She was there but only faintly hovering at the edge of his mind. Something changed. 

"I think I saw her earlier," Chance murmured. He couldn't look Miles in the eye not after what he'd done with Maia. 

He knew his brother's feelings for her, despite his futile attempt at hiding it. But it was as if Chance couldn't help himself. He wanted her so badly that he languished in the feeling. Longing tortured him like a beast tugging at his chains knowing his goal was within reach yet still unattainable. If he made Maia his, it would tear his world apart. He knew it but wanted her still. 

"Did she asked about me?" Miles' pressed for answers. Stuffing his hands into his pockets nervously. 

Chance could see the immense strain Miles was under. He wasn't taking separation from Maia well. Neither was he, but they both needed to give her space. He recalled the conversation he had with her parents. He'd honor their wishes and ensure that Miles did too. Still, it wasn't easy keeping a secret this big from his brother. Miles was far too perceptive.

"Yeah," Chance smiled turning toward him, "I believe her exact words were 'what can I do to get him to leave me alone?'" He chuckled, in a vain attempt to lighten the mood. 

"This is serious, Chance," Miles fumed, "I think something is really wrong. She won't even answer my texts." 

A prisoner of conscience, Chance hung his head remorsefully. "Miles, maybe she doesn't want to talk. Sometimes, people need space."

"Chance, I know we haven't been friends for a long time but I know Maia. Something is wrong. And I'm not going to let her deal with this alone. I'll see you after practice." Miles left him standing alone at his locker. 

He stood frozen for sometime after Miles had gone and long after the halls cleared, struggling with indecision. Should he tell Miles or not? If he told him, it would certainly ease his pain but if he did that he'd be violating Maia's trust. Most importantly, he could forever destroy his relationship with his brother, his best friend.

He slammed his fist hard against the locker, the metal crumpling inward. Paralyzed by irresolution and impotence, Chance was helpless. His father always told him if you don't choose then life would choose for you. He decided to tell Miles the truth. It was far better than the alternative. 

He stepped quickly down the hallway, hoping to catch Miles. When a voice compelled him to go to the parking lot. Uncertain at what he'd find, Chance followed. He found Maia curled into a ball at the edge of the sidewalk. 

She sat absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. She wore a parka, with the hood pulled over her head and zipped up to her chin. Chance chuckled. It was only forty degrees. The cold was like Maia's kryptonite. 

"Maia," He called to her. She looked up at him. Her blue eyes had more darkness than any brown eyes he'd ever seen.

"What do you want, Chump?"She grumbled returning her focus to her phone.

"Miles is losing his shit. You need to stop avoiding him and we need to tell him."  Chance clenched his fists as he spoke. He focused on consciously forcing his body to relax, knowing the kind of influence he had on Maia. 

Maia squared her shoulders and sighed, "What exactly should we tell him Chance? How we nearly hooked up or what happened after?" 

"You...you guys... hooked up?" A small voice asked from behind Chance. 

Maia's eyes darted to Chance. The look on his face mirrored in her thoughts, 'Oh shit!' He threw a hand up to cover his face as shame washed over his features. Miles now knew the dirty secret they were trying to keep. 

Miles stood mute. His messenger bag slipping off his shoulder to the ground. He stared blankly in their direction. Maia could feel the pain flowing from him. She felt it just as deeply.

She stood, pushing past Chance to Miles, and clasped his hand in her own. He felt cold and distant. She just hoped that she hadn't ruined their friendship.  "Miles, listen, you don't understand what happened-" 

"What don't I understand!" He shouted yanking his arm away from her. His head shook gently in disbelief. Shaken, Miles turned to storm away. 

"Miles, wait!" Chance shouted.

"Fuck you, Chance! You knew how I felt about her." He stopped and turned to Maia who continued to pursue him. "What's worse is I told you how I felt about you. You could've just told me you wanted my brother, not me!" 

"Miles, please that's not it," She begged, clinging to his sleeve as he continued walking away.

He stopped again grabbing her wrist hauling her to him, "Maia, I've watched you give yourself to people in bits and pieces, never wanting anyone to really know who you are. But I've already seen the whole picture. The good shit and the bad, I know them both and stood by you anyway. And what I know right now is that you are fucking lying to me!" 

Tears spilled from the corners of Maia's eyes, "Miles, I'm sorry." 

"I don't give a fuck if you're sorry," He repeated. He pulled her to him, crushing her against him. She didn't fight him when he brought her mouth to his. 

"Do you even know...?" He drew back for an instant, his eyebrows knit together. "Do you know what it's like around you? I can't...I just can't" He ran one hand through his shaggy hair and stared at her. 

"Maia, I've wanted you from the moment I saw you. I can't breathe when you're around. God help me but your fucking needs have become more important to me than my own!" He shouted. She stared back breathless and flushed from his kiss. 

'Please, tell him. Tell him to stay' her conscience whispered. She felt the distance between them growing. Pulling her heart from her ribs rendering her speechless. 'Tell him that he is your peace. Tell him that his laugh is the secret of your happiness and that if he leaves everything will be hindered. That you'll be nothing but a lifeless shell without him.'

But she said nothing and only watched with incredulity as Miles walked away.