Maia

31

Word Count: 1370

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MAIA'S POV

Rawiri steps out of the room and heading off to find the guys so we can have a chat. As the door closes behind him, a wave of anxiety washes over me. I feel more nervous than ever, a tight knot forming in my stomach. The gritty sand clings to my skin, making me even more uncomfortable.

I decide that a shower is exactly what I need to clear my mind and refresh myself. I make my way to the bathroom, the cool air hitting my skin as I walk. I quickly turn on the shower and let the warm water wash away the remnants of the day. After a soothing rinse, I reach for a fresh change of clothes, feeling the soft fabric against my skin. I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts and preparing myself to face everyone.

I took a deep breath as I slowly and cautiously stepped out of my room, my heart pounding loudly in my chest. Every sound felt amplified, and I could hear the soft creaking of the floorboards beneath my feet as I made my way downstairs. When I reached the bottom, I looked up to see Rawiri waiting for me, his expression unreadable.

As I met his gaze, a wave of nervousness washed over me. I could feel tiny beads of sweat starting to seep through my freshly cleaned skin, making me acutely aware of how exposed I felt in that moment. "Ready?" he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle. Internally, I shook my head in protest; I wasn't ready at all—far from it. But even as those thoughts swirled in my mind, I nodded in response, convincing myself to play along.

Rawiri reached for my hand, his grip soft and cautious, as if he were afraid I might flinch at any moment. Despite his gentle approach, I still felt a tight knot of discomfort in my stomach. After all, just yesterday, he had wished I would leave and had tormented me in ways that lingered painfully in my memory. Now, standing there with him, it felt like he was trying to be nice, but deep down, I sensed it was tinged with pity—something I despised. I hated feeling like a charity case, a subject of sympathy rather than a person.

I kept my hand in Rawiri's, but I still maintained a sense of distance as we stepped into the living room, where all our brothers were gathered. The atmosphere felt tense, heavy with unspoken questions. As soon as I entered, I caught Lorenzo's gaze flickering to our intertwined hands, and a look of confusion washed over his face. Even he seemed unsettled by Rawiri's unusual behaviour.

Feeling a surge of anxiety, I reluctantly pulled my hand away from Rawiri's and wiped my palms against my pants, trying to erase the lingering clammyness. My back and ribs still throbbed faintly, a reminder of the conversation about to happen, and the cut on my stomach burned sharply. The sting of seawater, mingling with my wounds, was uncomfortable, but I made a conscious effort to hide my discomfort from everyone.

I glanced at Rawiri, searching for reassurance, then turned my gaze to my other brothers, who were watching the scene unfold with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. My heart raced as I realised the gravity of the moment. This was it. This was where I would lose my family for the second time, a fear that gripped me tightly as I braced for the impending confrontation.

"I, um... I wanted to share something important," I stammered, my heart racing and fear coursing through my veins like ice. I couldn't do this; it was too hard. "You got this, Maia," Rawiri whispered encouragingly beside me, offering a flicker of reassurance. Taking a deep breath, I felt the air fill my lungs, grounding me for a moment, and I nodded to him, though doubts lingered in my mind. It had already taken everything in me to confide in him, and even then, I had left so much unsaid. How could I possibly reveal all of this to all five of them, especially when my own emotions felt so tangled and raw?

"I wanted to talk about my upbringing with Mama and Jacob," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper. I felt a mix of trepidation and vulnerability as I spoke. Alessandro's shoulders tensed, a stern yet encouraging look flickering across his face as if he was bracing himself for what was to come. Lorenzo raised his brows, his curiosity piqued, while Wiremu offered me a gentle, empathetic gaze, silently assuring me that I was safe to share my story. Giovanni, sitting across from me, appeared confused but nodded in support, urging me to continue with his eyes. The atmosphere grew heavy with anticipation, and I knew it was time to open up about the past.

"When I was young, around six years old I think, Mama and I moved into a small motel on the outskirts of town. Despite the dirty rooms and the unsettling atmosphere, I always felt a sense of security when my mom was around. She had a way of making even the scariest situations feel manageable with her warm smile and reassuring words." I trailed off, watching as the boys nodded, which prompted me to continue sharing my story.

"Soon we moved into a small flat that was cramped but cozy, and I could feel it beginning to resemble a home," I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper. I glanced around and noticed some of their faces scrunching up in distaste at the word 'home,' as if it were a bitter taste they couldn't quite swallow. They firmly believed my home was here and that it always had been.

"Until Mama met Jacob..." I trailed off nervously, my words hanging in the air, as I caught sight of Rawiri's expression turning extremely sour, a mix of concern and disapproval etched across his features.

"It was fine for a little while... until it wasn't," I mumbled nervously, my palms slick with sweat as I clenched them tightly. I could feel the sharpness of my nails digging into my skin, a small pain that grounded me in the moment. "We soon moved in with him, and he... well, he..." My voice faltered as I felt a tear slip down my cheek, the heaviness in my chest making it hard to breathe. This was so hard to talk about. The memories flooded back, each one more difficult than the last, and it felt like I was dragging a weight behind me, struggling to find the words.

"He... um... got Mama into drugs, and before long, they both... well, they became violent." I trailed off, trying to find the right words without breaking down. The memories flooded back, heavy and painful. "They used to hit me," I whispered, my voice trembling as I avoided eye contact, fearing how my brother might react to the truth of our past. I could still remember the sharp sting of their blows and the chaos that filled our home as their addiction spiralled out of control.

A loud sound echoed throughout the living room, and I looked up to see Lorenzo punching the wall. A large fist-sized hole had appeared, and he was fuming. He turned to Rawiri, exclaiming, "You knew about this, didn't you? That's why you ran away! Instead of telling us or helping her, you just ran!" His voice was loud as he took big strides toward Rawiri, who was positioned near me. I shook in fear.

Lorenzo's expression shifted to one similar to Jacob's, and I felt a chill of terror. "Lorenzo, calm down; you're scaring her," Alessandro said, looking equally angry but eerily calm. He jumped up and stood between Lorenzo and Rawiri, trying to de-escalate the situation.

Lorenzo paused and turned to me. A look of fear crossed his features, and he said, "Maia, I'm sorry... I didn't—" But I didn't say anything. I just turned around and ran. I rushed to my room, too scared to confront him or the others. He had the same look as Jacob when he was angry, and nothing terrified me more than that.

A/N : I live for drama so I had to make this a dramatic scene, like miss girl can't catch a break... and because I love all things dramatic I'm tempted to kill off a character... not sure which one or if I should but... the possibility is there :)