Us against the world

-+<*~ Chapter 4 ~*>+-

Maya's P.O.V

 I rubbed my eyes while boarding the Maravish private jet. Due to the fact all I've been doing for the past three days was travel, you could assume I have experienced some discomfort with adjusting my sleep schedule --- and now I have to do it again. 

Jamie's hand rested on my shoulders, as if telling me to stay awake. I liked how it felt.

 We made our way inside. I dropped onto one of the seats accompanied with a groan. Ellie and Lottie sat beside one another, Jamie and I in front of their seats. Another take-off, here we go.

 Not more than 5 minutes later, we were in the skies of snowy Maradova. I had the window seat of course, nothing could inspire me more than landscapes. A loud rustling told me Ellie had gotten up from her seat. Once she came into my view, I gave her a grudged look.

"I have something to show you," She said in a sing-song voice, then threw her phone onto my lap.

 Jamie caught it in thin air, flipping it around so we could both see the screen. I cried out a high-pitched scream as soon as I saw what she had shown me.

"WHY'D YOU SHOW ME THAT." I screeched, it wasn't even a question.

She snatched the phone from Jamie's hand. "You mean THIS?" 

 It was a picture of me on my twelfth birthday, dressed in a yellow sweater with a white collar and some jeans. Although I didn't mind looking at myself so young, re-living that day was a nightmare. Edmund had destroyed the whole event and left me crying while my parents only consoled his reckless soul.

"You know that day was life-changing for me," I neglected, clutching close to the arm of her Partizan and scrunching up my face to show disgust.

Jamie raised a brow, turning his glance towards me "Really? How so?"

"First of all, it was a phase where I finally gained some style," I said, noticing a peek of Lottie's blonde hair behind my head.

"Second, it was the day I realised my parents don't really care about me, no matter what I do." I hiccuped a laugh, trying to cover up how hurt I felt after all that.

The Partizan pecked my forehead. "Third, I had received this from Jamie,"

 I giggled a bit, showing off my tiara-shaped sleek silver ring as it shimmered in the light. It was one of my most prized possessions as it signified Jamie and I's history. He had given it to me as a birthday gift while he wiped the tears off my face. 

Lottie giggled cheekily while Ellie made a hurling sound. 

"New topic, new topic, forget I showed you that if you're gonna go all 'lovey-dovey',"  Ellie gagged, pinching the bridge of her nose in disgust.

I thought about anything else we could talk about when I noticed Lottie's wolf pendant sticking out between the two leather seats. It reminded me of what I wanted to ask Jamie ever since the day we kidnapped him.

This was my chance.

"What happened to your pendant, Jamie?" I blurted out, drowning out the laughter into a painful silence.

 Jamie looked away from me, Ellie and Lottie exchanged panicked glances which only washed me in guilt of asking the question. I'm sure I had a right to know, but it might not be a good time to ask. To be fair, I knew nothing about what had happened before Jamie left for Leviathan.

"I...." Trembling, my words refused to leave my lips.

 Lottie eventually stood up, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the Maravians. The two were sat still, completely numbed, with not a slightest bit of emotion on their faces. I turned my head one final time to look at Jamie. Eyes focused on the view, he continued to halt frozen, the keen senses of his Partizan self kicked in.

"What's going on? I'm sick of being left in the dark," I snapped after Lottie locked us into the other half of the jet.

 Her lips parted in a slow motion, almost as if she were about to start explaining; but no.

Of course, not.

 Lottie's face flooded in guilt or shame, or maybe it was just an act. I highly understand the stakes of telling someone other than the royal trio their secrets and past, but I was apart of this as much as she was. I wasn't going to let this small bug from the truth slide by, I needed answers and no one was giving me any.

 Her expression fell once more.

"This isn't funny, Lottie!" I barked, startling the young girl. "Am I just a pawn in this situation? How am I supposed to contribute without knowing about anything that has happened before I arrived!? I'm not going to-"

"I know! I-" Lottie struggled, twisting a strand of her freshly cut hair. "Believe me, I know."

My gaze softened a little. I hated making her upset, none of it was her fault, she signed her life over to this family without a slight choice.

"I'm begging you," I began, lifting up her darkened face. "Lottie I can't just play a part without information, I'm sick of it."

 Her blue eyes glossed and I began feeling guilty for snapping so aggressively at the poor girl. I felt awful, but then again, I don't. I do know Lottie has absolutely no idea about Haru's escape, and I preferred to keep it like that until I eventually implode out all my secrets like I've done before.

"I desperately want to tell you, but you know I can't. Unless Jamie conquers whatever he's been haunted of, I'm not letting another word slip. I hope you understand," she rambled, but I stopped listening at the end of the first sentence.

My back found comfort against the wall "This is ridiculous."