Maya (Book #3)

Chapter 21

We talked for the next hour, catching up on each other's lives. Cassie told us she had traveled to the coast with her family for Christmas but was happy to be back in town. She asked how I was then, and I wished I had a similar story. I told them I had been staying in a lot with my family, which was true.

"Have the boys been nice?" Cassie asked protectively, looking at me sympathetically.

"They can be annoying, but they're also very nice," I said with a smile, feeling guilt writhe in my stomach at the thought of my disobedience to Dominic. He loved me; he wouldn't mind. 

"How has your break been?" I asked Lucy, taking handfuls of popcorn from the bowl on the table in front of us.

"It's been great! I actually do have an update to tell you..." she said, shooting a nervous look at Cassie over my shoulder. I smiled unsurely. 

"Yeah?" I asked warily. 

"JJ!" Cassie shouted authoritatively from behind me. "Get over here!"

JJ wandered over and sat at my feet, leaning against my leg with a smile. She was definitely at least a little tipsy. I giggled and brushed the hair out of her face.

"I'm here! What's up?" she said, grinning up at Lucy. 

 "Well..." Lucy said nervously, playing with her hands. She dipped her head so low that her dark hair slipped over her ear and covered one eye. I thought that she looked like Violet from the Incredibles and was about to tell her this when she spilled her news.

"Cassie and I are dating now!" she blurted out, looking up to gauge our reactions. My jaw dropped and JJ and I looked at each other in shock.

"How did we not see this coming??" JJ said, jumping up to wrap her arms around Lucy.

I hugged Cassie and congratulated them, as my mind turned over all the little friendly actions I had seen in the past. With this new shade on them, they made perfect sense. I gave a hug to Lucy when JJ had moved and saw the light pink blush on her cheeks. 

"I'm so happy for you," I whispered to her, feeling my heart swell at the thought of them together. It was hard to feel so surrounded by badness and then have the illusion crack to let in the light. Was the world mostly bad, with the occasional good? Or was the world good, with moments of badness? I pushed the thought from my mind as we grabbed refills of our drinks. By the third cup, I was definitely feeling different. Music blared from speakers in the corners of the room, and we danced, forgetting our fears and insecurities.

I let out a laugh at the sheer joy of the feeling. I felt...unencumbered. I felt light. I felt like the world wasn't on my shoulders anymore, I was simply a part of it or an observer.

"Damn, Maya. Do you have a drinking problem I don't know about?" Magnus asked with something like fear in his eyes as he walked over. I examined them closely, making him back up.

 "I don't have a drinking problem. I have a drinking solution. And it is more drinking." I announced magnificently, raising my glass.

He looked terrified at that, so I tipped my cup to show him that it was just soda.

"Cassie cut us off for the night," I said with a smirk, nodding at Lucy and JJ who were clinking together Sprite-filled glasses as they danced. Cassie was watching nervously from the side, dancing with Lucy while watching to make sure nobody bumped into her or JJ. 

"Thank God one of you is responsible," he said with a laugh. I smiled as I realized that for once, I wasn't the person who had to be.

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A/N Lucy and Cassie up above!