Through A Different Lens {Marina/Maya & Carina}

A Pessimistic Backfire (Chapter 19)

Although it was hours after the call, the moments still threaded through Maya's head, and they didn't thread lightly. She could still see the car tires rolling in the opposite direction, the sound of its metal frame crushing as it barrelled down the mountain, mixing with the sound of the helicopter drawing closer. The vision stained behind her eyes, playing whenever the area around her grew in an eerie silence. 

She shook her head, trying to distance her previous shift from the apartment she was about to walk into. Her keys clattering against the handle echoed through the hallway, sounding her return to Carina who sat on the couch in the living room.

As Maya walked in, shoulders slouched and posture wavered, the comforting aroma surrounded her. The orange glow from the lamps that littered the apartment put Maya at ease. “Hey” Carina voiced, smiling at the blonde whilst leaning over the back of the sofa.

“Hey” Her greeting was followed by Maya suddenly dropping her backpack to the floor and lazily strolling into the kitchen, not taking a moment to hesitate before pulling the forty seven percent bourbon out of its brown bag and placing it on the kitchen island.

Carina subtly watched, she wasn't sure what Maya was doing at first, but as the drained look on Maya's face accompanied her actions of pouring a glass of bourbon, Carina grew apprehensive. 

“I take it Logan took your future preference, literally” Carina muttered as Maya took a sip of the burning liquid, not taking the moment to consider the fact that she had a shift tomorrow. 

“Yup” Maya hissed between her teeth at the stronger tasting liquor, the burn settling from her tongue down her throat, leaving a smoky aftertaste. She tightened the cap on the bottle before walking towards Carina, unenthusiastically plopping down beside her on the couch and holding the glass of bourbon in her lap, rimming the top of it with her index finger.

“Are you okay?” Carina worryingly asked, concerned at the blondes spur of drinking. She took the moment to push the strand of Maya's hair that had come loose from her ponytail and place it behind her ear.

Maya sharply inhaled, the feeling of Carina's light fingers against her cheek, now blurring the prominent vision behind her eyes. “Tough call” She exhaled, rolling her head to face the brunette that sat with her body facing her. Her arm draped on the back of the couch where she could twirl the blonde locks around her fingers.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Maya bit her bottom lip, savouring the taste of the liquor that still lingered from her previous sip.

“We were called to a location, a dangerous road bend on a mountainside” She stopped for a second, bringing the glass to her lips, taking a sip of bourbon and letting it simmer before swallowing it back. “We've been there before and it's the second time an accident had occurred because they didn't replace the warning sign- I told them to, but, they didn't listen” She sighed, Carina now seeing the slight lingering guilt behind her girlfriend's eyes. “Anyway, a car crashed against the guard rails and when the vic woke up, it became unstable and the car just-” Maya mimicked the car falling with her unaccompanied hand.

“It's not your fault, if that's what you're thinking,” Carina added, trailing the edge of Maya's jaw with the backs of her fingers. “Sometimes things just happen. Not everything can be prevented, bambina” She assured, now pulling her hand away to brace her head up, her elbow bent as she kept a gazing look on Maya, who looked equally drained. 

“I know, it's just not something I wanted to happen” Maya now rolled her head on her shoulder, directing her eyes to Carina’s, captivated by the gold streak that she most adored.

“I'd be concerned if it was something you wanted to happen” Carina offered a smile, hoping to lighten Maya's mood. “Not wanting that to happen is what makes you amazing at what you do, my love” Softening her tone, Carina also gazed admiringly in Maya's eyes, the blue flooding her senses, sending waves down her spine.