Blood Allies (Sequel of Racer's Heart)

My Own Summer

"Hey Maia, you, okay?"

The teenager looked up from her study book to see her roommate, Emma, enter the room.

"Hey Emma," Maia waved. Suddenly her phone vibrated on the desk. Picking it up she glanced at it. Jacob had texted her.

Maia, you, okay? I didn't mean to upset you, I...I just didn't want to lose you.

—Jacob

Well, you're not in charge of me. Stop trying to control me! Shaking her head, Maia picked up her phone and threw it across the room so that it hit her bed.

Emma's eyes widened. She walked over and picked up the phone from where it had fallen. She handed the phone back to Maia. "Um, do you want me to call an ambulance?"

"If it will help with the problems back home? Sure." Running her hands through her auburn hair, Maia sighed. She just had it cut and done this past winter. Now it was straight, falling an inch or two above her shoulder and curving in. Wonder if Jacob will be made that I change that too. She rolled her eyes.

"Anything I can help with?" Ever the awesome kind roommate, Emma plopped herself down on her bed.

Maia sighed heavily, "It's just my boyfriend...."

Emma raised an eyebrow, "Jacob?"

Maia nodded. "Yeah, he...." she chewed her lip. "Well he's just not happy that I am taking the internship this summer. He thinks I should go back home for the summer and that I am making a big mistake by staying."

Emma scoffed, "Is that all? He's just a boy being dominant," she grinned slyly, "He probably thinks you'll meet some cute guy and then dump him."

"Emma!" Although she was scolding in voice, Maia could not help smiling at her friend's jest. Emma always knew how to make her smile. "I would ne-"

"Honestly, Maia," the teenager pulled her legs up on the bed and sat cross-legged. "Don't let him stop you-he's a boy you met in high school who's now attending community college; you're a college university student now-he doesn't get to make the decisions for you," she paused for a moment and then finally shrugged. "You need to do what you think is best; he's not living your life for you; you should live your own life."

Live my own life. Maia frowned thoughtfully. That was what she was after-had been after. She had longed to race for years and then won her first race early the past summer. Now she was in college-what did she want?

Her heart was aching at the pain her decision would cause her father and boyfriend-Jacob, but she knew what decision she was going to make.

"You're right Emma," Maia nodded, resolutely. "I am the one that should be choosing how I live my life-not Jacob, not my dad," she ran her hand down her face. "Not that it makes it any easier."

"You'll be fine," With a grin, Emma tossed a pillow at the teenager playfully. "Plus if Jacob doesn't work out, I'm sure you'll meet many boys-especially at KSI. IT tech boys are always the hot ones."

"Emma!" Laughing, Maia picked up the pillow Emma had tossed at her and threw it back at the girl, hitting her straight in the face.

"You've got good aim," Emma smirked, "but how are your reflexes?" She raised the pillow up and randomly threw it at Maia's head. The girl ducked and the pillow bonked into her phone, knocking it into the ground.

"Shoot! Sorry!" Hastily, Emma apologized.

"It's okay," Bending over, Maia picked up the phone. At that moment it vibrated in her hand-another message from Jacob. She sighed.

"Here, give me the phone," Before Maia could react, Emma swiped it out of her hand and began typing on it as she walked back over to her bed.

Maia's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

"Blocking him," the girl explained matter-of-factly. Noting Maia's horrified expression, she added. "You need your summer to yourself-you don't need any distractions, especially an angry childhood boyfriend; you should be focusing on your internship." She threw the phone back to Maia and the teenager leapt up and caught it.

"Huh," Maia was thoughtful as she turned the phones over in her hand. "My own summer," she grinned up at Emma. "I like the sound of that."