Road Trip [#Wattys2015]

Chapter 12

I cannot remember at time I had felt more alone that I felt at that moment. I was walking around the place not sure where I wanted to go next, all I knew was that I desperately wanted to talk to Maia about what had just happened and she was not picking up. I did not only want to talk to her about Jackson, I also wanted to talk about us. This had to be cleared up.

Or avoided, the evil side of my brain added. I wish I could listen to it and be evil for once. It would be so much easier if I avoided it, if I never acted on it again but I couldn't. I run out of topics to distract myself and if I didn't buy it Maia wouldn't either. I tried to think of exactly what I would say to her on my way to the hotel room. It would be either Maia, I want to be more than friends so let's go out sometime or look, we both know relationships are a mess, especially at this age so let's stay friends for now.

Okay maybe I didn't know what I wanted; I had just kissed one of my best friends and got yelled at by the other. If there was a time to be a mess, it would be that exact moment. I walked into the hotel room and got a greeting wave by Sidney. I knew I should be more worried about her right now but she was honestly the last thing on my mind. I could cancel the date but I couldn't cancel my friendship.

I scanned around the place for Maia. She was not in our room but the note had been read which could mean two things, she either came to find us or gone downstairs to have breakfast. I started walking downstairs hoping it would be the second one. I didn't feel like leaving the hotel room again. My stomach was howling and my energy was running low and that wasn't even the worst thing about this day. As I got in the breakfast room there was nobody in than a few assistants cleaning it up. "Sorry sir. Breakfast is not served after twelve." I short woman told me as I tried to go in the room. I just gave her a nod and left. Was it after twelve? I hadn't even noticed the time, which was very unusual for me.

As I was about to leave the hotel I noticed Maia sitting on a bench in the garden with her phone pressed against her ear. She looked very invested in the conversation she was having and even though I was still too far to hear a thing, I could tell she was talking to her best friend from school Lena.

"L, I have to go." She said when she noticed me walking towards her.

"Hey." I said softly and she got on her feet. Her eyes were narrowed and not sympathetic like usually. She either did that when she was mad or concentrating, I hoped it was the second one. "We need to talk."

"It's okay Tom. We don't have to." She slid the phone back in her pocket and pushed the hair out of her face. What in the world was she talking about?

"What?" I seemed to have a lack of words that day. I didn't know what else to say.

"I mean we don't have to do this. Sidney told me."

"Sidney told you what?" Even though I know what the answer was the question just found its way out.

"About your date." She literally spited out the word 'date' and I felt like complete trash for misleading her.

"I could cancel." I offered. I did feel bad about Sidney but Maia was far more important.

"No, don't." She said harshly. "I don't mind really. I just wish you could have told me that yesterday so I didn't make a complete fool of myself." She tried to walk away but I stopped her.

"You did not make a complete fool of yourself, Maia." I sighed hoping her anger would go away, but it didn't.

"Yes, I did. But it doesn't matter. Now that Jackson's doesn't like you anymore were probably not gonna see each other again after this road trip. After all, you're his best friend not mine." And with that she left. And I let her. And then I sat on the bench she was sitting on earlier and felt like nothing but a human punching bag that belonged to the Everson family. Maia didn't think I was her best friend; this was what hurt the most. All those times we spent together making stupid conversations about super-powers, all those times we joked about the meaning of life, all those times we were pissing Jackson off about the stupid video games he was playing. All those times I was just 'his best friend, not mine'.

It was now two o'clock and I was getting cold. I also needed to talk to someone because I was afraid I was going insane. I thought of calling one of the guys so I called Jim. I told him were we were and why we came here but I couldn't bring myself to tell him the real stuff. Like the Everson family falling apart. Like Jackson possibly not liking me anymore and Maia, well I didn't even know where to start with her.

I walked in the hotel room again. I skipped the reception not even meeting Sidney's eyes. I had decided to just go to the date. Or not. Actually, I hadn't decided anything at all.

I walked up the stairs but I didn't stop at our bedroom door. I did not feel like being alone in a room again and more than that I did not want to speak to Maia right now. Not until she calmed down. Not until she realized that I was her best friend to.

I kept walking. I was not really sure about what I was going to do but I had nothing to lose. Actually, I had nothing. I finally stopped in front of a door, room 6B. And I knocked.

"May I come in?" I said as the door opened.

"Of course... Tom, is it?" Grandpa George replied.