Adopted By Michael Clifford {Book 1}

33- The News

Michael's POV

I'd been locked up in my room since the man came last night. I didn't want to see anyone. I was too afraid to talk to the guys about it.

What would happen if they did take Maya away? I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't lose her. We'd be lost without her.

I exited my room and walked by Maya's. I kept expecting her to walk out, but I knew she wouldn't. Luke hadn't picked her up yet.

How was I going to explain to her that she might get taken away?

Maya's POV

I woke up the next morning not knowing where I was. Then I remembered what happened yesterday. I decided to go for a swim in the hotel pool to clear my mind. The room was empty when I entered. The cool water woke me up a little more.

Twenty minutes later, someone walked in. I only saw their back, but they looked familiar. The person turned around and I saw who it was. It was Nick's brother, Josh. The last time I saw him was at the funeral.

I got out of the pool and wrapped my towel around me, trying to get out before being noticed. That obviously failed because as I was about to walk out, he stopped me.

"Maya?" Josh said. I slowly turned around.

"Hey, Josh," I said and waved. He sat down on the edge of the pool.

"Come here," he said and patted the spot next to him.

I sat down next to him, making sure not to drop my towel in the water.

"What are you doing here? How have you been?"

"Okay, I guess. Could be a little bit better," I said, avoiding the first question.

"You know I don't blame you for what happened, right?" He said.

"You don't?"

"Of course not. What happened was not your fault. Nick loved you a lot, Maya. I saw the way he looked at you. He loved you so much that he risked his life to save you. There wasn't anything anyone could've done to stop him," he said and draped his arm around my shoulder.

"I miss him so much," I said and rested my head on his shoulder, swirling my feet in the water. "I wish things had worked out differently, you know. If we had met at a different time, or if we were older, or if we met somewhere else, it could've worked out. Then, maybe I wouldn't be sitting here telling you how much I miss his laugh and his smile. It's crazy that just a few weeks ago I thought I would spend the rest of my life with him. And I know it sounds crazy, but I don't say that lightly. He brought out the best in me, and I miss him every day."

I choked up at my last words, but I didn't want to cry. I was sick of crying all the time.

"I miss him, too. But we can't bring him back. No matter how much we want to. We can't change the past."

"Josh, why did you leave after he died?" I asked.

"I didn't have a choice. My parents forced me. But I'm back now and I'm not leaving," he said. "So, why are you here? Where's your dad?"

"Well, he and Ashton got into a fight, so I went to stay at someone else's house. I snuck out last night and came here," I said.

We talked for a little while and swapped phone numbers before going back to our separate hotel rooms. My phone started ringing and Dad's name came up. I answered it.

"Maya Clifford, where the hell are you?"

Michael's POV

"Hey, we just got a call saying Maya wasn't in school today," Luke said.