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Chapter 9: Cale

Edited

I get up and head to my car.

"Where are you going?" She asks, following behind.

"Out."

"Why?"

"I'm skipping, can't you tell?"

"Then I'm skipping with you."

I scoff at that.

"Miss perfect attendance is skipping?"

"My mom will probably send an email tonight saying I was sick. She can't possibly have anyone hear her perfect daughter has missed school on purpose." She says sarcastically, a hint of disgust and anger in her voice.

"Why, what's with your mom?"

She turns away, realizing she's said too much and somehow it's something I see all too often in myself when people start asking too many questions. Whatever. Seems like everyone has their secrets, but if she's so determined to know mine then she should be ready to give up her own.

"Where are we going?" She asks after a while of silent driving and it's slightly surprising to me that she only asks me now. This girl and her gullibility.

"The pool," I respond.

"And swimsuits?"

"I'll buy you one."

"Aren't they expensive though?"

"And I'm a rich kid so I'll live."

From the corner of my eye, I can see her staring at me, her eyes wide with shock, before a hurt expression crosses her delicate features and she immediately looks out the window.

"Aren't you embarrassed about just saying it like that?" She almost whispers a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Saying what? I'm rich? Why should I? It's true. Who cares?"

"Hmm..." She replies passively, her pearly hair blocking any view I could have on her face.

Another one of her secrets?

Once we pull over, we quickly get into a shop available at the swimming pool and buy swimsuits. Maya got a simple black bikini and I bought blue trunks. We get changed and I get into the pool. Not too cool but not hot, just how I like it, nothing too atypical or outstanding.

As I look around the indoor pool, I spot Maya as she exits the girls' changing room, sheepishly around, standing behind a wall.

What's with her?

She tries to move to get out of hiding and as she does, her body is revealed to me. She's slender and fit and although about any guy would say she's lacking a little in the chest area, it's not too small that it's unexpected, her body seeming more modelesque than average.

She starts to walk over to me until she's stopped by guys looking her up and down, who start talking to her. She doesn't restrain herself and immediately asks the boys to leave her alone, disgust laced in her voice. She tries her best to fold her arms in front of her chest but I can tell the guys still look.

I walk towards her once I see she's had enough of them, giving in to the situation.

"Hey," I warn with a low and intimidating tone as I put an arm around her waist, "back off."

There are 3 of them. They look at me unimpressed but I won't back down just yet.

"And who might you be?" The supposed blonde leader interrupts me.

"Her boyfriend. Go find yourself another chick to talk to."

And with that I drag her away and into the pool, her eyes full of something I can't quite pinpoint.

"You're always helping me." She mumbles looking back down at the floor, her voice almost silently pissed. "It's annoying to think that I can't save myself without you being there for me."

That's when I realized she's not that pissed at me but rather at herself.

"Thanks though." She whispers so faintly that I barely catch it.

Seeing her this shy and flustered isn't much of a problem. It's rather cute.

"It's no big deal."

Once we're in, she finds her usual enthusiasm and I start thinking she was cuter when she was shy and more importantly, less talkative.

"Let's go to the slides!" She says pointing up at them.

I don't like heights too much. She smiles so happily, she reminds me of a gluttonous child who had too much candy, but that unsurmountable glee is fairly appealing on her.

I sigh.

"Fine," I reply squinching face as I look upwards at the slides again.

"I'll go with you." She suggests reassuringly.

This girl is very perceptive, I notice. Too perspicacious for comfort.

Getting ready to slide down, I look down and notice goosebumps starting to form. Great. Maya sets herself in front and beckons towards me to sit behind her. I put my legs around her own, holding her waist tightly. As we slide down, she laughs as loudly as she possibly can. If I screamed -and I don't quite remember if I did- it was very discernably masked by her laughing and screeching voice.

Perhaps being with her isn't all that bad.

"Ace..."

My mind goes blank and immediately any joy or happiness that had previously been in my voice disintegrated.

I don't want to remember her right now.

~~~

Hey guys! What do you think so far? I know the suspense is pretty big and things will become easier to understand (hopefully). I just hope it's interesting for you guys! What are your thoughts about Maya and Cale?