Against The Odds: Guarded

19

LUCAS POV

When I picked Maya up from the hotel she was either in a mood or over thinking shit as she tends to do. She grumbled a hello when she got into the car and gave me a kiss but nothing much was said after that. My mum was expecting me to bring her tonight so she made us dinner and left it in the oven. We ate in a silence of sorts except for the occasional will you pass me this or that requests. Maya is never quiet. If anything she talks too much so this is all very unusual.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“What?” She looked up at me, snapped out of her trance.

“What’s wrong with you?...Is it around that time of the month?...Is it that time of the month?”

“Lucas what?”

“You know, your period? Are you on your per-”

“NO! Why would you even ask me that?!” I put my hands up in defense and she contorted her face half embarrassed and half confused. When I think about it though,she never has it. Not as far as I know that is. We always fool around or have sex but she never tried to stop me because of the red dragon. Then again, I'm not sure if that would stop me anyway...I've never done that before, but if the moment got heated and she was on it I would just take her in the shower I think. Kind of gross, but that's got to be love...I contort my face mildly shocked at my own strange thoughts and snap myself out of my own head before I respond to her.

“Because you’re acting funny! You’re too quiet so I thought that maybe you were cranky because of that time of the month. I mean, it’s normal you don’t have to be embarrassed if you are. I’m sure you know all girls have them, but you never do you're weird. Why don’t you ever-”

“I had a bad day and I was trying to think of a way to tell you without upsetting you by it.” She was overthinking but now she had my mind racing as well.

“Why would I be upset by your bad day?” Maya started to fidget with her fingers and then rubbed the palms of her hands over her jeans the way she does when she gets nervous and the longer she doesn’t talk to me the more tense I get by the unsettling silence.

“Maya talk now, please. Why would I get upset by your bad day?”

“Before I say anything, promise me you’ll try to stay calm and listen to me without saying anything.” I put my fork down and put my elbows on the table interlocking my fingers together while resting my chin on my knuckles.

“You’re making it worse by drawing it out like this.” I whisper shouted at her but she still didn’t say anything. She won’t until I promise, stubborn woman.

“I promise that I will try to be quiet and not get upset by whatever it is you’re going to say...maybe...” Maya quirked an eyebrow not satisfied with my promise.

“That’s as good as its going to get Maya now talk.”

She took another deep breath before rushing out her words.

“I talked to Peyton to tell him to leave me alone, but he told me that he thinks that Smackle is the one that told about us and got me kicked off my internship. I talked to her today and asked her about it and now she’s not speaking to me because I offended her.”

When I heard his name I saw red and everything else she said was in one ear and out the other. I closed my eyes and my fists tightened around each other before I spoke.

“You’re talking to him?” I spoke slowly as if I was still trying to process what was said to me and had to repeat it to understand it.

“Lucas no not like that I just want him to leave me alone.” Maya cautiously stood and walked around the table to where I was sitting across from her. My jaw clenched and I left my chin on my hands afraid that if I moved I would explode.