Girl Meets 23

2 (Maya)

-Los Angeles, USA-

Maya needed to get out of LA as soon as she could. She was so tired of the stupid heat. It was freaking November, she should be able to wear the biggest coat she owns and still feel cold. She liked the beach and the atmosphere in California but it wasn't home. Maya had been denying that she wanted to be back in New York for a while now and she could never tell Caleb that. He loved California, it was where he found himself and anytime they talked about going anywhere he would always say that there was no place better Hollywood.

At first when Maya had gotten her scholarship to study art at UCLA she had been so excited to get away and start fresh somewhere new. It wasn't like she had hated growing up in New York or the people she knew there but there was always the damp memories of her youth and all the heartache she had felt as a child. People still kind of saw her as broken even though she felt as if time and time again she had proven herself to be otherwise. Being somewhere new allowed her to be the kind of person she wanted to be and people knew her as that girl and not the one who was a troubled kid.

In college she had found a great group of art friends who helped her discover who she was as an artist. Maya of course also stayed very much in touch with Riley and messaged Lucas and Farkle as frequently as she could remember to. But in her second year at UCLA she met Caleb, he's the same age as her but looks much older because of all this tattoos and the amount he drinks and smokes takes a tole on his appearance. He is an aspiring DJ who mostly plays around in local indie clubs and has a small following. He had gone to community college in the area for a short period in time for hotel management but realized that his passion lied with music and he has never regretted leaving school. His hair was a dark shade of brown that was typically mistaken for black. He was tall and long not super fit but boy did he know how to pack a punch. When Caleb got drunk he could get mad. He was very territorial of Maya and not in a way that would be considered a cute and protective. The few friends who had ever commented on her relationship with him described the relationship as isolating. She often did suspect him of cheating too but she never had actual proof and she, most of the time, liked the life she had with him.

Three months into their relationship the couple had moved in together above the art gallery that Maya managed. Maya also worked as a barista in a coffee shop down close campus in order to make some more cash. Caleb's work paid decently but he didn't get gigs often enough to have a full steady income and he had a lot of expenses when it came to his equipment as well as his lifestyle. She missed not having as much responsibility but she figured this was what adulthood is and taking care of those you love is apart of that.

Maya heard the door of the apartment open causing her to stop clicking on the screen where she was looking for tickets from LA to NYC.

"Caleb, I want to leave sooner rather than later for New York" She said walking over to her boyfriend as she intended on helping him carry in whatever groceries he had bought for them. Most likely junk food considering that's all Caleb wanted to eat but she didn't question it and picked up the two bags left out in the stair well and brought them inside. "Like i think I want to leave tonight,"

   "Tonight? Why, isn't this party thing next Saturday or something?" Caleb questioned as he watched Maya unpack the food into their small pantry and fridge.

  "I know but I have this week and next off of work and its too hot here," She said closing one of the cupboards shut. "Also its not just some party. Its my best friend's birthday"

  "And your just assuming I don't have to work?" He was clearly annoyed. Maya knew he didn't even want to go but he insisted that if she was going then so was he.

   "Do you?" She was facing him now staring into his ice blue eyes. "Because you haven't mentioned anything to me in a week so yeah I guess I did assume you don't have anything going on" She was determined to go early and she wasn't about to stop her from seeing her friend and her family.

  "Whatever" He said opening a beer he had just bought. "Get the tickets"

  "Okay they will probably be for tonight, so maybe make that your only tonight" Maya said gesturing his drink.

  "Yeah I'll think about it," He said and Maya decided to return to her computer. As she turned he reached out and grabbed her wrist. His grip was tight and stung as Maya was forced back to look at him. "Anything else you wanna say Maya?" the longer he looked at her the tighter his grip got and the more her wrist began to hurt.

   "Sorry," Maya said quietly knowing that it was what her boyfriend wanted to hear. Caleb released her hand and as she turned to walk away he smacked her ass.

  "Good girl" He said only loud enough for her to barely hear. She wasn't alarmed by this interaction. And while her wrist was defiantly going to be bruised in a few hours she knew he had done much much worse.