Meeting the world

Chapter 13

Maya's pov

~

I was upstairs when I heard it. The scream. And not like the regular screams I hear daily, this one was of pure terror.

I ran downstairs, afraid of what my father was doing to my mother.

"Stop please." Whimpered my mother. She was crawling away from him, her leg all bloody. "Don't hurt her."

"I'LL DO WHAT I BLOODY WANT!" He shouted. He kicked her on the leg that looked broken. She wailed in pain. Then my mother turned and saw me.

"No, Maya leave! Run!" She shouted. My father spun around and he grabbed me. I struggled to break free from his grip, but he was too strong.

"LET GO OF ME YOU DICK!" I screamed so loud I could have broken glass. I kicked him as hard as I could. He released his grip on me and I fell to the floor next to my mother.

She grabbed my hand.

"Maya get out of here. NOW!" She was terrified.

But I couldn't just leave her. Not with my father. We both new that one day, he was bound to snap. And today was that day.

"Mom no. I can't leave you." I said, tears in my eyes.

My father stood up and groaned.

"You stupid disrespectful bitch." He said. I tried to run away but he was faster than me.

He pulled me towards him and whispered to me:

"You'll be sorry you told your friends. I got a call from a Cory Matthews wondering if you were okay." He shoved me against the wall.

Sharp pain shot through my back. I cried in pain.

"Please...I didn't tell anyone!" I said desperately.

His breath smelt like beer and cigarettes.

"Shut up!" He slapped my across the face. Hard. I felt some blood trickle down my neck.

Then he threw me backwards and punched me. My eye felt swollen. My mother was screaming. She used her good leg to kick him in the balls he fell to the ground.

"Go! Maya go!" She screamed. "I'll be fine!"

I ran.

***

Now I was sitting in Lucas's house. He brought me some ice for my face.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, concerned.

I nodded. My throat was dry, and I wasn't ready to talk.

He relaxed a little.

"Riley told me you play the guitar. I play too." He smiled.

I looked at him. The way he was looking at me, I kinda of liked it. He didn't have pity in his eyes, I wasn't some charity case to him. He seemed like he genuinely enjoyed my company even if he didn't really know me.

"Why do you care so much? You don't even know me." I said.

He chuckled. "Actually I know everything about you."

He shook his head.

"No- sorry...I- that's not what I mean't. That sounded a little weird." He smiled. "What I meant was, Riley has told me a lot about you."

I laughed. "You're cute when you're nervous, cowboy."

He titled his head a bit, and stared at me.

"You look beautiful when you laugh. You should really do it more often."

Lucas got up and disappeared into another room. He came back with a guitar in his hands.

He sat down next to me and started to play. And to my surprise, he started singing.

I watched him play, and there was something about him that was comforting, peaceful.

I smiled and joined him. I sang with him, and we laughed. We spoke for hours, about his life in Texas, and about the horses he use to raise.

We were close now. I felt his leg against mine. And every once in a while, his hand would brush against my hip.

"Tell me about yourself. It doesn't need to be about your parents. I just want to get to know you. Do you have any other friends besides Riley and Farkle?

I grinned. "Well cowboy, not all of us got some mighty fine horses to keep us company."

I paused. "But um...no. I used to have these friends, but um...they were bad news."

He nodded.

"Sometimes people just aren't who you thought they'd be." He said as he leaned closer to me.

We stared into each other's eyes, and when he leaned in closer I didn't stop him. I grabbed him and pulled him towards me, and we kissed.

I felt his lips against mine, as his hands were on my waist. I pulled him closer, wanting more. He did the same.

We just didn't expect the door to open that second.