Meeting the world

Chapter 15

Lucas's pov

~

After Riley left Maya and I had just looked at each other. I saw the pain in her eyes.

"I...I can't believe I just did that." She said.

"No..it was my fault. I'm so sorry...I got caught up in the moment, it won't happen again." Even though I really wanted it to. I have to admit Maya was an excellent kisser. I looked down at my shoes.

She shook her head.

"I don't feel bad because I kissed you. I feel bad because I enjoyed it."

I lifted my head up slowly, and gazed into her beautiful blue eyes.

"You...?" I sighed. "The problem is I enjoyed it too."

I ran my hands through my hair. How would I explain this to Riley? I kind of liked her, but I liked Maya also. I felt like such a backstabbing jerk.

"I hurt my friend Lucas. And for what? Some guy?" She smiled. "No offense."

I laughed. "None taken."

How could I have been such a jerk to Riley? This past month, I'd been trying to ask Riley out, but I just got so nervous around her. And now, after all my best efforts, I decided to throw it all away by kissing Maya. Except I didn't regret it. Not for a second. And I would do it all over again just to feel her lips pressed against mine.

"Cowboy? I think I'll head out." Maya said. She got up to leave but I stopped her.

"No." I said firmly. "Where will you go? You sure as hell aren't going home. You looked so terrified when I mentioned your home. What happened?"

Maya sat back down. She didn't look at me.

"My dad...he, um..."

I stood up angrily.

"Did he do this to you?!" I shouted.

There was a moment of silence.

"Yes." She said quietly.

I was disgusted and repulsed. How could her father do this to her?

"Where do you live?" I said. "We need to call social services or the cops or someone because this is not okay, Maya. It's not okay at all."

I was so angry at this man, this man that calls himself her father.

She stayed silent.

"Maya this is serious!" I said, panicked. I tried not to raise my voice, but truthfully, I was scared.

"Where's your mother?" I asked.

"She texted me before. She said she managed to escape. That my father was looking for her and for me."

I couldn't believe how screwed up this guy was. I grabbed her hand.

"Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"Riley's place."

***

When we arrived at Riley's place we bumped into Riley herself, leaving in a hurry.

"Oh Lucas! Maya! I was just coming to see you. I'm so sorry I overreacted before I was being selfish...the important this is that your okay Maya and-"

"Well she's not."

"What?"

I raised my voice again, but I couldn't help it. The thought of someone hurting Maya made my blood boil.

"Her father hits her. That why she has a black eye."

Riley gasped.

"Oh my god, Maya..." Tears stung her eyes. She turned and ran in her house.

"Dad! Mom! Come quick!" She shouted.

Her parents came running down the stairs.

"What's the matter?" Said Mrs.Matthews, clearly very concerned.

"Lucas...tell them. I can't bring myself to say the words." Riley said quietly, tears rolling off her cheeks.

I moved to the side revealing Maya behind me. As soon as Riley's parents saw her face, they gasped.

"Oh my god."

"What happened?"

I took a deep breath.

"Her father hits her. He did this to her. And he deserves to go to jail for the rest of his miserable life to pay for what he did. And right now he's roaming the streets of New York looking for Maya and her mother. And I hate him, and I want him to suffer just like he made her suffer."

Rage boiled inside me. I needed to punch that guy, really hard. Leave a mark on his face 10 times worse than the one he left on Maya's.