Meeting Maia

Escape

After the only girl you've ever loved decides that she can't be with you because of some kind of weird magic in our bodies, you go pretty insane. I can vouch for that.
I prised myself from the floor and began to walk out of the cloud of ash and vapour but it clung to me. I couldn't help but be grateful. I needed the solitude and frankly it seemed that this was going to be the last of Maia that I had. I took a deep breath in. When I blew out, the cloud parted enough for me to see where I was going.
My feet were planted at the edge of the mouth of the big cave we had evacuated to. I pressed my palm to the cold rock. It softened slightly around my fingers. I used to the indent to haul myself up the wall of the mountain in which the cave was residing. It took a while but I made many indents in the grey stone. I kept climbing.
I needed to be far away from them. I wasn't sure where I would go. Maybe I could go home. My parents would accept me back into their life. I would be the one that would return to comfort them. They probably blamed themselves for our leaving. It pained me to think I hadn't given them a second thought since I ran away with Maia.
I thought about Kyle, who was loose and running around, his hatred towards us as elementals fuelling his journey. He might be sat by self made fire, muttering to himself as he warmed his hands.
I could see Klaus' dad, yearning after his dead wife and lost son. He wanted to hurt the world for his actions but his desire for power overruled it all. He wanted the power to make up for her death and his losses.
Then I thought about Jonas. My twin brother. I thought about him at school. He was the most popular guy in the year, girls swooned over him. His hair brushed back and his confident aura around him. His best friends were the football team, no one spared a glance at his nerdy brother. When he finally got someone he really liked, she fell for the aforementioned sibling. They ran away together.
How can he stand me, I thought. I'd stolen the one thing from him that he didn't get through good looks and popularity. He loved her and I took her, but he'd done that to me all my life. I guess everything just changed when she came into our lives, with her enticing appearance and her stories. How could we resist her? I just hope that if I can't have her, Jonas can.
I can always go home.
The thought haunted me because it was so true. I could just imagine the proud looks in my parents eyes as I opened the front door. I knew they missed me. I could just feel it. I couldn't be more disappointed in myself for just disappearing because Maia asked me.
I reached a small ledge half way up the mountain side and planted myself on it. I flicked off the flecks of rock from my sizzling hands and sighed into my knees.
I didn't even know who I was anymore. I sat up, breathing out heavily. The cloud had dispersed and beside me sat a blonde haired boy. I screamed and almost feel off the small ledge.
"Woah, calm down, it's just me." he said, laughing as he helped me steady myself. His eyes radiated sadness, though.
"What are you doing up here?" I asked.
"Thinking."
"Yeah, me too."
"About what?"
"Going home," I whispered.
"Why?" He replied cautiously.
"I just... I don't know who I am without Maia guiding me into all the right decisions. I've lost myself in her, I mean I was a complete nerd and then I meet her and within a week, I've ruined a hospital room, jumped out the window and ran away with two almost complete strangers!"
"I see your point."
"I don't think this is where I'm supposed to be."
"Well, I know I should be convincing you to stay but if you don't feel like you belong her, you shouldn't have to stay. We can conquer my...dad... by ourselves."
"You think I should go then?"
"If that's really what you want to do, then yeah!"
"Okay, I'm gonna go home and just be regular Raphael."