A Kiss for Maya

Safest Is A Strong Word.

This chapter is dedicated to @shapey10. Thank you for your comments, they always make me smile or laugh☺.

***

"So this is the safest place for us?" Maya asks. I sigh and slowly nod. 

Safest is a strong word.

I look away and usher her into the house. The door is easily pulled when I turn the doorknob to the right and my eyes take in the house for the first time in years. Maya immediately wrinkles her nose at the sight of the living room.

"We may have some cleaning to do." I smile sheepishly.

"Looks like they also cleaned the bathroom." Max enters, grinning.

"We only have this room and the kitchen to clean." I explain to Maya and she nods, relieved the work isn't as monstrous as she thought. It's a very small place, we should be done in very little time.

Her phone rings and she quickly takes it out of the small pocket of her backpack.

"Hi, mom." She smiles and I close the door and head to the kitchen with Max.

Maya is on the phone with her mom for a while. Max and I begin to take the cleaning materials carefully placed against the wall.

"I had to buy some cleaning masks and gloves for those kids..." Max mutters, going through the bucket probably used to mop the floor. "Aha!"

He straightens up, showing me pairs of gloves and masks.

"We better get to work then." Maya says as she enters the room. We turn around to face her and nod.

***

Maya's POV

I move my eyes around the scantily furnished room and sigh. We finished cleaning about an hour ago and I'm tired. It wasn't a lot of work but when added to the travelling and stress, it can take its toll on one. Luckily, Max went out to buy food. It's just Mason and I.

I sit down on the brown couch as he comes into the room.

"Hey." He sits next to me.

"Hey."

We remain silent for a minute or so. I fiddle with my thumbs while Mason stares into space.

"I'm sorry." He apologies and I shoot my eyes up at him.

"For?"

Come to think of it, there's a long list. I just wish he knew I didn't care.

"I've ruined your summer."

I sit up on the couch and look at him. "No, you said this will all be over soon right? I'll get back into my summer then."

A small smile appears on his face and he turns to look at me.

"How would you spend this week? What would you be doing right now or tonight?"

"Well, right now, I don't know. I'd probably be taking a nap." I laugh and he joins in. "Or perhaps I'd be with my best friends. In the evening after eating, I'd prop myself up against the bed and watch Riverdale or How I Met Your Mother."

His smile grows and I continue.

"I'd honestly be stuffing my face with food, napping and watching Netflix most of the time and also studying. Shelly, Bianca and I did plan to make this summer different so I don't know. I might have been doing something else. The overall idea is that there was no fun summer to ruin to begin with."

The door suddenly opens and Max comes in, balancing a brown paper bag in his arm.

"What did you get?" I ask excitedly.