Playing with fire (Amelia Shepherd) ABANDONED

fifty seven

Maya stared at Carina for a few seconds, disbelief fading into pure rage.

"Maya, this is for the best right now, okay?" Mallie said, stepping forward to Carina's side. "I was the one who suggested it and they agreed because you need help, and you are not accepting help, even when you get yourself in a hospital bed."

"Wow," Maya scoffed.

"You've left us no choice," Carina agreed.

"This is getting... I need you to-" Teddy tried to push Maya back down.

"This isn't support. This isn't love. When your brother died," Maya laughed angrily, "You could barely get off the freaking kitchen floor. You know what I did? I gave you space when you needed it. I let you figure out your crap on your own. I didn't call psych and have you committed! Okay? That is love. That is support. So, no... this is not helping me," Maya snapped.

Carina flinched back, lip quivering as she tried to hold back tears. Mallie took Carina's hand into hers, squeezing three times as she moved to step in front of her. She couldn't shield her from Maya's words, but she hoped Maya got the message that she'd gone too far.

"All right, Maya, I want you to lie back. Look at your heart rate. You need to try to calm down," Teddy said, trying to ease Maya back down in the bed.

"I just... I can't believe you would do this to me," Maya scoffed.

"I can't... Dr. Altman is gonna take it from here," Carina said, Teddy nodding.

Mallie let go of Carina's hand, watching her back away towards the door. Mallie stayed by Maya, knowing she wouldn't be able to leave until Maya's heart wasn't going off it's rocket.

"Oh, the lengths you'll go to get your way," Maya scoffed, shaking her head. She took a deep breath, "If you walk... If you walk out that door, we're done. Do you hear me? Do you hear me, hmm? Do you hear me? You walk out that door, we are done," Maya said.

Carina stopped in the doorway, turning to look at Maya with a broken expression.

"I lose you either way, bella. I'd rather lose you and have you be alive," Carina whispered.

She left the room, though Mallie could see her lean against the wall beside the door as Maya started crying loudly.

"N... Carina! Carina! How could you do this to me?! No, I can't! Carina! Carina! Carina! Carina, how could you?! How could you?! Get back here!"

Mallie grabbed Maya's arms, gently pushing her back.

"Hey, hey, lie down. Take some deep breaths, okay? You're going to give yourself a heart attack and then you really will end up in trouble," Mallie said.

"You did this!" Maya cried, trying to shove Mallie's arms away. "You suggested this? You're supposed to be my best friend! You're turning Carina against me!"

"I did this for you!" Mallie said, pushing Maya back down again. "I told you I'd punch you in the face, and I'm punching you in the face. You wanna get mad at someone about getting locked in the psych ward? Be mad at me. I'm only doing this because you refuse to get help. You have to get help, now. Carina's walking away because you are hurting her. You're bleeding on her and she never hurt you."

"You're both hurting me right now! I didn't hurt you and you're fucking with my life! What, is your life that much of a mess that you have to ruin mine, too? It's not my fault you can't fucking protect your kids from a house fire! You thought you'd broken the cycle? didn't you? But you didn't," Maya laughed angrily, tears burning in her eyes as she glared at Mallie. "You say I play with fire? You've been playing with fire since you got your brothers killed as a kid."