The Way I Loved You

Lucas

I run towards the screaming to find Maya in a helpless heap on the ground, and a large, drunk man kicking and punching her. This infuriates me and I scream, "HEY!! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING??!!!" Enraged, I charge at the man and punch him in the mouth, knocking out two of his teeth, and splitting open my knuckles. I ignore the pain, and continue to beat him up. He swings at my face, and I dodge most of it, but he still hits my cheek. It's definitely going to leave a bruise. He falls down, to the ground, and I kick him until he's unconscious. Now that he's finished, I walk over to Maya.

She looks so innocent, and helpless lying there. Already she's bruised from head to toe. She has a cut above her eyebrow, and a split lip. Her knees are bloody, and her nose is gushing blood, creating a puddle on the concrete. Her eyes are closed, as though she were sleeping, but instead, she's been knocked out. Her gorgeous hair is ratted, her shoes strewn about. And her mask beside her cold hand. The mask. I know that mask. It's the one the girl wore to the dance.....and the dress, the shoes. Maya was the one at the dance. Maya is the girl I love.

I pick up Maya gently, slipping her shoes and mask back on her. Then, I call my mom. Luckily, she answers on the third ring. "Hello? Lucas? It's nearly midnight, where are you? Are you okay?" She asks worried. "Look mom, I'm fine but can you please come pick me up at 27 avenue? We don't have much time before he wakes up again." I say quickly. "Lucas what happened?!" "Mom, please just hurry! I promise I'll explain in the car." I say. "Okay. Meet me at the Chevron at the corner of 27th." She says, and hangs up. 

I lift Maya up in my arms, and carry her like a child down to the gas station. She's so light, like a feather. It doesn't take me long to reach the nearest Chevron. A few minutes later, my mom arrives and I get in the back seat, Maya laying down, her head on my lap. As my mom drives, she says, "Okay, talk." I tell her everything. About the dance, Maya leaving, when I heard her scream, till now. "Lucas, I need you to take care of her. Get her warm, and wash off her cuts." I nod.

 She stops in front of our house, and I get out, Maya in my arms. I walk inside, and take her upstairs to my room, laying her on my bed. I take her phone out of her purse, and text Katie. Her mom. "Hey Katie, it's Lucas. Maya fell asleep on her way home from the dance, and she's at my house. Is it okay if she spends the night? I promise to get her back to school ontime tomorrow." "Sure Lucas. You two have fun! :)" I smile and put her phone back. Then I go downstairs and get a washcloth damp with warm water. I start by dabbling it on her lip, and wiping the blood from her nose off, and then I get her forhead. As I head back downstairs, I grab a drink of water and go to take a shower. Fighting that guy got my clothes dirty and bloody, but it's nothing compared to Maya's ripped clothes.

As I shower, the calm water relaxes me, and I realize how tired I am. I couldn't sleep last night, thinking too much about Maya, and today, I saved her from her death. Turning off the water, I throw on some pajamas and go upstairs to find Maya still unconscious. Then, her gentle eyelids flutter open, a curious look on her face.