Against The Odds: Guarded

37

Miss me? sorry for not updating. School has been pretty damn hard. It's finally Friday. And correct me if you see something while reading, make sure to tell me.

MAYA POV

Lucas told me that he would be here soon to pick me up, but it’s already been twenty minutes and he still isn’t here yet. I stepped out of the building to see if maybe I could catch him when he was pulling up, but he was nowhere to be seen. Only students and professors pulled into the parking lot walking or jogging briskly into the lecture hall building to get in from the cold air and the chill of the October wind. I wrap my arms tightly around my chest and turn to go back into the building as Peyton is walking out, talking with Dr. Adams as they get closer. I turn around to escape outside quickly trying to avoid being seen, but it was too late. Peyton always seems to see me or find me somewhere. He calls my name just as he gets outside.

“Maya, I thought you’d be gone by now. Have you made up your mind about joining Smackle and I for a drink later on tonight? I promise it’s just to break the ice that’s built up between us all.”

That’s the part that I’m confused about. Just yesterday Peyton was going to show me evidence to try and cover his story about Smackle being the one who turned me and Lucas in when I was interning at Maudsley, and now he’s going out for friendly cocktails with her? My face contorts and before I can answer him a taxi pulls up to the curb. Peyton takes a step towards it and opens the door before he turns back to me.

“You can hop in the cab with me if you’d like, seeing as how your ride is more than a little bit late today.”

“He’s on his way, I’ll wait for him. You go ahead.” It bothered me that Lucas wasn’t here yet and that I haven’t heard from him and I do want to get back to the hotel or Lucas house even so we can finish our conversation from earlier today, but not if it means that I have to be in another enclosed space with Peyton. He got too close for my liking today.

“Its fine, Peyton I can wait.” Peyton nodded his head before sitting down in the awaiting car to head back to the hotel. He rolled down the window to speak again before the car pulled off.

“Go wait inside for him then at least, it’s chilly out. And please think about showing up for drinks. I promise you won’t be disappointed if you do.” Peyton raises his eyebrow and smiles and my curiosity spikes again. I really am considering it. I nod at Peyton and just as his cab pulls away to leave, my ride pulls up.

When the Jeep pulls over to a halt and I step up to the vehicle, I can hear music blasting from the inside before I can even open the door and as I climb in the car, I’m greeted by Lucas in a way that only he’s allowed to greet me. He grabs the back of my head and kisses me passionately, sliding his tongue in my mouth the way I did to him this morning before he left. When his lips leave mine, my eyes stay closed and I exhale slowly. I’m dizzied by the kiss and it leaves me wanting more of him. Lucas always knows how to leave me wanting more. A slow grin creeps onto my lips before I allow myself to open my eyes, and Lucas snickers to himself before he pulls off and when we get to a stop, he looks over at me smiling with a mischievous look in his eyes. The whites of them are still red and the circles around them aren’t as prominent as I’ve seen them, but they are still there none the less.

“What?” I can feel my cheeks start to flame.

“There’s more where that kiss came from glasses.” I smile at him and shake my head before I pull out my phone and text Smackle.

“Where were you?” I look over at Lucas and he begins to fidget in his seat. He furrows his eyebrows, but then smiles and I would have missed the rapid expression if I wasn’t really paying attention. Lucas looks at me then back to the road when he answers, a bit more distant than how he was acting only a moment ago.