raising hope | s.m

♡Twenty-Two♡

Maya

My head is on Shawn's chest and he's running his fingers through my hair. 

"You okay?" I ask, looking up at him.

"I don't know. The past five years have been a lie. You and Hope are the only things that seem real anymore." He wraps his arms around me tightly.

"I promise everything will fall into place and you'll be back with your family." He kisses my forehead. The heart monitor beeps slowly and steadily. His stomach growls and I laugh. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll go grab some from the cafe." Standing, I kiss his forehead and walk out of the room.

My feet tap the gravel uncontrollably as I wait for him to show up. I know what I'm doing is dumb and could get me hurt. I know lying to him is wrong but I need to get this off my chest. The gravel scrapes as someone nears me. Turning, I see who it is.

"Jake," I call out. His eyes scan over me and he smirks.

"Why are you here alone, Maya?" he questions darkly. A shiver runs down my spine as I remember just how dangerous he is.

"I want answers."

"To?" he questions.

"Why did you make the fighter wear brass knuckles?"

"It put your boy toy in the hospital, didn't it?" My jaw clenches and I look away from him.

"He could have died," I grit. Jake shrugs. Looking back at him, I cross my arms over my chest. When we make eye contact, I look deep into his pale blue eyes. In them, I see hurt and regret. "Who hurt you?"

He chuckles darkly.

"The real question here is, how do you know I'm not going to hurt you?" he whispers, bending down. His lips graze my ear.

"Because you would have done it by now." He backs away and chuckles again.

"You're a brave one, I'll give Mendes that." He leans against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest. A silent breath, I never knew I was holding, leaves my lips. "Look, I regret everything I did to you, him, and your daughter. I'm messed up. I know that's not an excuse but I don't have anything else to say."

"You're right. It's not an excuse. There isn't one powerful enough. I won't forgive or forget but I may give you another chance." He scoffs. Behind his tough guy exterior, I see someone fragile and broken. He's just another person Drew corrupted.

"People like me don't get second chances. We get sent to jail."

"But, people like you are broken and need someone who's willing to give you that second chance." He looks up at me. His mask is gone and I can see the broken boy he is.

"I need help, Maya. I'm not right in the head. I didn't do those crimes the cops think I did. That was all my dad. When I hurt you... I was on medicine and I wasn't thinking straight."

"We can get you help, Jake."

"I didn't rape you, Maya," he admits. I almost scoff.

"So, I imagined that?" I question. He runs his hands through his hair.

"No. My father wanted me to fake it. I left after you passed out." I shake my head and look at my feet.

"Someone raped me. They found DNA in me, Jake, you tell me how that works." His eyebrows furrow.

"Shit. My dad was at the ring." My breathing stops. My throat dries and burns. "Maya, I am so sorry."

"No, Jake, it's fine. He got what he wanted. I-I have to get back to Shawn." Jake grabs my arm. It makes me flinch, so he lets me go.

"Can I have your number. If I need someone to talk to?" He questions nervously.

"Jake, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why? Because of Shawn?" I scoff.

"Yes, because of Shawn. I love him. I can't put the number of the man he hates on my phone. What would he think of that?"

"I'm not into you like that Maya."

"He doesn't know that and he won't believe a single word you say, Jake."

"Please, Maya, you're all I have left." He slips something into my hand before letting me walk away.

When I walk into the hospital room, Aaliyah is talking to Shawn. I stand at the door.

"So, wait, he actually fell?" Shawn is caught up in a fit of laughter. It's nice to hear him laugh.

"Yes," Aaliyah laughs as well, "and it was the funniest thing ever." Softly, I knock on the door. Shawn's eyes are full of light when they look at me.

"Hey, babe," he smiles. Smiling, I walk over and sit on the bed next to him. I kiss his forehead and set the bag of fresh food from the cafe on his lap.

"Is that from Jade's Cafe?" Aaliyah asks.

"Yeah, she'd love to see you all," Shawn comments. He digs in the bag for his food. I rest my head on his shoulder.

"I could take you over to visit, Aaliyah," I suggest. Shawn's in the hospital for a couple more weeks due to the brass knuckle fighter. I never got a clear answer to that question.

"You'd do that?" She questions.

"Yeah, I don't have your brother to take care of," I tease, he nudges my side. "He's going to be here for awhile."

"Thank you, Maya. I'll go ask my mom." She exits the room. Shawn grabs my hands.

"What's wrong, Mama?" he questions.

"I-I talked to Jake." His grip tightens slightly. "I'm sorry, I should have told you."

"It's okay, Mama. You don't need my permission to do anything."

"I could have gotten hurt." He kisses my forehead.

"Yes, but you didn't. What did he say?" He brushes little hairs out of my face.

"He didn't rape me." His eyebrows furrow.

"Maya, they found-"

"Drew did. He won, Shawn. He won..." He pulls me into his chest and I cry. My hands ball up his shirt. Everything comes crashing down. The bills, the assault, Shawn is in the hospital, me not having a job, Drew winning. "The bad people shouldn't win, Shawn."

"They won the battle but not the war."

"What will happen if they do win?" He takes a deep, shaky breath.

"I don't know, Mama."