"Hey! Hey, Riles!" Lucas ran through a crowd towards me, a massive grin on his face having managed to catch me on his own. I flashed him a smile, groaning inwardly, I wasn't in the wood to fend off his advances today, I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, for obvious reasons. "So we have Science class together today, don't we? Maybe we can pair up and do a project together?"
"Lucas, there is no project!"
"I know, but if we get set one, maybe we can work together then!"
"Maybe, but I usually work with Smackle so..." I leaned against my locker as Lucas almost begged to partner with me. I didn't want to hurt him, but he would just not let going of the past! It was very annoying; there were only so many ways I could say that it was over without physically hurting him to prove it.
"Aww, ever the determined one, aren't we, Lucas?" I hadn't even heard Maya come up behind me. "I admire that quality in a guy, in fact, all girls do. Isn't that right, Riley?" She was so close to me I could feel her breathe on my neck.
"Uhmm sometimes, I guess."
I heard her laugh quietly as Lucas beamed at me. Now he wasn't ever going to leave me alone! "That's for not saying goodnight." Thankfully, Lucas had been too caught up in his oh-so-obvious fantasy to hear Maya's parting remark.
I watched her walk away over Lucas's shoulder. All I wanted to do was follow her and drag her into the closest empty room. But that probably wasn't a good idea, since Lucas might have followed as well.
The bell rang for the start of class, allowing me to escape my over-eager admirer. I slumped down in my seat, books out, ready to bury myself in work. Hoping this class, at least, would be uneventful.
Lunchtime came and went without Maya moving from her seat once. I guess I had been hoping for a repeat of yesterday, and when it didn't happen, disappointment clouded my mind. Even Smackle couldn't cheer me up with her usual bubbly conversation, so she stopped trying. But unfortunately, Lucas did not follow her example. He had bene stuck to my side like glue all day, pestering me with questions about class and cracking stupid jokes, it was all her fault. The least she could do is make it up to me a little...with her lips...and her hands...I shook my head, trying to clear the images away. I couldn't afford to let her get to me even more.
"Hey, Lucas, Mr. Evans wants to see you something, she told me to come get you quick." Farkle had grabbed Lucas by the hand and pulled him away to the opposite direction to me. Silently thanking Mr. Evans, I sped up, almost to the exit, almost free!
Then a hand shot out and yanked me into a classroom. I didn't even have to guess this time, I already knew. "You know, you could just call my name instead of almost ripping my arm off all the time!"
The blonde stood in front of me, hands on her hips. "But this way's more fun for me." Then her lips were on mine again, banishing all thoughts from my head instantly. She slid her hands down my body to my hips, pushing me firmly against the wall. It took me a minute to realize I was supposed to be mad at her for setting Lucas on me the way she had, but when she slipped her hand under my t-shirt and up my back, all I could think was that if I died right now, I'd die a very, very happy girl.
"May...Maya, wait...wait a second..."
"What is it, Matthews?" She pushed my head to one side to get at my neck better; I shivered with anticipation. "I'm kind of busy right now." Air kissed through my clenched teeth as she kissed down my neck.
I vaguely heard someone knocking, and Maya growling in annoyance. "Alright, I'll be there in a second!" Slowly, almost reluctantly, she ran her hand down my back, and out from under my t-shirt. "Have to go." She pulled back a little to look me in the eye, watching me as I tried to slow my breathing.
"Maya, what are we doing?"
She didn't reply at first, I had to ask her again to get an answer. "I don't know about you, Matthews," she leaned in and kissed me almost tenderly on the lips, "But I'd rather enjoy just being with you in the empty classroom." And with that she was gone, leaving me to realize just what I'd let myself in for.
There was a surprise waiting for me when I finally got home.
"Riles! Hey! When I got back into Mr. Evans's room, you were already gone, so I thought I'd see if you got home okay." I didn't say it was a good surprise.
"Thanks, Lucas. But I don't need a babysitter; I'm a big enough girl now to be able to get home on my own." I walked past him to my door. "So if that's all you wanted, I have things to do." The door opened before I could find my keys.
"Hey, Hun, I thought I heard you out here. Oh and Lucas! It's been a while since I've seen you around." My mom smiled at him, blocking the doorway so I couldn't escape inside.
"Hi, Mrs. Matthews. I know, it's been too long."
"Why don't you invite him in, Riles?"
"Because I have homework to do, and Lucas has football practice." I pushed past my mother.
"No I—oh wait, yes I do! Sorry, I have to go. See you tomorrow, Riles, nice talking to you, Mrs. Matthews." I dumped my bag on the bottom of the stairs and headed into the kitchen.
"What a nice boy. I still don't understand why you two broke up."
"Mom," I warned her, opening the fridge and peering inside.
"Oh, I know, I know! But obviously he still likes you! Why not give him another chance?" She had closed the front door and was chopping carrots on the kitchen counter.
"You sound just like Smackle! Give it a rest already! I don't like Lucas as anything more than a friend and that is never going to change!" I slammed the fridge having found what I was looking for and headed to my room.
"Riles, honey, I'm sorry! But don't fill up on fruit, dinner's in an hour!"
"I don't want anything, I have studying to do." I slammed the door and flung myself on the bed. I could hear my mom muttering to herself about having an ungrateful daughter, but I was no mood to get into it with her tonight.
The rest of the evening passed quickly in a blur of homework and fruit fingers. It was until I'd finished my work and laid in bed that I realized just how much my neck hurt.
"Jeez, Maya!" I pulled back my hair to reveal a dark purple bruising on my neck, looking at it in the mirror it looked quite bad. "Great, just great." Even though I was annoyed at her for it, a small part of me was thrilled. I'd never had a hicky before, not like this anymore. Lucas had 'respected' me too much to do anything like this, and frankly I'd not had much time for anyone before him, so this was all new to me. And I loved it.
Maya was so different from anyone I'd ever met. She did what she wanted and didn't care about the concerns. It was exciting. She brought something out of me that I had never known was even there, a side of me that liked the pain, that liked being shoved up against the door and kissed roughly.
My phone vibrated on the dresser and a table spread across my face. I raced to pick it up and flip it open.
How's the neck? Wow, she was good.
Sore. What's it to you?
Ahh well that's the price you pay, I guess.
Uh huh. Oh, I didn't get the chance earlier, but I wanted to thank you.
Thank me for what, Matthews?
For forever attaching Lucas to me! It's like he's on a bungee cord or something!
Heh you are very welcome, anything I can do to help your struggling social life.
Brat.
What was your first clue? Night.
I frowned, throwing my phone across my room into the open closet; my clothes cushioning its landing. I couldn't win with her, she just wouldn't me. I lay on my bed fuming for a few moments before remembering something. Rescuing my phone, I flipped it open and sent one last text.
Night.
Who knows what she would have done to me; I didn't need another Lucas after me!