Chapter 10- Never Again

Bolin held on tightly to Maya's hand as he walked by her side. Both of them watched the mile-long line they walked by with smugness that they did not have to wait. Other girls watched Maya with jealousy as she passed them. Bolin saw that she enjoyed the attention. There was a change in her that night, and he was loving every minute of it.

He sprang ahead of her to prop open the side door. "Madam."

Maya laughed. "You are so chivalrous. Thank you."

She went inside. Bolin led her in through the grand hall. The janitor shuffling a broom along the hard floor grumbled with undisguised annoyance when he saw Bolin with yet another girl.

"Should I not be back here?" Maya fretted.

"Nah, it's cool. You're with me. So you get the backstage tour."

"Backstage tour of the pro-bending arena. And to think I could be studying for my culture class."

"No no. No talk of that here. Tonight is all about fun."

"We'll see what that means," she replied with a sly smile.

I am dying to know, Bolin thought.

He took her through the gym before taking her to the locker room. Mako and Korra were helping each other fasten their uniforms. Bolin felt like it had been centuries since he had last seen them.

"Hey teammates," he greeted.

"What's up, Bolin?" Korra greeted warmly. "Didn't come alone I see."

"You guys know Maya."

"Yeah. Liking backstage, Maya?"

"It is a bit more than I planned to see," Maya answered.

"My exact thought my first time here," Korra said. "It only gets better."

"It gets pretty crazy later on," Mako added. "We appreciate the down time now."

"I see."

Bolin was pleased to see that Mako and Korra were so inviting to Maya. He threw on his uniform as quick as possible. Maya stood in the corner. She didn't make it obvious, but he knew she was watching when he took his shirt off. His uniform was on with time to spare.

"We have extra time. Let me show you the grand spectator stand. I can get you a good seat up there," he offered.

"Sweet!"

"You sound a bit more excited than usual, my dear. Do you and Ricsan have this much fun?"

Her eyes excitedly scanned all the other pro-bending players moving around through the hallway. It wasn't until they reached the stairs that led to the best spectator balcony when he heard her say, "Not anymore."

"I'm sorry. What?"

But Maya was already rushing up the stairs. With the crowds and excitement, Bolin did not get the chance to ask her what she meant. A bouncer halted Maya when she reached the top of the staircase.

"You have a gold pass, ma'am?" he asked her.

"It's cool," Bolin graced her. "She is with me."

The friendly man scooted aside and motioned them inside. Maya was astounded by the view of the arena. She lounged over the rail and took it all in. He moved over next to her, perhaps a little too close. Maya, however, did not scoot away.

"I never thought I would say this, but I am really excited."

"Are you now?"

Bolin and Maya froze. They slowly turned around at the same time, hoping they had misheard that smooth, charismatic voice. Dread tore down Bolin's excitement. Maya, on the other hand, was completely white in the face. She didn't just share distaste: she was terrified! Bolin had no idea why. Wasn't this the man she rejected him for, after all? The rich and smart university student Ricsan she saw?

"I need to talk to you, Maya. Outside," he stated.

Maya stammered. She was speechless on what to say. Red flags shot up in Bolin's mind.

"She doesn't want to," he blurted out bravely. It was not his place to step in the middle of drama, but he knew when to do what was right.

"I don't believe I asked you, Bolin," Ricsan returned coldly.

"I'm coming," Maya said softly.

Bolin jerked her to the side and gripped her shoulders seriously. "Maya, no."

"I have to talk to him," she explained shakily. "I broke up with him inconsiderably. It is only right."

"You broke up with him? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it didn't matter until now."

Bolin saw two pro-bending players running up behind Maya. He peered around her head at them. Korra and Mako were breathless after sprinting from the locker room.

"Bolin, we are almost on," panted Korra.

"Get your head in the game and let's go," Mako scolded him.

Bolin was torn. He stayed where he was and thought of what to say to Maya in a hurry that would change her mind.

"You need to go," she decided. "You have a match to win. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"Bolin!" Mako yelled.

"Promise me you won't go with him," Bolin begged. "Please."

Maya didn't answer. Mako grabbed his arm and dragged him away. He followed his teammates reluctantly, gazing over his shoulder every step of the way. He watched as Ricsan went up to the vulnerable Maya. She started to speak, but he grabbed her wrist. He took her away from the rail. She rubbed her eyes to efface her tears and went after him.

No…

"Wait," Bolin told Mako.

"We're doing this for your own good, Bolin. For the match."

Bolin vanished down the stairs in despair. He knew what the best thing to do was, and it wasn't this. Yet he had to go down there and pretend he cared about bending. Every day the three of them devoted their time into training to win. Even if he didn't want it anymore, he could not let Mako and Korra down. So he went down into the arena. While they waited through all the announcements, Bolin's head swarmed with horror stories of what Ricsan and Maya were doing while he stood there uselessly. His head was in such a fog that when Mako tried to brief him on a strategy, he didn't even hear. What team were they playing again? Did it even matter?

"Bolin, you have to listen," Mako growled.

"Sorry…"

"The Gorilla-wolves should be the easiest team we face tonight," Korra went on. "If we give it our all we could possibly finish them in the first round with a quick knock-out. We have to use all our power moves to pull it off. Just like we practiced."

Bolin was suddenly paying full attention. He had to make sure a quick knock-out happened, for Maya's sake. Earthbending sounded repulsive, but he forced himself to immmerse himself into it.

"And first to enter our grand arena is the Fire Ferrets," the announcer said over microphone.

Mako, Bolin, and Korra strutted into the ring. Bolin pasted on a happy face for the crowd. He scanned the balcony straight away. There were dozens of people up there. None of them had Maya's red hair or bulky glasses.

"And their opponents, the Gorrila-wolves."

Bolin studied all three of the other benders to see if this alleged ring-out would be possible. They were around Mako's age, maybe three years older. He recognized all three of them from the gym. He remembered them being lightweight, but quick. They brought with them a fighting style similar to that of Kyoshi warriors. They did have a weakness, though. They anticipated their opponents to be as passive in battle as they were. Bolin tensed his muscles and prepared to bend earth discs at full power. For Maya. Not for victory. Just for Maya.

"They're facing off…"

The arena was deadly silent as the six fighters held their stances. Then the whistle blew.

Bolin raised up two earth discs before the whistle could finish. That began a flurry of earth discs, one after the other. All he could see in his mind was winning, was throwing all three of the Gorilla-wolves into the pool. They tossed back elements of their own, but their strikes were weaker. Bolin blocked every one and returned fire twice as hard. Korra and Mako saw how his ferocity drove him, and fought with the same intensity. The Gorilla-wolves struggled to keep their ground. They barely retaliated with strikes of their own. They backed up and blocked the barrage of water, earth and fire. The firebender teetered, then fell into the pool first. The waterbender went second. The earthbender stood alone in zone three while the Fire Ferrets had already stormed on to her side. She made her end simply and jumped over the back end of the ring willingly. The match was over.

"Three knock-outs in one round!" the announcer exclaimed. "It must be a new record for the Fire Ferrets. Never have I seen such dedication to win."

The announcer continued to babble on, The crowd screamed their approval. Bolin turned away from it all. He threw his helmet to the ground and took off. He did not look back at Korra or Mako. He did not listen to the announcer making up an excuse for him. He hurried out into the main hall, which was deserted now.

He had to think. Where would Maya be? Outside? Outside the arena was empty this time of night. Even the guards at the door went inside to steal glimpses of the match. He went on into the night. He meandered down the steps, searching. Then he saw her, standing by the bay.

"Maya!" he called.

He was thrilled she was okay. When he ran up to her, she did not turn to face him. She didn't say anything.

"Maya?"

When he peered around to try and see her face, she turned her head away, as if trying to hide something. But Bolin saw it anyway, even in the dim light. She was not wearing her glasses. Her right cheek was swollen and already turning blue.

"Maya, it's okay," he immediately reassured her. He pulled her into a hug.

"It's not okay." She sounded much stronger than she looked at that moment. She wriggled out of his hug. "Ricsan got away with it. I'm not some big shot bender like you. I did nothing."

"You can't blame yourself for Ricsan's dumbassery," Bolin said.

"It was much more than that," she argued. She was trying not to cry, though it took all of her effort. "I feel so damaged. I never thought that would happen to me."

"He hit you. Is that all he did?" Bolin inquired.

"No," she forced herself to answer.

"Then what was it?"

Maya didn't answer. She just sighed shakily and stared at the water. She thought she lost all chance of getting closure for whatever happened when he was gone, and it was killing her inside.

"When did Ricsan leave?" Bolin questioned.

"Scarcely a minute before you found me…"

"Let's get him," Bolin proposed ambitiously. "We will make him pay for messing with you."

Maya backed away from the water. She straightened up, put her glasses on her face, and said, "We will. If I give up now, I am turning him loose to do this to some other girl. And I will not be the victim that says nothing. Never again."