A/N: It has been brought to my attention that there is someone on Wattpad impersonating me. Umm... If you're reading this, I'm just really confused why you're doing it. (Lol I'm a really boring person). Wouldn't you have much more fun writing and sharing your own stories and allowing people to connect with and get to know the real you? How can people learn about the interesting things in your personality if you're hiding yourself away by pretending to be someone else? Just be yourself lol! :)
Also for those of you who have been asking if I have an account on Wattpad, the answer is no. I only publish my stories here and some smut on my Ao3 account.
I just wanted to say I'm sorry for leaving you hanging for so long. I'm back now. You won't have to wait more than half a year for an update ever again lol :P
Thank you for being patient with me and sorry for the wait (lol ten months, holy shit)! I appreciate all of your comments, and though I haven't had a chance to respond to all of them yet, I promise I will do it tomorrow, but it's late and I need some sleep lol! I promise this story is not abandoned and I'm working my bum off to finish it for once. It's been long enough and it's about time I got busy to get it done :)
Disclaimer: I do not own GMW or the characters, but shit... if I did... You guys better run... ヽ(￣д￣;)ノ=3=3=3
Maya sighed as she tried to curl another small section of her hair behind her head, her thoughts still lingering on the argument she'd nearly had with Lucas back at the field. What was up with him and always getting so peeved whenever she mentioned Brandon? She didn't know how to deal with his constant annoyance with that and the mystery surrounding whatever it was their relationship was, but one thing she did know was that maybe she could try to get some answers from Brandon.
Layla walked into the bathroom a few minutes later. "Oh sorry, Maya. I was just looking for any spare bathrobes for your friend."
"It's no problem," she said congenially. "I think I saw one in the cabinet."
Layla watched her struggle to curl her hair. "Do you need some help with the back of your head? I know my way around a curling wand."
"Thanks, I'd really appreciate it."
She took it from Maya and then continued to help her get the back of her hair. Maya thought it was a nice gesture, considering they hadn't had a chance to talk all that much yet. Layla usually worked long hours or hung out with Katy, so Maya only really saw her occasionally. But now that Lucas had told her a bit about his past, Maya could understand why Katy became such good friends with Layla so quickly, considering they'd both experienced pretty rough marriages and divorces.
"So how do you like Texas and your school so far?" Layla asked as she smoothed down some fresh curls and stepped back to view her handiwork. "Has adjusting been okay? I heard your first week was a little rocky."
"It's better than I expected, although the heat is kind of hard to deal with. I was expecting colder weather by now," Maya responded as she pulled out her mascara to touch up her eyelashes. She was too lazy to do anything else though. "And things have definitely been going better too."
Except for that one little hitch that could end with her stripping in front of the whole school.
"I'm glad to hear that," Layla muttered darkly, resuming the curling once again. "If Lucas' actions the week before had made the rest of your school days awful, I would have really given him a piece of my mind. I swear, sometimes I really don't know what is going through that damn boy's head."
You and me both sister.
"Maybe he's still dealing with his issues from your bad divorce, and he's acting out in his own weird ways," Maya suggested with a shrug as she thought about what Lucas had divulged that afternoon. She looked up as she applied the brush onto the lashes of her other eye. "I know I haven't gotten over even my mom's first divorce."
Layla finished another set of curls and paused in her work as she gave Maya an odd look. She had a weird little smile playing on her lips and for a second, Maya wondered if she'd said something wrong. Maybe mentioning the divorce hadn't been the best idea, especially since the phone call that morning must have opened up old wounds.
Maya grimaced, ready to apologise for being impetuous, but Layla beat her to the punch with her response.
"You know, Maya, you're probably right." Layla sighed as she finished another curl and moved it into place. "Lucas is a very protective boy. Almost to a fault."
"To a fault?"
"You may not think it's true because of the way he acts sometimes, but he would do anything to protect the people he cares about," she explained. Maya had heard that one before, and she hadn't quite believed it, but coming from his mother, she was beginning to think Zay hadn't been wrong at all. "But when he doesn't have an outlet for his anger, it tends to come out in all the wrong ways. And especially in ways that other people get hurt. Did you know Lucas got expelled from school the year of my divorce?"
Maya nodded, listening attentively to Layla as she told her this information. Surprisingly, she reasoned it wasn't just because anything she knew about Lucas could be used as an advantage in her goals, but also because she honestly was curious how far the extent of his demons went.
"Did he tell you what happened the day he got expelled?"
"He trashed his classroom and a girl ended up in the hospital, right?"
"There's more to it than that."
Maya grew uneasy by the dark look in Layla's eyes. Her stomach twisted in knots.
"Lucas hadn't wanted to leave my side that morning for reasons, but I sent him off to school. Let's just say thanks to John, I ended up in the hospital that afternoon. When Lucas got expelled, he went after his father. I didn't know the details in full of whatever happened—I was still hospitalised at that point and neither of them still has told me—but when he got home, Lucas' arm was broken, and John told me if Lucas ever disrespected him again, he'd make sure he'd break every bone in Lucas' body. I didn't know how serious he was with that threat, but I couldn't count on Lucas not trying to get revenge again, so I sent him straight to live with his Pappy Joe in a different county. Maybe John wasn't serious, but I didn't want to take that chance."
"You were in the hospital because of him." Maya's voice came out a little strained, and she cleared her throat. "If I were in your position, I'd do the exact same thing."
Layla nodded as she sectioned off another chunk of Maya's hair closer to the crown of her head. "I was in no position to raise my son at that point because I was depressed for a year and checked out of life, but I wonder sometimes if I made the right decision. When Lucas came back home to attend high school, he was… different. It was subtle and you can't tell when you look at him because of his general disposition, but I knew my son. He was extremely wild. Aggressive, angry, and then the year after that, the sleeping around started. I want to blame it on what happened with John, but the truth is I just don't know."
What the hell kind of life had they led? What had happened to Layla for her to end up in the hospital? What Lucas had divulged that afternoon had barely scratched the surface of just how bad a father he had. And even Layla wasn't disclosing all the details, but if the empty look in her gaze was anything to go by, whatever this man had done, he'd definitely destroyed his family. She was really starting to understand just why mentions of John Glenwood brought about angry mutters, shouts and that odd gleam of hatred in their eyes.
Maya must have accidentally made a face because Layla chuckled and apologised.
"I'm sorry for unloading all of this on you at once, but I think it'll help you understand what I meant about Lucas a little better. He knew what his father was capable of, yet still went after him because he wanted to protect me." She chuckled mirthlessly. "He was only thirteen. It's my fault he turned out this way. I should have been stronger for him. And I think a certain part of him acts this way because he doesn't want me to think he's still mulling over what happened. I can imagine you're probably horrified by the revelation."
She couldn't lie; it was a little crazy to hear the full story. "I mean, there are certain elements that are horrifying, but thankfully, I've lived my fair share of nightmares too. To be honest, I'm surprised I'm this well-adjusted."
Layla laughed. "I'm glad you've escaped the prison of a soap opera upbringing."
"But don't sell yourself short, Layla." Maya smiled, happy to see that the dimmed, nearly empty look in Layla's eyes had extinguished. "If anything, you're the reason why he probably hasn't gone completely off the rails. You said so yourself, he's fiercely protective of people he cares about. So I'm sure to an extent, he recognises that if he turned into some wild motherfucker, it would hurt you deeply to see him that way. I would never do anything to hurt my mom either, and I knew messing up my life would do just that."
Reason number one she'd gotten her act together in high school.
The wry smile returned on Layla's face. "You're pretty wise for your age, potty mouth notwithstanding."
"Uh, thank… you? I give all the credit to my mom for that though. She's the one who singlehandedly raised me through the most tumultuous time of my life. Any wisdom I've picked up has been secondhand from her. You wouldn't think so since she acts like a kook half the time, but she's surprisingly good at giving advice."
Besides a wise person didn't make stupid seduction bets against a guy who clearly was going to be a tougher nut to crack than some typical fuckboy jock seen in movies. Maya had severely underestimated how many walls Lucas might have up. But if he was anything like her in how she dealt with things that had made her life hell, then it would take a grenade to be able to invade his defences.
"That she is." Layla laughed again as she wrapped a section of the hair around the wand and locked it in place to heat. "But that's why I'm so thankful for your mom. She's really been a wonderfully hectic addition to my life. Helped me see a different perspective on things I've been dealing with. No one I know understands a rough divorce, so she's definitely great to hang out with. Even if some of her plans are… umm, eccentric?"
"That's putting it lightly." Maya laughed too. "She's really happy she's got you too. She lost a lot of her friends after the divorce. I know my mom, and she probably considers you her best friend."
"I'm glad to hear that. Your mom is the best friend I've never had," Layla said seriously. "Like a sister even."
The cogs turned in Maya's mind. This was a very good opportunity to shamelessly push her party agenda for that weekend.
"You know…" Maya started, putting the perfect sly tone in her voice without sounding too obvious. "She's never actually gone on a vacation before."
The older woman rose a brow. "She hasn't?"
"She's pretty much worked nonstop since having me. It'd be great if she could go on a mini trip. Especially like this weekend since she won't be working."
Layla worked in silence for a little bit, though Maya definitely could see the pensive look in her eyes as she considered what Maya had told her. "You know, I was due for a visit with my dad. I could show her the apple orchard. Plus he has a lake house near the farm." The more she spoke, the more convinced she sounded about the idea. "Actually, I should be able to finish up my meeting with the firm tonight which will clear up my weekend. I could take her tomorrow."
"That's a great idea," Maya said, encouraging her and trying to keep from snickering. She'd fallen right for the trap.
"You know, Lucas did tell me earlier that it might be a good idea to go spend some time away to clear my mind from John." Layla turned off the curling wand and set it on the counter. She started rearranging some parts of Maya's hair. "Alright. It's settled. I'll take your mom apple picking. A city slick like her needs a taste of real country life once in her life. You're welcome to come and bring your friend if you'd like too?"
"That sounds really fun, but that might work better when Riley has more time, like in the spring."
"Good idea. We could all go and enjoy some time up there. There, all done." Maya shielded her face while Layla sprayed her hair so it could hold the curl into the night. "You know, I'm thankful to you too Maya. I think since you moved in, Lucas has mellowed out a bit. It's subtle, but it's there. I think you've been a pretty good addition to his life. He's a caring boy, even if he needs to get his act together sometimes."
"What is this, an infomercial? Are you trying to sell me your son?" Maya drawled, a little suspicious by the fact that Layla was sounding a bit too much like Katy with the whole Lucas pushing.
Layla's smile was anything but innocent. "He's always acted worse around girls he likes. In third grade, he once gave a girl a frog as a Valentine gift. Don't read too much into his actions."
Maya almost didn't notice what she'd been implying. She frowned. "He doesn't like me."
She tilted her head slightly in amusement. "Of course."
Maya could sense the sarcasm dripping from her tone.
Before she could respond, the door of the bathroom suddenly opened, and they both immediately clammed up when Lucas walked in. They glanced at each other secretively through the mirror and Maya nearly snickered when Layla brought a single finger up to her lips. Barring the end of their conversation, Maya was really glad she'd gotten a chance to talk to Layla. She seemed like a pretty cool person, and now that Maya knew how much she valued Katy's friendship, she trusted her even more.
"Can you do me a quick favour and run an errand for me, cowpoke?" Layla asked him.
"As long as it's not far. I've got somewhere to be today. I'm leaving soon," he responded as he picked up his razor from the counter.
"Oh that's right! You're going to a rodeo with your friends, right? Take Maya. I'm sure she's never been to one before." Layla commented offhandedly. Though not offhandedly enough that Maya couldn't detect that slight hint of conspiracy. "Some mates from the firm are coming tonight to discuss a case. It's going to get loud as usual and there won't be anything to do, so Maya, it'd be a good chance to go out and see some of Austin."
"That won't be necessary."
"It'll be fun." She nudged Maya, and Maya felt a little too uncomfortable with that sly little smirk she was wearing on her face. It screamed matchmaker to her. Had Katy told Layla what she'd seen? "Maybe you guys can make up and become friends."
Okay, now Maya was sure there was no way Layla didn't know about the pool almost-sexcapade. She was even snickering and waggling her eyebrows. What the hell had Katy said to the woman about what she saw on the pool table?
"I have plans for tonight with someone, Layla," Maya said with an apologetic shrug. "Can't really cancel."
"What's the errand you wanted me to run? And your ride is here, Maya," Lucas said in boredom, the total indifference in his voice annoying her. A few hours ago, he'd been pissed off about Brandon. What was with his nonchalance now? It bugged her.
Layla looked between the two of them in confusion, clearly sensing the odd tension. "…Can you grab the tablecloth from the dryer and put it back on the patio table?"
"Sure," he called out as he left the bathroom.
Maya glared at her curling wand as she unplugged it and wrapped the cord around it. She put away her makeup and hair products, all the while ignoring Layla's scrutinising stare. Maya was rushing to leave before Layla commented on anything. And especially before her mom woke up from her nap. No doubt the two women would start gossiping and making things hella awkward. It was better that Maya get the fuck out while she could. But thankfully, Layla didn't mention anything about Lucas again. She moved to the cabinet to look for the bathrobe, and Maya took that as her cue.
"Have fun on your date, Maya," Layla said congenially as Maya began to leave. "Oh, and make sure you don't trash my house when you throw that party you're obviously planning for tomorrow."
Maya's eyes widened as she stared at the woman. "You knew?"
"I wasn't born yesterday. You get bonus points for using your mom that cleverly to push your agenda, but what's that saying again? Momma didn't raise no fool?" She chuckled, waving Maya off when she started to apologise. "Don't worry about it. Well, as long as you don't trash my house."
"Okay. I'll make sure of that." Maya turned and left the bathroom with a red face and completely embarrassed that her efforts for secrecy had been completely in vain.
Maya headed down the stairs in no particular rush. She'd gone above and beyond for her hair, but true to her fashion, she'd opted out of dressing nicely and went with comfort clothes that could potentially work for any casual date. Besides, it was just Brandon. He probably didn't give a crap about what she looked like anyway.
She got to the driveway outside and headed down the front steps. Brandon was waiting in his car wearing a cowboy hat of all things, and Maya had to stop herself from busting out laughing when she climbed in the passenger seat.
"So where exactly are you taking me?" And should she have brought pepper spray?
He smirked. "A rodeo."
~.~.~
Honestly, Maya should have seen this coming.
She had no doubt this was the very same rodeo that Zay and Lucas and their friends were going to that evening. There was no way that this was a coincidence. And if it really wasn't, then Brandon was quickly proving himself to be as devious and crafty as Maya considered herself to be.
But that didn't change the fact that being at the rodeo was very clearly becoming a major annoyance. She didn't quite understand what was so entertaining about men and boys riding bulls and sheep until they nearly got their necks broken falling off. Plus, the stands were crowded and sweaty with so many jostling bodies with all sorts of BO and dank alcohol breath that was making her want to hurl. Twice, she'd gotten elbowed in the head by someone and when some guy broke a record on a bull, the guy to her right had gone nuts, picked her up, and planted a nasty slobbery kiss on her cheek. Not to mention all that time spent on her hair only for it to get mussed within minutes and the curls to drop from the humidity of her environment. And as if that wasn't bad enough, her hair was starting to frizz. She knew the cat on her head was starting to wake up from its long nap and would be making an appearance soon.
"So…" Maya said to Brandon when the shouts and jeers of the crowd finally settled down. The man who'd fallen off the bull had jumped the fuck out of the ring when the bull started chasing him. "You don't seem like the type who'd go to a rodeo to take someone out on a date."
"You're not usually one to beat around the bush, Hart," he said in monotone.
"Fair enough." She crossed her arms in front of her chest. Might as well get her answers then. "I want to know about your rivalry with Lucas."
"It's not a rivalry."
"Then why are you so curious about him and me? You seem like you really hate him. Did something happen at you guys' old school? And yes, I already knew you went to school together in junior high."
Brandon's eyes glinted with something harsh and unforgiving and his jaw clenched. He probably hadn't been expecting the blunt questioning, but Maya was fed up with this whole Lucas vs. Brandon mystery and above that, she was pretty damn pissed that Brandon had used the guise of a date to bring her to a fucking rodeo. Whatever his plan was, he could have just as easily taken her to like a four star restaurant or something! He owed her, and she would get her answers, even if she had to judo flip him out of the stands and throw him in the ring.
"Why do you seem to have a grudge against him? Is this about a girl?"
Another guy flung out of the gates on a wildly bucking bull, looking like he was about to get thrown off like a ragdoll and the crowd went wild. It was so loud, Maya wondered if Brandon had even heard the last part of her question, but the annoyed tick of the muscle in his jaw was too much of a reaction (for him anyway) to not mean something.
"Were you the guy whose girlfriend hooked up with Lucas to get back at you for slashing her tires?" Now that she thought about it, wasn't that what Missy had said happened to some of the guys? "Doesn't he have some sort of code of honour about that stuff?"
"I wasn't one of those people." He looked thoroughly annoyed. "What the fuck code of honour are you talking about? Do you have any personal evidence other than what those people who have their mouths too wrapped up around his dick say?"
"Alas, he speaks." Maya snarked. "I don't have evidence, but…"
It was a feeling she got.
Brandon scoffed in disgust. "Unbelievable. You're just like the others. He gives you some attention, flirts a bit, and now you're head over heels."
"I am not head over heels; but he is an arguably nice guy sometimes."
She couldn't really believe she was defending Lucas considering their track record, but it was the truth. He may have been some pervy asshole guy sometimes, but at least he didn't fool people or lie to people. He knew exactly what type of guy he was. There was no faking with Lucas. What she saw was what she got. And there were a few times he had been much nicer than she expected.
"If you think he's sincere, you deserve everything you get. How do you think he gets so many girls? He plays them to his advantage, acts how he thinks they think, and transforms himself into the perfect guy for them so they fall for him."
"Like a chameleon?" Maya snickered as the guy was flung off of the bull. He'd lasted way longer than anyone that night though and the crowd was going ballistic. "You are way too pressed about this Lucas thing."
Brandon scowled at her. "Because I'm being serious. You're falling for him. Or a specific image of him he's allowing you to get to know. You're just a challenge to him. He's going to drop you like a rock the minute he gets what he wants."
He made a lot more sense than she wanted to admit. But what he was saying was still annoying her for some reason. "I'm not falling for anyone. And you think I don't know that he sees me as a challenge?"
"The way you've been with him seems to suggest otherwise. You're getting caught up in his spell and the moment you realise you have is the moment it'll be too late. Have you slept with him yet?"
"That's kind of private don't you think?" He was awfully invested.
"So that's a no then?" He smirked. "This is Friar we're talking about. If he wants to hook up with someone, he just goes for it as soon as possible."
"What about it?"
"Haven't you wondered why he's so withdrawn with you? Usually, if he has a certain target, he gets with the target pretty quickly. If he wants to hook up, he's not one to sit back and take his time."
"Maybe he respects me," Maya snarked sarcastically.
Or maybe she'd sabotaged herself in stupid ways by acting like a total nut in front of him multiple times. But then again, he hadn't been hesitant in making her know he was willing to screw her either. And also, Maya had definitely presented herself as a challenge; she wouldn't be surprised if he was biding his time to really calculate what moves to make.
"Yeah." Brandon snorted. "If that's what you want to believe."
"So what are you trying to say? The point please."
"I'm saying he's playing you by acting this way. You let your guard down, he'll take advantage of you. Or did you forget what kind of guy he is? People don't get monikers in our school unless they really deserve them."
"So then you really killed a man?" Maya rose a brow. "Because everyone I've known has referred to you as The Guy Rumoured To Have Killed A Man."
"You know what I mean." Brandon rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"I find it disappointing that you believe the rumours and nicknames of a bunch of drama-thirsty teenagers as valid reasoning."
"You're defending him an awful lot for someone you supposedly hate…" he drawled, watching the bull in the arena chase the man who'd just fallen off.
"Yes, I'm aware—believe me it's freaking me the fuck out—but like I said, he's…"
Genuine?
But really, Brandon had a point. She didn't know what Lucas' full intentions were. She knew you couldn't fake that kind of pain and anger he'd exhibited when they'd talked about their dads. Unless Lucas was a fantastic actor or something, but even that was pushing it. In that moment in the field, he hadn't been putting on any kind of act with her. His sincerity had really thrown her off. But then again, wasn't this exactly what Brandon was trying to warn her about? Lucas did act pretty much like The Wolf in all of those fables and fairy tales. He could be more cunning than she knew, but she hadn't gotten that vibe.
"I don't think he's scheming," she said in irritation. "Don't insult my intelligence. I'm not such an idiot that I can't tell when I'm getting played. One does not embark on an ambition like mine without being able to avoid dangerous traps set by The Big Bad Wolf."
He gave her a strange look, like he honestly couldn't believe she was an existing human being. "You don't know Friar. But I do."
Maya threw up her hands in exasperation. "Both you and Lucas keep saying that same stupid thing! Can you just tell me how you know each other so well? Fuck this mystery. You've been dragging it on for too long already. Just tell me."
Brandon's expression was full of malice. "He didn't tell you our history?"
"Tell me what? I already know you both went to the same school in junior high."
"We didn't just go to the same school. We were good friends." It'd been said with a degree of mockery and a sneer on his lips that made Maya wonder how sarcastically he meant 'friends'. Nonetheless, he had her rapt attention, especially since Missy hadn't been able to dig up any dirt like that. "But what I'm talking about is the girl he injured."
Her brows furrowed. "I know about that too."
"Do you?" Brandon's sneer turned into one of disgust. "Did you know that the girl he fucked up was my girlfriend?"
Maya's jaw dropped in sheer disbelief that there could be a connection like that. "What?"
"Guess he conveniently left that part out."
Well, considering she'd gotten the information from Missy, it made total sense why she didn't get that other element to the whole story. Missy was a great journalist, but she wasn't clairvoyant. There were bound to be holes in her information. But this? This went beyond just a simple association. This was actually crazy. And above that, it pretty much made sense why Brandon seemed to detest Lucas with a burning passion. She was beginning to think that a lot of stuff all revolved around what was starting to seem like "The Worst Year of Lucas Friar's Life".
All she knew for sure was, there was a lot more to this Brandon/Lucas issue than she knew and they both were harbouring some pretty nasty feelings towards each other. She knew why Brandon hated Lucas now (kind of? maybe? sort of?), but she had no idea why Lucas hated Brandon. And now she really wanted to know, especially since Brandon had just dropped that news.
She didn't get a chance to respond because at that moment a wild bull rammed into the wall in front of their stands. The shoddy construction shook from the impact, creaking and bending. The whole audience on their side shouted in alarm as it started to seem like the whole thing was about to break into a thousand pieces and crash to the ground. And take them with it to their deaths!
"Holy shit! Are we about to die?!" Maya shouted, grabbing hold of the first thing she could think of. In this case, the ponytail of the guy directly in front of her. He yelped in pain and nearly got his head yanked back as she tried to catch her balance. "Sorry!"
The movement settled, and they all let out collective sighs of relief, but the man beside her hurled. He was spewing brown gunk and with that mixed with his nasty liquor breath, she nearly threw up herself. Maya screamed and jumped away so she wouldn't get sprayed by the beer infested vomit and rammed into Brandon. He lost his balance and was jostled out of his spot and rammed into a person beside and in front of him and they lost their balance and were jostled out of their spots and rammed into other people who lost their balance and were jostled out of their spots and rammed into other people who lost their balance…
And before she knew it, she'd caused an unfortunate domino effect that had one half of their entire stand falling on their asses, running into other people, or nearly tumbling off the stand itself. The other half was screaming in disgust and sheer terror at the still vomiting man. Some of the spewed chunks landed on another woman in the stands, and without further ado, she started hurling too.
Maya couldn't help it. The absolute stupidity of the entire situation made her laugh so hard she couldn't catch her breath.
"Let's get out of here," Brandon muttered with a tinge of horror in his voice. "Before you get us both killed."
"Only if we stop by a burger joint so I can get some dinner."
"You still want to eat after seeing that?" he said incredulously, pointing to the people throwing up.
"Yes! Let's go!"
He turned to leave the stands and she followed him, mentally apologising to all the drunk people still groaning in confusion or pain from the fall. As they headed down the stairs, she glanced up at the stand set that had been beside them, trying to see if people were watching the mess that had happened. She'd been passively watching people, so she wasn't quite paying attention to anyone, until she caught sight of Zay, cheering wildly as he watched the mess, twirling a shirt like a lasso in one hand, and holding his beer in the other. Her stomach suddenly dropped. If Zay was there (and now that she looked closely, a lot of friends from that group), then Lucas was no doubt in the area too.
And sure enough, when she shifted her gaze to the left, she found herself making eye contact with Lucas. His expression was carefully blank, but she still felt her breath hitch. Licking her lips nervously, Maya snapped her gaze away and hurried to leave the stand.
Dammit, why was that feeling of guilt rearing its ugly head again?
~.~.~
Maya rang the doorbell for the umpteenth time, getting more annoyed when no one still came to open it. She and Brandon were waiting outside for Lucas to get home to open up the door. Unfortunately, Maya hadn't thought to ask Layla for a house key yet, so she was stuck for the time being since it seemed no one was home. Either that or Layla's group party was so loud they couldn't hear her. But she'd heard the doorbell in the house. It reverberated through the whole first floor, so the chances of someone missing it were very low.
"Now that this date is over, are you going to tell me why you told me all this stuff about Lucas? You know, aside from your ever present obsession with knowing where Bucky McBoingBoing has been." Maya rose a brow as she leaned back against the railing of the front steps. "I'm grateful for the info, but we're not exactly friends, so pardon my confusion. And please don't say you're doing it because you care about me or anything as vomit inducing as that 'I like you' confession was."
He shrugged, though his expression held a tinge of annoyance. "I have my reasons."
Bullshit.
This guy was so infuriating. Was he going out of his way to make sure he always appeared like some mysterious, brooding guy?
Her eyes narrowed. "…Why'd you ask me out by telling me you liked me?"
"Because I do like you. Your little ploy to hook up with Friar is giving me some great entertainment."
Once again, Maya couldn't tell from his blank face just how much sarcasm played a factor in his response. She could almost even detect the hint of something playful in his tone, but it was too hard to tell. This guy was just as much of an unpredictable enigma as Lucas was. Only the thing was Maya was able to understand Lucas a little more each time they spoke. This guy just made no fucking sense.
"You know, if you were a fuckboy, you and Lucas would literally be the same person."
"Except he's leagues worse. You make me out to be the bad guy somehow, but have you ever stopped to consider that maybe he and his group are all awful people? You don't know Friar, yet you trust him with your life."
"No, I d—"
"He has you wrapped around his finger." Brandon cut her off, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I have nothing to gain or lose from telling you about him, so you really should consider my warning seriously. But then again, I wouldn't expect anything sane from a crazy person like you."
"If you're going to be a jackass, go home already."
Brandon set his hands on her shoulders and leaned down close in one fluid motion. She was completely unprepared for his action and couldn't evade fast enough when he kissed her on the cheek. Maya nearly jumped in surprise and she let out an involuntary gasp (of disgust! The nerve!) when it happened. Why the hell had he done that?!
His lips stayed on her cheek until a car door shut behind her. She hadn't even heard someone pull up in the driveway in the first place. Had she really been that distracted by the conversation?
Maya wiped her cheek off when he let her go. "What the fuck was that?"
"I did my job, didn't I?" He straightened up, though his gaze was on something behind her.
No.
Not something.
Lucas.
She could actually feel the heat of his glare from behind. She'd asked Brandon to pretend they were trying to hook up, and he'd definitely delivered, only now she was starting to feel like now wouldn't have been the best time for this.
As Brandon walked down the stairs and Lucas up, he tossed Lucas a smug smirk. They passed by each other, and it was warm outside, but Maya could have sworn that the air chilled at least fifty degrees.
Lucas briefly met her gaze as he moved to unlock the door. She felt like she making some sort of excuse, but his expression morphed into some dirty look that immediately made her ready to take out her claws instead.
"Enjoy your night?" he asked, unfriendly, and with a look in his eyes that pissed her off. He was going to be an asshole. She just knew.
"I was enjoying it until you arrived." She rolled her eyes. "Okay, what's your problem? Better yet, what the hell is your problem with Brandon?"
He unlocked the door and tossed his keys in the bowl by the door as he headed down the main hallway. "I don't have the patience to deal with your shit tonight."
Oh hell no, he was not dismissing her. Not without a fight anyway. Maya brushed past him and blocked the staircase up to their rooms, planting her hands on her hips and glowering up at him.
"No. I've had enough of your bullshit. Every time I so much as mention him, you get your knickers in a damn twist. Either you tell me what the problem is, or I'm going to assume you're jealous about the date."
"I don't give a crap about your fucking date, Maya. Do you ever stop to think about the circumstances surrounding the dumb shit you do?" Lucas snapped, clearly fed up. Maya flipped him off with a scoff. "How did Brandon know exactly what rodeo to go to tonight at the exact time we were there? Funny how your date ended up being just about in the same area of the stands too, huh?"
Now that she thought about it, he'd asked her out for the exact day that she'd planned to go with Zay to the rodeo. As her somewhat ally, she knew why going to the rodeo with Brandon when Lucas was there made sense, but Lucas was right. The thing she couldn't figure out was how Brandon had all that information exactly right and where he'd gotten it from. Plus, Brandon was almost too astutely observant of Lucas. It was kind of weird. He acted all nonchalant about stuff, but now that Maya was thinking about it, he was oddly intense about anything having to do with Lucas. She was beginning to think that she was about to get caught up in the crossfire of some vicious war.
"I'm telling you he's bad news, but you're so fucking stubborn—"
"Bad news for you maybe. But I don't blame him being vengeful as fuck, you know, considering you put his girlfriend in the hospital."
Lucas let out a harsh bark of incredulous laughter, though his expression was anything but amused. "Really?"
She stiffened. "Yes, really."
"I don't know why you're sticking your nose in someone else's business and trying to stir up old shit, but I've paid my dues for my mistake." Lucas growled.
"I didn't dig up any old dirt. Brandon told me this stuff himself."
Lucas didn't respond for several seconds, staring at her with narrowed eyes as if trying to figure out how much of what she was saying was the truth. Maya smirked, feeling satisfied with his silence.
Take that, you Huckleberry! Score: Maya – uhh…
Well, she couldn't remember the score, but whatever it was, she'd definitely just gotten a point in her favour.
"Oh, I see." Lucas finally said in disinterest. "He thinks we're together. What a delusional concept."
"Or maybe…" Maya snarled, sincerely annoyed by his dismissal. "He's deduced that you like me more than you want to admit. And the fact that I'm going for him is bugging the hell out of you."
"Listen, darling." His gaze was ruthless as he leaned down so they were eye level. He spoke in a low voice, sending chills down her back. "Get it through your head. You are the last person I would ever want to date."
"But the first you want to fuck," she riposted, quirking a brow.
They both fell silent, staring each other down in annoyance.
"Maya, get out of my way," he said calmly.
Lucas looked like something in him was about to snap, but Maya wasn't about to get intimidated.
"Eat shit," she said in the same tone.
Lucas' lips pulled up into a fiendish smirk and before she could do anything, he took hold of her waist and hauled her up onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She was suddenly getting déjà vu of the last time he'd hoisted her up. Only with that huge burger plus the fries plus the milkshake turning in her stomach and the memory of that brown gunk that man had heaved out at the rodeo, she knew this wasn't going to end pretty.
"Can you put me down?!"
"You wouldn't move, so I'm moving you."
"Ummm… excuse me? The door was unlocked and opened, and I kind of let myself in because no one responded to my knock, and I heard you guys arguing so I uh, followed the trail of… insults…"
She and Lucas both glanced in the direction of the new voice. Maya's brows lifted in surprise when she saw Riley standing nearby them with her hot pink suitcase and a sheepish, slightly awkward smile on her face. She looked between the two of them in confusion.
"Hi Peaches… Hope I'm not interrupting something."