Chapter Forty-Six
Maya returned home after her forbidden phone-call with a plastic bag. Her mother was sitting on the couch with her father John. She got out a wine bottle and placed it on the dining room table. Making her mother just roll her eyes, she hoped that wine bottle was worth spending a quarter of her allowance on. Though it was her thirty pounds, she could spend it on what she wanted; Henrietta no longer cared. She wasn't a child anymore.
"There's some really nice coats in Bonmarche but I suppose you could always try the local charity shop" Henrietta spoke up, trying to get on her daughter's nerves on purpose.
"Well we aren't all snobs like you mother"
"No but it must be difficult for you to have spent years in school and university, only to end up on benefits and having a child you can't see"
"I can get another job"
"Really? And who's going to employ somebody like you?"
"I might know somebody" John spoke up.
He still had friends in the property business, he would sometimes meet them in his local pub.
"Oh John, I doubt even your friends would employ her" Henrietta told him with a small chuckle.
"My friend who does scrap yarding would...He's not fussy who he employs"
"No thank you, I would rather not pick up dirty broken household goods" Maya spoke up from the dining room table.
This made her father give a slight scoff. She didn't have the right to be picky, she hardly had people queuing up to give her a chance. Though yes, it was a stupid suggestion. Maya's never done that sort of work in her entire life but more to the point; it wasn't likely she would get a chance anyway.
"It was just a thought...You need something to keep yourself occupied" John reminded her.
"Oh don't worry, I have" Maya muttered under her breath.
"What?" John asked.
"I said...I will find something" Maya lied with a sly smile.
The truth was she was biding her time until Jacob was eighteen (which wasn't very long). Then she was going to go away with him somewhere. Newcastle was still her desired destination. Though right now, her mother and father didn't know. They just thought she was trying to keep herself out of trouble.
...
Once again, Jacob had lied to his grandfather about his whereabouts. Saying he was staying overnight with a friend, something about a 'gaming night'. Eric had no reason not to believe him, he was rather glad in fact. Thinking he was finally getting back to normal by spending time with friends his own age. So Jacob got his bag and set off, waiting at the bus stop. He was spotted by Gabby and Leanna.
"Hey" Leanna spoke up to him however he ignored her.
"Jacob!" Gabby called.
"What?" Jacob finally answered.
"Where are you going? Anywhere fun?" Leanna asked.
He was going to Maya's of cause however he wasn't going to admit that. So he just looked at them with a slight sigh. He really did hate having to lie however he was sadly use to it by now, Maya turned into him that.
"Just a mate from college" Jacob insisted.
"Oh, that's nice; do you wanna hang out tomorrow then?" Leanna questioned.
"Nah" Jacob bluntly replied.
He no longer wanted anything to do with her actually, he felt like he was betraying Maya by being her friend. Gabby shaking her head at him, he just dropped her and her friends whenever he felt like it. Not like she had no understanding because she did but it didn't change that he dealt with it wrong.
"Fine...We get the message" Leanna answered; locking arms with Gabby as the girls walked away.
Jacob did feel guilty for how he treated his friends but he didn't know how else to get rid of them. The bus came a few moments later and he got on relieved as he paid the bus driver and sat at the back. Getting out his phone, he texted Maya on her phone that he was on his way.
...
Returning to the house where Maya currently resided. Jacob quietly climbed over the back door and dropped into the backgarden. Trying not to turn on the garden lights, he snuck quickly past there. Climbing up the drain pipe and making his way on the small roof, giving Maya's bedroom window a small tap; she opened it with a small smile. Letting him in like she was a teenage girl disobeying her parents by inviting her "boyfriend" round. Though this was very far from the truth, she was just hiding him because she knew this was immoral and illegal.
"Hey" Jacob whispered to her as he placed his bag down; this was the first time he's been in her childhood bedroom.
"I'm so glad you come" Maya replied in an equally quiet tone.
He gave a rather giddy smile as he wrapped his arms around her. Breaking apart after a few moments, his eyes going around the room. It looked so old to him however that only because he was so young and therefore anything before his birth seemed old. Maya couldn't help but feel giddy about the whole thing, she was getting away with this and she knew it. It would be awful for anyone normal but she wasn't normal.
"You look so much better with shorter hair" Maya then told him with a smile; keeping a very quiet tone throughout (as was he).
"Thanks...I wasn't sure" Jacob replied.
"How you been?"
"Alright, missing you loads though"
This comment made her smile again, she was happy to know that. He's still where she wants him. As she took him by the hand and sat down on the edge of her old bed with him, she placed one arm around him and wouldn't let go. Seeing him looking like his old self made her rather sickly giddy. Though she was still thinking about Ethan too, her mind still thought of him as the "love of her life" despite how many years passed.
"I missed you too...I like you being in here, even though it's strange" Maya told him.
"Why?"
"Because I was your age when I was last here properly. Not like it matters now, this won't be forever anyway"
"I know...And yes, I can tell this room hasn't been decorated for years. Like, who even is Bros?"
"A boyband"
"Oh my God...And look at that school uniform, like who even keeps their old uniform? I already got rid of mine"
"My mum kept it" Maya told him with a slight nudge. Pulling him in slightly for a kiss and the lad felt obliged to let it happen.
His hand briefly brushed against her thigh which made her pull her apart. No, Ethan's scars were still there from a couple days ago. Even she didn't want him to notice those as she just gave him a nervous smile.
"What's wrong?" Jacob asked her.
"I'm still sore from the beating"
"Oh, that's alright; we can just cuddle again" Jacob suggested in his naive tone.
Making her just give a small nod as she watched him move backwards. He put his arms out and she responded by resting her head on his chest. Feeling as he wrapped his arms around her. Jacob really had no idea, in a way; her fake nice persona seemed to make her true nature seem invisible to him.
"Who really beat you, Maya?" Jacob asked after a few moments of silence.
"I told you already, some women from prison"
"So not this cousin of yours?"
"Ethan would never do that" Maya insisted in a rather nervous tone.
"Okay" Jacob spoke back in an unconvinced tone.
Though the lad really didn't believe her. Even he knew she wasn't truthful half the time, she lied to his dad for months after all. The cogs were slowly turning in his head about her yet he remained because still had control over him.
...
TBC
