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Stepping forwards with great speed and forcing myself between of Maya and Josh, I manage to break his grip he had on her neck. She winces for a second but quickly looks alive, protesting my actions the very moment they register in her mind.
"Lucas you didn't have to do that!" She croaks, fear keeping her voice from sounding off. She stands behind me as I still separate her from Josh, who now stands in disbelief with his eyebrows raised. Laughing breathlessly and sarcastically cowering, he simply shakes his head and chuckles for what seems to be minutes. I hold my arm behind me still and keep Maya from surrendering herself to him, knowing that avoiding conflict was certainly something she is likely to do.
"Don't you ever put your hands on her like that."
I say flatly, pointing my finger close to his face as I try not to grit my teeth. Pinching my pointer finger with his own, he shoves my arm downwards and steps closer to me. Our faces inches from eachother, I know he's trying to seem threatening.
"How about this: instead of you performing that dangerous maneuver and separating me from my girlfriend, you let Maya do what she wants."
"She doesn't want to listen to you!" I snap back at him, clenching my fists.
"Maya, darling." Josh steps away from me and motions to Maya, as she stands with her arms folded and her knees wobbling. Maya why has he made you feel so weak? You look so scared. This isn't you…
"Maya, let's tell your friend Lucas how things work around here, why don't we?"
"I don't-"
"What was that? You want Lucas to stay here a while? We can really sort out where your loyalties lie?" Josh speaks like a cliche villain, whispering his words and smiling like it's a game. Maya takes in shallow breaths and switches her gaze back and forth, from my own eyes to Josh's possessive gaze.
"Lucas you can leave.." Maya says in a quiet voice, looking straight at Josh with an emotionless expression.
"Say it louder, Maya." Josh laughs, opening his arms as Maya slowly walks towards his embrace. Standing now directly in front of him as Josh rests his hand on Maya's shoulder, she looks at me with a pleading gaze- but her words betray her emotions.
"Lucas you can leave. I'm okay here."
"Maya please-" I yearn for her to leave him, I know in my soul it's not what she wants.
"Leave. I'm fine." Maya looks angry now- furrowing her brow at me and looking at the elevator down the hallway.
"See Friar, I told you. Now get the hell out of here."
Every inch of my being wants to stay, to make sure he doesn't hurt Maya...Or say hurtful words, heck, if he even looked at her wrong, I'd want to beat him senseless. Despite my heart telling me to stay, I know that I have to leave. There had to be a line drawn where Maya was old enough to make her own choices, I refused to ever force her into anything. Not even if it seemed like the safest thing to do. Sighing deeply and turning my back to them, I start to walk away and hear Josh sweep Maya into the apartment. I hear stumbling and wish I could catch her fall- but I'm simply on the wrong side of the door.
I won't do anything until you tell me to, Maya. You have to help yourself….
Upon my arrival at my own apartment, I right away sensed a strange feeling in the air. As I left the parking garage and walked up the stairs, the smell of smoke became more potent.
This is getting all too suspicious.
Nearing my apartment door and hurriedly entering, I am somehow not at all shocked to find that my dwelling is flooded with smoke- but no otherwise evidence of an actual fire. Of course, panic initially replaces shock and I run to the first window, opening it up and using the curtains to usher the smoke out of my living room. Covering my face with my shirt, I walk to the closet and find an electric fan, setting it up in the other window and letting it pull the smoke out of the enclosed space. Surprisingly enough, not a single smoke detector went off. Nor was any damage done to any of my belongings.
It is in this moment that I realize- whether the arsonist be Joshua Matthews or not- he's dangerous. He's smart, and he has access to some sort of deranged pyrotechnics. Feeling myself growing nauseous from the smoke, I decide that instead of calling the police and wasting everyone's time, I'll go for a late night walk and let everything air out.
Including my own stressful thoughts.
Grabbing my keys back from on the counter where I had left them, I securely lock the door behind me, but remember to keep the windows open. Descending the stairs and making my way onto the streets, I stick my hands in my pockets and think to myself.
Josh couldn't have created that smoke in the short time that it took me to drive here. He was with Maya at her apartment. But what about those devices that started fires? Could he have one to create smoke, too? He's the only person with a motive to threaten me. But that must mean that he already had the device planted in my apartment before tonight's incident?
Why do I feel like the only safe place here, is in my mind? Like he's constantly watching...
Nearly an hour later, I decide to head back to my apartment before it gets too late. Turning around and passing all the same landmarks as before, I trace my steps completely and arrive back at my place. Opening the door and finding the room to be clear of smoke, I can still clearly smell it's toxic scent in the air. Sighing and resulting to the only option I can think of- Josh is trying to scare me. He was trying to scare Trent into backing out of a friendship with Maya, and now he's trying to get me to leave too.
Like hell.