Chapter Twenty-Six
Maya
The food and drinks were delicious. I’m so happy he offered to order because he was right, it most definitely is my favourite, everything about it. We’re on our way to our next destination, but he won’t tell me where.
My phone vibrates in my pocket with an incoming call. I ignore it, enjoying the company too much to answer but when it rings again, I check the caller ID.
Unknown Number
Yep, I’m not answering that. Any time something goes good for me recently, something bad likes to jump out like a jack in the box.
“You can get that you know,” He says, nodding towards my phone.
“No, I’m enjoying myself too much with you,” I reply.
“Tell me, how are you surviving with the girls at your place?” He asks, trying to hide his smile.
“Oh, it’s hell. Literal hell. Don’t get me wrong, I love them and what they’re doing for me is amazing. But wow, I like my space to breathe,” I reply, chuckling. “It’s not so bad, it’s been like a sleepover. I just want some time alone, you know?”
“Trust me, I fully get it. Max follows me around like a lost bloody puppy. We’re lucky he hasn’t tagged along tonight.
Considering how roguish he is, you’d think he would want his own place to parade his many conquests around, but he just bounces between mine and my parents constantly.
Poor Lucy doesn’t get a break just as much as me,” He smiles wistfully, thinking of his family.
I’ve met them a few times and they all seem so lovely. They treat me like a daughter, which is new to me as the one person I do have memories of is my mother, the nightmare that she is.
“Do you remember me growing up?” I ask.
“That’s when we were the closest, we’d sneak out of the house all the time so we could…” He trails off, looking annoyed with himself. “Sorry, ignore I said that. I don’t want to overload you with information all at once.”
“No, please tell me. I have so many memories from when I was younger. The frustrating thing is even though I remember events, the faces in them are blurry.”
“Tell me one of them, and I’ll try and fill in the blanks?”
I’m nervous now, how much does he know about my upbringing already but I need to know who the blurry faced boy is. The one I deem as my hero.
“We’re here. Have a think whilst we walk over?” He asks as he passes me my flat boots and coat. Changing his own shoes into walking boots and rounds the car to my side.
“Are we going on a hike? I would have worn pants!” I rush out, panicking at what he expects me to do. I look around, taking in all the greenery. It never crossed my mind we would be going to a place like this.
Leaning onto the top of the car, he offers me his hand.
“Do you trust me?” his gaze never leaving mine.
“Yes,” I didn’t even need to think of the response, because for some strange reason, I know that I do. I take his hand, and he pulls me out of the car. He doesn’t let go as we start walking in a direction he seems to know confidently.
We walk in comfortable silence, the warmth of his hand in mine calming me and my thoughts. I try and think of a memory in particular to ask him about but now I’m on the spot, nothing comes to mind.
After only a few minutes, we step into a clearing.
Striding through the long grass that comes up to my shins, I take in my surroundings.
It’s breathtaking, even at this time of night.
There is no false light around us, just the moon and stars lighting the way.
I can’t see the wild flowers, but I can smell their floral scents around us.
The sounds of running water getting louder the more we walk into the meadow.
“I have been here before,” I say.
Finally, I feel at peace.
I drop my head back onto the grass, staring up at the stars above me. Tonight has been awful. My mum decided to bring around her newest boyfriend, I don’t even know his name. It’s only a matter of time before he leaves. He isn’t the first one to push me around and I’m sure he wont be the last.
I’m lost in my own world, reliving the memories of what happened not even one hour ago. When warm fingers thread through mine, my lips lift into a genuine smile, knowing he is here with me, he saved me again.
I don’t know which sense is picking up the memory, but I know I’ve been here. Images of rolling around in the grass, fishing in the river, being with my boy.
“Yes, you have,” Is all he says, smiling down at me. Giving me the time to take it all in.
I let go of his hand and walk further by myself, turning around in a full circle, trying to see and remember as much as I possibly can.
“There was a boy, a boy who helped me. Every time things got bad at home and I needed to escape, the boy was there. My knight in shining armour. He brought me here to fish, and I hated it. I remember I pretended to love it, just to be close to him. Wanting to spend as much time with him as I could, so much that I even ended up enjoying myself,” I laugh at myself as I reminisce about it.
“There were times that we would come here in the night, just like this. To get away from my mums new boyfriend. She always had an awful new boyfriend that was more interested in tormenting me that being with her, but the boy would come and whisk me away.”
I look back at Tommy, his eyes shining brightly under the shine of the moon.
“Sometimes, I would come here with him just for the sake of it. Not needing to escape, but just to be wherever he was.”
He takes a step closer to me now, like I’m a siren calling to him, unable to turn away from the inevitable. The way he is reacting to my words, gives me the courage to ask what I need to know.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You are the boy from my dreams that would always come to save me.”
“And I always will, baby. Not matter what. I will always be here for you.”
Our bodies gravitate towards each other like magnets, drawn together by an invisible force that neither I nor Tommy could resist. He reaches for me, taking my face in his hands. His fingers sliding up into my hair, pulling me towards him.
“Tell me to stop, because if you don’t, I don’t think I could stop myself,” He rasps out, his eyes searching mine.
My fingers twist into his shirt, feeling the hard muscle hidden beneath.
“Don’t stop,” I beg, pulling him the rest of the way towards me.
Our mouth comes together so urgently. Need and want driving us both. I couldn’t stop this even if I wanted to.
And I definitely don’t want to.