Chapter Eight
Maya
As captain of Millton University’s football team, Maya wholeheartedly supported team bonding. What she didn’t support was her teammates singing horrendous renditions of Beyoncé on karaoke at one in the morning.
It was the last weekend before the start of the competitive season, and with a bit of encouragement from some of the players—and a promise to keep things a secret from Coach Carmichael—they’d spent the evening soaking up the cheap pints at the Globe and then heading to Rosie’s, the only nightclub on campus.
The drinks were more expensive in the club, the lighting a lot darker, but its cheesy tropical décor made it hard not to have a good time. Even if trying to stay away from Jamie Mellor was proving difficult.
Leah and Aiysha screeched out the end of “If I Were A Boy” and the team erupted into applause, as if the pair hadn’t mumbled through half the verses before trying to shatter all the glassware behind the bar. Jamie leaped up to pluck Leah off the tiny stage by the DJ booth, and Maya felt herself frown. She hid it in her drink, finishing the last of her vodka.
No, she wasn’t bothered by seeing the two of them together. Not at all. She was simply being protective of Leah…Jamie was new and…
Maya couldn’t even finish the thought. Yes, through gritted teeth, she was jealous. The question of why she was jealous, though, was taking all of her energy not to answer. Almost as much energy as trying to avoid singing on the damn karaoke.
Aiysha stumbled towards her, shooting finger guns. Her long brown braids, which were usually pulled back in a ponytail, were loose and flowing over her shoulders. Seeing the team outside of football always took some getting used to. Some transformations could rival the TV show Stars in Their Eyes . Leah had gone from looking like a diehard gym fanatic to Margot Robbie in the Barbie movie.
By the looks of things, Aiysha had lost one of her dangly earrings—perhaps during one of Beyoncé’s head flips. “Skip! You’re next,” she said. “You have to. You’re our leader…Lead by example.”
Maya shook her head. Jamie’s nickname for her was fast catching on with the rest of the team. Annoyingly, she didn’t mind it. “Not a chance.”
Aiysha flicked her hair over her shoulders. “Maya,” she whined. “What’s your favourite song? We can sing it together.”
“I’m not nearly drunk enough for that.”
Some of the girls laughed at something behind her, piercing through the music.
Suddenly, Aiysha’s eyes lit up. “Right. Gotcha.” She threw her arms up. “Attention, everybody. It’s my round!”
The rest of the team cheered, and Aiysha steered some other teammates to the bar.
God help us all.
They’d been working tirelessly in training and deserved to let off some steam before pressures intensified. Honestly, Maya felt responsibility as captain to make sure they were all alright, too. Given her state the other weekend, she didn’t want the same to happen to any of them. The bits she did remember from that night weren’t flattering, so god knows what her brain had chosen to black out.
Probably for the best.
Limiting her drinking might also have had something to do with her raging libido and the proximity of a certain blonde, confusing striker. Maya couldn’t trust herself not to do something she’d regret.
Because she constantly found herself looking at Jamie.
And that made her furious.
The Jamie Mellor she knew wasn’t kind or thoughtful. She was cocky and taunting and arrogant. She knew how to press Maya’s buttons and wind her up, reminding her of every single mistake she’d made on the field, pinching her arms when the referee wasn’t watching, rubbing her losses in her face.
In her mind, Jamie was out for herself, self-assured—annoyingly so—and looking to fulfil her own agenda. So why had she shown her so much kindness?
And why did her heart-shaped mouth keep popping into Maya’s head?
It didn’t add up. Despite what Jamie’s dad had said, Jamie hadn’t done anything to suggest she was interested in being captain. She worked hard and got on well with the other girls. Maya’s mind struggled to compute how these two versions of her rival were the same. She’d managed to limit their interactions at training—Coach had kept Maya plenty busy—but in the dim light of the club, she found her mind wandering.
Why was she feeling this swirl of emotions in her presence?
Damned libido. Not her… Just, please, not her.
The sight of Jamie stepping up onto the stage, in tight black jeans that showed off the thickness of her thighs, made her gulp. Her hands tightened around her glass. She wanted to pinch herself. She needed a distraction, that was certain. But what or who? Anyone on the team was off-limits. As captain, a relationship with a teammate would make things unnecessarily complicated, and nobody needed that in their final year.
Her quest to hook up with someone had backfired the other weekend, but she had to try again. She couldn’t let these feelings be confused with anything else. It was just hormones; that was all.
Jamie laughed, mid-conversation with the man running the DJ booth. He handed her a microphone.
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Like she knew Maya was watching, Jamie’s eyes flicked to her. She winked—the cocky bastard actually winked at her—and instead of feeling disdain or annoyance at the gesture, something unexplainable nipped at her insides, twisting, and heat flushed between her legs.
Not good.
She blew out a breath and looked away, reaching for her glass. Finding it empty, she grumbled. She hadn’t realised how much she’d relied on hiding her feelings beneath alcohol, but now all she wanted to do was neck something strong and feel the burn down her throat .
She didn’t need to drink. She wasn’t about to break out into a sweat or start stealing from Grandma’s purse to buy spirits down at the corner shop. She always drank less during the season, anyway; Coach preferred it, and Maya was prepared to do anything to win the championship this year.
But drinking helped. It helped her hide her feelings. To numb, to forget, to just not think for a while.
It never lasted, of course, and sooner or later she had to face the truth again—but for those few hours of solace, it was nice. No worrying about Grandpa or the future. No getting stuck in the haunting inevitability of change, about university, or anything that came after. No stress about losing Carly, or never being good enough, or letting down the people she loved.
All that would just quieten for a moment.
But not here.
Her teammates roared as Jamie took her place on the stage between two giant plastic palm trees. She began to tap her foot as the opening notes began, her head swaying to the beat.
Then the music really kicked in, and a familiar synth riff boomed from the speakers. Maya recognised it. Another one of Mum’s favourites: “Take On Me”, by A-ha.
Eighties music. Of course.
Jamie jumped from side to side, stepping her feet in time to the beat. The rest of the team clapped and waved their hands in support, but all Maya could do was watch. Jamie played up to the song, portraying every cheesy band member compiled into one, blowing kisses at the crowd and pulling out exaggerated dance moves that got people cheering. When she hit the chorus, she stood still, her gaze finding Maya’s effortlessly again, as if she’d lured her in this whole time and now wanted to deal her killing blow.
“ Ta-a-a-a-ke on m-e-e-e-e, ” she sang, hard and low, her mouth breaking out into a huge smile. She took a few purposeful steps across the stage and then snared Maya again, singling her out with her finger. “ Ta-a-a-a-ke me o-o-o-n. ”
Maya’s heart jumped into her throat. She might be deluded, but it felt like Jamie was singing to her. Or is this a mind game designed to mess with my head? If it was, none of the team noticed. They sang along with Jamie, requesting high fives or videoing on their phones. Leah stood front and centre, waving her arms and cheering her on. Of course .
Finally, Aiysha came back with the drinks, earning a quick reprieve from Jamie’s eye contact. She handed Maya a vodka lemonade, and she took it willingly. One more drink would be just enough to take the edge off.
But she still wasn’t getting on that damn karaoke.
She leaned against the edge of the table, allowing herself a small sip. A strip of neon pink lights lit up the stage, casting a glow on Jamie as she fanned out her navy button-up as part of her routine.
Maya wanted to roll her eyes, but really, a part of her was impressed Jamie could embody all the power of a frontwoman while not having the ability to sing or dance like one. Maya didn’t possess the same quality. Jamie didn’t care about what people thought of her. She was just having fun. Truthfully, she admired that.
Jamie didn’t even need the screen for the words, for crying out loud. They fell off her tongue easily, so she could focus her energy on her disjointed dance moves and amusing the crowd.
Jamie’s eyes met hers again as she dove into the agonisingly high note at the end of the chorus, and the team erupted in applause. Maya joined in too, and Jamie took an exaggerated bow before returning the microphone and hopping off the stage. Leah and Aiysha greeted her immediately, while a few midfielders from the team, Harriet and Noodle, approached the booth to make their own requests.
To the casual eye, Maya was a part of the group. But in her own mind, she was an observer, just watching them for a little while. She smiled when they smiled, and laughed when they laughed, but she was just a balloon hovering near the pink lights, just a sneeze from floating away.
She finished her drink, feeling a little more at ease. After two tall guys from a nearby table had finished a painful rendition of “Summer Nights”, she got up and headed to the bathroom.
Away from the noise, she snaked along the purple corridors, her eyes drifting over the funky parrot wallpaper. Rosie’s random tropical elements were Maya’s favourite, especially the robot parrot that greeted her as she entered the bathroom.
“ Ahoy, matey! ” its mechanical voice sounded.
The parrot was a bit worse for wear now, its yellow feathers matted and bald in places, with one black eye missing. Maya would probably claw her eye out too if she’d witnessed the things no doubt poor Jerome had. Despite his struggles, he still flapped his wings in greeting, albeit strained and slow.
After a quick wee, she washed her hands, looking at herself in the mirror. Her cheeks were a little flushed, but her green paisley shirt still looked good. With a football team full of drunk people, no spills or stains was a definite success.
“ Ahoy, matey! ”
Maya looked up as the door swung open, and piercing blue eyes locked with hers.
“Skip,” Jamie said, giving a head bob before heading into one of the cubicles.
Irked she didn’t have a nickname for her, Maya just mumbled a hello. Why did it have to be her?
“ Shiver me timbers! ”
Jamie burst out laughing, the sound a little muffled from behind the pink door. “I didn’t realise you had a pirate kink, Skip.”
Maya shook her head, pulling a few blue paper towels out from the holder to dry her hands. “It’s not me. It’s Jerome.”
“Is that your alter ego? Unexpected, but each to their own.”
She balled up the wet towels and threw them into the bin. “It’s not—”
“ Let’s plunder the booty! ”
Jamie opened the door, both eyebrows raised up her forehead. A smirk teased at her mouth. “Let’s plunder the what now?”
Maya laughed, taking a step backwards as Jamie came closer to wash her hands. “It’s the parrot. Jerome.” She gestured to the mechanical bird who seemed to have jammed his wing. She pushed it back into place, and his head spun sideways.
“ Save a ship. Ride a pirate! ”
“I can’t say I’ve ever heard that one before.” Jamie chuckled as she took some paper towels and quickly dried her hands.
“He’s quite vocal today. They must’ve given him new batteries.”
“Mm-hmm.” Jamie’s amusement was written all over her face. She rested back against the sink, letting her gaze slowly drift over Maya.
When she didn’t say anything, Maya snapped, “What?”
Jamie’s mouth ticked upwards. “When are you singing on the karaoke, then?”
“I’m not.”
“How come?”
“I just don’t find it fun.”
Jamie nodded, but it seemed like she wanted to say something more.
“I’m not like you,” Maya added.
“Oh, yeah? And what’s that?” She took a step towards her, and Maya had to muster the courage to stand her ground. Something about Jamie was throwing her off, and she didn’t feel in control of her own body. She breathed in her cedar scent, which reminded her of the night in the rain. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. She took a second, trying to steady herself.
“A show off,” she said.
Jamie cracked out laughing, brushing a hand through her short hair. Up close, Maya could tell she’d styled it differently tonight. The sides were freshly shaved, and the curls had added texture, making them appear more sculpted and voluminous than usual. A part of her wanted to reach out and tousle them; the other part wanted to cut off her hands.
“I’m just having a good time, Skip. Isn’t that what team bonding is for?” Jamie wet her lips and pressed them together. “Or is there something else?”
“Your choice of song.”
Her mouth quirked. “What about it?”
“‘Take on Me’?”
Jamie eyed her, something sparkling in her blues. “What about it?” she repeated.
They were standing too close. Maya didn’t know where the distance had gone, but they were so close she could make out the slight freckles across Jamie’s nose. Her aftershave must’ve blocked her rational thought-canal because she couldn’t take her eyes off the heart shape of her pink mouth. Had her lips always looked so soft and full?
She was so frustrating. How had she gotten under her skin? Her ? Really?
“ Prepare to be boarded! ”
Jerome’s voice knocked Maya from her trance, and she backed away. What the hell am I doing?
“We should go,” she said to the floor. Not waiting for a response, or another moment of madness to descend on her, Maya left.
Jamie followed. “Maya, wait.”
Her words didn’t reach her. She marched down the purple corridor, the sound of a badly sung Shania Twain song waiting at the end. She needed to put distance between them. Playing into Jamie’s hands was only going to backfire on her. She couldn’t trust her. She couldn’t trust herself.
She didn’t know what to think.
“I’ve seen the way you’ve been looking at me all night.”
Maya stopped dead in her tracks. Jamie rounded her, blocking off her escape down the hallway. Her face was half doused in shadow, the other half illuminated by the pink light overhead.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Maya said, already feeling breathless from their closeness in the bathroom. “And your cocksure attitude is really starting to grate on me.”
“Starting to? That’s an improvement. I thought we were past that stage.”
Maya sighed, taking a step back. “You’re right. I find you severely annoying. And confusing.” The comment Hannah had made about Jamie flew into her brain. “ And why have you been lying to me?”
Jamie’s brows furrowed. For a moment, panic swept across her features. “What have I lied about?” she asked, her voice low and soft.
Maya’s voice was full of bite. Leaning into the anger and frustration was easier than having to explore her other feelings. “That you don’t live on my street. You live on campus. With the Morley twins.”
“Why do you care?” she asked, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. She took another step closer.
That just angered Maya more. Why is she always smiling? “Why would you offer to go out of your way to drive me? It’s weird. Are you obsessed with me or someth—”
Jamie swallowed the rest of Maya’s sentence with her mouth. Her hands gripped her waist, pushing her up against the wall before she had a chance to register anything other than her warm lips against hers.
Fierce and soft, all at once.
Her fingers traced the outline of Maya’s jaw, kissing her deeper, sending fire through her whole bloodstream. Lost in the sensation, it took Maya far too long to realise.
She was kissing her back.
Her brain finally regained control, and she pushed Jamie off her. But before she could call her out, Jamie placed a finger to her lips. Another strong tug of pleasure filled Maya’s belly as her back hit the wall.
“I offered to drive you because you needed a lift. You’re so averse to asking for help, Maya. So stubborn you’d rather freeze to death than admit you need something. I never lied to you either. We just never spoke about it. I knew you’d refuse if you knew it was out of my way—”
Maya tried to speak, but Jamie cut her off.
“But you needed it.” She looked deeper into Maya’s eyes, and Maya was surprised to find so much softness in her gaze. “And importantly, I…I wanted to.”
Maya’s brain worked double-time, trying to process what she’d said, but snagged on the sensation of wetness between her legs. She hummed everywhere from Jamie’s touch; it was hard to think about anything else.
Fucking damned libido.
Seeming to realise her finger was still pressed against Maya’s lips, Jamie lowered it slowly, her attention focused on her mouth.
Maya didn’t know what to say. It was normally her calling the shots. All she could do was stare back at her, her heart running away in her ribcage.
She wanted to be annoyed at Jamie for jumping on her in the hallway, for kissing her mid-sentence, but the feeling wouldn’t muster.
“I still find you severely annoying,” she said anyway, even if a little breathless.
Jamie chuckled low in her throat, shaking her head. “Alright, Skip.” Her mouth pulled up at the corners. “We should probably get back. Before I left, I heard Aiysha put you down to sing a Madonna song with her.”
Maya groaned. At least if Aiysha was up there with her, it wouldn’t be so bad. She could sing most of it. “As long as it’s not one of those eighties ones,” she said, more to annoy Jamie than anything else.
“Why are you fighting it so hard? Just admit you like it, and lean into it.” Jamie grinned, then without another word, she turned, leading her way back to the team, her words lingering in the air between them. Was she talking about the music or something else?
Lean into it?
Easier said than done.