MAYA BROOKE
As I head into my last class of the day, I take my usual seat and remove my notebook from my bag. I sigh and slump back into my chair and glance up at the same time I spot Alfie waltzing in.
He doesn’t hesitate before taking a seat beside me as I clear my throat. “Hey, Maya,” he says before throwing his books down onto the table.
“Hey.”
“I was waiting for you to text me about our project…” He trails off. “But you didn’t.”
I purse my lips. The last few days have been a whirlwind of emotions, and the last thing I’ve been thinking about is this project. I turn towards him and study his dark eyes as they focus on me.
“Sorry,” I murmur. “I’ve just been really busy with everything at home.”
Alfie nods in understanding. “That’s okay, but we should probably meet up before the Christmas break so we at least have an idea of what we want to do.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “Sure.”
When our professor walks through the door, and the room quietens down, I try to zone into the class and write down notes that will help with our project. At the end of the hour, he allows us to discuss with our partners, and Alfie immediately leans in.
I listen as he shares his ideas, and if I’m being honest, I haven’t even started to think about what our project could be on, but Alfie’s idea is fairly interesting and clearly something he’s passionate about.
“What do you think?” he asks as he shows me his notes.
“Yeah,” I say sincerely. “It sounds good.”
Alfie’s eyes sweep over my face cautiously. “You okay?” He tilts his head to the side. “You seem really quiet today.”
“Just tired,” I say, which isn’t a total lie.
The conversations I had with my parents have been weighing me down a little, and the restless nights with Skye. Now Finn is there every night, which makes it easier, but there’s nothing worse than waking up to a screaming baby. Even if I don’t do the night duties, it’s hard to fall back to sleep.
“Are you struggling at home?”
I turn towards him with a frown. “Life is a lot harder with a baby.”
Alfie draws in a breath. “So…look, it’s none of my business, but I heard what happened with the dad.”
“Excuse me?”
He drags a hand through his brown hair. “Well, I’ve heard rumours. About Finn dumping you when he found out you were pregnant and stuff. Also that he wasn’t nice to you during your relationship. I mean, that’s a real shitty thing to do, and I’m sorry you’re going through that.”
I stare back at him in disbelief. “Yeah, you’re right. It is none of your business.”
“Maya—”
“No. You don’t get to talk to me about this.”
“I just want to make sure that you’re okay,” he says as he lowers his voice. “Reese told me about Finn’s drinking last year and how bad he got, and everything that happened with Coach. That he can get really aggressive. I just want to make sure that you’re okay.”
My jaw crunches at his audacity. “You know nothing, Alfie.”
He swallows and leans back in his chair. “I’m concerned for you,” he carries on as my blood starts to burn in my veins. “For him to turn his back on you at a time you needed him. I just don’t want anything to happen to you. I care about you, Maya. You’re getting defensive, and that makes me think—”
I stand up so abruptly that my chair scrapes against the floor, and the entire class turns towards me. I don’t respond because I fear I might smack him in the face. Instead, I collect my belongings, shove them into my bag, and leave the class without another word.
Fire feels like it’s shooting out of the top of my head, and I could scream at the top of my lungs. Why do people feel like they need to give me their unsolicited opinions when they don’t even know the full story?
All Alfie is going on are rumours that make Finn out to be a nasty human being who has no remorse whatsoever. But I know the real Finn. I was with the real Finn for two years and, I know he’s not a bad person, he just made a mistake influenced by his insecurities.
We’re not ourselves when we’re struggling, especially in silence and alone.
“Maya—” I hear from behind me, but I don’t stop.
I keep walking.
“Maya, wait,” Alfie calls out for me again.
A hand wraps around my wrist, and he gently tugs me backwards. My fists clench as I turn towards him with narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw.
“Remove your hand from me right fucking now,” I seethe.
Alfie releases my wrist and then raises his hands in defense. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.”
“You’re right,” I spit. “Uncalled for and again, none of your business.”
“It’s just, every time I see you, you always look so defeated, and I wanted to make sure that it’s not him that’s making you feel this way.”
My eyes stretch again at the audacity. “Are you hearing yourself right now?”
Alfie releases a long sigh. “I know I’m overstepping, but I’m concerned about you. I was brought up with an alcoholic father, and I know what it’s like to be in that sort of environment. It’s scary, and you never know what you’re going to get each day. If he’s hurting you, Maya—”
“Finn has been sober for four months,” I say through gritted teeth.
“He went to rehab, and he’s getting better, okay?
I’m tired because I am juggling university and looking after a baby.
You don’t get to dig around in my life and try to bring up things that aren’t even true.
It’s damaging, and if Finn heard this is what’s going around about him? He’d be fucking destroyed.”
He takes a step back before shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’m just checking, Maya. Okay? I’m not doing it to be an asshole.”
“Yeah, well, if your sources come from Reese, then you need to get yourself in check,” I mumble. “I told you before, he’s not a nice guy and will do anything to shit on other people. So, if you want to follow in his footsteps, then be my guest.”
“Maya—”
“I am so fucking angry at you right now,” I murmur with a cold laugh. “You know nothing about us, about my family. If I wanted to talk about it, I would have said something. All your so-called facts are based on rumours, Alfie.”
“I’m sorry.” He steps forward again when I turn to leave. “I’m sorry for overstepping, but I care for you, and I don’t want anything to happen.”
I shake my head with frustration. “Nothing will happen.”
“Please understand that this is coming from a place of concern and care, nothing more. And you’re right, if they’re based on rumours, then I should check my facts. So, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up at all.”
“The football team loves to chat shit,” I state. “I don’t know what their obsession with Finn is, but tell Reese to go fuck himself and to leave Finn and our baby’s name out of his goddamn mouth.”
Without another word, I turn and storm off.
The second I reach my car, I try to tell myself to calm down, but I’m riled up. I sit there for a while trying to digest the conversation before I start to drive in my furious state, but to know people are talking about us behind our backs when they know nothing?
It kills me.
When I finally arrive home and walk through the front door, my mood immediately calms when I find Finn sitting on the sofa with Skye in his arms as they watch a movie. He has his textbooks sprawled out around him with a notepad on the arm of the sofa and a pen in his other hand.
His green eyes flick to mine as I shut the door. “Hey,” he says softly. “You okay?”
I swallow the agonising lump in my throat. There’s no way in hell I’m going to tell him about my conversation with Alfie. He doesn’t need to know, not when he’s focusing on his recovery.
What’s the point? It’ll only upset him.
“Yeah. How are you? How’s Skye?”
“Been a little restless today,” he confesses. “But okay. I think she likes action-adventure movies.”
I glance at the TV screen to find Indiana Jones playing.
A small laugh falls from my lips. “Well, that’s new.”
I shrug off my coat and dump down my bag before walking over to them. I gladly take Skye from his arms and give her forehead a tender kiss.
“How’s coursework going?”
He hums. “Hard, but I think I’m getting the hang of it.”
“Good,” I say. “Multi-tasking like that is honestly a talent.”
Finn starts to remove his books from the sofa and pats the spot beside him. “Sit with me.”
I don’t hesitate, perching beside him as Skye wriggles in my arms.
“Do you have a meeting tonight?”
“Tomorrow. Double whammy. Therapy and a meeting.”
I give him a small smile. “You’re doing so well,” I say with my whole heart.
“Getting there,” he sighs. “So, I’ve been speaking to my parents. How do you feel about going down for Christmas on the twenty-first? I still have some things to do here with therapy, but if you want to go earlier, we can—”
“No,” I cut him off. “The twenty-first is perfect.”
“Sure?”
“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m really looking forward to it.”
Finn’s eyes soften at my honesty. “It’s going to be good. Ivy hasn’t been home for Christmas in two years. So it’s going to be really special.”
“What do you usually do?”
He releases a quick sigh. “Well, it’ll be my first sober Christmas, so that’s going to be different, but my dad said they’re all going to be sober. No alcohol in sight.”
My heart warms at how much they care for his well-being.
“I’m here for it,” I admit.
“Going to the pub for beers and beach parties is what I practically did all summer.” He drags his tongue over his bottom lip. “So, I’m looking forward to rewriting my future.”
I lean over and clasp his forearm supportively. “It’s going to be many firsts, but that’s a good thing. We’ll have so many things to look back on.”
“Yeah,” he whispers as his eyes glimmer. “You’re right. Also, on Boxing Day, we usually get up early and get in the sea.”
My eyes nearly bulge out of my head as I remove my hand. “What?”
“Yep.”
“The water is going to be freezing,” I say with wide eyes.
Finn grins. “Arctic. I mean, I definitely missed it a few years for being too hungover, but there aren’t any excuses this year, and you’re coming in with me.”
My face scrunches up. “Finn—”
“It’s tradition. We have to.”
“Okay,” I huff after some consideration. “I can’t deny tradition.”
“I promise it’s not that bad,” he says. “When you’re in, it’s quite liberating. Then we can head home, have leftovers for lunch, play games, and drink hot chocolate.”
I chuckle. “Yeah. That does sound pretty perfect.”
“It’s gonna be a good Christmas, Maya,” he says with honesty. “One to remember.”
My eyes water at his words. “Thanks for having us.”
“Thank you for letting me take you home.”
There is a tightness in my chest that squeezes around my heart because that’s all I’ve wanted—to feel wanted. It’s just a shame that my parents have never really been that safe space for me when they should have been.
And I know I’ll never treat Skye the way they’ve treated me.