3. Maya #2
The church kitchen had been far smaller than this.
One time, the congregation gathered there to celebrate someone’s baptism—it was something I’d heard through the floorboards, while feeling a stab of jealousy for those that seemed to walk around freely.
I’d never been baptized because the minute that water had touched my skin, my mother claimed I’d lit on fire.
It sounded very extreme, right? Not sure I believed her.
Sai presented me with three different shiny packs. One was orange, one purple, and the last green. I hesitantly pointed at the purple.
“Can we get a look at those bruises, peanut?” Anani asked. He gave me a hesitant smile, but his eyes were dark as night.
I looked to Ledger, who offered a soft smile and began pulling food out of the fridge. My stomach rumbled on cue, and Marco frowned, his ridiculously pretty face turning very serious.
“I’m making her food. Relax, Marco.” Ledger sighed at the man. “Firefly here shared our lunch, and tomorrow I’m going to pack her one. Apparently they only eat dinner at her house.”
“Where are you living?” Marco demanded, his voice rough. He had stepped between my legs and didn’t look away from my face, not even for a heartbeat. “I tried searching for you, but the rain had washed away the scent of the car. I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner.”
I swallowed, blushing at his sweet comment. This man had been looking for me? I nibbled my lip. “Um, I don’t know what the trailer park is called. Jed?—”
A cup crashed onto the counter as Sai turned and exclaimed, “You live in a fucking trailer?”
I cringed. Lord help me if he ever found out I’d lived exclusively in a basement up to this point in my life. Apparently, that wasn’t the norm.
“It’s not bad,” I muttered, feeling embarrassed.
“Sai, stop it,” Marco snapped. “Now Maya, who is Jed?”
I looked up at him and sighed. “My mom’s boyfriend. We just moved here. You…uh, you met him at the gas station.”
“Where’s your dad?” Sai wondered out loud, his voice almost pleading for someone to give him good news.
So I did—though I hid my grin. “Dead.”
He froze, looking horrified. “Maya, I’m so sorry.”
“Please, don’t be.” I said with a voice that sounded cold, even to me. The guys exchanged silent looks.
See? I was already messing up this ‘being normal’ thing.
“What time do you need to be home tonight?” Anani asked.
Did they want me to leave already?
“Um…” I frowned. “Honestly, I don’t know how this works. This is my first time doing any of this.”
“Any of what?” Ledger wondered.
“This.” I motioned around me vaguely. “I’d never left my…house until about a week ago.”
Silence spread across the room before Sai swore. He set down a cup of tea, a deep red shade, before storming off.
I frowned. Was he mad at me? I hoped not. I didn’t mean to upset him.
“Not mad at you,” Marco muttered, pressing a soft kiss to my shoulder. “Just worried.”
Could he read minds?
“I need to get a good look at her bruises,” Ledger finally demanded as he pressed a sandwich into my hands. I was confused when he wandered off, but then I heard him sorting through a closet down the hall.
Anani moved next to Marco. “Peanut, are you okay with that?”
I bit my lip but nodded. After examining my expression for a moment, he nodded sharply and turned to go after Sai.
Marco stepped back, and I tugged on the sleeve of my hoodie, pulling it over my head with gentle movements.
I knew my bruises were visible along my arms and open neckline because of the growl that came from Ledger.
Wait—how could I tell their growls apart after only a few hours?
His eyes were burning as he grasped my hand gently. Marco had a vise grip on the counter as he muttered a curse and asked, “How the hell did this happen?”
I looked down at the bruises covering my arms as Ledger moved around the counter, sliding onto the surface to sit behind me. I hissed as his warm hands traced the pattern through my thin white polo.
“I fell?—”
“No, you didn’t,” Ledger hissed unexpectedly. “Come look at this, Marco.”
Marco already looked like he was about to explode, his body trembling with anger. I curled into Ledger. I didn’t think Marco would hurt me, but his energy was intense.
“Marco, calm down,” Henry demanded from the door. He walked forward, gray eyes turning into melted silver as he set down a pink phone on the counter. Oh, I loved that color.
“Eat,” Ledger encouraged quietly while the other two had a stare-off. I could practically see the conversation they were having.
Marco sighed, shaking his head, before he lifted and turned me so I was sitting sideways on the counter. He gently peeled my polo up, and I cringed at his growl.
Deciding I needed a distraction, I took a bite of my sandwich.
When I felt Henry’s warm yet rough fingers gently pressing against my skin, I relaxed slightly.
Maybe it came from my experience growing up, but it was far more reassuring knowing where someone’s hands were, even if they were on me.
When you didn’t know where they were, you could be surprised.
My mother liked to do that, hitting me out of nowhere.
“Who?” Henry pleaded. His voice was soft and silky as he rounded to stand in front of me.
“Why do you say who?” I muttered.
Henry’s eyes darkened. “I’ve seen enough subcutaneous bruises to know which ones are caused by accidents and which are caused by human infliction. So who, Maya?”
Was it just me, or was this guy really smart?
I shook my head and bit my sandwich. “Please leave it alone.”
Tears welled behind my eyelids as my lashes fluttered. Marco pulled my shirt back down and lifted me into his arms. Did all friends carry one another? There was no way I was carrying these guys. I mean, I would if I could, but they were huge.
Marco carried me into what he called the family room, and I rubbed my nose against his warm neck as he rumbled that deep purr again.
Once we were situated on the couch, Ledger offered me a blanket and my tea, and I continued to nibble on my sandwich as Henry joined us.
I knew I was taking advantage of their friendship, but this was literally the happiest I’d ever been in my life.
The only thing that would’ve made it better was if Anani, Sai, and Ledger joined us. They were talking in quiet whispers from the kitchen, and though I had no idea what they were saying, they sounded worked up. I hoped they would figure out how to fix what was bothering them.
“Okay, put your finger here,” Henry instructed, presenting me with my new phone. I could tell he was frustrated, but thankfully he had dropped the conversation from before. For now, at least. The screen lit up, the gray thumbprint image turning green as I pressed my finger to it.
“Now it will only open to you,” he said, meeting my eyes.
“Can you put multiple thumbprints?” Henry nodded, and I smiled. “Please put everyone’s thumbprint in. I don’t want to have to always open it for you guys if you need something.”
“Of course.” Henry’s eyes softened. “I have no idea what’s going on at home, Maya, but it would be best to hide this. I don’t want anyone taking it away.”
I didn’t know what to say, but I could tell Henry was already loading some data that probably had to do with what I asked for. I wanted my friends to be able to do what they needed.
I nodded. “Okay. So what is this for?”
Henry frowned as Marco muttered something in a different language and answered, “It’s a way to contact us.”
Neat.
He showed me how to text and call, and I scrolled through six names in my contacts list. Atlas was the only one I didn’t recognize, but I assumed there was a good reason for including him.
I sent out a text with smiley faces to all their phones, jumping at the bings that sounded through the room. Marco chuckled.
I really liked the sound coming out from his mouth.
“You didn’t have to buy this,” I muttered. “It’s way too much.”
It was pink though. So pretty. I loved the color pink. It was the color of the roses that bloomed near the church and the color of the fading sunset. I loved those shades. Pinks, purples, oranges, reds.
I would keep the phone for now, but only because I knew it was important to my friends. I wasn’t positive why, though.
“Consider it giving us peace of fucking mind,” Sai snarled, sitting on the ground in front of Marco and me. He leaned his head back to look at me, and I lifted a hand to comb through his hair. His eyes flared in surprise, but then he relaxed into the motion.
“You guys are being really sweet.” I untangled myself from Marco, but the man didn’t let go of me, keeping a hand in mine. “Do friends normally act like this?”
All five of them shifted uncomfortably, Anani speaking up after a moment. “Peanut, have you ever had any friends like us?”
I shook my head. “Nope. I have only known Pastor Malcolm, mother, and Jed.”
“You mean those have been your only friends?” Henry clarified.
I frowned and explained, “No, those are the only three people I have ever spoken to. Well, I suppose that after today, that’s expanded...”
Sai cracked the coffee table, which his hand had been resting on, the wood splintering before he stormed off. Ledger sighed and jogged after him, Anani grunting before following. Henry bit his lip and moved his gaze to the portrait window that faced the front of the house.
“Where did you move from?”
“Louisiana,” I stated proudly.
“Who is Pastor Malcolm? Where did you live there?” Marco demanded with enough force to pop me out of my sense of security.
I sighed. “Pastor Malcolm was my father, and he’s dead now.” I just ignored the other question.
The room was quiet. I stood up, finally escaping his comforting grip, and walked toward the large window that framed a view of the manicured front yard and forest landscape. The rain had begun in earnest and caused a fine fog to filter through the area. It was beautiful.