Chapter 2
Maya
“So what are we going to do?” I asked curiously after a few minutes of driving. I felt excited to be hanging out with real friends. At least, I assumed we were real friends. I didn’t have any fake friends to compare them to.
“We wondered if you wanted to come do homework at our house,” Henry offered, “if you don’t want to, we can go to the library.”
“Either way, we have to get it done or Marco will flip,” Ledger sighed.
Marco? It couldn’t be the same one, could it?I had to know.
“We can do your place.” I beamed, my hands tangled together nervously. I wasn’t nervous because of them, but at the prospect of doing something my mother didn’t know about. What would she do if she found out?
The boys talked as they fidgeted with the heat and radio buttons. I took the time to examine the small coastal town I had found myself inhabiting. The sky was a cold gray color that reminded me of Henry’s sparkling eyes. A storm seemed to be constantly a minute away. The air smelled of water and brine with seagull cries echoing from every stone surface we passed. Small but expensive cars littered the driveways of coastal homes and jacketed individuals hurried out of the wind into store fronts. Despite the gloomy atmosphere, or maybe because of it, I felt at home. I had felt a connection to this place the minute I had arrived here. I had to wonder if it was connected to my new friends at all because I couldn’t imagine the place without them in it.
Something about all of this seemed unique. I didn’t think most people had friendships like this.
“Holy crap,” I muttered.
The house we pulled up to was as large as the massive church I had been locked up in. The slate gray walls and angular glass windows showcased a steely and cold front that complimented the natural environment. Thick lush greenery surrounded the building and reflected against the front windows. I immediately noticed that a familiar BMW sat in front of the house. After seeing Marco’s car, I had asked my mother about the brand. Jed had sneered and said it was ass stupid foreign car. The fact that Jed hadn’t like it made me like it more.
“It’s Marco’s home, but we all live here,” Henry explained softly.
“I’ve met Marco,” I admitted with almost certainty. “I recognize his car from the gas station the other day.”
The entire car went silent as Ledger shifted into park.I wish I knew how to drive.That was on my checklist of things to do. I wondered if my new friends would teach me.
“That bastard,” Anani finally chuckled, the sound making me perk up.
“Explains how he was acting,” Henry muttered in a dry, almost exhausted tone.
“Let’s go give him shit,” Ledger grinned, “come on, firefly.”
I frowned but followed after them. As I stepped up onto the slate gray stairs, I found myself peering into a massive stone door. It opened with an ease that I wasn’t positive was possible.
“What are you guys doing home?” A voice rang out. It was deep and accented. A figure rounded the corner. “Be careful, Marco is all caught up on some-Shit.”
“This is firefly,” Ledger offered quickly. “I have a feeling this explainsthat.”
“Explains what?” I asked as my eyes fluttered around the room. It was too much to take in. Modern. So sleek and modern. Filled with floral arrangements and dark comfortable furniture. Very masculine, yet comfortable. I loved it immediately.
“Maya?” The voice asked. I focused on its sender and felt my eyes widen.
“How do you know my name?” I wondered out loud. There was no way this man knew my name. No one that beautiful should speak my ugly name. My mother had said it meant ‘water’ because it was the opposite of the Hell fire that burned inside of me. She was a peachy woman. Really.
“Marco mentioned you, but he left out that you’re our-“
“Friend,” Anani interrupted. “She’s our friend Maya, aka peanut, and is very unaware of our family dynamic, Sai.”
“What family dynamic?” I asked curiously.
Sai stunned me. He had beautiful obsidian hair that hung to his shoulder in soft curls and sparkling black eyes. There was an element to his face that spoke to fire and passion. Maybe it was his structured jaw or stunning white smile. His entire demeanor was smoky and hot. It was like someone had lit a flame and it had turned into this muscular tall man. Even his skin was burnt into a beautiful deep tan.
“Just that we all live together,” he muttered with darkening eyes and stepping forward. The scent of cinnamon surrounded me like warm flames. I swayed toward him as those large hands grasped my shoulders gently. I hissed just slightly under the pain, but it almost didn’t matter.
“Why do you have bruises?” He demanded with a spark of temper I hadn’t expected. I snapped out of my trance and stepped back. I swallowed and spoke my lie.
Sai frowned and met Henry’s eyes. Both of them exchanged a look.