The Secret

Chapter 17

I wake up to a door slamming. I instantly sit up, terrified that someone has just broken in. I look at the two bodies that are laying at both of my sides. My laptop is propped at the end of my white metal framed bed. We must have fallen asleep.

"Maya, your boyfriends here." the familiar voice shouts from downstairs.

The two bodies shift and start to rise. I giggle at the state of Haley's hair. It's all over the place. Some strands of her brown hair are stuck to her mouth. Her eyes are half shut and half open. Her hand goes up to her mouth to remove the strand of hair. Esther sits up and yawns.

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend" Esther says while fixing her hair with her hands.

"WHAT" Haley gasps.

"Chill, he's not actually my boyfriend." The both of them look at me with confused expressions on their tired faces.

"Maya!"

"Coming" I shout so my mam can hear me.

"Right I'm gonna go" Esther says.

"Me too, wait up."

"You two can stay over if you like."

"I have to face my dad eventually, rather sooner than later, I guess." Esther sighs.

I look at Haley hoping that she could stay.

"Sorry Maya, you know my parents wouldn't allow me stay over on school nights." she pauses. "Well it's mostly my dad who won't let me."

The three of us walk down the stairs, with me in front. When I take the last step my mam comes out of the kitchen.

"Hi, Haley."

"Hey, Joy."

I introduce my mam to Esther, and she gives her a welcoming hug. After a little small talk they head to the front door. Haley reaches out her hand on the handle, but turns around before she has a chance to open the door.

"Maya, I don't believe we've met your boyfriend."

"Oh yeah" Esther turns to look at me with a grin plastered on her face.

I hate them. My mam starts to make a big fuss over Haley's statement. She was confused on why I didn't tell anyone I had a boyfriend. Well mother, it's because he isn't actually my boyfriend, but he's my fake boyfriend that I made up to cover where I've been on the night when I got raped. She leads us to the living room, where Jax is sitting on the sofa, watching something on the TV. When he sees us walk in, he stands up to greet us. Haley's head whipped so fast in my direction that I thought her head would twist off. Her eyes are bulging out of her scull. Esther's face stays neutral as she greets Jax.

"Hi Maya." he waves at me awkwardly.

"Hey."

"Right" Haley claps her hands together. "Now that I've met Maya's boyfriend, I actually need to go now."

"Yeah same." Esther says while following Haley. As Haley moves past me she eyes me. Her look implies that we are going to have a long chat about this little situation. Great.

When they eventually leave and I wave them goodbye, my mam starts to make dinner. I go upstairs to my room directing Jax to follow. I open the door and take a seat on my bed with my back against the headboard. Jax takes the seat at my dressing table sitting diagonally across from me.

"Why are you here?" I ask, not trying to hide my annoyance.

"Your mother invited me to dinner."

"You could've said no." I say

"I wanted to see how you were doing."

"Why?"

"Well" he shifts in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. "I don't know really."

"You know you're not really my boyfriend" I say harsher than necessary. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like a bitch."

He laughs. I look over and smile at his appearance. I wave my hands on my face with the heat that's creeping up.

"I'm making you blush." He smiles.

"Don't toot your own horn." I roll my eyes playfully. "It's bloody warm in here." I roll up the sleeves of my hoodie.

"What the fuck" In the blink of an eye Jax is sitting on the edge of my bed, he grabs my arms. "Did you cut yourself?"

I'm still recovering by how fast he got over here before I realise what he's talking about.

"No why would I do that?" I say louder than I intended to.

"Then what is this?" he lifts my arm in front of my face. Before I get a word out he speaks again. "And don't lie to me, I've seen fresh cuts on you before."

My heart starts to beat wildly in my chest. He stares into my eyes intensely as he waits for my answer.

"I fell in a thorn bush." I say truthfully.

He laughs sarcastically. "You expect me to believe that?"

"It's true I swear, everybody in the school probably knows by now. I got a ball hit in my face and I got flung back off the wall into a thorn bush." I laugh. "I know how stupid that sounds, but that's the truth." I finish looking into his eyes. Why does he care so much? I pull my hand back out of his grip and pull my sleeves back down.

"And the other time?" he speaks softly. I close my eyes and for a second I'm back in that shower looking at the razor.

I open my eyes. "I actually cut myself." A weight lifts off of my shoulders as I let go of one of my secrets. I stare at him for a while, examining his reaction, which I'm surprised to notice that he didn't really react, but he just stayed sitting on the edge of my bed, looking at me. He doesn't respond so I keep talking.

"It was only once. It was a mistake. A fucking stupid mistake."

His hand moves to my face and wipes a tear off my cheek. I didn't even realise that I started to cry. Jax intertwines his hand with mine and a jolt of energy courses through my body. He comes to sit beside me and he wraps his arm around me. I indulge in his embrace. I lower my head on his chest. His hand is rubbing my back in soft circles. I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of pure happiness in my heart. Before I let sleep take over me, I feel a kiss on my head and a whisper.

"Everything's going to be ok."

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This one's a short chapter. Sorry about that.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer so far. 

Vot & Comment xx