Are You Sure? (Marina)

Thirteen.

Maya

"You have not taken a person on a date in your life Maya!" Andy's voice echoed into my ears as I pushed the bar I was pressing up. I did another two reps before racking it and sitting up to take a sip of water. "Is the sex that good with her?"

I laughed because I couldn't even begin to tell her that the mind boggling sex was not the main reason I wanted to go out with Carina. "It's not just that.." I looked at her and it was priceless. Andy's jaw hit the floor and stopped pedaling. I went back into my sets, with every press I realized the words I had said and how disapproving my father would be on the whole situation. Me taking a woman on a date as what my girlfriend? To him I wasn't a person who rested or fell in love. I wasn't gay or liberal. "Maya!" The bar was lifted from where I struggled to lift it over my head after almost doubling my reps. "It was about to fall on your face!"

"Is this a mistake?" I said between breaths looking up at Andy who lifted to sit me up, "Andy.. I don't know how to date or be girlfriend! I was barely one to Jack and the instant I had a chance at something that would be affected by my relationship with him. I chose the job. I always choose the job!"

Andy grabbed my face to center me from where I was starting to panic. "Hey! Carina is not Jack! She is not your competition, stop freaking out! It's a date not a wedding."

"Thank you" I mumbled between my squeezed cheeks and she just laughed. I joined her before looking and saw Carina standing in the doorway with a sacked lunch in hand, face dead set. I moved Andy's hands, "Carina."

"Ciao. Sorry for interrupting, I texted I was coming by." she was now clamping onto the bag about to turn to leave. RIP to whatever deliciousness she had brought me to eat. Andy was eyeing Carina up and down, no doubt impressed because Carina was beautiful and I was well, me.

"No! Rina this is Andy my best friend since academy. Andy this is Dr. Carina DeLuca my umm friend I was just telling you about." I took a deep breath and looked at Andy to help me out because Carina was not reacting to my answer.

She nodded, "Hi Dr. DeLuca, I'm Lieutenant Andrea Herrera, straight and involved with a man. Pleasure to meet you" she wiped her hand and held it out to Carina who took it.

"Piacere.." she shook her hand and looked at me questioningly. "I brought you lunch." She tossed me the bag and walked away. Crap. I looked at Andy and ran out after her.

Her long legs made quick work of the hallway but her injury bought me time on the stairs since she had to move down more gradually. I caught up to her and pulled her into my office. "Before you dismiss me and think something else, she was calming me down because I was freaking out about you- hmm about us going-."

"Maya if you don't want to-" she tossed her hair around.

"No no no no no- I was freaking out because I think I'd be bad girlfriend not that that's what we are but that's what was happening." There I admitted it, admitting it was better than Carina thinking Andy holding me was anything other than friendly. I looked at Carina, taking in her button up blouse and slacks. Beautiful as ever but anger lining her face.

"I'm Italian Maya." She said after a while with a pinched hand after she let out the shaky breath she was apparently holding. Slowly strolling over to stand in front of me. I nodded because this was something I knew. "No Maya, I'm Italian. A very very jealous Italian and I know I have no place to be but I am or was." Her soft breath blew over my face and if I wasn't already sweating, I was now.

"I swear.. Andy is like my sister. I would never sleep with her." My words came out and I saw her shoulders relax. Her hand came up to touch my face but stopped. "What?"