If You Saw My Bruises

Chapter 2- Mr. Popular

Austin’s P.O.V

I got home at almost 6:00. After I had texted Maya that I would be getting a ride from Rita we went to the mall. Rita had spoken to me during P.E and she had offered me a ride. I accepted because I thought I’d give Maya some time. I mean Rita seemed nice enough but I had my doubts.

She actually turned out to be nice, I still could see some of her b*#tchy side but if you remover her slutty clothes she really was an interesting person. She flirted with me for a while then we spoke for a while about her wanting to open her own wedding planning business, which sounded really interesting. She sounded really passionate about it. Some people from school showed up so we were all hanging out and talking. The guys were really cool but after a while the girls got annoying. They were wining and flirting so I just asked Rita to take me home. Before we left the guys told me that I should try out for the lacrosse team and I agreed that the next day I would. Rita then took me home. When we got there she told me that she would be back tomorrow morning to pick me up. I didn’t protest though because I know Maya probably wouldn’t be talking to me.

I walked through the front door and made my way to the kitchen where I found Arianna (Maya’s mother/ Mrs. Tremain) making dinner (which smelt delicious) and I said ‘Hi’ to her.

She turned around and smiled at me but for some reason her smile seemed strained.

“What’s wrong?” I asked. She shook her head.

“Nothing, it’s just Maya. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.” She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Did anything happen at school today?” I froze. I didn’t know if I should tell her or if she knew so I just shrugged.

She sniffled and then smiled again.

She asked how my first day of school was and if I made any friends etc. My answers were ‘Fine’ and ‘Yes’. I didn’t feel like talking all that much. I couldn’t stop thinking about Maya. When she ran out of the cafeteria today I didn’t follow her, oh how I regretted it now. She looked so sad. After she left the cafeteria she didn’t show up for P.E or Music and I was a little worried but I didn’t want to pressure her and then have her draw even further away from me. What I saw today really scared me because I didn’t know that she was cutting herself but I was going to give her time.

I told Arianna that I was going t bathe and do homework and that when dinner was ready she was to call me.

I made my way to my room. On my way pass Maya’s room I couldn’t help but stopping and knocking on her door. She didn’t answer, though so I just went to my room.

I bathed and settled down to do homework but I couldn’t focus though. All I could think about was Maya. I wanted to talk to her, to ask her how she was and have her open up to me but I knew she wouldn’t so I had to leave it and her alone.

 I kept at my homework until I finally finished it then I lay in bed thinking of the one girl. The one girl that could make me smile, the one girl that could make me forget about all the pain and loneliness I felt being without my father. This one girl helped me so much without even knowing it.

I was dragged out of my day-dreaming by her mother.

“Austin, time for dinner” she shouted.

I made my way out the room and down the hall, stopping at Maya’s door. I was about to knock when her mother appeared. She looked at me then said, “Doesn’t make sense calling her, she won’t hear you and if she does she won’t come”. She smiled at me wearily and we headed downstairs.