Hold her (gmw/Lucaya

Ch.9

"It might be easier if you don't wear a cotton T-shirt over your bathing suit." Said Alex.
"I told you. I've got a lot of bruises from the fall." They were actually hickys too.
"Whatever. Lets go back."
"I'm not leaving."
"We've been out here for three hours."
"So? I'm not leaving until I feel a little better about this."
"Fine, one more wave." After a few minutes, Maya saw a wave coming.
"Ready?" He asked. She turned back and started to swim. This time, she actually stood up.
"Woo!" Yelled Alex. After another moment, she whipped out.
"I still did it." She said, Climbing onto her board.
"Let's go back." After school, all week, Maya spent forever in the water. Alex began calling her his water bug. The next week,
Michael came home early, and angry, saying that he had gotten fired and Maya had to deal with another night with him.
--
"You're not talking much, anymore." Said Alex as they sat in the water.
"It was a good run." She joked.
"Why aren't you?" She shrugged her shoulders.
"We need to get you a shirt for the water. There's no one else out here and they can't see it from way on the beach." He reached over to take it off and she moved away, falling into the water.
"Are you hiding something from me?" She climbed back onto the board.
"Nope."
"You're anorexic?"
"No. Trust me, I would eat a whole lot more if food didn't make me so sick."
"I believe that but I know there's something going on." Maya spotted a wave.
"Can't talk now."
"This is my wave."
"Then we battle."
"Oh, it's on." They both stood up and then he reached to push her but she caught his arm, pushing him and falling off herself.
"Smooth." He said, coming up. "I'm going back.
"I think I'm gonna stay out."
"You never want to go back." She shrugged her shoulders. "Come on." They went back to the beach and dried off. Maya sat on the sand, wrapped in a towel, looking at the water as Alex sat next to her, pulling her to lean against him. She didn't resist but it reminded her of Lucas so much that tears began to escape her eyes. She turned her head into Alex's shoulder and began to sob as he wrapped his other arm around her and began to lightly rock the girl. It was a cry she needed. A cry about everything.