A Kiss for Maya

Thank you, Marcellus Gilmore Edson

Shelly and Bianca have a project they need to complete with their group so I'm stuck eating lunch on my own.

I eat the last bite of my sandwich and smile with satisfaction at the peanuty taste.

Thank you Marcellus Gilmore Edson.

There isn't much to do so I decide to pack up my things and go find a class.

Just as I sling my backpack straps over my shoulders and get ready to leave, someone calls my name and I look up.

"Maya Banks!"

Oh no.

I feel my eyes widen and my heartbeat increase.

Approaching me, along with her best friend and sidekick, is Hannah Scott. She's one of the school's most popular girls. The last time she said anything to me was in freshman year when she needed a pen.

I've had multiple interactions with her best friend, Nancy, over the years.

"H...hi...hi..." I stutter as I nervously look up at the two blondes.

"I'm not going to waste any time." Hannah says and sits down next to me. "I'm here to talk about Mason Wilder."

She crosses her legs at the knees and places both hands on her thigh. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, exposing all her beautiful facial features. She looks serious, dead serious.

"Mason?" My small voice is insignificant compared to hers.

"Yes," Nancy, who's still on her feet, answers, "Mason."

"Well...uhm, what about him?"

"Well," Hannah begins, "Nancy told me that you were in his car this morning. Nancy heard it from Gwen, who heard it from Casey, who heard it from Ally who heard it from Riley, who saw you."

Wow, do these kids have nothing better to do?

"Uhm...yeah." I awkwardly shrug, trying to telepathically communicate with any of one of my best friends and tell her help is needed.

If she's about to assume I'm his girlfriend-

"There's nothing going on between us." I defend myself before things get out of hand.

"Sweetie," the two of them giggle,"oh please, we weren't thinking that."

"That didn't even occur to us." Nancy adds.

"Sweetie," Hannah puts her hand on my shoulder and snickers, "I don't think anybody is assuming that."

"What do you want?" I snap and immediately regret it. There's no reaction from either of them and I wonder if it's because they didn't notice or they just don't care.

"I heard that you and Mason are neighbors."

The smile on her face is creeping me out at this point.

"Yeah..."

"Well I need your..." Hannah's smile disappears and she looks away, "help, I need your help."

"With what?" I can't help the surprise in my voice.

"Gosh, you're slow." Nancy rolls her eyes and I have to stop myself from laughing.

"Sweetie, you can help me get closer to him." Hannah explains.

"Yeah, except Mason and I aren't-" I'm cut off by the sound of the bell signalling the end of lunch.

"So you'll do it, right? Cool." Hannah says and before I can even reply, she and Nancy are already walking away.

***

"I'll ask Jonathan to speak to his mom about the online fundraiser." Heather, one of the members of the Environmental Care club, says.

"Thank you, we need to buy enough seedlings and trees."

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

I pack away everything and take my backpack. I exit the class and turn around to lock the door.

"Are you ready to leave?"

I jump up and turn around. My hand is clutching onto the doorknob and I'm leaning against the door, trying to calm down my pacing heart.

"Did I frighten you?" Mason asks with a smirk.

Jerk.

I don't say anything to him and move past him towards the door.

"How did your meeting go?" He asks once we're inside the car.

"Fine." I give my curt response and take out my novel.

Three pages left. Oh no.

After a few minutes have passed, I finish the book and close it. A small smile forms on my face as I run my fingertips on the hard blue cover. It's plain, with only the title printed in bold, black letters at the front.

See, the cover may be simple and have nothing special about it but the contents are special. I never judge a book by its cover. As a matter of fact, every book that I have read with a plain cover like this one has stayed in my heart.

I place the book safely back in my backpack when we approach Mason's house.

Like every other car ride we've had, this one was also silent. He doesn't even play music, just drives and doesn't bother to make conversation.

What I'd like to know is why he even bothers giving me a lift. We're not friends and I'm not buying his "trying to impress my dad" excuse. He will actually go on living if my dad isn't completely sold on him.

I mean he's had to stop going to school with his best friend.

"Bye." I say to him once we're parked in his driveway.

He nods and I take off my seat belt and get out of the car.

We part ways, him going into his house and me walking across the street to mine.

I get home and search my backpack for the keys. Nothing.

I scramble through the green leather material. Still nothing.

My mind starts re-enacting my day and it lands on the keys. They're in my room, sitting safely on my bed.

You've got to be kidding me.

Thank you guys so much for 1k❤❤😄😊. Thank you for reading and please continue to do so. Vote, comment and share with your friends❤.

By the way, this is my shortest chapter yet😅.