Between Ties

17. Cough Up

Rhyett's Point of View

Maverick, Xander and I sat in front of the principles office waiting for him to address the situation.

The fight.

Maverick's lip was cut open and he had a cut below his eye while Xander was busted up all over, black and blue. They we both in pretty bad shape but Maverick would definitely feel confident in saying that he won.

I lightly dabbed the cut Maverick had underneath his eye with cream I had gotten from the nurses office.

"Rhy." He said for the third time as he closed his eyes feeling a stinging pain. "Kenzo will fix this, but please be gentle. Fuck it! you're pressing on my wound as if you're popping a pimple." He nagged.

"Stop complaining!" I demanded as he then closed his eyes again and became silent.

Oh my god. Did he just listen to me.

I glanced over to see Xander staring at us.

"We need to talk." I said to him sternly and then he exhaled "I know." He nodded.

I was hurt that he would do that to me, go behind my back and sleep with somebody at that party, but I couldn't be too mad at him about this because Maverick and I literally slept in the same bed last night and I have feelings for him, so in some way I went behind Xander's back too.

"Can we have a little privacy." I asked Maverick kindly and then he glared at me. "Go then." He folded his arms over his chest and then closed his eyes again.

"Maverick!" I protested.

"Fine." He accepted defeat and then stood up from his seat "I need to stretch my legs and smoke a cigarette anyway." He said and then grimed at Xander "Respect her or I'll kick your fucking face in and the last thing you'll see before you open your eyes in the hospital is my fucking shoe." He threatened, and although he was harsh and mean. He didn't use magic, not once and that speaks volumes. The magic wasn't beginning to control him and this had just proved that Maverick wasn't the person Nixon had told me about,

At least not anymore.

"Walk away, breathe and relax!" I said reminding him that being angry right now wasn't going to fix anything.

He didn't turn to look at me but I knew he had heard me as he kept walking, while pulling his cigarettes out.

I swallowed as Xander and I were now alone sitting across from each other "Rhyett, I'm sorry." He started.

"Look Xan," I breathed "I...it's okay..I mean it's not it's damn awful and it hurt me. I don't know why you did it or if what you had with me wasn't as real as you made it seem..." I tried to speak but he had cut me off

"It was!" He protested. "Rhyett it was a mistake. What I did isn't okay, I'm sorry for not considering you..."

I cut him off "I'm sorry for not considering you too...Xander I think...I have feelings for....Maverick. I didn't know I did and to be honest I only realized that I did last night and I wasn't being one hundred person honest with you either Maverick and I had a moment. A very intense one and.." his eyes grew "nothing happened! We didn't have sex!" I said honestly.

"Rhyett. I forgive you for whatever went down with you and Maverick. I'm not mad about it...I fucked up too but I still want this and I hope you're willing to forgive me." He said.

"I do. I do forgive you. I don't hold grudges. I prefer to understand and forgive but I don't think you and I can work. I forgive you but I won't be able to trust you and I don't think you'll ever trust me." I swallowed.