The Victim (Book #1)

Chapter 40

I went back to my room and walked inside, jumping in surprise when I realized I wasn't the only person in there.

"Maya. There you are."

I froze as my heart slowed down steadily.

"Hi, Charlotte." I said. She sat on my bed uncomfortably, one leg crossed over the other while she waited for me.

"I wanted to talk to you about today." I had to suppress the urge to roll my eyes. She didn't understand how I felt, so why should I bother explaining?

I sat next to her anyway but avoided any physical touch.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Caleb left all my homework and stuff in here earlier, so I'll be fine." I said, avoiding her intense gaze.

"That's not what I meant, Maya." I knew she was addressing my feelings, but I didn't know how to answer when it felt like I didn't have any.

"I'm fine." I said, trying not to sound angry. It just felt like everything was coming at me from all sides and I couldn't handle it all.

"I know you wanted to go to school today and I didn't let you. That made you angry. Why were you mad?" she asked gently, one of her hands rubbing gently across the soft blanket she was sitting on.

I looked away and tried not to overreact again.

"I don't know," I said, but she deserved the truth, so I tried again. "Well, first I was mad because I didn't get to go to school a lot because of my uncle. If I showed up with bruises, people would question me and him, so I stayed home. And it makes me not as smart as everyone else and I obviously didn't have many friends."

She nodded in understanding and looked like she was really trying to listen. And then the answer that had been bothering me all morning popped into my mind and I couldn't help myself as I blurted out what was truly bothering me.

"And... and you act like you're my mom a lot but you're not and I miss my mom!" I said, as tears embarrassingly filled my eyes. I looked at the beige carpet and tried to stop them and lose expression again. I could handle this. I had handled it all my life.

But as she said, "Oh, Maya." and wrapped her arms around me I couldn't help it anymore and the tears spilled over onto my right cheek and down onto her shirt.

"I don't really remember my mom or dad," I said honestly. "But you can still miss something you never really had. You miss what it could've been."

She hugged me tightly without saying anything, and I knew somehow that she understood.

She took a deep breath and then exhaled shakily. I was surprised. I had never heard her sound weak before.

"I kind of understand how you feel," She said, as a single tear traced its way down her face. "When I lost my husband, I didn't just lose my best friend. I lost all the memories and experiences that I was going to have with him. We'd never be able to see our sons grow up, or watch them get married, or see our grandchildren. I would be doing that alone."

I grabbed her hand tightly, to keep her in the moment. I completely understood.

"But I have my children-" she said. "My sons. And they are everything to me. And now you're a huge part of my life too." She looked down at me as if she was comforted by the thought. I smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.

"Anyway," she said. "Tomorrow you can go back to school, and you don't need to take another day off if you don't want to."

I smiled at that. "I mean, I'll take days off for fun things... like riding Dominic's motorcycle." Her face morphed into an amused but mom-like expression, so I added "I'm joking! Only sometimes. And we'll be so safe!"

"Yeah you better be!" she laughed. She gave me a hug and then went back to her room, leaving me with my thoughts.

Although there were questions I had and stories Ididn't understand yet, I felt some peace. Charlotte and I were okay, and tonight, that was all that mattered.

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A/N: You guys I have so many ideas for this story it isn't even funny. I feel like I have four books full of ideas that I'm trying to cut down to one. Hold on, bear with me, I'll make it a cohesive story soon! But while I'm planning, tell me what you want to see/read about the most! Maya's experience with her abuse and overcoming it, Maya in relationships with guys, Maya and the boys? The Anders family and their experience? Maya's uncle and her? The boys and their girlfriends/friends? Something else entirely?? 

Thank you for your support, your love, your comments, and your votes!