Maze [Completed]

DYLAN

I looked at Maze submerged in the water, her hand outstretched to me. She looked like a water nymph, her hair curling around her shoulders. I didn't know what to do. Was she doing this because she wanted to be with me or because I was going to be some sort of rebound? A cold, gnawing sensation formed in the pit of my stomach. Wait, was she still with Simon? She couldn't be. Not after everything that he'd done to her. 

"Dyl?" she asked again. I could see the softness in her smile and I wanted to kiss her. 

I dismissed my thoughts and moved without thinking, tugging my t-shirt up over my head and throwing it down next to her pile of clothes. I kicked off my boots and socks and began to wade into the water in my shorts, wincing at the coolness against the heat of the day. 

Her smile deepened, showing a small dimple in her right cheek and I saw the skin tug awkwardly around the swelling of her eye. The closer I got to her, I could see all the marks that Si had left on her. The bruising on her collarbones, the grip marks on her shoulders and down her arms. I reached out and threaded my fingers through hers, gently pulling her against me. Maze slid her arms up around my neck and rested her forehead against my chest. 

We stayed like that, in the silence just listening to each others breathing. I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her close, feeling her breathe against me. 

"I want you to be with me, Maze," I said gently, dropping a kiss to the top of her damp hair, repeating the words I'd told her in her car. Her arms tightened a fraction. 

Maze nodded and I felt my heart skip a beat.

 "I want to be with you too, Dyl."

She pulled her head back and looked at me, her cornflower blue eyes boring into mine. I remembered the first day I'd seen her and every time after that, when I'd known. Just known how special she was, how much I cared for her. 

"Well, isn't this fucking cosy?"

Maze's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and I felt her heart thundering against my chest. She looked over my shoulder then pushed me away from her. 

"Si.."she forced out.

I turned to see Si, standing at the water's edge wearing black shorts and a running vest. He was sweating hard, his breath coming out in short, sharp pants. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides and his eyes were narrowed as he glared at me. 

"Get out of the fucking water, Dylan. Get away from her."

I knew what was going to happen but I did what he asked. I waded back out of the water and walked towards him, water dripping off me. 

"What the fuck are you doing, Dylan? Maze is my girlfriend. I thought we were mates!" he roared. 

I heard splashing behind me as Maze left the water and I heard her scrabbling for her clothes.

"Get some clothes on, Maze. For fuck sake!" Si barked.

"Yes, Si. Sorry," Maze whispered and I felt my heart cracking with how broken she sounded. 

"Don't talk to her like that, Simon," I said as calm as I could. I thought back to my Dad when he was drunk 

Si cocked his head at me, "Oh is that how it's going to be is it, Dylan? You've eventually decided to man the fuck up after years of pining after Maze and decided to steal her from me?"

I shrugged, "I'm not stealing her. She wants to be with me. You've done nothing but hurt her and treat her like she's nothing. She's everything."

Si scoffed, "Oh, did she tell you that I hurt her?"

"She didn't have to," I fired back.

Si tipped his head back and laughed, " Mate, you're a fool if you believe that. She's just like her mum. An attention seeking and desperate cow hoping for any man to look at her. She's done all that to herself. If I had hurt her, don't you think she would have gone to the police?"

I breathed in deeply, "Simon. If you think I'm going to believe that for one minute, then you are sadly mistaken. I don't know how you knew we were here but I think it's time you left."

I didn't see it coming but suddenly I was on the ground, staring up at the sky and Si was on me, fists swinging. I pulled my arms up in defence then pushed him off me, scrabbling to my feet. I could taste blood. Si rushed at me, his fists raised when I pulled my right arm back and punched him square in the face. He fell back into the dirt, blood streaming from his nose. He stared up at me in shock. 

"You..you hit me!I'm going to fucking kill you!" He gasped, lifting his hand to his nose to staunch the flow. 

"What? You don't like it when someone hits back?" I asked, spitting blood. 

His eyes radiated pure heat as he stood up and walked back towards me.I tensed, waiting for the attack. Suddenly his eyes shifted and  I could see him trying to calm himself down as he looked behind me to stare at Maze.

"Maze," he said in a gentler tone. "Maze, come with me. Please. I just want to to talk to you. I need you, Maze. Please."

I turned around looking at Maze, her clothes damp from the water and her hair dripping down her back. She had her sunglasses back on and I wished that I could see her eyes. 

"Maze, don't listen to him," I said, walking towards her. My hand reached out to take hers and I flinched slightly as she pulled away from me.

"Maze, come on. I'll take you home and we can talk. We always said that we wouldn't give up on each other. You're not giving up on me, are you? I need you," Si pleaded from behind me.

Maze tilted her head towards me and I could see her bottom lip trembling. I knew what she was going to do. That sensation formed in my stomach again.

I reached out and touched her cheek gently, "Don't do this, Maze. Stay with me."

Her sun-glassed covered eyes met mine, "I'm so sorry, Dylan. This...I shouldn't...it was a mistake. I'm sorry. He needs me."

"No, don't," I said softly as she reached up to pull my hand away from her face. Her cool fingers held mine for a brief second then she let go. 

"I have to," her voice cracked as she picked up her bag and walked past me. My hand shot out and grabbed her arm, pulling her close to me so that my mouth was touching her ear. I heard Si growl behind me.

"I love you, Maisie. I don't know why you're doing this, you don't have to do this but I want you to remember that, I love you. I meant what I said before, you're my everything." I whispered hoarsely into her ear. 

"Get off her, Dylan. She's coming with me," Si called from behind me. White hot anger boiled in my veins, knowing that losing my shit would only make this situation worse. 

"You could have been mine," she whispered back, before prying my fingers off her arm and walking towards Si. 

He looped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead, Maze stared down at the ground looking diminished. 

"Leave us both alone, Dylan," he ordered.

"Touch her again, Simon and I'm going to the police myself, " I bit out.

Si laughed, "Good luck with that. I'll have you arrested for assault. I'm sure that'll look good on those jumped up job applications."

Si tugged her again and she followed him meekly, not looking up from the ground, not looking at me. I watched as they disappeared into the forest and felt my vision blur with tears. I pushed them angrily and grabbed my phone.

There was no fucking way I was going to let this happen. 

She's everything.