Chapter Ten:

Maya Runs

"You give me the kind of feeling people write novels about."

Maya Granger

That same morning after talking with mom, I went to school. However, I made sure to leave the house before Ryder would most likely come by and pick me up. He hasn't contacted me at all since he dropped me off, so I wasn't sure if he was even going to pick me up for school.

There was barely any students, aside from the football team that was already there for morning practice. I decided to watch them until Sakura arrives, and also because Ashton was the team captain.

I sat on one of the bleachers, farthest away from the field so as to avoid any footballs that may loose their way, and mindlessly watched the team play. It didn't take long for me to zone out, and retreat into my mind that was swarming with nonsense, aka, Ryder O'Connel.

Against my wishes, questions as to why he didn't contact me at all started bothering me.

I wonder what happened?

What if he got into an accident,

Did he not like the kiss?

Was it too sloppy for him?

It was my first.

...it was my first...

It was my first kiss...

My eyes widened at the sudden realization. I was too occupied with my feelings that I completely forgot that detail. I was suddenly on my feet, and shouting, "IT WAS MY FRICKIN' FIRST!!!"

Then, I froze, realising that I was actually out in the open, and had just shouted at the top of my lungs. The football team had stopped playing, and their heads were turned towards me. I thanked whatever luck I had that I was on the farthest bleacher, and with a nervous chuckle to myself, I dashed away from the scene.

With no destination in mind, I kept running, embarrassment fueling my legs to run faster. I just hoped that no one recognized me. Just then, I ran smack straight into someone. We both got the breath knocked out of us, before I fell to the ground on my rear in the middle of the school parking lot.

I shook my head to get rid of the dizziness the impact of the ground had on me, before looking up to the person I rammed into to say sorry, but the words never made it pass my lips. I stared up at Ryder, gapping like a fish out of water.

"Dang Maya, where the heck are you headed? Here," he held out his hand to me.

The same hand that caressed my cheek during that.

The reminder sent my heart into a frenzy, my mind into a tornado, turned my stomach into a zoo, and set my face on fire. Before I knew it, I was back on my feet and running away from Ryder, the cause of my feeling disorder.

"Maya!" He called out, but I didn't stop.

Call me a coward, but as of that moment, I wasn't really ready to see him yet. I wasn't ready to tell him.

"I said wait!"

Loosing my balance, I was yanked back by my arm, stopping me from running any farther. I felt a sense of déjà vu as I once again found myself on the ground. Only this time, I wasn't in the parking lot, and it wasn't Ryder standing over me.

Instead, I was in the middle of the school hallway, with Sakura bent over, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

"The heck you running so fast for?" She asked in between pants. "And why didn't you stop?"

"Sakura..."

"What?" She looked to me with annoyance.

Desperate for some sort of comfort, I clung to her leg, and cried, "Help me!"

***

"So, what is it you need my help with that you almost pretty much cut the blood circulation to my leg for?" Sakura asked, once we seated ourselves in the empty school library.

I sighed heavily, before face planting the table in front of me. "I don't know what to do now..."

"About what?"

"About Ryder..."

"What about Ryder?"

"I think I'm in love with him."

"I think you are."

Silence.

"So what should I do?" I asked, looking up to my best girlfriend. "I can't face Ryder without looking like a lobster."

"You're overthinking, Maya." Sakura pointed out.

"So what if I am?"

"When you overthink stuff, you tend to exaggerate."

I opened my mouth to protest, but realised how accurate her point was, and ended up shutting my mouth with a pout.

Sakura chuckled, then said, "You should tell him you know. I mean, he loves you too right? What's there to be scared of?"

"The future..." I muttered.

"Forget the future, Maya." Sakura rolled her green contact lensed eyes. "Because we don't know what will happen. Sure, you might get hurt, you guys might not even work, but that's life. And life is not always safe. You have to take risks, and I understand that this is a big risk for you, but give it a try. You don't want to live your life looking back on this day, thinking of the what-ifs. You can't always live your life safely. Plus, you know I wouldn't push you towards Ryder if I didn't think he'll be good for you."

"Sakura..." I stared at my friend in amazement and adoration. "When did you get so wise?"

"Since anime entered my life." She answered with a wink.

Fired up, I nodded to myself theb said, "Alright! I'll tell Ryder!"

***

Is what I said, but, whenever I saw the aforementioned teen, my feet gets a mind of their own, and start runing in the opposite direction, and throughout the whole day, I somehow managed to avoid talking, or being near Ryder.

That is until, school ended.

Since I had my last class with the whole gang, it made it almost impossible to escape the room because I was under Ryder's watchful eyes.

I almost made it though, I made it out the classroom door, but just as I was about to blend into the crowd, a hand in my shoulder made me freeze.

"Maya."

His all-to-familiar voice made me jump, and the whole process of my emotions spiking began.

Heart: racing.

Stomach: zoo.

Mind: jumbled mess.

"Wh-What?" I asked, refusing to turn around.

The hand on my shoulder tightened its hold, then, holding me in place, Ryder walked around me and bent down to my eye-level. He had a serious look that made me swallow in nervousness, and avert my eyes.

"Wha-What can I help you with?" I asked, noticing the crowd we were drawing.

I risked a quick glance Ryder's way, and instantly regretted it. His midnight blue gaze was narrowed and calculating; boring holes into the side of my head as if trying to find answers.

"First off," he said, "I want to know why your avoiding me."

"I-I'm not avoiding you!" I chuckled uneasily, trying to meet his eyes but failing miserably.

"No. You totally are."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"...Maybe a little..."

"Why?" He asked, after a few seconds of silence. "Why are you avoiding me, Maya."

I didn't answer, and this made him sigh. He slowly turned my head towards him with his thumb and forefinger, and I reluctantly met his eyes. I could feel myself slowly wanting to tell him everything. My feelings, my fears, and my decision. However, as soon as I opened my mouth to say just that, reality hit me like a bucket of ice water.

We were standing in the hallway with an audience.

Embarassment took over my body, and before I knew, I was off running towards the school doors.

"Maya!" Ryder shouted, followed by the sounds of his footsteps as he ran after me. "Maya, wait!"

I made it past the school doors, down the steps that lead up to aforementioned doors, and was crossing towards the parking lot, when a black van skidded to a halt right before me, barely missing my foot.

The shock made me step back, just as the doors slid open, to reveal Byron, a mischievous grin on his face. His hands shot out towards me so fast I didn't have time to assess the situation until I found myself being thrown into the van, the doors shutting on Ryder's panicked expression.

I had just been...kidnapped.