Enemies Living Under The Same Roof

Chapter 2.

Maya’s POV.

I didn't wait for him to speak. I turned and walked toward the direction the butler had pointed earlier.

My hand found a door and I pushed inside.

Small room, a bed, desk and window. I dropped my bag and pressed my hand to my chest, trying to slow my heart.

"You can't just walk away from me." His voice came from the doorway.

I turned around. Jaxson leaned against the door, arms crossed, watching me.

"I'm tired," I responded, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll start tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." He was closer now. "You said we'd start tomorrow." His hand reached out and knocked a small lamp off the dresser.

It hit the floor with a crack, I jumped. My back hit the wall.

He kept coming.

His hand landed on the wall beside my head. Then the other hand. I was in-between him.

My heart slammed against my ribs, I couldn't breathe.

Up close, he was different.

His jaw was sharp, his lips were full, the bottom one slightly bigger than the top. His nose had a small bump on the bridge, like it had been broken once. It should have made him less perfect. It didn't.

His eyes weren't just blue. They were grey-blue with flecks of gold. His skin was tan.

He leaned in, his mouth near my ear. His breath on my neck.

"I hate being controlled," he whispered. “So….. I will choose a day but definitely not tomorrow.”

Then he pushed off the wall and walked away. I pressed my hands to my face. What was wrong with me?

He was my bully, he locked me in that closet, he laughed while I begged. I hated him.

So why did my stomach flip when he got close?

No boy had ever been that close to me, ever looked at me like that.

“I hated him…..I hated him,” I chanted, until my heart finally slowed.

The next morning, I stood in the kitchen, clutching a mug of coffee I didn't want. I hadn't slept.

Footsteps. I looked up.

A man walked in. Tall, older. The same sharp jaw as Jaxson, but brown eyes. He smiled at me.

"You must be Maya,” he said in a low tone. "I'm Richard. Jaxson's father."

I nodded, my throat tight.

"Welcome to our home." He poured himself coffee. "I hope my son hasn't been too difficult. He can be... challenging."

I didn't know what to say, so I just nodded again.

"You're in the same school with Jaxson," Richard said. "Same grade, I'm told. So you'll ride together."

I smiled. “Th……”

"No." Jaxson said, interrupting me. He stood in the doorway, his eyes cold. "No way. She's not riding with me."

Richard's eyes narrowed. "Jaxson."

"She's…." Jaxson stopped, stared at me. His lip curled. "Fine. Whatever."

Richard smiled at me again, oblivious. "See? Settled."

I wanted to scream.

---

The car was black. Bigger than any car I'd ever been in. I sat on one side, pressed against the door.

Jaxson sat on the other, as far from me as possible. His jaw was tight. His hands were fists.

He kept glancing at the rearview mirror, like he was making sure no one was watching us.

We drove in silence for ten minutes.

"Stop the car!" Jaxson barked.

The driver glanced back. "Sir?"

"You fucking heard me. Stop the car!"

The car pulled over. Jaxson leaned across me and shoved the door open.

"Get out."

I stared at him. "What?"

"I said get out,” he said, his voice low and mean. "There's no way I'm showing up to school with you. You think I want people seeing me with someone like you?"

The words hit like a slap.

"I can't…." My voice cracked. "It's far. I don't know the way."

"Not my problem." He grabbed my bag and threw it onto the sidewalk. Then he pushed me hard.

I stumbled out of the car, landed on my hands and knees on the cold ground. The door slammed shut and the car drove away.

What did I do to deserve this? I had no money.

I walked the rest of the way. I didn't know how long it took. My feet hurt. My eyes burned but I wouldn't let them cry. I bit my lips hard.

I got to school forty-five minutes late.

The hallway was empty. Everyone was in class. I slipped into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

I was a mess. My hair was wild, my clothes were dirty from the sidewalk. I looked every bit the riffraff I felt I was.

I splashed water on my face and tried to fix my hair. It didn't help.

The bell rang.

I walked to class. Opened the door. Every head turned.

"There she is," Tiffany sang. "Late and looking... well. Like she slept in a dumpster."

Laughter filled the classroom.

I kept my eyes on the floor and walked to my seat.

"Seriously though," Chloe whispered loudly. "Do you smell that? What is that?"

More laughter.

Jaxson sat in the back. He didn't laugh. He didn't look at me at all.

I stared at my desk. My hands shook, my throat burned. I pressed my nails into my palms.

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

---

By the time I reached the house, my feet were blistered. Jaxson made me walk home again.

I went straight to my room, locked the door and sat on the floor.

The tears came. Hot, fast and ugly. I pressed my hands to my mouth so no one would hear.

I cried until even the tears betrayed me. Then I showered.

A knock.

"Maya." The butler's voice. "Young master is ready for his tutoring session. His room. Down the hall. Now."

I stared at the door. This was my life now. Must Jaxson always be on my face?

With a sigh, I walked down the hall, stopped in front of his door. Knocked.

"Come in."

I pushed it open.

His room was huge, dark walls, and a bed that looked too big for one person. And him, sitting on the edge, looking at me.

I stepped inside. The door clicked shut behind me.

"I'm here," I said. My voice was flat.

He didn't move or speak. Just watched me with those grey-blue eyes.

I waited.

Then he said, "Sorry."

I blinked.

“Uh?”