Chapter 36 The intruder

Chapter 36 The intruder
Maya's POV

Immediately we walked out of the security office, I didn't make it three steps before my legs gave out. I stumbled sideways and caught myself against the wall. The cold concrete pressed against my palms. My forehead followed. I leaned into it like it was the only thing holding me up.

I can't do this, I can't keep fighting, I can't keep running, I can't…

"Hey."

Justin's voice. It was close.

"Hey, hey." Softer now. "Maya. Look at me."

I couldn't. If I looked at him, I'd fall apart. And if I fell apart, I wouldn't be able to put myself back together.

"Hey." His hand landed on my shoulder. "It's okay, stop worrying. Just… just let go for a second. I'm here with you."

Let go. He's telling me to let go.

Does he know what that means? Does he know what happens to me when he says things like that?

I felt him move closer. His chest was at my back now, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. His hand was still on my shoulder while his other hand braced against the wall beside my head.

He's everywhere. He's in my space, in my head, in my heart and he doesn't even know it. He doesn't know that every time he touches me, I forget how to breathe, that every time he says my name, I feel it in my chest like a heartbeat. He doesn't know that I'm completely hopelessly…

Stop. Stop it, Maya. He said younger sister, remember?

He meant it. This is nothing to him.

Just…

"Maya." His voice was softer now. Almost a whisper. "You're shaking."

I know. I know I'm shaking.

It's not because I'm scared. It's because you're touching me, because you're standing so close that I can feel your breath on my neck.

It's because I want to turn around and…

"Maya…"

“Really…Wow.”

The voice came from the end of the hallway. I knew it before I saw her. I knew it in my bones, the way my blood turned to ice, the way my heart stopped and started again, too fast, too hard.

Cynthia.

Justin's hand dropped from my shoulder. He stepped back and the warmth disappeared and cold rushed in.

I turned and she was standing there. Perfect posture, perfect hair, perfect dress. Like she'd stepped out of a magazine and into my nightmare. Her arms were crossed, her head was tilted and her lips were curved into something that wasn't quite a smile.

What is she doing here? How did she find us? How does she always find us?

"Well, well, well," she said. Her voice dripped with honey and poison. "What do we have here?"

Move away from him, Maya. Don't let her see. Don't let her think…

I took a step to the side away from Justin, away from the moment that had almost… almost…been something.

Cynthia's eyes followed me.

"What are you trying to do, huh?" She took a step closer. Her heels clicked on the linoleum. "You think I didn't see you? Kissing my man at that party? Throwing yourself at him in the middle of the rink in front of everyone?"

"Cynthia…" Justin started.

She held up her hand and didn't even look at him.

"You're a slut, truly. A pathetic, desperate little slut who will do anything for attention."

Slut?

The same word Chloe used. The same word that follows me everywhere.

Will I ever escape it? Will I ever be anything else to anyone?

"Will you shut the hell up?"

Justin's voice was sharp and hard. He stepped forward, positioning himself between me and Cynthia.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded. "Who told you I was here?"

Cynthia laughed. It was cold and brittle.

"Really, Justin? That's the question you should be asking me? Really?" She gestured toward me. "I caught you frolicking with a stupid, ugly little girl…"

"Stupid?"

The word came out of me before I could stop it.

Stupid?

She called me stupid?

I'm not stupid. I'm not. I'm just…

Cynthia's eyes snapped to me. "Did I stutter?"

"Don't talk to her like that." Justin's voice was low.

"Or what? You'll hit me? We both know you don't have it in you."

"Who told you I was here?"

Cynthia ignored him. She was looking at me now. Like she was trying to swallow me.

"Anyways," she said, "I'm not surprised."

Justin stiffened. "What?"

"I'm not surprised." She shrugged. "I was warned this would happen."

Warned? Someone warned her?

"Warned?" Justin stepped closer to her. "Who warned you?"

Cynthia didn't back away, but something flickered in her eyes. Something that looked almost like… fear?

"I said…"

"I heard what you said." Justin's voice was ice. "Now answer me. Who gave you information?"

Cynthia's jaw tightened. She didn't answer.

Justin took another step closer. "I'm talking to you, and you will answer me."

"Don't you dare come close to me," Cynthia said. Her voice was shaking. She took a step back in fear.

"Who gave you information?" Justin repeated. "Was it Sarah? Was it her father? Who?"

Cynthia's eyes darted to me, then back to him.

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

"Can't."

The word hung in the air.

"Who?" Justin's voice was barely a whisper now, but it was harder than I'd ever heard it. "Who warned you, Cynthia?"

Cynthia looked at him, then at me.

Her lips parted.

The world held its breath.