Chapter 5: I need a plan

Maya’s POV

“Rylan, please!” I begged, my body growing hot, my hands clutching the edge of the seat as sweat dripped down my temple. My eyes were fixed on his.

“Stop running your mouth around me. Do you understand?” he warned. I nodded, and he finally looked away. Whatever invisible force had bound us snapped, freeing me from his irresistible gaze. Even so, my heartbeat quickened, and my breaths came shallow. What the hell had just happened?

“What’s your name?” he asked calmly.

I narrowed my eyes on him. He acted like a two-faced coin: perfect one moment, villainous the next.

“Maya,” I said, my voice barely audible.

“How did you know my name?”

“That vixen called your name the other time,” I replied. “And I won’t let you or her go scot-free for what you did to my hair. You’ll pay dearly…” His hostile glare shut me up immediately.

“Which direction?” he asked.

“This way,” I muttered, pointing to the left.

When we arrived at my mom’s house, she was standing outside with Annabel, my little sister, dialing my number. My heart leaped into my throat as the headlights lit up her angry face.

“Come out,” Rylan said, opening his door.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“To say hello to your mom, of course,” he retorted, stepping out before I could stop him.

“Despicable freak!” I hissed, rushing after him.

“Hello, ma’am,” Rylan was already exchanging pleasantries with my mom by the time I caught up.

“And where are you coming from, young lady?” my mom demanded, fixing me with a sharp stare.

“Uh… I was…”

“Caught her sneaking around at a bar filled with bad guys. She needs to be careful; I might not be there to save her next time,” Rylan interjected smoothly. My chest rose and fell in frustration as I shot him a venomous glare.

“You set me up!” I groaned.

“Maya, inside. Now!” my mom snapped, storming into the house.

“I hate you!” I spat between gritted teeth.

“Wouldn’t tell a lie just for you,” Rylan replied with a wink as he returned to his car.

“You could’ve just shut your damn mouth!”

“Maya!” my mom’s voice thundered, startling me. I hurried inside, closing the door behind me.

“What was that about, and who the hell is that guy?” she demanded, her voice sharp, the veins in her neck bulging. I had never seen her so enraged.

“That was a lie! I was at… at Moxie’s place,” I stammered. Her hand lashed across my face, the sting of the slap shocking me. Annabel gasped, sinking onto the couch behind her.

Tears welled up as I clutched my burning cheek.

“Don’t you dare lie to me! I called Moxie, and she said she hadn’t seen you today. A professor also called to inform me you missed lectures. You skipped class just two days into college for some dirty work! What has come over you?”

“You have no right to hit me, Mom!” I yelled, tears streaming down my face. “How could you believe him over me? I’m your blood!”

“You lied to me!” she said, her voice softening. “You told me you came home after lectures, only for me to find Annabel locked outside because you forgot to leave the key. What if something bad had happened to her? And now you were at a bar? Why?”

“That doesn’t give you the right to hit me! I only went because Stephen called, saying he knew someone who could help with my investigation,” I explained, wiping my tears.

“Stephen again? How many times have I warned you to stay away from that maniac? Your father died ten years ago! You barely identified his killers back then, so why risk your life now?”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said, storming off to my room before spinning back to face her. “You weren’t there, Mom. You didn’t see how brutally they killed your husband—my father. They didn’t even let us bury him properly. They took his body away!”

Tears streamed down my face as the memories flooded back.

“I’ve spent my whole life haunted by that night, by the image of the villain with his back to me. I swore an oath, Mom. I’ll find my father’s murderers and bring them to justice—or die trying.”

With that, I slammed my door shut.

The next day, I turned to Moxie for help. We sat on a bench, waiting for our next lecture. Moxie, my childhood friend, was a beautiful blonde with piercing hazel eyes.

“I need a plan,” I told her.

“A plan for what?” she asked, looking up from her book.

“How to get back at Rylan and Tiffany, of course! I want them to beg for mercy, to suffer for every strand of hair I lost and the slap my mom gave me. I want to strangle them!” I said, demonstrating with my hands.

Moxie sighed. “Maya, you’re taking this too far. Let it go. You can regrow your hair, and I’m sure the slap doesn’t hurt anymore. Why are you so bent on vengeance?”

“Are you in or not?”

“I think you should focus on your studies,” she said. “You know how hard your mom worked to get you into this college. The least you can do is make her proud with good grades.”

“Why don’t you just say I’m dumb for failing the SAT seven times?”

“That’s not what I meant! I’m just saying…”

“Stop talking. Are you helping me or not?” I demanded.

She looked past me, distracted.

“What are you staring at?” I asked, turning to follow her gaze.

“Shit!” I whispered, my breath catching.