Mike? I looked at my phone, wondering if I should pick the call. Well, if I didn’t, he would keep calling. And, the least I wanted was for Ian to find out about Mike. It could get nasty. I slid the answer button, and it connected in one swipe. “I have to go now.” “What the hell is wrong with you?” Our words collided as one, and I had to do a double take. I brought the phone out of my earlobe, and stared at the contact details, it was Mike as I had assumed. I replaced it back, seething with rage “Why are you talking to me this way?” I demanded. “Tell me where are you right now?” He snapped with another question of his own. I took a deep breath, and looked around to be sure Ian hadn’t stepped into the apartment. “I’m out with a friend,” I said simply. “At Radisson Boulevard.” “Are you spying on me?” I queried, stunned. He scoffed. “I have better things to do with my time, than spy on you, Maya. One of the pack members saw you going there. I need you to get out of there right

Playing with my senses. The ride down the root got more intense, and I found myself looking at his broad back. It was so big, bigger than I thought. I’ve never seen Ian’s broad back, but I had a feeling Mike was bigger than he was. Mike had ignored me as usual, without a single care of the world. I wanted nothing more than for him to talk. I respected his silence on the matter, and somehow, I believed that he wasn’t at fault. Mike was target to the hunters. He must have been known by them. I understood the urge to have a middle ground, and the last say in this situation. What I didn’t understand was Ian. What did he have with that man that made him run the way he had done. I’ve been trying hard to connect the dots, and failing to do so. “We are here,” Mike boomed all of a sudden. I quickly stepped down, and my ankle twisted almost immediately. Mike shot his hand forward and saved me before I made a mess of myself. His hands were completely strong, and I revelled in how manly they

I reapplied my pink lipgloss, and pushed my hair back in a loose ponytail. I had a lot to do today, and that wasn’t even making things light. I grabbed my purse. And ran downstairs, going directly towards the door. “Maya?” Mike’s mom called back, causing me to stop back in my track. I looked over at her, and she was seated in the dining table, munching away. Her eyes looked at me imploringly. I mentally facepalmed. It was rude to just leave without saying a word to them after how they had helped me last night. “Good morning, ma’am,” I said calmly. She smiled at me. “Come over here. It’s a rule in this house that no-one leaves home without having something to eat. It’s an important part of nutrition and you mustn’t miss it,” she said firmly. I smiled at her. “I would have really loved to eat, but I have a lot to do today. I forgot to take my books from the dorm, and I have to do that. It’s important,” I said quietly. Mike’s mother gave me a stern look. I had almost forgotten how

At the dorm, I used my spare key to open my door and stepped in. Chloe was fast asleep, but stirred immediately I closed the door. “Maya,” she called softly. I turned over to her, smiling slightly. “Hi, dear,” I said softly. I threw my purse on the bed, and waited for her to ask me about the letter I had dropped yesterday, or the fact that some of my boxes were still missing, but she didn’t ask me anything. I kicked off my shoe, and slowly tipped over to the bathroom. “Where were you last night?” My heart skipped a beat. Maya always made me feel that I was up to something bad. It was crazy how she ignited some emotions in me despite the fact that she was my friend. “I…” I turned to look at her. “I was with Ian. I didn’t think I will spend the night at his place, but you know how boys are,” I went red at my lies. “They don’t take no for an answer.” She shot up from the bed immediately, crossing her legs together. “Tell me everything that happened. I want to know it all. Please

I looked up at his outstretched hands, suddenly irritated at it all. I ignored his hands, and then struggled to stand to my feet, placing a book haphazardly in my bag. I was done with all these. I walked away from Mike, annoyed at it all. Students had dispersed like they had not being there moments ago, and that annoyed me so much. They should have been here to protect me from Mike. “Maya, wait. What’s the matter?” Mike called out behind me. I turned around at that moment, a frown lighting up my face. He was at the exact spot I had left him, and his hands were outstretched towards me. “Are you really asking me this?” I queried. “Yes, I am. I would really like to know what I had done wrong to serve this. I need to know. Tell me.” I huffed. “Who was the angry young man snubbing me this morning. You couldn’t even look me in the eyes. And, suddenly you are all up in my face. Who does that Mike?” I snapped.