OKAY! So this is it. New chapter at six am because why not? 

Sorry if it is kind of rushed, but everything thing will be sorted out in the next chapter heheh :)

Hope you guys like it :P

Comment/ vote. Let me know what you think, it means a lot to me

See ya later, alienator Xx

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CHAPTER 06

The family - part 1

High School wasn't bad. Truth is, it never was. But I guess I was so caught up by the fact that those were supposed to be the best damn years of my life, that I never actually had time to just stop and enjoy. So here I am, in the middle of my Maths classroom, trying to get a few words out just so I could go back to my seat.

I could tell them about my previous years, where I was just a freshman or a sophomore. I could narrate how I used to go home and cry during my first month at High School just because I couldn't handle it. Maybe I should tell them about the time my parents switched me from my school because they could see my spirit dying.

But I personally think I should tell them about my Spirit Week, best week in school I've ever had. Laughed so much that week. I was genuinely happy. I got to play all the sports I liked, and I made some new friends. The Spirit Week was everything I'd hoped it to be. Fun. New. Fresh. I should absolutely tell them about Vince and his poems.

Instead, I settle for just telling them how my old school was okay. Not soon enough I was seated next to an obnoxious gum eater boy, and a very distracted girl. As she seemed more interesting than him, I decided she would be my object of interest this class. Even though her bleached hair covered most of her face, I could see she was small. Her shoulders weren't large and she was just little in general. Her small hands played with her phone, as her small feet tapped along to an imaginary beat. She's cute... in a fairy way.

Something on her caught my attention, and I knew exactly what it was. Her skin. It wasn't tanned and golden like all the other in the classroom. It was fair and light, almost as she was european.

"Did you lost something?" Her high pitched voice asked me, not even bothering to move and look at me.

"No, sorry." I said and turned front to pay attention to the teacher.

"Why're you asking sorry, did you do something?" When her green eyes focused on me I froze. I got scared. She wasn't so fairy right now.

"No I-"

"I'm just messing with you, chill." Her laugh echoed in the silent room and everyone turned around to look at us. Fudge.

"Ms. Karp, wanna share the joke?" The teacher asked.

Our teacher, Ms. Joana Harper, was a fairly young woman, probably around her thirties. I bet she was happy at some point, but as years go, so does relationships. She didn't have a ring on, so my hunch was that she was still single and not ready to mingle, by the face she was staring at us right now.

"Not really, Ms. Harper. Sorry." and then she turned to me. "Nice to meet you, girl. I'm Aria Karp."

"Maya Reed." I said in a low tone, shrinking in my seat.

We didn't talk for the rest of the class, but Aria was kind enough to exchange some smiles with me and show me around. Pretty talkative once I met her, kept telling me funny stories of her years in Tamalpais. Aria and I had all the morning classes together, so that was how half of my day went buy. Laughing with that small girl.

We were just turning the corner, going to my locker, when the sound of many footsteps echoed in my ears. It was odd, since most people were already at lunch. Everything just seemed to happen at once; the sound got closer and closer until there was no sound at all, and all that heavy weight of the books in my arms was long gone. I hoped the floor wasn't too dirty, because I was lying just in it.

"Oh my God, are you okay?" Aria spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." A husky voice said and I heard some shuffle.

"Not you, jerk. Her. Maya." Angry Aria was back and it was not pretty. "Can't you see where you're going, Ryan? You're such an idiot, gosh."

"Shut up, shortie." He growled and I knew bad things were bound to happen, so I got in between.

"Okay, let's take this down a notch." I said with my best soothing voice, laying my hand on the guy's chest and pushing him back a little. As he swat my hand away, anger rose. "Let's take this down a few notches, buddy. It's my first day here and I don't want trouble."

His breathing was accelerated and I knew for a fact that if I looked back to my newest friend, she wouldn't be too different. The guy - Ryan - opened his mouth to say something but got cut short when a strong and hoarse voice called out for him.

"Ryan, dude, come on! We're gonna get caught." A boy wearing a hoodie came behind me. I felt like years passed by until he spoke again. "Chipmunk?"

"Well, hello again." I murmured hiding my face in my hands. "And I'm no chipmunk, you know my name."

"Yeah, I know. Such an unusual name. Maya."

"I like it, okay?" The way I whined made them laugh. "It's original."

"Yes it is."

The way he was staring at me, with his usual ear to ear smile, it was just too intense. I looked at my feet and heard laughing. I could tell I would hear a lot of that for the rest of my time here. People in Sausalito were really happy, my guess was it because of the constant sun and cool weather.

His blonde curls were escaping through the hood of his sweatshirt and his blue eyes were restless. Even though he was smiling like a retarded, there was something unsettling him. He kept eyeing the end of the hallway, and it didn't take long for me to figure why he was so worried.

"TUCKER! SANCHEZ!" A rather large mid-age woman came running down the hall, a pissed look on her face as the droplets of water ran down her body. She was soaking wet, and with the cold I was sure she was about to catch a cold.

"Fuck." I heard both boys mutter.

"Ryan Sanchez and Maximilian Tucker, you both are coming with me." She shouted even though she was just a couple of feet away from us. "I am tired of your childish tricks!"

"Mary, please... Let's not get to rushed decisions." Ryan said smirking. From the looks of it, he couldn't give a crap for his punishment. Max, on the other hand, seemed like he was about to pass out. His tan was gone — well, not gone, because that's impossible, he was just so tan. But it was fairly paler. "We had nothing to do with the bucket over your door."

Oh God.

"Oh no? This is classic you, Sanchez. You're coming with me, both of you are."

"No no no, Mary. I can't go!" Max panicked. For a second, I saw pity flash through her eyes. "Please, I can't go! Another strike for me is a suspension!"

Frantic blue eyes searched for anyone that could help him, and for a second I wanted to hide in a locker. My heart was just too soft and that boy was just too cute.

"He was with me and Aria the whole time, Ms..." I tried with a soft voice and big, round eyes. The face of innocence.

"Ms. Lee, dear." She smiled kindly. "So Mr. Tucker has been showing you around school? Oh, what a nice boy! Of course he would, such a beautiful young lady you are."

I nodded and blushed. I wanted to run as far as possible.

"Well, than I guess I have no other choice. Tucker, you're off the hook, but I'm watching you." He nodded fast and his behind me. "Sanchez, let's go."

"Aye captain!" Ryan said and winked at me.

They were gone for a about a minute when reality fell upon us.

"You helped him!" Aria snickered angrily.

"You helped me!" Max shrieked in joy. "Again!"

"Yeah." I sighed. "Let's go to class, you guys."

It was safe to say that that was the most strange day I had in a long time. And I loved every second of it.

———————

Rob wasn't home when I arrived. The house was empty and... floating, like always. I sighed in content and decided to make myself a snack. Our fridge was finally full, thanks to marvelous Tatiana and her amazing cooking skills. That woman was our savior.

Before she left this morning, Ana made some food. She cooked too many pancakes, so there was some left in the fridge. There was also a banana and nuts cake on the counter, my favorite of all times. Cupcakes, spaghetti, salad. Everything was stocked in our fridge, organized in several tupperware. The sight alone made me so happy, I started to get everything out.

My plate had one cupcake, a pice of the heavenly banana cake and on top of it, a pancake. Usually I would go for everything salty in that fridge, but today I needed some sweet. And it could only mean one thing. That week was coming, and it wasn't going to be good.

I heard the door open and Rob came in with his new group. I was glad he was finally introducing me to his people. Ana and Brent where with them, and that put me at ease.

"Hey guys." I said with a mouth full of cake.

They looked me weirdly for a second before answering. There were another two men there, one was using a suit and everything and he stood out. His face was hard as stone, no emotion leaking through his eyes or whatnot.

"This is Mr. Tucker, he is the benefactor behind my project and research." Rob said pointing to the guy that looked more like a lawyer. "Mr. Tucker, this is my little sister, Maya."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Maya." He said and opened a smile. It was like the energy in the room instantly felt lighter without his heavy eyes and serious looks upon me. I opened a smile and greeted him back.

I obviously couldn't help but link Mr. Tucker with good ol' Max. They looked nothing alike, that's for sure. Mr. Tucker with his brown eyes and brown hair had nothing on Max's blue eyes and blonde locks. Maybe he looked more like Mrs. Tucker.

As they talked about frivolous subjects, Tatiana was in the kitchen, baking me some chocolate cookies. She said there was no point in listening those men when they aren't talking about the research; when I asked why, it was because they were probably talking about cars or something like that. I laughed at the joke and tried and helped her with those cookies cutting the chocolate bar and tiny pieces. But of course I couldn't finish my chore without almost chopping out a finger.

"Ouch." I flinched and dropped the knife. I had opened a huge gash on my thumb, and the blood started oozing out slowly.

"Oh shit!" Ana shouted and ran to me. "Let me see."

"It's nothing really." I put my finger under water and bite my lip because of the sting.

We wait a few minutes and take a look at it again. It's still bleeding, even though I could see it wasn't a deep cut. Ana called Rob and minutes later we were all reunited in the kitchen looking at Mr. Tucker bandaging my hand.

"How do you even know what to do?" Brent asked frowning a little. Adorable.

"I have two sons." He laughed. "Got used to it after the third time."


"Oh." I heard Brent say and come sit with me by the counter. 


"Done." Mr. Tucker said and I smiled at him thankfully. Even though I had just cut my finger, the benefactor thought it would be a bad idea put some band-aids on it, we had to let the wound breath. But the small amount of oozing blood seemed to be a problem as Brent nearly fainted at the sight, so he just put some gauze on it, going around my hand to hold in place.

"Thanks." I said and turned back to finish my previous chore.

"No more for you." Rob said and finished chopping the chocolate bar himself.

As we waited, my suspicions were confirmed. Mr. Tucker started talking about his family and how this research meant a lot to him and his sons, Lucas and Maximilian. When I told him I knew Max, his grin went from ear to ear, and the topic for the rest of the night, was Maximilian Tucker. 

Maybe I would learn something about that boy that seemed to be everywhere.