Page 91 of Take Her On

Carly chewed her lip, and Maya tried her best to not get distracted. She focused instead on the burning in her chest. What is her angle here?

Carly’s fingers traced circles on Maya’s jeans. “We…well. Luke…erm…” Her fingers stilled, and she exhaled. “You’ve always shown an interest in me, and Luke and I are open to…exploring.”

What?

Maya’s jaw nearly fell off its hinges. Did she really say that, or have I drunk so much I’ve passed out and started hallucinating?

She gathered her composure. “As in…”

“A threesome,” she said with a playful shrug.

“Oh, wow.” She shook her head, the words slotting themselves together to form a picture. “Fucking hell.”

“So…what do you think?”

Maya laughed and drew her hand away. “To your boyfriend having a fantasy about fucking two women, and you thinking I’m the perfect candidate, having been in love with you for so long? You’re unbelievable, Carly. Wow.”

She stood up, her chair scraping the wooden floor. That wasn’t how she’d imagined she’d tell Carly about her feelings, but it was all out there now. She knew on some level she should rein in her voice, too, but everything bubbled up at once, spewing over like vomit.

“I can’t fucking believe you. You never gave a shit about me, did you? You’ve made me the idiot. Again.”

“Maya, wait.” Carly’s mouth opened and closed, but nothing else came out.

“I can’t believe I almost fell for it. Again. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Maya shook her head. “All this time, you knew. You knew, and I just followed you around like a little puppy. You don’t care about me. You never did. You just call me when you need a pick-me-up, or to please your basketball-bro boyfriend. If things are already stale in the bedroom, well, good luck with that.” Maya had never seen Carly so taken aback, but she wasn’t about to hang around and listen to her bullshit anymore. “Leave me alone, Carly. I’m done with you.”

The Globe had got a lot busier without Maya noticing, and she drew the eye of the crowd as she stormed out of the door and onto the street outside. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew what she needed.

More alcohol.

* * *

Maya opened her eyes, everything a dark blur. A sharp scent of vomit tugged at her stomach, and she gagged, rocking forward.

Where am I?

“Hey, Maya. It’s okay,” a voice spoke softly to her right. “You’re nearly home.”

She turned to the sound and squinted her eyes. The humming and motion told her she was in a car, but the voice confused her. The figure leaned back, and a flash of light rolled across her face.

She took in her straight nose and kind brown eyes. “Leah?”

“Yeah, it’s me.” Leah put a hand on her shoulder. The smell of sick wafted up Maya’s nostrils again, and she groaned, noticing that she was covered in—she assumed—her own vomit.

“What…happened?” She blinked, trying to dislodge this sensation and make some sense. Why is Leah here? Who’s driving?

“It’s alright. You’re safe now. Look, you’re home.” The car stopped, and Maya dizzily looked outside. What time is it?

She racked her brain but couldn’t remember anything.

“Thanks, mate,” Leah addressed the driver, leaning forward. “I’ll just be a minute while I get her inside.” Then she turned to Maya. “Come on.”

She staggered to the house with Leah’s support, head spinning and protesting with each movement. What’s going on?

The door opened before they reached it. Her mum’s face fell when she saw Maya, and she clambered down the steps in her white dressing gown, hair ruffled by sleep.

“Jesus, Maya. Look at the state of you. What happened?”

The last thing she needed was a Mum lecture. She couldn’t stop herself from rolling her eyes. “Don’t start, Mum. You…lemon.”