MAYA

Two weeks without talking to him, giving him flowers or trying to get close to him. He had asked for space and I had given it to him. It had been extremely hard but I had been determined to honor his request for once. I couldn't any more though. I'd decided that it was either go big or go home.

The football and cheerleading team were headed out of town for an away game and would be gone for the whole weekend. When they came back the following week, everything would be too chaotic with homecoming dance plans for me to get a chance alone with Elijah so I'd decided to ask him to homecoming before they left. It was a lot of pressure and I was scared out of my mind but I'd had two weeks to prepare and I was finally ready.

I had everything ready from the biggest bouquet of flowers I'd ever given him, my way of asking him to the dance and a very cute outfit. I was wearing a white long sleeved wrap crop top, a brown long high waisted skirt, a pair of basic block heels and my dreads were tied at the top of my head in a messy bun.

Violet had to get to school super early to plan for their trip so I had to get a ride from uncle Ted. He was dropping me off on his way to work.

"Still trying to woo the red head."Uncle Ted teased from the driver's seat.

"Yeah but he's still playing hard."I replied with a sad smile.

It had been hard watching Elijah from afar for two weeks. He walked around pretending I didn't exist which must have been taking a lot of effort because I knew for a fact that he could always feel me, especially when we were close.

I'd also noticed some tension around him and Finn, especially since they wouldn't talk or even look at each other. I knew that they had argued because of me. Wade had told Violet everything who in turn had relayed the information to me. I didn't want the boys fighting over me, it was just stupid. I didn't like Finn and probably never would because my main focus was trying to get back into Elijah's good graces. I hadn't allowed myself to think past when Elijah and I became friends again. It seemed like such a far fetched idea that I didn't want to hope about what would come after.

"Don't give up hope yet sweetheart boys are like that especially when they are scared of something good happening to them if they open their hearts up."Uncle Ted consoled.

"You really think so?"I mumbled in a quiet voice.

"I know so because I was once a boy. Just give him time and I'm sure he'll come around."Uncle Ted encouraged.

I nodded at him gratefully, his wise words encouraging me.

Violet texted me asking me where I was because they were about to leave and I was cutting it close. I texted her back that we were two minutes away and started running my speech over in my head.

Uncle Ted dropped me off at the entrance since there was no need for him to go through the trouble of finding a parking spot.

"Good luck sweetheart."He waved once I'd got out with all my stuff.

"Thanks uncle Ted, see you later."I replied waving goodbye to him before closing the car door and watching him leave.

Violet was already there waiting for me dressed in a black and white Adidas track suit.

"You just went ahead and bought the whole florist shop didn't you."She teased when she saw the big bouquet of red roses I had.

It was even bigger than me but I was strong enough to carry it around.

"Go big or go home."I replied nervously.

"If he doesn't say yes, then I'll kick his ass."Violet threatened.

"You can try but you'll only hurt yourself."I replied.

"Leave it to you to fall for a seven foot giant."Violet retorted.

"I am not in love with him."I quickly interjected.

"Of course you aren't."Violet remarked sarcastically.

Violet had the absurd idea that Elijah and I were dating and no matter how many times I tried to dissuade her of the idea she was insistent of it.

"I'm not."I exclaimed once more frustrated by her accusations.

"The more you say it, the more I believe you. Now let's get this hoco proposal over and done with, I need cute chocolate ginger haired nieces and nephew's to spoil the hell out of."Violet declared dragging me with her.

"We're in high school and seventeen, your logic doesn't work."I reasoned but all I got was an eye roll.

Anyone in need of a cousin, I was selling mine at a very affordable price.

With Violet's persistence we were able to catch the football team before they left their locker rooms. Wendy, Suzanne and Olive were there too to support me.

"Are you ready?"Wendy asked looking very excited.

"No so I just want to get it over and done with."I replied nervously.

"Okay, give me your bag and your phone. I'll record it for you."Wendy requested.

I handed her my bag and phone then got ready with my girls behind me, giving me moral support. Two long minutes later that seemed like an eternity the doors opened and the boys came pouring out. Everyone looked at me curiously as they passed by but they weren't my main concern.

Finally Elijah walked out with Wade by his side and Finn trailing behind them. Automatically because of our bond, he immediately looked up and our eyes met. His eyes wandered from the messy bun on top of my head, to the huge bouquet of red roses in my left hand and the white football in my right hand with the inscription "Will you tackle homecoming with me?". Since Elijah really loved football I thought it was a good pun and a fun way to ask him to the prom.

I didn't even wait for him to absorb everything and instead asked the question I'd practiced hundreds of times in front of the mirror.

"I'm sorry for all the dances I missed but I'm hoping you'll give me the chance to make up for all of it by going to homecoming with me. So Elijah Olsen will you go to homecoming with me?"I asked all in one breath.

Everyone went silent waiting for his reply. My heart was beating so fast, everyone around me could probably hear it. I had a smile on my face but my insides were rolling over in nervousness.

Elijah made his way towards me with a blank face and took the flowers and ball from my hand. My smile started getting bigger until he turned around and walked towards the trash cans a few paces from us. He tossed both items in before walking away towards the bus.

I had been so hopeful, oh so hopeful that he wouldn't reject me once again but he had. It was the most humiliated I had ever been.

Everyone around me was looking at me with pity written all other their faces. My face got hot with embarrassment the more they kept looking at me and I couldn't breath. I had to get away from all of them. Without caring about any of my stuff, I took off with no final destination in mind. I had class, but at the moment I didn't care. I just wanted to breath and get away.

I ended up in the track field which was empty and devoid of students. Without thinking I kicked off my heels took off my skirt leaving me in a pair of boy shorts and started running around the track. I needed to get my mind off everything that had happened and running was my therapy.

I always thought that maybe if I ran fast enough I could out run my problems. That had never happened but at the moment I really wished that it would have been possible.

I had put myself out there once again and just like always Elijah had made a fool out of me in front of everyone. I had no idea why but for some reason his rejection this time had hurt more than all the other times combined. I kept putting myself out there for him but he just kept stomping on my heart over and over again. How many times could my heart take it before it gave out?

On my third lap around the track, I caught sight of all my friends running into the field. When they saw me they all looked relieved. I didn't stop though even when they called out to me, just bypassed them and kept running. Eventually they quit calling me when they saw that I wasn't planning on stopping. When I got around to them again, Violet started jogging next to me. For her sake I slowed down my pace. She didn't say anything at first but eventually she broke.

"I am sorry Maya. Elijah is an asshole who doesn't deserve you."She apologized.

I didn't reply, just shrugged even though she was right and kept running.

"I know you're overthinking right now and don't want to talk but I'm here and I love you. I've got to go, the bus is leaving but I'll call and text so I can keep checking up on you. I love you and I promise to kick Elijah's ass on your behalf."Violet said.

When I didn't say anything she sighed and eventually slowed to a stop but I kept running. I saw her taking to the other girls and eventually she left with Olive and Suzanne while Wendy stayed back. She sat crosslegged on the side of the track and just watched me run.

"I'd run with you but I chose to lead the student body for a reason. I've got no athletic bone in my body."Wendy yelled when I ran past her for the first time.

I didn't stop though, just kept running and each time I ran past her she had something to say.

"Do you need some water? You look like you're overheating."

I shook my head and just zoomed past her.

"Okay so no water but maybe you can take a break."She requested again the next time I ran past her.

I shook my head no once again and kept running.

"Maybe I should have been recording this. You might win a Guinness record or something."

"Did you know that the fastest animal in the world is the Peregrine Falcon. Well it's a bird but it can dive from the sky at two hundred miles per hour."

"The longest time run without stopping was eighty hours and forty four minutes. Maybe you can beat that but we'll be here all week."

"Maya please stop, you're giving me vertigo and I'm running out of fun facts. Well not really, I have plenty of those but please stop, for your own good."

I had stopped counting after the tenth lap but my lungs and legs were burning. I wanted to push myself till all I could feel was the physical pain and not the emotional pain but Wendy had other plans.

When she saw that I wasn't stopping, she eventually got to her feet, timed it just right and when I was about to run past her once again she tackled me to the ground. I hadn't seen her coming so we both fell hard and rolled a few times before coming to a stop.

"Ow, my coccyx, it's broken."Wendy cried lying on her back next to me.

I was heaving hard trying to catch my breath but instead of calming down my breathing got harsher.

"Hey, Maya, breath, you're scaring me."Wendy pleaded leaning over me.

I looked at the worried look on her face and I couldn't hold it in anymore. I broke down, tears, snorting, heaving breathing and heart wrenching sobs.

"Oh shit, Maya."Wendy cried pulling my head onto her lap.

I buried my face into her stomach and cried my heart out because I was mentally and emotionally tired. I couldn't hold it in and be strong anymore.

Wendy held my sweaty self the whole time, stroking my face and running her fingers through my locks to calm me. She didn't say anything, just held me which I was vet grateful for. I hadn't known her for long but her being there for me, just proved how good of a person and friend she was.

Eventually when I'd cried myself out and my tears he been reduced to dry heaves and hiccups, I sat up. Wendy gave me a few tissues from her bag to clean my face with and my water bottle.

"Do you want to talk about it?"Wendy asked fearfully next to me.

"And say what?"I mumbled my voice hoarse from all the crying.

"Vent, cuss him out, anything as long as you don't bottle it all in."She replied.

"You know what the sad thing is, Elijah used to be so shy and so sweet when we were kids. He was protective and we were each others worlds. But now it's like I don't know him anymore and he has turned into this cold and ruthless man and its all my fault."I rambled on without thinking about my words.

"You knew Elijah as kids?"Wendy asked next to me.

I realized that she didn't know about my history with Elijah. She had been there for me at my worst so I decided to trust her with the truth, not all of it, just the basics.

"Yeah we were best friends from the first day of kindergarten until I moved to Nigeria when he was ten."I explained.

"That does explain a few things but why is he so cruel to you though. I mean if you were so close shouldn't you be busy rekindling your friendship."She asked.

"You would think so but when I left I didn't leave under the best of circumstances. I didn't get to say goodbye and when I arrived in Nigeria I lost all communication with the Olsen's so we didn't talk. Elijah thought I was dead until he saw me a week ago."I relayed.

"Wow that is a lot but it actually makes everything make sense. He's overdoing it but you left the guy cold turkey so he's kind of entitled to how he is feeling."Wendy reasoned.

"I know, I wish I didn't because maybe it would hurt less but I do understand that's why I'm working so hard to make him forgive me but he's not giving me the chance."I cried.

"Hey it's okay, we'll figure it out."Wendy consoled wrapping a comforting arm around me.

"I'm sorry for getting you into trouble by making you miss class."I apologized realizing we had probably missed the first one or two classes.

"It's okay, I'm not all prim and proper plus there are perks to being student body vice president."She grinned.

"We should get to class though as much as we like being rebellious."I stated getting up.

My feet were weak for pushing myself too hard and I got a dizzy spell for getting up too fast.

"Careful!"Wendy exclaimed supporting me. "I don't think you are up for class, plus Violet asked me to take you out for ice cream, even gave me a hundred dollars for it."

"That girl thinks Ice cream is the cure to everything and besides we can't skip a whole day, well get into trouble."I reasoned.

"Don't worry, I have the perfect foolproof plan."Wendy grinned looking very proud of herself.

"But...."

"No buts young lady we're going to get ice cream."Wendy demanded.

"Gosh you sound like my cousin."I retorted.

"She's rubbing off on me, I like it. Who knew hanging out with cheerleaders would be so cool."Wendy cheered.

"It is great. So what do you have in mind?"I asked Wendy giving into her crazy idea.

I didn't really feel like going to class and ice cream had worked wonders distracting me from Elijah and his negativity so hopefully it would work a second time.

"Just play sick. I mean you already look the part, so you just have to exaggerate it a bit more."Wendy replied.

"What for?"

"Just trust me."She demanded.

I shrugged and decided to follow her lead.

She didn't even let me get dressed again, just helped me pack up all my stuff and took me to the nurses office.

When we got there, I looked like I was about to die. Wendy gave the nurse some story about how I'd passed out and she had to perform first aid on me thus my missing clothes and shoes. The nurse checked my heartbeat and temperature which were still high from the running thus collaborating our story.

Wendy then talked to nurse into giving us both passes for her to take me home instead of going to the emergency room.

"And that's how it's done."Wendy cheered as we drove out of the school compound in her car twenty minutes later.

"Good job, but can we go home, first, I need a shower and a change of clothes."I requested Wendy.

"Sure."She agreed changing course.

Thankfully no one was home when we got there so we just ended up eating splitting the money Violet had given Wendy and hanging out at home. We watched Netflix all morning eating ice cream and making ourselves sick with sugar and snacks. I was still sad on the inside because of Elijah but Wendy did a good job of distracting me. Violet kept calling and texting like she had promised which I was grateful for.

My aunt came back around in the afternoon and before she could get mad at Wendy and I, I told her everything. She hugged me tight, cooked us food and took Wendy and I to the spa for the afternoon. I got a massage, new nails and a retouch on my dreadlocks.

My day had started off awful and I was pretty sad on the inside but everyone around me had done their best to cheer me up and it had worked. I had no idea what I would do about my situation with Elijah but for the moment I tried my best not to think about it so much. I just focused on pushing his rejection to the back of my mind and enjoying my day off. I deserved it after the hell he had put me through.