I'm going to kill Acker.

What did he get us into? Double date? What was he thinking?

Yes, Lana seems like a nice girl and I'm sure she's a wonderful company, but Raymond? If they put a piece of cutlery in front of me, I can't vouch for myself that I won't stick it in his hand.

We got off in front of a restaurant that I have never been to, as I don't waste money unnecessarily.

"Try not to kill him before we sit down." Acker put his arm around my shoulders. "For me."

"Put that hand down before I stick it up your ass." I narrowed my eyes.

"I'd rather be if it went up your ass. I'm pretty sure you'd like it too."

Oh my god come to your senses Maya! This is not the time for wet panties.

"Shut up." I almost whispered and poked him in the stomach with my elbow, which he just laughed at.

We followed Lana and Raymond, who sat next to each other, so we had a seat opposite them.

For some reason, I was sitting across from Raymond. It's probably too late to change, right?

"So how have you been since we last saw each other?" Lana asked after we ordered. This is probably the most money I've ever spent on one plate.

"Just normal." I shrugged my shoulders.

Just a stalker.

"But my dad got married again, so we flew to San José on a private plane. That's probably the most interesting thing." I laughed nervously. This is an awkward conversation. "What about you Lana?"

"Nothing so interesting as a private plane. What are you, a millionaire?" She laughed.

"Something like that." Acker said next to me as he took a sip from his glass of water.

"You are funny." She smiled. If only she knew he was telling the truth.

"So how did you two meet?" I looked from Lana to Raymond, who hadn't said anything yet. It was obvious that he did not like this situation.

"Through a friend." He simply replied looking at me. There was something in his eyes. As if he was hurt. But why?

"You don't have to say so much." Acker laughed, which obviously bothered Raymond.

"Maya was never bothered by my communication skills."

Oh shit.

Acker immediately froze next to me and if he had a knife at hand, it would fly straight at Raymond.

I don't know if Lana noticed what her boyfriend actually said, but from her expression, I don't think so.

"I didn't even ask. How did you two meet? Was it through your job?" Lana asked me and Raymond.

Oh Lana, why can't you just sit there and look pretty?

"Yes Maya, how did we meet?" He leaned his elbows on the edge of the table and placed his hands under his chin.

What does he think he's doing? Well, he's obviously challenging me to say that I slept with him.

He cares so little about Lana. He doesn't care that it might hurt her.

But if he thinks I'm going to back down, he's wrong.

"I'm sorry Lana." Raymond's smile immediately fell when I spoke. "I slept with Raymond. And not just once either." I looked at her, but either she knew how to hide her emotions well or she suspected it. "And it ended not too long ago. I ended it and the next day you were in the picture. So I'm pretty sure he was playing with both of us. He's a jerk and you deserve more, trust me." I leaned back comfortably on the wooden chair, crossed my arms over my chest, and looked at Raymond.

Check-mate.

"Lana..." He started, but Lana raised her hand, which silenced him.

"I've heard enough. Thank you Maya for telling me the truth." She gave me a small smile. "And you're a moron, Ray." She snorted and pushed her chair away. "You two are a cute couple, good luck." She smiled at Acker and me, picked up her jacket from her chair, and started walking away.

"Lana!" Raymond shouted after her, but she didn't stop.

"I don't advise you to play with a woman's feelings. We are known for our revenge." I smiled at him.

He suddenly stood up and was next to me in one step. I don't know what he wanted to do, but he didn't manage to do it, because Acker was suddenly in front of me, in his way.

"Touch her and I won't vouch for myself." He warned him.

"You think that..." Before he could finish, Acker pushed off his jacket, which for some reason made Raymond flustered.

"Time for you to go, don't you think?" Acker smiled.

Raymond swallowed hard before his gaze fell to Acker's hand. Without saying a word, he took a few steps back, gave me one last look, and started walking away, just like Lana did moments ago.

"Let's have pizza." He extended his hand to me with a smile.

"What just happened?" I frowned at him.

Acker looked around before taking my hand and placing it on his belt when I felt metal.

"What the hell?" My eyes widened as I realized he had a gun on him.

I'm not surprised that Raymond took his legs on his shoulders.

"Who knows where Mason is, I'm not taking any chances. Now..." He adjusted his jacket, pulled out a couple of bucks, and threw the on the table. "What about that pizza?"

He's crazy. Absolutely insane.

And what's even worse? It's attractive to me.

I should be treated.



I am happy. Genuinely happy.

I don't know when was the last time I could say that and it would be true.

I think I fell in love when I watched Maya finish a whole plate of pizza.

She was the center not only of my attention but of my universe.

If someone tried to take her away from me, I would stop breathing. She has so much control over me. And she doesn't even realize it.

She could jump off a cliff and I would go right after her. I would also hit rocks if she wanted me to.

Her smile can cure everything bad that ever happened to me. And when she cries, I'd be able to burn the whole world down just to make it stop.

But I know what she would do if I told her.

She would leave.

She would leave me alone and I don't know if I would survive. I'm so whipped that I really don't know what to do.

But her?

I don't know how she feels about me.

I don't know if she has feelings for me at all.

I know she doesn't want a relationship. But what are we? Are we only together for sex? Is it really just sex and nothing else?

I don't think I'm ready for that answer.

"Earth to Acker, are you there?" I heard Maya laugh next to me as she waved her hand in front of my face. "What are you thinking so much about? Be careful, thinking so much can hurt you."

"Ha-ha-ha. Funny." I smiled and we walked out of the elevator together as the doors opened.

"I was saying I was thinking about going out with Julie and Eddie sometimes."

"Double date?" I frowned. "Again? Wasn't today enough for you?" I laughed.

"Alright then, how about just the two of us." We stopped in front of our apartment door.

Our?

"Wait. The two of us. Like a date?" I looked at her in surprise before I felt a bit of hope in my chest.

"If you want." She shrugged with a smaller smile, and if she hadn't opened the door and gone in, I would have kissed her.

I followed her with the motive of pushing her over the nearest object and letting her know how much I wanted a date.

I closed the door behind us and almost bumped into Maya, who stopped in the middle of the hallway.

What is she doing?

I look up from her as she looks like she has seen a ghost.

I wish it was a ghost.

I wish he wasn't standing in the living room right now.

"Theo." It slipped out of my mouth.

"What the hell, Sebastian? I've been calling you like crazy. You didn't pick up once and all of a sudden you called Killian? What the hell is going on?"

"How did you get in?" Maya spoke up.

"The doorman gave me the keys after I proved to him that I'm your brother. So does anyone want to tell me what's going on?" He crossed his arms over his chest while I stared at him wordlessly.

No. No. No. No.

Not now.

Not now, when Maya and I are getting closer on another level.

"Get out." She said in a calm voice.

"Maya..." He stepped towards her but she only took a step back and bumped into my chest.

"I told you to get out, didn't you hear me?"

"Just let me..."

"No." She interrupted him. "You left. Four years ago and again a few months ago. You're good at that." She nodded. "So leave. Since I wasn't important either the first time or the second time. You left twice. I'm kicking you out the third time."

"I'm your brother, Maya."

"Really?" She snorted. "Where were you when Dad got married again? Where were you when someone broke into my apartment? Where were you when someone attacked me in the dressing room? You say you're my brother, but tell me when was the last time you acted like that?"

"I had to..."

"You didn't have to do anything." She stepped towards him. "You just had to stay. For once in your fucking life you should have stayed." She stopped in front of him and pushed him in the chest. "I can call you brother like I can call Dave my father. It doesn't mean anything." She pushed him again, and this time he fell back a little.

"I'm sorry Maya. I really..."

"Screw your sorry ass!" Her fist suddenly flew towards his face and since he probably didn't expect it, he didn't catch it and got it straight into his jaw.

"Maya!" I jumped up to her and grabbed her waist as she was about to hit him again. "Calm down," I whispered in her ear as she struggled. "It's okay." I tried to calm her down.

Theo slowly straightened up and grabbed where Maya's fist collided with his jaw.

"I don't want you in my life." She wriggled out of my grip and I let her go as it didn't look like she was going to hit him again. "The only good thing you ever did for me, was leaving him here." She pointed her finger at me. "So thank you and now leave." She walked past him but bumped her shoulder into his again before heading straight for her room and slamming the door behind her.

"Did you teach her that?" He put his hand on his jaw.

"Nope, she taught herself that."

"Do you have any advice for this situation?" He pointed to our surroundings.

"Yes. Leave." I crossed my arms over my chest and was slightly taken aback by my own words.

"And if I say no, will you throw me out?" He raised an eyebrow.

"It's possible," I said when what I really wanted to say was if Maya wants it then so be it.

"It sounds like you're on her side."

"That's because I am. You screwed up."

"I really tried, Sebastian. But for some reason, it always ends up going wrong, and it ruins the relationship between me and Maya."

"You're lucky then." I walked up to him. "I don't think there's any relationship left between you two." I walked past him. "You know where the door is." I headed to Maya's room and entered. I closed the door behind me and found her sitting on the bed.

"Is he gone?" She said, her voice filled with pain.

"Who knows." I shrugged and walked over to her. I sat down next to her and put my left hand on her right one, which she had on her thigh.

"I don't know what to do with him." She looked at me, her eyes starting to fill with tears. "He keeps coming back and hurting me."

"Come here." I put my arm around her and pulled her closer. She buried her head in my chest. "I'm sorry he hurt you. He's an asshole."

"He's your best friend." She pulled away from him, tears streaming down her face.

"You mean so much more to me, Maya." I put my hands on her face and wiped away her tears. She relaxed her head into my hands and closed her eyes causing more tears to fall down her cheeks which I immediately wiped away.

"Leave with him." She almost whispered and something in my chest snapped.

"What?"

"Leave with him." She opened her eyes. "If you leave together, it will hurt less than if you leave later." She grabbed my hands and removed them from her face.

"What are you talking about?"

"You have a family, Sebastian. In New York and..."

"No." I jumped into her speech. "Everything I need is here. You're here."

"But..."

"No." I interrupted her again. "I'm not leaving. Like it or not."

She took a shaky breath and smiled. "Shit, Acker." She shook her head with a laugh. "You make it hard for me not to like you."

"Looks like you're not going to get rid of me." The corner of my mouth turned up.

"Thank you for staying when no one else did." She wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly.

"Anything for you Maya." I hugged her back.

Now I really know. I don't know how I couldn't have known that before.

I love her.



Aww Sebastian<33

Let me just cry in single life 🥲