Maya waggled her brow at Jared as he stepped out of the dressing room, looking like a stereotyped bad boy and ticking off all the boxes with his denim jacket which was opened showing off chiseled muscleks and surprisingly a tattoo, though it was an inscription that puzzled her: I want to be your everything except but one thing, Your past. It was very poetic and in all the tats did do Justice to the whole bad boy imagery that was being projected.
"Howdy," she taunted, adding a wave and stifling giggle for good measures. He groaned and she chuckled.
"I hate Tyler." He adjusted the baseball hat on his head and Maya noticed that the whole rugged bad boy look was not so far-fetched from his daily outfit. Just that this was bolder and in your face, but he did rock the look and she desperately hoped that they both would rock the act too.
"We are recording in 1, 2, and 3"
Maya already had a dazzling smile on her face as she checked her wristwatch, "You know what time it is," she grinned, "I'm Maya,"
"Jared over here." He gave a little wave and she grinned at how camera shy he was being. It was cute.
"And together we would be starring in revealing to you the ideal situationship that can be birthed through our dating application; Love Guaranteed."
"We are talking about an application that is capable of bringing two different people who are complete opposites together." Jared started, "This is the official trailer of the app love guaranteed," He smirked and Maya chuckled.
"I think preview works better since this isn't a movie right?" She was enjoying being on set with Jared especially as he was getting comfortable with the whole camera setup.
"What do I know, you are the expert."
"Yes, I am. Definitely that I am." She affirmed with a cocky shrug and he scoffed.
"So we got tons of questions after the announcement of this big reveal, general questions which we would be replying anyway." Tyler walked into the set and Maya raised her brow. Okay, this wasn't part of the script and what questions?
Jared eyed Tyler who delivered a megawatt smile like he was supposed to be there all along towards the camera even as he sat down in-between them, his iPad on the ready.
***
Xavier could tell what was different in the room, he could feel the eerie quietness and his shoe echoed against his staircase reminding him that he was back to being alone.
He had always loved being conspicuous and tucked away in his too big a house, right? Yet why did he long to hear Maya's chuckle as she discussed with the butler, enduring long rants about his childhood and his mastery at making delicious meals and how many places he had worked at with such genuine concentration he couldn't help but frown at atimes feeling jealous.
Nobody was in the kitchen. None of his housekeepers was spinning tales or making out a list with Maya to restock the pantry while they both joked around.
She had celebrated more than three birthdays during her stay and knew their last names and the name of their grandchildren. She had even told him that his driver who has been working for him for seven years now, had a child who was schooling in Harvard and although he had furrowed his brow then wondering how that was his business, he could tell now and see how fucking beautiful she had made his world. How she had easily introduced light and laugher into his house.
He entered her room, staring at the space even as the waft of the cinnamon body wash she used, assaulted his nostril reminding him of just how easily she had taken everything she came with and more than that reminding him of things he thought he didn't want anymore.
Something sparkly caught his eyes and he walked towards the engagement ring he had given to her, chuckling to himself bitterly as he saw a stick it note under it.
How conventional. She had even added a note.
"Roses are red, violets are blue, let me not make this awkward than it seems to be but please do find a girl that is worthy of you."
He laughed hard then paused sliding against the antique dresser. He had lied when he had told his sister he was fine now to go back home, he could handle her absence. He was nothing but fine.
He beeped at one of his housekeepers requesting a bottle of vodka, even as he sat on the bed, pretending that him sniffing the bedspread for Maya's scent and being angry because the sheets has been changed wasn't weird, he waited for his drink.
Maria came inside eying him worriedly. Whatever she saw in his eyes made her pity him and he almost find himself grinning even as the college 20 something year old looked at him like she could help him, then flustered since he met her gaze, switched on the television, muttering something underneath her breath about entertainment and help then scurried away as fast as her legs could carry her.
He gazed at himself in the mirror, relieved that she was gone and curious to find out what had done the trick and immediately he met his familiar set of cold blue eyes that he had ditched for a long time, he sighed just realizing how much Maya had changed him and just how much life she had breathed not only into his house but his life as well.
He heard a familiar soft chuckle and stiffened even as he glanced at the mirror suspiciously and then slowly his gaze landed on the television and there stood the reason for all his miseries smiling with the pretty boy and damn Tyler. He was staring right ahead at the camera with a smug grin that Xavier could tell was directed to him. It was a middle finger symbol and he did feel fucked.
His vodka bottle came crashing on the ground as she was asked what was her love language and she had jokingly replied a kiss on her forehead and the smug trust-funded kid next to her had leaned in, leaving a kiss on her face and Tyler had fucking grinned.
It took a long time for Maria to return with a broom, knowing that the sound of the glass against a wall had not happened for a long time hence how unprepared and confused they must have been to hear the sound of a broken shard of glass.
She was asked who was her dream man and she had mentioned that she just wanted a simple man who loved her and wanted to be loved by her and when she had met the guy beside her eyes like they had some kind of connection. He felt a dizzying pain and hurl his cup against the mirror in front of him watching it turn into little pieces because at that moment, despite how little Maya was she had done a good job placing her weight on his heart and stomping on it repeatedly.
Maria ran back in and she shivered as she met his gaze and he could tell that even she knew that his demons were back again and this time they were fiercer, angrier. Xavier Salvador was after all not invincible.