The day Xavier had found out about Tyler, he could still remember the stares, the whispers, his guts telling him something was awfully wrong yet he was the invincible for a reason, he had held his hand high and had strutted around the school hallways like he wasn't aware that the attention he reveled in usually was nothing compared to that day.
When he had gotten back from school and had seen a younger Tyler with a big smile on his face, still in his uniforms and waving at him, the alarms had gone off yet he had chosen to ignore it. He had rolled his eyes at Tyler and wondered what the wuss was doing in his house, especially when he noticed Jared who sat next to him fidgeting.
His sister had tears in her eyes as she held onto his mother while his bastard of a father, looked at her, dried-eyed and composed.
Before the words had left his father's smug mouth, before he had remorselessly told him he had a new brother, he could tell in his guts what was happening but he refused to believe it eventually, he had been forced to accept that he couldn't always control how his life played out and it had felt like a punch right at his face.
He felt that same punch square on his face at that moment knowing this also was a truth he had known for a very long time without wanting to admit it.
Maybe it was the moment she had been kidnapped and it'd felt like his life was coming to an end or the day he realized that he loved seeing her in his house, invading his space, hanging out at his spot where he clears his head but he had always known somewhere in the back of his mind, regardless of just how much he had tried to lie to himself that he had fallen, madly, irrevocably, and deeply in love with Maya.
When he was ten he had once asked his mom how one would know when they were in love and she had simply told him you were a goner when you begin to notice little things about a person that even she wasn't aware of just like how ridiculous yet adorably small Maya's ears were, how the spot where her shoulders and neck met was ticklish, the little shrill in her laugher when it was fake and how her toes were pinned against the floor when she was lying. He had known he was gone for a long time yet just like the last time, he had thought his heart palpitations was because he was overstressed, he had chalked the way his chest warmed at just a smile from her, to her having a great set of dentures, he had denied that the thought of losing Maya didn't keep him all night and rather just lied to himself that he wasn't used to how quiet his house was anymore.
He loves Maya. Holy shit and a frickin punch to the face.
He lowered the glass even as he switched positions so Melissa was driving since he had driven by himself and he could tell he wasn't capable of that action anymore because of the truth Melissa had forced him to acknowledge.
Melissa didn't try to strike up a conversation, aware of how frighteningly whatever thought that was going through Xavier's mind was already. She had felt the fraction of that fright from him the minute she had stared at the television and noticed the look Xavier had directed at Maya. A look that wasn't made up, raw, and not for the camera.
It was love. There was no other word for it. She had known then and now as she watched Xavier who drummed his hand absent-mindedly in his laps she could tell he knew too.
***
"You'll be okay," Jared mumbled again and again as he held unto Maya even as her trembling reduced and she just stayed limp on his arms.
He'd taken her out of the studio as quickly as possible immediately he noticed that they were attracting stares, aware that was the last thing Maya would want and she had cried long and hard in his car while he just silently held unto her, lending her his strength knowing she needed it.
She lifted her head from his body, "It won't be fine, it can't be," she muttered with finality, accepting her reality. Accepting what she was too stubborn to say out loud, thinking that if she didn't admit it, didn't think about it then it might just go away.
"Because I love Xavier. I love him more than I'll like to admit. I love him and want him to love me just as much," she choked on her words even as uncontrollable tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Maya, you'll be fine," Tyler promised even though he knew it was not something he could give to her. He couldn't assure her happiness or her joy but he was at a loss of words, not knowing what else to do as he held unto her wondering how on Earth, Xavier Salvador got so damn lucky yet he was so willing to let it all go without a fight, without even trying.
His phone chimed and he spared a glance at the lit screen, rolling his eyes at Tyler's message: How is Maya?
Like he cared? For all he knew his best friend was probably sipping champagne while he stared at the screen, replaying everything that had gone down in utter Joy.
He got what he wanted, after all, didn't he? Maya and Xavier were done and regardless of the bullshit excuse they had served the public, he knew better than believing Tyler's actions didn't play a role in pushing forward their falling apart.
He knew it might happen, he feared for them but Tyler had been that little crack they needed to reexamine their relationship and find it wanting and though he was ashamed to admit it, inadvertently he just might have also been a catalyst too.
Xavier had maintained he couldn't stick with one woman, who was he lying to? He had seen how he looked at Maya, he was willing to give her just more than his faithfulness. He was set to conquer the world for her and serve it to her at her feet and compatibility? They weren't cut from the same clothes but damn no other woman could match Xavier's hotheadedness and temper, no woman could make him lose his footing and become a fool. They Belong together.
It was time he accept that Maya was a good woman, she'd make any man happy but he wasn't going to be that man who would want her to forfeit her happiness in the process.
Still holding onto her, watching her cry her eyes out, he texted the man who was the reason for the chaos not believing he was making use of the number he had taken from Maya's phone a few days ago.
He needed Xavier to get to Maya and tell her all about Diane before Tyler did. Because that was his ace card.