Maya closed her laptop with a sigh, done pretending to herself that a Marathon of Never have I ever, will take her mind off Xavier. It was no use as the replay of what had happened in the kitchen kept making a return in her head, without her own volition.
She heard the revving of an engine, making her sigh in relief. Finally, Xavier was gone, she'll be able to leave her room now without the risk of running into him and hearing him try to pacify her with lies.
God, her face should as well be uploaded to the word pathetic in the dictionary. Just remembering the pity in his eyes as he had looked at her made her tummy remain in knots.
He had looked at her like she would a homeless wet dog. Like he was scared she might just slit her wrist or do something even nastier if she didn't get some kind of cooked-up validation from him.
Her tummy rumbled, she checked the time, it was past 4, she had spent her whole day running from Xavier.
Deciding to use the moment since he was gone to fix herself something to eat, she left the room.
***
"What have you done this time?" Jessica asked her hand on her waist.
Xavier frowned, "Why'll you just assume I did something. At least come in."
"I won't until I know what I am up against." She gave him a look that made him scratch his hair now nervous, "So talk, Mr. Xavier, what have you done?"
"What? You told her she was fat!"
Xavier rolled his eyes at her outburst, "No I didn't tell her that besides we were just having a good time in the kitchen, joking and all that when the topic came up. How was I to know that she'll take the joke so hard?"
Her eyes flared impatiently, "You should never tell a woman she is fat especially one you gave a ring, it doesn't boost a woman self-confidence to a 100,"
"Now I know better." He mumbled, not believing he was feeling berated.
"Knowing better won't get her out of her room." Giving him a dirty look, she walked past him and muttering underneath her breath about men not having a frickin idea on what was not right to even be uttered she strode into his house, not knowing where she was going to but was too pissed to admit that.
Xavier blinked wondering what has happened and cursing under his breath, blaming Maya's stubbornness on her friend he hastened his pace to meet Jessica's knowing she had only visited twice and had no idea where she was going.
**
Maya heard footsteps which halted her movement to her room, she had rung a pizzeria since the kitchen was squeaky clean and ma Judith had left for grocery shopping, which seemed like a newly added feature Because she sounded surprised when Maya had asked her to help restock the kitchen.
She heard a huff and a grunt, that should be Xavier, she thought. A part of her dreaded and wanted it to be him.
But since the part of her that was a coward was stronger, she rounded the corner and was about to make a run for it when she heard a familiar voice calling her name out loud.
She stopped in her tracks, wondering why Jessica was here and most importantly why she sounded pissed.
Realization dawned on her, Xavier had tricked her by making her think he had gone out so he could set her up with her friend, and again, he had taken advantage of Jessica not knowing the real situation of their relationship.
She grumbled, cursing under her breath and making sure her face didn't look like that of someone who'd just wished death on anyone. She stepped out to meet her friend, smiling so widely her cheeks hurt.
Xavier has something coming if he thought that he could pull such a stunt without her getting any fun from it.
He needed drama, right? She'll give him drama she finalized and then moved towards the sitting room where she had last heard their voice.
They were whispering conspiratorially, she had a huge smile on her face as she waited for them to notice her presence, wanting to use the element of surprise on them.
And was the priceless look of shock they had on their faces so worth it that Maya regretted not having a camera to capture the moment.
"Jessica, how pleasant to see you." Maya smiled at her making Xavier raise his brow wondering why she was acting like a ball of delight and sunshine. "Why didn't you inform me you were going to be coming and where is Jessica?"
She craned her neck wondering if they had reinforcement but deciding they were the only ones, she gave Xavier a secretive smirk, making him widen his eyes.
"I just decided to swing by and surprise you," Jessica looked confused as she wondered what was going on, glancing at Xavier who was staring at Maya like she have grown two heads.
"Wow. So timely of you. I was so bored and Xavier had snuck out tired of my endless chatter."
Xavier shook his head earnestly as Jessica glared at him.
"But I thought you both had a fight."
Maya gave a mocking shocking look, "Fight. Never. Besides, if we fought why will he run away, shouldn't he be pacifying me?"
"Babe," She peered into his face moving to stand beside him, "Did you tell her we fought?"
And for once the great Xavier was completely speechless, Maya could almost pat herself in the back at her award-winning performance as she flirted jokingly with the idea of calling Jasmine's sister who was an actress in Los Angeles if her acting streak continued for longer.
"Did I do something wrong?" She pouted almost tempted to chuckle at how huge his eyes were, so bulging she feared they might fall off. "I'm sorry if I became an inconvenience."
He scratched the back of his head, at odds of how he was supposed to respond to that, wondering what was up with her and why she was acting so differently.
"No, you can never be an inconvenience,"
She fluttered her eyelashes hoping she was pulling the damsel in distress pathetic looks perfectly as she directed it at Jessica, "He has been acting this way ever since I arrive. I know it might take a bit getting used to having his space invaded so soon than he anticipated. But he should discuss that with me and not point invisible fingers and say things that never took place."
She sat down, bent her face, and then a sob racked from her throat, "I didn't mean to be in his house before the wedding. This wasn't the plan. God knows."
Jessica looked guilty as she bit her lower lips placing her hand on Maya's shoulder, rubbing her back reassuringly while Xavier stood transfixed to the spot wondering if he'd hallucinated their moment in the kitchen, and in a split second he even questioned his sanity.