“What do you need to get over with?” Jake asked, sanding his hands together before he leaned forward and rested his arms against his legs. “I’ve wanted to talk to you too.”

Maven looked away from him. It made it easier to say how she felt if she didn’t have to look at him. “A month ago I would have been overjoyed that you and Tatiana broke up.”

Jake surprised her by not saying something to irritate her for once.

“But now I’m just angry at you for doing what you did because it didn’t last.” She finally looked at him. “You and I have known each other our entire life. You ruined a lot when you and Tatiana got together. It’s not just about the fact that you lied to me for months about her. It’s that you treated me like the bad guy. You made my life miserable all because you wanted somebody else. And at the time I didn’t understand why, and I was hurt, Jake.” She could feel the tears coming to the surface.

Jake put an arm around her. “Things got boring. I’ve known you since I was in kindergarten, Tatiana was new.”

Maven pulled away. If that was his form of making her feel better he really was an idiot.

“I know that’s not what you want to hear. But, do you really blame me?” He laughed. “I’m a guy, these things happen, Maven. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t work this out now that I realized Tatiana wasn’t what I wanted. This can go back to normal.” He scanned her eyes for acceptance of his foolish idea.

Maven studied him closely. His eyes boring into her like every time before, but not in a charming way. It was just the way he looked at her, the way he looked at everyone. He expected to be forgiven because he had great eyes, perfect teeth, and James Dean hair.

She stared back, not moving a muscle. Jake raised a hand, pushing her hair from her shoulder. He leaned in, nudging her lips with his own. His mouth strong and insistent, not gentle or thoughtful, the kiss continued, her hands stayed in her lap, while his gripped her shoulders, keeping her in place so he could keep going.

Maven pulled away, wincing. She had forgotten his disgusting habit of biting. He thought it was hot, and she was sure it could be if he didn’t come close to drawing blood when he did it. Jake moved in again, but this time she pressed her hand into his chest stopping him.

He shook his head, grabbing her by the wrist. “Tell me you don’t feel something between us still.” He smirked, one hand gripping her wrist, the other creeping through her hair, pushing it off of her shoulders again. “I don’t miss this hair that’s for sure. It’s so long and annoying.” He touched her neck. “Gets in the way of the more important parts of your body.”

“I don’t feel anything. And I don’t care what you think about my hair.” She wrenched her arm loose, standing up. Jake shot up too. His eyes filled with resentment.

“That’s just ridiculous. You can’t honestly think that idiot is better than me.”

“Yeah I can. And the only idiot is me for thinking this would help me see what was right in front of my face.” She started down the stairs.

“What’s that, Maven?” Jake crossed his arm. “You think you found some great guy that’s going to treat you better? Once he knows the real you, he will find his own Tatiana, you will see that it’s not because I am an asshole, it’s because you’re just that boring.”

Maven ignored his vicious words, turning to leave. She concentrated on putting distance between Jake and herself, not the foul mouth that was hurling horrible insults at her. Or the threats he was making, trying to prove just how big and bad he was.

She told herself it was nothing more than Jake’s ego. He couldn’t stand not getting what he wanted. But now she knew that there was nothing between her and Jake anymore. And there would never be again.

She was over Jake Summit.

 

SUNBEAMS

THE DULL HUM in the empty doctor’s office, the soft patter of footsteps on the other side of the door, even the crinkle and crunch of the paper beneath him was grating on Henri’s nerves today. Another appointment, another hour of his life left to the wayside for the doctor to come in check his vitals and ask him how he was feeling. To check the pacemaker residing in his chest and tell him that everything looked good.

What was good about a device designed to remind his pathetic heart to beat correctly? Some would say, obviously, that it kept him alive. But Henri felt nothing more than robotic relying on a machine to keep him going.

Sometimes at night he lay in bed, staring at his ceiling, wondering how many times he had been saved from dying because of his pacemaker. And then other thoughts crept into his mind. The ones that made him feel bad for living a life that wasn’t meant for him. He wasn’t made right, his body had many flaws. He wasn’t supposed to be breathing anymore. The only reason he was—science. On some occasions he was alright with that. But days like today he couldn’t help feeling like it didn’t matter.

The door opened. Henri prepared himself for horrible news. He hadn’t been feeling all that great. He barely wanted to get out of bed this morning. He wasn’t going to deny it. He wasn’t certain if it were depression or stupidity. He rubbed the back of his neck watching Maven’s mother sift through his file, her back turned to him. She hadn’t even said hello. Maybe she was too afraid to hand over the bad news. Or maybe she just didn’t want to look at him knowing his tie to Maven was slowly drifting into the oblivion. He wanted to tell her it wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t the first time someone dumped him. He wanted to inform her that being dead last was kind of normal to him.

Jake Summit was a healthy, good looking guy. It made sense Maven would want Jake over him. His heart quickened. He just wished she would turn around and say something. His mind drifted back to Maven. She hadn’t picked Jake over him. She hadn’t even said anything like that to him. He was getting ahead of himself.

“Henri.” She took a few steps forward, her white doctors’ coat skimming past her knee. He studied her red heels. Not many doctors were so stylish. He was used to staring at running shoes or the kind to help ease a backache. The kind he expected to see today, but instead, there was Maven’s mother.

Henri lifted his head allowing her to inspect his lymph nodes. Opening his mouth for the usual peek, next he followed her pen, bored. He watched her write something down and then quickly place it in the pocket of her coat.

Instead of the usual talk about what he should or shouldn’t be doing, she pulled up a stool. Henri studied her closely, this was not the norm.

“Aren’t you going to ask me how I feel?”

She shook her head. “I have something to discuss with you.” She placed a hand on his knee squeezing ever so enthusiastically. His fingers jerked against the paper nervously. “Something good.”

Henri’s expression stayed stoic. He barely reacted to the idea anything she was going to say to him was going to be good. Things hadn’t been good for some time now.

She removed her hand, flipping the tablet open.

“I know your doctor has informed you and your family that he wasn’t willing to try any other attempts at fixing your condition.” She dropped her gaze from Henri to the tablet. “But I have talked to several of my colleagues back home and they tell me they have been very successful with a different method.”

Henri felt dizzy. He wasn’t sure if it was the usual reason or because this woman he hardly knew was trying to give him hope. “Everyone we have talked to has said the same thing.” He was growing angry that she would do this to him. “I have a heart condition,” he said.

She nodded. “I am fully aware of this.” She turned to the door as Henri’s aunt came in. A big smile on her face that only made him angrier, it was obvious she had taken the bait and believed Maven’s mother had answers to fix him. But he wasn’t so quick to believe anything anyone told him anymore. It wasn’t the first time someone tried to go to the extreme to save him.