Hating Flex

Chapter 3 Maya's POV

I was still a little shaken from my and Flex's encounter in the library. That had been the first time in , well, years he had directly spoken to me. Unless it was to somehow insult me, that is. The rest of the school day I had done everything in my power , to be nowhere near where I knew he would hang around. Sara had asked me multiple times what was wrong , saying I was being really quiet. But I didn't want to talk about it. If I told her , she would do something stupid like go find him and punch him in the face or something. Then that would just lead to him , to turn those icy blue eyes on me again.

Just having Flex , get in my personal space. Well , it had done something I didn't expect. No matter how much I hated him. My body had reacted just like it had as a kid, with a nervous fluttering of butterflies in my stomach. Now, apparently with added goosebumps , that one was new. I had practically run from school when the bell had gone off. I'd hopped on my bike and peddled like crazy to get my butt home. I am old enough to drive now and have a car. Dad offered to buy me one. He said the money was waiting for me when I changed my mind. I passed my driving test in dad's car.

But , I liked to ride my bike. The town wasn't exactly big. Riding my bike kept me fit and toned , until I found the reason for actually needing one. Then there was no point. I didn't want to get lazy. And if it was raining badly or anything, Sara came and got me. Maybe when I go to college. I'll be in a big city then , so a car will probably be needed to get around. I'll see when I get there.

We had our usual family tea, me , mum, dad and my little brother, which was a surprise three years ago. Mum and dad struggled to have any more kids after me. They tried for years with no luck and then here came Joseph. I was in my bedroom doing my homework. My bedroom window was the usual two inches open. I had a thing about it, even in the winter. I left it open a touch. I think I spent that long with it open for flex coming over as a kid, when I had the chance to start closing it again. It just didn't feel right to do so.

I had my headphones on listening to my favourite band , it was a guilty pleasure and one that would shock most. But I loved arctic monkeys , nickel back , foo fighters and the killers. I loved them. People would most likely put me in the pop genre. But that wasn't for me. So imagine how shocked I was when I finally turned to grab another text book out of my bag and saw him sitting casually on my bed. My f*****g journal in his hand. Jumping up from the chair and ignoring my beating heart , I ran forward and snatched it out of his hands. I was gasping for breath as I clutched it to my chest. He didn't look impressed. His icy blue eyes were narrowed on me as he slouched further back on my bed and pulled a leg up, making himself more comfortable.

Pulling the headphones out of my ears , I looked at him in pure shock. " Flex what the hell are you doing here ", I said, looking at the window that was now further open. He didn't answer me , instead his eyes dropped to the journal in my hands. He started playing with the ring in his lip as he practically burned the book with his eyes. There was so much stuff in there , a lot about him and the awful things I thought of him. About the nasty things he had said and done , a lot, and I mean a lot of ranting.

" I'm a male w***e , who thrives on crushing girls' hearts. I pray on the girls that fall for my stupid charm and mistaken magnetism. Which if they were all smart enough , they would realise it was actually low self-esteem and a fakeness that was made up of a horrid personality and a need to belittle others to make myself feel better. Did I get all of that right ?" He asks calmly, but there was an edge to his voice that told me he was actually pissed.

" What are you doing in my room, Flex ? " I ignored him , my face felt scolding hot with embarrassment that he'd actually read what I wrote about him. I mean that was just one thing. I don't know how long he had been there. If I hadn't turned when I did, there could have been a whole lot more he read too. He lifts his butt up a little off of my bed and pulls out a piece of paper and throws it down at the side of him on the bed. " I got rid of three assignments, there's this one left. I need you to do it for me " he stated simply. I felt frustration and anger build up. " Why would I do your assignment for you Flew , I mean what would actually make you think that I would ".

He sighs and sits up , like I was the one putting him out. " Because if I don't hand these in within a week I'll get kicked off of the football team ", he stated like that was a good enough exctignore all the rancid things he had ever said to me. " And that is my problem because ?" He stands up , his large figure felt like it was taking up all the space in my room. Flex was an intimidating guy. Not that I thought he would ever hurt me physically. Flex hated men that hit women. He always had after one of the dead beats had laid hands on his mum. But still I found myself stepping back a step. Just his presence alone could do that.

" Because I'm the boy you look on with pity, right ? Well, here I am. Needing you , so take pity on me and help me not get kicked off of the team. I'll let me be your charity case, Maya " like a stab to the heart, or an old wound that had scabbed a long time ago. With one sentence he'd peeled it right off. The thing that broke us apart was he was just throwing out into the air without a second thought. " Flex " I said a little out of breath as the pain coursed through me like it had only just happened. " Flex , I never " I tried. But he gave me a warning look. " Never saw me that way ? Please, how else could you have seen the poor kid next door , from up here in your ivory tower? Maya was the one that always needed protection , who had the perfect family. Who was always the upset one, like your life was so terrible?Do you know what forget it. I don't even know why I asked you in the first place".

He scoops up the paper off of the bed and stalks towards the window. I don't know what possessed me to do it. But I rushed towards him and grabbed his arm. He froze in his tracks and looked down at my hand on his arm. I quickly pulled it off , like his skin burned me. " I'll do it " I whispered. He slowly turned so his body was facing mine. I hadn't realized how close we were standing until his stomach brushed against my arm as he turned. " Why " he asked. What , why was he asking me why? He comes in here and demands I do it, then when I say, I would he questions why I am.

Boys were so confusing, or should I say Flex was so confusing. " Just give it me ", I said, instead of answering , evading him again. I held out my hand. But he still doesn't hand me the paper. An awkward stand off happens. He just stands and stares at me whilst I grow more and more awkward from the attention. The hand with the paper in began to fold into a fist, the paper getting screwed up in the process. He looks back at the window eventually and I think he's about to leave. I heard him mutter something under his breath. I didn't quite catch what he had said. But then he shoves the hand with the paper my way. Reaching up, I took it off of him , then clutched it to my chest along with the journal.

While both of my hands are now busy holding them both to my chest. I froze as his hand came up towards my face. He points out two fingers, his pointer one and his middle one. I think I stopped breathing as they came up past my face and I felt him gently push a piece of my hair away from my face and gently pushed it behind my ear. My heart beat so loud , I swore he must have been able to hear it. It felt like minutes had passed as time seemed to slow right down as his fingers brushed against my forehead. I heard myself inhale a breath.

It was seconds, literally seconds, it had all happened. Logically, I knew that. He snatched his hand back and cleared his throat. He turned his back to me and actually went to the window this time. " Off to go find some women to pray on , got to keep stroking that ego of mine" he said sarcastically over his shoulder. Making me cringe. Whatever those few seconds were , it was officially over. He stamped all over those few seconds when he laughed as he climbed out. " Careful Maya, you nearly fell for my fake magnetism and w***e ways then " he said as he climbed out and dropped down onto the porch. Which he would then climb off of.

His words hit home , registering what he had actually said. And I nearly hurled the journal out of the window. The dickhead had done that on purpose. It wasn't a moment when my old Flex was back. It was the dickhead Flex proving to me that I was one of those stupid girls that practically swooned at him pushing a lock of my hair back. I felt disgusted with myself . I actually felt sickness come up my throat at the fact I gasped at his touch. I'd never live this down , this was just more ammunition for his daily mission to ruin my day.

I was in half the mind to tear up the stupid assignment, and let his ass get kicked off of the football team. But I wouldn't. I knew I wouldn't. Because as much as I hated him, I knew football was something he loved. I had a feeling if he didn't have football , well he wouldn't bother with education at all. I saw him in classes. He looked bored and paid no attention. Then I've seen him on the field alive and full of passion. And I stupidly still cared for the old Flex , the one that had a dream of playing football. I reasoned with myself it was the old Flex I would do this for , the little boy who had a dream to play football and who'd been my best friend.