Chapter 5: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

I sat frozen in the office for what felt like an eternity after Mr. Sterling left. The weight of everything I had just agreed to pressed down on me like a ton of bricks. The dean, still avoiding eye contact, cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Miss Weston,” he began hesitantly, “I’m sorry about all of this… truly, I am. But…”

“But you’re still going to go along with it,” I finished for him, my voice flat. It wasn’t a question.

I finally made eye contact with him, and I could see the compassion in his gaze. He confessed that he couldn’t do anything. Mr. Sterling holds a lot of power.

I gave a nod while feeling tension in my throat. “Yes, I understand.” I was unwilling to listen to any further justifications. I simply wished to leave that place.

I quickly left the office, my thoughts moving quickly. I didn’t know how to convey this to my parents. Living with a man I hardly knew and feigning to be his partner appeared absurd to me. As I strolled down the deserted corridor, the truth of my circumstances dawned on me. I couldn’t back out.

The rest of the day passed in a daze. Upon my arrival back at my dormitory, I settled on my bed and looked intently at the wall. I had two days to figure out how to tell my parents. I had no idea how I would do it.

My phone’s buzzing broke the silence. I seized it, and my heart sank when I noticed the caller ID. Maya was the chosen one.

I briefly thought about not answering the call, but I realised it would just worsen the situation. I took a deep breath before responding.

“Hello Maya,” I exclaimed, attempting to maintain a composed tone.

“Hey, Lila!” Maya’s voice came through with her usual sarcastic edge. “I was just about to send out a search party. What’s the deal? You’ve been MIA. I assume you’re not off plotting world domination, so what’s up?”

I sighed, trying to muster up a smile. “Yeah, you could say that. More like world implosion. Remember how Mr. Sterling threatened to ruin my life if I didn’t play along?”

There was a brief silence on the other end before Maya spoke up again. “ You know what? I’m on my way. I just asked Sarah if she could help me handle my shift, then I’d take on the night shift instead.”

“You really don’t have to—” I started, but Maya cut me off with a scoff.

“Please, like I’m going to let you wallow in self-pity without me. Plus, I’ve got a few things to say about this Sterling guy. Be there in ten.”

Before I could protest further, she hung up, leaving me staring at my phone. I wasn’t sure if I was relieved or even more anxious about what Maya would say when she got here. But if anyone could make sense of this insane situation, it was her.

I inhaled deeply and attempted to keep myself preoccupied during the wait. I mindlessly arranged and rearranged the books on my desk in various orders before eventually quitting. There was no way to calm the turmoil in my thoughts.

Eventually, a knock came at my door, causing me to quickly get out of bed to respond. Maya remained in place, showing a blend of persistence and worry on her face. She was still dressed in her coffee shop outfit, with the apron hanging off her shoulder, and her hair tied up in a stylishly messy bun.

“Okay, tell me,” she demanded, walking by me and sitting on my bed. “What is happening?”

After shutting the door, I pivoted towards her, leaning on the wall to steady myself. " Maya, it’s bad,” “Like, really bad.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “How severe is the situation? Have you unknowingly joined a cult, or have you discovered that Mr. Sterling is a hidden alien ruler?”

I couldn’t resist smiling slightly at her sarcasm. No, not necessarily that severe. However, he is essentially forcing me to act as his girlfriend by using blackmail. If I don’t do it, he will destroy my life.

Maya’s eyes grew wider, and she fell silent for a short time, a rare occurrence for her. Next, she couldn’t help but start laughing. I was completely taken by surprise and could only gaze at her in disbelief. “Are you joking?” she asked, clearing a tear from the corner of her eye.

“I wish I were,” I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “But I’m not.”

The laughter died in her throat as she took in the serious look on my face. “Holy crap, Lila, you’re serious.” She sat up straighter, her eyes narrowing in thought. “Why the hell would he do that? And why on earth would you agree to it?”

I explained everything—how Mr. Sterling had threatened to get me expelled, how he’d essentially forced me into this ridiculous arrangement. Maya listened quietly, her expression growing darker with each detail.

When I finished, she shook her head in disbelief. “That rich prick,” she muttered. “So he just waltzes in, throws his money and power around, and expects you to play along like some obedient little puppet? Who does he think he is?”

“I know,” I said, feeling a fresh wave of anger bubbling up. “But what choice do I have? I can’t risk losing everything. My parents… they’ve sacrificed so much to get me here.”

Maya sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I get it, Lila. I really do. But this is messed up. He’s using you, and it’s not right.”

“I know it’s not,” I said softly, “but I don’t know what else to do. I’m stuck.”

Maya looked at me, her expression softening. “How would you tell your parents? This isn’t something you can hide from them.”

The thought of that conversation made my stomach churn. “I know,” I admitted. “But I don’t even know where to start.”

“Well, start by telling them the truth,” Maya said simply. “They deserve to know what’s going on. And who knows? Maybe they’ll have some ideas on how to deal with this.”

I nodded, knowing she was right. “Yeah. I’ll call them tonight. I have to pack up my things now.”

I opened my box to start packing up my belongings while, Maya moved around my room with unease, but I could see the tension in her shoulders and the way her jaw clenched when she thought I wasn’t looking. We packed mostly in silence, the air between us heavy with unspoken words.

I folded the last of my clothes into a suitcase and glanced over at her. “Thanks, Maya,” I said softly. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She gave a half-hearted smile. “I’m not going to abandon you to handle this drama by yourself,” she replied, even though her voice lacked its usual liveliness. I observed her hand trembling slightly before she swiftly placed it in her pocket.

I began asking Maya, “Are you—”

She looked at me, a tear sliding down her cheek, which she promptly erased. I had never witnessed Maya shedding tears. Forever.

“Maya…” I whispered.

She chuckled although she was in pain. " I’m such an moron,” she muttered. “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry over something like this.”

I stepped closer. “I know how hard this is for you… being here, seeing me leave.”

She shook her head. “No, Lila, it’s not that,” she said, her voice strained. “I’m just… angry. You’re being forced into this bullshit, and I feel so… helpless.”

Maya, helpless? That was a word I never thought I’d hear from her. But I understood. I really did.

She took a deep breath, forcing a smile. “Forget it,” she said. “Let’s just get through today, okay?”

“Okay,” I nodded.

After we finished packing, it was around 3:00 PM. Maya stood up and brushed the dust off her pants. She mentioned that she would buy us ice cream. “We can have a movie marathon while we wait for your ride.”

“Thank you, Maya,” I responded, my voice slightly breaking. She presented me with a slight, sorrowful grin before departing.

Scanning the sparsely populated room, I sensed a profound feeling of being out of place. I attempted to concentrate on the ticking clock while waiting for Maya to come back with two pints of ice cream and a pair of spoons. She tossed one pint to me, keeping the other for herself. “Got your favourite,” she said, plopping down beside me. “Rocky road for the rocky road ahead.”

I chuckled, grateful for the attempt at lightening the mood. “Yeah, thanks. Here’s to hoping this road isn’t too rocky.”

We sat together, eating ice cream and watching movies. The comfort of her presence and the simple joy of ice cream and bad movies helped ease the tension, if only a little. But time flew, and soon it was 5:30 PM.

“I’ll run and hand your keys to the RA,” Maya said, her face tight. “You stay here and… just take it all in.”

“Okay,” I replied softly. I watched her leave, her shoulders tense. When she came back, her eyes were a little red, but her determination was intact. “Your ride should be here soon,” she said. “I’ll walk you out.”

We took the remaining items of mine and went downstairs. The sky was colored in hues of pink and orange by the sunset, evoking a bittersweet feeling.

Maya stood next to me, with her hands buried in her pockets. During my time in my previous foster home, I was not able to bid farewell to anyone. Simply gathered belongings and departed without warning, similar to a stealthy intruder.

I glanced at her, taken aback. Maya hardly ever mentioned her history. Gazing at her old sneakers, she let out a sigh. “I made a vow to myself that I would do whatever I could to prevent someone I care about from feeling that way.”

“Maya…” I whispered, my throat tight.

She looked up, a tear escaping despite her best efforts to hold it back. “You’re like my family, Lila. The only real family I’ve ever chosen.”

I hugged her tightly, my own tears threatening to spill. “You’re mine too. Always.”

We held on to each other for a moment, then she pulled back, wiping her eyes. “Alright,” she sniffed, trying to smile. “Time to go.”

I nodded. “Yeah, time to go.”

We waited outside, and when my ride—a sleek black town car—finally arrived, Maya nudged me. “You got this,” she whispered. “Just breathe.”

The driver, a man in his fifties with a neatly trimmed beard, stepped out. “Miss Weston?”

I nodded. “That’s me.”

“I’m here to take you to Mr. Sterling’s residence,” he said.

Maya crossed her arms. “And who are you?”

“Mr. Thompson, the driver. I’ve been with the Sterling family for over twenty years. Miss Weston is in good hands.”

Maya reluctantly nodded. “You better take good care of her,” she warned.

Mr. Thompson chuckled. “Understood. Her safety and comfort are my top priority.”

I turned to Maya. “I’ll call you as soon as I get there, okay?”

“You better,” she said, her eyes misty. “And if you need me to come rescue you, just say the word.”

I laughed softly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

With one last hug, I got into the car. As we pulled away, I looked back to see Maya shrinking into the distance. The campus, Maya, everything familiar was slipping away, and I felt like a piece of me was being left behind.