Fix Me (Maya and Zach)

Maya pulled the giant hood of her older brother's hoodie over her head as a cold, bitter breeze stung her face. The hoodie came to just above her knees, making her look like she was wearing a weird looking robe with leggings underneath. She looked up at the inky black sky as wisps of chalky clouds swirled in the wind. A slow tear rolled soundlessly down her cheek as she watched the starless sky. Her brother had shouted at her again. She was scared that she was going to get hit, because this time, her father had ignored it.

Sucking in the sharp, cold air, Maya did what she knew best. She sang quietly, but the emptiness of the roads echoed her voice and it pealed like silver bells in the night.


"When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you"


Maya stopped, unable to speak anymore as tears flowed freely down her face silently.

Why was there no one to fix her?

Maya felt someone's presence behind her and bit her cherry lip, trying to look like as she had gotten over her tears. God, she hoped he hadn't heard her singing- she thought she sounded terrible, but it soothed her. It reminded her a lot of her mother. Clearing her throat lightly, she tore her gaze away from the sky and continued to walk, still hearing someone behind her.

Just as she was about to peer over her shoulder, a body had almost thrown her to the floor- she yelped lightly and closed her eyes, awaiting the impact. She felt herself being caught and pressed up against the wall, and scrunched her eyes tighter, awaiting a blow.

"Don't hurt m-"

"Uhm, sorry,"


Bewildered, Maya opened her wide blue eyes and a rose coloured blush stained her cheeks as she realised that she was being pinned to a wall by a really handsome boy. Embarrassed by her thoughts, she looked down to her feet.

"S'okay." she murmured, a small smile reluctantly playing at her lips, no matter how hard she tried to banish it. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered that she had been crying before. Maya hastily wiped her damp face, hoping he wouldn't notice.

Course he'll notice, you look like a big snotty mess. she told herself.

"Erm.." she murmured awkwardly, waiting for him to move.

Maya's breath hitched as he stroked a tear away from her face gently. Her cheeks burned where he had touched her. She smiled shyly.

"No problem."

Heck, I'm not exactly going to complain about being caught by a handsome stranger. Maya's eyes widened at the thought and looked away from the boy in embarrassment, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. She tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear, only for it to stubbornly fall back again.

"What's your name?" she asked softly, looking back to the dark, blank sky. She could have sworn she saw the bright star in the middle of the black velvet had not been there before. Maya wrapped her scruffy hoodie more tightly around her small, cold body.

She shifted her gaze back to him again and smiled sadly.

"Sorry, pubs make me feel claustrophobic."

"Erm..." she murmured, blue eyes glowing with vulnerabilty.

"Could you..." she trailed off.

"...could you stay with me for a while?"

"I won't talk or anything, I just need to know someone's here." she added hastily, not wanting him to think she was a freak. Maya sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, just go on to the pub. I'm sure your friends will be missing you." she forced a smile, but a terrible loneliness shone through her eyes.

Amaya looked around at the boy from the sky when there was a short silence after she asked his name. She grinned at him, the sadness that had been gnawing at her already disappearing. She slipped her hand in his in a friendly gesture, but was not so surprised when butterflies shot through her stomach.

"I like you, Zachary Andrew Jones."

"But I can call you Zach." she added on weirdly.

"My name's Amaya Pirie." she smiled shyly.

"Really? You'll stay?" she asked, not really expecting that answer at all. "But I'm a stranger, and your friends..." she frowned and trailed off, feeling a little guilty.

"What was happening at this meeting?" she asked, making light conversation, but watching him intently like she did with everyone. Maya hoped he wouldn't be repelled by her...exotic behaviour. Most people were.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it." she smiled sadly at him, despite her efforts to cling onto that little bit of happiness that had touched her a few moments ago. It had been such a long while since someone had stayed.

"Aren't you underage?" she asked, concern lacing her voice. Of course she was too, but that had never really stopped her either. "I don't like your friends." she declared, pouting slightly at the sky.

"I'm your saviour?" she asked. "I would've thought it was the other way around." she mused. "I think I would have cried here for a while if you hadn't come." she said nonchalantly, as if it were nothing.

"And..." she swerved around, and pointed at large ditch in the wall.

"...slept there." she finished.


Maya leaned her head on his shoulder and bit her lip.
"Do you see that really bright star? I didn't think it was there before. I couldn't see it." she murmured, practically falling asleep.

"I tried to drink once. It worked for a little while, helped me to forget. But then I sobered up and remembered everything, so that didn't do so much good. Besides, I didn't really like the taste." she admitted.

"My brother has always says that it helps, but then he always wakes up with a girl in his bed." she wrinkled her nose delicately in disgust. "You're miserable and unhappy?" she asked and looked up at him, holding his gaze, her eyes filled with concern. "I can help to make you feel better if you want, we can sing or erm..erm...well, we can drink if you want, but..I mean, I mean, if you want, yeah we can." she said in a quick rush.

"No, I don't suppose everything is alright, but I'll live." she smiled sadly.

"I'll manage, I always do." she nodded, as if talking to herself.

Maya frowned and her body tensed as his arm draped around her shoulders in what seemed to be a half hug. She didn't know him. They had only met a few minutes ago. He could want to harm her. Every thing she had been taught at school and home told her to run back home and stay away from strangers.

But this stranger was so...so...

Unable to think of a suitable word, Maya just relaxed into the half hug and buried half of her face in the side of his chest, so that she was still able to see that one star. She realised that she had been so busy touching him, she forgot if he had answered or not. The same wild red blush seeped into her cheeks.

"Do you see it?" she asked again softly.

"You have a little sister?" she grinned. He seemed like a wonderful person. A really wonderful person.


Who will never be interested in someone as regular as you. She told herself firmly. It never was worth the heartbreak. She would ask him out, he would turn her down and they would never see eachother again. Or she could become friends with him, keep her pathetic feelings to herself and keep seeing Zach. They both ended in heartbreak, but the second was more slow. And probably more painful. But at least then she wouldn't humiliate herself.

Maya blushed deeply and bowed her head so her light chestnut hair would cover her red cheeks.

"I..." she muttered, unable to think of any words for a while. No one had said that to her before, mainly because she did it in private. Her older brother had heard her before she entered a talent show when she was 9, but he said that she sucked, so Maya withdrew immediately, trying to save herself from embarrassment. She owed him a huge favour after that.

"Thanks." she finally managed to get out, her voice filled with honest sincerity.

"It wasn't here until you came." she said airily, and looked from the sky to Zach again, then realised that he was looking at her.

"Oh god, I don't still have snotty tears on my face, do I?!" she squealed, and jumped away from him quickly, wiping all over her face with her scruffy sleeves.

"Don't look at me." she chuckled from beneath her hoodie sleeve and rubbed her face hard.

Maya smiled sadly at him and held his hand again.

"You're really cute, y'know." she squeezed her grip on his hand. "But you don't know me." she shook her head.

"I'm not amazing, I'm the most regular, dull person you'll ever meet." she laughed sadly. "I'm not special, I don't really have any talents. But it's okay, I'm fine with that. I just think that you should find someone who's as brilliant as you are." she said sincerely, hoping he would understand.

"But I'm not afraid of you." she grinned, but then it disappeared.

"I am still scared though. Of home." she murmured, mostly to herself.

Maya sighed and looked down to their feet.

"Zach..." she trailed off. "I'm not...I never will be and..." she scrunched her eyes in frustration. "I'm regular. You can't expect anything else from me, because I won't deliver." she looked up at him again, blue eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill. She wanted to be with this stranger so much. But it wasn't fair on him.

Maya blushed deeply when he said "lovers". He wouldn't ever want to be with her in that way, would he? Surely he was just saying all of these things in more of a friendly way? What else could it be? Maya frowned, confused. But he said...but he would never want her, so it didn't make sense.

"You're incredibly hard to figure out, Zach." she said.

Though she felt like she knew him completely, from inside and out.

Her eyes immediately locked gazes with his. He had fallen in love with her?



She may have just fallen in love with him, too.



"What are you-" she whispered, but was cut off by his lips. Her face remained frozen and rigid as he kissed her, in complete shock. She sucked in a shaky breath after he stepped away, and stood in silence.

Maya blinked at the ground a few times, then looked back up at him.

"Why are you over there?" she asked innocently, and stepped back into his body, wrapping her arms around his neck slowly. Maya pressed her forehead against his and her light chestnut hair tumbled over both of their faces. She bit her cherry lip, unsure of her actions.

"Kiss me?" she whispered nervously.

Maya laughed quietly and shook her head. "Why would I slap you?" she traced the outline of his lips lightly with her fingertips. "You're perfect, Zach." she murmured, not taking her blue eyes off of his.

Way too perfect for me. she reminded herself. Hell, she didn't care. She wanted him to be with her so much. Was it really selfish of her?

Maya smiled into the kiss and one hand slipped into his hair, playing with it. She broke away for a second, a little breathless.

"Zach, is it okay if I love you?" she said, looking down.

Maya sighed and buried her face in his neck.

"Zach..." she murmured, and kissed his skin lightly. She rested a small hand over his heart.

"You would make me the happiest person in the world if you loved me as half as much as I love you." she whispered, smiling.

Maya grinned up at Zach, happiness practically glowing around her. She hugged him tightly, breathing in his scent.

"Of course I accept." she almost shouted with glee into the night air. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so happy. She couldn't remember the last time she was fixed.