Chapter 3 Maya

I sighed as I cleared the counter and cleaned the display glass.

Hayley walked in with a surprised expression as she placed her keys at the mouth of the door.

"You are early today," Hayley said as she opened her office one foot as she turned back to look at me.

"It's a good thing, right?" I said, smiling.

"I wish it would last," she said before entering into her office.

I rolled my eyes as I turned to face Justin.

"I'm early. Why can't she be happy?" I said, dropping the rag as I took a sip of my coffee?

"Because, just like good things.....it comes to an end," he said, smiling as he walked into the back room.

I made a face as I turned to face the front of the arcade. Just then the doorbell jingled as Jason and his friend walked in, I adjusted my hair and straightened my shirt, and they made their way to the counter where I was seated.

So, I have had a huge crush on Chad for the longest time and, well, he's Jason's friend, so I just can't tell him because I know Jason would make fun of me.

Just like the last time, and I will never forgive him for doing that, he ruined my new expensive glasses that I bought with all my savings.

I shook my head as I stopped myself from going too deep into the past.

I smiled as Chad and Jason walked up to the counter a dollar in Chad's hands as he rested on the counter.

"Sup," Chad said as he dropped a dollar and picked up a pool stick.

I smiled and replied sup trying to sound flirty. Jason came in front of me, blocking my view of Chad.

"Pathetic," he said as he dropped a dollar and walked away.

I rolled my eyes, turning around to see Justin's judging eyes on me with his hands crossed across his chest.

"What?" I asked, raising as I took my coffee and took a sip from it.

"I don't know which is more pitiful.....the crush you have on Chad or your stupid beef with Jason," he said, uncrossing his arms.

"None," I said proudly, resting my head on my palms.

"Sup?....really," he said, judging me with his eyes as he walked up to where I was sitting.

"That was all I could think of at the time," I replied, burying my head in my hands in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, you'll think of more words next time," he said, patting my back and walking into the back room.

"That wasn't the help I needed," I said as he walked away.

There was a beep which meant there were issues in either one of the game rooms. I groaned as I went out back to see what the problem was.

I took a deep breath as I walked into the snooker room where Chad and Jason had initially paid for.

"So, we need balls.....because Jason thought it was a bright idea to throw two across the room," Chad said as he laughed.

Chad was the opposite of Jason in everything. He was soft-spoken, nice, calm-headed and easy to communicate with Jason. On the other hand, it was nothing like that. He was rude, mean and constantly picking on me every chance he got.

"OK, I'll be right back," I said as I turned around to leave.

"And be hasty about it," Jason called out after I rolled my eyes.

I went to the store room and got the balls they needed.

I handed them the ball and turned to leave.

"Please get me a can of soda," Jason said with a smug expression on his face.

"You can do that yourself. There's a vending machine over there," I said, pointing to the vending machine at the corner of the room.

"I want you to get it for you..... don't you work here?" he said, grinning as he relaxed fully on the chair?

Just then, Tiffany and her friends walked in with Reagan's hand on her shoulder like he owned her.

"Jason!!" She called out in anger. Jason turned and met Tiffany standing with Reagan's hand over her shoulder.

"What's going on, Tiff?" he asked, standing up abruptly.

"Why is he here.....why are his hands on your shoulder?" he asked in anger?

"I didn't come here to answer your question, I'm here to tell you that we are done," she said, making a hand gesture.

"You are joking, right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded, signaling that she was extremely serious. Reagan smirked as he let his hands fall directly on Tiffany's boobs.

"What....what are you doing?" Jason asked, trying to swat Reagan's hands away.

"We can't be in a relationship anymore..... it's bad for me..... I have a fanbase, and they are all turning against me because you can't seem to focus and score," she said, poking his chest.

"I need someone who can give me enough publicity, and it's certainly not you," she said, crossing her arms against her chest.

"So are you leaving me for this bastard?" Jason asked, furiously. Chad came and tried to calm him down before he hit Reagan again.

"Ah...ah...ah....when you hit me last time I was caught off guard.....try that again, and I'll beat you to a pulp loser," he said, laughing.

Just then, he turned and looked at me and a wicked smile appeared on his face as he turned back to face Tiffany.

Tiffany and I used to be best friends back in high school, until her dad got a new job with Chad's dad, and he became rich during our senior year, she changed.

She stopped hanging out with me and kept telling everyone that I was poor, and my dad was a no show and my mum

Couldn't afford my school fees, and I was on scholarship, something I told nobody but her.

I tried meeting her on several occasions to see why she changed all of a sudden, but she kept avoiding me and when I cornered her.

She told everyone that I was a lesbian, and I was trying to assault her.

That almost cost me my scholarship. I was suspended for a month and my mum was devastated even though I kept trying to explain to her that Tiffany lied against me.

Then she started dating Jason and posting on social media and that's how the friendship crashed completely and, since then, she and Jason have been picking on me for absolutely no good reason.

"Well, you can go because I'm dating Maya," he said, pulling me close to himself.

I was immobilized for a second trying to catch on with what was going on.

One minute I was standing, amused by Jason getting a taste of his own medicine. The next I was wrapped in his arms.

"You can't be serious," she said, scoffing, uncrossing her arms from her chest.

"You are dating a poor nerd.....who can't even afford her own fees," she said, laughing.

"I thought you hated her," she said in a proud tone, with the full assurance that Jason was just trying to piss her off.

And before I could protest, Jason placed his hands on my waist, pulling me flush with himself and kissing me.