Maze [Completed]

DYLAN

I had acted like a dick. A complete and utter dick. Want to know who the King of Dickhead City was? Look no further people, it's this guy right here.

I should have gone to the party with Maze. I wanted to see my Dad happy, well I'd seen him drunk happy but it had been years before I had seen him sober happy. I frowned, trying to remember a time that Dad had been happy without alcohol flowing through his veins instead of blood and I let out a puff of air when I realised I couldn't.

After Maze had left, after I acted like the King of Dickheads, I had laid on my bed staring at the ceiling trying to figure out how I was going to make it through the summer. I hadn't spoken to Si in a few weeks and I'd barely responded to any of the messages from Maze so I didn't know what their plans were, if they were still together, if they were going to go away for the summer. Si would be pissed that I was back and hadn't told him. He always liked to be in control and know exactly what was happening, he had been such a nightmare at High School about it and, both Mike and I agreed, that it was nice to not have someone checking up on us all the time. It was funny we were almost finished University, going to start real jobs and when we came home we defaulted back into our high school selves.

But Maze...

I pushed her out my head. I had been trying to do it for the five years, actually since I first saw her in the canteen and I was failing so fucking badly at it. The minute I'd seen her face and her smile, I'd just wanted to walk over and pull her to me. To hold her. To tell her that it should have fucking been me that had walked over to talk to her but I couldn't because who would have wanted Dylan the Dork to flirt with them?

I sat up and wiped my hand over my face. I couldn't do this again. I needed to think about something else. As if on cue, my phone rang.

"Dyl, pub?" Mike hollered, barely making himself known over the sheer volume of screaming kids in the background.

"Where the hell are you?" I laughed.

"I'm in hell, mate. It's like a huge foam playground that Mum made me take the kids to and they are fucking killing me. No, no, I didn't swear Penny, no I didn't so you can't tell Mum anything!"

I roared with laughter as Mike argued with his 10 year old sister.

"Right, ok. Ice cream and then we are leaving. We are leaving! Ok, ice cream and crisps for the journey then we are leaving. Come on, Penny, please?" Mike pleaded.

"What time do you want to meet at the pub?" I joked.

"Ten minutes ago, mate. Just make your way there and I'll see you asap. Better call Si too, you know how moody he gets."

Mike hung up and I called Si.

"Hullo?" a breathless female voice answered.

"Uh, Si?" I asked.

"No, he's out of the room just now. Can I take a message?"

"It's Dylan, I..."

"Dyl! It's Maze! Hi!" Maze's breathing steadied and I heard her push something closed.

I shut my eyes and forced myself to speak in a neutral tone trying not to think about why she sounded out of breath, "Hi, Maze. I thought you were at the party. Can you just tell Si that Mike and I are heading to the pub for a few drinks and we wondered if he was free?"

"Sure. Are you alright Dylan? I hope I didn't upset you earlier," Maze asked.

"No, I'm fine and you didn't. Thanks for asking though. It's nice to hear my Dad's happy, regardless of who I hear it from," I replied.

I heard a door open and Si's voice, "Who's that? Why are you using my phone?"

"It's Dylan, Si. He wanted to.."

There was a rush of static then Si's voice was in my ear, "Dyl! How are you mate? Maze said you were home, let's catch up."

Si sounded off, his voice a bit too forced and false.

"That's why I was calling actually, do you want to meet Mike and I at the pub? I'm heading over there just now."

"Sure, great. We'll be there."

"We?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Shit.

"Yeah, me and Maze. She's invited too, right?," he asked.

Fuck.

"Yeah, sure. Course she is," I replied.

"See you soon."

I ended the call and exhaled.I was just going to have to bite the bullet. What did I expect? Every summer I would come home and see them together. Why did I think this year would be any different? I would see Si, speak to him and find out what his plans were and then figure out how to avoid Maze. I couldn't bear seeing them together. Christ, I was useless.

I stood up and pulled on a new t-shirt and jeans. I wondered if I should call my Dad but decided against it, I'd let him enjoy his night and I'd see him tomorrow. It looked like we had a lot to talk about.