WITHIN HIS REACH

"You can never know until you try your luck," her best friend Matilda would` always say, but Maya is one who never tries. With student loans to cover, house rent to pay, and gigantic piles of bills that never got sorted out, she followed her saying for once, and it landed her dream job. Many have always told her name, Maya, did not go well with my face or body. She would wonder sometimes, who she got the body from since she didn't know who her parents were.

Maya was adopted at a very young age into a family that lived strictly by their religious rules. At first, she found it charming, endearing even since they included her in all their plans and religious outings but her coming of age proved to be stifling; she started to lose the little freedom she had. "Never stay out late," her father would say, "don't talk to boys," her mother would warn her. Her sister, however, was as free as a bird. She could go where she wanted and when they chose to impose their rules on her, she would throw tantrums. She knew how to pull the crowd with her slender body and gorgeous eyes, it made Maya envious. So when she got her dream job, she felt a lot of relief and vowed to excel at it.

"Come on, Maya, it's just one night. Let's have some fun." Her best friend Matilda said to her the night before she was to resume her work. Maya didn't want to, she wasn't a fan of going out late and clubbing but she felt like for once she could. After much persuasion, she decided to. Maya spent a long time picking out her outfit for the night. She decided on a loose-fitting gown and the high boots she got from a thrift store. She had an amazing body but she didn't see it.

"Oh, damn, that body," Matilda said from behind her when she came into her room and found her checking out herself in the mirror, "you look nice, babe. Let's go, we're getting late." She dragged her out.

They ran out of their apartment and got to the street. Matilda stopped a cab and told the driver where they were going. Her excitement didn't allow her to notice Maya's nervousness, instead she just kept on talking about how lovely where they were going was going to be.

"We're here." Maya suddenly heard Matilda say. 'What can it hurt?' she thought. They stepped out of the cab and the sight that Maya saw made her want to run back in. Girls were in clothing and dresses that looked like they belonged to their younger siblings and the men looked like they came out of the books she read. She was in trouble, and she knew it.

"Hello," Matilda greeted the bouncer when they got to the entrance of the club. The bouncer looked at her from head to toe and glanced at Maya, then back at Matilda as if to ask 'who is this?', "Oh, she's with me," Matilda answered. Whatever it was the bouncer noticed, but his eyes went back to Maya's and he glanced at her hard, from head to toe. He was mesmerized by what he was seeing and he just kept on looking until someone behind them cleared his throat. "Go in," the bouncer said with a deep voice watching Maya as she walked past him.

"I'm not sure about this, Tilda," Maya said, feeling uncomfortable. The noise in the club was deafening and sweaty bodies were rubbing off her. "Come on, Maya, live a little," Matilda said to her dancing and already mixing with the crowd. This was going to be a long night, Maya thought to herself and then made a move to go to the bar. She must have turned so fast that she didn't notice someone behind her until she felt something cold run down her dress.

"Watch where are you going, bitch," the voice said to her. She looked up to look at his face and her breath got stuck in her throat. The young man was handsome and looked like he did not belong to the rowdy and noisy club. She felt flushed and instantly drawn to him until she remembered he called her a 'bitch'.

"Cat got your tongue?" the handsome man asked but Maya was having none of it. "Oh, or are you one of those girls? You know what I'm talking about, the ones that want a little fuck and the thrill? Trust me; I could give you what you want right now if you would just follow me."

He was starting to speak gibberish, to Maya anyway, he was insane and she couldn't believe she was attracted to him. She didn't wait till he said more before she raised her knee and kicked him where the sun didn't shine; neither did she wait for him to regain his composure before she pushed herself out of the club amidst the crowds. "See you at home, Matilda. I've left." That was the only text she sent her friend when she entered the cab.

Mornings had always been the same for Maya; she would wake up and get some coffee then apply for jobs. This morning, however, was different; she had a job and this was her first day. She was on her bed giving herself her usual morning pep talk: "You are perfect"; "They want you"; "You will do great". She went on and on and didn't bother checking the time until Matilda barged into her room screaming.

"Maya, aren't you going to get ready for work?" she asked, almost shouting. "What?" Maya asked, softly. She just woke up and when she did, she still had time. "It is 7:30 a.m., Maya," Matilda replied, pointing to the clock at her bedside. Like someone who was being controlled, Maya turned to the side and looked at the time. It was 7:31 a.m. and she was late.

"Shit! Fuck!" she started to say as she rushed into the bathroom. She was very late and it was just her first day. 'Well, she was late already, what's the worst that could happen?' she thought to herself as she dashed out the door.