Page 31 of Love so Hot

Maya's brow furrows. "What do you mean?"

I feel a familiar fire igniting in my chest. "Well, a lot of these companies destroy forests for their projects. So I figure, why not fight back by planting more trees? It's not much, but it's something."

Maya's smile fades a bit. "My dad's one of the business people here. He builds big buildings in cities."

I can't help but blurt out, "Oh, so he's one of the ones cutting down trees and destroying animal habitats." As soon as thewords leave my mouth, I realize I probably should've kept that thought to myself.

Maya's eyes widen. "What? No, he wouldn't..."

But I'm on a roll now, my passion for the environment taking over. "It's true. Every time they put up a new building, they're wiping out ecosystems. But there are ways to fix it! We could push for green building practices, create urban forests, maybe even..."

I trail off as I notice Maya's lower lip trembling. Uh oh. This is not going well.

"But... but..." Maya stammers, tears welling up in her eyes. "That can't be right. My dad's not... he wouldn't..."

And just like that, the waterworks start.

As if on cue, a tall man in an expensive suit rushes over. "Maya? Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Maya looks up at him, tears streaming down her face. "Daddy, is it true? Do you kill animals and trees?"

The man's face turns from concern to anger as he looks at me. "What have you been telling my daughter?"

I open my mouth to explain, but before I can say anything, I feel a firm grip on my arm. My dad's here, and he does not look happy.

"I'm so sorry about this," he says to Maya's father, then turns to me. "We need to talk. Now."

As he pulls me towards the exit, I can hear the murmurs and see the stares from the other guests. So much for staying under the radar. I've really done it this time.

Once we're in the hallway, Dad's grip on my arm loosens, but his stern expression remains. I take a deep breath, ready to explain.

"Dad, I swear I didn't?—"

"Stop," he cuts me off, his voice low and tense. "These events are about networking and maintaining a positive image. Not stirring up trouble."

"But she asked me?—"

"I don't want to hear it," he interrupts again, running a hand through his hair. "Do you have any idea how important this dinner is? The connections we make here could?—"

"Make us more money by destroying more of the environment?" I mutter under my breath.

Dad's eyes narrow. "What was that?"

"Nothing," I sigh, knowing it's pointless to argue. He never really listens anyway.

Just then, Mom appears, her flowy dress swishing as she approaches. Dad turns to her, exasperation clear in his voice. "Margaret, take her home. She's not to come back into the banquet hall."

Mom nods, her warm brown eyes meeting mine with a mix of concern and understanding. As she leads me towards the exit, I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Not for what I said, but for disappointing her.

The drive home is quiet. I stare out the window, watching the lights blur past. Mom tries to break the silence.

"Sweetie, do you want to talk about what happened?"

I keep my eyes fixed on the passing scenery. "Not really."

She sighs softly. "You know, sometimes it's not about what we say, but how we say it."

I want to tell her that sometimes the truth hurts, that maybe people need to be upset to make a change. But instead, I just shrug and continue my staring contest with the streetlights.

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