Page 13

The next day, I woke up pretty early, which isn't like me. I didn't get much sleep.

I needed to draw.

It was the only thing that could really calm me down.

I sat on the desk and began sketching on my sheets of paper.

I could finally breathe and think clearly again.

I decided I wanted to apologize to Maya for the words I said to her yesterday. Especially my latest.

That's not me, and she doesn't deserve it.

I didn't even mean it—I really don't.

I was just getting up when someone knocked on my door.

I was hesitant at first—it couldn't be Maya...

And I was right because when I opened the door, it was Nelly.

I don't even know why I was hoping for it.

"Grace, good morning, breakfast is ready," she smiled gently.

"Thank you, Nelly, I'm coming." I smiled back.

Before she left, she turned around again with a knowing expression.

"Ah last night Maya kept asking me if you were back, about two or three times. So it might be a good idea for you two to exchange numbers..."

I just stood there, kind of shocked—it took a second to register what she just told me.

Why the hell did she keep asking about me like that if she acted that harshly later?

And now... I was... smiling... what the hell?!

Nelly headed downstairs, leaving me still smiling like an idiot in the doorway. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the fluttering in my stomach.

Weird.

I went downstairs, more convinced than ever that I needed to apologize to Maya.

I felt overwhelmed by the need to make things right.

And Maya was there.

She stood tall, sipping her mug, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and gray pants. She had barely any makeup on, with the slightest bags under her eyes.

Yet she still looked effortlessly stunning.

We just stared at each other, not really knowing what to say. Her expression was too unreadable, almost as if she was guarding her thoughts.

I sat down, and she leaned on the kitchen table, tilting toward me. I froze, caught off guard by the sudden closeness.

"Listen, Maya," I started. "About last night, I wanted to apo—"

"I get it. Let's just skip the apology, alright?" she cut in, dropping her gaze for a moment before looking right into my eyes.

I nodded once, unsure if that was supposed to be positive or negative.

"I'm still surprised by how you reacted last night, huh?" she suddenly said with a sarcastic smile.

I swallowed. "What are you implying?"

"I'm just saying, you're the one who chose to hang out with him—guess that wasn't enough since you also let him in." Her voice way too controlled now.

"It's not like I planned any of it," I replied flatly. "I didn't even see it coming," I lowered my gaze.

I heard her let out a low, frustrated sigh into the air.

"You think I wanted all that chaos, Maya?" My voice tightened with frustration.

"And what do you want?" she asked, leaning in a bit closer. Her voice was steady, but there was something in her tone that betrayed it.

I blinked, caught off guard by the question.

Do I even let myself think about what I want? And why is she even interested?

I exhaled, shaking my head. "It doesn't matter," I muttered, looking away. "Not right now."

"Alright," she replied coldly.

"Maybe you wanted me to stay gone," I whispered, a little sarcastic, and a bit scared that she actually felt that way.

Maya didn't say anything, just kept looking at me.

She suddenly lifted her mug and set it in front of me. "You don't know what I want," she said, scanning every word carefully.

I remained stiff, frozen in place.

Maya turned on her heel, sighing. She seemed... off or tired. I kinda felt the same.

"What's up with you?" I asked.

"Nothing."

But it looked like everything was up with her.

She shot me a piercing look then walked upstairs to her room.

My fingers brushed the edge of the mug she gave me on purpose, or at least it felt like it.

I lifted it and took a sip of her coffee.

There was something intimate about it—like I could still feel the faint traces of her lips lingering, even through something as simple as a mug.

It was subtle, but that sensation made my pulse quicken, and a tingle ran down my spine.

I ended up drinking all her coffee.

After a quick breakfast, I got back to my room, where I kept drawing.

I had planned to do it all day— to avoid everything else.

Each line of the pencil allowed me to escape, even if just for a moment, from the chaos in my mind.

Mom called me down for lunch, but I wasn't hungry. She still brought me food to my room and asked if I was okay—I said I was, but that was kinda a lie.

I wasn't even sure what was wrong. I just felt... off. Like something was weighing on me.

I didn't want to explain how my mind kept racing about Maya—how she looked at me earlier, how her voice sounded when she asked me what I wanted.

The only thing keeping me grounded was the drawing—I didn't even realize how much time had passed.

All of a sudden, while I was still lost in my thought, the door opened, making me jump.

I thought it was my mom, so I turned around, ready to tell her I was fine.

But it wasn't her.

It was Maya.

Standing tall in the doorway, her posture straight, but her eyes avoiding mine.

My heart skipped a beat, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

She didn't waste a second, rushing into my room with a serious yet annoyed expression.

Annoyed by what, exactly? I purposely been avoiding her all day.

I stared at her, trying to figure out what she wanted. Her expression gave nothing as she walked over and looked at my desk, still covered in scattered drawings.

"Ever heard of knocking?" I scolded her, awkwardly covering up my sketches.

She stayed all serious, easily towering over me, and grabbed a drawing from my hand.

I tried to grab it back, but she gently blocked my hands and turned, staring at it like she was in awe.

"Give it back, Maya," I urged, my heart racing.

"Why did you draw an anatomical heart?"

Her voice was stunned, and her hands trembled slightly.

I swallowed hard, wondering why she was acting like this.

"None of your business," I replied, trying to get my drawing back.

She rolled her eyes and blocked my hands.

Something in the way she gently pressed on my wrists made me feel something unexpected in my chest.

"You got more?" she asked.

"No," I lied.

Maya stared at me, then got real serious.

"Show me the others..."

"They're just drafts. And no."

She turned away, ignoring my words, and her gaze landed on the other anatomical hearts I'd drawn.

As I tried to push her away, my fingers brushed against her arm, and I couldn't help but notice how soft and... warm her skin was.

She didn't budge, if anything, she leaned in closer, making my heart race even more.

"Please, stop." I warned her, my voice shaking slightly.

"That one's the best," Maya pointed to a drawing and then looked at me intensely.

I glanced at it out of the corner of my eye.

"I—I don't think so."

"Yeah, it is," she shot back, firm.

She's so blunty and stubborn.

Something inside me stirred, leaving me captivated.

"And why is that?" I asked, trying to calm down.

"It's the most anatomically correct," she said, again no trace of sarcasm in her voice.

I thought she'd say something like, 'It's the least bad,' and then laugh it off sarcastically.

But she actually seemed sincere.

"Okay..." I whispered, still in shock.

"Is this why you've been locked up in the room all day?" She asked, weirdly interested and almost concerned.

I nodded weakly.

This is just strange.

"They're just... ideas... stupid ones..." I sat back down and put my drawings away.

"They're not stupid," she said, her tone shifting, becoming deeper and more intimate.

I felt a warmth over my body, and a soft smile appeared on my lips.

Could she possibly think that they were good?

Maya turned away, walking off with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Do you wanna go to Taco Bell? Is it still valid after yesterday?"

My answer took a second, as I was still trying to figure out this VERY CONFUSING conversation. Maya kept her back to me, yet she stayed perfectly still.

"Yes," I replied.

"7 p.m. Sharp. Don't be late," she said without hesitation.

Before leaving, she turned again and smirked fully satisfied: "Put on that skirt I bought, would you?"

Without waiting for my reply, she walked out.

She seriously has this strange obsession with me wearing that skirt—her skirt.

It's like she would get some kind of kick out of it, like some sort of challenge.

Or maybe she was just teasing me, trying to mess with my head like she always does.

I could feel my neck heat up as I grabbed the heart drawing—the one she said was the best.

The way she looked at it, like it held some deeper meaning, made me question why I'd even drawn it in the first place. I sighed and placed it in my drawer.

I had to hang out with... Maya.

Just saying it sounds insane.

This is not a date, right? No. Am I crazy?

It can't be.

It's just a dinner. Totally normal, right?

I shouldn't be reading into this... more.

Definitely not expecting anything... more.

A/N

Hope you liked it so far... MORE to come ????