Page 23

I didn't even plan on doing this but here I am—I finally reached the gate and Nick was there, waiting for me.

"Apparently, Maya is blocking you from entering her house," I explained, my blood still boiling.

"That arrogant little brat," he sneered, his hands clenched into fists. "What's the plan, then?"

I bit my lip. "I have no idea... I can't think straight right now..." Maya's words were still ringing in my head.

Nick stepped back, his eyes lifting to the gate, smiling as if he had figured something out.

"Do you want to try climbing it, Grace? Don't worry, I'll be here to catch you."

I was taken aback by this strange suggestion—something about it made me feel uneasy.

"Well..." I said, eyeing the steel gate in front of me. "I'm not really good at these things, Nick..." I shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of the decision settle on me. "It's kind of risky too," I added, my voice quieter now.

"Right, Grace, no problem... but I don't think we can get this thing done..." he replied with an apologetic tone.

I slowly turned around—suddenly sensing someone's gaze burning into me.

And I was right.

Maya stood on her balcony, staring at us with piercing eyes, her arms resting steadily against the railing.

She dared me, and now she's watching what she provoked.

"You know what?!" I snapped, turning back to Nick. "I'm just going to get this done and climb this damn gate."

Some part of me wanted Nick to stop me, say it was a bad idea, but he smirked, clearly pleased, while I got hit with this weird mix of nervousness and excitement.

I stood in front of the gate: it wasn't too tall, but it wasn't short either. Just enough to make things tricky.

Shit.

I shouldn't do this, but... something inside me twisted, and before I knew it, I was already moving. It took control of me—stronger than my own thoughts and reason.

It reminded me of the old me—the one I wanted to forget.

I stepped forward and placed my foot on the bottom edge, with a deep breath, I started to push myself up, my hands grabbing the metal bars.

I was already starting to regret doing this.

Nick kept encouraging me, but I was too focused on getting this thing done without thinking too much.

"Grace, what the hell are you doing?!" A raw voice I knew all too well burst out of nowhere.

I looked down for a second.

Maya was staring at me with wide eyes.

Apparently, she was out of breath too, having run all the way here.

I suddenly froze, completely dazed by that situation.

"Have you completely lost your mind?!" she demanded, her voice strained.

"It's your fault, lunatic, she—" Nick tried to speak but was cut it off immediately.

"You shut the fuck up. Don't even say a word about this," Maya seethed at him.

She approached me and headed me her hand. "Grace, I'm serious, get down from there or you'll hurt yourself," she asked softly.

Her voice concealed concern, something real that I wasn't used to hearing from her.

"No..." I muttered. But in the same time I wasn't moving either.

I was feeling so... confused, and... lost.

"Just listen to me, Grace, get down."

Maya's voice was firm yet soft, enough to make my heart jolt.

"Grace, don't listen to her, you're almost there—just one last push!" Nick encouraged me to keep going.

I looked at him, but his pissed-off expression was locked on Maya, who, however, was staring at me with a pleading expression now.

"Grace, you could get hurt," she said, her voice laced with urgency. "I'll open the gates for you, just please, get down. I'm begging you."

It was... strange. I'd never seen her like this before. Beg for something. I didn't even think she could.

The look in her eyes was completely different now—filled with genuine worry. She wasn't pretending.

And now I felt stupid, because she was clearly right, and I had let Nick convince me to do this nonsense in the first place.

"Okay..." I whispered. I slowly started to climb down, trying to be careful.

Maya immediately held out her hand to me.

Nick suddenly squeezed tightly my arm, making me almost lose my balance.

"Nick... what are you doing? You're not helping me..." I scolded him, confused by his strange behavior.

"Stop touching her, you moron!" Maya snapped at him.

He muttered something under his breath and let go of my arm, but the way he did it—almost like he yanked me—didn't sit right with me.

I lost my balance, and my arm got scraped by the bars of the gate.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath.

"Reach for my hand, Grace," Maya said firmly.

Our hands tangled together, and she held on tight. With her help, I finally made it down, trying my best to recompose myself.

Shit, my heart was pounding.

Maya stared at me up and down. "Show me your arm," she said, not wasting any time.

I shook my head. "It's just a scratch."

She ignored me, gently taking my arm and inspecting the cut. Thin, imperceptible lines of red showed against my pale skin, but it was nothing serious.

I barely registered the sting.

"We should go back in the house. This needs a band-aid," she said, her hands still holding my arm carefully as she trailed my face with worried eyes.

I didn't get why she was almost panicking. It's just a scratch...

"Okay..." I gave in.

"Grace, what's going on?" Nick asked behind the gate.

"Yeah, nothing, it's nothing..." I mumbled.

We left him alone and irritated on the other side of the gate as Maya and I started walking. Her hand suddenly slipped on my lower back, and I couldn't help but feel both tense and comforted by her touch.

"You don't have to come with me, you know," I said, lowering my gaze.

"I don't want to argue, Grace," she replied, brushing me off.

"It's hard not to if you keep misunderstanding everything I say, Maya," my voice sharper than I meant.

"Look who's speaking," she scoffed.

She suddenly looked right into my eyes, her hand still resting on my back, not wanting to let go.

It's okay, I mean—she could let go, and I wouldn't care at all...

"If you didn't care before, then don't bother acting like you do now," I said, my voice harsher, trying to hide the hurt behind my words.

Maya shook her head, seeming like disappointment slipped out of her. "You don't get it."

Getting what, exactly?

Before I could say anything, she pushed the door open in a rush and guided me toward the sink.

"Get it washed."

Since I didn't feel like dealing with any more snaps, I did as she said while she grabbed something from a shelf.

She's the med student, anyway...

"Come here, Grace, sit down."

"What's that?" I asked when she approached with a transparent bottle of something.

Maya looked up at me, the slightest smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Vodka. For me."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, come on..." I protested.

"It's a disinfectant. Now shut up and let me see your arm." Her command was wrapped in a tone that was almost sweet.

Almost...

She put some product on a cotton ball and started applying it so carefully and gently that it caught me off guard, leaving me stunned.

Her touch sent me shivers down my spine.

Every now and then, she'd glance at me, checking if I was feeling any pain. But I felt nothing.

Her touch was so soothing.

For a while, we stayed silent, neither of us daring to break the tension that slowly shifted into a comfortable silence.

"I didn't want you to get hurt," Maya murmured out of nowhere.

My stomach tingled at her words, sensing by her raw tone that she truly meant it.

"It's okay... I mean, I was the one who climbed that gate, anyway..." my voice trembling in the silence that followed.

Maya looked up, meeting my gaze. "You?" she raised a brow, clearly unconvinced.

I looked down, clearing my throat nervously. "It wasn't exactly my idea," I admitted.

She hummed in response, her fingers on my arm slightly tensing. "You shouldn't listen to what others tell you to do. Especially Nick."

"And what about you?" I purposely provoked her.

"I didn't want these consequences," she said firmly, her eyes full of distress and inner conflict.

That was unexpected.

She's so unpredictable—like one hour ago, she was provoking me to the edge, and now she's... taking care of me?

I think she was... emotionally involved—if that was even a thing for her. And for some reason I didn't want to see her so upset.

I met her gaze and a small smile tugged at the corner of my lips. "It's just a scratch. I'm more than okay."

Maya didn't react at my comment, if only she looked more impatient than ever.

Then I did something unexpected.

My hand instinctively brushed her arm, grazing her skin.

Maya froze for a moment, her breath hitching as my hand caressed her arm. Her eyes flickered to where my fingers brushed against her skin, and for a second, she seemed lost in the contact.

I could almost feel her pulse racing beneath my fingertips, a rush of heat through me.

Then, she nodded imperceptibly, and quickly looked away, her undivided attention back on my "injuried" arm.

If anything, now she looked more relaxed and at ease, as if the storm had passed.

At one point, when she was still all focused on my arm, her eyes froze. Her fingers suddenly ran gently over my skin, inspecting something—her face seemed to go pale.

My stomach dropped as I followed her gaze.

Healed but still slightly visible—pale white against my skin.

I pulled my arm back instantly and shot to my feet, quickly stepping back.

The best thing I could do right now is walking away.

"I'm not done," Maya said, her voice cracking in a way that made me freeze.

I looked up, meeting her eyes—concerned, and piercing in a way that made me want to disappear, or cry.

I feel like Maya can read all my thoughts and fears, but I don't want anyone to look at me like that.

It's not about her. It's about me. I don't want to go back to those memories—to my old self.

But hers wasn't pity, it was intense—understanding, like she could see right through me. That made everything feel more real, more raw.

Others would've dropped it or said sorry—but not her.

"Grace," her tone direct, firm, soothing, ready to confront me.

Something I wasn't ready to do yet.

I don't even let myself think about it anymore.

"Open the gate like you said you would, Maya," I demanded, cutting her short.

She didn't flinch. "Are you sure?" Her gaze still unwavering.

"Completely."

With that, I turned around and walked out the door without saying another word.

I walked back to the gate, my steps unsteady, almost stumbling.

I just wanted to forget what had just happened.

Yeah—I just have to forget it, and it won't happen again.

Nick was waiting for me as the gate finally opened.

"How did you convince her?" he asked, his arm resting on my back.

But it wasn't soothing.

"It's not important," I replied flatly.

Nick shrugged. "Maya makes you really nervous, Grace, I can see it..." his voice calm. "How about we go somewhere, grab a drink, have some fun? You'll feel better, trust me."

I just nodded, and his car roared.

I need to forget everything.

This could help me—at least, that's what I kept telling myself.