The day had been filled with their usual back-and-forth, teasing and laughter that felt almost effortless. Maya had been in one of her playful moods, teasing Eddie about everything from the way he adjusted his hair to how seriously he took himself. Eddie, as usual, would feign frustration, but Maya could see the smile lurking behind his scowl every time he tried to act like it bothered him.
The sun was setting now, casting a warm glow over everything. They had walked together for hours, as if they had no destination, just enjoying the time alone, not talking about the things that weighed heavy on their minds. Maya had slipped into a cute dress—something simple but flattering—and she couldn't help but feel a little lighter than usual. She hadn't expected it to feel so… natural to be near him like this.
"Stop staring at me, Eddie."
Eddie shot her a smirk, his gaze intense despite the playful words. "I wasn't staring." He paused, as if calculating his next move. "Maybe I'm just admiring the view."
Maya rolled her eyes, but her heart skipped in a way she couldn't explain. "Right. Well, you're the one who picked this spot, so don't complain when I make you walk back."
Eddie chuckled, and it was one of those rare, genuine laughs that Maya treasured. His eyes softened as they locked onto hers, and Maya found herself holding her breath. It was crazy, really—how everything between them could feel so effortless, but now it felt… different.
Different in a way that she wasn't sure how to explain, but it was clear in the way Eddie was looking at her now. Like there was something more he wanted to say, something more they hadn't acknowledged yet.
And then, as if he had been waiting for the right moment, Eddie took a step forward, closing the distance between them. His voice was low, almost a whisper. "Maya, I can't keep doing this."
Maya blinked, momentarily stunned. "What are you talking about?"
He ran a hand through his hair, clearly conflicted. "This… everything. Us. You know how it's been. It's… it's not what I thought it would be."
Maya took a deep breath, her heart racing for reasons she couldn't quite understand. "I don't know what you're saying."
Eddie chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. "You're not stupid, Maya. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
She shook her head, her pulse quickening. This wasn't a conversation she was prepared for. The air between them shifted, the playful teasing from earlier replaced by something heavier, more serious.
"Eddie," she started, but her words got stuck in her throat. It felt like the weight of all the unspoken things between them were now crashing down, making it hard to breathe.
"Look," Eddie said, his voice suddenly soft, vulnerable, "I can't pretend anymore. I can't keep pushing down what I feel. Not when it's this obvious, not when it's eating me up inside." His eyes searched hers, searching for some kind of response, some acknowledgment. "Maya, I'm falling for you."
Maya's heart skipped. A million thoughts rushed through her, but nothing made sense. "Eddie, you—" Her voice faltered as the realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do with the words he had just spoken, with the rawness in his eyes. It felt like everything was shifting beneath her feet.
He took another step closer, his presence overwhelming. His hands gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "You don't have to say anything. I just needed you to know."
For a moment, everything went still. The world around them faded, and it was just the two of them—close, too close, but it felt like it was supposed to be this way.
Maya's breath hitched as she looked up into his eyes, feeling the magnetic pull between them. And then, as if everything had built to this one moment, Eddie leaned in. His lips brushed against hers, tentative at first, as if asking for permission.
But it was all it took for Maya to melt. Her hands instinctively reached up, gripping his shirt as she deepened the kiss, her heart racing like it might burst. Everything around them disappeared—just the kiss, just the feeling of him.
The kiss was slow, sweet, and then… it wasn't. Eddie pulled her closer, his hands pressing against her back, his mouth moving against hers with more urgency. She didn't know when she started kissing him back like she needed him, but it felt like they'd been waiting for this moment forever.
When they finally broke apart, their breaths mingled, both of them trying to steady their racing hearts. Maya was dazed, her skin flushed, and for the first time, she felt exposed in a way that made her nervous.
"Did that just happen?" she murmured, looking up at Eddie, her voice shaky.
Eddie was staring at her with a mix of surprise and disbelief, as if he hadn't expected her to kiss him back, like maybe he was waiting for her to pull away. But she didn't.
"Yeah," he said, his voice rough. "I think it did."
But Maya wasn't thinking about that right now. She was thinking about how she felt… completely out of control. It was funny because she'd always prided herself on being the one who knew exactly what she was doing, but right now, all she could focus on was how her heart felt like it was racing too fast, like it might explode.
And then she panicked.
"I—I'm not—" Maya stammered, pulling away from him, eyes wide. "I'm not ready for this. I mean, look at me. I'm not… I don't have my makeup on, and my hair—god, I don't even look good right now!" She put a hand to her face, her cheeks burning. "My dress is all wrong, and—"
Eddie burst out laughing, his arms around her tightening. "You're perfect, Maya."
She swatted at him, still flustered. "I'm seriously not. Look at my hair. It's all over the place!"
"Stop," Eddie said through his laughter, still holding her close. "You're beautiful. It doesn't matter if your hair's a mess or your dress isn't perfect."
"I look like I just rolled out of bed," Maya argued, but her voice was small, almost self-conscious now.
Eddie kissed her again, soft this time, to calm her down. "You look better than perfect, Maya. And I don't care about your hair. I care about you."
Maya sighed, leaning into his chest, feeling a warmth she hadn't realized she'd been missing. She let her head rest against his shoulder, letting the nervous energy start to fade. "You're not mad?"
He chuckled. "Mad? Why would I be mad?"
"I don't know," she mumbled. "Just… it's a lot. You just kissed me, and now I'm here… saying I look awful."
Eddie just shook his head, his hand gently lifting her chin so she was looking at him again. "Maya, I don't need you to be perfect. I need you to be real."
Maya felt a tear slip down her cheek before she could stop it, but she quickly wiped it away, mortified. "Great. Now I'm crying."
"You're a mess," Eddie said, grinning. "But you're my mess."
Maya couldn't help but laugh, even as she wiped the tears away. "I don't even know what I'm doing right now."
"You don't need to know," Eddie said softly, pulling her into another kiss, one that was slow and filled with everything they hadn't said yet.
Maya let herself get lost in it, not caring about the dress, the makeup, or her messy hair. She was with Eddie, and for once, everything else felt like it could wait.