Maya felt the familiar weight of her phone against her ear. She wasn't sure what exactly she expected to hear, but she sure as hell wasn't prepared for the line her father threw at her.
"Maya, I need to talk to you. I've kicked Magali and Jackie out of the house. They're not welcome anymore."
Maya exhaled sharply, leaning against her dresser as she fought to keep her voice steady. "Oh, great. How nice of you. What do you want me to say, Dad? 'Thanks for finally getting rid of them'? I'm really not in the mood for this right now."
"I—Maya, I know I messed up. I'm sorry. I just want you to come back home," her dad tried, his voice thick with a blend of guilt and desperation.
Maya chuckled bitterly, shaking her head. "Right. After everything, you think I'll just waltz back in there like nothing happened?" She felt her eyes narrow. "It's too late. You're not going to fix anything by kicking them out. I'm done. Don't bother."
She ended the call with a swift press of the button, tossing the phone onto her bed. Anger simmered beneath her skin. How could he think that would fix anything? That was the problem with him—always a step behind, always too little, too late.
Luna and Sally were sitting on the bed, watching her closely. They knew what this was about, but Maya had no intention of breaking down in front of them.
"Dad's just… trying to fix things, I guess," Maya muttered, sitting down with a frustrated sigh. "Not that it matters. He can keep his house and his broken promises."
Sally looked at her sympathetically. "You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Maya shrugged, though she knew it didn't look convincing. She glanced at Luna, who hadn't said a word. Luna just met her gaze with a raised eyebrow. It was clear what Luna was thinking, though: what about Eddie?
"You know, Eddie's been different too, right?" Luna spoke up, her voice soft, like she was choosing her words carefully.
Maya snorted, a small smile playing at her lips. "Oh, really? What's new? The guy's a walking contradiction."
Sally grinned. "You're kind of right, but… you can't tell me that the way he's been with you doesn't say something."
Maya froze. Of course, she knew. Eddie had been the same goofy, awkward guy he always was, but something had changed between them. The way he looked at her, the way he was always there, no matter what… He didn't hide his feelings anymore. He didn't shy away from her in public or make excuses for why they couldn't be together. And it wasn't just the kissing or the holding hands—it was everything that came after.
"You mean how he practically declared to the entire school that I'm his girlfriend?" Maya scoffed, but the smile on her face betrayed her. She didn't mind the way he acted. She liked it.
Luna leaned in, her expression half-teasing, half-curious. "He's got no shame, huh?"
Maya leaned back, her arms crossed over her chest, and let out a small laugh. "Yeah, well, neither do I, apparently."
Sally smiled, clearly delighted. "Honestly, Maya, it's like watching a rom-com, but way better because it's real. I mean, Eddie's so… unapologetically Eddie when it comes to you."
Maya felt a flutter in her chest at the thought. She knew she liked him. But that didn't mean it didn't surprise her how effortlessly he seemed to be in her space. He was always there, his presence a mix of comforting and—dare she say—romantic, even if he didn't always realize it.
"Ugh, I can't even explain it," Maya said with a roll of her eyes, her words teasing but soft. "He's like a puppy. He's all over me one minute, then too shy the next."
Luna smirked. "Are you saying you like it when he's all over you?"
"Shut up," Maya said with a laugh, but it was clear she wasn't denying it. She liked him. She liked him more than she'd ever admit.
The staring starts the moment Maya steps onto school grounds.
Not just staring—full-on gawking.
Phones whip out. Mouths drop open. People whisper, nudge, and blatantly turn around like they just saw a unicorn wearing Prada.
Luna exhales dramatically. "Welp. You did it."
Sally adjusts her bag strap. "You broke them."
Maya knows why. She knew this was coming. But still—this much?
"Are they serious?" she mutters, pushing through the hallway. "Eddie literally announced it himself. Why are they acting like it's breaking news?"
Luna shrugs. "Hearing it is one thing. Seeing you two together? Whole different level of unreal."
She doesn't care.
She doesn't.
But also?
She kinda wants to punch something.
The whispers keep going.
"Sinclair and Thompson? Really?"
"She must've lost a bet."
"Maybe he saved her life."
The classroom buzzed with the sound of shuffling papers and low conversations as Maya found her seat at the back of the room, hoping for a little space and silence. She was ready to sit through another dull lecture, lose herself in her thoughts. Maybe the lesson would distract her—at least for a little while.
But of course, just as she was about to settle in, she saw him. Eddie. The one guy who never seemed to leave her alone, no matter how much she pretended to be annoyed.
He walked up to her desk, his shy grin already spreading across his face. "Hey, uh, is this seat taken?"
Maya looked up, trying not to smile at his awkwardness. "Are you serious?"
"I'm just… sitting next to you. Don't mind me," Eddie mumbled, lowering himself into the chair beside her.
Maya rolled her eyes, but the corners of her lips curled into a smile. "You really can't keep away, huh?"
"Not even a little," he said with a proud grin, though it was clear he was still nervous. His hand nervously fiddled with the edge of his desk, but his eyes were glued to her, waiting for her reaction.
Maya shook her head, pretending to be irritated, but she couldn't help herself. "You're insufferable," she muttered, though there was no anger behind the words. She'd said them a hundred times, but somehow, today, they didn't sound the same.
Eddie grinned widely, and before she knew it, his hand was reaching under the desk. His fingers brushed against hers, sending a shiver up her spine.
"Is this… okay?" he asked, his voice a little more hesitant now, his eyes soft and earnest.
Maya froze for a second, her heart hammering in her chest. She'd been with him for a while now, kissed him more than once, but this—this simple, sweet gesture caught her off guard.
She didn't pull away. Instead, she let her hand slip into his, her fingers intertwining with his, just beneath the table where no one could see.
"You're such a nerd," she whispered, but there was affection in her voice, a softness she couldn't hide. "But I… I don't know. I think I like you, Eddie."
He squeezed her hand gently, smiling even wider. "I like you too, Maya. A lot."