Empty Space

III.

School didn't entirely suck for Ila today.

She had two study periods, one even with Maya (who was, yes, very pissed about the radio silence she got instead of the hot gossip about the Luke Hemmings).

"I still can't believe you've never told me that you two would share baths together. I feel like this is best friend shit I need to know," Maya whispers. They sit in the library during Ila's second study period, both putting in the finishing touches on last night's Spanish assignments (well, final touches for Ila's, Maya is pretty much completing her's from the beginning).

"I don't know. It just never came up. I didn't feel like it was super important."

"But it is. You've known he's been on my 'To Bang' list since year 9."

"I guess. What good would that information have been? We don't talk anymore. Well, kinda. It's more history-rooted banter. So nothing productive."

"You could've been hyping me up this whole time indirectly."

"Also, can we go back to your bang list? I really hate that that exists."

"How many times do I have to explain this? It's not an actual list. It's only a metaphorical list of people that if I had the opportunity to let them break my back, I'd say yes in a motherfucking heartbeat." An angry shush sounds from the Librarian's desk across the library. Maya simply furrows her brows and frowns at the lady.

"Still. It feels a bit... weird. But, I'm not about to recreate a whole ass episode of Friends-"

"I've never-"

"I know, I know you've never seen the show. Just take my word for it that it was a whole thing with Ross-"

"Anyway. It's just a friendship crime that you've never told me about Luke."

"I know, I'm sorry. I feel pretty yucky now that I haven't told you that I go over for dinner every week-"

"I can't even look at you right now."

"Or that our mums have been besties since they went to school together-"

"I could commit murder right now, you know?" Maya smiled her fake smile.

"Or that we were considered, at one point-- but a very very short point-- in our lives, bestest friends-"

"It's like you want to be killed. Do you need to talk about that?" An even louder shush came after Maya's spoken-at-full-volume statement leaves her glossed lips. At that moment, as Maya suppresses a giggle, turning her lips in on themselves, Ila couldn't help but admire her best friend in all of her rounded edges and pink-hued eyeshadow. If pink were a person, it'd be personified as Maya. She was soft and warm, but also strong and didn't put up with anyone's shit. She was just cool and confident in herself and made Ila nuts with jealousy at times when it came so naturally to Maya to just be herself.

"Do you need help finishing your homework? The period is going to end soon and Señora will be pissed that you don't have it done." Even not having her homework done, Maya was cool, calm, and collected-- even when she had to present it. She could go up there and just pull something out of her ass. Ila remembers when she had watched her best friend get up in front of their Spanish class and recite a whole ass Selena Quintanilla song when she forgot to do their assigned-for-two-weeks project (earning herself a C+ surprisingly), knowing that she had picked the right friend.

After being hurt... She needed someone to 'look up to' in a way. To pull her out of her own head. To brush off the fact that she might've forgotten to finish last night's history homework (worth only 10 points, mind you) and not have a panic attack. But Ila did do her history homework after getting home from dinner, that was just a one-time example.