Just Three Days✓

Chapter 4

AMAYA

After the prayers, Maya couldn't help but feel like a heavyweight was lifted off her shoulder. She couldn't use words to fathom how she felt after it, though she wasn't concentrating. But amidst all this, Maya was still wandering what she had done to deserve her predicaments. Could it be that she wasn't wanted?

"I have to go now," Raven announced, pulling her away from her thoughts. "So soon?" She asked, whispering as they walked side by side.

"Yeah, it's Tuesday," he told her, a hint of sadness in his voice. Tuesdays, was the bane of Maya's existence. She hated Tuesdays because It was the day that she was often left alone.

"Oh ok, I'll wait," was all she could muster, simply caught off guard. How could she not remember that it was a Tuesday?

Raven, on noticing that she wasn't happy seeing him leave, gave her a hug. He hugged her as if his whole life depended on it. He could feel her pain, compressed into the hug as she hugged back, wrapping her arms around him.

"I love you," he let out in her ear before pulling away. She seemed taken aback at first, blinking her eyes rapidly as she stared at the ground in a nervous attempt to blink it away. It was only a friendly statement and here she was feeling on top of the world. Anyone could say that right?

She finally mustered the strength to say it back. "I love y-"

"Bye!" He said, walking away into a corner. She waved, taking a deep breath and bracing herself for whatever could come next. She stood still, staring at students as they trooped in and out of the building.

She spotted the guy from earlier, who had handed her his hoodie. She felt grateful and at that instant, walked over to him. When she saw that she couldn't keep up with his strides, she called, "Hey!"

"Wait up!" She said, her hands rested on her knee, trying to catch her breath. He stopped abruptly and turned back, staring at the beautiful girl from earlier.

After she caught her breath, she looked up and found the guy staring at her. She smiled, walking up to him.

"Mind if I accompany you?" She asked as soon as she stood in front of him. "Sure," he said and they started walking.

"Thank you so much for the hoo-" she trailed off as he cut in with a stern voice, "Don't even think of it."

"Ok," she gulped, seeing the sudden change of mood. They walked in silence until they reached the parking lot.

"Well, I'm still thankful" She said, breaking the ice as she stopped at a bench, sitting down.

"Why are you so beautiful?" He asked, simply mesmerized at her all round beauty. Maya couldn't comprehend the question he had just asked so she simply began stuttering, "I...I."

"I mean, why do they look down on you so much?" He stared at her, nervously fiddling with her fingers, as he felt her pain. He sat down beside her, "You're so hot."

"They rip your shirt and you didn't pick up a fight?" She nodded, staring at him and he wondered what kind of a girl she was.

"You are one of a kind Maya," he said, placing his hands on her shoulder.

~~~

"Hey, how was your day?" Raven said as he sat down beside her. She dropped her phone and laughed, "You only left for about thirty minutes."
She couldn't help but laugh at his naughtiness.

"And you missed me," he wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Yeah actually," she stated, matter-of-factly. She seriously missed him since he was her only friend.

"I don't know why I'm seriously craving ice cream," Raven said and Maya's expression fell.

"Daddy, where are you going?" Inquisitive, Little Maya asked as she tugged at his trousers.

He squatted down and placed her on his lap. "Daddy's going to get his favourite princess ice cream," he announced before placing a kiss on her nose.

"Maya?" he said, prancing into her thoughts once again.

"You know what? You go get ice cream while I'll go home ok?" Maya stood up from the bench, hanging her bag on her shoulder and taking in the urge to cry.

"I was just saying," he said, standing up.

"Raven, just go get it already," she said, impatiently walking away from him.

"You don't want to follow me?" He asked as he followed behind her, trying to catch up.

She stopped and turned around to face him, "No, I don't Raven. I hate ice cream ok? I'm going home."

Raven knew that it wasn't his friend that was talking, it was the anger in her. He knew what was wrong but he was willing to play along.

"Fine!" He blurted out, to her surprise. They had oftentimes fought but it was still an eerie feeling that she couldn't get used to.

"Fine!" She retorted back and started walking away. Raven smirked in victory as he saw her walk away.
She would still come crawling back either way, they were best friends.

~~~

Juniper heard the doorbell ring and went to get the door. She spotted her daughter, fagged out.

"Big day?" She asked and Maya nodded, stepping forward to hug her mum.

"Oh honey," Juniper said, tapping her daughter's back. Juniper tried to pull away but Maya stood still, holding her in place. "Come on baby, let's go talk inside," her mum suggested, making Maya pull away in response.

They walked inside their apartment and Maya carefully examined the house. She sat down, dropping her bag as her eyes continued it's journey. Her eyes landed on a picture; her mum, pregnant heavily, standing opposite her husband, who was kissing her hair as his hands were placed on either sides of her waist. He seemed so happy with Juniper but why wasn't he happy with her?

'Why did he lie to me?' She thought as her gaze moved to their family picture.

"Why did he lie to me?" Maya blurted out her thoughts. "Excuse me?" Startled, Juniper asked. She wondered if she was hearing right.

"Yeah," Maya answered, her gaze fixated on their family picture. "Why did he leave us?" She moved her focus back to her mum.

"Maya, all that happened was in the past and I want you to understand that," Juniper said, hoping to pacify her daughter. Maya shook her head vigorously, as tears found their way to her blue eyes, "he went to get me ice cream right?"

"And he never came back," she said, placing her hands over her face and letting her tears go.

"He will come back baby, I believe," she stated, taking her daughter's hand off her face. Juniper stared at her daughter and didn't know if she really believed it. She believed that he was going to come back, twelve years ago; but he never did. Her hope was dashed to pieces but here she was- hoping against hope.

"I believe," Maya finally voiced out to her mum's surprise. She hugged her mum as she shut her eyelids, wishing for different things.