We're Here

4.

You wake up.
Maya's gone.
You check your phone.
Maya's with Eliza.

You sigh, pushing the hair out of your face as you move out of your bed.

Eliza was was taking over.

All your time with Maya has been taken by this girl.
She only ever has time for Friday night movies and college with you.
Your happy that Eliza doesn't go to your college.

Maya met Eliza over a dating app.
They talk nonstop and it drives you crazy.
You don't know why.
It wasn't like this before.
It was fine before, but now you get no time with Maya.

Eliza used to leave you a reasonable amount of time to spend with Maya.
But now it's different.

You tie your tangled locks into a bun.
You go into the kitchen and grab a granola bar for breakfast.
You weren't that hungry.

You count down the minutes until Maya comes.
You don't know why.

4:00pm

While you were changing your shirt-- which you had spilled your drink on --you hear your window open.
You flinch.
You quickly pull your clean shirt down, not sure who it was at your window.
You usually think it's Maya, but she was gone for nearly six hours.

When your shirt is out of the way and you are able to see the person who disruptively came through your window, you sigh in relief.

It was Maya.

"You scared the hell out of me!" You shout.
"Why? You usually don't get like that when someone comes through your window."
You sigh.
"Well maybe I wouldn't be so cautious if you came through my window more often." You say.
"What? I come in everyday!" She argued.
"Well not at four in the evening." You retort.
"You usually come in at 10 in the morning and stay with me.
I'm not used to you coming here for the night and leaving before I wake up, Maya."

The blonde walks over to you, her one hand on your waist and the other on your shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Riles. Eliza makes me happy." She tells you.
You want to cry but you don't.
You don't because Maya is happy, and that's all you ever wanted.

"Saturday." She says.
"Huh?"
"Saturday will be our day. All plans I have for Eliza will have to wait. I'm hanging out with you."
Her eyes sparkled.
You were pretty sure yours did too.

"Maya, you don't have t--"
"Yes I do. I know I haven't been hanging out with you, and I want to."
She hugs you.
You smile.