There is only

C3.

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Song of the chapter Corduroy Dreams by Rex Orange County

"Don't flatter yourself" I say mocking his own words.

"I came to ask if you could turn it down, I can't hear myself think next door" I plead with him.

He only grins in response. Our small talk only lasted for so long when Joel came up behind Hero and recognised me from our small interaction the day before.

"Oh hello neighbour" He says smiling.

"I'm Joel" He shakes my hand almost too abruptly for my liking.

"Maya" I say back and connect eyes with Hero rather than responding to Joel. I analyse Hero's body language as he hangs in the doorway doing the same to me.

"Why don't you come and hang out? A little 'welcome to the neighbourhood' type thing" Joel says and laughs.

"I uh-I" I stutter. Come on Maya you're normally better at lying, where have all your generic excuses gone?

"Come on, it'll be fun" Hero smirks at me. Maybe it wouldn't hurt. I guess I should try make friends, but friends, only friends. I don't trust either of these two handsome devils to be more than friends.

"Yeah...okay" I say in defeat and walk straight past them both into the door way. My sense immediately catch onto the smell on weed and booze, something too familiar of my high school life.

Hero comes from behind me and leads me to the outside lounge where I see a group of people sitting as well as the loud noise of music hitting my ears as I walk outside. I sit down in a lounge sofa across from two other guys that look similar to Joel and another three girls on the right side of me. A gap perfectly in between us, signalling a clear divide.

"Everyone this is Maya, she's Australian mates!" Joel says gaining a laugh from everyone in the circle, little do I know why because that was pretty awful humour.

"Maya this is everyone" Joel gestures with his hand, obviously not bothered to introduce me to anyone which is fair, considering everyone is high off their face.

I sit down for a few moments before Hero fills in the gap between another girl on the couch and myself. His cologne smells amazing and I can't help but give into that and not move away. I go to look at him and almost tempt myself to make conversation, but he begins stretch his arm around the girl next him. She's tall with olive skin and long brown hair, beautiful features and amazing body. I look down at my considerably boring outfit and sigh in my head. Not a good day to wear a sweater Maya. The girl winks at Hero as he pulls her closer and she moves into him.

"Hi there Maya, I'm Lewis" I turn to see where the voice is coming from and a older looking boy, rather man is seated in a chair next to me. He has light hazel eyes that match his light brown hair. He introduces himself with charm and a fitting smile.

"Hi nice to meet you" I say back. Nice to meet you? Not sure where this 'nice' Maya has come from.

He smiles in return and hands me a red cup with liquid in it. I take it but don't intend on drinking it, so I place it in my lap.

"So how long have you known Joel?" I say to Lewis trying to not seem as awkward as i'm feeling right now.

He lights a cigarette and takes a long puff before answering me.

"Around 4 years, how about you?" He says accompanied by a large cloud of smoke.

"About 24 hours" We both laugh.

"Hey Lewis where abouts is the toilet?" I get a sudden urge to need to pee. Maybe it's just my body telling me to have a side break from these new people.

"Inside on the left" He says laughing. Did I say something funny?

I get up from the couch and look Hero in the eye before walking inside. I go through the house and look inside the first door on the left. No that's not it. Second door on the left. No that's also not it. I open the third and it's also of course, not the toilet. I go to shut the door and see Hero right behind it.

"Shit! What is with you and sneaking up on people?" I yelp. He's definitely got some weird kink about scaring people.

He laughs in response.

"The toilet is this one" he points to the door on the right.

"Lewis said-" I begin

"Yeah let's just say, none of them are thinking normal right now" He looks down at his feet and laughs.

"Are you?" I say starring him down.

"Absolutely" He smirks. A moment passes by of eye contact between Hero and I. I can not deny the clear attraction between us, but that doesn't change how I feel. Not interested.

"Do you want to go out to a proper bar and get a drink?" He asks me. My head turns to meet his eyes again in almost shock, did he just ask me out? Or am I reading this wrong?

I take a sigh before saying. "Look i'm really not interested" I can't feel the pit in my stomach grow deeper as my body knows it's well and truly lying.

"Not even as friends? Not even as more?" He says with a smirk.

"I-I can't" I say with defeat. I can't set myself up to be hurt again, even when it's starts off as innocent as this.

"You're never going to have an adventure if you don't take risks Maya" He looks at me in all seriousness. I'm pricked by his words. If only he knew what my life was up until I moved to London. It was a life of risks and chances. Chances on love and friendship and family. And after all the failures I don't have any of that. I look at him and close my eyes for a brief moment before storming past him. I look briefly outside seeing the circle of friends chatting and laughing. Must be nice.

I walk straight out their front door and straight into my own.