MINE

36

MAYA'S POV

Aliyah stepped out into the cool night air with her towel wrapped securely around her body as I took the lead to the jacuzzi. I left her for a moment to tinker with buttons near the edge. It sprung to life, the jets creating a nice bubbling sound. I was the first to get it, not caring that the water had yet to heat up yet.

I shivered until my body was fully submerged. She stood awkwardly near the edge, assessing the water before she sat down, dangling her legs over the edge, submerging them in the water.

"Come on. The water's hot and you said you wanted to."

She smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I didn't really think about the fact that I'd have to be half naked in front of you."

I gazed at her for a long moment finally realizing that in the short few months, I had known her, she had never changed in front of me. In fact, she tended to keep herself covered whenever she could.

"I'll close my eyes until you're fully submerged. How's that?"

"I'd appreciate that."

I closed my eyes, enjoying the way the hot water felt around me. I felt the water shift as she settled in across from me. "Okay you can open your eyes now."

I opened them, smiling at her gently as I settled against the side of the jacuzzi. "Nice isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. What do your parents even do?"

"Well my dad is a retired drug dealer so there's that."

"I don't know why I expected a serious answer out of you."

"Me neither," I said, blinking slowly.

"Fair. You wanna know something?"

"What?"

"You're really sweet. Living like this would've went to most people's head."

I laughed, "Yeah, if I was anything like my dad, it probably would have."

"He seemed nice when I met him."

I shrugged, "Well yeah, he didn't perceive us to be anything other than friends so he didn't have a reason to be mean."

"So Robyn then...?"

"Hates her fucking guts," I stated matter of factly. "He's resorted to ignoring the fact that she exists." "It sucks and I feel bad, but he's nicer to me so I let it go for the most part."

'Oh,' I was the only thing she said. Aliyah looked down at the water, creating light ripples under the water with arms as she searched for something to say before she gave up and waded to stand next to me, a decent amount of space still between us.

"You don't have to say anything by the way. I'm just letting you in that's all."

"I appreciate it. It means a lot that you trust me."

I smiled at her, resting my head back on the concrete.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"How do you really feel about tomorrow?"

I opened one eye before closing it again. "What do you mean?"

"Diona asked you how you felt about tomorrow. You said you were just a little nervous, but I know there's something else that you didn't say, like there always is."

I sat up slowly and opened my eyes. "You think I'm always withholding information."

"I'd use the word omit, but yes."

"Same difference."

"So what aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing."

"Maya..."

"Look Aliyah, I know you're trying to help, but stop I'm not hiding anything."

She hummed in acknowledgement, her eyes panning over my face. "You're scared of something and I'm trying to figure out what."

"What'd I just say? Stop."

"Fine."

It was deathly quiet between us, only the sound of the jets providing us with some relief.

"You're kind of hostile when you're home."

"And you felt the need to tell me this because...?"

"See there you go again."

"I just don't understand why you keep pushing. Do you want me to snap at you?"

"Well no one else does which is why they don't know you. Which is what I'm trying to do. So tell me who was the last person you opened up to and why aren't they in your life anymore."

"Robyn is in my life, Aliyah."

"Come on Maya. I can tell she doesn't know shit about you. If she did, I'm pretty sure she'd be able to read you a lot better than I do and give you what you need which I know she can't so give me an honest answer. I want to know you."

I stared back at her, silently mulling over my options. I couldn't lie  or at the very least, I could exit the conversation. I don't think either would work. I had this nagging feeling she wouldn't let this one go.

"You're not gonna let this one go are you?"

"No."

I thought about my answer for a while longer before I decided I'd answer honestly. "Damani. Robyn made me choose between them and I did."

"You miss her?"

"Every single day. I wish we could just be friends, but that's not a option."

"You loved her?"

"So much, Aliyah. So, so much. Having a best friend and somebody you love like that was just so...amazing but...it just didn't work out the way I wanted. I was her second choice until it was too late."

"And why was it too late?"

"I was with Robyn and I was so infatuated with her and how she made me feel and I never had to question that I was everything to her. I made a decision."

"Do you regret it sometimes or think about if you chose your friend?"

"I don't regret it, but yeah I used to think about it often."

"And what did that life look like?"

"Less stress, no harsh words or harsh realities...like a dream."

She nodded in understanding. "That's all I wanted from you, Maya. Your honesty and emotions mean the world to me."

I nodded because I was unsure of what to say. I had pushed all those memories to the back of my head and chose not to acknowledge the feelings associated with the decisions over the past year. I refrained from mentioning her for months. Out of sight, out of mind.

"Why do you want to know me so bad?"

"Because knowing you helps me know how to comfort you and that's all I really wanna do."

I stared at her in wonder before speaking, "I've never had a friend like you."

"And there will never be another."

I kept my eyes locked on her for another moment before shaking my head.

I was really starting to figure that out.

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A/N: Happy Sunday. I'll be posting another chapter an hour after this one. I'm really enjoying writing out their friendship because it's so pure