MINE

47

MAYA'S POV

The thick clouds pasted the sky with an ashy hue. That was my cue to go home. It was the perfect day to crawl into bed and sleep the rest of my worries and responsibilities away.

As soon as my professor concluded his lecture I was already on my way out the door. I had stopped listening to him at least ten minutes prior so I was eternally grateful when I was given the green light to leave. My stomach growled as I walked to my apartment building, but eating was the last thing on my mind. Everything seemed to drain my energy more than usual and then I was left with nothing, but that had been a common theme for my whole life so I should be used to it.

Right?

I sighed as I entered my apartment building. The front desk attendant greeted me with a casual smile. There was no reason to show my school ID anymore; all the upperclassmen that rotated shifts recognized my face.

I made a bee line for the elevator where a few others waited for the doors to open. They all held the same expression as I did; impatience and exhaustion.

I wished that feeling that Aliyah had given me stuck around forever, but my morning it was gone and I was back to feeling more empty than before. I'd be lying to myself if I said I hadn't been craving that feeling again; anything to take this weight off my chest. There was no way of bringing it up without ruining a good thing. I wasn't completely sure what that moment fully meant either and I knew Aliyah had no intention of addressing it.

She was just as afraid as I was.

Our usual affection and closeness had continued but I knew that moment still hung heavy on both of our tongues.

When the elevator doors opened, I quickly stepped in and pressed my floor number before situating myself to the side so the other few people could fit in the small elevator car.

One by one, the others left at their stop, leaving me alone to deflate in peace. I stepped off at my floor and trudged to the door, unlocking it. Everything seemed quiet as it always did.

I sighed in relief when I finally was able to kick off my shoes. I pushed my bedroom door open, a familiar face coming into view.

"Hi."

"Hi," she responded, a smile on her face. "You need a pick me up?"

"Is it that obvious?"

She raised a Venti Starbucks cup and a plastic bag with unknown contents. "With you, yes."

I closed the door behind me. "You're the sweetest, you know that?"

"I'm fully aware."

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Yeah, yeah. I'm gonna change. You mind?"

"Go ahead."

I busied myself with rooting through my dresser for some sweats and sports bra. "Did you have class today?"

"No, this is one of my free days, remember?"

I nodded absentmindedly as I peeled off my jeans and then my shirt, throwing them both to the side. I covered my chest and glanced back at Aliyah. "So what did you get me?"

She cleared her throat, trying her hardest not to meet my eyes. "Ummm, I got you a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks and a breakfast burrito from that taqueria you like."

I pulled a pair of thick sweats up my legs. "Aww, you left campus for me?"

I peeked behind me just in time to see a blush spread across her cheeks. "Yeah."

As soon as I was fitted in a sports bra, I turned toward her and smiled. "You know me so well."

"You've been really bad at eating lately so I thought I'd do you a favor."