Chasing Ghosts | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 110: Daylight

''Man, I'm mad I missed that." Brooklyn laughed softly. "Would have been very funny to see.''

''I'm actually glad you weren't there."

''Because you looked like a drowned rat?'' She joked.

Maya threw her an unamused look that was answered with a smirk. "Because I would have felt really guilty having you sit in the rain," she said honestly, shyly spinning the ring on her pinkie around.

Brooklyn's eyes softened. ''I would have brought an umbrel–''

The car shook heavily, throwing the two girls around in their seats. Brooklyn threw the steering wheel to the left while Maya snapped her head to look outside, fearing a flat tire or a dead grandma, her heart pounding in her chest.

But all she found was a sidewalk. A sidewalk with a suspiciously high curb.

A knowing smile overtook her face. She turned back to Brooklyn. ''Was that one of those curbs you told me about?''

''Shut up.'' The girl laughed wholeheartedly, and Maya joined her after a moment. Poor Harry would be better off buying a cheap car in the future. And learning to swap a tire if he didn't already. ''Why didn't they cancel the game if it was so bad?''

''No idea. I think because the other school traveled pretty far.'' Maya shrugged. "To be honest, it was kinda fun."

"I bet."

"Until the mud got in my mouth."

"Ew!" Brooklyn shrieked, disgust in her eyes. She even glanced at Maya's face to ensure it wasn't a joke, but it wasn't. Maya really had to spit mud at some point. "I'll stay with indoor sports, I think."

"That's a shame," Maya started, somewhat timidly again. "I wanted to ask if you'd come with me to a soccer game next month. NYC kinda sucks, but it's nice to taste the atmosphere every now and then," she joked, trying to ease her slight nerves.

"Taste the atmosphere?" Brooklyn repeated, chuckling as she took a left turn. But her expression visibly softened and the amusement faded into honest joy. "But yeah, I definitely want to come with you. It sounds like a load of fun."

Relieved, Maya took a deep breath and smiled. "I got three tickets," she admitted, fiddling with her bracelet. "Thought your dad would like to come along."

Awed, Brooklyn took the opportunity of being stuck at a red light and turned to look at Maya, blue eyes wide. Her head slowly shook left and right. "Maya..." She breathed, a small smile of wonder on her lips. "You're so thoughtful. He would love that. Thank you. You're amazing."

Heat crawled from Maya's neck up to her face, wrapping around her ears until her own pulse rushed through her head. She tried subtly shaking her hair in front of her cheeks to hide, unequipped to deal with the intense compliments thrown her way. But it failed miserably when Brooklyn took a hand off the wheel and pushed her red curls over her shoulder.

Maya's breath got stuck in her throat, her heart hammering as she let it happen. The tips of Brooklyn's fingers brushed over the side of her neck, leaving tingles behind that traveled through her whole body. Maya had to suppress a shiver.

"Don't hide." Brooklyn chuckled softly. "If I had known calling you amazing would get you this flustered..."

Maya glared at her through the tomato-colored flustered embarrassment. "Please keep both hands on the wheel."

"I can drive!" Brooklyn exclaimed with a laugh, yet returned her hand anyway. The car behind them honked, and they realized they'd been too caught up in each other to see the light turn green. Maya subtly shook her head to try and snap out of her state.