Complicated People, Complicated Love

Window Talks

      "Nice," Riley says smiling. "What did you do?" She puts her chin in her hand, listening intently.

     "I, uh, mostly stayed in, watching tv and stuff, enjoying the house being parent-free." Maya, still looking away, puts her hand on her mouth, covering her laugh.

     "Your parents were gone, that's awesome! I always have my little brother to take care of when my parents are gone so it's not super fun. So you didn't have anyone over at all? I probably would've had every one if my friends over," she laughs as she finishes.

      I laugh trying not to be awkward. "Um, nope. No one over. I like my down time," I don't look at Maya this time, trying to play it cool.

      Farkle comes back with waters and Riley asks him what he did that weekend. Maya looks at me with eyes that say 'thank you', I stick my tongue at her and go back to my work.

      At almost six, we walk out and towards the cross section where we all part ways.

     "Really! I swear it could fit in my hand!" Riley says telling us about baby chicks at the fair she went to over break. She links her arm around Maya's and I'm sure I see Maya flinch. I look at her as she walks away, and I think she's gritting her teeth, not in anger, but more like, pain I guess. I don't take my eyes off of her as we walk, but she's back to normal. I want to think that I imagined it but I'm not sure.

     At the cross section, Farkle heads one way, me another, and Riley and Maya head in another together.

     When I get home dinner is already done and my parent are about to call me.

     "Perfect timing," my dad says and sits down at the table. I do the same and my mother puts our plates in front of us.

     "Thanks mom," I say digging my fork into my chicken and rice.

      My mom sits down smiling and does the same. About half way through the meal, my mom starts asking questions. "So honey, I noticed that there were a lot of dishes in the dishwasher, did you have people over?" I try not to look guilty when I answer.

      "Yes actually," I say thinking of where I'm going with this. "Um, my friend Maya, you know Maya. She came over a couple days ago and we played video games for a bit," I say casually. Nailed it.

      "Maya? She's the blond one right?" I nod. My mom looks at my dad and then back at me. "How long was she over, sweetie?"

      "Not long, a few hours maybe, her dad's in town and she wanted to get away from him for a bit so I let her hang here until she was ready to go home." That's not a complete lie.

       "That's sweet dear." My mom says. I smile. "She's very pretty isn't she?" My mom asks smiling. I freeze, my fork in my mouth.

     "Um, yeah," I say, slowly chewing. My dad and mom are both smiling at me. "What?" I say defensively.

     "Nothing," they say going back to their meals. I look at them questioningly but they don't seem to mind.

     After dinner I go to my room and lay in my bed. I get a whiff of my pillow that still smells like Maya, and smile. Then I realize that's kind of creepy and get up again. I don't know what to do, I sit down in my chair and spin around, bored.

      Then I think about Maya, how she flinched when Riley touched her. Was that pain I saw or am I just being paranoid? I look at my clock, 7:30.

     I don't think about it, just grab my hoodie and go.

     I'm at her window in no less than fifteen minutes. I see her on her bed, sitting up with her back to me, she's drawing I think. A soft, dim light barely illuminating the beige room, making her blonde hair seem lighter as it flows down her back in long waves. I lightly tap my fingertips on her window. She starts and turns her head. She gets up when she sees me, throwing the sketchbook on her rickety bed.

      She opens the window and I smile. "Hey short stack," I say.

      "Hey HeeHaw," she says trying to hide a smile. "What are you doing here?" She asks, leaning her elbows on the bottom window frame.

      "Just checking up on you," I say. She looks down. "So are you ok? Today after the bakery when Riley touched you, it looked like you were-"

    "I'm fine," she interrupts. "You didn't have to come here," she looks almost mad, ready to end the conversation.

      "I just wanted to see if you were ok," I say softly, a little taken aback by her attitude.

      "I said I'm fine," she snaps.

      "I heard," I snap back, getting a bit angry myself.

      "Then you can go," she says. Standing up straight.

      "What's wrong with you? It's not like I came here to decapitate you!"

     "That's a better reason than why you did! You can't just show up at someone's window, especially when you hardly have an excuse!" She's grasping at straws now. She's mad about my question, not that I'm here. I saw her smile as she opened the window for me. That smile isn't something you can easily forget.

     "Well excuse me for caring about you!" I yell. I get up and storm down the fire escape, not giving her any time to respond. I hear an angry huff and then the sound of Maya slamming her window. What's wrong with her!? I was only trying to be a good friend!

      "Lucas?" Hope flutters in my chest. I turn around and look up. I see Riley's head popping out of the window above Maya's. I should have known. Maya isn't the kind of person to reach out after a fight. She stews.

     "Oh, hey Riley," I say trying to be polite.

     "What are you doing here? Was that you yelling? I thought it was Maya."

     "No that was Maya, I was giving her Farkle's English notes and she got upset for some reason," I know Riley has a little crush on me and I don't want to hurt her feelings by telling her that I've become close with her best friend. Not that there's any reason for her to be jealous.

      "Yeah, she can be weird like that sometimes. I'm sure it has something to do with her dad being in town. She's not thrilled about it and it's been pretty hard in her." Riley looks at her hands. I'm not the only one worried about Maya. If she won't talk to me, at least she has Riley.

     "Wait," I say, "didn't her dad leave a couple weeks ago?" I feel bad for Maya but I'm also mad at her stupid little outburst.

       "He did, but he came back yesterday, you didn't hear?" I look below Riley, back at the dim window that Maya is hiding behind. Why didn't Maya tell me?

     "No, I didn't. Sorry, Riley I gotta get home, see you tomorrow," I wave at her and run home. My anger quickly turning to something else.