matchmaking for experts || h.s au

fifteen

Laura narrows her eyes at Grace, "Grace."

Grace snaps out of her reverie and turns to Laura, "Hmm?"

"Are you sleeping with someone?"

Now that's a question Maia wanted to ask but didn't dare to do it. Whilst she considers Grace a close friend of hers, they don't really talk about their love life. All that Maia knows is that Grace has always been single. She does go on dates here and there, dating casually, and that's about it. She's never dated anyone exclusively although she did once mention that she had an ex-boyfriend whom she dated for a couple of years before they broke up. And since Maia has always been tight-lipped about her own love life, she figures it's only fair if she doesn't question Grace about it too. But now that the question is out in the open, Maia's curiosity is piqued.

Grace's eyes widen. "What? How'd you— Why would you ask that?"

Laura shrugs as she continues to study Grace. "I don't know. Feels like you're talking from experience."

"No," Grace answers quickly, shaking her head. "I was just... curious."

Maia wouldn't say that she's the best at reading people, but she's spent countless hours with Grace so she likes to think that she would at least know it when her friend isn't telling the truth. And right now she isn't.

The way she keeps avoiding the girls' eyes is a dead giveaway because Grace isn't someone who usually shies away from eye contact, but before anyone could point it out or before anyone could say anything to her, Grace excuses herself and leaves their office to go to the kitchen.

As soon as she's out of their sight and hearing, Laura turns to Maia and Chelsea, frowning. "I'm not the only one who didn't buy that, right?"

Both Maia and Chelsea shake their heads. They know one another well enough to know when the other is keeping something, which Maia thinks is both a good and bad thing — depending on how you decide to perceive it.

"It sounded like she's hiding something," Maia says.

Laura nods. "Exactly."

"Maybe she'll talk about it when she's ready," Chelsea adds.

"Yeah, you're right," Laura agrees. Before she returns to her desk, she says, "But that doesn't mean I won't try to find out what's that about."

If there's anyone that could find out the truth, it'd be Laura so Maia figures it's best to leave that to her friend. She has no doubt that Laura will report back what she finds out — if she manages to get something out from Grace who Maia considers is a mystery.

Once the girls return to their desk, Maia looks around the office and finds that Harry still hasn't returned to his. He went upstairs about twenty minutes ago, claiming that he had to talk to Joanna. It sounded urgent and serious, but Maia didn't get to question him about it.

Maia wonders if it has something to do with Luca and Sofia's wedding. Maybe he wanted to finally return his RSVP. Maia found out last night that he didn't plan on showing up, but upon finding out that Maia will be going to the wedding alone, he changed it from 'regretfully declines' to 'happily accepts'.

Or it has something to do with his job interview with Tariq Devine earlier this week. Each time Maia tries to bring up the topic, tries to find out how it really went, he'd shut it down or change the topic. Maia didn't want to push so she let him. He'll talk about it when he wants to, she considers, but it alarms her how he's being secretive about it. It's like he has something to hide.

Before more questions could form in her mind and doubt could seep into her, her phone buzzes with a new text message.

Harry Styles: Brainstorming room.