Maya (Book #3)

Chapter 51

I was sprawled on my bed a few days later, texting Asher as I did almost daily. I tried to keep it confined to when I was alone because the boys always asked who I was texting when they saw me. If I answered dishonestly, they could normally tell and would try to steal my phone from me. If I answered honestly, they would analyze my facial expressions and mock them, particularly when I blushed or smiled. It was agonizing.

Luckily, in the privacy of my room, I could be myself. I laughed out loud at a picture he sent with a hilarious caption and sent one back immediately, before texting that I wished I could see him. He wrote back saying he wished he could see me too. I sent a funny text to lighten the mood, but he didn't reply soon enough, so I gave up. I sighed and shoved my phone into my back pocket, heading downstairs.

Unfortunately, school was back in session for the year, and we had run out of absent days that we could request off. Charlotte had a meeting with the school to explain my situation and they generously offered an alternative, which meant I was now doing online schooling on my own time. It was actually a lot easier than attending real school, but it meant that I didn't get to see most of my brothers for the majority of the day.

Dominic was around but he was also taking online classes. When I went into his room or the living room to bother him, he would ask me how school was going and push me to get back to work. Sometimes Charlotte would interrupt bringing me a snack or chatting with me which was sweet, but I was still hating being alone after just a couple of days.

Fortunately for me, I still had the amazing Anders house to take advantage of. Since I finished my work early today and hadn't received any more assignments, I decided to head out to the pool. It was still somewhat cold outside, but the pool was heated, and the sun was shining, so I was willing to give it a try.

I wrapped up in my towel and ignored the chilliness in the air as I walked to the lounge chairs across the cold pavement. I was right about the sun; despite the air being crisp, the sun was beaming down and warmed my skin quickly. I threw my hair up in a bun once I got there and jumped in the water after checking my phone for a reply.

The pool was warm, and the water felt amazing. I swam laps to enjoy the feeling of my muscles moving and strengthening until my arms grew tired. After that, I floated on my back lazily and enjoyed the sunlight on my skin and the coolness on my back. I loved the feeling of weightlessness that the pool provided. I could feel my shoulder muscles loosening up and my jaw relaxing as I drifted around the pool.

That was something you weren't told about anxiety. The physical symptoms that manifested were often just as damaging to you as the mental ones, but less publicized.

I breathed in deeply and tried to let my mind drift to lighter topics for once and take a break from memory-digging and over-analyzing. I thought about my friends and how lucky I was to have them, and then Asher and how amazing he was. He was kind and understanding of my absurd situation. He was patient and handsome. He was remarkable.

A loud voice startled me from my reverie, and I splashed as I struggled to get back into a treading position. I looked up to see Dominic in a T-shirt and shorts, lying back on my pool chair. One arm was stretched behind his head, and the other shaded his eyes from the sun as he smirked at me.

"Daydreaming about Asher?" Dominic asked, baiting me. It appeared I wasn't the only one who was bored today.

"No!" I spluttered, trying to calm my heart down after the scare. I swam up to the edge of the pool and rested on the cold stones as my breathing became normal again. The water lapped against my sides as it struggled to regain its calm, too.

"Sure," he answered, closing his eyes, and leaning his face up to feel the sun. He licked his lips and his eyelids fluttered as he started to relax.

"Did you finish for the day?" I asked, excited that I would finally have some company.