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Trying her best to sneak past Aiden putting away groceries in the kitchen, Maia gently shut the door and shuffled her way towards her room.
Unfortunately, her best friend had a 6th sense about that sort of stuff, (or just really good hearing) and popped out his AirPods as soon as he heard her come in.
"Oh hey Maia!" Aiden exclaimed, turning to put napkins away above the refrigerator. "I got a message from that basketball player, y'know, the one from Spain, and-
Unable to conceal the tears that spilled from her eyes any longer, a sniffle escaped from Maia, and Aiden immediately spun towards her.
"What the fuck!" He practically yelled, frowning at the way Maia flinched at his outburst. "God, I'm so sorry...what did that fucker do this time?"
Given Maia's current state, Aiden knew that she was in no state of mind to form a coherent response.
Instead, he just embraced her in a hug, as he had done many times before, while also trying his best not to make a very angry call to a certain individual.
_____
"HE DID WHAT?"
It was the next day, and Maia had significantly calmed down, especially after having a night to think things over.
She would've called Hasan, but, as per usual, he was fucking streaming.
"I know you damn heard me right." Maia sighed, scrolling through the hundreds of shows on Netflix. "He didn't tell me anything bout when he'd put me back on starting lineup either!"
"What the hell," Aiden mumbled, rubbing his face with his hands as he paced around the living room.
There was a few moments of silence as he thought, before stopping dead in his tracks and staring at Maia.
"What?" She asked, tearing her eyes away from the tv screen.
"Remember what I said, about the one guy from Spain?"
"Yeah, he was that basketball player we met back in college, why?"
"Well, obviously we'd have to talk things over...and this isn't super realistic,"Aiden ranted.
"Aiden...Just say it."
"He offered you a contract...to go play in Spain."
——
"Spain?" Hasan mumbled with a mouth full of toothpaste.
Maia had just finished her rundown of the situation to him over FaceTime, as the man causally went about his nightly routine.
Specifically his reaction to the news about Vince...well, let's just say it had made him visibly upset.
It was a sight Maia was glad she wouldn't have to see on a regular basis.
"I know, I know." Maia said, stirring the pan of fried rice on the stove.
It was a family recipe that had she had picked from the recipe book her father had given her for her birthday.
It reminded Maia to make a mental note about calling him sometime soon.
"Aiden also said the guy only gave me about a week to respond."
"The guy?" Hasan laughed. "Haven't you known him for like 6 years?"
"Not consistently!" She retorted, remembering the numerous hours the trio had spent in college, sharing drinks and listening to him tell stories from Spain.
A few of which Maia could recall to this day. Though, apparently, his name was not as important.
"Anyways, I still wanna run the logistics of it all, but-
'Hey Hasan, you finished packing yet?" A voice called from the background.
"Shit," Hasan mumbled, taking his phone with him as he jogged to his closet.
"Almost!"
"What's that about?" Maia asked, knowing damn well he never mentioned a trip of any sorts to her.
"It was a last minute thing," Hasan explained as he pulled a suitcase down from a shelf. "Im going to the UK to visit a few friends-
"The United Kingdom??"
"...yes?"
"And you didn't think to ask me first?"
"Ask you first?" Hasan exclaimed, grabbing his phone from its spot on the ground. "You just told me you're moving to Spain!"
"I never said I was actually going!"
At this point, Maia was fuming. Sure, it wasn't that big of a deal that he was traveling .
But a little communication would be nice, though it was obviously something he seemed to lack.
In a heat of anger, Maia hung up the call, not wanting to completely blow up on Hasan.
Shutting off the burner, she angrily poured herself a bowl of fried rice, staring out the window at the LA landscape, thinking of anything to distract herself.
Though, Maia's train of thought was interrupted as the faint sound of a conversation traveled through the hall.
"You can't just keep treating her like shit because of something that happened 6 fucking years ago!"
"..."
"No, Im not gonna fucking tell tell her!"
"..."
"Jesus Christ, Vince-
The phone that had been previously wedged in between Aiden's ear and shoulder clattered to the floor.
The muffled voice of Vince became white noise to the intense stare the two best friends held, as Aiden stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
Not a word was spoken between the two.
Just the intertwining silence building the tension in the room, and Maia deciding once and for all that she was so fucking done with secrets.
