Love In Destin ✔

29 - making the bed

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𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒂

~━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

THE HURRICANE OF emotions I experienced yesterday wrecked my feelings so much that I forgot to ask Rick for his number. How could I, when it came to my attention that I have feelings for the same guy whose advances I rejected? How do I even go from here? Do I tell him, or do I keep my feelings to myself? The real question here is if Rick himself still likes me.

My phone buzzes with a message from the school web announcing the breakup of a popular couple at our rival high school, Rydell High.

Lana was a sweetheart and somehow got me onto the school web, which I found out was created by the students, meaning the teachers have no clue it exists. No wonder the web also consists of gossip related to students of this school and our rival schools. How people even know about drama happening at other schools is beyond me.

The class chatter gets louder as someone hands out the school newspaper, which mentions football scouts coming to the school next week, upcoming clubs, and fundraisers. Despite the newspaper's content exciting the class, my heart still feels hollow as I stare at Rick's empty seat beside me.

I wonder whether he's doing well, and I giggle, remembering our conversation after our time at the beach. When I draw out of my musings, people stare at me like I'm out of it, and I clear my throat.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𓆝 𓆟

After an eventful day at school, I hurry to the girls' locker room to get dressed for soccer practice. Two girls walk past me in a conversation. The room is already empty, as I'm running late from missing my last class and needing to ask a question about something I didn't understand.

Once I'm changed into my green and yellow uniform, representing the colors of West Bridge High, I tie my hair into a ponytail, but when I bend down to tie my shoelaces, voices sound from the entrance. It's the high-pitched tone of a girl and a boy's low, gruff voice mingling with a singsong giggle I've come to know too well. Dawn?

Stepping away from my locker, I tread lightly toward the entrance, where I hide my body behind a locker. When I poke my head to get a view, it's to find the same mahogany-skinned guy Dawn spoke to at the school's first football game, Damon. He's leaning his athletic body by the door frame with one hand holding Dawn's as she bounces on her heels. The guy's large hand envelops Dawn's slender one as he squeezes it while they laugh about something together.

Dawn seems to really like this boy, so why hasn't she mentioned him to the group? Is there a reason she's keeping him a—I scream, jumping from my hiding place as I search my arm for the ferocious insect. When I find nothing, I breathe in relief, knowing that the feeling of something crawling up my arm is probably in my head.

The distraction disperses, and I understand from the separated hands of Dawn and her supposed lover. My breath hitches, and I try to swallow the awkwardness away with a gulp. I'm about to utter something, but Dawn beats me to it, "Maya," she breathes, a sheepish smile on her face. She glances at the guy and then settles her eyes back on me. "This is umm...,"

"Hi," Damon smiles at the guy, giving me a small wave as he clears his throat. "I'm Damon,"

"I'm Maya. Are the two of you...dating?"

They both answer simultaneously, Dawn blurting a 'no' and Damon a questionable 'yes' with a mask of confusion evident on his face. "No?" he says, staring at Dawn as if she possesses the better response.