I'll be your mirror (wlw, teacherxstudent)

chapter 21

Alicia's pov:

"And who's Rajiv?" I ask, turning towards the curb where Maya is. The phone inching closer to the edge of the dashboard as I speed.

"Nobody." I hear Maya whisper with a sniff. Definitely not a nobody. But I won't push.

"Where are you?" She asks.

"Just a minute, honey. I'm coming."

I see Maya in front of a shop with her hands hugging herself. Still didn't bring a jacket... I park the car in front of her and get the jacket I picked up.

She run-walks towards me, meeting me halfway.

"Hey," I say and she smashes into me for a hug. "Oh― it's okay, you're okay." I say wrapping my arms around her.

Getting aware of the surroundings, I whisper, "Let's go in the car, yeah?" Be careful.

She holds my waist tighter shaking her head.

I slightly pull away from her, just enough to look at her as I cup her cheeks. "I'll give you all the hugs once we get home." I whisper. "Hmm?"

Maya nods and I wipe her tears before she says, "Yes. I'm sorry. This is so pathetic, I'm crying in the middle of the street."

"Don't say that. It's okay to cry. Your emotions are never pathetic. I just don't want people to recognise us, that's why I'm rushing. You can never be pathetic, Maya. You have nothing to apologise for."

She shrugs her shoulders, looking down.

I hold her chin making her look up in my eyes and with a raise of my eyebrows ask, "Do you want me to make you understand?"

Maya softly chuckles and rubs her eye as says, "Well, that wouldn't be so bad now, would it?"

There she is.

"Definitely not." I smile leaning down to her lips, capturing them in mine for a quick kiss. The taste of salt lingers over them, almost tasting like our first kiss.

Maya holds my hand as she follows me. I open the passenger door for her and lean down to give her another kiss before getting in the driver's.

"Ready?"

"Yes." She says. "Should we go to my kaka kaku's? No one's there."

I nod and, say "Okay...You should've called me earlier though, when it was starting, I would've been here way before."

"I didn't want to worry you."

"You were having a panic attack... Were you going to be alone if I didn't call? What if it got worse? Don't overthink when it comes to me. Nothing else is more important to me."

She smiles and then looks outside saying, "That's sweet but I could've handled it."

"I know you could've. You already do. But would having one more person be so bad?" I say and she searches my eyes for a second.

Squeezing my hand, she says, "I guess not. I'll call you if this happens again."

I smile and say, "Thank you."

"Thank you." Maya replies with a laugh.

The rest of the drive was in comfortable silence, just her caressing my fingers as I drive towards her house.

"I have to make a call. You go in." I say, patting her back. "I'll be there in a second."

Maya turns the key to the door as she speaks, "Come in... I'll go upstairs if you want privacy. Don't stay out though."