Wherever it takes us.

How do we deal with conflict?

Step one, do not argue with Maya, some may deem it a death wish.

"Maya-"

"Jason." 

My voice that called out to her spoke in a tone of weariness and anxiety, while my hands sprawled out nervously, desperate to get my point across, but the finality behind those words held no room for debate.

'Time to face the music, Jason.' CX spoke, while my wounded body squirmed slightly, as Maya approached me slowly 

'What if I don't like the song?'

'Better, you change your tune.'

"Good evening, Jason." 

Even though it was a greeting, I knew this was simply a formality.

She stood a few feet away from me, while my eyes dragged reluctantly to her presence, convincing myself to take her in.

Her white night dress draped across her body once more, as she stood with her back straight, eyes almost boring holes into the back of my head. Her arms folded in, as she held her stance, brown orbs firmer than the norm; while the flock of beautiful brown hair hung precariously off her precious features.

'Of course, she looks stunning after our sparring session, while I'm stuck licking my wounds in bed...I shouldn't be surprised at this point.'

"Evening Maya." I choked out, my throat constricting by reflex, almost in response to the thick tension flowing in the air, formulating as we spoke. "How are you?" 

To say the awkward silence that followed up afterward was not painful, would be a horrendous lie. 

Her shoulders began to quiver slightly, as those brown orbs stared straight at mine, her eyes which once never shied away from expressing how they felt, for once were hesitant.

Such a foreign emotion flowed behind those gateways. 

'Have I not seen this look before?' I pondered slightly, as memories of the sparing session fled across the floors of my mind.

"...You could have told me, Jason."  

She lowered her head slightly, her sights on the wooden patterns carved on the floor, as she spoke. 

My anxiety was always present, as I listened with intent, my brows quirking upwards in confusion. 

'What is happening right now?' A rhetorical question is seemingly my only response now.

 'I have never heard Maya speak this softly, except that once-'

"I am so sorry!" 

Her tone would have knocked me clean off my feet if I was up, while my head turned so quickly I could have gotten whiplash.

"Maya, what are you on about?" My voice was hoarse, while my lips threaded my words full of uncertainty, simply because something was wrong.

This was not Maya.

She stopped altogether for a moment before gesturing towards the spot next to me, her fingers asking an unspoken question,

I nodded, as I shifted towards my right to make room, the answer was more than obvious, as she lowered herself onto the space next to me, wordlessly. 

'Is she alright, Jason?' CX questioned, his voice full of concern as I turned my sights to watch the girl once more.

The distance between us minuscule as she sat next to me, sweat seemed to drip off her forehead, and her skin looked paler than usual pair that with the glaring lack of directness I had gotten accustomed to from her, it almost felt like I was talking to a different person entirely.