Someone Older

chapter 20

It had been a week since I made contact with Mavreck or any of his friends. And as expected, neither did they with me.

I was lying in my bed with my headphones on. Listening "Play with Fire" by Nico Santos.

This is what you get when you fall in love.

After some time I got up from the bed, grabbed my jacket, and headed out for a walk, hoping fresh air would clear my mind. As I strolled down the quiet street, I spotted Maverick.

My heart skipped a beat.

But he wasn’t alone. A woman stood beside him, laughing, her hand brushing his arm. They seemed close—too close. I stopped, my breath catching, and slowly pulled my earphones out, the world around me fading as I watched them.

I knew I shouldn’t care, but the sight of them together twisted something deep inside me.

Had he already moved on?

It was too fast.

Too painful.

I stood frozen for a moment, watching them from across the street, my heart racing uncontrollably. Maverick looked relaxed, his posture casual, and his attention fully on her. She laughed again, and a knot tightened in my chest.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. It had only been a week—how could he be here with her, so soon?

A part of me told myself to leave, to walk away before he noticed me. But I was rooted to the spot, unable to stop the wave of hurt and anger from rising inside me. The sting of betrayal felt overwhelming.

Maverick finally glanced up, and our eyes met. His smile faltered, his expression shifting from surprise to something I couldn’t quite read. The woman said something to him, but he didn’t respond. His gaze stayed locked on mine.

For a second, it felt like the world had stopped, holding its breath. What was I supposed to do? Walk over and confront him? Demand an explanation?

No. I couldn’t do that. Not here. Not like this.

Before I could decide, I turned on my heel, my heart pounding as I started to walk away. Each step felt heavier than the last, a mixture of pain and frustration weighing me down. I had just managed a few steps when I heard Maverick call out, “Raven, wait!”

I didn’t stop, but I heard his footsteps growing louder behind me. “Raven!” he said again, desperation in his voice. I turned to look at him, but my resolve was already crumbling.

“Why should I?” I snapped, my voice cracking with emotion. “Why should I wait? You’ve made it clear that I don’t matter to you.”

He was close now, his face a mixture of frustration and something softer—something I didn’t want to see. “It’s not what you think,” he said, his voice urgent.

“Not what I think?” I said, raising my voice. “You’re with someone else, and it hasn’t even been a week since you pushed me away. So, what am I supposed to think?”

He took a step closer, his eyes searching mine. “She’s just a friend. I didn’t mean for you to see this. I’ve been trying to sort things out. I never stopped thinking about you.”

“You should have told me that,” I shot back, tears welling up in my eyes. “Instead, you shut me out and now you’re with someone else.”

He closed the distance between us, his frustration evident. “Raven, I know I messed up. I didn’t know how to handle it. But I’m trying now.”