Then and Now

CHAPTER 4

#Theos

My friends and I watch Anya's boyfriend's concert. Dean and I have only met a few times, but he left a good impression on me. He's seemingly a very passionate musician, and he kind of reminds me of Maya.

Maya was a dreamer. She loved music so much, and dreamed of becoming a performer not really for the fame, but more for the love of it. I wonder if she's still pursuing that dream. She was really good so I hope she still is.

The concert's going great, but I get tired of the noise and the over-the-top energy of the crowd in the middle, so I leave to catch some fresh air.

I'm getting myself a cold drink from a vending machine when a girl catches my eyes. I can only see her back. She's wearing sneakers, jeans and a hoodie. Her long wavy hair is loose over her shoulders; and they remind me of Maya's hair.

Yeah right, Theos. Everything reminds you of Maya lately. It's really crazy how vividly I still remember Maya. But as they say, the first cut's the deepest. Cheezy but kind of true. I learned that from experience.

The girl seems to be reading something written on the wall, hesitates for a few seconds, but eventually decides to climb up the stairs. Since she's not blocking the warning sign on the wall anymore, I finally get to see what she's been reading.

A lazy smile curls at my lips. The warning sign clearly prohibits people from going up the roof deck, but that girl's obviously a rebel. Out of curiosity, I follow her to the roof deck, and find her there, a feminine silhouette against the city lights beyond, her hair dancing along with the night breeze.

Sipping from my canned drink: "Such a nice view, isn't it?" I walk over to her, careful to leave a two-meter space between us so she doesn't panic or think I'm here for other reasons, like wanting to assault her or something, instead of just wanting to talk to her.

Her body does a slight jerk in surprise as she turns her head to me. It's dim, but the full silver moonlight's enough for me to recognize her.

The goth girl! Naya Grace?!

"Y-you!" she gasps.

"Yeah. Me," I say, stunned. "Theos."

"I know," she snaps when she finally recovers, her eyes quickly shifting from shock to disgust. "Theos Aleksander de Rivera. Twenty-two years old. Son of a famous author, which you never really told us about before. We only got to find out when we saw your face in a magazine a year ago."

That confirms my thoughts about her identity. "So, you're really Naya Grace, huh?"

She lets out a sarcastic laugh. "I'm surprised you still remember my full name."

"Of course, Naya Grace. I was just a bit taken aback when I ran into you back at Uni so..." I place my drink on the flat top of the railing, fighting the urge to ask about Maya.

Is Maya here with Naya Grace? My heart starts pounding at the possibility. Excited, nervous, afraid. Afraid she's still mad at me for what I did years ago. That she hates me, like that scorching emotion I see in Naya Grace's eyes right now. Although I expect nothing less.

"How have you been?" How's Maya? Where is she? Is she here with you?

"What do you even care?" Naya Grace mocks, grabbing her canned drink from the railing and gulps it down. "Don't act like we're friends or something."

"You hate me."

"Does that even surprise you? Were you expecting me to show some love after what you did to my sister?" she scoffs. "Why the heck am I even talking to you right now, to be honest. You should be shocked I'm still acknowledging your existence."