Mother

Chapter 28

Halfway through the evening, just as we were finishing dessert. I left for the bathroom.

After using the restroom, I washed my hands and made my way back to our room, but something caught my eye. Across the hallway, Ivan was leaving the restroom, holding a little boy's hand. I hadn't expected to see him here. I stood frozen for a moment, watching as Ivan led the little boy, his younger brother, maybe? From the restroom stall, A flicker of recognition passed between us. 

Ivan's eyes landed on me just as he was about to turn the corner, and for the briefest second, his guarded expression faltered. He recognized me too. The little boy tugged on Ivan's hand, pulling him toward the corner, but Ivan's gaze stayed locked on mine. He didn't look away, and neither did I. There was something in his eyes, a vulnerability I hadn't seen in class. Out here, in this unfamiliar setting, he wasn't the silent, withdrawn student staring at a blank canvas. He looked... younger. More exposed.

I raised my hand slightly, not really sure what I was doing, maybe acknowledging him, or just signaling that it was okay that we'd crossed paths outside of school. Ivan's brow furrowed, like he wasn't sure whether to nod or just walk away. After a moment, he gave me a small nod, barely noticeable, his lips pressing together in a tight line, before the little boy tugged again. Ivan broke the connection, disappearing around the corner.

I walked back to our room, the noise of the restaurant fading around me as I processed the encounter. There was so much I didn't know about Ivan, Both him and Julio. But that brief moment felt like a crack in the wall I'd been sensing all day. He wasn't unreachable, not entirely.

"Ayla?" Reachel's voice came again, pulling me back for the second time. 

"You alright? You've been gone a while."I blinked, shaking off the lingering thoughts as I turned back toward our table.

 "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, forcing another smile. "Just ran into someone from school, that's all."Lila looked up as I slid back into my seat. 

"Everything okay?"I hesitated, my thoughts still on Ivan. "Yeah, just a student. It's strange, you know? Seeing them outside of class."

Reachel gave me a teasing grin. "Well, you've officially crossed into teacher territory if you're running into students in the wild."I chuckled, but the weight of the encounter still lingered at the back of my mind. 

"Yeah, something like that," I muttered, absently picking up my water glass. "He just seemed... different."

Lila tilted her head. "Different how?"

I sighed, trying to put it into words. "He's usually so quiet, you know? Like he's carrying the weight of the world, but seeing him just now... he seemed more strange. I guess. More like a stressed kid."

Reachel leaned forward, intrigued. "Maybe there's more to these kids than meets the eye. You've only known them for two days. Who knows what they're dealing with?"

"Exactly," I agreed softly, my mind still replaying the way Ivan had looked at me, that brief, almost pleading glance.

 "I think there's a lot more going on than they're letting on."Lila smiled sympathetically. "You've got good instincts, Ayla. You'll figure them out."

"Yeah," I said, glancing down at my hands. "I hope so."

Reachel clapped her hands together, breaking the somber mood. "Well, you can psychoanalyze your students tomorrow. Tonight is for us. Let's get another round before we call it a night!"

I smiled, grateful for the distraction, and let myself get pulled back into the rhythm of the evening. But as we ordered another round and continued talking, a part of me couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter with Ivan was just the beginning of something bigger. Something I want to understand. 

Tomorrow, I'd be back in the classroom, and when I saw Ivan again, I knew I'd have more questions than ever. As the evening wound down, the laughter and conversation between us began to fade, replaced by the comfortable quiet that came after a good meal. The waiter dropped off the check, and after some playful arguing over who would cover it, Reachel and Lila insisted they'd take care of it, as promised.

"You're not getting out of this one, Ayla," Reachel said, grinning as she handed over her card. "We said dinner's on us, and we meant it."I smiled, grateful but still a little embarrassed. 

"Fine, but next time, it's my treat."

"Deal," Lila said, sliding her chair back as she stood. "You ready to head out?"I nodded, reaching for my bag and stretching my legs. "Yeah, it's getting late."

As we stepped outside, the cool night air washed over us, the quiet hum of the city settling in. We walked down the street together, the conversation light but lingering. The evening had been good, better than I expected, and I felt more at ease, though the encounter with Ivan still tugged at the back of my mind.

When we reached the parking lot, Reachel clicked her keys, and her car beeped in the distance. "You want a ride home, Ayla?" she offered, glancing at me with an easy smile. "It's on the way. No point in you taking the bus this late."

Lila nodded in agreement. "Yeah, come with us. It's dark, and we don't mind at all."

I hesitated, my pulse quickening. They didn't know where I lived yet. It wasn't that I was ashamed, but... well, maybe I was, a little. My neighborhood wasn't the kind of place Reachel and Lila were used to. Judging by their car, they probably lived in the nicer parts of L.A., places with well-kept lawns and bright streetlights. 

Meanwhile, my apartment building was in a run-down part of the city, where the streetlights flickered more often than not, and the sidewalks were cracked and broken. It wasn't dangerous, just... different. And I wasn't sure how they'd react if they saw where I lived.I forced a smile, shaking my head. "Thanks, but I'm good. I don't mind the bus. It gives me time to unwind."

Reachel raised an eyebrow, looking unconvinced. "You sure? It's no trouble, Ayla. We're already heading that way."

"Yeah, we really don't mind," Lila chimed in, her soft voice full of concern. My heart tugged at their kindness, but I couldn't let them see. Not yet. Maybe not ever. 

"I appreciate it, really, but I like the quiet of the ride. It's kind of my routine now." They both looked at me for a moment, and I could tell they weren't entirely convinced, but neither of them pushed the issue. Reachel sighed dramatically, throwing her hands up. 

"Alright, fine. But don't get mad when we start offering every time we hang out."I laughed, though it didn't quite reach my eyes. "Deal."

Lila gave me a gentle smile, her hand resting briefly on my arm. "Text us when you get home, okay?"

"Will do." With that, we exchanged quick goodbyes, and I watched as they climbed into Reachel's car and drove off, the headlights cutting through the darkness. I stood there for a moment, letting the cool night air wash over me, before I turned and made my way to the bus stop down the street. The streets were quiet, the occasional distant hum of  passing cars was the only sound.

 I pulled my sweater tighter around me as I walked, the conversation with Reachel and Lila echoing in my mind. They meant well, and I appreciated their offer. But there was a part of me that didn't want them to see the full picture yet, the part of my life that was far less put together than the version I let them see.

When I finally reached the bus stop, I stood under the streetlights, the light above me flickering. I stared out at the empty road, waiting for the bus, my thoughts wandering back to Ivan and the way he'd looked at me earlier. Just like me, he had his walls, his secrets, and he probably wasn't ready to let anyone in yet. 

As the bus pulled up with a low rumble, I boarded quietly, taking my usual seat by the window. The ride home was uneventful, the streets passing by in a blur of shadows and neon signs. When the bus finally reached my stop, I stepped off into the familiar quiet of my neighborhood, the distant hum of the city fading behind me.

I made my way up the cracked sidewalk to my building, the heavy front door creaking  as I pulled it open. As I climbed the stairs to my apartment, I pulled out my phone, typing out a quick message to Reachel and Lila.

Ayla: "Home safe. Thanks for tonight."I hit send, then slipped my phone back into my pocket. 

As I unlocked the door to my apartment and stepped inside, the weight of the day settled back over me. But despite everything, I felt a little lighter.