Love on Trial

Chapter 23: Gaze

Maxine's POV

I know Nics told me to clear my mind and wait for tomorrow. But I just can't. The fear of losing A’ishah is haunting me down even in my sleep.

So, I drove my car to her condo. I wasn't drunk driving. I was a little sober na compared kanina. The water did help to sober me up a little.

When I arrived at A’ishah's condo, one security guard wouldn't allow me to park there. Pero buti nalang nakilala ako nung isa nilang kasama. He claimed that he saw me visit A’ishah before. And that I was behind the real estate where A’ishah modeled for.

They were kind enough to let me go to the basement. They even offered na samahan akong umakyat sa unit nila A’ishah but insisted on waiting in my car.

I texted her to let her know that I'm here. Not gonna lie, I expected her to tell me to come up to her unit and talk to me. But who am I kidding?

I made a mistake. Nasaktan ko siya. Kaya even though I was a little disappointed, hindi na ako nagtaka nung nagreply siya para sabihan akong umuwi na.

I chuckled bitterly to myself. Hindi ako uuwi hangga't hindi kami nagkakaayos. I don't care if I have to wait forever.

I understand. But I will wait here, A’ishah.
Sent. 2:15am

But I waited, and waited. Each passing minute felt like a century. The silence was suffocating, and the weight of what I’d done pressed down harder with every second that ticked by. I knew A’ishah was hurt, and that I had caused her that pain. It was my fault. But walking away wasn’t an option. Not now, not ever.

I leaned back in my seat, staring up at the dim lights of the parking lot, replaying the events of that day in my head.

How did everything go so wrong? How did I let myself get caught in such a stupid situation with Denise? And now, A’ishah thought I’d betrayed her in the worst way.

But I hadn't kissed Denise. Not in the way A'ishah believed. She was the one who captured my lips, and I froze. I should have pushed her away, I know that now. But it all happened so fast, and before I could react, A'ishah had seen us. The look in her eyes… God, it still haunts me.

The sound of my phone buzzing broke me from my thoughts. For a moment, I felt a sliver of hope. Maybe A’ishah had changed her mind. Maybe she’d come down and give me the chance to explain. But when I looked at the screen, it was just Nicole.

Asan ka? - Nicole Mendoza
Received. 2:57am

I didn’t bother replying. What could I say? That I was sitting in the cold, in the basement of A’ishah’s building, waiting for something I wasn’t even sure would happen?

I sighed heavily, running a hand through my hair. My heart was a mess, and my head was pounding from a mix of exhaustion and guilt. I glanced back at the entrance, hoping to see her walk through those doors. But nothing.

I unlocked my phone again and stared at our last conversation.

Not now. Go home. - A’ishah ❤️
Received. 2:14am

I could feel her anger and pain in those words. But I couldn’t leave. Not like this. I didn’t care if she didn’t want to talk right now. I’d wait. I’d wait until morning if I had to.

Minutes passed, and my heart sank deeper with every moment of silence. The more I waited, the more I realized how badly I’d messed up. I had hurt her in a way I hadn’t even imagined.

I rested my head on the steering wheel, eyes closed, breathing deeply to calm the rising panic. A part of me wanted to knock on her door, beg her to listen, but another part of me knew that it wasn’t the right time. She was angry. She was hurt. And nothing I said right now would make that go away.