PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 64: Coming Back To Me

Maya listen to the words and said "Come home to me."
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Carina feels her breath hitch at Maya's words. "Home," she repeats softly. "You want me to come home to you."

She can feel the longing in Maya's voice, the desperate hope that they can start anew. And Carina, despite everything, can't help but want the same.

"I do," Maya affirms, her voice filled with a mixture of vulnerability and certainty. "I miss you, Carina. I miss your presence, your laugh, your touch. I miss being able to hold you whenever I want. I just... I miss everything about you, and it's killing me."

Carina's heart aches at Maya's words. She misses her too, more than she knew was possible. The mere thought of being back in Maya's arms, feeling her touch, hearing her voice... it's too enticing.

But still, she hesitates, her own fears and insecurities pulling at her. "Are you sure, Maya? If I come back, can you promise me you won't push me away again? Can you promise me you won't leave me again?"

Maya's voice trembles with emotion as she responds, "I promise, Carina. I'm so sorry for hurting you, for pushing you away. It was a mistake. A big, stupid mistake. I was scared, and I thought I was protecting you, but I was only hurting us both. I won't do that again. I'll talk to you, I'll let you in, I'll fight for us. I swear."

Carina nods silently, the pain in her chest lessening slightly at Maya's promise. She can't help but believe her, even if she wants to protect herself from further heartache.

"Okay," she whispers, her voice filled with both hope and trepidation. "I'll come home. But you have to promise me you'll be there, Maya. You have to be there, no matter what."

Maya's voice is filled with a mix of relief and determination. "I will, Carina. I'm not leaving, not this time. I want to fight for us, for what we have. I want to be the person you deserve, the person you love. I'll be there for you, Carina. Always."

Carina feels a weight lift off her shoulders at Maya's promise. But a small part of her still doubts, still worries about the future. She takes a deep breath, gathering her courage.

"Maya," she starts, her voice shaking slightly, "Before I come home, there's something I need to tell you. Something important."

Maya's voice is filled with concern, picking up on Carina's hesitation. "What is it? You can tell me, Carina. Whatever it is, we'll figure it out together."

Carina takes a deep breath, steeling herself for what she's about to reveal. "When you broke up with me, when you pushed me away... I fell into a dark place, Maya. A really dark place. I... I tried to numb the pain with pills."

She stops, her voice shaking as she tries to continue, "And I've been using them, off and on, for a while now. I... I need help, Maya."

There's a long pause on the line as Maya processes Carina's confession. Her voice is raw and shaky when she finally responds. "Carina... I... I had no idea. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for pushing you away, for making you feel so alone. I never meant for you to resort to self-destruction. I..."

She lets out a shaky breath, her own emotions overflowing. "You're... you're clean now? You're not still using the pills?"

Carina nods silently, although Maya can't see her. "Yeah,... I am. Amelia found out and helped me throw them away. She offered to get me help, but I wanted to tell you first."

There's a mixture of relief and guilt in Maya's voice when she speaks. "Good... that's good. I'm glad you're not using them anymore, Carina. And I'm glad you have Amelia. She's a good friend."