PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 67: I Miss You

Maya's heart skips a beat as she sees Carina standing there, looking like a sight for sore eyes. Carina looks weary, her beautiful face showing signs of fatigue and possibly worry, but there's a spark of excitement in her eyes too. The suitcases and boxes, though, are a reminder of the challenges they've been facing.

Maya steps aside to let Carina in, her voice catching in her throat as she speaks. "Hey, you're back."
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Carina walks in, her eyes immediately locking with Maya's. She puts down her luggage and the boxes, a small, tired smile appearing on her face. "Hey... it's good to be back."

There's a moment of silence, the air between them thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. Carina looks at Maya, a mix of love and uncertainty written across her features.

Maya stands there, her heart pounding in her chest as she takes Carina in. She wants to move closer, to reach out and touch her, to pull her into a tight embrace and never let go. But there's a hesitancy in both of them, as if they know there's still a lot to figure out before they can move forward.

The silence between them is deafening. Finally, Maya speaks, her voice laced with a hint of nerves. "We need to talk."

Carina nods, her expression sober. She knows this talk is coming and is clearly ready to face it, albeit with some trepidation. "I know. We do. Can we sit down?"

Maya nods, gesturing to the couch. "Yeah, of course. Let's sit."

They both walk over to the couch and sit down, leaving a modest space between them. Maya looks at Carina, taking in her weary but still beautiful face. She doesn't know where to start.

Carina breaks the silence first, her voice soft but firm. "Can I go first? There are some things I need to say. I've been thinking about them a lot, and I think it's important we get them out in the open."

Maya's heart skips a beat at the seriousness in Carina's voice, but she nods, gesturing for Carina to proceed. "Yeah, go ahead. Tell me what's on your mind."

Carina takes a deep breath, collecting her thoughts before she speaks. "I know I haven't been the best partner lately, Maya. I've been busy with work, and I haven't been as present or as supportive as you've needed me to be."

Maya looked at Carina and said "No don't blame yourself I was the one that broke up with you at a park when i said you deserve someone better not someone broken and exhausted and tired."

Carina shakes her head, her eyes filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. "I know, but that doesn't negate my own shortcomings, Maya. Yes, you broke up with me, and yes, you said those things. But I could've handled it better. I could've tried harder to understand where you were coming from, to listen to what you were really trying to say."

Maya looks down, her hands clenched into fists on her lap. Hearing Carina take some of the blame feels both relieving and guilty. "You couldn't have known what I was feeling, Carina. I barely even knew what I was feeling myself."

Carina reaches out, her fingers lightly tracing the back of Maya's clenched hand. "But that's the thing, Maya. We should be able to talk about our feelings, even the messy, confusing ones. I should've tried harder to get you to open up, to help you process what you were going through."

Maya's heart aches at the tender touch, her walls slowly beginning to crumble. "I didn't make it easy, Carina. I was too caught up in my own whirlwind of emotions, and I shut you out. I didn't want you to see me so... so weak and vulnerable."

Carina reaches out, her hand gently cupping Maya's face. She looks at her with a mixture of love and longing, the distance of the past few days hanging heavily between them. And then, she leans in and gently kisses Maya.