Touched

Touched *13*

Maya didn't have her own popularity. She inherited it from her boyfriends.

Of course, she'd never had a REAL boyfriend - one who brought her gifts and kissed her and took her out on dates. All her past boyfriends had been pervy leeches who wanted to get into her pants. (Maya was a virgin, which meant she never let them.)

Maya had never had any friends. People hated her. In fact, in her old apartment in New York, there was an old lady named Evelyn who lived across the hall from her who was probably her only genuine friend.

Evelyn went by Evie and was 75 years old, yet healthy as a horse. She stayed indoors all day, alone. Maya hung out with her a lot. Evie was really understanding to any of Maya's problems. In fact, when Maya was in the hospital after she'd been abused, Evie had visited her (the first time she'd left her home in a long time) and kept her company (unlike her parents).

Maya really felt like talking to someone so she picked up her iphone and called Evie.

"Maya?" Evie said when she picked up.

"Uh...Evie? Evie, HI! This is Maya, yeah!"

"Hey, babes. How goes life in Herndon?"

"Oh...um..." Maya took a deep breath. "Not so great."

"Uh-oh. Let's hear it."

"See..." Maya told Evie everything about how Fern and her had been enemies since birth and how she was her neighbor now. "And Fern has a crush on this superhot guy named Sam. They're best friends."

"And you like Sam."

"Well...he's cute, but..."

"But you're trying to use him as revenge against Fern. And if he becomes your boyfriend you'll finally be popular at school. Am I right?" Evie asked.

"100%." Maya sighed. "I feel bad for using him, but..."

"But your rep is more important."

"God, Evs, you're so smart."

"Not smart. I just listen. Anyway, babes, listen to me. You always have to be at the top. You've gone through so much. You deserve a good boy more than this Fern yahoo. Got it? Now go out there and make Sam yours."

"Oh, but Evie..." Maya grinned. "He already is."