Room 221 || Lucaya

Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

Maya's POV:

My eyes flutter open to the sound of bed sheets rustling together. Irritably, I glance over to Riley's bed to find the odd convenience of no Riley.

With very little care for where Riley is at this exact moment in time, I shut my eyes and attempt to fall back into the deep and peaceful state I had left before a noise woke me.

Just as my body begins to relax and my mind drift off somewhere far, a huge thud clanks onto my bed, right on top of my legs. I jump and sit up in the bed.

"Good morning, Peaches!" Riley smiles as she grins from ear to ear. "Do you like that nickname? I thought about it, and 'Maya' doesn't really have a catchy nickname. I mean 'May,' but that just sounds like another name. So I chose Peaches because you are as sweet as a–"

"Lemon," I groan, finishing Riley's sentence. Irritated, I pull my sheets above my head, muffling my voice.

"No, silly! A peach!" she giggles softly. Riley reaches over and yanks my sheets from my face, forcing me to look at her.

"You obviously don't know me yet," I chuckle.

Riley laughs along, but little does she know that I am serious. She views life as this little dainty dream that was bestowed upon her to make everyone happy.

Life is a little bundle of joy in her eyes.

Life is huge load of hell in mine.

"So, what do you wanna do today?" she questions, her face transforming into seriousness.

"Lay in bed..." I mumble as I roll over.

Riley reaches over to grab my shoulder and yanks it towards her. Our faces inches apart, she studies my face diligently. "Are you hung over?!"

A genuine chuckle escapes my mouth. "No, Riley. I am not hung over, you were with me last night! I want to lay in bed because we only have two more weeks until classes start. Why is it a crime to take advantage of this relaxation time?"

"Maya! Look around, there are so many things we could do! We could go sight-seeing, or go out to eat, or meet some new people! I don't know anyone here, and I think making friends before classes start would be helpful."

"Not in the mood..."

"Okay," Riley pouts, her voice growing sadder, "I thought we would be great friends. I guess not. I guess I'll hate my four years here with you... I guess–"

"Fine!" I mumble unenthusiastically.

"Yay!" she giggles, hopping off the bed and running to the mirror on our wall.

Riley studies herself sharply, scanning every inch of her face. She smiles sweetly in satisfaction before turning to me.

"I'm going run to the coffee shop a few streets over to grab some breakfast... Want anything?"

Breakfast?

One time early in the morning when the sun began to rise, my mother was crying in the kitchen about something I knew nothing about.

Now I do.

My little fingers gripped the cereal bowl as I brought over my meal to the table. I sat quietly in my seat, eyeing my mother in front of me. As the bowl was slowly becoming empty, I attempted to bring my dish to the sink. My tiny feet fumbled over each other as the bowl flew into the air, causing leftover milk and cereal to splash into the air.

"Oh, Maya!" my mother whispered, reaching over to grab some napkins to clean up my mess.

"I'm sorry Mommy, I'll just get Daddy to help me clean it up!" I apologized, taking the napkins out of her hands.

With napkins in my hands, I ran into the hallway. "Daddy! Daddy! I spilled milk and I need your help! Mommy's crying and–"

"Maya, honey," sobs quietly from the kitchen.

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" I questioned innocently, my eyes softening and my voice growing mellow.

My mother reached for my hand, guided me around the spilled milk, and placed me on her lap. "Your daddy is not here, baby."

"For how long?" I whispered.

"However long it takes to go on a walk."

That was the last time I ate breakfast.

"No thanks, I'm good," I mumble to Riley.

"Okay, I'll be back in about twenty minutes, and when I get back, we can go and start our day!" she exclaims as she picks up her purse and phone.

"Alrighty. Bye, Riles," I say through a forced smile.

Riley's face lights up with a genuine and pure smile as I call her by a nickname. She reaches over the bed and wraps her arms around me, engulfing me in a hug.

To my surprise, I return the friendly squeeze as a genuine smile spreads across my face.

No words are spoken after sharing a genuine moment together.

There is no need for any.

Maybe Riley really is a true friend. Maybe our room placement was determined by fate. Maybe this is the start of something new.

Riley pulls away subtlety and makes her way to the door.

"Oh, Maya," Riley mutters as she remembers, "By the way, Lucas is coming."

The pure happiness I had once been moments before suddenly disappears. My heart begins pounding and my eyes grow wide in fear. 

Don't cry over spilled milk, Maya.