The Gray Case

twelve

The house is buzzing with excitement. Everyone is smiling and anxiously waiting for her to come out of her room. Lisa watches her as her eyes are fixated on the sky that she sees through the window.

It's like the world has stopped with her and for her. It's like the world has decided to gift her its most beautiful colors, this night. The sky is blue; but it's also pink and orange. It's red and green, it's purple and grey at the same time.

Is the sky really so colorful? Or is it just what she wants to see?

She rubs her burgundy red lips together and looks down at her fiddling fingers. Maya closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Lisa is still there, as always. She sits on the edge of Maya's bed watching her as she stands up to look at herself in the mirror.

She's wearing the outfit that Alexander didn't want to see. It's an all black two piece. She's wearing an off the shoulder tight crop top and a high-waisted pencil skirt that hugs her body perfectly. Her curly hair, this time, is tied up in a tight bun.

She doesn't hate it; but it doesn't feel like her. She sighs and gently touches the diamond necklace around her neck. She tilts her head to a side, unknowingly scrunching up her nose. Lisa laughs a little at her face as she stands up and places a warm hand on her shoulder, delicately.

"You are gold, Maya. Pure gold. Now smile for me and let's go," Lisa says, making a smile immediately creep on her friend's face.

Lisa sprays some perfume on Maya, and before looking down at her heels, they get out of the room and go into the living room where Maya's parents are waiting.

Evelyn stands up in a fleeting motion and her face softens as she gets closer to her. Her dad smiles from the couch and looks at all of them together, exchanging glances, smiles and energy.

"You are so beautiful. So, so beautiful." Evelyn kisses her daughter on the cheek making her instantly flinch.

"Thank you mom, really. But please, don't touch my face. Lisa spent hours doing this," Maya says, laughing slightly. Lisa nod's agreeing and Evelyn's hands return immediately to their previous position. Her dad's mood changes quite quickly as he looks at Maya's outfit better.

"But isn't that dress a little bit tight? And you're telling me that that boy, Alexander, approved? He must be a rascal." His eyes grow wider as he speaks.

Evelyn stops him. "He actually seems like a nice guy and, he is very handsome too."

"Handsome? The boy is smoking hot," Lisa chimes in. Maya laughs and her dad shakes his head going back to reading his book.

As the time passes, Maya feels the atmosphere become heavier and heavier. Not around her, no. It's all inside of her. She usually talks, smiles and makes others smile as well. But she can't seem to do so, not now.

Alexander said a driver will come pick her up. He, himself can't because he is supposed to be there with the rest of his family.

"Have fun" is the last thing Maya hears from a faint voice in the house, before going out and into the all black car in front of her house. A driver is standing in front of the car door. White gloves and black suit. He seems old, the details of his face get clearer as she gets closer.

"Good evening, miss," he says, with a smile he's probably used to flashing at everyone. He opens the door for her and gets in the car too. The car doesn't communicate anything. Its interior is black just as its exterior. Maya tries to make herself comfortable, but doesn't quite succeed.

She starts focusing on the man driving. Something about him looks familiar. He turns on a piano tune and seems to enjoy it as he elegantly taps his fingers on the steering wheel, following the sweet, yet melancholic melody of it.