femme fatale | t.r

(ix) take care.

1:30 PM.

The rest of the day could have gone a little better, but Maya was grateful that she didn't have to see Sajaír for the rest of the day. She had stepped outside to a busy hallway, lowering herself appropriately to reach and grab two things: her train card and cellphone. The notification center had categorized each notification that came to her phone. There were several game clumps, several messages from a group chat she had just got in and a clump of missed calls. She'd respond to Jas first, who had been checking in from her day date. Sage appeared in the missed call section and even in the text message section. She stared at the phone for minutes, pursuing her lips as she ran her tongue over her teeth.
Without thinking, her thumb clicked one of the missed calls. She pressed the phone to her ear, closing her eyes as she stood to begin walking out of the building. To her luck, the call went to his voicemail box soon after. Why had she been so jealous behind a guy? A guy that took her on one date, a shake occurring at her head at the thought. She slid the phone back into her pocket, jogging down the stairs of the subway once she realized her train was loading up its passengers. "Shit," she cursed underneath her breath. Her jog turned into a desperate run, knowing that she was more than 15 minutes from home. When the train began to sound the alarm for people to step back and pull off, her hands slapped against it in desperation. As if they would stop, she thought to herself.
Her phone in her pocket began to ring, a blocked and unknown number coming to her phone before she declined it. Her thumb scrolled through, looking for Jas' contact as she left the Subway. She hated to interrupt her date, but she considered this an emergency. Just as she was texting, a call from Sage appeared on her phone. She sucked her teeth, looking around to see if someone had been watching her. He couldn't have called at a better time. She answered the phone, pressing it to her ear as she walked towards the stairs to exit the subway.
"Hi, I didn't mean to miss your call, lecture lasted longer than usual." He said before she could even speak.
"Hey, it's okay. I don't know why I called, anyway." She lied, rubbing her forehead and chuckling nervously into the phone.
"You seen me call you and you called back," He said with confidence before the two of them went silent. He was the first to speak again, "I wanted to go to lunch, if you're down?"
She smiled to herself before stopping, clearing her throat and looking at her surroundings. The sky had gray clouds, showing that even if she wanted to walk home she would be drenched by the time she made it. He was just lucky she missed her subway. "I'm down. I'm at the Subway station near our school."
"I'll be there in 2 minutes," He said before hanging up the phone. So, there she stood. She had her backpack in her hand with hope in her mind.

The drive to WingStop was quieter than usual, some updated hip hop music bumping through the stereo system. Her hands had been gripping her backpack, eyes turning to look at him while he focused on the road. It was something about the lean back in his seat, the one hand on the steering wheel that made her blush. He was so so fine when he drove like that. "You plan on staring or you wanna take a picture on Snapchat?" He asked, causing her to blush and turn to the window.
"I don't like Snapchat, so if I was going to take a picture it'd be through a regular camera." Maya corrected him, looking at the buildings as he parked. She opened her own door in chance to escape before him as he exited. He made his way around to her side rather quickly, furrowing his eyebrows and holding the door.
"Listen, ma. I don't know what lame niggas you fucked with before me, but I'm different. You don't gotta open your own door when you ride with me," He said, looking her in her eyes with a sense of security behind them. She turned away, a tug of her chin focusing their gazes back on each other. "I'm serious, Maya. Now let's go eat."

        "That girl wasn't my girlfriend, Maya." Sajaír said, breaking the silence as they continued to eat their food. Maya didn't look up from her food, letting her gaze stay on the barbecue wings before her with her Cajun corn. She went to pick up the corn and take a healthy bite, a napkin coming to her lips as she finished chewing. "She's just..."
        "You don't need to explain anything to me, I'm not your girlfriend."
        "Maya.." Sajaír started in defense, but Maya interrupted him after taking a bite into her boneless wing.
        "No, Sajaír. Romance doesn't do well for me. I didn't come out here for that. So with all due respect, let's just forget that the other night happened. The kiss and all." Maya said, looking straight at him as he looked back to her in shock. Why was their connection so strong in such little time? It's not like she had known him previously. Sajaír remained staring at her before he abruptly stood, moving to the counter and asking for two to-go boxes. Maya lowered her head in not only regret, but embarrassment. They had just got their food not too long ago.
        Soon enough, they were in the car riding in silence again. The music was humming low in the background, his choice of DVSN - The Line showing that he had some sort of taste in musics. The rain pour had sounded against the window again, windshield wipers squeaking against the window. Maya didn't know what to say or how to start the conversation, maybe an apology would suffice?
        The car engine was slowly killed, the doors locking directly after. Sajaír turned the music off completely, letting the rain pile up on the window and surrounding widows as they sat in the car. Sajaír looked forward before letting out a deep sigh, nodding his head. "Let me walk you up, you don't have an umbrella and I do."
       "I can take the rain.." Maya started before Sajaír punched the steering wheel, resulting in the horn honking. It caused her to jump and hush her mouth immediately. "Sajaír - "
        "Is that what you're calling me because she did? Listen, Maya. She's not my girlfriend. You're not my girlfriend. I'm single, BUT I did enjoy our date the other night. I enjoyed your company... I could not get you out of mind." He started, looking to her after he spoke. "I don't know what it is about you, I'm really not sure."
        "Sage, I - I don't do romance. Y-You're a distraction. As long as you and I are both willing to admit that even though the feelings are surprising.. we will never be anything. Damaged goods attract damaged people. Goodnight, Sajaír." She exited his car without hearing his opinion to her statement.

        The look on his face would be something that haunted her for the rest of the night, but the feeling of him longing for her was something that brought her so alive.

Toxic.