Light up the Sky

s e v e n

        Maya

Mr. Rudolf is just done with German classes and he does his weird chant thing after he's done and exits the chat room. Mikaela just starts laughing out of nowhere. He's wearing makeup today. I wonder if he came out yet or not. He doesn't go to school because he used to get bullied quite a bit. I observe that there is a new cut on his wrist.
"Did you cut again?" I ask him sternly. Due to the lag of the internet, he takes time to respond. Or maybe because I asked him so rudely.
"No, I did not!" He replies uncomfortably. I decide not to further argue about this because it can be a very sensitive topic for him. And me, as he is my only friend. I wave goodbye and shut the laptop close.
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I want to eat cereal, or oatmeal for some reason. I come down to the kitchen surprised to see Mrs. Brown talking to mom from the other side of the counter. They both are laughing probably making petty PJ's and sipping Merlot. They are drinking from that fancy Chalice that dad got from his business trip to Rome. Seems like mom is happy now too. Before they can notice me helplessly staring and them enjoying their Happy Hour, I slightly sleigh my leg on each step, and try to surreptiously surpass them. The floorboard of the step creaks even under the thick carpet, I sigh. Mom and Mrs. Brown pause their chatter, and mom exclaims, "Maya honey, is that you?".
"Yes mom! It's me!" I say with a fake smile in my voice.
"Okay tell me if you need anything!"
"Sure." I say softly in quite a monotone. I creep back up and go to the Gym in our house. I don't know what has come over me, but I feel like I need to work out and eat healthy. I look over at the collage that dad put up on my 7th birthday, when he got the gym equipment. It has pictures of me in a consecutive timeline, along with dad's college Cricket team jersey, moms marathon caps and winner badges, and also, my cheer outfit. I look back up at the collage of memories, or as dad likes to call it, "The Memory Lane", and look at all my pictures. The first one is of me happily descending the slope on the streets without training wheels on my bike. The second, third and forth are of me, competing for State Cheerleading competitions. I shake my head at the thought of all the drama that used to happen back at the gym. I used to watch Abby Lee's Dance Moms along with Mom and Dad every time it was on air too.

I go back to my room, and look out the window. I see him, again. He's wheeling out the garbage trunks out to the pavement. He looks down at the street, and then turns around. He looks up at my window, where I, stand like a creep, watching him. I smile, and he smiles back too. He looks at the our house's kitchen window, and waves. He's probably waving at his mom. He walks a bit, till he's not visible from the kitchen window, and flirtyly looks back up at me. He motions me to come down, and I instantly feel exposed. I wear a frown, and he opens his mouth a little bit, in awe and confusion of what wrong had he said. He started walking back, mouthing sorry. Before I knew what on Earth  I was doing, I opened the window wide, stepped back a bit and bellowed to him, "Wait,". He looked back up at me, his eyebrows dipping down, he said okay, softly. I shut the window-leaving a small creek through- motioned him to wait, and went to my desk. I took the StickyNotes from the drawer and a pencil from the stationary jar, and quickly scribbled down my number on it. I peeled the note, folded it into a mini paper plane and threw it out the slightly open window.