Loving Maya

"I've missed you."

"I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited
But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it."
      ~Adele, Someone Like You

***

"Nutty, calm down." Lilly glances at me for a second before her eyes return to the road in front of us.

"Maybe I should call Chris and tell him we're no longer coming." I grip on to my bag to stop my hands from trembling.

"No." She shakes her head. "We're going."

Of course, I listened to Lilly and agreed that I'd go see Mason. I just didn't know I'd be this nervous.

"Chris said we'd find them outside." I say.

"Good, you're no longer sounding like a runaway bride."

"Lilly, this isn't easy for me."

"I know," she sighs, "if you really don't want to do this, I can turn around."

"No!" I shake my head.

Her lips twitch with a small smile and I sit back on the seat.

"We're here." She states as we park outside Chris' college.

I gulp nervously and look outside. I quickly spot Chris and Mason in the distance. He's fidgeting, pacing around. He's also nervous. Of course he's nervous.

"I need a few seconds." I say to Lilly as she steps out of the car. She nods with a smile and closes her door.

I watch her as she leisurely makes her way to the two boys. She stops in front of them and they exchange a few words. She puts her hand on Mason's shoulder and he nods at something she says.

She turns to Chris and they start walking away together.

I slowly open the door and step out of the car. I shiver as the cold air brushes against my skin. The thin material of my cardigan is barely able to keep me warm.

I close the door and Mason jerks his head in my direction. I look down and start walking over to him.

I can feel his eyes on me, staring and not moving away but I can't look up. My heartbeat overpowers every surrounding sound and I cross my arms to decrease the shaking of my hands.

You can do this. Just ask him all the questions you want to ask and if he refuses to tell you anything, walk away.

I realise I'm close to him and look up. My eyes fall on his glossy ones, brimming with tears. My own start to well up and I stop dead in my tracks. I swallow, trying to get rid of the lump in my throat.

Without thinking, my feet resume and I start to speed walk. I reach him and fall into his arms.

A cry escapes my lips and my tears begin to fall. He wraps his arms around me and I inhale his familiar scent.

***

Mason's POV

Her body trembles in my embrace and I tighten my arms around her. I shut my eyes and tears pool under my eyelids.

She continues to cry, wrapping her arms tighter around my waist.

I just wish I could take her pain away. I don't want to see her cry.

I continue to hold her, wishing my arms could heal her pain. Her crying weakens and so do the trembles, I try to let go of her, to see her face but she holds on to me.

"No." She shakes her head and her voice cracks.

I nod and continue to hug her and this time, my own tears start to fall.