Strawberry

9.0 - Maya

TWICE UNIVERSITY Baseball Field, 5:30pm

maya got out of the showers, stretching her sore limbs. she grabbed her bags, groaning as her shoulders ached. "maya! great job today!"

her teammates praised her, as she smiled at them kindly, bringing her bat and gloves with her. "i'll be going first." maya announced, earning a chorus of goodbyes.

she bumped into luna, almost dropping her bat. "oh, luna, hi." luna smiled at her. "can we go out tonight? i believe i have to make it up to you."

maya apologetically smiled. it's not that she didn't want to, her shoulders were aching badly, and she needed to schedule a doctor's appointment.

"i'm sorry, i can't. my shoulder's acting up and i have to schedule a doctor's appointment." luna immediately got some of maya's bags.

"i should walk you home then." maya smiles at her, nodding. "that'd be nice." luna hummed, and the two walked out of school quietly.

"i heard about what happened with sam at the party." maya nodded, sighing as she put her hands in her hoodie's pockets. "yeah.."

"how is she?" maya shrugged. "i don't know, actually. i haven't been seeing her, i'm too scared to ask violet about it too."

"how about aaliyah and elise?" maya thought for a while. "they're fine, i guess. though i did hear them argue the other day on the phone."

"and you?" maya looked up at the sky, seeing the sun slowly setting. "me? i'm great, i mean, a bad shoulder wouldn't stop me, would it?"

"i guess not." maya smiled. "though my physical therapist have been begging me to stop baseball because it makes my injury worse."

"why don't you stop?" maya sighs. "baseball distracts me, i guess. there's so much going on in the family..especially after this."

maya points at her shoulder. "when i got this, i realized that the environment we lived in wasn't safe. so i moved my sisters out of there."

the two got in the elevator. "is your europe plan still in place?" maya sighed. "i don't know. i'm still stuck. if i don't get to decide then i'm stuck here."

"what's hindering you?" maya sighs. "i don't wanna leave you, lun. by the time i graduate, you'd still be in 3rd year. i don't want to leave yet."

"you know i'll be fine, right? i'm not a child, maya." maya looks at her. "that wasn't my point. we both know you hate ldr."

"then i'll do it. you don't have to reject opportunities just because of me." maya sighed. "i have my sisters here too."

"maya, you're not getting younger. europe is such a huge opportunity. think about it." luna said as they stopped by the sisters' apartment complex.

"well, we're here." maya smiles at luna. "thanks for walking me home. will you be alright?" luna rolls her eyes.

"i live in the dorms. i'll be fine, maya." maya gives her a peck, making her blush. "i'm just making sure. take care on your way home."

"i will. i love you, maya." she hugs maya. "sure you do." the teasing tone in maya's voice makes her pout. "i do!" maya laughed.

"i'm kidding. i love you too, luna. now go." with one last kiss and a slap on her butt, luna went on her way as maya entered the apartment.

"i'm home!" she called out to the house, taking her coat and shoes off, arranging it. "oh, maya! just in time!" violet came out of her room.

she was wearing a funny looking face mask with her glasses, a towel on her head, and a robe on. "what's with the weird get up?"

"it's called self care!" maya laughed. "what's that even supposed to be?" she pointed at the face mask, making violet huff. "it's a panda!"

"a very disfigured one apparently." violet glared at her. "maya!" maya chuckled as she received multiple playful hits as she put her bags down.

"ow! ow! ow! okay! okay! i was kidding, jeez.." violet stops hitting her to let her change to more comfortable clothes. "by the way,"

"do you have dr. lee's number? i'm gonna schedule an appointment for my shoulder again." violet looks at her in concern.

"i'll schedule for you. you really have to rest this time, though." maya sighed. "i got it, i got it. i'll rest." violet hums. "well? do you want a face mask?"

"no animals please, i don't like being horrified." violet glared at her again, but nonetheless throws her a packet of a mask. "whatever!"

"where's aaliyah and summer?" violet shrugs, sitting back on her bed. "aaliyah went to pick up our weekly groceries, and apparently, summer's going on a blind date."

"i'm surprised she's still got it." violet laughs. "that's true!" maya puts the mask on her face and sighs, laying down. "ahh, thank god for your masks, violet."

"do you need a massage too?" maya pouts. "please." violet nods, going to massage maya's shoulders, immediately feeling her relax.

"you're tense. something stressing you out?" maya sighs. "it's nothing. i'm just worried about something." violet smiles. "you can tell me."

"it's sam..i haven't seen her and i don't know.. i'm worried. i'm also worried about aaliyah and elise. i heard them argue, and it sounded pretty bad."

"well, i've been checking with gail and sam is fine, there's a few nights she stayed with katy or luna, but she's okay. she's just a bit busy."

"as for aaliyah and elise, we share the same worry. those two are a great couple, and i don't know what might happen but we can hope for the best."

"i hope so too.." after a while of silence, violet gets up. "i'll cook for tonight." maya was about to protest when violet hushes her.

"i won't burn down the house, i promise." maya just decides to let it go, too sleepy to argue with her, laying back down and falling asleep.

violet made a simple dinner of kimchi fried rice and some fried dumplings, and a salad, successfully making it edible enough.

"now, to wait for everyone." violet smiled, feeling accomplished as she stared at her dishes in victory. "finally learned how to cook."