Never Let Me Go

Stadiums and Photographs

"No Derrick, I don't need you to come help me." Maya rolls her eyes. "Because Derrick, you don't even know anything about fashion." Raising her hand up to shield her eyes from the intensity of the heat, she momentarily regrets not driving to the mailbox. Gas prices are ridiculous, but right about now, so is the heat. "Derrick, being in a photo shoot for GQ magazine does not make you a model." She smiles, shaking her head. Her boyfriend is a pain in the ass at times, but his eagerness for wanting to "help" her with her portfolio is pretty damn adorable. "Look, I'll have the sketches done around," she pulls her phone away from her ear to look at the time. 2:00 "Six, maybe seven, no later than eight. After that, you're more than welcome to come over."

She places her thumb in her back pocket, "No, Kay won't be there. She....she has plans." Maya bites her lip, mentally cursing herself for almost revealing her roommates true whereabouts. She doesn't exactly like that Kay is talking to Ricardo and Xavier at the same time, but she isn't Kay's mother. She can't control her actions. "You can stay the night too," Maya suggests slyly. Even though the two have only been official for two weeks, Maya and Derrick have grown significantly closer. Sure, they still argue 24/7, but behind closed doors and countenances, a bond has formed.

Reaching the mailboxes, Maya reaches in her back pocket and pulls out the mailbox key. Sticking it in #67, she switches the phone to her other either, holding it with her shoulder and the side of her face. She pulls out the mail, closing the box and locking it before ejecting her key. She quickly slides it in her back pocket before turning around to make her way back to her condo.

"Yes, we can order takeout Derrick," she laughs as she sorts through the mail. Bills, magazines, bills, flyers, bills-the usual. As she always does, she puts all of Ariana's mail together since the former roommate has not bothered to put in a change of address. "And no you can't-" she stops when she just so happens to notice the sender for one of Arianna's letters. He lips immediately go dry. She shouldn't. She can't. Hell, it's against the law. But, she has to. Ignoring her normal moral conduct, she quickly tears open the letter. Her eyes don't even get past the first three sentences. "Oh my God," she whispers, feeling her heart beat quicken. "Derrick, I have to call you back." She doesn't even wait for him to reply to hang up. Placing her phone in her bra, she sprints across the lot and to her condo.

"Kaydence!" She yells, slamming the front door behind her. "Kaydence!"

"I'm coming!" Kay shouts back, entering the living room with a bored look on her face. "What do you-" she stops, noticing the pained expression on her best friend's face. "What's wrong?"

"Look," Maya shoves the letter in Kay's hands before starting to pace back and forth.

Kay's eyes don't roam the letter long before her mouth drops, "Oh my God."

"That's what I said," Maya groans, placing her head in her hands.

"They can't be fucking serious!" Kay gasps, struggling to comprehend the words in front of her. "They can't do this! Can they even do this?"

"Apparently they can Kay," Maya rolls her eyes.

"We have to tell Arianna-"

"No!" Maya exclaims, jumping up off the sofa. "We can't."

Kay looks at her like she's crazy, "What do you mean we can't? We have to! She needs to know Maya!"

"And she will," Maya cuts her off. "Just not know."

"Well when Maya?" Kay puts her hand on her hip, "The longer we wait the harder-"

"Damnit I know Kaydence," Maya yells, frustrated with the situation more so than Kaydence. "I know," she sighs sadly. "But, you've seen how happy she's been lately. I haven't seen her this happy in....hell, I've never seen her this happy." She shakes her head, "I don't wanna ruin that and trust me Kaydence," she takes the letter from her. "This will ruin that."