~ "The beauty of secret love is in the mystery, the anticipation, the unknown." - Anonymous ~

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpryJBjdSVA

THAT EVENING...

My stomach growled, pulling a frustrated groan from my lips. After my encounter with Theo earlier, I had holed up in my bedroom all day, but the hunger had finally won. Quietly, I crept downstairs and grabbed a banana and a bag of chips. As I reached into the fridge for a bottle of water, the back door swung open, and a heavy sigh filled the air. I froze, clutching my snacks, and turned to see him.

Grayson.

His shirt was back on, but his body still glistened from the sweat of working outside. His messy, disheveled look only seemed to make him more frustratingly irresistible. He noticed me almost immediately, his face lighting up as he spoke.

"Maya-"

"Grayson, if you're done for the day, you should get going." Theo's voice cut through the moment like a blade. He appeared from nowhere, arms folded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Grayson sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly, "Goodbye Maya," he said softly, his eyes lingering on me for a moment before he turned and walked out, the door shut behind him with enough force to make me jump.

Theo immediately turned to me, his face etched with concern. "You ok? He didn't say anything to hurt you, did he?"

"I'm fine, Theo. Really," I lied, forcing a weak smile.

"Good." He nodded, giving me a brief, reassuring hug, "I'll be downstairs if you need me. Rachel said she'd be ordering pizza later."

As soon as he released me, I bolted upstairs and shut the door behind me. Pacing the room, I tried to shake the weight of the encounter. Suddenly, food was the last thing on my mind.

I couldn't stop thinking about Grayson and seeing him again.

Something had to change. This tension, this constant push and pull- it couldn't go on like this. 'But what could I possibly do?'

(Grayson's P.O.V.)

"Grayson!" Evelyn's cheerful voice rang out the moment I stepped into the house. My little five-year-old sister's enthusiasm never failed to bring a smile to my face. I scooped her up effortlessly as she wrapped her little arms around my neck.

"Let's go play!" She squealed, her energy infectious.

"Maybe not right this second Eve," I said with a chuckle, tickling her lightly until her giggles filled the air, "Why don't you go and get your P.J.'s picked out and Mommy will be right there to help you take a bath?"

"Okay!" She agreed, still laughing as I set her down. She darted up the stairs, her tiny footsteps echoing off the walls.

"Have fun?" My Mom's voice caught my attention as she appeared from the library. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail, and her blue eyes sparkled faintly with a rare moment of ease.

"Yeah, doing chores is cool," I said sarcastically, shrugging as I headed into the kitchen grabbing a pop from the fridge.

"Did you find a job today?" She asked, leaning against the doorway.

"Not yet," I admitted with a sigh, popping the can open. "But a music store is hiring at the mall, so I might go check that out tomorrow."

"Ok, that sounds promising," she said with a tired smile, "I'm going to go give Eve her bath."

"Alright," I replied, watching her head upstairs. My smile faded, as I leaned against the counter, shaking my head. I could see how much weight she carried on her shoulders, and I hoped- no, I needed- things to turn around for her soon.

With that thought lingering in my mind, I headed upstairs to my room. The hot shower felt good, but it wasn't enough to clear my head. Maya's face slipped into my thoughts, and despite everything, I found myself smiling.

Maybe I should stay away.

But deep down, I knew I wouldn't. Staying away from her wasn't possible- not now. After pulling on some sweats, I headed for Eve's room down the hall. Her door was slightly ajar, and I peeked in to find her sitting cross-legged on her bed. She was clutching her favorite book in her lap, her tiny fingers tracing the edges of a photo.

It was a family picture.

"Do you think he'll ever come back?" She asked, looking up at me with hopeful eyes as I sat next to her. She was asking about her Dad- that was the only picture of him she had. He left three years ago- and that was the last family picture we had taken. They quickly got a divorce, and he disappeared, leaving her to raise Evelyn and me on her own. So I'd stepped up and took on most of the responsibility of caring for Eve.

I swallowed hard, my throat tightening as I crossed the room to sit beside her.

"I don't know, Eve," I said gently, pulling her into a hug. I didn't want to break her spirit. "But I'll always be here. I promise."

Her tiny arms wrapped around me, and in that moment, I realized just how much of my life revolved around holding everything together- for her, for Mom, for myself.

Wanting to shift to a lighter mood, I flashed Eve a playful grin. "Let's get you ready for bed!" I scooped her up, and she squealed with laughter as I placed her on the bed, tucking her under the covers. I handed her, 'Mr. Piggy', her favorite stuffed animal, and she clutched it tightly, her sleepy smile warming my chest.

"What should I read tonight?" I asked picking up her book and picture and placing it on the bedside table.

"Mommy already read me a story." She replied with a yawn, stretching.

"Alright then, goodnight, beautiful. I love you, Eve," I whispered leaning down and kissing her on the forehead. I flickered off her lamp, letting her nightlight cast its glow over the room.

"Goodnight, Bubba... I love you..." She murmured, her voice trailing off as she drifted off to sleep.

I lingered for a moment, watching her peaceful expression, before quietly leaving the room. As I headed to mine, I caught the sound of my Mom's voice. She was on the phone, so I froze, curiosity getting the better of me. Her tone was hushed but carried a familiar weight of worry.

"I know Jake," she sighed. "I'm just worried about the bills. Grayson's going to help more when he gets a job, but with the daycare costs and working almost every day, it's still not enough. I don't know what to do."

Jake, her older brother, had always tried to be a steady presence in our lives, helping whenever he could and attempting to keep me out of trouble. I heard his voice faintly through the phone, but I couldn't make out the words.

"Really? Office hours? That's perfect!" Mom's voice lifted, bright with hope. "Jake you're a miracle worker. Thank you!"

I couldn't help but smile. It had been so long since I'd heard her sound this excited. I slipped into my room and had just opened my laptop when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I called, knowing it was her.

She stepped inside, her face practically glowing, "Hey, I have some news. Jack found me a potential job as a receptionist for a company a friend of his owns. Could you watch Evelyn tomorrow? I need to go to Jake and Savannah's."

"That's awesome Mom!" I gushed, standing to hug her. "Don't worry about Eve, I'll take care of her."

"It really is," she said, her voice soft with relief and eyes glassy with gratitude. "And the best part? It's got great pay. If I get this, you won't need to get another job."

I grinned, feeling a spark of hope for the first time in a while. "This is great news. Trust me, you'll get it."

"Aww, thanks, baby." She smiled at me. "I leave tomorrow at 6:00 am"

"Not a problem." I shook my head, knowing Rachel and Theo wouldn't mind having Eve around.

She hugged me tightly before heading for the door. "I'm off to take a bath, then to bed. Don't stay up too late. Night, love you."

"Love you too," I called after her, closing my laptop as my mind flooded with thoughts of Maya again.

Why couldn't I shake her from my mind? She invaded every thought, her deep blue eyes and fiery red hair contrasting against her porcelain skin, revealing a whirlwind of fears and unyielding confidence all at once. She is a force to be reckoned with, and the nagging realization set in that she would likely never say yes to me, especially without Theo and Rachel's approval.

Frustrated, I leaned against the window, peering out into the darkness. My gaze instinctively found her room. The light was off; her room was empty. The urge to see her, to break whatever invisible barrier that was between us, only grew stronger.

Unable to shake the restless energy, I grabbed a pre-roll from my dresser, opened the window, and climbed into the tree outside. As I lit up, the smoke curled around me, the buzz dulling my thoughts but never quite silencing the one that kept surfacing: Maya.

(Maya's P.O.V.)

After supper and movie night, I hurried into my room, locking it behind me. My black t-shirt and yoga pants were neatly laid out on the bed, ready and waiting for me. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of sneaking over to Grayson's. But just as I reached for the clothes, a knock at the door made me jump. I quickly unlocked it and found Gracie standing there, her arms folded and a knowing smirk on her face.

"May I help you?" I asked, trying to sound casual as she shoved past me, walked over to the bed, and eyed the outfit I'd set out.

"I know you're planning on sneaking out to go and talk to Grayson." She said, her smile widening.

"Look, Gracie, you CAN NOT tell ANYONE about this," I warned, flipping the lock again.

"I won't," she said with a shrug. "I want to help."

"You'll cover for me?" I asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "But what's the catch?"

"No catch." She said innocently, shaking her head.

"Fine. Thanks, Gracie." I let out a breath of relief. "So when exactly do your parents go to bed?"

"They just did. It's, um, 11:30 now." She said, glancing at her phone.

"Perfect," I said, nodding. "Alright, here's the plan: I'm going to change, and I need YOU to make sure no one realizes I'm gone. If anything goes wrong, text me immediately. Otherwise, I'll sneak back in later tonight."

"Great. I think everyone else is in their rooms for the night. I'll let everyone know I'm turning in. Now hurry up and go change," she said, pushing me toward the bathroom with my clothes. I changed, put some curls in my hair, and slipped on my sneakers before sneaking downstairs.

"Thanks so much, Gracie," I said, hugging her and slipping out the front door.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HjSPx2xobc

As I approached Grayson's house, his voice stopped me in my tracks. "Maya? Hey, look up."

I frowned and glanced upward to see him perched in the tree, smoking a blunt. His silhouette against the dim light of the house was oddly mesmerizing.

"You gonna share that?" I teased, placing a hand on my hip with a grin.

He cocked his head and smirked, "You smoke?"

"Yes I do," I replied confidently.

Before I knew it, he was climbing down the tree. Leaning casually against the trunk, he waved me over with a finger.

I walked up to him and took the blunt from his hand, taking a slow drag. His scent enveloped me immediately, and I felt entranced by his glowing blue eyes in the moonlight. As the smoke curled out of my lips, he asked, "Why are you here?"

"I snuck out. Can we talk?" I asked, my tone more serious.

He nodded towards his house. "Everyone else is in bed, but we can talk in the living room."

We walked inside, settling onto the couch next to each other. I passed the blunt back to him, and he gave me a curious look. "Why are you dressed in all black?" He asked with a smirk.

"I DID sneak out," I said with a laugh. "Gracie helped."

"Theo doesn't know you're here, does he?" He asked, his expression darkening slightly. The magnetic pull of his icy ocean blue eyes locked onto mine, causing my heart to pound loudly in my ears. So loud, I was sure he could hear it in the silence that surrounded us.

"No," I admitted, looking down at my lap nervously. "No one does, except for Gracie."

He let out a sigh, his voice softening. "Hey," he said, lifting my chin with his fingers, "I'm glad you came. Thank you."

The unexpected tenderness of his gesture caught us both by surprise, causing him to pull away quickly. For a split second, I noticed a shift in his eyes and demeanor. But his cologne mixed with the faint scent of weed intoxicated and overwhelmed my senses. I stared at his lips for a moment longer than I should before shaking it off.

"You're welcome," I murmured. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he said, leaning back and taking another drag.

"Why'd you help me yesterday?" I frowned, my curiosity outweighing my nerves.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Because I could see how important it was to you. And it wasn't fair that your best friend had just left you to do it all on your own- when he'd promised he'd help you. I don't know, I guess I just felt bad." He shrugged it off like it was no big deal, but his words lingered. I observed him carefully, but he averted his eyes, refusing to meet my gaze.

I scoffed, unsure how to feel. He took a few more puffs from the blunt he'd passed back in the middle of our conversation. I held it up, silently asking where to put it out. He extinguished it on a coaster, then tucked the remainder into his pocket.

"So, you took pity on me?"

"No! I didn't mean it that way-" he said, sighing in frustration. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Then tell me, how did YOU mean it?" My gaze tightened on him, venom dripping from my lips, "You know all I've wanted is to talk to you, but every time I've tried, something- or someone- gets in the way."

His gaze shot to mine, and I felt a pang in my chest as he said, "Maybe there's a reason. Ever think of that?"

"Regardless of the reason, it's my choice that I'm here." I stood firm in my words; he hadn't made this decision for me- I had, because I thought I wanted to know him. Now, I realize what a terrible idea that was.

"Well," he shrugged, "I guess I should feel flattered."

Taken aback, I licked my lips and turned to glare at him. "Really? That's how you wanna fucking be? After EVERYTHING yesterday? The constant trying to get my attention?"

His gaze hardened like ice, challenging mine, my chest tightening with frustration. Glancing away, he said flatly, "It wasn't a big deal."

His words hit me like a slap. "Not a big deal?" I repeated my tone sharper now. "Grayson, you showed up practically out of nowhere to help me, and you're telling me it wasn't a big deal?"

He shrugged again, gazing at me with a blank expression, clearly puzzled by my reaction. "Yeah, I mean, it wasn't some heroic gesture or anything. You needed help, I was there. End of story."

"Wow," I said, standing up abruptly. "You make it sound like it was some kind of chore." My heart was pounding, and I couldn't tell if it was from anger or something else entirely. "You really know how to make a girl feel special, huh?"

Grayson sat up straighter, a flicker of frustration crossing his face. "That's not what I meant," he said quickly, a brief glimmer of regret shining in his sapphire eyes.

"Really? Because that's EXACTLY how it sounds," I snapped, my hands trembling. "No- fuck this, save your excuses. You know, Theo was right. You should stay away from me."

I turned and headed for the door, my heart pounding in my chest.

"Maya, wait," he said, grabbing my arm.

"What?" I snapped again, spinning around to face him. Our faces just inches apart, his piercing gaze holding mine captive. For a fleeting moment, I thought he might kiss me, and I hated how much I wanted it.

But instead, I pulled away, his scent still lingering as I turned and bolted out the door.

"Maya!" I heard him call after me, but I didn't stop. I ran all the way back to the house, my heart pounding for reasons I didn't want to name. As soon as I made it inside, I raced upstairs and locked myself in my room, pacing back and forth.

'What a disaster that was. How could I have been so naive? Why did he push me away? Was I wrong about him? Why would he talk about me and then turn around and reject me like this? Was I even made to be loved? This was what I meant to give up when I came here. So why does this boy have all my attention when he doesn't deserve any of it?'

My heart pounded, fueled by the rage he had ignited within me."Ugh!" I turned towards my window, my breath hitching as I froze in my tracks- there he stood, staring at me, his gaze unwavering. In a surge of frustration, I stormed over and yanked the curtains shut, not pausing for a second longer.