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After a long, hot shower, I slide on my comfiest pajamas, pull the covers up over my head, and stretch out in the middle of my bed. My limbs loosen and crack. I let out a huge breath as if the weight resting on my chest is somewhat gone.
As soon as I got home, I shut my phone off. If Alex wants to leave and go who the fuck knows where with whoever the fuck, then I’m out too.
I don’t know what’s worse. Him leaving or that my suspicions were true. Why is he snooping on me? What is he looking for?
A part of me wonders if it’s Rhett. It would explain his clinginess and possibly his need to snoop.
Whatever it is, invasion of privacy doesn’t fly with me. Neither does name-calling, and here I am, excusing his shit behavior on the regular. But this…this I can’t see myself looking past. How many red flags do I continue ignoring?
I hear a soft knock on my door, and a storm of butterflies take flight in my stomach. Please don’t say Alex is here.
“It’s Ev. Can I come in for a minute?”
“Sure,” I call after pulling my covers off. I flick on my bedside lamp.
My door opens, and Ev steps inside. “Hey, stranger. I’m glad to see you home tonight.”
“Me too. I started to forget what my bed felt like.”
Ev laughs. “I bet. How are you? I feel like we never talk anymore. We need to catch up.”
“I know, we do, but I’m doing alright.”
Ev studies me for a second, her eyes squinting in the dim light. “Are you? You look sad.”
“Me sad? No. Just tired. I have a couple of midterm papers due soon.”
“Ugh, same, girl. I’ll let you get some sleep, then. I’m always here if you want to vent, or talk, or just hang out. I miss you.”
Ev’s words tug at my heartstrings. I’ve let my friendships fall by the wayside since dating Alex, and I wish I hadn’t. My shoulders sag from the weight of regret. “I miss you, too, Ev. Let’s have a girl’s night soon, yeah?”
Ev’s face lights up. “Yes please!” She claps. “And soon. Before the rush of holidays and finals.”
“Don’t mention finals! We’re only halfway through.” I groan. The week before finals stresses me the fuck out. I hate studying so much information for a huge test because my mind goes blank when it’s actually time to regurgitate the info.
“You know the next six weeks will fly by. Night, Maia.” Ev says as she walks to the door.
“Night.”
I turn my light back off and pull the covers up once more. But sleep doesn’t come easy. The same thoughts repeat in my head, a war of mind chatter I can’t control.
I toss and turn. I think about Rhett and how I want to see him. I make a plan with myself to wake up early and find him on the beach. Didn’t he say he does early lessons?
Finally, I drift off somewhere around five o’clock and don’t wake until almost one in the afternoon.
Shit! There goes my plan for the morning. I get up anyway, make some coffee and take a shower. I put on my bikini and shorts, pack a bag for the beach, and head out the door. I don’t bother with my phone, leaving it on my bed, still powered off.
Rhett’s probably gone for the day, and if so, I’ll lie out on the beach for a while, because why not? Might as well enjoy the nice weather before it’s too chilly for bathing suits.
I walk along the boardwalk and don’t stop until I reach the surf shop where Rhett works. He’s not behind the counter, nor do I find him inside the shop, so I head to the beach to find a spot.
There are plenty of nice spots, and just as I go to lay my towel down, I hear children laughing. I turn my head to the right and see a group of kids balancing on surfboards in the sand. They laugh, and one even falls over, causing the rest to laugh harder.
I smile as I remember some of the kids at the orphanage I grew up with and the ones I see now when I volunteer at the nearby home. Their little giggles warm my insides and bring me comfort. Something that’s hard to come by in there, as often the loneliness outweighs the good.
When my eyes travel to the front of the class and land on the teacher, my body buzzes to life. It’s Rhett.
Rhett’s teaching a class full of little kids.
