Rosie

I was ready to collapse into bed when Maya grabbed my arm at the café‘s back door, her eyes bright with excitement. “Girls’ night at my place, say yes!” she said, and I blinked, surprised because I didn’t think she’d actually want to hang out with me like that, like we were real friends.

I smiled awkwardly and wanted to refuse the invitation, but the pleading look she gave me made the words die in my throat. I couldn’t do that to her, and I begrudgingly nodded my head.

“Yay!” she grinned and actually jumped at me excitedly, which made a small smile find its way to my lips despite my exhaustion.

Well, I could use some girl time together, but what was even done at girls’ nights? I’d never really done this before except when I stayed with Kira. My twin sister never included me in her inner circle and I just hoped it wouldn’t be awkward and Maya wouldn’t notice how boring and needy I was.

Maya drove us to her apartment and gave me a little tour as we walked in. Her apartment was standard with two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room, but it felt cozy somehow. I hummed in approval as I looked around the apartment; especially her room was beautiful and had a girly touch to it, and I smiled when I saw some plushies and wallpaper of anime characters on the wall. I didn’t take her for a fan.

Maya dragged me to the seat in front of her vanity mirror, and I quickly glanced at her, wondering what she wanted to do. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

“Let me do a makeover for you,” she said, and I visibly flinched because a makeover? Could makeup cover my ugliness? I shook my head, not wanting to go into that self-consciousness spiral again.

Maya asked me to close my eyes as she did whatever magic she was doing. I felt the brush on my face and heard her humming softly while she worked. Then, she created soft curls in my hair with a warm iron, which made me relax a little.

“Open,” she said, and I fluttered my eyes open; a shocked gasp escaped my mouth when I saw the person looking back at me, who appeared different, like a stranger wearing my face.

This was definitely not me; I didn’t look this pretty, and I felt tears choke in my throat while Maya smiled warmly at me and placed her hands on my shoulder.

“So beautiful,” she said, and I smiled in appreciation even though I didn’t quite believe it.

“Now, let’s get to the good part!” Maya said excitedly and walked to her closet and brought out a black dress that made my breath catch. I stared at the dress, and she smiled at me with so much warmth.

“It won’t fit me,” I said in a small voice while dropping my head in shame because it was true; nothing ever fit right.

“It will; I specifically bought it for you,” she replied, and I raised my eyes in shock and collected it from her with trembling hands. The dress was black with long sleeves and a flowy skirt that actually looked like it might flatter instead of just hide—simple but somehow elegant.

After I came out of changing in her bathroom, Maya whistled and nodded in approval. “I knew it would be perfect when I saw it,” she said and went to her phone, playing some upbeat music and pulling me to dance. I was shy at first, stiff and awkward, but then the music got to me, and I started to sway because I actually liked dancing even though I never did it in front of people.

We laughed and talked while dancing around her living room like kids, and Maya pulled me further out of my shell, teaching me that friendship could feel this warm and easy and natural.

After we ate dinner and laughed around, Maya put on the TV, and I felt genuinely happy for the first time in forever. Maya was like a ray of sunshine, and I’d never felt this kind of happiness before. I felt loose and light and happy, and I prayed it would last.

We sat on the couch munching the cookies Maya had brought from the café, and I sighed without meaning to.

“What’s wrong, babe?” Maya asked while tilting her head to look at me.

“Well...” I trailed off nervously, “I’m confused about Jude,” I started while confiding in Maya because I felt so comfortable with her, like she was the sister I never had, she felt like an older sister even though I was actually older than her by a few months.

“What about him?” she asked gently.

“His intensity, his patience, and the way he seems to appear whenever I need him...” I admitted with a blush spreading across my face, not forgetting how he’d helped with that rude customer; even when we were in class during rush hour, he always used his body to protect me and even shouted at some people to move away.

Maya listened with a little too much amusement dancing in her eyes and stood up, taking two glasses and pouring wine into them before handing one to me. “You know... Jude really likes you,” she said casually, and I choked on my drink.

“No way,” I coughed out while wiping the wine from my mouth embarrassingly. “Jude’s just being nice,” I muttered in disbelief, hating how the words came out of my mouth like they tasted bitter.

“Sweetie, he’s my brother. I know his ‘nice’ face versus his ‘I’ve found the sun’ face,” Maya said simply, and my eyes widened in shock from the revelation, the glass of wine half-paused in the movement to my mouth as my brain tried to process what she just said.

“Wait. Brother?” I gasped out while my heart started racing.

Maya laughed and rubbed the back of her neck, and I shook my head, feeling my face flame. God! I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me because I’d been literally talking to Jude’s sister this entire time, and thank god I wasn’t badmouthing him, but still. I felt so embarrassed.

“And you didn’t tell me?” I mumbled while feeling a little tinge of betrayal creep in.

Maya waved her hands frantically while dropping her wine glass. “It’s not that I wanted to keep it hidden,” she apologized gently. “I just didn’t want to pressure you or make things awkward between you two,” Maya said with genuine concern in her voice.

And I pouted but hugged her because I understood; she was just trying to help in her own way.

“You’re my bestie; I don’t want my brother to be an issue between us,” she said, and I smiled, feeling warmth spread through my chest because Maya was the first real friend I’d had in a long time.

We continued binge-watching movies until I was yawning and could barely keep my eyes open.

“Thanks for tonight,” I said at her door while pulling on my coat. “I really needed this.”

“Anytime,” Maya hugged me tight. “Text me when you get home safe.”

I stepped into the hallway and was about to head for the stairs when I heard footsteps and looked up to see Jude walking toward us carrying a bag.

My breath caught because I wasn’t expecting to see him and I was still wearing the dress and makeup.

“Oh, perfect timing!” Maya said brightly while opening her door wider. “I forgot you were bringing that by.”

Jude’s eyes found me and widened slightly, his steps slowing as he took me in but he didn’t say anything, just gave me that small soft smile that made my stomach flip.

“I should go,” I said quickly while my face burned hot. “Goodnight Maya, thanks again.”

“Night babe!” Maya called as I hurried past Jude toward the stairs, not trusting myself to look at him directly because my heart was already racing.

I heard him enter Maya’s apartment and the door closed behind them and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

The walk home was cold but I barely noticed because my mind kept replaying that moment when Jude saw me, the way his eyes had softened, and that small smile.

Then my phone pinged, I pulled out my phone from my coat, and saw a message from Jude and my heart skyrocketed.

“You look beautiful as always.”

And my heart thumped, holding the phone tighter on my chest.