EPISODE THIRTY FIVE 35: MAYA

**Michael's POV**

I stepped out of my dorm with a bag of clothes to donate to the orphanage. The air was crisp, a reminder of the changing seasons, as I made my way downstairs for breakfast. The rustling of my footsteps on the stairwell was suddenly interrupted by a familiar, strained voice.

"I told you to stop calling me, mum why can't you just listen. You've already made my life more miserable than it is," Chase's voice was a low, ragged whisper filled with unspoken agony.

My curiosity piqued, I crept closer, my heart pounding like a war drum.

"No, mum, you don't love me. You're just a screw-up who ruined my life. Don't ever call me again or visit me. I wish you'd just get out of my life," he spat into the phone, his voice a cauldron of bitterness and pain before I could react. I reached out, yanking the phone from his hand and severing the call.

"Chase, this is no way to speak to your own mother," I said, my voice a blend of firmness and compassion.

"Don't you dare try to butt in my problem, I can't believe you want to act like you care now," Chase retorted, his voice like a slap in the face as he snatched the phone back and brushed past me, his shoulder slamming into mine like a sledgehammer.

As I watched him walk away, a knot of worry twisted in my stomach. Why did Chase harbor such intense hatred for his mother? The fact that he'd brushed me aside so callously gnawed at me. I felt helpless, unable to reach out to my own roommate.

Chloe had also been a ghost, her only communication with me was a note brimming with venom.

If I had a superpower, it would be to shatter relationships rather than mend them.

*****

The ride to the orphanage was a suffocating silence, Chloe and Chase enveloped in their own private storms. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

When we arrived, Miss Melissa gathered us with the air of a stern conductor overseeing an orchestra.

"I know some of you brought clothes and other items to donate. That's commendable. But I hope you're not doing this just for a social media challenge," she said, her voice a blend of skepticism and approval.

Capriana raised her hand, the gesture a small beacon of hope amidst the gloom.

"Yes, Capri?" Miss Melissa's voice was like a lifeline.

"Where do we put the clothes we brought?" Capri asked, her eyes wide and earnest.

"The person who is gonna be wearing your clothes aren't exactly starving," Maya shot back, her words sharp as knives. The group erupted in suppressed laughter.

"The person who'll wear yours should be afraid of an incurable disease called bullying m," Hadizah countered, her voice laced with poison.

The verbal sparring was intense, and I found myself quietly admiring Hadizah's daring.

Whoa where did that one come from, I thought, Hadizah really is giving everyone their size, I'm so proud of her.

"I'm sure I wasn't talking to you, Hook," Maya sneered, her eyes glinting with malice.

"And I value your opinion as much as I value a white crayon. Sorry, but you're not important," Hadizah snapped, her retort as biting as a winter wind.

"Look here, you f***er-" Maya began, but Miss Melissa's authoritative tone cut through the hostility like a blade.

"Girls, behave yourselves if you don't want detention when we get back," Miss Melissa warned, her Australian accent thick with disapproval.

"Sorry, Miss Melissa," they both muttered, though the animosity lingered like a storm cloud.

We were soon assigned our duties. I found myself paired with Maya, Chase, Chloe, Anna, and Daniel-a mix that seemed as harmonious as a discordant symphony.

****

At the orphanage, our task was straightforward: bring joy to the children, who ranged from four to ten years old. Their faces were a canvas of hope and innocence.

As we entered, the children swarmed around Maya like bees to honey.

"Maya, we missed you! Kayden didn't come with you," they chirped, their voices a melody of excitement.

"No, he didn't come. I'm sorry I've been gone so long; school work kept me busy. That's why I brought extra chocolates this time," Maya explained, her voice brightening as the children cheered in unison.

I approached a nun, her presence as calming as a gentle rain, and asked how Maya knew the children.

"She comes every weekend to see them. It helps her cope with the loss of her sister. She believes that helping others might bring her peace," the nun said, her voice soft and soothing.

"Thank you," I said, feeling a swell of gratitude.

"It's no trouble," she replied, giving a slight bow before leaving.

I watched Maya laughing with the children, her usual tough exterior melting away like snow in spring. Everyone has always thought of Maya as a bully which she is by the way, I'm not going to sweet talk you out of that one. But Maya had lost her older sister Makayla the same day I lost my twin sister Michelle.

"Stop being a weirdo," Maya said, noticing me and walking away, her voice a mixture of annoyance and sadness.

I followed her, recognizing that Maya's harshness might be a shield for her grief. Yeah Maya's a bully, but I think she got to a point where she just took her sadness out on the people that were around her, I'm not justifying what she did but I decided we could give her some excuse.

"Will you stop following me?" she snapped, her eyes reddened and her nose flushed. Her dark skin concealed her tears, but the sadness was palpable.

"Maya, are you okay?" I asked softly, my heart aching for her.

"Are you f***ing kidding me right now?" she retorted, her voice like a lash.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what to say. I just wanted to help," I stammered, my words faltering as if they were trapped in quicksand.

"After five years, you're asking if I'm okay?" she said, her voice a mix of hurt and disbelief.

"Am I not supposed to ask that?" I asked, my confusion evident.

"Wow, Michael. I knew you were selfish but didn't realize you were this stupid. You abandoned me-abandoned all of us. Ethan and I were your best friends, and you just disappeared," she said, her voice breaking like fragile glass.

"I'm sorry, Maya please," I said.

"Don't, Michael, don't f**k with me, you know me, I can do and undo" she said.

"I'm sorry but I didn't abandon you, I didn't abandon you, I just couldn't wrap everything around my head, I was twelve, I didn't know what to do," I said.

"Don't try to justify the s**to you did. I lost my brother, Ethan lost his leg, you lost your sister. We all lost something precious. We were supposed to support each other, but you were just selfish," she said bitterly, her words a knife to the heart.

"But I just apologized for what I did," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You must be so stupid to think that your f***king apology is going to change anything," she said.

"What do you want from me," I said frustrated.

"You want to know what I want?, she asked.

"Yes Maya I want to know I want to right now all my freaking wrongs, I want things to be the way they were," I said.

"Michael I want back the five years I spent waiting for you to come back or my brother, whom I'm still grieving. That's what I want," she said, turning away like a stormy night.

She stopped in her tracks, then added, "I don't want to hear about this encounter from anyone. Who am I kidding. You're a loner with no friends and you will be alone forever. That's all you'll ever be." Her words were a final, cutting blow before she walked off, leaving me numb and hollow.

I realized the depth of my mistake. I had pushed everyone away, thinking it was for the best, but it had only caused more pain. My selfishness was a weight around my neck, dragging me down. My past was catching up to me after five long years, and I was left grappling with the consequences.

I didn't realize that when things go wrong I should go with them.

I've started losing people my friends and my family.

I returned to the children's area, where Daniel was already brightening their day. His genuine affection for the kids was a sharp contrast to my own behavior. Seeing him with the children made me reflect on my actions. I was pushing people away when I needed them the most.

"Michael, where the hell have you been? I can't believe you left me alone with these little cuties," Daniel said, though he mouthed "little devils" to me with a grin.

I almost smiled, though the emotion felt distant and foreign.

"I just hope I can make things right," I thought, "I need to let it hurt, let it bleed, let it heal, and let it go."

**Hadizah's POV**

I was paired with Ethan, Rose, Ava, Capri, and Julian. The combination was like a recipe for disaster, with Julian being the wild card.

I noticed Ethan trying to talk to Rose, but she ignored him, her silence a fortress he couldn't breach. He tried to cover his frustration by shoving a muffin into his mouth. I approached him, my concern evident.

"Still having girlfriend issues?" I asked, my voice a mix of sympathy and curiosity.

"Yeah, as you can see," he replied, his tone resigned.

"Have you tried apologizing, not just any apology but a heartfelt one?" I suggested, hoping to provide some clarity.

"I've begged her, bought flowers, chocolates-none of it worked," he said, his voice tinged with defeat.

"Well, at least you know she's not materialistic," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nah, I'd never believe that. I love Lina for a reason, but for now, I think I'll just give her some space," Ethan said.

"I wouldn't advise that. As a girl, I know how it works. Don't stop trying. She'll eventually come around," I said, my tone encouraging.

"Thanks. Want a muffin?" Ethan offered.

"Yes, actually. That's why I came over," I admitted, taking a bite. "These taste amazing. I need to know who made them."

"I think Julian made them. He donated them to the older kids," Ethan said.

"Oh, I didn't realize that," I said, impressed.

"We should cut this conversation short. We have baby nappies to clean," Ethan said, his voice a mix of dread and resignation.

"Are you kidding? Like, literally?" I asked, horror creeping into my voice.

"Yeah, literally. It shouldn't be too hard. I've seen my mum handle it from my baby brother Trevor," he said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Okay, I like babies, but that part? Not so much," I said, shuddering.

"Better start liking it now. Let's go," Ethan said, leading the way.

****

In the baby section of the orphanage, I watched Julian gently feeding a baby girl, no older than five months. He was tender, his hands moving with a grace that spoke of deep care. The baby cooed in his arms, her tiny fingers grasping at the air.

Julian's way with the babies made him seem a thousand times more attractive, his tenderness a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.

"You're so good with babies. How did you get so good?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"I practically raised my baby sister," he said, his gaze distant, as if lost in memories.

"Your sister, she's lucky," I said, trying to bridge the gap between us.

"If I knew that rocking a baby would make you come to me willingly, I'd have opened a daycare," Julian joked, his tone light but his eyes betraying a hint of vulnerability.

"Stop exaggerating," I said, giving his hand a light slap and attempting a smile.

"Seriously, Hadizah, you haven't talked to me at all. Not once," he said, his voice stripped of its usual playful lilt.

"I needed a break from everything," I said, my voice a whisper of regret.

You keep pushing me away when there's a problem, and honestly, it's getting harder on me each time you do it," Julian said bitterly, his eyes clouded with hurt.

"Julian, you wouldn't even understand if I tried to explain to you. You've always been in my way, like you just... and that party Michael warned me about, but I didn't listen. Now look at where it's gotten me," I said, my voice trembling. "Besides, I don't think we've had the right time to talk about it."

"When is the right time going to f****ing come, huh? I feel like I'm not special to you, like you claim I am. You keep pushing me away, especially after you told me to leave you alone in front of the whole school. Do you know how much that hurt?" Julian's voice was a pained whisper. "I know I'm not a perfect Muslim, but at least for you, I'm trying. So please, stop pushing me away from your life."

He held both of my hands, his touch warm but filled with desperation.

"Julian, I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't realize it. I just had this feeling that ignoring you was the best thing for both of us... or at least for me," I said, my voice barely audible.

"I understand but -" Julian started, but his words were cut off by an unwelcome intrusion.

"Didn't think you'd bring your lover's quarrel to an Orphanage and you even made up. And let me guess, you were making out in front of the babies," Maya sneered. It was clear who had interrupted us, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Maya, I already told you not to take me for granted. I'll post about your bullying on the parents' platform. If you think your mum can save you from that, you're in for a rude awakening. My mum is a lawyer, and I've got evidence right here on my phone," I said bit then she lunged forward to get it but I immediately shifted back.

"Ha, ha, OMG, did you just threaten me?" Maya's eyes widened in mock surprise.

"More like a warning," I said, my tone steely.

"F***k you bi**ch Let's go, Lucy. She's probably so poor she needs us to buy her a new phone," Maya said dismissively.

"Yeah, let's roll," Lucy agreed, sticking her to middle fingers up at me.

"Same to you," I said, watching them leave with a mixture of anger and relief.

"Damn, where did my girl get all that courage?" Julian said, his voice tinged with awe.

"Most of it was bluffing, and I'm not your girl," I replied matter-of-factly. "What do you want people to think? It almost got us into trouble."

"You need to stop letting people's opinions affect you. Negative or positive, people will always talk. You need to learn to let things go, okay?" Julian said, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"I don't think I can do that. It's always been me," I said, feeling the weight of my own words.

"Look at me, Nick," he said softly. I met his gaze, struggling to keep my eyes from blinking.

"Look people in the face and tell them, 'Your opinion of me has nothing to do with me. That is your business, not mine,'" he said with a calm conviction.

"I actually don't know what I'd do without you," I admitted, my voice tinged with vulnerability.

"You'd do a lot, but I don't want a future where you're not in it," he said, his words carrying a deep sincerity.

"Me neither," I said, my heart aching with the weight of our shared struggle.

"I want people to speak well of us, Julian, in a halal way. I don't want bad things to happen to us," I said, looking into his eyes with a mixture of admiration and perhaps something more.

"If it makes you happy, it doesn't have to make sense to others," Julian said, his voice gentle and reassuring.

"You won't understand. You didn't know how people treated me when I got-" I began, but the words caught in my throat.

"Why didn't you finish your sentence?" Julian asked, concern etched on his face.

"It's nothing you should worry about," I said, attempting to brush it off.

"Hadizah, I just want you to know that se agapo," Julian said, his voice full of tenderness as he held my hands.

"What does that mean?" I asked, curiosity and hope mingling in my voice.

"I'll tell you the meaning one day, when I'm sure of it," he promised.

"I'll wait for you. Don't worry," I said, feeling a resolve settle in my chest.

"I know," he said, feeling a pang of guilt.

My eyes softened, and I took a deep breath. "Well, let's make the most of today. We can't change the past, but we can make the present better."

"I'm in for it," he said and I knew that Julian is the one and there is no denying it.

I knew that my feelings for Julian were real, and that one day, I would make sure that we were together, no matter what.

WRITER'S NOTE :

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