XLVIII

Maya stayed quiet, letting Danielle take whatever time she needed. The soft hum of the city outside filtered through the window, but inside the room, everything felt still. Steady. Safe.

Danielle let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I don't talk about him much," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

Maya shifted slightly, careful not to disturb the moment. "You don't have to," she said, like she understood that sometimes words weren't enough.

Danielle's fingers traced absentminded patterns on the blanket beneath them. "I just—" She swallowed hard. "I feel like I should be used to it by now. But every year, it's like—"

"Like it just happened," Maya finished for her, her voice softer than usual.

Danielle nodded, eyes fixed on the fabric between her fingers. "Yeah."

Maya didn't rush her to say more. Instead, she reached for Danielle's hand, linking their fingers together without hesitation. Danielle let her, gripping onto Maya's hand like it was the only thing grounding her.

After a long silence, Danielle sighed. "I don't think Izzy knows what to do with me on days like this."

"She doesn't have to," Maya murmured. "She just has to be there."

Danielle turned her head, eyes meeting Maya's. "Yeah?"

Maya squeezed her hand gently. "Yeah."

Danielle let the silence stretch again before admitting, "I didn't even want to come home after the graveyard."

Maya smirked slightly. "So you called me instead?"

Danielle rolled her eyes, but there was no real bite behind it. "You're so full of yourself."

"Am I wrong?" Maya shot back, her smirk widening.

Danielle huffed but didn't let go of her hand. "...No."

Maya grinned. "Thought so."

For the first time that day, Danielle felt a small, genuine smile tug at her lips. It wasn't much, but it was something. And as she leaned her head back onto Maya's shoulder, letting the weight of the day settle, she realized that maybe—just maybe—she wasn't as alone in all of this as she thought.

The weight of the day still pressed against Danielle's chest, but sitting here with Maya made it feel a little more bearable. Neither of them spoke for a while, content with the silence and the occasional squeeze of their joined hands.

Eventually, Maya shifted slightly. "You eaten today?"

Danielle blinked at her, caught off guard by the question. "Uh..." She trailed off, thinking.

Maya rolled her eyes. "That's a no."

Danielle frowned. "Not a no. More like an 'I forgot.'"

"That's literally a no, Dani." Maya deadpanned, shaking her head. "Come on, let's get you something."

Danielle groaned, not wanting to move. "I'm fine."

Maya raised an eyebrow. "You're not fine. And if I have to drag you to the kitchen, I will."

Danielle gave her a tired look but didn't argue. Instead, she let Maya pull her up from the bed, their hands still loosely linked. They made their way downstairs, where Izzy was sitting on the couch, scrolling through something on her phone.

She glanced up when she heard them approach. "Hey, you okay?" Izzy asked, her gaze settling on Danielle.

Danielle hesitated before nodding. "Yeah."

Izzy studied her for a moment, then glanced at Maya, who still had a firm grip on Danielle's hand. Whatever she was thinking, she didn't say, just gave a small nod.

Maya nudged Danielle toward the kitchen. "Come on, we're raiding your fridge."

"You make it sound like I have anything good in there," Danielle muttered, but she followed anyway.

Maya swung the fridge door open and scanned the contents. "Okay, what do rich people even eat?"

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Normal food, princess."

Maya grabbed a carton of orange juice and inspected it. "You have the fancy kind of juice, though."

"Does that somehow make me less normal?"

Maya smirked, popping the carton open and taking a sip straight from it. "Yes."

Danielle snatched it out of her hand with a scowl. "Seriously?"

Maya just grinned. "You gonna do something about it?"

Danielle muttered something under her breath but didn't push her away when Maya leaned against her shoulder. Instead, she let herself relax into the moment, the weight in her chest just a little bit lighter.

Maya nudged Danielle toward one of the barstools at the kitchen island. "Sit. I'll make you something."

Danielle raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Since when do you cook?"

Maya smirked as she started rummaging through the cabinets. "Since now. You should feel honored. I don't do this for just anyone."

Danielle let out a tired chuckle, watching as Maya moved around her kitchen with the confidence of someone who had no idea what they were doing but was committed to the bit. Izzy had leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, silently observing.

"You supervising?" Danielle asked, glancing at her.

Izzy smirked. "More like making sure she doesn't burn the place down."

Maya scoffed. "Rude. I am very capable."

"You just took a sip out of my juice carton like a gremlin," Danielle reminded her.

Maya shot her a look. "And? That doesn't mean I can't make toast."

Izzy held up a hand. "Alright, I've seen enough. I'll be in my office. Try not to set off the smoke alarm."

Maya waved her off before turning back to the toaster, dropping two slices of bread in. "See? Easy."

Danielle propped her chin on her hand. "You're making me toast?"

Maya shrugged. "It's a classic. Can't go wrong with toast."

Danielle hummed. "Could've just ordered something."

Maya scoffed. "Yeah, because sitting in silence with you while waiting for delivery sounds super helpful."

Danielle frowned slightly, and Maya caught it immediately.

"Hey," Maya said softer, nudging her with her elbow. "You don't have to talk about it, but I'm here, okay?"

Danielle glanced at her, something unreadable in her gaze. She didn't say anything, but she nodded.

Maya nodded back like that was enough before turning to focus on buttering the toast. "Alright, your gourmet meal is served."

She slid a plate in front of Danielle with a dramatic flourish, and Danielle shook her head, but she took a bite anyway. It wasn't much, but it was something.

And right now, that was enough.

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the quiet hum of the refrigerator filling the space between them. Danielle slowly ate the toast, her movements slower than usual, like her body was still catching up with her emotions.

Maya watched her, arms crossed on the counter as she rested her chin on them. "You want to watch a movie or something?" she asked after a while.

Danielle hesitated before shaking her head. "Not really."

Maya nodded like she expected that. "Want me to just sit here with you?"

Danielle didn't respond right away. She picked at the crust of the toast, gaze distant. Then, softly, "Yeah. That'd be nice."

Maya smiled a little. "Okay."

She didn't push for anything more, didn't force Danielle to talk or distract her with empty chatter. She just stayed, her presence steady and warm, like she was grounding Danielle without even trying.

After a while, Danielle sighed, rubbing her face. "You know, you don't have to do all this."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I do."

Danielle glanced at her, confused. "Why?"

Maya gave her a look like the answer was obvious. "Because it's you."

Danielle blinked, her throat suddenly feeling tight. She swallowed and looked away, shaking her head. "You're annoying."

Maya grinned. "And yet, here I am, making you toast and keeping you company. You must secretly love it."

Danielle let out a small chuckle, the first real one Maya had heard all day.

Maya nudged her foot that was visible to her. "That's more like it."

They stayed like that for a while—no pressure, no expectations. Just existing in the same space. And for now, that was enough.

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable. If anything, it was the kind of quiet that felt necessary—one that didn't need to be filled with words. Maya sat in the chair next to Danielle's, occasionally stealing glances at Danielle, who was slowly finishing off her toast.

Danielle wasn't sure why she had called Maya earlier, but now, sitting here with her, she was glad she had. There was something about Maya's presence that made things feel a little less heavy, like she could breathe a little easier.

Maya tapped her fingers against the counter absentmindedly. "So... you wanna do something, or are we just gonna sit here in deep, soul-crushing silence?"

Danielle shot her a look. "I thought you were just gonna sit here with me."

Maya smirked. "I am. But I'm also me, and sitting still for too long gets boring."

Danielle sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I don't know, Maya. I'm just... tired."

Maya softened. "I get it." She was quiet for a second before nudging Danielle's leg with her foot. "What about a drive? Nowhere in particular, just... out. Clears the head."

Danielle considered it. She wasn't really in the mood for much, but the idea of just driving around with Maya, no destination in mind, didn't sound terrible.

"Yeah," she murmured after a moment. "Okay."

Maya grinned. "Good. But you're driving, 'cause last time I almost ran a red light, and I don't think your fragile heart can take that again."

Danielle rolled her eyes but stood up anyway. "Let's go before I change my mind."

Maya hopped up, grabbing her jacket as they headed for the door. She didn't say anything, but the fact that Danielle was agreeing to leave the house, even for a little while, was a good sign.

And Maya would take that as a win.

The car ride was quiet for the most part. The soft hum of the radio filled the space between them, but neither felt the need to talk. Danielle kept her hands steady on the wheel, eyes focused on the road, while Maya leaned her head against the window, watching the world pass by.

Danielle didn't know where she was going. She was just driving, letting the streets guide her. It was oddly calming, the way the movement of the car gave her something to focus on.

Maya broke the silence first. "Where are we going?"

Danielle shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Maya tilted her head, considering. "I guess not." She turned to look at Danielle. "You okay?"

Danielle exhaled slowly, fingers tightening around the wheel for a second before relaxing. "I don't know."

Maya didn't push. Instead, she reached forward and turned the volume up slightly, letting the music fill the air again. If Danielle wanted to talk, she would. If not, Maya was just going to be here.

After a while, Danielle finally pulled into an empty parking lot near a park. It was quiet, the kind of place where no one would bother them. She shifted the car into park but didn't move to get out.

Maya turned to her. "You wanna sit here, or...?"

Danielle let out a breath. "Let's walk."

They stepped out of the car, the cool evening air hitting them as they made their way toward the park's walking path. It wasn't crowded—just a few people in the distance, either jogging or walking their dogs.

Danielle shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. "I used to come here when I was younger," she admitted after a moment. "With my dad."

Maya glanced at her. "Yeah?"

Danielle nodded. "He liked the quiet spots. Said it helped him think." She let out a short laugh. "I used to think that was boring, but now... I get it."

Maya smiled softly. "You two were close?"

Danielle swallowed. "Yeah."

They kept walking, neither of them speaking for a while. The night air felt crisp, but not uncomfortably so. It was peaceful.

Eventually, Danielle reached out and linked her pinky with Maya's. It was small, barely anything, but neither pulled away.

Maya just walked beside her, their fingers loosely connected, and that was enough.

They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds around them being the rustling of leaves and the distant chatter of people in the park. Danielle hadn't expected to say much tonight, but somehow, having Maya here made it easier to breathe.

Eventually, they reached a wooden bench tucked away beneath a streetlamp. Danielle sat down first, her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets, and Maya followed, settling beside her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Maya leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Danielle hesitated. She rarely spoke about her dad with anyone. People either pitied her or didn't know what to say, and she didn't want either of those reactions from Maya. But Maya had never been like other people.

"I don't know what to say," Danielle admitted quietly.

Maya didn't look at her with sympathy or push her for more. She just nodded. "That's okay."

Danielle sighed, her eyes drifting up to the sky. "I don't really come here much anymore. It's different without him."

Maya didn't speak, just let Danielle talk at her own pace.

Danielle tilted her head back against the bench. "I went today, to see him, to the cemetery," she murmured. "Izzy and I go every year. But it never gets easier."

Maya finally turned to look at her, studying her profile. "You miss him."

Danielle let out a dry laugh. "Yeah. Every day."

Maya was quiet for a moment, then she shifted slightly, her knee brushing against Danielle's. "I don't know what it's like to lose a parent. But... I do know what it's like to wish things were different."

Danielle glanced at her.

Maya offered a small smile. "I used to do that all the time. Sit somewhere and think about how life should've been instead of what it actually was."

Danielle hummed. "And did it help?"

Maya shook her head, a small laugh escaping. "Not really." She nudged Danielle lightly with her shoulder. "But sometimes, talking to the right person does."

Danielle looked at her for a long moment before exhaling, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little. "Yeah," she muttered, a hint of a smirk playing at her lips. "Maybe."

Maya grinned. "See? You're already feeling better 'cause of me."

Danielle scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I take it back."

Maya only laughed, leaning back against the bench. And for the first time that day, Danielle felt a little less alone.

They sat there for a while, neither in a hurry to leave. The night air was crisp, but not uncomfortably so, and the quiet between them felt natural. Danielle didn't feel the usual weight pressing on her chest as much anymore. Maybe it was Maya's presence, or maybe it was just the fact that she wasn't spending the night alone with her thoughts.

Maya stretched her legs out in front of her. "So... what now?"

Danielle sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know."

Maya turned her head to look at her. "You wanna go back home?"

Danielle thought about it. Izzy was probably still awake, but she wouldn't push her to talk if she didn't want to, she never did. And, if she was being honest with herself, she didn't really want to be alone.

Instead of answering, she stood up, stretching her arms over her head. "Come on," she said, tilting her head toward the direction of her car.

Maya smirked. "Oh, so now I'm going back to the duchess's house?"

Danielle rolled her eyes but didn't argue, starting to walk. Maya fell into step beside her easily, hands tucked into her jacket pockets.

By the time they reached Danielle's driveway, the lights inside were dim, but not completely off. Izzy had probably left one on for her. Danielle unlocked the door and stepped inside, kicking her shoes off by the entrance. Maya followed suit, glancing around.

"Izzy still up?" Maya asked, keeping her voice low.

Danielle shrugged. "Probably in her room."

Maya nodded, rocking on her heels for a moment before looking at her. "You wanna just hang out for a bit?"

Danielle hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Yeah. That'd be... nice."

Maya grinned. "Good. Because I wasn't planning on leaving just yet."

Danielle shook her head, but the corners of her lips tugged upward as she led the way to the living room. She flopped onto the couch, and Maya settled beside her.

They didn't talk much after that, but they didn't need to. The TV played some random show in the background, but neither of them really paid attention.

For once, Danielle didn't mind the silence.

The soft hum of the TV filled the room as Maya curled into the corner of the couch, her legs tucked beneath her. Danielle sat beside her, staring at the screen but not really watching. Her mind still felt heavy, but it wasn't overwhelming. Not with Maya here.

After a few minutes, Maya glanced at her. "You okay?"

Danielle took a breath, leaning her head back against the couch. "I don't know," she admitted. "I think so."

Maya nodded like she understood. "Today was hard."

Danielle let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah."

Maya hesitated before nudging Danielle's knee with her foot. "You know, you don't always have to be 'Danielle Young-Lopez,' head cheer captain, popular girl, untouchable, all that stuff," she said, her voice softer than usual. "At least not with me."

Danielle turned her head, watching her. Maya's expression was unreadable, but there was something in her eyes—something real.

"I know," Danielle said quietly. And she did.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The show on TV droned on, filling the space between them.

Then Maya yawned, stretching her arms over her head before relaxing again. "I should probably go soon," she said, though she made no effort to move.

Danielle blinked, suddenly realizing how late it had gotten. She should tell Maya to go home. She should stand up and walk her to the door.

But she didn't want to.

"You can stay," Danielle said before she could think twice about it. "If you want."

Maya raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Really?"

Danielle nodded. "Yeah."

Maya studied her for a moment, then grinned. "Alright, Young. But only because I don't feel like walking home in the dark."

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Right."

Maya smirked before shifting to get comfortable. Danielle reached for the blanket draped over the back of the couch, tossing it over both of them.

As the night went on, their conversation grew quieter, their words fewer. Eventually, Maya's head rested against Danielle's shoulder, her breathing even as she drifted off.

Danielle stayed awake a little longer, staring at the TV but not really seeing it.

For the first time all day, she felt at peace.

---

A/N

Well my gifs have frozen... I've got so many chapters written but I'm trying not to spam post😭 anyways ain't they cute?! Sorry I love these two