𝐂𝐡𝐩𝐭 𝟐𝟏

I woke up to find Kamala and Maya still fast asleep beside me. We had all dozed off together. I was curled up against Kamala's chest, one leg draped over hers. She looked so peaceful as she slept. When I tried to shift slightly, her hold on me tightened instinctively. God, I love how protective she is of me. Smiling to myself, I relaxed and drifted back to sleep.

After a few hours of sleep, Kamala's phone rings waking all of us up. I slowly open my eyes to see Kamala groan in frustration. Her hair was messy, but the way the sun was shining on her beautiful skin was a site to see. She looked over at me a with a smile as she mouthed the words.

"Good morning, my beautiful girl."

Her words made me blush instantly. Kamala stood up, pressing the phone to her ear as she walked toward the kitchen.

"Yes, this is Professor Harris speaking," she answered, her tone shifting to something more formal.

I let myself sink back into the couch, enjoying the quiet, when I felt Maya stirring beside me. Not knowing what kind of morning person she was, I stayed silent.

"Good morning, Allura," she said with a light giggle.

Okay, so Maya was definitely a cheerful morning person. I sat up slightly, offering her a gentle smile. I won't lie—she looked absolutely stunning when she woke up. Her dark hair cascaded past her shoulders, and that single dimple appeared every time she smiled, making her even more endearing.

"Morning, Maya," I greeted warmly. "How'd you sleep?"

She sat up, running a hand through her hair as she let out a small yawn.

"I actually slept really well. I have no idea where Kamala got these soft blankets, but I'm definitely taking them home with me."

We both laughed. Maya was pretty fun to be around—at least when she wasn't shamelessly flirting with me and getting under Kamala's skin.

"So, did you hear about our plans for today?"

I frowned slightly, trying to remember. "I don't think so. What plans?"

Maya grinned. "Well, Kamala and I were talking last night, and I suggested we go to the pool to get out of the house for a bit."

My face lit up with excitement. I had always loved swimming, especially as a kid. I was a pretty strong swimmer, but for some reason, I never quite figured out how to float.

"Oh my gosh, that sounds so fun! I'm in for sure. I've always loved swimming."

Whenever I talked about things I loved, I had a tendency to ramble—not intentionally, but it just happened. I could be a real chatterbox sometimes. As I went on, I noticed the way Maya was looking at me, like she was really listening to every word I said.

Just then, Kamala walked back into the living room, one hand on her hip, letting out a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked, shifting her attention to Kamala.

Kamala walked into the living room and settled between us.

"That was the dean. Finals are coming up, and two of their teachers just quit. They have no one to cover for them."

Maya and I exchanged a confused look.

"Okay... and what does that have to do with you?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.

She sighed, resting her chin in her hand. "They asked me if I could step in and cover for those teachers for a week."

A week? A whole week without Kamala? Absolutely not.

"A week?" I repeated, pouting. "That's way too long for you to be gone."

She laced her fingers with mine and pressed a soft kiss to my hand.

"I know, baby. But they trust me, and I promise it'll go by faster than you think."

Maya folded her arms. "So they're just sending you there alone?"

"Well, no," Kamala admitted. "Since two teachers quit, they're sending me with Professor Stanley."

Hell. No. That name alone sent me into a spiral of frustration. The amount of PTSD I had from that woman was unreal. And now Kamala was being sent on a trip with her?

I shot up from my seat, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

"Tell me you're joking right now," I said, my voice firm.

"I'm not," Kamala replied, standing with me, her hands raised in defense. "But before you get upset, just know it wasn't my choice. I didn't pick her."

Maya, sensing the tension, got to her feet as well. "Wait, hold on. Who the hell is Professor Stanley?"

We both turned to look at her, and as realization dawned, her eyes widened.

"Ohhh, I know now. Let me just sit back down then," she muttered before promptly sitting back down. Crossing her legs, she smirked like she was watching a reality tv show.

Kamala and I turned back to each other, the tension thick in the air. I could feel her nervous energy, and honestly, it wasn't her I was mad at—it was the fact that, out of all the teachers they could've sent with Kamala, they chose the one I despised the most.

I just know Stanley is geeked up right now. Probably doing laps around her house as we speak and the thought of that? It's pissing me off way more than I care to admit.

"This trip is only for a week, sweet pea. You know my home is your home—you can stay here as long as you want, even while I'm away. Will that make you feel better?"

She cupped my cheek gently, her other hand slipping into mine. God, she's such a smooth talker—it's almost unfair.

I tilted my head slightly, a small pout forming on my lips. "A little," I admitted.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── The Pool

"Don't get my hair all wet," Kamala warned, shielding herself from the splashes I was making.

"That's what the pool is for, Ms. Harris," I teased, playfully shouting back.

Kamala looked so good in her swimsuit—an all-black two-piece that hugged her perfectly as she sat cross-legged on the lounge chair, watching me swim.

Maya, on the other hand, had gone for a bright pink one-piece that screamed Barbie vibes, and me being the girly girl that I am, I absolutely loved it.

I leaned back in the water, attempting to teach myself how to float, but it wasn't going well. Every time I tried, I'd sink just enough to make me flail.

A faint giggle drifted over from Kamala.

"What are you trying to do, Allura?"

"I'm trying to learn to float, but it's not going too well," I admitted, sighing.

Maya sat up from her chair, set down her book, and made her way into the water. She swam toward me, extending her hand.

"Come here, sweetie," she said in a soft, coaxing tone that made me sit up straight.

I glanced over at Kamala, who had just taken off her sunglasses and placed them in her lap. She was watching—and the moment I caught her expression, a little spark of fear ran through me.

"Maya, don't do anything I don't like," Kamala warned, her tone firm.

Maya glanced back at her, rolling her eyes.

"Relax, Kamala. She said she wants to learn how to float, and you don't want to get your hair wet, so I'm helping her."

I mean... technically, she wasn't wrong.

Maya turned back to me, flashing that signature smile—complete with the dimple I couldn't help but notice.

"Okay, take my hand and just lay back slowly," she instructed. "Let your body move with the water."

I hesitated for a second but followed her lead, holding onto her hand as I eased myself backward. It took a few tries, but with Maya's patience, I finally got the hang of it. I could feel her hands gently caressing my thigh. I don't know if she's doing it on purpose or if it was to calm me. Her and Kamala are alike in many ways so maybe it was unintentional.

"There you go, just like that," she encouraged, slowly backing away to give me space. "You've got it, rockstar."

I was actually floating. Something I never thought I could do, but now here I was, effortlessly drifting on the water. I looked up at the sky, watching the clouds slowly pass by. It felt peaceful, like a calm before the storm. The water gently moved beside me, and to my surprise, Maya had joined me, floating beside me with her eyes closed, both of us swaying with the rhythm of the water.

"Smile, you two!"

We both looked up to see Kamala, phone in hand, snapping pictures of us.

We smiled for the camera, continuing to float peacefully. But then, a loud splash broke the calm. Both Maya and I sat up, turning to see Kamala swimming toward us.

I gasped as I saw her hair—completely drenched.

"Your hair! I thought you didn't want it to get wet!" I exclaimed, surprised.

Kamala swam right up to me, now face-to-face, and grabbed my waist, pulling me closer.

"I didn't, but I've got a hair appointment before I leave, so this is an exception," she said with a grin, her tone playful.

We all swam around, making splashes here and there, enjoying each other's company and sharing stories. The laughter and easy conversation filled the air, and for a while, it felt like time stood still.

As the day started to wind down, we finally headed back home, exhausted from the fun we'd had. The yawns came every ten minutes, but there was still one last thing to do—shower. Despite the exhaustion, none of us could avoid it.

Kamala and I showered together while Maya took hers in her room.

"I can tell you're tired. You keep yawning," I said, gently caressing Kamala's cheek as we got dressed for bed.

Kamala let out a little giggle, followed by another yawn.

"I feel exhausted from all that swimming, and my hair's a mess."

"It does look a little messy," I teased, "but you're still fine." I couldn't help but let my eyes trail from her feet all the way up to her lips, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

I could see the blush on Kamala's face, clearly trying to hide it, and it only fueled me more. We climbed into bed, cuddling up like we always did. Kamala's body was so warm and inviting, and I always felt safe in her arms, like nothing could touch me as long as I was there.

Kamala had this habit of caressing my scalp at night, and even though it always made me feel so relaxed, I never complained.

"Good night, Kamala. I love you more than words could express," I whispered, feeling my heart swell.

She kissed my forehead, her lips lingering just for a moment. "I love you more, princess. Sweet dreams."

See yall thought Maya was gonna try something. She sticking to her word and being on her best behavior. Gotta give her a lil credit 💃🏽