My phone pinged and I rolled over in my bed to grab it off of the nightstand. I looked at the time and it read 2:23 AM. I remembered being encourage by Riley to go to bed around 11:00 PM, but I didn't remember falling asleep.

My phone had a few notifications to say the least. There were four text messages from Lucas and one missed call. I glanced at the texts though my eyes were still bleary with sleep.

From: Lucas

Are you running late?

From: Lucas

Am I being stood up? After six years I thought we were past this :)

From: Lucas

Are you okay? I left the restaurant. Where are you?

From: Lucas

Maya?

1 missed call, 1 voicemail:

"Hey- It's me. Call me back, Okay? I'm worried about you"

I was exhausted all over again. I heard some rustling in the living room but my bedroom door was closed and it was hard to make out the sound from down the hall. I thought I heard Riley talking to someone, but I figured I was probably just delirious.

I was about to set my phone back down on the nightstand when it pinged again. I brought it back toward me and looked at the text.

From: Riles

Lucas is here.

Shit.

I padded down the hallway in my socks toward the dimly lit living room. I could hear Riley and Lucas chatting quietly but it stopped when I came into the room.

"Maya, where have you been? I've been worried about you all night. You didn't show up for dinner."

I replied quietly, "I've been here."

Lucas, confused, looked between Riley and me for some sort of explanation. I rolled my lips together and crossed my arms. It was chilly in the apartment.

"I'll be in the guest room," Riley said and nodded at me, signaling to me to let her know if I needed anything.

Once the guest room door shut, Lucas started speaking again.

"Maya?"

I looked down at my feet, my arms still crossed.

"Are you okay? Why didn't you show up for dinner?" Lucas asked.

I looked up at him, trying to keep my face lacking in emotion. "I forgot,"

"You forgot." He said.

"I was worried about you, didn't you get any of my messages?" He asked.

I looked back at him, "Clearly not, since you decided to show up at my door." I gestured behind him.

Lucas' expression shifted. He looked hurt.

"Maya what's going on?"

"Nothing- nothing's going on," I said and turned away from him.

"Then what are all of the boxes for?" He asked quietly.

I stopped.

"You're leaving aren't you?" He said.

I shut my eyes and exhaled, turning around.

"Lucas-,"

"You're running away again. You're leaving." Lucas said, his face unreadable.

He scoffed, "And you weren't going to tell me." He crossed his arms.

I stayed quiet.

"Right. Find me when you decide that this," He gestured between the two of us, "Is worth staying. If ever."

He turned around and opened the door, stepping out into the hallway and slamming it behind him.

I opened my mouth and closed it again, looking down at my hands. I wrung them together and turned around, intending to go back to my room to sleep away the nightmare I had created.

When I turned around, Riley was standing in the hallway that led to both rooms; her face was drowned in sympathy.

I felt my face crumple, but I had no words for her. I knew she'd heard it all. I made my way down the hall and pushed past her, going into my room for the night.