The Girl They Turned Down

Maya Carter learned early that some rooms could make you feel poor without anyone saying the word. Westbridge Academy was one of those rooms. The marble floors shone beneath the morning sunlight. Crystal chandeliers hung above the entrance hall, and students walked into the building wearing uniforms that looked as though they had been tailored specifically for them. Maya's uniform had been altered twice. Not because she cared about fashion. Because her mother couldn't afford to replace it. She tightened the strap of her worn backpack and walked through the crowded hallway, keeping her eyes lowered. "Move." A shoulder slammed into hers. Her books slipped from her arms. They hit the floor. Maya froze. Laughter immediately followed. "Oh, sorry." The voice was sweet. Too sweet. Maya looked up. Victoria Hayes stood in front of her with two girls from their class beside her. Victoria's perfectly styled hair fell over one shoulder, and the expensive watch on her wrist caught the light. Maya knew the apology wasn't real. She crouched down and began collecting her books. "Maybe she should learn to watch where she's going," one of Victoria's friends said. "She probably can't afford glasses," another replied. More laughter. Maya swallowed. She had learned that responding only made things worse. So she said nothing. Then someone crouched beside her. "You dropped this." Maya looked up. Adrian Cole. For one ridiculous second, everything around her seemed to disappear. He held out her notebook. His dark hair was slightly messy, as though he hadn't bothered trying to make it perfect. His school blazer was immaculate, his expression calm. Everyone knew Adrian. He was the son of one of Sydney's most successful businessmen. He was also the person almost everyone at Westbridge wanted to be friends with. Maya reached for the notebook. "Thanks." Their fingers almost touched. Adrian stood. "You okay?" Maya nodded quickly. "Yeah." He gave her a brief smile. Then Victoria called his name. "Adrian!" His attention shifted. Maya looked away before he could notice how much that tiny moment had affected her. He walked toward Victoria. Of course he did. Maya gathered the last of her books and stood. She watched him disappear into the crowd. Then she quietly told herself something she had repeated countless times. Stop imagining things. Adrian was kind to everyone. It didn't mean anything. Still, Maya couldn't stop thinking about the way he'd looked at her. By lunchtime, the incident was almost forgotten. Almost. Maya sat alone beneath a tree at the far end of the courtyard, eating the lunch her mother had packed that morning. A simple sandwich. An apple. A bottle of water. Across the courtyard, students were laughing around tables covered with expensive food. Maya didn't mind. At least, that's what she told herself. She opened her notebook. Her mathematics assignment was due the next morning, and she still had three questions to finish. "Maya." She looked up. Chloe Bennett dropped into the seat beside her. "You disappeared after class." "I had somewhere to be." "You always have somewhere to be." Maya smiled faintly. Chloe was one of the few people at Westbridge who actually spoke to her. "You should come sit with us." Maya glanced toward Chloe's friends. "I don't think they want me there." "That's not true." Maya raised an eyebrow. Chloe sighed. "Okay. Some of them don't." "Exactly." Chloe leaned closer. "There's a party Friday." Maya nearly laughed. "A party?" "Yes." "For people who can afford to attend?" Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's at my house." "That doesn't make it better." "It does if I'm inviting you." Maya looked down at her sandwich. She wanted to go. More than she wanted to admit. Not because of the party. Because Adrian would probably be there. And because somewhere deep inside her, there was still a foolish little hope that perhaps he noticed her too. Chloe studied her expression. "Oh no." "What?" "You're thinking about him again." Maya's face warmed. "I am not." "You absolutely are." "I'm not." Chloe smiled. "You like Adrian." Maya immediately looked around. "Keep your voice down!" Chloe laughed. "Relax. He can't hear us." Maya sighed. She knew she was being foolish. But feelings didn't disappear simply because they were inconvenient. "I've never even spoken to him properly," she whispered. "You spoke to him this morning." "He was being polite." "And?" "And nothing." Chloe shook her head. "You need to stop assuming you're invisible." Maya looked across the courtyard. Adrian was standing with his friends. He laughed at something someone said. For a moment, his eyes moved across the courtyard. Maya quickly looked away. She didn't notice that his gaze had stopped briefly in her direction. She didn't notice Victoria noticing him. And she certainly didn't notice the expression that crossed Victoria's face. That afternoon, Maya stayed behind to finish an assignment. The school had become strangely quiet. She was packing her books when she heard voices coming from the hallway. "Did you hear?" "Hear what?" "Adrian's birthday party is this weekend." "So?" "Victoria is planning something." Maya stopped. She didn't mean to listen. But then she heard her own name. "Maya Carter?" Someone laughed. "Why would she be invited?" Another voice answered. "She thinks Adrian likes her." Maya's fingers tightened around her notebook. "He doesn't." "I heard she's planning to tell him." "Seriously?" "Apparently." The girls laughed. Maya felt her stomach drop. She slowly stepped away from the classroom door. She hadn't told anyone. Not even Chloe. How did they know? She hurried down the hallway before they could see her. Her heart was pounding. She reached the stairs. Then she stopped. Adrian was standing at the bottom. Alone. Their eyes met. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then Adrian smiled. "Maya." She forced herself to smile back. "Hi." He looked at the books in her arms. "Heading home?" "Yeah." "Can I ask you something?" Maya's heart jumped. "Sure." Adrian took a step closer. "I heard something today." Maya's smile disappeared. "What?" He hesitated. "Someone told me you wanted to talk to me." Silence. Maya's face burned. She knew exactly what he meant. Adrian looked at her carefully. "Is it true?" Maya couldn't speak. For the first time in years, she wished she could disappear. Then Adrian asked the question that would change everything. "Do you like me?" Maya stared at him. And somewhere upstairs, someone was watching them. #.......