The Boy That stayed

Chapter Four- A NEW KIND OF FAMILIAR

After that first conversation in the cafeteria, I didn't think much about the girl.

At least, I tried not to.

She had only asked me a simple question.

What's up?

It wasn't exactly a life-changing conversation.

Still, the next day, when I walked into the cafeteria, I found myself looking toward the tables.

I didn't know what I was looking for.

Maybe her.

Maybe not.

I didn't see her.

I told myself I was relieved.

I picked up my food and went to my usual table near the window.

I had barely started eating when someone dropped into the seat across from me.

I looked up.

It was her.

"Hi."

I stared at her.

She smiled.

"You remember me, right?"

I nodded slowly.

"The girl from yesterday."

"Yeah."

She opened her lunch.

"I'm Tessa."

There it was.

Her name.

"Tessa," I repeated quietly.

She smiled.

"And you're Maya."

I frowned.

"How do you know my name?"

She shrugged.

"I've heard people call you."

"Oh."

I looked back at my food.

She didn't seem bothered by my short answers.

For a few minutes, she ate quietly.

Then she looked up.

"So..."

I waited.

"What's up?"

I almost laughed.

"Nothing."

"You always say nothing?"

"Mostly."

She smiled.

"Okay."

And somehow, that became our thing.

She'd ask.

I'd say nothing.

She'd roll her eyes.

I'd pretend not to notice.

Tessa was different from the people I'd known before.

At least, that's what I thought.

She didn't force me to talk.

She didn't make jokes about my height.

She didn't ask questions just so she could have something to tell someone else later.

She simply stayed.

Sometimes she'd sit beside me during lunch without saying anything.

Sometimes she'd walk beside me after class.

Sometimes she'd talk so much that I barely had to say anything at all.

That part was easy.

I liked listening.

She told me about teachers she hated, songs she liked, random things that happened at home, and people she found annoying.

I mostly listened.

Occasionally, I'd laugh.

And every time I did, she'd smile like she'd accomplished something.

"You laughed."

"So?"

"You actually laughed."

"I laugh."

"No, you don't."

"I do."

"Prove it."

I rolled my eyes.

She laughed.

For the first time in a long time, being around someone didn't feel exhausting.

It felt... easy.

That scared me.

I didn't trust her.

Not completely.

I kept reminding myself of that.

Whenever I caught myself getting excited to see her, I'd pull myself back.

Whenever I wanted to tell her something personal, I'd stop.

I had done this before.

I'd trusted someone.

I'd thought I had finally found a friend.

And I'd learned exactly how painful that could be.

So I kept certain parts of myself locked away.

Tessa didn't seem to notice.

Or maybe she did.

One afternoon, as we walked out of school, she suddenly asked,

"Why don't you trust people?"

I stopped walking.

She looked at me.

"I never said I don't trust people."

"You don't have to."

I looked away.

She was quiet for a moment.

Then she said,

"You don't have to tell me."

I looked back at her.

She smiled.

"I'll wait."

Something about those words stayed with me.

I'll wait.

Nobody had ever said that to me before.

Most people wanted answers immediately.

Tessa didn't.

She just kept walking.

And eventually, I followed.

At home, Mum noticed the difference before I said anything.

I walked through the front door one afternoon with a smile on my face.

She looked up from the kitchen.

"What's that smile for?"

I froze.

"Nothing."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing?"

I laughed.

"There's this girl at school."

Mum smiled.

"A girl?"

"She's my friend."

The word felt strange coming out of my mouth.

Friend.

I hadn't used it seriously in a long time.

Mum wiped her hands on a towel.

*sigh*" I thought you meant you liked a girl " she laughed, then she said "Tell me about her."

So I did.

I told her about Tessa.

About how she always talked.

About how she made me laugh.

About how she somehow knew when I was upset even when I didn't say anything.

Mum listened.

She looked genuinely happy for me.

"I'm glad you've found someone."

I smiled.

"Me too."

I didn't tell Mum that I was still scared.

I didn't tell her that every time I got closer to Tessa, a small voice in my head reminded me that friendships could end badly.

I didn't tell her that sometimes I wondered if Tessa would eventually get tired of me.

Because I didn't want to think about it.

For once, I wanted to enjoy something without waiting for it to disappear.

Weeks passed.

Tessa and I became inseparable, we were practically attached at the hip.

At least, that's what it felt like.

We had our own jokes.

Our own little routines.

Our own places to sit.

She would save me a seat before I arrived.

Sometimes she'd bring me snacks.

Sometimes I'd bring hers.

We started walking home together whenever our routes matched.

And slowly, without realizing it, I started telling her things.

Small things at first.

Then bigger things.

I told her about Mum.

I told her about Dad.

I told her how hard things had become after he died.

I told her about the bullying.

I told her about the girl who had once pretended to be my friend.

I told her things I'd promised myself I'd never tell anyone again.

Tessa listened.

She never laughed.

Never judged me.

Never told me I was being dramatic.

She just listened.

One afternoon, after I'd finished telling her something I'd never said aloud before, she reached for my hand.

"You know you're not what they said you were, right?"

I looked at her.

"What am I, then?"

She smiled.

"You're Maya."

I laughed softly.

"That's not an answer."

"It is."

I didn't understand why those two words made my chest feel warm.

Maybe because for so long, I'd felt like everyone had an opinion about who I was supposed to be.

Tall.

Awkward.

Quiet.

Too sensitive.

Too much.

But Tessa didn't seem to care about any of that.

To her, I was just Maya.

And for the first time, I allowed myself to believe that maybe...

I'd finally found the friendship I'd been waiting for.

I didn't know then that trust could make you feel safe. But one thing I know is that, i don't want this to end.