In Her World
1267 Words
The next day, Anésio knocked on Maya's door, and she opened it with fear in her eyes, not quite sure what to expect.
“Everything okay?” he asked.
Maya hesitated for a moment before answering, her heart racing. “Not really. My mother wasn’t pleased when she heard about you,” she confessed, averting her gaze, worried about Anésio's possible reaction.
“But I'm going to talk to her anyway, Maya. I'm not the type to hide,” Anésio stated, his words laden with sincerity.
Maya felt a slight relief wash over her tense chest, thinking he would give up. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but Anésio's support meant a lot to her. With a hesitant nod, she invited him in, knowing they would face the challenge of winning her mother's trust, together.
Cícera stared at Anésio.
“You're not welcome, and I don't support your relationship with my daughter, especially since you're older. You probably drive around with a car full of girls,” Cícera stated.
“The only girl who's been in my car is your daughter and her friend. And the only woman who enters it is my mother.”
“And your father?” Cícera asked.
“I don't know, ma'am. He left me well off financially, but my mother never said who he was.”
“Are you a bastard?”
“Maybe, ma'am, very possibly, but that doesn't interfere with my feelings for your daughter. I came to speak with you because my mother taught me respect.”
“I don't want you near my daughter.”
“I'm sorry, but if your daughter says she wants me near her, I can't obey you. I can promise to respect her and not abandon her, no matter what happens.”
“And you expect me to believe you? You even talk like an adult; you must do the same with many girls.”
“No, ma'am, your daughter will be my first girlfriend.”
“Not if I have anything to do with it, I'll change her school.”
“Mom...” Maya called with agitation.
“I won't pay for Yuni's school anymore. Why should I?”
“Ma'am. I'm not a child, nor a criminal. If you want, I'll bring my report card for you to see, I'll bring my school records and my mother to talk to you. I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I'm not involved in any trouble. I have three university spots waiting for me,” Anésio said.
“None of that matters to me, her father had them too, got me pregnant and left. My mother abandoned me. I picked up the pieces alone.”
“I won't do the same.”
“We'll wait and see,” Cícera replied.
Cícera left them and Maya started crying.
“It will get better, Maya, she'll give in eventually.” Anésio said, hugging her.
“I'll understand if you want to give up.” Maya said to him,
“I won't, Maya. I can live with your mother. She doesn't need to like me; only you need to like me.”
Maya locked up the house and they left. They picked up Emma at her house, and went to study.
Anésio hugged her.
“I'm sorry for being the cause of the fight between you and your mother, but I need to date you, sweetheart.”
“It's not your fault, it was life that was very unfair to her, that's it, Anésio. I have a test, so I won’t go out for recess because I take longer than others to finish.”
“But I'll wait for you so we can go home together. I'll wait for Emma too, my love.”
“What did you call me?” Maya asked.
“My love...” he replied, and she blushed, “but I'll wait for you to get used to it.” He added.
After that, she went to class.
During the test, Maya took it patiently. She needed to be calm, otherwise she couldn't do it. It was a history test, and she had used her boyfriend Anésio's summary to study. She knew she was doing well only because of that. Each question seemed easier than the previous one, thanks to Anésio's summary.
She reminded herself that he was her boyfriend.
The summary was full of detailed notes, carefully organized. Anésio was an excellent student, and his notes were always a great help, especially the night before the test.
While Maya wrote her answers, she remembered the stories Anésio told to make historical facts more interesting. He knew how to turn dates and events into vivid narratives, which made all the difference for Maya, who always had trouble memorizing information without a clear context.
When she finished the test, she reviewed each answer carefully.
She handed in the test and went back to her seat to pack up her materials.
Maya was sitting in the chair when she realized the exact moment her period arrived. A mix of anxiety and discomfort overwhelmed her, making everything feel rushed. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate and not let on what was happening.
However, she found herself in a difficult situation. She couldn't just stand up because the light-colored jeans she was wearing might reveal stains, and her mother's white men's shirt, which she had borrowed and ended up liking, wouldn't help to conceal them. Maya felt a wave of panic, trying to think of a quick solution.
Meanwhile, the class ended, but she remained seated, unable to move. It was then that Emma noticed her hesitation and called her.
“Maya?”
“I can't get up, my period has just started, and I think my pants are stained.”
“Are you sure it's not just your imagination?” Emma asked.
“No, no. I know, I always know.”
Emma looked for a sweater in her backpack, but there wasn't any.
Maya's sweater was in Anésio's car because she felt hot when they arrived. While they were there contemplating what to do, he appeared.
“What happened?” he asked.
Maya closed her eyes, feeling embarrassed; it was very personal.
“Tell him, Maya. He's your boyfriend and can help.”
But Maya was embarrassed, she wasn't used to being around men. So, she took a deep breath and spoke.
“I'm on my period, I mean, it just started, and I think my pants are stained. It wasn't supposed to happen today. I think the confrontation with my mother made me nervous. I don't have any pads in my bag, and Emma doesn't either.”
Immediately, Anésio took a toiletry bag out of his backpack.
“I bought it for you, it has everything you need.” He said, handing it to her. Then he took off the shirt he was wearing and tied it around her waist.
“Go to the bathroom, I'll wait, and then we'll head home.”
Emma went with her.
“Oh, Maya, he's so into you, he put together a kit for you and even bought pads.” Emma said, looking inside the kit.
“Wipes and chocolates. He's a sweetheart.”
“He really likes me, doesn't he, Emma?”
“A lot. I've never seen a guy do that.”
Maya sorted herself out in the bathroom. Since she had an extra pair of underwear in her bag, she took care of everything with what Anésio had given her. When she came out, he greeted her with a smile.
- Writer
