Maija                                               Four Hours Earlier I’m sitting in my apartment with my three roommates playing strip poker. Mom found this apartment near campus with three other freshmen. Kenya, an African American beauty, Santana, a spicy Latina, and Samantha, a cute brunette. After the first week, we all became fast friends. We're sitting at the dining table surrounded by food, liquor, and pieces of clothing from our past games. “How did I get roped into playing strip poker again?” Kenya asks as we look at our hands. She is sitting in her underwear with no bra; she is terrible at this game. On the other hand, I

     Zayne“Squad one, cover me; I’m going in,” I shout into my headset as I press my controller. I am in my room playing video games, which has become my new obsession. “Someone’s shooting me. Dylan covers me.” My door flies open. I furrow my brows as Jade marches in. “Dude, what?” He storms past me and unplugs the T.V “What the fuck, Jade?” “You haven’t showered in three days.” “That doesn’t give you the right to come in here and unplug my shit. Like what the hell, man?” “It does when the smell is seeping into the hallways. Go take a shower!” he yells. “No, get out!” I yell back at him and lie in my bed, closing my eyes. “Smelling like ass won’t make Maija call you.” My eyes shoot open. How dare he mention her to me. I jump up from the bed and glared at him. “Don’t mention her fucking name to me.” “So, she came and didn’t tell you, it’s not the end of the world, Z.” “Shut up!

  Maija It’s the night before our trip to Japan. I am super excited to be visiting the birthplace of anime, but I’m a bit nervous since Zayne agreed to go on the trip. I never believed he would agree, but I am happy he did. I really hope we can move on and be a normal family because mom and dad really missed him. My iPad rings, and I grab it. It’s all my friends on Facetime. “Hey, girlies,” I answer, grinning. They don’t even say hi before Santana blurts out what they’re all dying to know. “Have you seen Zayne yet?” “No, he’s coming tomorrow.” “Aren’t you guys leaving tomorrow?” Kenya asks. “Yes, we are, but I guess he wants to stay away from me for as long as possible.” “Babe, it’s not you,” Samantha tries to assure me, but my parents visited him, so I know it is me. “Still, I can’t believe he hasn’t been home in two years,” she continues. I purse my lips and nod. “Are you sure you’re going to be ok?” I pa

Chapter 27 We arrive in Tokyo at five a.m. on dad’s private jet. After landing, it takes an hour to get to the house. Maija, Mom, and dad crash, probably tired from the long flight, but I can’t sleep. All I can think about is still being in love with the girl who broke my heart. All that time I spent burying my feelings between the thighs of strange women meant nothing. It’s as if time stopped for me, and I just walked out of that treehouse that morning with my heart crushed. But while time stopped for me, these two years have passed for her. Her sexual attraction to me is probably gone by now, and she must be in love with Danuel. I mean, why else would he still be around after two years. When she told him she loved him earlier, it felt like she stuck a knife in my heart and twisted it. I wanted to ask her then why she couldn’t love me. Regardless of our parent’s relationship, why couldn’t she love me? But I have to be more mature about it because just like Sienna could not

                                                 Maija The rest of the outing goes smoothly, and we head home after wrapping our picnic in the park. I can’t seem to think about anything else except for those words- I love you. I lay in bed, replaying the moment and the words in my mind repeatedly. Wait, why am I overthinking this? He loves me! I squeal as butterflies storm my stomach. My heart feels lighter than it’s ever been. Who cares when he started loving me? He loves me, and I love him. I want to scream into the heavens. I’m i