thirtyone
Aaliyah's POV
I don't sleep.
Not really.
I drift in and out-my head pounding, my chest heavy, my eyes burning.
Every time I close them, I see her.
Her smooth olive toned legs.
His shirt.
The way his face fell when I drove away.
I curl into the smallest ball possible under my blankets.
Zaria is asleep at the foot of my bed, still in her leggings, hair a mess, protective hand stretched toward me even in her dreams.
Caleb is asleep on my couch-arms crossed like he's guarding the apartment.
Best friends ever.
But I still feel hollow.
When I finally get up, everything hurts.
I walk to the kitchen slowly, quietly.
When I open the apartment door to check for a package-
I freeze.
My breath catches.
My heart stutters painfully.
Because sitting on the floor outside my door is:
· a bouquet of soft white lilies
· a folded note
· an envelope stuffed with paper
· a small black velvet box
My throat closes.
"Zaria," I whisper, voice shaky. "Z... come here."
She emerges half-asleep.
Then sees.
"Oh my god."
Caleb hears her voice and stomps over like a guard dog, eyes narrowing instantly.
"What the hell is-OH. NO. No. Nope. Don't pick that up-"
But I already have.
My hands shake as I touch the flowers.
They smell soft. Subtle. My favorite.
Zaria takes the note gently from the pile.
"Do you... want me to read it first?" she whispers.
I nod. I can't trust my voice.
She opens it.
Her eyes dart across the page.
Then widen.
Then soften.
Then tear up.
"What?" I whisper. "What does it say?"
She clears her throat and reads aloud:
"Aaliyah,
I'm not asking you to forgive me.
I'm asking you to see the truth.
She isn't mine.
You are."
My knees buckle.
Zaria catches me by the arm.
Caleb mutters, "Bullshit," but his voice cracks betraying doubt.
Zaria keeps reading, voice trembling:
"She came over drunk.
She let herself in with a spare key I forgot I even gave her.
She took my shirt from the laundry without asking.
I slept on the couch to avoid her.
Nothing happened.
There will never be another girl in my clothes.
In my apartment.
In my space.
Everything I have, everything I want-
it's you. "
I swallow hard, eyes burning.
Zaria sniffles.
"Oh Liya... he's in love with you."
Caleb growls, "Don't say that-"
"Caleb," Zaria snaps. "Read the rest."
He snatches the note and skims it.
His jaw clenches...
but his expression changes.
Softens.
Just a little.
And that terrifies me more than anything.
"There's proof," he mutters, nodding toward the thick envelope.
My stomach flips.
I open it with trembling hands.
Inside are:
· screenshots of text messages
· Mateo's messages ("my sister went to ur place last night dude sorry she's crazy")
· timestamps showing Maya arrived at 2AM
· Leo telling Mateo "she's on my couch idk what to do she's crying"
· and.
.. a screenshot of Leo telling his friend:
I feel my chest cave.
Caleb reads over my shoulder, jaw tight.
"That's... pretty straightforward," he admits reluctantly.
Zaria squeezes my arm.
"Baby... this is real. He wasn't lying."
I shake my head weakly.
"It still hurt."
"I know," she whispers. "But this... this is effort."
My hands shake as I reach for the small black velvet box.
My breath stutters when I open it.
Inside is:
A gold key.
Delicate.
Small.
The only other key to his place.
And beneath it is a note:
"This is yours.
No one else will ever have one again."
My heart shatters.
Not the bad kind.
The overwhelming kind.
I blink tears away.
Zaria presses a tissue into my hand before it even falls.
Caleb rubs the back of his neck.
"Alright... I still want to fight him..."
I look up sharply.
"But..." he sighs, defeated.
"...this is a man who's hurting. Really hurting."
Zaria drops her voice.
"He stayed outside your building last night."
I look at her.
"What?"
"He didn't knock. Didn't try to come in. He just... sat outside. Waiting. For hours."
My chest tightens so hard it hurts.
I whisper, "Where is he now?"
Caleb exchanges a look with Z.
Zaria nods toward my backpack.
"He's outside your classroom."
My breath stops.
"What?"
Caleb shrugs awkwardly.
"I went to move my car this morning. I saw him. Sitting on the steps. Hood up. Hands together like he was praying."
My throat closes.
Zaria whispers, "He just wants to explain. He's not pushing. He's waiting for you to choose."
I feel everything hit me at once.
The pain.
The confusion.
The yearning.
The truth.
His proof.
His apology.
His plan.
His sincerity.
I wipe my eyes.
Take a deep breath.
"I'm not ready to talk to him," I whisper.
Caleb nods.
"Fair."
"But..." I pause.
Zaria leans close.
"But what?"
I swallow.
"I want to see him."
Zaria squeals.
Caleb groans.
I clutch the key-his key-in my palm.
My heart races.
Not healed.
Not forgiven.
Not fixed.
But pulled.
Drawn.
Curious.
Shaken.
And maybe, just maybe...
still in love.