Stumbling Steps

09| little by little

KEVIN:

It was extremely hard to control my smile in front of Ly and Maya. The reason was the confession Maya had received. I recognized the writing from the first glance but I asked Maya to show me again for reassurance. 

Someone had finally picked up the courage to confess to Maya Summers. Everyone thought that Maya was intimidating when in reality she was a big softie inside. Her features might deceive others but after talking to her for a couple of times or just once, one would realize that Maya wasn't what she looked like. 

I had picked up the moment Daris Reid casually interviewed me about Maya but I never knew he would suddenly get this courageous. Daris Reid was one of my teammates. Not only that he was also in three of the classes so friendship flowed between us. Ly and Maya definitely knew about him but not to that extent that they would recognize his writing. I now realized the reason he looked so pale in the morning. 

Daris was a shy kid but he was extremely talented when it came to playing basketball. I was looking forward to our practice time today. I had to ask Daris a few questions. 

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As soon as we got a break I quickly jogged towards Daris. In the changing room there were others as well and it was an enclosed space which meant even whispering would be loud. Before the practice the coach had announced the players names that would play for the upcoming games. All in all I didn't get time to talk to Daris before.

“So you've got a crush on Maya?” I asked in a whisper. If it was his secret I wasn't going to be all loud and announce it to everyone. I saw Daris blush as he nodded. “That's nothing to be shy of,”

“I am not shy. I am just a little scared. What if she gets to know and then you know hit me with the basketball?” Daris also used to overthink a little. I think that was the reason he hesitated to do some things. I had asked him to join the team after I saw him playing basketball alone. At first, he totally denied me telling me he won't join it but later on when I deeply requested he gave in. 

“Maya's not like that,” I informed him. I bet he knew that though. “I told you that before too,” 

Daris questions about Maya started two months ago. Kudos to that guy for picking up courage to ask those questions before we graduated. He started with the question of whether Maya was really intimidating. I was curious when he asked me that but didn’t show much of it. I didn’t want to scare the guy away.

“How long have you been crushing over her?”

“Two years,” I took a double take at him. Daris Reid had liked Maya Summers for two years? How he kept his feelings to himself was the actual question for me. I was the guy who would go and tell the girl right away if I started liking someone. 

“That’s really long,” I patted his shoulder. Truth to be told, I wanted these two dorks to end up together. They look cute, at least in my head they did.

“Was she angry that someone did this? I mean if she is embarrassed or anything-”

“Reid, you need to relax,” I cut him off. He was getting more nervous. He was already tense enough. I had seen the look on his face that clearly told me that he wanted to know how Maya was feeling. That tension doubled when the coach told him he was going to play the upcoming matches. “She isn’t angry or embarrassed. She is shocked because no one has done this for her before,”

“Do I stand a chance?” His eyes held a hopeful glimmer. Daris was a wonderful guy. Maybe if I play cupid between him and Maya sparks could fly. I nodded, albeit a little unsurely. There was a chance and not a chance at the same time. His face fell but he still smiled. “I hope she gives me a chance though. Thankyou Kevin,”