Chapter 38: XXXVIII

Chapter 38: Unspoken Plans

Riley sat on the edge of her bed, her phone resting in her lap. She had been staring at the screen for what felt like hours, the unanswered texts and calls from Elena glaring up at her. She hadn’t responded to a single one. She hadn’t known how to. The guilt gnawed at her from the inside out, a constant, suffocating pressure. Every time she thought she might be ready to reach out, she found herself hesitating, overwhelmed by the mess she had created.

She hated herself for it.

Riley knew Elena was angry, confused, hurt. And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to explain why she had been avoiding her. There was a plan—something she was working on—but it felt like such a fragile thing. The timing wasn’t right, and if she said anything now, she feared it would ruin everything.

But that guilt… it was becoming unbearable.

Just then, a knock echoed through the door, breaking her from her thoughts. Riley stiffened. She hadn’t expected anyone—especially not Maya. She stood, running a hand through her hair, trying to prepare herself for the inevitable confrontation she knew was coming.

“Riley, open the door. We need to talk,” Maya’s voice sounded calm but firm, and Riley knew she wouldn’t get out of this one.

Riley hesitated for a moment longer, her heart pounding in her chest, before she walked over and opened the door. Maya stood there, arms crossed, her expression unreadable but determined. She didn’t wait for an invitation and stepped inside, her gaze immediately locking on Riley.

“Riley, we need to talk about what’s going on,” Maya said, her tone softer than it had been when she’d knocked, but still serious. “Elena’s a mess. She’s been texting you, calling you, trying to figure out what the hell happened. And you’re just… shutting her out.”

Riley felt the heat of shame rise in her cheeks. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words didn’t come out. Maya wasn’t wrong. Elena had been calling and texting, and Riley had ignored every attempt. She had avoided her for days, weeks even, all for the sake of something she hadn’t yet been able to explain.

“I’m not trying to hurt her,” Riley finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I swear, Maya. It’s just… I need to get this right. It’s not what it looks like.”

Maya raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. “Then what the hell is going on? You’re breaking her heart, Riley. I’ve never seen her this upset, and I know you’re not this cruel. So what’s the deal?”

Riley felt the lump in her throat grow larger. She wanted to tell Maya everything, but the plan was so delicate, so fragile, that she was afraid if she said too much, she would ruin it.

“I’m planning something,” Riley admitted, her eyes dropping to the floor. “Something big. But I don’t know how to go about it yet. I’ve been working on it, and it’s not easy.” She paused, swallowing hard. “I feel awful, Maya. I hate doing this to her, but I can’t ruin it now.”

Maya’s expression softened just slightly, though she still seemed guarded. “What do you mean, ‘something big’? What’s going on in that head of yours, Riley?”

Riley sighed and walked over to her bed, sitting down again. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly. “I want to ask Elena to be my girlfriend,” she said quietly, her voice shaky. “But I need everything to be perfect. I want her to know how much she means to me, and I don’t want to screw it up.”

Maya blinked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “You’re avoiding her because you want to ask her out?”

Riley nodded. “Yeah, I know it sounds ridiculous. But I can’t just ask her without thinking about it, Maya. This is important. It’s not something I can just rush into.”

Maya stood there, her arms still crossed, processing what Riley had just said. She shook her head in disbelief, though there was a small, knowing smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I can’t believe you, Riley. You’re seriously ghosting her because you’re planning a… proposal?” She laughed lightly, shaking her head. “Are you that much of a romantic idiot, or are you just scared?”

Riley winced at the words, but she couldn’t help but smile a little herself. “Both, probably. I’ve never done anything like this before. I don’t want to mess it up. She means too much to me.”

Maya’s smile faded slightly, her expression turning more serious again. “Riley, listen, I get it. You want to make this perfect, and I’m sure you will. But you can’t just ignore her like this. She doesn’t deserve that. I know you’re working on something, but she’s hurting, and she’s probably wondering if you’re even interested in her anymore.”

Riley closed her eyes, running a hand over her face. “I know. God, I know. I just… I didn’t know how to make it work. And now, I’ve just made everything worse.”

Maya walked over and sat down beside her on the bed, placing a hand gently on Riley’s shoulder. “Look, all you can do is be honest with her. She might be angry right now, but once she understands what you’re doing, once she knows it’s all for her, she’ll get it. But you’ve got to talk to her, Riley. You’ve got to fix this.”

Riley took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her emotions pressing against her chest. She had been avoiding the truth for so long, afraid that if she said the wrong thing, it would ruin everything. But Maya was right. She couldn’t keep running from this. She had to be honest with Elena. She had to make it right.

“Thanks, Maya,” Riley said quietly, her voice full of gratitude. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Maya gave her a reassuring smile, squeezing her shoulder. “You’d probably be an even bigger mess than you already are. Now, stop being an idiot, go apologize to Elena, and make it up to her. You’re not going to lose her over this, but you’ve got to show her that you care.”

Riley nodded, finally feeling a little lighter. “Thanks,” Riley said again, her voice full of resolve. “I’ll do it. I promise.”

Maya stood up, brushing off her clothes as she headed toward the door. “Good. And if you need help, you know where to find me.”

As Riley sat there, alone with her thoughts, she felt a renewed sense of purpose. It wasn’t going to be easy, but she was going to make it right. She would apologize to Elena, explain everything, and ask her to be her girlfriend—just like she had planned. It was time to stop running from the thing she wanted most.

And she was going to fight for it.