Mackenzie's P.O.V

I snuck out from under the covers and left a sleeping Anna hogging all the blankets. Anna is one of the worst persons to share a bed with; I had pain in places I didn't know could hurt. My head still hurt and I was beginning to think I should see a doctor about this stubborn migraine. I headed downstairs and into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea. I turned the corner from the dining room into the kitchen to see Maya perched on a stool around the island.

I knew we were going to have to talk eventually but let's just say, I didn't know how well conversations at three in the morning could go. We hadn't talked since before she...

Maya put me in an uncomfortable situation to lie for her; she knew I hated lying and then she boned my boyfriend. Picking her up at a gas station out of town at two in the morning, drunk off her ass, and putting me in a position to lie for her. It wasn't ideal. Though she apologized, I was still upset.

She spun around in the chair idly, oblivious that I was standing behind her. I swallowed hard as if preparing myself to turn around and leave but my feet stood planted to the kitchen floor.

Lord help me.

Maya pivoted on the stool, this time a little too far around and she noticed my presence. I walked in as if I hadn't been standing there until she finished her tea. "Couldn't sleep?"

I shook my head, taking a seat near her, a stool away, "No. Anna does kung fu in her sleep."

She snorted, "And you don't?"

"Hey, I grew that out."

The kitchen went silent. I glanced at her, her palms cupping the blue ceramic of the warm mug. I took the time to examine her. Maya looked different. She didn't fit her clothes well anymore, her oversized hoodie hung loosely off her body and those cozy pants mom gifted her swallowed her lower half. It may have been rude to think this but Maya looked sick. "Want some?"

Something was wrong.

How did I not see it before?

Yeah, right. I avoided looking at her the whole time. Eye contact meant I had to think about what she did, and I would have rather not.

I didn't answer, preoccupied with my thoughts I adjusted my glasses, pushing them up on the bridge of my nose. I stared at the cup, deciding if I should let her make me some. "It's chamomile," she sighed. I knew she wasn't going to poison me.

I nodded, "Yeah, some tea would be nice."

She hopped off the stool. Strolled over to the cupboard, grabbed my favorite mug. Her eyes were swollen and red, her lips chapped and I almost hadn't noticed her severely bitten nails. I watched her wordlessly.

Something was wrong. I didn't feel anger toward Maya... at least not anymore. Instead, I somehow felt sorry for her. I couldn't tell if it was because she gave it up to the likes of Xavier if somehow lying to me must be eating her up or it was something else.

She placed the hot cup of tea in front of me and for a quick moment, I can see the damage of her nails, bitten till they bled, a nervous habit that helped her relax. It didn't look like it was helping anymore. She stood, leaning against the island across from me, "Thanks," I muttered.

She nodded. I pulled the robe closer around my body as I prepared for the deafness that is silence. I sipped my tea, it was warming me from the inside out, and Maya bit her nails; she was nervous. I brought my face closer to the steam of the tea and inhaled the soothing liquid.

Bite...

Sip...

Bite...

Sip...

"Why haven't you confronted me?"

I looked up at her, her eyes were wide, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed, "I saw it and heard it happen. I didn't need to ask to know it happened."

"Aren't you mad?"

"At first yeah, I mean how could I not be? But what's the use? I can't change anything."

"And you don't hate me?"

I shook my head, "What will that achieve. Besides, I get why you didn't say anything, how do you tell your sister you fucked her boyfriend."

She grimaced at the curse word and nodded as if accepting that it was warranted, "We were drunk, he said you guys broke up and I wasn't thinking straight." She breathed, "Mac, I'm s-"

"Don't apologize."

She looked at me, mouth ajar and swollen eyes wide, I took another sip of the tea but when I felt her eyes on me I'm tempted to explain myself, "Maya, I don't trust you. I really don't." I shrugged, "I could argue that everything you said up until this point is an excuse but I won't because it is what happened, right? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you won't lie to me twice about this. You messed up, you know what you did and you don't feel good about it. That's all I need to know."

"You can tell?"

I nodded, "Stop biting them. I'm not angry and I don't hate you, so stop."

She tucked her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, I saw the shame in her eyes that were avoiding my gaze. I groaned and rolled my eyes getting up from the stool, went over to the fridge grabbed a bowl and a single lemon. I cut the lemon and headed out the kitchen, "Come."

She stood there, looking at me as if something unusual was happening, when I realized she wasn't moving I turned back, grabbed her arm, and pulled her along.

We go upstairs and head for the bathroom that we share, and motioned for her to sit on the toilet. She did and watched me as I filled the bowl with warm water before squeezing the lemon into it. "Put your hands in."

She didn't move so I answered the question I knew she was asking in her head, "It'll help."

Maya gave in and put her hand in while I scoured through the medicine cabinet looking for the antibiotic. I heard her sigh of relief, "I told you it would help."

Minutes passed in a comfortable quietness, I patted her hand dry and gently applied some ointment. "Give it a couple of days, it'll heal."

Her lips tugged themselves into a thoughtful smile as she looked her fingers over, "Maybe you should have become a doctor instead."

"I will be."

"You know what I mean, a medical doctor."

"I don't know if mom and dad could handle those expenses. Besides, this is a close second."

Silence.

Again.

I can feel the unsaid things in the air.

"Maya?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

A pause. A moment where I felt like everything froze and nothing else existed. My heart skipped a beat at the question, nervousness creeping up my neck at the possible answer. She fiddled with her hands, rubbing them together as if the antibiotic wasn't spread evenly on her hands.

I saw a drop turn her light grey fuzzy pants dark in one spot. Then another and another and another. I kneeled to look at her and when she finally met my eyes, hers were filled to the brim with tears, "No one's asked me that."

I hugged her and whispered to her that'll it'll be okay whatever it is. I wait to her tell me more but when she didn't speak I pushed no further, "You're still my sister so talk to me when you're ready."

She wrapped her arms around my torso and rest her head on my shoulder, "You've changed."

My lips did something involuntarily and I gave in, "Yeah, college does that to you."

To be continued.