Genre:  Romance

Rating: T

TWs: Not really any

By J Wolf Silver

Becca moved into an apartment several months ago. She had a neighbor, a shorter woman her age with blonde hair. They saw each other in passing but never really talked. They had a shared balcony. Becca had seen the other woman staring out over the city most nights.

Then, it changed, in a really, really odd way. One night, Becca was laying in bed, using her bedside lamp to read her book. Suddenly, the power went out and not quietly either. It was like thousands of machines stopped running all at once.

Using her phone as a flashlight, Becca wandered out to her living room which was a lot darker than she thought. Out her balcony door, she could see why. It wasn't just her building or street. Half the city was out and it was pouring rain.

She was looking towards the kitchen, wondering if she should eat the ice cream in her freezer before she jumped upon hearing a knock on glass. Becca spun around to see a dark figure at her balcony window. Then, like in a movie, lightning illuminated the soaking wet individual. Understandably, she yelped.

"Becca, it's just me." Her neighbor's voice spoke. When did she learn her name?

Becca opened up the door and let the smaller woman in.

"You scared the shit out of me!" Becca said, "Haven't you heard of a front door?"

"My phone died and I don't have a flashlight, "I cut my leg open on..." The looked thoughtful for a moment, "I think a shelf? Trying to get out of my room to come ask for a light or candle. The balcony door is in my bedroom."

Becca looked down to see blood flowing off the woman's leg and on to her hard wood floor.

"Oh my god!" Becca said, grabbing the other woman's upper arm, dragging her to her small kitchen table and sat her down. She didn't protest.

Becca went into the bathroom and grabbed her first aid kit and brought it back to the kitchen. The opened her junk drawer and pulled out two completely different flashlights before returning to her neighbor, handing one to the the blonde.

Finally, the smaller girl got a look at her leg. Eyes wide she looked at the small trail she left through the apartment.

"Oh jeez, i am so sorry about the trail of blood."

Becca waved it off, "It's fine, i can clean it up later." she then gestured to the frst aid kit. "Do you need a hand?"

"If you could hold the light and get me a wet towel or something, that would be awesome." The girl said.

Becca smiled and get the towel then held the light as her neighbor cleaned and bandaged her leg.

"Thank you." She said.

"Any time, neighbor." Becca said.

"You have no idea what my name is, do you?"

"Not a clue." Becca said shamelessly, ""Better question, how do you know mine?"

"Your friend that helped you move in yelled at you from the balcony."

Becca chuckled, "Yeah Troy isn't quiet."

"He your boyfriend?" She asked.

Becca pulled a disgusted face, "Absolutely not, he's my brother."

The blonde woman laughed for a moment before collecting herself, "I'm Maya. Nice to officially meet you."

Becca laughed as she shook Maya's now outstretched hand.

"Charmed, I'm sure." Becca spoke in a bad British accent.

They laughed for a few minutes before Maya managed to speak. "Thanks for the first aid stuff."

Becca smiled, "You're welcome. You can keep the flash light."

They sat in silence for a moment before Becca spoke, "You want some ice cream?"

"What?" Maya asked, taken aback at the randomness.

"Ice cream." Becca said, "I have a brand new tub of chocolate ice cream and it's going to melt. I can't eat it all myself."

Maya smiled, then looked back to her trail of blood, "I should probably clean that up first."

"Yeah probably. I don't want them to find the bodies."

After that night, Becca started to join Maya at night when she looked over the balcony. When it got cold, Maya started bringing two hot chocolates out. They would sometimes chat but they were comfortable with standing together in silence. They started having movie nights.

The front door was forgotten and they regularly just walked into eachothers apartments via the balcony. Becca had some friends over one night during one such incident and invited Maya to stay. Her friends loved her and Maya was happy just to sit next to her and listen. A few days later, Maya texted Becca to come over and meet her own friends.

One morning, Becca and Maya left at the same time and realized that they walked the same way to work every morning, splitting outside a starbucks where Becca had to cross the street and maya had to continue on for another block.

It didn't take long for them to be attached at the hip. Becca found her self craving Maya's presence and Maya also craved Becca's.

One night, Becca was woken up to a loud thump and swearing from her living room then her bedroom door opened. She recognized the silhouette immediately.

"Maya? Are you OK?" Becca asked.

Maya entered the room and crawled into the other side of the bed, "Gina broke up with me."

Gina, Maya's girlfriend, had been distant for a while. Becca wasn't a fan. Even before they became friends, Becca could hear Gina screaming at Maya through the walls every time they were at Maya's together. She felt guilty for being relieved but they'd been together for 2 years, so she would be her support.

"Are you going to be okay?" Becca asked.

She heard a sigh as Maya stared at the ceiling. It was then she realized that Maya wasn't crying like she expected.

"Yeah. It's been coming for a long time." Maya sounded resigned, "I think I fell out of love with her a while ago. I liked AN idea of her but she wasn't that person, you know?"

Becca nodded, "So you're not upset?"

"Oh I'm furious." Maya said, "I'm furious I wasted that time on her."

Becca couldn't hold in her laugh, "I never liked her. She yelled too much."

Maya let out a sad laugh, "Yeah."

"Now you can live the single life like me." Becca said with a small smile.

"Yeah." Maya said, though she sounded like she was lost in thought.

Becca understood she was done talking now. Maya just didn't want to be alone. So, she just closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

A few weeks passed and Maya went to go visit her parents for her Mom's birthday. Becca promised to keep an eye on her one spider plant while she was gone. Maya gave Becca Her spare key for the two weeks, which was a nice gesture but she didn't use it. Sticking to the balcony.

A few days passed and Becca missed Maya. A lot more than she felt she should. It physically hurt that she didn't hear from her due to Maya's mom wanting to go camping for her birthday. She found herself grabbing her book and curling up on Maya's couch. Just to feel a little less alone.

At the end of the first week, Becca got woken up at 4 am by her phone blaring at her. She grabbed her phone and squinted at her phone from her stomach. It was Maya, but it was a video chat. She tapped the answer button and reached to turn on her lamp before being greeted by Maya's face with her deep blue eyes and wide smile. Her heart beat loudly in her chest yet she felt so much lighter.

"Oh! Are you asleep?" Maya asked, concerned in her voice, "We just really wanted slurpees so my brother, sister and I snuck away while mom and dad are asleep."

Becca smiled, "I was but it's fine. Are you guys having fun?"

Becca saw that Maya was sitting in the passenger's seat of a parked car.

"Yeah. I figured I'd call you and see how..." She paused, "my plant was doing."

Becca snorted, "I missed you too."

She swore Maya's face got a little red.

"Sameul and I have been hanging out for the last couple days. I've been reading him; Lord of the Rings. He seemed really into the Ents."

Maya's laugh rang out in her room. The sound was just so...comforting.

"You named my plant?"

"Yep." Becca said.

"And you've been hanging out in my apartment to read?" Maya inquired with a smirk.

It was Becca's turn to go red. "I'm so used to going over all the time! It's weird without you here."

Maya didn't laugh, only smiled softly, "Yeah, I don't like not being able to talk to you either. Not having reception sucks."

"You'll be back next week anyway." Becca said casually, "I'll try not to take over your apartment while you're gone."

Becca heard the car door open. The screen wobbled for a moment before a slurpee was pressed into view.

"Thanks Nathan." Maya said, taking a drink. As there was movent behind her as well."

Half of a man's face with brown eyes and blonde hair like Maya's entered the screen. "Is this that girl?"

Maya shot her brother a warning glare.

He smiled, "She's cute!"

"What?" Came another woman's voice, "Let me see!"

"Anna!" Maya said as her phone was ripped out of her hand.

Becca was face to face with a woman that had dyed red hair but the same green eyes as Maya.

"Hi Becca!" She smiled, "I'm Anna. Maya's sister." Anna turned the camera around. Becca almost laughed as Maya's short arms attempted to snatch the phone.

"That's our older brother Nathan."

"It's nice to meet you!" He said before anna turned the camera back around, "Maya's told us a lot about you this week."

"Anna!" Maya yelled.

Anna smiled and gave a little wave before handing the phone back to her sister.

"Sorry." Maya apologized.

Becca shrugged, "It's fine. I'm just happy to hear from you."

Maya grinned, "Me too. I'll try to call you in a couple days when we head back to my parents."

Becca nodded, "All right, talk to you later."

"Okay." Maya said, "Love you, bye!"

The called clicked off.

Becca couldn't help but smile as she put her phone down, "Love you too."

True to her word, Maya called her a couple days later in the middle of the night. She wasn't even in the door of her parents house yet, struggling to drag in a suitcase. Then they chatted every night for the rest of Maya's trip.

When Maya got home, she smile widely to see Becca Reading on her couch. When Becca saw her she grinned, putting her book down and going to greet her. They hugged and then just stared at each other for a moment. Becca had an impulse to kiss her but she refrained. Maya had the same one but neither of them followed through.

Becca had been trying to tell herself nothing changed. They were good friends. She knew though, she knew she liked Maya as more than a friend. She was pretty sure the other woman felt the same way. Now though, she decided it wasn't the time.

They ordered take out that night and watched some movies. When Becca went to go back to her own apartment, Maya stopped her and grinned like a child, asking Becca if she wanted to have a sleepover. Who was Becca to refuse?

A few months passed. It was getting a little too obvious that they liked each other. When they walked into the other's apartment and they had friends over, whoever was sitting next to the other girl, scooted over so they could sit together. Maya had met a co-worker after grabbing a coffee with Becca one morning, asked if Becca was her new girlfriend, she seemed to make her happy.

They were getting more and more touchy, finding excuses to have sleepovers. Becca's brother met Maya one night and he asked if she was dating again. Becca wasn't but she wanted to.

One hot day in June, the women left early so they could have a starbucks together. There they were met with several people that worked with Maya.

"Hey! I'm Mitchel. This is Derek, Mia, Lisa and Dianne." Each waved in turn.

"You're, Becca." Mitchel said, more of a statement than a question.

Becca was confused but nodded, "Yes, nice to meet you,"

"We've heard a lot about you. We were so happy when she and Gina broke up." Mitchel said.

They all nodded in agreement.

"We have to go. We just wanted to meet our girl's new girlfriend."

Becca went to argue but they were gone.

Becca looked to Maya who looked red as a tomato.

"We should get going too." Maya said, getting up quickly, dragging Becca out the door.

They stopped at the cross walk but Maya didn't release her arm.

"I did not tell them you were my girlfriend." Maya said.

"I know." Becca assured.

They stood there for a moment.

Becca acted on an impulse and kissed Maya's forehead.

"I feel..." Becca started, looking over her head. "I feel like we need to talk." she looked to Maya's eyes, "If I'm wrong just tell me and we'll forget about it, okay."

Maya leaned into her before releasing Becca's arm in favor or wrapping her own around her waist. Becca returned the embrace.

"No." Maya said, "I mean no, don't forget about it. I really, really want to talk."

Becca's heart felt as if it was full of moths. She smiled and pulled away.

"Okay, I'll see you later."

Maya nodded as Becca moved into the crosswalk, smiling. Becca loved that smile.

She heard a loud horn in her eye but all she could see was that smile and the red cross walk indicator.