Alex, Kira, and Maira walked through the streets with hurried steps.
Alex's watch, a silver glint on his wrist, displayed 8:26. A pang of guilt tugged at him – his mother was probably beside herself with worry by now. He had told her to not wait for them but he knew his mother wouldn't do that.
Picking up their pace, they headed home, a sense of urgency in their steps.
With the jingling of keys, they stepped through the door, only to be met with a surprised gasp.
Maria sat on the couch, a book in her lap, and her eyes widened as they landed on Maira.
"Just as I thought. "Alex thought with a wry smile on his face. He, sensing the unspoken question, took the initiative. "Mother, this is Maira," he introduced, his voice carrying warmth. "We met her recently, and she's a friend."
Alex felt awkward at this point. He had already brought two girls to the house. Fortunately, his mother was understanding.
Maria's eyebrows arched, a mix of curiosity and uncertainty playing on her features. She seemed to scrutinize Maira for a moment before nodding. "Nice to meet you," she said, her voice laced with polite interest, though her gaze lingered a second longer.
Maira's lips curved into a gentle smile as she replied, "Likewise, Mam."
Before the interaction could stretch further, Maria excused herself and walked upstairs.
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The next morning
Alex and Maria were sitting at the table, cups of coffee in hand.
As they chatted, Maria's eyes flicked toward the staircase, where Kira and Maira were still in deep slumber.
She leaned in a bit and asked in a hushed tone, "So, what's the story behind Kira and Maira? Are they, you know, your girlfriends?"
Alex choked on his coffee, his cheeks turning rosy as he sputtered, "No, no! They're just friends, like buddies." He cleared his throat, hoping his embarrassment wasn't too obvious.
"Why would you even think that? "Alex said with an exasperated look and cleaned the coffee off his mouth.
Just as he regained his composure, a familiar ping echoed in the room – a message notification on his phone accompanied by a brief message: "Meet outside at yesterday's place at 2 pm, Marcus. "
Maria's eyebrows arched inquisitively, and she asked, "Who's Marcus?"
Alex's gaze shifted out the window, his thoughts swirling with uncertainty. He shrugged lightly and replied, "A guy we met recently. Seems like he wants to talk about something."