After Maya got back to her room, Nira leaned over to her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Guess what? There's going to be a basketball game between the employees. They'll split us into two teams. Want to come along?"
Maya sighed, knowing that whether she said yes or no, Nira would drag her along anyway. "Sure, why not?" she replied with a resigned nod.
. . .
As the girls settled into the gallery seats, Maya couldn't help but marvel at the size of the indoor basketball court. "Wow, this place is huge! I didn't expect a hotel to have such a big sports facility."
Nira grinned. "Yeah, they went all out. By the way, I noticed you were talking to Ken before."
"Oh yeah," Maya looked up, surprised.
"You never told me you were friends with Ken. He seemed pretty happy walking with you and Levi. You two looked close."
Maya's cheeks reddened slightly. "No, no, we're not really friends. We've just met a couple of times. That's all."
Before Nira could probe further, a familiar voice interrupted from behind. "Am I not your friend? Hmph, I'm upset now." Ken's sudden appearance startled both girls.
"Oh my God, Ken! You scared us!" Nira exclaimed, clutching her chest.
Ken chuckled, placing a hand dramatically over his heart. "Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. But I'm hurt, Maya. I thought we were already friends."
Maya looked down, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I guess so. Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
Ken's eyes twinkled with mischief. "It's okay. Are you going to support me today? Trust me, if you do, I'll win."
"Wait, you're playing?" Nira and Maya asked in unison.
Ken pulled off his sweater to reveal his jersey underneath. "Yep, didn't you notice? Alright, gotta go. Wish me luck!" And with that, he jogged off towards the court.
Nira leaned closer to Maya, her voice low. "So, what's going on between you and Ken? He seems to be flirting with you."
Maya sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the attention. "Well, he did propose to me the first day we met. It was pretty out of the blue."
Nira's eyes widened. "Oooooh, Maya! You've got Levi's attention, and now Ken's too? You're on fire, girl!"
"Stop it, Nira. It's not like that," Maya protested, feeling her cheeks heat up.
"Well, you must have something special. Ken is one of the hottest newcomers this year. He's got good taste in women," Nira teased.
"Can we just watch the game? It's starting," Maya said, eager to change the subject.
As the game commenced, Maya's eyes scanned the court, spotting Levi and Ken on one team and Steven on the other. Despite herself, she found her heart rooting for Steven. She knew he was a basketball player back in university, but she'd never seen him play.
Her curiosity got the better of her, and she excused herself from Nira to get a closer look. She found a spot near the scorekeepers, where she could get a better view of the action. Tiffany, another colleague, was there, smirking at her as if she knew something Maya didn't.
The game was intense, each team playing head to head with no clear winner in sight. Maya's eyes kept drifting back to Steven, who moved with a grace and intensity that made her heart race. She noticed that Levi kept glancing her way, his eyes dark with something she couldn't quite place.
In the final seconds of the game, the tension was palpable. Levi's team needed just one more point to win. He kept looking at Maya, his eyes pleading for her to notice him. Despite his best efforts, Steven's team was stronger. With a last burst of energy, Steven scored another winning point and the time was up, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
Maya's heart soared with joy, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She quickly grabbed a bottle of water and made her way to Steven. But as she approached him, he glanced at her briefly before turning away to accept a bottle from another female manager. Maya's smile faltered, a sting shooting through her chest.
"Water? Can I have that?" Levi's voice brought her back to reality. She turned to see him holding out his hand, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't quite decipher.
"Oh, sure. Here," she said, handing him the bottle. She watched as he took a sip, then excused herself, feeling the weight of Steven's indifference pressing down on her.
Ken noticed Levi's discomfort, he was in pain, Levi felt like his legs are attached to the earth and approached him. "You didn't have to push yourself so hard, Thompson. Go rest and take some medicine. You'll feel better."
Levi nodded, his face pale. "You're right. I don't want to get sick. Thanks, Ian." He gave Maya one last look before heading off to rest.
Maya returned to her seat beside Nira, feeling a mix of emotions. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Nira asked, concern etched on her face.
"It's nothing. Just tired, I guess," Maya replied, forcing a smile.
But inside, she felt a storm brewing. She couldn't understand why Steven's indifference hurt so much or why Levi's attention made her feel so conflicted and pitied at the same time. As the crowd began to disperse, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, you okay?" It was Ken, his eyes filled with genuine concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Come on, let's get out of here. You look like you need some fresh air," Kenn suggested.
Maya nodded, grateful for the distraction. As they walked out of the building, the cool evening air helped clear her mind a bit.
"Thanks, Ken. I needed that," she said, taking a deep breath.
"Anytime, Maya. I'm here if you need to talk," Ken replied, giving her a reassuring smile.
They walked in silence for a while, the tension from the game slowly melting away. But in the back of her mind, Maya couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.
. . .
Later that evening, as Maya lay in bed, her mind replayed the events of the day. Steven's cold shoulder, Levi's pleading eyes, and Ken's comforting presence all swirled together in a confusing mix of emotions. She sighed, turning over to stare at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, breaking the silence. She reached over and saw a message from Levi.
"Hey, are you okay? You seemed a bit off after the game. Wanna talk?"
Maya hesitated for a moment before replying. "I'm fine, just tired. Thanks for checking in."
Levi's response was almost immediate. "I'm here if you need anything. Sleep well."
She put her phone down and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. But her thoughts kept drifting back to Steven. Why had he ignored her like that? Was he jealous of the attention she was getting from Ken and Levi?
Just then Maya's phone buzzed with Kira's call. She smiled as she saw her bestie's number flashing on the screen.
"Hey, bestie?" Kira said.
"Hey, Kira. What's up?"
"Missing you, babe." Kira spoke with her baby tone.
"Ew, that's gross."
"Ouch," Kira's voice, usually laced with laughter, held a wounded note.
But before Maya could say anything, Kira cut straight to the chase. "So, spill! What's the deal with you and Steven?" Her best friend's bluntness sent a jolt through Maya. "Wait, how did you...?" The question died on her lips as a spark of suspicion flared in her chest. Had Steven been complaining about her? A knot of apprehension tightened in her stomach.
"Called him earlier," Kira explained, her voice light but Maya could sense the underlying concern. "He wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine. But hey, that's Steven for you, right? I asked him about you. He wasn't at his best mood. I mean he never is. But I know what my cousin is like. So I kinda guessed it. Come on! You are on office trip, you two gotta be cling like cute couple. And, see? You two are silently fighting." Kira complained."
Except, this time, it felt different. A heavy silence hung between them, amplifying the unspoken words. The frustration gnawed at Maya. "We're not a couple, Kira. And for your information, we are not fighting," she insisted, the words coming out tighter than intended.
"Fine, fine," Kira conceded, a touch of exasperation in her voice. "Not a couple. But what's with the silent war then?"
Maya let out a defeated sigh. "I don't know," she admitted, the frustration spilling over. "He's been acting weird since we had brunch."
"Weird how?" Kira pressed gently.
"Like... I don't know, distant? Barely looks at me," Maya explained, her voice tinged with hurt. "It's like he's deliberately avoiding me."
Kira frowned. "Maybe he's jealous?"
"Jealous?" Maya scoffed, the word sounding foreign on her lips. "Jealous of what?"
Kira's playful shrug did little to quell the sudden flutter in Maya's stomach. "Guys can be weird, Maya. Maybe all the attention you're getting from the company hotshots is getting to him."
"Did Steven tell you that?"
"He just said, 'she's got all the boys looking after her, she doesn't need me.' That's what he said, Maya."
A bitter laugh escaped Maya's lips. "That's rich, coming from him," she retorted, the hypocrisy burning her throat. "He's surrounded by gorgeous women all the time. Did I ever complain?"
"Wow, my friend! Are you the Maya I know? What have you done with my Maya?" Kira joked.
"Oh, shut up, Kira," Maya retorted.
"Do you really not get jealous?" Kira asked. Silence. Maya found herself speaking the truth. She really did get jealous whenever she saw anyone with Steven.
"Maya, I have seen most of his colleagues. Trust me, I wouldn't last a day there, working in the middle of such handsome people. He definitely has a point to be jealous."
"You two really are sharing the same blood, aren't you? I am hanging up. I'm having acidity. Need to rest." Maya said.
"Sure, honey. Take care of yourself. Keep me updated." Kira said.
"Your cousin will surely do. Love you."
"Love you." Kira said.