FORTY - ONE

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2018.
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IMAGINE being seventeen and packing to leave the country. That was the type of thing that her classmates dreamed about, and the type of thing that Maia planned—and was going—to do.

Her parents decided that if she really, really wanted to go to university in the States, why would they stop her? People go abroad for school all the time, so why would this be any different? They had the money, and she had the ambition. Plus, most importantly, Maia's parents trusted her enough to let her do such a thing.

And she also applied and got accepted before ever even bringing up the idea in the first place, so there was that too.

Such a big moment, and it had been settled with a quick talk over dinner.

Her flight to LAX would be in four days.

The day after her flight was booked, though, she wasn't worrying about what to pack or what courses to take. Instead, she was wearing a peachy-orange dress made of silk, and leaning on the railing of a balcony that oversaw the courtyard of her school.

It was a graduation party of sorts, a formal, and her date was getting her a glass of water.

His name was Sebastian, but everyone called him 'Seb,' except for her. She didn't call him that. To her, he was just Sebastian from Calculus class who wanted to own a restaurant.

They started talking in May of last year through a friend of a friend, and they hit it off pretty well. Similar hobbies, same favorite stuff. He was nice to talk to as well, never a dull conversation in sight.

It was refreshing. She hadn't really opened herself up to people like that since...

Well, bottom line was that they got along well, but she didn't think of him as anything other than a friend, and she was pretty sure that he knew that she saw him that way as well.

It made her sad in some way. Maybe she felt like she owed him something since she had been somewhat poor at making—and keeping—friends during the time that they had met, but she knew they wouldn't have lasted long if they did anything else anyways.

Maia heard some shuffling behind her and she turned around at the noise, seeing the view of the bustling formal dinner and people scattered around in groups, and emerging from the scene was Sebastian, holding two glasses of water.

"Here you are," he said politely, gracing her with the glass and a small tilt of the head. "It's so boring in there. I wish our celebrations were like the ones in America." He found a spot next to her on the railing, a good distance between the two as they take in the sight of their not-so-little private school that they'll never see again. "Hopefully, you'll enjoy a couple of those when you're there."

UNTIL THE SONG WAS DONE, oscar piastriWhere stories live. Discover now