MAYA

"You Americans and your stupid traditions."I cussed as I got out of Violets car.

"You've been saying that each morning and I would like to point out once again that you are an American. You were born here."Violet retorted.

"Not this week I'm not. I'm a proud Nigerian. An Igbo queen of you must."I replied with a grin.

"Whatever you say your Highness but no matter how many times you complain we have to follow school rules."Violet reminded me.

"I know, argh, I know."I cried.

The reason I was so prissy is because it was Spirit week. A whole week where the whole school looked like it was on crack. We had different dress code themes for each day of the week and everyone seemed to enjoy it, besides me of course. It's like Halloween just without all the gore and instead of being just one day, it was a whole week.

Monday it had been pajama day and the school forgot to include that pajamas must be decent in the memo. We saw more than we needed to see on that day if you know what I mean. But at least everyone loved the fact that they didn't have to dress up for school, Monday blues and all.

Tuesday had been future day where everyone got dressed in outfits that showed the careers they wanted to pursue later in life. I had no idea what I wanted to be later in life so I'd just dressed in my track uniform and carried the American flag around saying I wanted to be an Olympian and it worked. Violet had been in pink scrubs because she wanted to be a pediatrician.

Wednesday had been cartoon day where we all got dressed as our favorite cartoon characters as kids. I'd gone as Tiana from the princess and the frog while Violet was Rapunzel and bought a very long weave that she had to toss out in the middle of the day because it was too hot.

It was Thursday so it was Vs day where we had to dress either as Marvel Characters or DC characters. Marvel vs Dc, get it. I was dressed as Shuri from black Panther and Violet was Black widow. We were team marvel.

"We spent all this money on stupid costumes that we only get to wear for a day."I lamented once again.

"They are rentals, we'll take them back, now quit complaining and tugging at your suit."Violet scolded.

"It's too tight."I cried.

"It's cute. You look good, now stop."Violet demanded.

I grunted at her but listened nonetheless and stopped tugging at the black leather suit I was wearing.

Everyone in the school was dressed as a superhero, it looked like a comic con convention.

We finally got to put friends and they were all team Marvel too. Wade was Captain America, Finn was Iron Man, Jace went as spiderman, Wendy was Valkyrie, Suzanne was Captain Marvel and Olive was Scarlet Witch.

"Seeing you in that Shuri costume makes me wish I'd gone as black panther."Finn commented eyeing me up and down.

"That would be absurd because you are not black and besides Shuri and T'challa were siblings."Violet pointed out.

"They were? So who did Shuri end up with?"Finn asked.

"No one, read the comics or watch the movies. Maybe you should have been team DC."Violet retorted once again.

Their argument was baseless in the first place but I didn't want to get in the middle of it. I was looking for a certain someone but he hadn't arrived yet.

The football team had won their away game and come back Sunday afternoon very excited. I hadn't talked to Elijah or attempted to get close to him ever since they came back. I needed space from him to decide whether he was worth pursuing for forgiveness or if our relationship was a lost cause. He didn't try to talk talk to me either and just left me alone. We basically stayed out of each others way unless we had to be close because of our friends.

Elijah arrived five minutes before class dressed as Bucky Barnes with the full metal arm, straight hair, black leather costume, face mask and a fake gun. Even I had to admit that he looked really good.

"Morning."He grunted his usual nonchalant greeting when he got to us.

"You definitely picked the right character that fits your personality perfectly. Broody, less talk and the intense look. Yeah that the one."Violet commented when he glared at her.

"Wait didn't Shuri and Bucky hook up in one of the movies."Olive commented.

Elijah and I both looked at each other alarmed before looking away towards Olive with pissed off expressions. They were all walking on eggshells around Elijah and I but sometimes they blurted out nonsense taking their teasing too far.

"No they didn't, she just fixed his arm."I retorted managing to sneak a glance at Elijah.

"Yeah and they played doctor afterwards."Finn added and I elbowed him making him double over in pain.

"I'm just gonna go, see you guys later."I excused myself pushing myself off Wades car where I had been leaning.

Everyone kept calling me back but I didn't want to spend another moment with them especially if they kept teasing Elijah and I. We weren't even friends yet they had the absurd idea that Elijah and I could be more. Even Violet had somehow changed her attitude towards him ever since they came back from the away game. She was still on my side that Elijah was mean to me but she didn't hate him as much and had stopped threatening his life. I knew that they had talked and that she was hiding something from me but I didn't have the energy to try and find out what it was. I was taking a break from all the Elijah drama for the moment.

My first class of the day was Economics with Mr Taylor and unfortunately I shared that class with Elijah. I felt him immediately he walked into class and I didn't have to look up to confirm his presence. He usually sat in front of me but he surprised me by taking the empty seat next to me. Wendy usually sat there but she hadn't arrived yet.

I looked at him from the corner of my eye because I refused to face him fully. What had gotten into him that he had decided to sit next to me? I turned my face slowly to look at him and found him staring directly at me with a smile on his face. I jerked my head back to face forward feeling embarrassed that I'd been caught peeping. But why was I feeling embarrassed yet he had been looking at me first?

Wendy walked into class talking excitedly with one of her other friends but she immediately stopped when she saw us seated together.

"Help."I mouthed at her because I didn't think I was capable of sitting next to Elijah for a whole lesson.

She shook her head at me, smiled, then proceeded to occupy the seat Elijah usually sat at without saying anything.

"Traitor."I mumbled to myself because she hadn't even tried to help me.

I took deep calming breaths and decided to just ignore Elijah all together.

"Can I borrow a pencil?"Elijah whispered next to me and I jumped startled nearly falling out of my seat.

Was he talking to me?

"What?"I whispered since I hadn't heard him clearly the first time.

"Do you have an extra pencil?"He asked again.

I nodded and reached for my bag. When I retrieved my pouch to get the pencil for him I saw the football jersey he had given me during the first week of school in there. I had been carrying it with me to school each day looking for the perfect time to give it back to him but something always got in the way. Well since he was already there, might as well take the chance and give it back to him.

"Here."I said giving him the pencil.

"Thank you."He replied flashing me a perfect all teeth smile.

I had no idea Elijah had the ability to smile anymore but there he was smiling at me. My heart nearly stopped for a moment but I quickly composed myself.

"I wanted to give this back to you. Sorry it took too long."I apologized giving Elijah his now clean jersey back.

He looked at me then at the jersey and shrugged.

"Keep it."He replied.

"Mmh?"I muttered because I probably hadn't heard him well.

"Tomorrow is Jersey day because of the game so keep it and you can wear it then and keep it after that."He explained and I was shook.

He was asking me to keep his jersey and wear it to the homecoming game. Had I somehow died and went to an alternate universe where Elijah was suddenly nice.

"I'll even sign it for you."He said taking the jersey from me.

I didn't even know where he got the sharpie from but he quickly signed the jersey then handed it back to me. I looked at the place where he had signed it and smiled unintentionally. He had signed it Elijah "Joey" Olsen. Why would he do that if he didn't want me calling him Joey anymore? He was giving me a lot of mixed signals and I didn't know what the appropriate response was.

I looked at him with a small smile on my lips and he was smiling back. I was about to thank him for the jersey and probably ask for and explanation when the teacher walked in. I decided to table the conversation for later but unfortunately I didn't get the time. The economics class included taking a lot of notes so I didn't have much time to concentrate on the fact that Elijah was seated next to me the whole time. I did feel his eyes on me a few times but that was about it as far as our interactions went.

We didn't have any more classes together for the rest of the day and during lunch break Wendy roped me in into helping her with making banners for the homecoming game the next day.

"So I saw you and Elijah getting cozy during Mr Taylor's class."Wendy commented in a song sing voice as she wriggled her eyebrows at me.

"Nothing happened, he just borrowed a pencil."I replied a little too defensively.

I didn't want to mention the signed jersey because I still didn't know what it meant. That would remain my little secret with Elijah until I figured it out completely.

"Okay fine if you say so but you've been working on that sign for the past ten minutes."She pointed out with a laugh.

I looked at the sign I hand been making and blushed. I'd distractedly written down Elijah's last name and his number on it. I huffed, completed it then put it aside with the rest and began making another one, for the whole team not just Elijah this time. Go Bears. Yeah our school mascot was a bear.

"Wendy do you think I'm stupid for still being hung up on Elijah even after he has been so rude to me before?"I asked genuinely.

I couldn't trust myself anymore in regards to Elijah so I needed my friends honest opinion.

"Honestly no because we all have that one person who we can never really get over in life. Might be friend or significant other. That person for you is Elijah. You just have to ask yourself if he is worth all the hurt."She replied wisely.

"Is he worth all the hurt?"I retorted.

"Only you can answer that for yourself."Wendy answered smiling encouragingly.

She was right but I just wanted someone to give me a solution because I was done thinking for myself. I wanted to keep on fighting for the friendship that I wanted Elijah and I to have but I was still scared of him hurting me again. I'd already suffered enough and wanted either a breakthrough with him so I could keep on hoping or the chance to accept that we were completely done and there was no saving our friendship.

"Just give it time for now, relax and hope that it'll work out. I have a good feeling about you and Elijah. Usually I'd use logic and tell you to cut your loses and run but not with Elijah, trust me on this. You guys haven't written the last chapter to your relationship yet, you aren't even in the middle so be patient and give yourself time."Wendy advised once more.

"Thank you, I needed to hear that."I replied smiling.

"Good now help me finish this fast then we can get to class. Hopefully if we finish at this time we don't have to come back after school."Wendy expressed.

"Even if we don't get done I can't make it after school. I'm taking Violet shopping for her homecoming dress."I replied with a shrug.

"Shit, I forgot, the dress. I've kept postponing getting mine and now the dance is literally the day after tomorrow and I don't have a dress."Wendy cried.

"Hey it's okay, you can come shopping with us. We'll help you look for the perfect dress."I consoled.

"You sure?"Wendy asked.

"Absolutely so let's make sure that we get this done."I assured her.

She nodded and for the next forty minutes we busied ourselves and made sure we made all the required signs. The game was going to be big since the whole town was invited. We had a whole array of activities planned besides the match that anyone would be a fool to miss. I didn't really understand football but I was really excited to be joining in the school spirit and being there to support my cousin and friends.

Wendy and I did managed to finish the signs on time so we put them aside carefully, cleaned our working space and headed to class after grabbing some Snickers bars from the vending machine.

Violet, Suzanne and Olive didn't have an issue with Wendy joining us for shopping. She was my friend and I wanted her there plus the five of us were getting pretty close.

"We have Wendy's, Suzanne's and Olive's dress. Now we just have to find mine and yours cousin."Violet declared as we walked into another shop later that day.

"Just yours."I replied.

"You already have a dress?"Wendy asked.

"No I'm not buying one because I'm not going to the dance."I declared dropping that bomb.

They were all silent for a moment before they started taking all at once, over each other. They stopped once they realized no one could hear the other and started talking one by one.

"What do you mean you are not going to the dance?"Violet asked.

"Exactly that, I'm not going."I repeated again.

"But why? This is the only homecoming dance you'll get to attend, you've got to come with us."Wendy insisted.

"If I was in Nigeria I would have missed it so I'll just pretend I'm there and not go."I tried with a grin.

"No you won't because you are not in Nigeria. Get over yourself because you are going to that dance."Violet insisted.

"No I'm not and you can't make me."I challenged.

"Oh yes I can and I will."Violet grinned menacingly and I was afraid for my life for a second.

She didn't have to be so mean about it. It was my decision to make and I had decided I wasn't going.

"Why?"Olive asked again.

I realized that they wouldn't leave me alone until I told them why so I decided to be honest with them.

"Because I don't have a date and the person I wanted to take doesn't want to go with me. I'd rather stay home and watch movies, than stand there alone all night watching you with your dates enjoy yourselves."I explained.

"Oh Maya."Violet cried and before I knew it she was crushing me into a hug.

Everyone joined in and soon I was cocooned in a giant hug in the middle of a random store.

"It's getting hot in here."I cried from the middle of the circle.

They immediately pulled away giving me the space to breath. That's what I got for being the shortest in the group.

"But you won't be alone, we'll be there with you all night."Wendy assured me.

"No you won't, at some point, your dates will take you away and I won't fault you for it. I just know I won't have fun without my own date so I'm not going."I explained.

Something in my tone must have let them know that my mind was made up so they stopped insisting on it. Plus they also knew I was right, they couldn't be with me all night. I also didn't want them taking turns staying with me, I was not a kid to be baby sat. I'd decided the same day Elijah had said no to me that I wouldn't go to the dance. What was the need if I wouldn't have a date? I didn't like or know how to dance anyway so it wasn't a huge loss.

After we found Violet's dress she treated us all out to a fancy dinner in an Italian restaurant at the city center. She paid for it with her dad's card of course but it was nice to have a nice meal with the girls. We had fun together and even though they didn't like that I wasn't going to the dance, they got over it. It was my decision, not theirs. I would be fine at home with movies and a bottomless bowl of popcorn.