THROUGH HER LENS

u o

her car "Yes. No. I mean- I didn't see you. I was jus

. Not dismissive-just oddly so

. And possibly my

ade hi

e-thankfully minor. A scrap

then back at her. "

ickly. "Law.

paused. "You sit

ught slightly

, a little quiet

distant sounds of the campus-car engines,

ll sort it. I have insurance. I mean-" She exhal

lips quirking slightly.

ced. "U

. "It's not a big deal. We can sort it out without

e about this," she said.

ut without cruelty. "Still.

trigued all at once. "Do you always

en the other driver looks like

Then laughed,

pocket and held it up slightly

anded over her phone.

g swiftly. "I'll text yo

ka

his car. But just before opening t

You didn't ment

ly. "Maya," she said.

n," h

urring to life, BMW glidi

ll fluttering like the aftermath of a near miss. Only now,

to her car and final

HOME –

The engine purred beneath her, but she didn't cut it just yet. She sat there for a few

outside-but the liv

he engine, climbed out,

ed her like a memory. Warm. Spiced. A little too much scotch bonnet, t

ith the same rhythmic, deliberate motion she used for e

elen said, eyes still

r bag by the stairs. And walked i

nd of nod that ended conversa

m was fragile. Brit

h that Helen finally looked up and glanc

... might have bum

d chopping.

y. I

nst the board as Helen set it

se c

than. I gave him my numb

back to the chopping board. "Well. Just be carefu

unsure,"

sound-half approv

angry th

lf-shrug. "You

conce

ike jud

d slightly.

y. It'

and daughter in a kitchen

elen asked, her voice carefully even, though something

... he seemed nice. I don't t

hand on her hip. "Hm

g her sleeves down over

her task, her move

. "You went there to get a law degree. To build a future. So that no one-no man, no system-

st nodded faintly, left the

ew. You can

y." Maya said,

ROOM –

light. Afternoon shadows stretched lazily across her walls. She let

her mum. She didn't have any siblings eit

t then something changed and the

en her mum decided to be a drama queen. like today. It should've been a normal day

't what bothe

hick hair. His Soft lips and that slight smirk, the

en their fingers brush

t up slowly, glanc

on the shelf-qu

stopped, she told herself it was just temporary. But time d

... something

t, and picked it up. No

t feel as heavy anymore. She didn't feel so far fr

irst time in a long tim

mu

en

dge of her bed, camer

l si

l un

t unto

maybe. Not ent