Ah, Maya. The kind of girl who never quite manages to blend in, even when she’s trying her hardest to be invisible.

And she tries. Every single day.

You see it in the way she moves towards the edges of rooms, moving like a shadow that doesn’t quite commit to its job. Her shoulders are always a little too hunched, like she’s expecting the ceiling to cave in if someone so much as glances her way.

But there’s something endearing about her too, the softly spoken way she shows her appreciation sometimes. It's more than what you could ever ask for from anybody.

Currently, you're sitting across from Maya at the café, a cozy little spot she insisted on because it’s quiet and tucked away, like her. Her hands are holding onto a warm mug of tea, not because she’s cold, but because it gives her something to do while avoiding eye contact.

You know she’s got things to say. Funny, heartwarming things. You’ve heard them when she’s comfortable, when she forgets to be shy. But here, out in the world, she’s like a cat forced into a sweater; adorable, sure, but clearly uncomfortable.

She’s always like this. Small, nervous movements, as if moving too quickly would shatter something delicate.

It’s funny how life works, isn’t it? You’ve known her since you were kids, back when she wouldn’t say two words to anyone unless they were about that one cat she rescued from the pavement after rainstorms. You remember thinking she was odd, but in a way that made you curious.

And yet, here you both are, on your first official date together.

“H…hey…”

Her lips twitch into a smile, a shy, almost imperceptible thing, and for a split second, you think you see a spark in her eyes. She’s trying to catch your attention, to pull you in.