"She doesn't want to talk to me"
As we drove to Ray's house, the car was filled with a heavy silence. Sam was ahead of us, and I followed closely behind, while Ray sat quietly in the passenger seat. The tension between us was palpable, and the drive seemed to drag on for an eternity.
When we finally arrived at Ray's home, he and Sam went inside to freshen up, leaving me alone in the living room with my tumultuous thoughts.
My thoughts were so random that I could barely describe them as thoughts. In an attempt to distract myself, I decided to look around.
The space in the sitting room is filled with stylish and sophisticated furnishings. The couch I was sitting on is upholstered in a creamy beige fabric and looks soft and inviting.
There are several armchairs and a coffee table in the center of the room, and a fireplace opposite the couch. The fireplace is surrounded by a mantel adorned with framed family photos and artwork.
There is a bookshelf stocked with legal texts and novels, and a small bar cart with glasses and decanters for mixing drinks. The room has large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and through the glass doors, I could see a balcony or terrace.
The decor is chic and sophisticated, with framed artwork and photographs on the walls and colorful throw pillows adding pops of color. Overall, the sitting room is a really nice and comfortable.
I went closer to the fireplace to take closer look at the family photos, studying them one by one. There are photos of Ray at various stages of his lives, ranging from their childhood to their teenage years.
'Wow, he was even in the choir,' I couldn't help but smile a bit.
There are also photos of Ray's parents, including one of his mother, the district attorney, looking proud and successful in her courtroom attire.
There was one where Ray won a medal in a basketball game and he took a pic with his dad. The striking resemblance is there and I could tell they were pretty close.
After a few minutes, Sam and Ray returned, both dressed in black jeans and identical yellow and black tops. They looked so much alike that they could have passed for brothers, or even twins.
"Do you live here?" I asked Sam, my brow furrowed in confusion.
"Well, yeah, kinda. This place is like an extension of my own home, even though they're a little distance apart," he replied.
"Oh," I said, at a loss for words. Then, I hesitantly asked, "So, are we good to go now?"
"Good to go," they both answered in unison.
As we approached my apartment, I noticed Kira waiting for us already. She exchanged pleasantries with Sam and Ray before making our way inside.
Once we were in the kitchen, we dived straight into breakfast. Despite the friendly atmosphere, my mind was consumed by the events of the previous day. I couldn't help myself from feeling guilty and agreeing to Lily's plan.
As we sat down to eat, I found it difficult to fully participate in the conversation and had to put on a fake smile every now and then.
The food on my plate tasted dull and unappealing, but I knew it was just my own negative thoughts and feelings that were ruining my appetite. I couldn't help but notice Ray periodically glancing in my direction, which only added to my self-consciousness.
Despite my lack of hunger, I managed to force down about a third of my breakfast before excusing myself and retreating to my bedroom.
As I predicted, it wasn't long before I heard a knock on my door. "Hey, Mia," Kira's voice called from the other side. I knew she would come to check on me as soon as I left the table.
"What's up?" she asked as she entered the room, even without waiting for a response from me. "You were all happy and jolly when you left, but now you're the opposite. You look gloomy, like you have a death wish or something."
"It's nothing Kira. I just want to be alone," I replied, trying to sound convincing.
"This is more than nothing, babe. Is it about Ray?" she pressed, attempting to get me to open up.
I chose to ignore her question and turned over in bed, burying my face in the pillow. There was a moment of silence before I heard Kira's footsteps retreating from the room.
With a groan of frustration, I closed my eyes to see if I'll be able to get some sleep.
CHANGE OF POV: RAY'S POV
Mia left the table in a huff, her eyes downcast and her posture dejected. I had been observing her closely during breakfast and it was clear that she was deep in thoughts.
She barely touched her food, absently moving it around her plate as she seemed lost in thought. The atmosphere at the table shifted once she left, the lively conversation grinding to a halt as an awkward silence settled over us.
"I'll go check on her," Kira said, standing up with a sense of urgency.
I let out a heavy sigh, feeling a twinge of guilt for my role in Mia's distress. I knew that the event from the previous day had left an impact on her and I wished that I had been careful and cautious. I covered my face with my hand, feeling overwhelmed with remorse.
Sam patted me on the shoulder, offering a comforting gesture. He didn't need to say anything for me to know that he was there for me, and I appreciated his silent support more than words could express.
After a few minutes, Kira returned to the table with a concerned expression on her face. "She doesn't want to talk to me. She said she just wants to be alone right now."
Determined to make amends, I stood up and declared, "I'll go talk to her. It's partly my fault, so I have to try to fix it."
Kira and Sam nodded in agreement, and I left the table, heading to her room.
As I walked out of the dining room, my mind was consumed with thoughts of how I was going to face her and what I could possibly say to make things right.