you and me from the night before

It starts with a photo.

It’s late night. Wyatt’s bent over his laptop, on an online meeting with a few engineers trying to debug some code for a prototype satellite part of a milliondollar space project.

The investors would take his life if this didn’t work. His fingers move like lightning over the keyboard.

Jordan elbows him. “This is the girl I was talking about.” He’s on the meeting too, except he’s not so serious about this as Wyatt is, despite being cofounder.

Wyatt grunts without looking up.

“No dude, look.” He takes a quick peak at Jordan’s phone.

His heart stutters.

There’s two of them, one posing like she’s on the cover of Vogue, and other mid laughter, sunshine through brown tresses. Star earrings.

He can’t believe he noticed that.

“Which one?” Wyatt asks, holding his breath. Why did he suddenly care?

“The sunglasses one.” Wyatt exhales. He turns back to his laptop.

“Nice.” He says, and he’s back to work, but the photo’s there. Back of his mind, hidden for safekeeping. Like her laughters been imprinted into his memory.

He almost forgets. Almost.

It’s been a few weeks, and Jordan and the Vogue girl (Danielle, that’s her name) have hit it off, and their relationship is disgustingly strong as ever.

And now her posts, her friend’s posts, are all over his feed, and it’s on a day like this when he sees her again.

Star earrings. He stops. Scrolls back. Stares.

She’s undeniably pretty.

He scrolls past. He’s just appreciating how she looks. That’s all. It’s shallow.

Jordan💀

dude

me and dani were talking abt u

Wyatt

u guys talk abt me?

im flattered

not really

Jordan💀

stfu

listen

i just realised uve been single forever

Wyatt

i mean

im busy

with the company stuff

its more imp

Jordan💀

bro its not that deep

u can do both

like me

Wyatt

right

like u

Jordan💀

rude

but the point is

we want to set u up with someone

Wyatt

no.

Jordan💀

don’t u wanna know who it is atleast

Three dots appear. He sends him a profile.

It’s her.

His heart stops.

Maya. That’s her name.

Jordan💀

shes hot right

Wyatt

yeah ig

im going to sleep

big day tmrw

Jordan💀

alr

sleep tight :)

Wyatt

kys

He can’t sleep. He scrolls through her profile. He finds her in a dress. Backless. Silken black. The dim lights lighting her up like molten gold.

He nearly yeets his phone across the room.

The universe answers.

She’s a scientist. No, an astronomer.

He’s at a space summit, as cofounder of his space tech company, but it’s boring outisde so he escapes to one of the talk rooms whe he sees her again.

Except he’s in the audience, and she’s on stage. Explaning vectorisation modeling for galaxy mapping like it’s arithematic.

He’s stunned. Breathless. Falling out of his orbit.

Trying to recalibrate but failing miserably.

He’s in her gravity.

He watches her answer a question from the audience. She’s silent for a beat, organising her thoughts, before she answers, clear and coherent.

Like this is child’s play.

Her smile makes his heart clench.

He’s attracted. And it’s not even about how groundbreakingly, stupefyingly (are those words) gorgeous she is.

Danielle😘

what did he say

Jordan

nothing

and pretended to sleep

i saw her profile open on his phone

idk what that means

Danielle😘

that means

he’s curious

probably

actually just ask him tho

Jordan

fine

if its worth anything

i saw him listening to she will be loved on spotify

the last time he was listening to the song was in freshman year

when he liked this girl in the book club

OH FUCK

Danielle😘

WHY DIDNT U SAY THIS BEFORE

Jordan

idk didnt think it was imp

Danielle😘

dumb

Jordan

ok

but it could be someone else

Danielle😘

let me cook

Maya gets a text at 1am. Her papers are scattered on the floor, laptop on her lap, pencil keeping her bun in place. It’s danielle.

Danielle💗

are u awake

Maya

yes

Danielle💗

u saw jordan tdy right

Maya

yes in passing

he’s loud so i noticed

and i was like huh that face looks familiar

Danielle💗

did u see the guy with him

Maya

there was like four guys with him

which one

Danielle💗

(pic attached)

white shirt

Maya clicks on the picture. It’s a simple one at a beach.

Her eyes land on white shirt.

Maya

why is wearing a white shirt and pants to a beach

His shirt is ruffled, top button unbuttoned like the beach demanded it. Rolled up sleeves. Pants pushed up like he was dipping his legs in the sea when someone pulled him into the photo.

The sunset lights his skin on fire.

Danielle💗

girl

isnt he hot

Maya

he’s meh

Right. Definitely.

Danielle💗

jordan gave me confirm

he was at ur talk tdy

and i think he’s interested

Maya

in galaxy modelling

Danielle💗

babe dont play dumb

Her stomach does something weird.

Maya

so how does jordan know this guy

Danielle💗

cofounders

cubesat

Maya pulls up the browser on her phone.

She searches him up.

First his linkedin, then the company website, youtube, and then finally his instagram.

Wyatt. Stanford graduate, CS and EC.

Given a bunch of talks as a graduate student, now as cofounder. Many prototypes under his name.

Nice jawline. Ridiculously good hair.

Danielle💗

u are searching him up arent u

She doesn’t reply. She clears her history. No tracks. She’s not guilty at all.

Then realises a beat too late that linkedin tells you who searched up your profile.

She covers her face with a pillow and screams. The damage has been done.

Turns out Wyatt doesn’t check his linkedin.

She doesn’t hear about him from danielle after that. No crushes. Absolutely not.

She’s on the subway back home, when she gets a notification.

A follow request.

From Wyatt.

Her eyes go wide. She’s clicking the pop up immediately, and it leads her to a page.

Accept follow request?

She stares at it for a whole minute. Her finger is over the button.

She almost clicks it. And then thinks that she’s not that easy to win over.

So she doesn’t accept it. And lets it simmer in her notifications for five whole hours.

Except, it’s living rent free in her mind.

She thinks of it when she’s in the kitchen, when she’s cleaning her room, when she’s brushing her teeth.

And finally, when she’s turning off the front room lights, she accepts it. And follows him back.

Though she planned on doing that after a week. Whatever.

Danielle💗

girl

are u free tmrw

Maya

yes

why

Danielle💗

wanna meet up

Maya

dont u have a date tmrw

Danielle💗

we have room for two more

Maya

ew im not thirwheeling the two of u

and whos the other thirdwheel

Danielle💗

jordan’s best man

Maya

who

Danielle💗

we’re going to that salsa bar down near the beach

Maya

fine ill come

only for the food

ill sit at a separate table

Danielle💗

ly

wear smth hot

trust me on this

Maya takes Danielle’s fashion advice seriously.

She’s in a nebula-violet dress, light makeup, star earrings. Like she’s cosplaying universe itself.

A car pulls up in front of her apartment. The window comes down, and Danielle waving at her wildly, guesturing her to get in.

She’s stuck in the back seat of some expensive car she can’t pronounce, and Jordan’s on the wheel, rock metal filtering through the speakers.

“You took my advice.” Danielle’s turned towards her from the passenger seat.

Maya blinks. “I always do.”

Jordan mutters something under his breath. Something about flipping.

Danielle’s laughter is louder than the bass guitar through the speaker.

“So it’s just me?” Maya asks after a few minutes.

“Nah, one more person. He’ll come staright there.” Jordan says, tapping his fingers on the wheel.

“I think he’s already there, not sure.” Jordan mutters, pulling out his phone.

“Are you going to tell me who it is?” Maya huffs. “Why is it a secret?”

“It’s not. I told you yesterday.”

“No, you said best man.” Jordan grins at Danielle.

“Promise you won’t jump out of the car.” Danielle says

“Did you call my ex from uni?”

They both laugh like it’s their little secret.

“Wyatt’s coming.”

Her heart stops. She doesn’t realise she’s clutching onto the seatbelt.

“Oh.” She manages.

Pretends like she hasn’t been stalking him on instagram the past week.

They pull up at the salsa bar. She spots him immediately.

Leaning against a pillar, on his phone. Same white shirt, rolled up sleeves. Two buttons open. Hair messy like he’s been running his fingers through them a lot the past hour.

She pretends like her stomach didn’t just do a weird flip.

She gets out the car. Jordan is already near him, giving him some weird bro hug, like they haven’t met in ages.

Danielle’s at her shoulder.

“Traitor.” Maya whispers at her.

“Thought you weren’t into him.” Danielle says, smirking.

“I’m not. But you’re trying to set me up with him.” Maya says, but Danielle’s pulling her towards them both.

She stops her right next to him.

Maya watches his eyes wide just a fraction. Stop mid-sentence. And swallow hard.

“Maya, right?” He ventures.

She nods, like she’s lost her voice. “Wyatt?” He smiles a little. “That’s me.”

The air was thick. Like the universe knew that she’s been thinking of him more often than she should have.

Wyatt’s spiraling. He’s wrecked.

The dress hugs her in the all the right places. Star earrings. Saturn necklace.

Her dress shifts around her like she’s a glowing star in the midst of vibrant nebula.

He’s half paying attention to the conversation. Something about what to order. He nods when it feels right. But his eyes mostly just flick to her, taking her in, watching her brush her hair behind ear, adjust the strap of her dress.

He’s chaos in making.

He gets a notification on his phone.

It’s Jordan.

Jordan💀

still into her?

Wyatt looks up. Jordan’s studying the menu.

Wyatt

fuck u

Jordan💀

thats a yes

“Wyatt?” He looks up. Maya is looking at him expectedly.

“Have you decided what you want yet?” He’s a little stupfied.

His mind registers how oddly phrased the sentence was.

He swallows.

He has no idea what he wants.

The rest of dinner passes without any hitches.

Jordan and Danielle move off to the dance floor near the centre of the restaurant, and so Maya and Wyatt are left sitting alone at the table.

A few beats of silence pass, before Wyatt gets up like he’s decided on something, and says, “Wanna go to the beach?”

That’s how she finds herself sitting on the sand at the edge of the beach, the smell of the sea filling the air, and the noise from the restaurant filling the silence between them.

She’s looking up at the sky, her hands wrapped around her legs, and she can feel his gaze on her. Warm. Observing.

She points at a particularly obscure looking star pattern. “You know thats-“

“Perseus. And-“ He points a little to the left. “Andromeda.”

She’s stunned. Just a little.

“Only visible in the winter.” He adds, like an afterthought.

Their shoulders brush. She doesn’t pull away.

“That one?” She points further to the north.

“That doesn’t look like a star.” He says, after a minute. “Planet?”

“Saturn.” She says. “It’s a special line up.”

He smiles a little. Her heart beats faster.

They end up talking for an hour.

Out near the sea, she’s painfully close to him, and when she moves closer to listen to him, it’s like he’s losing his breath.

They talk about constellations, galaxies, a new breakthrough at her observatory, his current project. The conversation flows freely, so when Danielle calls them, she looks like she’s upset.

Maybe he’s imagining it.

There’s a painful clench in his heart. The pleasant kind.

Jordan💀

so

i saw u two at the beach 😏

Wyatt

dude

we literally live in the same house

why are u texting me

Jordan peaks at him from the door. Wyatt’s sprawled on the couch, shirtless because he couldn’d find his favourite tshirt, typing on his laptop.

“I’m down bad.” Wyatt says without a preamble.

“I could tell.” Jordan says, taking the other couch.

“Like-“ He runs his fingers through his hair. “I’ve been wrecked. Permanantly.”

Jordan grins from the couch. “She’s done so much damage, huh?”

“Wrecked me. She’s brought me to my knees. She could put a knife through my heart, and I would let her.”

Jordan howls with laughter.

“I’m not even joking. She’s taken my sanity.”

“Damn.” Jordan says. “You’re such a loser when you have a crush.”

“Fuck off.”

Maya

hi

i got ur number from danielle

if thats alr with u

Wyatt

oh hi

ofc its cool

Maya stares at the screen. Watches the three dots appear, and the disappear, and then appear again.

Maya

u know

i was wondering

why do u wear a white shirt everyhwere

Wyatt

i am no one without my consistency

Maya laughs. She can’t help it.

Maya

right

atleast u didnt say it was cause einstein wore the same thing everyday

Wyatt

that too

Maya

yeah since einstein also wore designer boots

Wyatt

no way u noticed my shoes

Maya

hazards of my profession

Wyatt

and u were cosplaying orion

?

Maya

for the record

i did think that

Wyatt

the saturn necklace didn’t fit tho

not that it wasnt pretty

Maya

u noticed

Wyatt

hazards of my profession

It doesn’t help that it fuels the warmth in her stomach more.

Danielle💗

update

he’s gone for u

‘she’s taken my sanity’

his own words

‘she can stab me and i’ll let her’

Maya

why does he want me to end his life

Danielle💗

say the word

and he’ll come to u

Maya

but

we only just met

Danielle💗

also

im hosting a party at my place next week

movie night

Maya

omg are we watching horror

OH ITS UR BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK

i have ur gift ready

Danielle💗

lysm

but

wyatt will be there

Maya

ok

They text a bit over the week. General things. Like how her day was. Space memes.

Book recommends. She tells him about the new bakery that opened across the street.

He promises to visit it with her. Her heart does an excited flip.

She almost forgets that he’s into her.

Almost.

It doesn’t bother her as much as she would have thought.

So when he walks in at danielle’s party, in a black ACDC shirt and tracks, she didn’t think her heart would leap into her throat. Without any warning.

Nope. Wyatt’s a friend. A good looking, smartass friend.

With nice hair.

And nice eyes.

And nice hands.

He’s a friend, surely.

“Inception!”

“Scifi is boring.” “Fuck you.”

Wyatt’s sort of tuned out. He hears bits and pieces of the chaos around him, fifteen people crammed in the small living room in danielle’s apartment.

“Weren’t we going to watch a movie?”

“GUYS CAN YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP FOR A SECOND” Danielle’s here, in glittery pajamas. “We’re watching horror. It’s settled.”

“NOOO”

“Can you stop yelling into my ear.”

“My birthday, my rules.” Danielle says, turning around in a flourish.

“This is how all dictatorships started.”

By the time the room quietens down, everyone’s hungry. Maya and Danielle go to the kitchen to get the food, and Jordan offers to help.

Pulls Wyatt along with him.

They’re left alone in the kitchen, Maya and him. Danielle and Jordan are setting the table.

“Could you get the plates? Top shelf.” She says, and she turns back to washing something at the sink.

She’s turned away from him, and he notices the sliver of skin below her crop. The bare skin at her neck. The sleeve close to slipping off her shoulder.

He blanches. Turns away too fast.

Turns back.

He imagines kissing her shoulder on a day like this, in the light of his kitchen, his hands on the soft curve of her hip, feeling her lean into him.

Jesus.

He pulls out the plates as fast as he can, and bolts out of there

He can’t do this. He needs to pull himself together.

Maya’s aware.

Aware of how his gaze sweeps over her during the movie, their hands brushing when they both reach for the same thing during dinner. Her knee bumping his under the table.

She feels like an idiot. She can’t believe she’s noticing these things.

Can’t believe she likes the way he looks at her.

This is taking way too much of her headspace.

She’s curled on the sofa next to Danielle, a blanket in her lap, Dani’s cat in her hands.

Their eyes meet across the room. She looks away first.

Jordan💀

staring

more like eyefucking

Wyatt

ew no

just watch the movie

Jordan💀

sorry

i’ll give u ur privacy

Wyatt

stfu

“This is boring.” Someone says, from the floor, just when the kid on screen screams.

“Yeah, I thought we were getting drunk.”

Wyatt’s on his phone. Emails. More meetings. He’s going through a timeline that an investor had sent him a week ago, that he was supposed to reply to, when she messages.

Maya

r u still inside

Wyatt

yes

where are u

Maya

terrace

wanna come?

Wyatt

didnt see u escape

Maya

i think

it was when the mom got stabbed

and the kid got possessed

Wyatt

i wasnt paying attention

im coming

Wyatt takes the stairs, because the lift was too slow. Two steps at a time. Sometimes three. Climbs nearly five floors.

Just for her.

He’s breathing hard when he opens the door, to see her leaning by the rail, staring up at the night sky.

She turns immediately when the door opens. Relaxes when she sees him. He joins her by the rail.

“Anything new tonight?”

“I think you can see Venus.” She points to the left. “Somewhere in that area.”

He squints. “That one?”

She shifts closer. “Where?”

“There, orange glow.”

“Can’t see.”

In a moment of impulse, he takes her hand. Points it in the direction of the planet.

Her breath catches. It’s a soft sound, but he hears it. His pulse quickens.

She’s impossibly close. “I see it.” she whispers.

He lets go, stepping back.

She’s crowned in the moonlight, ethereal. He’s bound to do something reckless. He knows it.

He’s wildly in love. He wants to tell her. Tell the world.

He doesn’t.

They don’t text.

For three days.

That’s not long, not in her standards.

But is he uncomfortable? Does he not want to talk to her anymore?

She’s standing at the subway station, waiting for the last train home. Another long day at work, more work for the weekend.

She nearly falls asleep once she’s seated, some song she can’t name playing in her earphones.

Opens his chat with her. Closes it. Opens it again.

She’s not obsessed. She doesn’t care, she tells herself.

He’s probably busy.

The train is packed. The doors open at another station. She’s lost track.

Someone in a white shirt gets in. Black backpack.

The back of their head looks familiar.

He turns around, holding onto the handle above.

Her heart stutters in her chest.

Wyatt’s looking at his phone, airpods in, his eyes focused.

The universe is playing a joke on her. And it isn’t funny.

She texts him.

Maya

look up

He does, immediately. His eyes widen. He’s pushing through the crowd, and he’s in front of her.

“What are the odds.” She says, smiling up at him.

He grins. “You take this train a lot?”

She nods. “Haven’t seen you before though.”

“It’s been a while since I took the subway. Usually Jordan drives.”

“Why today?”

He shrugs. “Work.”

When the passenger next to her gets up at the next stop, she scoots over and gestures him to sit down.

Their shoulders brush.

Someone pushes her from her left. She doesn’t mean to put a hand on Wyatt’s shoulder to steady herself.

“Wanna switch?” He asks.

“It’s alright. My stop is next.”

“Ah.” He says, raking his hair.

She wants to stay like this longer.

“Do you want to come to bakery that I was talking about? I was going to go there before I go home.” She says.

“It’s open?”

“Probably.” That’s not a very good assurance. But he gets down at the station with her anyway.

They walk side by side. The soft glow of the streetlight above lights her up.

Wyatt can’t believe he’s here. With her. Alone.

Maya fills the silence. She talks about her new research group, her observatory, her colleagues.

She’s unusually talktative. He likes it.

He fills in when she’s grasping for the right words to explain something about this model her group is building. She beams when he completes her sentence.

“You understand so quick.” She says, like he’s done her proud.

He’s warmed till his toes.

They reach the place. It’s small, fluorescent lights, and he can smell the fresh bread from the oven. His stomach rumbles.

It’s just them at the shop when they enter.

“Look at that!” She exclaimes. “They’ve got cheesecakes! And fresh buns!” She moves around the display, bouncing with excitement.

“The pastries look so good!” She looks radiant. Glowing.

He’s a little breathless when she pulls him by hand, to show them to him.

“I’ve never seen you this excited.” He says, when she finally settles on like, four cakes.

“I’m a sweet tooth.”

“I can see that.” He’s amused. Just a little. Mostly just in love.

Her place is right opposite the bakery; they cross the road and stop at the entrance.

“This is my stop.” She says, her hand on the stairway railing.

There’s a beat of silence. “Thanks for coming with me.”

“I had fun.” He say, hands in his pockets. Afraid he’ll pull her into his arms otherwise.

“I’m flying to Tokyo tomorrow . Do you want something?” He asks her. Though he’ll get her something anyway.

“I want you to try the mochi.” She says, after some thought.

He laughs. “I’ve tried it before. It’s too sweet.”

“That’s the way it should be.” She smiles.

She’s so pretty in the moonlight. He’s running out of patience.

But suddenly, she’s in his space, and he feels her lips on his cheek.

Her kiss is soft.

She pulls away immediately. “Safe travels.” And she’s gone, up the stairs.

He’s so screwed.

He’s halfway across the world, sitting in a different timezone, but she’s all he can think about.

He’s in the middle of an investor meeting, scrolling through the timeline, and the flowcharts that he’s supposed to have memorised, when he thinks of that black hole meme she sent him a week ago.

He smiles.

Like a fucking fool in love.

She hasn’t texted in a week. But he’s still in her orbit.

The meeting’s wrapping up, he’s packing up his things, shaking hands, making small talk, when Jordan passes by with a lazy smirk.

“Goner.” he says.

Wyatt’s not even going to refute. Because it’s fucking true.

Maya’s curled up on her couch, blanket around her, bag of chips on her lap. Danielle comes in with the rest of the food, and plops on the couch with her.

She’s spiraling.

“I think,” Maya starts. She can’t say it. She takes a deep breath.

Feels the blood rushing into her cheeks. The smile that’s creeping in.

“I like him.” Danielle’s on her phone.

“And?”

“What do you mean, and?” She’s surprised at the lack of reaction.

“I knew that already.”

“How do you know me better than I do?”

“Girl, is that a question?” Danielle turns to her. “Tell him.”

“No way!” She exclaims, backing away.

“Why not?”

“If he says no?”

Danielle huffs. Takes her hands.

“If you ever thought he would say no, you’re crazy.”

Maya opens her mouth to retort.

“No, listen. He’s losing his mind over you. You just need to say the word. He’ll take the flight here right now. Trust me.”

She’s blushing. She knows that much.

“Jordan’s nickname for him is lover boy now.” Danielle grins. “He’s down so bad.”

“Fine, I’ll do it.” Maya pulls out her phone.

Maya

im just gonna to say it

i know u are busy but

i like u

so much

i was scared to say it

cause i wasn’t sure

if i was imagining it

but

do you feel the same way?

He’s probably still on the flight.

It’s near close to midnight, when she gets a reply.

Wyatt

im in front of ur house

She’s down the stairs in seconds, stopping in front of him. He’s breathing hard, and it’s almost as if he stepped out from all the what ifs from last week.

“I took the cab here as soon as the flight landed.” He says, as a matter of explanation.

Same black backpack on one shoulder. White shirt, rolled up sleeves. Messy hair, wrinkled collar.

She reaches out to smooth it without a second thought.

His eyes are wild. Like he hasn’t slept in weeks.

He catches her hands when she reaches out. Puts her arms around his neck.

They’re so close, impossibly close.

“You don’t have to say it.” She says. Whispers. His head is on her shoulder, her fingers on the nape of his neck. His hands are wrapped around her, hands splayed out on her back.

“I want to. I just don’t know how to.” He says, his nose brushing her cheek.

His lips are next to her ear. She can’t breathe.

“You’ve ruined me. Destroyed my sanity.” He says, no accusation in his voice.

Kisses her ear.

“I’m on my knees.” He says, his lips are just a breath away from hers. She wants him to kiss her. So bad.

“I’m so wildly in love, Maya-“ He’s breathless. “Fuck, I think I’ve been waiting on you since the day I met you.”

She presses her lips to his first.

His hand trembles when he touches her cheek, and she’s pulling him closer, like the space between was too much.

He kisses her again. And again. Like he’s never going to get enough.

She’s wildly in love too.

Maya

you know

now that i look back at it

i think i started liking u

when u said that the constellation was perseus

at the beach

Wyatt

oh yeah?

Maya

but i was in love too

when we are in the subway

Wyatt

i was a goner already by that point

i was officially lover boy at the company

Maya

ha i can imagine it

Wyatt

i mean

i still am

Maya

what

Wyatt

lover boy

in love

Maya

pfft

i know 

have u seen the way u look at me

Wyatt

i know

jordan makes sure to tell me every damn day

Maya

but i like it

just so you know

Wyatt

i know :)