Chapter 18: The break up 2

"Let's break up", he heard Maya say and he immediately felt numb.

"Bbb... Bbbb... Brea..k upp..?", Steve stuttered in a low and cracky voice, asking again to make sure he heard the right thing.

He already knew Maya would ask for a break because he himself could see from her attitude she was trying her best but he decided to feel relaxed and not think about it and just flow with the moment.

The only thing he failed to realize was the fact that he didn't know it was going to be this soon.

Yes...!, he and Maya has spent over a year and few weeks together in the relationship which was one of the few reasons he thought she could grow to love him and see the sincerity in him but it's now obvious he was very much mistaken.

"But babe... Uhmmm... Maya", Steve said, correcting himself not knowing tge exact way to address her based on the cuurent situation.

"Why the sudden request for a break?. I... I told you I'd make it up to you. I...I..I don't want a break Maya... Please. Just one more chance. I will make it up to you. I'd try my best and not waste the chance", Steve said almost pleading, trying to control himself from tearing up in front of Maya.

He slapped his right palm on his face and combed his hair with his fingers then putted his right elbow on the painted wooden table and slightly bent his head downward.

He didn't want to believe this was happening. It felt like his whole world was fumbling right in front of him.

Apart from his family, Maya was his whole world. She was simple, nice and not proud. She wasn't the regular type of girl his mother pushes him to go on a blind date with.

Its usually clear on the first dates that they are hungry for money and position.

That is what dating and getting married in their own high status society meant any way. You would hardly, hardly even find those who get married on the basis of love.

"Tea or coffee...?", a waitress who came to their table to take their order with a breakfast menu in hand said to them stretching the menu thereby breaking his thoughts and the eerie silence that followed his words.

Maya took the menu from the waitress to place her order.

"Coffee please. And I'd take this...", she said, pointing to the sandwich in the menu.

When Maya saw Steve didn't place his order, as his head was still bent lowly, facing the table with his right palm on his face and elbow on the table, she ordered the same thing for him also.

Maya looked at the man sitting in front of her. Though she knew he tried his best to conceal his emotions in front of her, its written all over his face that she scattered his heart.

She scattered it not just into pieces but into many pieces and she felt sorry for him.

She couldn't meet his glance but she can swear she tried her best. It just didn't and she was sure it wouldn't work out.

Which is why it's better they both walk away while its still early now and be geniunely happy rather than faking it or rather than she faking it before its too late.

"Steve...", she called his name softly. He raised up his head, removed his palm from her face as he met her gaze.

She saw sadness in his eyes but decided to over look it. Its something that is expected during a break up any way.

As the type of person she is, she is so comassionate to the extent she feels pity. She could easily pity anyone or anything, even to her worst enemy.

She could remember the time she kept telling Ann in high school that Issy was going to change for the better.

She is just the type of person that can't overlook pain and suffering but this time she has to. Her happiness is tied to it.

"I'm sorry for keeping your hopes up Steve", she said.

She wasn't supposed to apologize because she felt its logical to understand that it just didn't work out and that's it but for Steve, she knew she had to.

He likes her and its clear but too bad she couldn't reciprocate. Now is the time to pour it out plainly but in the process, she hopes she wouldn't hurt his feelings as much as she's done.

A different waitress came with their order. She dropped it and Maya took a sip of her coffee.

She had had her share of losing interest in food the previous day because she didn't know how to break the news to Steve so he won't feel too bad or take her as an enemy.

Now she was ready to move on and she hoped Steve would move on as well. She hopes he understands enough and not become a toxic ex to her.

She doesn't feel remorseful about the relationship ending anyway so moving on is even an understatement. She didn't need to move on because she had since the day they started dating.

"For what Maya... for breaking my heart...?", she heard Steve say with red eyes and scoffed.

Maya nodded her head positively like a child before saying; "Yes for that and also for the fact that I lied to you all this while. I tried my best to like you more than a friend or to even love you but it wasn't just coming. I'm sorry to have wasted your time all this while Steve. I couldn't open up to you enough because I felt I could grow to like you more than a friend. I thought I could grow to love you but reverse is the case....", Maya paused a little in order for her words to sink.

"At least she knew what she had done", Steve thought feeling dizzy as he heard Maya's voice faint as he got oblivious to his surroundings.

The news was too much for him to take. He felt like the ground should open up and swallow him or better still, he should wake up from this nightmare if it was a dream.

He saw Maya's lips parted as she continued.

"Whenever we kiss, I always feel ordinary. I don't feel sparks or fluttered. I just feel like its a necessity not like I really needed to share love and passion with my partner. I just don't know how else to explain this to you Steve but I wish you'd understand", Maya said looking at him.

He did understand. He would be deceiving himself if he said he didn't understand.

He felt like he needed to stop her before she kept on saying hurtful things to him.

Finally finding his voice, he said; "I understand you Maya. Even more than the way you think or can express. I truly understand every bit of it and I wish you find a better person. Someone better than me. Someone who can make you happy and do the things I couldn't do for you", Steve said and shifted his gaze.

Maya didn't understand what had caught his attention but she also shifted her gaze to the entry of the restaurant and what she saw surprised her.

There stood the man of her dreams. The one she had been admiring and dreaming of every night since she setted her eyes on him.

She gawked in surprise because she did't expect to find him there but quickly collected herself.

Oblivious to her surrounding, Steve looked at Maya then looked back at the professor and gave a knowing faint smile before getting on his feet to respect the presence of the professor.

Almost choking on her own saliva, Maya found her voice.

"Professor Jer... Uhmm... Professor Jerry", she said and quickly corrected herself after realizing she called him a pet name.

She still couldn't believe this man was a Professor. This man's presence had an impact on any lady present wherever he is; that is, she included.

Talking aboyt ladies, Maya took a quick scan at the restaurant. A lot of eyes where fixed on him.

Yes...!, a lot of women eyes were fixed on him and sge complete got jealous wishing she could pluck out their eyes.

Ignoring their looks, her mind went into chaos with series of thoughts.

"Does he live nearby?". "I should have done a light make up". "By the way, what is he doing here?", she asked herself because it would be too embarassing to ask him directly.

She didn't want him to feel like she was throwing herself on him.

The man in front of her answered their greetings with a smile before taking a sit behind them.

Realizing she was still standing and almost drooling, she sat back in embarrassment.

Jerry who was not new to all of this only smiled.