I rub my eyes after editing for a couple hours. I wanted to get a short little video out by tomorrow morning, but it looks like I'm going to have to wait longer. I can't look at the screen any longer; I need a break and a distraction.

As if on cue, my phone begins to ring. I lift to see who it is but frown. Not exactly my idea of a good distraction.

I search my apartment for anything else to do but find nothing. I've been avoiding this conversation so much that my apartment is spotless.

I sigh before answering. I can't avoid this any more. "Hello?"

"Oh my god, Maia." Wilbur breathes out, "You finally answered."

I laugh a little, trying to be natural. "Sorry, I've been trying to get stuff done around the house, so I haven't been online too much."

Wilbur hums. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out on call for a little. I have this new song idea, and I wanted to play the snippet of it that I have so far for you. I think it would be a good song for LoveJoy, but it's also a little different."

"What's so different about it?" I ask, "I mean, compared to your other songs."

"Uh, I don't know how to explain it." He thinks for a moment. "I'm at the office now, but I'll be home soon to play it for you."

My heart flips a little bit, and I internally yell at it to cut it out. That's something normal for Wilbur and I. It's nothing new besides the butterflies.

Delicate butterfly flutters in my stomach. Some see them as a fragile and pleasant sign, but I view it a fragile bomb. The explosion could be dangerous and cost us our friendship.

"You know what?" I laugh a little awkwardly, realizing I need to get myself out of the situation before it's too late. "I just remembered that I can't. I have to go, like right now actually."

Wilbur sighs, knowing me too well. Dangerously well. "Maia, we both know that's a lie. You don't have to go right at this instant."

Now it's my turn to sigh. "Wilbur, I can't," I say quietly.

"What does that even mean? Why?" His voice has a tinge of hurt in it.

"It's awkward after what happened," I explain, "I just think it's going to be weird. I mean, you can't tell me this doesn't feel strange when it used to be so natural."

"It doesn't have to be," he says, "We're just friends. We both know that it meant nothing."

My stomach plummets through the floor and all the way to the Earth's core. 

Wilbur thinks we're just friends. It meant nothing to him.

I'm quiet for a few minutes before realizing I need to say something.

I try to play it cool. "Yeah, yeah you're totally right. It meant nothing. We're just friends. That's you and me. Wilbur and Maia. Buddies."

I facepalm at my own words, thankful he can't see me.

He's quiet for a solid minute before he talks again. "Soo we're good?" he asks.

"Yupp. Totally good." I talk before he can reply. "I really do need to eat though, so I will talk to you later."

He laughs awkwardly. "Okay, night Maia."

The butterflies threaten me again. "Night Wilbur."

I sigh after hanging up and sink deeper into my chair.

This is a disaster.

I just lied once again. I lied because that night did not mean nothing to me. I like Wilbur. Not Lucas. I like my best friend.

And I just learned he doesn't feel the same way.