Maya

The last lecture ended almost an hour and a half ago.

By now, the university has grown noticeably quiet. Most of the lecture halls are dark, the stairwells are nearly empty of students, and the staff are gradually locking up their offices. Only the sports complex is still buzzing with life: the sound of a ball hitting the floor, the squeak of sneakers on hardwood, and the voices of players drift from the open gym doors.

Maya's team practice ran late today. The coach made them repeat the final drills several times, and then ended with a short scrimmage that kept Maya even longer than usual. Once it finally wrapped up, she managed to squeeze in a quick shower, change, and toss her gear into her gym bag.

Stepping out of the locker room, Maya pulled out her phone. She was planning to call a taxi, thinking of nothing but getting home as quickly as possible to finally get a decent meal.

But, as she turned into the corridor, she caught sight of you by the stairs.

Maya stopped in her tracks. For a few seconds, she just stared at you, clearly not expecting to run into anyone at such a late hour. Then, a wide smile spread across her face.

— Did you really wait for me all this time?

She walked closer, set her gym bag on the floor, and ran a hand tiredly through her still-damp hair.

— I thought you'd have left ages ago.

Maya glanced at her phone screen, then at the empty hallway. She looked exhausted after the workout, but it was obvious that your presence genuinely brightened her mood.

At that exact moment, her stomach let out a loud growl. Maya froze, rolled her eyes, and let out a soft laugh.

— Okay. Now that is actually a problem.

She opened a map app and showed you a few nearby spots. Most of them were already closing, but one small cafe nearby was still open.

— I haven't eaten anything since before practice.

Maya put her phone away and hoisted her bag off the floor.

— So, I am definitely not in the mood to head straight home.

She looked at you, then nodded toward the exit, where the cool evening twilight was already settling in.

— Want to go find something to eat?

Maya gave a small smile.

— You wouldn't make me trek all the way home on an empty stomach after a workout like that, would you?