"Work out complete!" The automated voice on the treadmill announced.

I wiped the sweat that dripped down my forehead with my towel. After the guys left, I couldn't stand being in that house any longer, I had to get out and do something. So I came to the gym.

Before I started hanging out with Maya, I would come here late at night. It helped fill all those sleepless hours, and it helped keep me in shape. And from the way that workout kicked my ass, I was in need of a gym session. I was so focused on the burn in my legs and stomach that I barely had a chance to think about Maya.

On wobbly legs, I walked over to the nearest wall and sat against it. Resting my head against the cement wall, I closed my eyes for a second. She hadn't called me back. I was hoping it was just the girls keeping her busy, and not her ghosting me.

I took deep breaths trying to slow my heart rate. It was beating so hard I could hear it thumping in my ears.

"Is anyone sitting here?" I opened my eyes to see Crystal standing above me. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head and she wore a sports bra and leggings. A light sheen of sweat shined on her chest.

"No, go ahead."

Crystal sat on the floor next to me. "I haven't seen you in awhile how have you been?"

"I've been great." At least I had been until yesterday. "How are you?"

"I guess I've been good too," she said drinking from her water bottle. "I guess you could say I finally found myself."

I looked over at her. "That's awesome, Crystal. What did you find, exactly?" I asked curious. I didn't regret us breaking up in the slightest, but I did want to know what life changing thing she had found within herself.

" I'm gay" she said catching me off guard.

"You're what?" Did she say what I think she said?

"I'm gay." she said again. "I like girls."

I furrowed my brows trying to understand. "But we...we dated for five years." I was in genuine shock. If she was gay, then why didn't she tell me.

"I know we did," she said, "And I was always attracted to women."

"It's not my fault, right? I didn't turn you--"

She interrupted me before I could finish. "You did not turn me into anything. I've always been gay, but I wasn't sure how to deal with it. Our relationship had nothing to do with it."

"Okay," I said, looking down at the floor, "Okay, if you're happy then I'm happy too."

She nudged my shoulder, "Thanks, Nick. I have a girlfriend."

"That's awesome, Crystal," I said honestly. "Is she pretty?"

She laughed. "Of course she is."

"I met someone too," I told her, since we're sharing life changing news."I'm in love with her."

"Nick!" she exclaimed. "That's great!"

"Uh, maybe," I said sadly.

"You don't sound sure."

I sighed, "I told her I loved her, and she sort of freaked out." Sort of, is an understatement, she completely lost her shit.

"Yikes," Crystal replied, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," I chuckled, uncomfortably. I rubbed my hands up and down my legs, the soreness had begun to creep in from my work out. "She's like no one I've ever met before. She's such an asshole, but I oddly enjoy it, and she makes me think about things that I've never had to think about before."

"She sounds very special, Nick," Crystal smiled at me.

"She is," I sighed. "I'm different when I'm with her. I don't feel so closed off, I sleep now." Except last night, I tossed and turned like no other. I miss sleeping near her.

"Wow, you sleep?" she said in disbelief. "She really is something."

I smiled. "I haven't had a Red Bull in weeks, and surprisingly, I don't miss them." I used to crave the sugary buzz they would give me. I would drink three or four a day, and now I don't drink them at all.

"Wow, you are different."

"I had a beard," I told her knowing she would get a kick out of it.

Her eyes widened. "Now I have to meet her. A beard! She works miracles!"

Laughing, I rolled my eyes. "She would appreciate you saying that. Maybe one day you will get to meet her."

Crystal smiled, "I'm happy you found someone that makes you so happy, Nick." My phone started vibrating in my pocket and I rushed to get it out of my pocket. Maya's picture filled my screen.

"Is that her?" Crystal asked looking at me.

"Yeah," I exhaled relieved she was finally ready to talk to me. "I have to take this."

"Go ahead."

I went into the empty locker room to answer Maya's call. I could feel my heart jackhammering in my chest.

"Hello," I answered.

"Nick! Nick! I'm so glad you answered," Maya slurred on the end of the line. "I didn't think you were going to answer me."

She sounded hysterical and I began to get worried. "Maya, baby, what's wrong?"

"I love you. I love you so much. And I'm sorry for being so bitchy and mean to you. I was just so scared and I do love you, I love you more than any leather jacket I've ever owned," she said loudly.

I could tell by the slurring in her voice and her devotions of love, she was completely wasted. "Maya, are you drunk?"

"I think so," she said. "Tasha brought over this vodka that she got from her brother and it tasted like peaches."

She was going to regret drinking that in the morning, but at least she's home and safe.

She began to drunkenly detail the night for me. "The girls came over, and we were playing board games. Well, I wasn't playing because I was sad. Then I started crying, then I stopped, and then we drank."

"You cried? Why were you crying?" Maya doesn't cry, she yells, but she doesn't cry. Now I was starting to get worried all over again.

"Because I love you, silly," she laughed. "I miss you, and Charlie misses you. He's mad at me and won't let me hold him or cuddle with him. He likes you better than me, but I don't blame him, because I like you better than me. Did I tell you I love you?"

I sighed, smiling softly. "Yes, you did."

"Okay, you are the most perfect person in the whole world, Nick Ainsworth." Oh, God. I felt my face turning bright red. "I just want to kiss your beautiful face all the time. Will you come back home so I can kiss you?"

"Yes," I replied immediately. "I'll be there first thing in the morning, but please drink some water before then." I was fully aware that she wasn't going to remember any of this in the morning, but I was going to enjoy it while I could.

"But the vodka is so much better," she whined.

"You can't drink anymore you'll get sick."

"Okay," she sighed. "Nick?"

"Yes."

"I love you."

I smiled. "I love you too." I heard some banging on the other end, along with yelling.

"Maya, open the door! I have to piss!" I couldn't tell who it was, but I could hear Maya's response loud and clear.

"Go away! I'm trying to tell Nick how much I love him!" I couldn't help but laugh.

"It's okay, Maya, I'm going to let you rest." And drink some water.

"But I want to talk to you," she whined. "I've missed talking to you. And looking at you. And smelling you. And kissing you. And...."

"Maya," I stopped her. "We'll talk in the morning."

She groaned, "Fine." She sounded so sad when she said goodbye, "Bye."

"Bye." I ran a hand over my face once I hung up. Wow.

She loves me.

It took her downing half a bottle of peach vodka to tell me, but I'll take it. I slipped my phone back in my pocket. Nothing opened for a few hours, so I had time to go home and get changed. I was so happy it felt like I was floating as I walked out of the locker room.

"Is everything alright," Crystal asked as she stood from the floor.

"She's drunk, but everything's fine," I told her. "Turns out she loves me a lot more than I thought she did." And that she wants to kiss me all over my face. Which I had absolutely no problems with.

"She drunk dialed you?"

I laughed, "Yeah she did. She misses me."

"Ah, Nick, you're glowing," Crystal grinned at me.

"Oh, shut up," I chuckled pushing her softly. "I have to get going. Do you want me to walk you to your car?"

"I would like that," she said accepting my offer.

On the drive home, I made a mental checklist of the things Maya would need to nurse her hangover. A part of me wishes I had recorded Maya's drunken phone call, just in case I never hear he say she loves me again. I knew that if I heard her say it once that maybe I could be okay with her not ever saying it to me again, but after hearing it I wanted to listen to her say it again and again.

I love her with every part of me. And I'm just glad she feels the same.