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It's just a melodious rap that would end up nicely in anybody's ears. But it will sound very different and personal to those who know. It's a code, it's a sign. Mira doesn't even wait for the answer, she knows what will wait for her behind the door.
The moment she cracks it open, Zoey in her cute panda pajamas, welcoming her with a smile so comforting it has Mira believing that everything's gonna be okay.
"Mira."
Only her own name, and yet, it allures Mira like a siren song.
The door closes with a click, as Mira leans back at it, looking at Zoey, like Zoey has answers to every question that has bugged her for days.
Zoey, are you aware the effect of your smile to me? Mira thinks.
"Cute pajamas," Mira says, instead, motioning her hand to Zoey's buns with a grin. "Really suits you."
Zoey grins, emphasizing. "I am cute."
Mira can't agree more.
She is about to throw more flirty remarks, when her gaze falls on a pile of notebooks on Zoey's bed. It seems like Rumi wasn't the only one staying awake at this hour.
"What are you up to?"
Zoey clicks her pen, tapping it on the side of her head. "Well, I'm trying to come up with better lyrics for Rumi. I can tell she doesn't vibe with the one we've been working on."
Of course, Zoey will notice. Mira does too. She hasn't said anything to her yet, because she wants to cross-check with Rumi first, but yes, it isn't strange if Zoey can see it too. Rumi thinks she can be subtle, but Zoey and her, especially her can easily read Rumi like a book.
A 'pretty hard to translate' kind of book, but still.
"I've been rocking back and forth in some lines, but I can't decide which one is better." Zoey sighs.
Mira goes to sit on the bed, and Zoey instantly shifts to make room for her. "I'm trying to see what line doesn't work with Rumi, but I don't know, Mira, it's hard when all she says is, 'it just doesn't feel right' or something like that. How can I know what didn't feel right, if she didn't tell me?"
Zoey takes a deep breath, before giving Mira an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, Mira, mini-rant's over." And very quickly shifts back to her sunshine-like personality, as if her frustration doesn't matter. "Now, what's up with you?"
Mira frowns, but decides to not say anything against it.
"I just came back from her room," She gave Zoey the short recap of her talk with Rumi. "I can't figure out what's wrong with her either, but I'm pretty sure she's keeping something from us."
She and Zoey may pride themselves as the one who knows Rumi the most, but right now Mira isn't sure anymore.
Rumi has been acting like she's not the Rumi that Mira has known. It may not be explicitly stated but they always share everything with each other. Sharing a great secret like how you are basically the guardian of earth and trying to protect everyone from demons, is enough of a secret for a lifetime, they don't need more.
"I don't understand her lately," Mira continues. "Rumi's been acting weird and it drives me crazy because I don't know what's in her head. I'm usually good at this, but—"
Mira wants to say, 'I hate to think that she can't trust me for whatever she hides' but she can't bring herself to say it out loud.
Mira wants to say, 'I hate to think that Rumi doesn't think I can help her if she's in trouble.' but it feels more like her problem instead of Rumi's.
In the end, Zoey bumps her shoulder to her, speaking out on her behalf.
"Rumi always thinks she can handle everything by herself," she says, tapping her pen on her own palm. "I don't think, she doesn't trust us, maybe she just thinks that whatever troubles she's having, is a burden for us."
"That's not true," Mira cuts her off almost immediately.
"We both know it, Mira," Zoey nods, smiling sadly. "But I guess, Rumi is a bit hard to convince."
There is no secret between them, but Mira and Zoey know, that Rumi never wants to make them worry. She always tries to solve everything by herself, keeping Mira and Zoey out of the hassles. She doesn't want them to deal with her problems, not because she thinks they can't deal with them, but rather because Rumi doesn't want Zoey and Mira to deal with her problems.
Asking Rumi to share her problems was hard, if it's not impossible.
"Who the hell does she think she is?" Mira huffs, annoyance stains the resignation. "We can help her if she just asks. Even if she doesn't, we can and we will always try to."
Zoey chuckles.
"It's just Rumi's thing." She closes her book and places the item along with the pen on the nightstand.
"At least you've tried," she grins.
Mira rolls her eyes and drops her body on the bed.
"Still. I can't shake the feeling that what Rumi's hiding from us is something big," she watches the abstract pattern on the ceiling. "I just want her to be honest with us."
Zoey lays next to her, before she responds quietly.
"Well, to be fair, we do hide something from her, too, Mira."
Before Mira can properly answer, she can feel Zoey shift closer to her. Instinctively, Mira jerks away. And the movement gets her hate herself, regretting it in an instant.
Zoey has to notice the conflicted emotions in her, because she doesn't even look surprised.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
Only sad.
And it's worse.
"Zoey, I—" Mira starts, but Zoey doesn't seem upset at the initial rejection.
"It's okay, Mira," she says, while Mira knows it's not okay at all.
She quickly scrambles to pull Zoey into her arms, mustering all the feelings she has into the action, squashing down the doubts and fears.
"Maybe I don't have any right to be mad at Rumi for being dishonest when I can't even be honest myself." Mira whispers against Zoey's hair. Zoey goes rigid for a moment, before she relaxes and sneaks her arms around Mira's waist, locking them together.
"We," she reminds Mira. "Not just you. It's our decision."
While it may be true, Mira knows, it's mostly on herself and Zoey only tags along. Mira knows, that Zoey will never want to hide anything from Rumi, or the world. Mira knows, that Zoey will never want to keep this a secret.
And unfortunately, Mira also knows, that Zoey is loyal at fault and she will never deny Mira anything, even at the cost of her own feelings.
So yes, it may not be 'I' or 'You' on the surface, but certainly it's always 'Mira' and never 'Zoey.'
"I'm sorry, Zoey," she tightens her embrace.
Zoey chuckles, that the action slightly shakes them both.
"For what?" She looks up to her, smiling that comforting smile of hers. "Keeping this only between us for a little bit longer?"
Mira stares at her like she just saw her for the first time. But also, it feels like she has known her for ages. Even longer than the time they actually spend together.
Zoey in her cute panda pajamas, welcoming her with a smile so comforting it has Mira believing that everything's gonna be okay.
"Mira."
Only her own name, and yet, it allures Mira like a siren song.
"Yeah?" Mira manages to croak a response.
"Will you stay the night?"
Rumi has her secrets, but so do Mira and Zoey.
Rumi has her problems, but so do Mira and Zoey.
What doesn't Rumi have is probably this precious thing Mira shares with Zoey.
What doesn't Rumi have is someone that can relieve her burden like Zoey does to Mira.
Rumi has them both, of course, she does. Rumi has Mira and Zoey, just like Mira and Zoey have Rumi.
But Rumi doesn't have Mira and Zoey, like Mira and Zoey both have each other.
"It's okay, if you don't wanna—" Zoey starts when Mira takes too long to answer.
Not too long that she can't snatch back, though, "Of course, I want to, Zoey."
Having Zoey's warm body in her embrace, Mira realizes, Rumi is alone. Way lonelier than what she can possibly fathom.
We can fix it, she thinks about Rumi.
I can fix it, she thinks about Zoey.
Drowning herself in Zoey's hair, Mira whispers, "Tomorrow, Zoey, after the rehearsal, we're gonna tell her. I'm gonna tell Rumi about us."
Silence befalls them before Zoey snuggles to her even closer, to whisper back, "You're sure?"
Mira has spent her time thinking about the consequences of her action, about the risks she has taken, about everything.
Certainty never comes easy to her.
But having Zoey in her arms, and Rumi in her mind, Mira knows, it's time to be true to herself and to the people she cares about.
Maybe, that way, Rumi will know that she can trust her and Zoey.
Maybe, that way, Rumi will allow herself to be honest with them too.
And that way, the secret doesn't have to be a secret anymore.
Mira breathes out, it's time to be honest.
For Zoey.
For Rumi.
For herself.
"Yeah, I'm sure."
Zoey slightly pulls back from her embrace only to look at her with those hypnotizing eyes of hers. Mira let herself have her fills, memorizing the feature of her face, the eyes sparkles with happiness, the curve of Zoey's smile.
How come Mira keeps her a secret for any day longer?
Zoey, are you aware the effect you have on me? Mira wonders.
This time, Mira doesn't have to, because Zoey shows her how much Mira's effect has on her too.
The shared beating hearts, rapid breathes, and silent whispers in the quiet of the room construct a beautiful symphony only they can hear.
And tomorrow, Mira and Zoey will finally let Rumi hear the first note of it.