Her name was Maya.
Which immediately made Kevin nervous because women with simple beautiful names were always dangerous.
She worked at the coffee shop near the park.
She had sharp sarcasm and the kind of smile that made Kevin forget basic language.
Their first conversation went like this:
Maya: "Why are you dressed like depression at a birthday party?"
Kevin: "I'm a clown."
Maya: "That was my second guess."
He fell in love instantly.
Naturally.
She kept showing up to watch him perform.
She laughed at his jokes.
She brought him coffee.
She called him "disaster man."
Which, in Kevin's opinion, was basically marriage.
One night after closing, they sat outside the café.
Kevin asked, "Why do you keep talking to me?"
Maya shrugged.
"You're honest. Most people are terrifyingly fake."
"I'm literally wearing fake hair."
"You know what I mean."
He did.
And for the first time in a long time—
Kevin felt seen.
Not laughed at.
Seen.
Which was much scarier.
Because if someone really saw you…
They could leave.
Still, he smiled.
And hoped.
Which, historically, was also dangerous.