Oh [14x]
I frowned my eyebrows as soon as I entered my house. I knew that my parents were out in a business trip and there was no one at home. So you'll know my surprise when I entered my house and heard one of the best voices I've ever listened to singing over a guitar.
Cast out to sea
Drifting with the tide
And no way of finding me
Now that I'm free
Nothing but blue skies
Paradise in front of me
However, what surprised me the most was that it wasn't a CD or the radio but a live presentation from... Maya. I couldn't stop myself from gaping at her when I saw her in the middle of my family's living room, playing the guitar and singing with all her heart.
Awake from this dream
I hold my breath and just believe
I didn't know she had such a beautiful voice, but then again she had always been a mystery for me. I try to be the perfect boy, she hates me and Riley adores me. I am honest and tell them how imperfect I am, she adores me and Riley hates me. I just can't help but be confused by what's happening.
Tired of all the troubles
They've been wasting my time
I don't wanna fight
Gonna leave it behind
Taking on faith
Now I'm ready to fly
I'm in the middle of starting over
Back to the beginning
Gonna hit rewind
Chance to do it over
Get it right this time
Life gives you pennies
Turn them into dimes
I'm in the middle of starting over
I'm in the middle of starting over
My eyes widened at her kind words, being kind has always been Riley's thing... but then again I am not being completely fair with her. She has always been kind to her friends whenever they need help... in her own kind of way. Protecting them from the world and always trying to be the strongest one, the one they can relay on... just like I do. I even know, even if I hate to admit it, that her teasing aren't because she is mean (Which she totally is) but because she is trying to test if I am good enough for Riley. And if I am being completely honest I kind of... like our banters, specially since I know that it's the way she shows she cares for someone.
Oh [14x]
Why does she have to be so confusing and so good at everything that has to include art?! I exclaimed in my head when I noticed again how beautiful her voice is.
Alone in a room
Tearing down the walls
Painting over scars and bruises
Now this is home
Fill it up with love
And make the best of something new, yeah
Also, her song kind of remind me of my whole process of adaptation here in New York. Wait... did she passed for a similar process like me? I suddenly thought surprised when I noticed the look in her eyes, the same look that I see each time I look at myself in the mirror.
As hard as it seems
I hold my breath and just believe
Now that I think about it, if I compare both of them, Maya has always been more mature than Riley. While her best friend is always living in Rileytown and thinking that life is color of pink, Maya has been living the real life and knows how to survive on her own. Sometimes I think that she would never survive without Maya.
Tired of all the troubles
They've been wasting my time
I don't wanna fight
Gonna leave it behind
Taking on faith
Now I'm ready to fly
I'm in the middle of starting over
Back to the beginning
Gonna hit rewind
Chance to do it over
Get it right this time
Life gives you pennies
Turn them into dimes
I'm in the middle of starting over
I chuckled sadly at the lyrics, specially at how much I really wish I could 'hit rewind' and begin the whole week. Ever since my old friend everything, the life that I've built has been turned upside down. The girl I thought I liked isn't talking to me anymore, even after the car wash and that confrontation with the bully she does not forgive me for my insecurities and fears... she is so childish!
The colors and the stars
Seem a little brighter
Tomorrow isn't far away!
Through the hardest part
I'm working towards a happy ending
But then again... Maya isn't. Why haven't I noticed it before? Maybe because of all the teasing and rough appearance? No, like I said before I love our banters. Especially since they remind me of how my dad and mom act, always fighting like the old married couple they are.
Tired of all the troubles
They've been wasting my time
I don't wanna fight
Gonna leave it behind
Taking on faith
Now I'm ready to fly
I'm in the middle of starting over
Back to the beginning
Gonna hit rewind
Chance to do it over
Get it right this time
Life gives you pennies
Turn them into dimes
I'm in the middle of starting over
Wait?! Did I just compared Maya and I to my parents? What's wrong with me?! I thought confused and a bit scared. But as she continued singing with her melodic voice, looking like the blonde beauty goddess that I told Zay so much about, I knew why I thought that.
Tired of all the troubles
They've been wasting my time
I don't wanna fight
Gonna leave it behind
Taking on faith
Now I'm ready to fly
I'm in the middle of starting over
Back to the beginning
Gonna hit rewind
Chance to do it over
Get it right this time
Life gives you pennies
Turn them into dimes
I'm in the middle of starting over
I'm in the middle of starting over
 Because she never gives up, yes she needs the help of her friends from time to time to remind her how special she is, but don't we all? She is very smart, maybe not genius smart like Frakle or book smart like Riley, yes she has weak subjects (English, Science and History), but we all do. Maya is street smart, something that will serve her a lot more in life than anything she learns at school, also she exceeds in Spanish, Mathsand Art. Don't let me start with Art, she has a gift and I'll make sure that she will train it and use it to become famous in the future. I still remember when we received our geometry test I gasped as I saw the big A in her paper, but stayed silent when she glared at me. Later she told me that geometry is just art, that's why she finds it easy. That's what I was talking about, Riley or Frakle or me would have never been able to take something from our practical life and turned it around for a whole new use.
Oh! [14x]
"Wow... that was... wow!" I said speechless once she had finished with her amazing song.
"What's wrong cowboy? Have I finally gotten to you?" she questioned me, but there was a soft undertone to her teasing. Even though it's always there, this time it was easier to notice it.
"Not yet ma'am, but I appreciate you trying" I replied with a teasing smirk.
"Uuuuu" she muttered angrily, but without true heat behind it "You know, Riley will forgive you. That girl is a ray of sunshine after all" she then said seriously, making the mood of the room drop out of the sudden "She doesn't know that sometimes things are out of her control, don't get me wrong I love that Riley never gives up, but sometimes she needs to know that people do 'bad' things to protect themselves".
"But you do?".
"I do, because I've lied to her myself" she confessed softly, looking at the floor ashamed.
"What could you have kept from her to be as big as what I had kept hidden?" I asked her with a scoff, a bit angry at the whole unjust situation. I changed, I tried the best but no one notices it "She'll surely forgive you, no matter what you do she always forgives you".
"I... not everyone has the luck of having good parents like you or Riley or Frackle. My dad... he left and my mom works day and night to keep a roof above our heads, food in our table and pay for my education..." I could notice her glistering eyes, which made me gasp surprise. After all, I've never seen her this close to crying before. Making me feel so guilty for making her cry "Sometimes I go to sleep hungry because there was no enough food on my plate that night, so I... I always have to search for coupons so food will be cheaper. For Riley the subway is  game for her, a step to become a 'woman'..." she chuckled dryly and I hated that horrible sound coming from her melodic voice "For me it's survival and home. The subway is what helps me travel across the city and find the right places at the right time to buy what I need, be it food or clothes or art materials. I know the best and cheapest places to buy what I need, and when there are sales. I... I need to, if I want to survive".
"Maya... do you work?" I asked her softly, fearing the answer. No adolescent should go through what she does, and especially should't work when their place is at school and having fun with their friends.
"I..." she broke down into tears. I couldn't handle it anymore and rushed to her side, I took the guitar that Riley had gifted her last year away from her and cuddled her to my side while sitting us on the love seat "I... I only started last year and do it during vacation".
"That's why Riley complained of only seeing during the festivities that you spent with her and later of not going with her to spend summer vacations in Philadelphia" I thought out loud "You were working. Why do you do that? I know that your mom doesn't have a lot of money, but until now it has been enough. Why did you start out of the blue? And what do you do? Is it dangerous?" I began to feel angry, turning into the Texas Lucas, by all the thought of what Maya might be going through passed my mind.
"I love art, you all know that, and I want to enjoy it more" she confessed softly "You know how many expositions I wanted to go to? Or classes that the MoMA gave? But I never could because I didn't have enough money to spend for my amusement, I didn't have a smart phone until Matthews took pity on me and bought me one!" she exclaimed in exasperation and raw sadness, which made me hug her closer and kiss her temple trying to calm her down. What surprised me more than my sweet treatment was that she did calm down "So when I bumped into Crazy Hat again, on my own, at the subway I asked her for help to get a job. She surprised me, it seems that no matter how much I try to hide it adults seem to notice that I am smarter than I let know".
"Why do you hide it?" I inquired softly, thinking that if I spoke louder I would ruin the moment.
The last thing I wanted to do is ruin the moment, I just wanted to stay here cuddling with Maya and never leave. I didn't know why, but when she lifted her head from my chest and looked into my eyes I suddenly stopped breathing. Her beautiful baby blue eyes enchanted me into a trance that I couldn't seem to break from, then I noticed why I didn't want to leave. I liked her, the one I always liked was her, not Riley, I just have never noticed it before. But now that I did, I'll make sure that she'll be mine.
"Because..." she started but drifted her gaze away in shame. However, I didn't let her do that. I caught her chin between my fingers and forced her gently to lock gazes again. I felt a strange, but good, kind of joy when silently understood what I was trying to tell her with my eyes and continued talking "I am ashamed of how I had to learn. You know why I am so good in maths, not only in geometry. It's because I am the one that is in charge of the finances in my house, bills, how much we spend, where we spend it, everything. I am ashamed that I have to make sure to save every penny because if I lose a single one it will mean that I won't have a plate at my table for the night".
"Maya..." I sighed softly.
"Stop it! I don't want pity!" she growled angrily... no, hurt and embarrassed "Getting back into the topic, do you remember the time hat Matthews made us make our own muffin business? Well, it seems like she had been watching me for a long time now and noticed how good I am at finding and making the most of chances. So she inverted money in me and helped me get a stand of muffins whenever I wanted. I chose the perfect location, next to a park that during vacations is very famous but seems to not have a lot of places to stop and buy something to eat. So I decided to start my small business there, I used the recipe that your mother gave us before and then looked for places that sell organic food at a cheaper price. When I baked the goods and hired a few friends of my neighborhood that also could use some extra money, we began selling. It got quite famous, principally because the people that bought from me didn't have a lot money either to spend in organic goods that cost a lot, which is why they go to me that I sell them at a reasonable price".
"That is amazing Maya!" I exclaimed proudly "I still don't know why you can't see how amazing you are! You achieved more than all of us: you are part of the world and know how to move into it, you found your passion and what your heart desires the most, you have a tight group of friends that will last forever, your school life isn't perfect but you pass each year and still get to live your life, you created your own foundation with Riley, and now started your own muffin business" I smiled brightly at her, eyes never leaving her shock ones and confessed with a soft tone "You are the most incredible person I've ever had the honor to meet ma'am".
"Lucas..." she mumbled completely speechless, not being able to snap out of her surprise.
"It is the truth" I cut her off "Now tell me how did you succeed".
"Thank you" she replied softly. Hushing me, placing a finger on my lips when I opened my mouth to interrupt her "Shh, not for the compliments but for trusting me so much that you asked how did I succeed and not if I succeed" she flashed me one of her rare, honest and unguarded smiles that I've only seen Riley receive "I got enough money to pay Crazy Hat back all the money she had given me, to pay the friends I've hired and to pay for a curse that the MoMA was given at the time. I also had enough to pay for tickets for a few exhibitions I wanted to visit, but decided to save it for college".
"Do you know what you want to study?" I asked her curiously, it's the first time I've heard her talk about her future and college after all.
"A mayor in art at the NYU" she answered, placing her head back into my chest and snuggling closer to me if that was possible "What about you Ranger Rick?" I smiled into her hair at the nick name.
"Politics at the NYU" I told her, she was the only person I've talked about this "I like being the class president and the lessons that we've been learning during class about being more interested in our world and what's going on in it, it just gave me the desire to be an honest person people could count on to make their world a better place".
Instead of mocking me or teasing me, Maya just smiled against my shirt and said kindly "If anyone can do that is you Lucas the good".
"Is that gonna stick?" I asked, not really hating the idea if Maya was the one calling me that with that tone. One that made me feel as if I was precious to her.
"It will, wear it with pride" she replied, completely serious and honest.
"I promise to" I swore to her.
We spent the rest of the evening cuddling together at the love seats, talking about our interests, life and dreams in a low tone, even if we were the only ones at home. It just made the moment feel more intimate and special. We continued doing that until Maya fell asleep above me, me soon following her thinking that: yes, she truly is the right one.