objective: try something new and do it with someone new
RULES:
1) cannot be someone you know well (you can be acquainted)
2) must be the opposite sex
3) don't get creepy, keep it cool
TIME: do one task each week, you have twelve weeks to knock off everything on the list (you don't have to go in order)
TASK LIST: (italics means need to be done, bold means completed)
1. hike somewhere neither one of you have hiked
2. listen to an entire album by an artist neither one of you have heard of
3. guys choice - it's his night for you to experience one of HIS hobbies
4. girls choice - it's her night for you to experience one of HER hobbies
5. game night - you each choose one game and one movie
6. 20 questions - get opinionated!
7. get creative! paint fight
8. friend swap! hang out with his friends while he hangs out with yours!
9. get out of your comfort zone and do something weird. keep it legal, or don't
10. picture scavenger hunt! have your friends come up with a list of 10 things to do, and take pictures, you don't have to keep it clean. you have 24 hours
11. try doing something neither one of you have ever done! be adventurous
12. BONFIRE! invite both groups of friends! (this one MUST be done last)
good luck. and maybe you'll find something you didn't before.
Maya stared at the list Riley presented to her curiously. It was printed out on pink paper and seemed to smell like strawberry. "What is this?" she asked her brunette friend. "Why'd you give this to me?"
Riley took a sharp intake of breath and swallowed her saliva. Her hair was curled softly around her face, and she almost towered over her blonde best friend. "Listen, I don't want you to be mad, alright?" she told her. "Just, don't be mad." Maya could feel her eyeballs roll to the back of her head in an exasperated matter.
"This is about Josh, isn't it?"
The friendship bracelet around Riley's wrist shook as she lifted her hands from the side of her body. "Well, yes but—"
Maya groaned, balling up the paper in her hand, and shoving it back to Riley. The paper tumbled out of her hands and she bent over to pick it up, just to give it back to Maya. "I don't want it!" she yelped. "I already told you, I don't want you doing anything related to my breakup with Josh."
Riley's face fell, an unfamiliar frown lacing her features. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she thought. "Well, it was a long time coming. He was a shit-bag."
"Thanks," Maya muttered sarcastically. "Sure does make me feel better."
Riley pulled out her hand from her side and took Maya's bicep, leading her away from the lockers and to a more quiet place, where they could talk in private. Riley kept her hand on her bicep. "Look, I know you don't want me interfering because he's my uncle and you're my best friend and you don't want me to choose. But I already did, and I chose you. And I don't want you lounging around your room all day covered in Dorito dust because my uncle broke your heart."
Riley handed her back the crumpled paper and Maya opened it, looking at it again. "And this is your idea?" she asked her curiously, an eyebrow raised. "Bounce around with some dude in hopes to get over Josh?"
"Well, it's a suggestion," she smiled, moving her body to hold her friend's hand. "I know this breakup has been hard on you, but it's been on hard on me too. I hate seeing you sad."
"That's sweet, Riley. But I'm just not going to do it. There isn't a boy in this school that could help me get over Josh. And even if there was, it's not like I'm interested. Time will do its thing, and I'll get over him eventually."
Riley pursed her lips impatiently. "It's not only that," she whispered to her. "I just don't want you feeling left out while I'm dating Charlie. I know I don't spend as much time with you anymore, and it's worse since Josh broke up with you."
"Over text," Maya added in, a grim look on her face.
"Over text," Riley confirmed. "Yeah, so I just thought that maybe this list could help you. You know, get out of the house. Maybe meet someone new, meet some new friends?" she suggested. She let go of her hand and reached in her purse, looking around for something. Once she grabbed it, she pulled it out another pink paper, folded up crisp and neat. She opened it up and scanned over the words before speaking. "I even wrote up a list of people who could do this with you."
"You can't do it with me?"
Riley shook her head. "I got this off twitter, you know, and these are very rigorous rules. I just copied and pasted them on to Word and printed off a pocket version. It says," she muttered, ambling over to Maya's side to read the text, "opposite gender, and someone you aren't close to."
Maya sighed, closing her eyes and rubbing them with her palms. "You know, this isn't going to help? This isn't how it works, I don't think. Getting over a jackass, I mean."
"Well, you don't know that because you've never tried."
"Well, you wouldn't know either because you've never dated a jackass. All the people you've dated are nice, sweet gentlemen who break up with you in person and with a bouquet of roses. Or something. I've got a long string of jackasses, ending with Josh. And I think it's time I take a break with boys."
Riley scrunched her nose fondly. "I don't claim Josh, he is a jackass. And I don't care what my dad says, I'm on your side, I'll always be on your side," she said to her, grabbing her hands in hers again. "And if you don't want to do this, then okay. Because I just want you to be happy, is all. I just thought this would be a good way to get you out of your house."
Maya tightened her grip on Riley's hand and thought for a moment. "If I do this," she started aimlessly, "you're going to have to supervise, or something. I don't want to get too drawn into this and end up getting hurt, again."
Riley smiled cheekily, bringing up Maya's hand to her chest. "Well, of course!" She then promptly let go of it and the filed through her purse, again, looking for another paper. This one was yellow and laminated, the lettering Times New Roman and 12 font. Barely any space was left between the sentences and the text filled up the whole page.
"Well, you came prepared," Maya noted.
"I am great at convincing people," Riley muttered aimlessly, clearly not paying attention as her eyes shuffled through the words on the paper. "So," she declared, looking up from the paper and smiling with a spark in her eye. "Since I assumed that you would agree, even if it took some convincing, I printed this little paper to help you out. The order is obviously insignificant but the post on twitter said that the bonfire HAD to be last. So I made this list of all the things you could do for the days of the week you choose. I also took the pleasure to find certain days of the week for you to do it since I know your schedule by heart. Tuesday's and Wednesday's seem to work best for you. But of course, you'd have to ask the person who you're doing it with—"
"Riley!" Maya interrupted promptly, snatching the paper out of her hand. "Sweetheart, take a breath."
Riley took a big gulp of air and continued as if she hadn't been interrupted. "You'd have to ask the person who you're doing it with." She handed over the yellow paper to Maya and snatched the crinkled paper ball from Maya's hands. Maya's eyes scanned over it quickly.
There was a suggestion for the days at the top, with which order to do them in. In the middle were days and times that would be best for Maya, and also the last day Maya would be eligible to finish if she were going to start today. On the bottom were some of Riley's notes she added in, her phone number (in case she forgot, which she didn't) and her email. A few other things scrambled throughout the paper as well, but Maya didn't bore herself with the details.
"You seem very thorough."
"Of course," Riley smiled. "Those are just some light notes to get you started, an outline of the real thing, if you will. I wasn't sure if you would agree, so I just wrote a little bit, but I'll get on to a more explicit explanation tonight."
Maya held the paper between her forefinger and her thumb, giving Riley a curious look. "You call this a little bit?"
Riley ignored her snark comment, handing her back the once paper ball that was now smoothed out. The rules were printed carefully, and Maya was sure Riley spellchecked it av least six times before actually printing it out. "These are the rules," Riley said. "In case you forgot. I'll reprint it off when I get home tonight and laminate it since you clearly can't help but crinkle it up."
"Great, thanks," Maya muttered sarcastically, looking over the rules again.
"And this," Riley said, fishing something out of her jean pocket. It was that pink paper she had folded up, with the names on it. "These are the names I suggest. Who you do it with, it's all up to you. But, I put check marks next to my favorite ones." Riley bounced on her heels giddily, waiting for Maya to look at the list.
Maya unfolded the paper open, peering at the names. Maya smiled to herself as she read the words, neatly drawn on the paper with Riley's curly handwriting. Each name also had a little comment next to it.
• Ryan O'Donnell - Okay, so, he's a little bit off-looking! And his hair, not going to lie, sister, needs some work. And some shampoo. But he's sweet, we had chem together.
• Eric ? - His last name, a mystery to me. Anytime a teacher calls his name, it's just Eric! Not Eric [insert last name here]! It's weird. Anyway, he's got dimples. Cute!
• Jason Zupher ✓ - Let me tell you about Jason Zupher! He's got these eyes, super dreamy! And his abs, I've heard rumors. Mmmm. I mean, I'm all Charlie's but if we broke up, let me tell you how fast I'd bounce!
• Isaiah Babineaux ✓ - Gold check mark, so quick! Holy shit, he's like a chocolate milk angel. He's so funny, and so sweet, too. And his eyes, oh his eyes. AND HIS SMILE! HIS SMILE, MAYA!
• Billy Ross - I would've given him a check if he didn't have such a shitty personality. Maybe don't choose this one.
• Brandon The Rebel - His last name is also a mystery to me. Mysterious, attractive, gold check I tell you! I didn't give him one, though, because his thumb does this weird thing and it GROSSES ME OUT!
• Corn Chip Dave - I've just yet realized how many of these guys lack a surname I KNOW! That's crazy. Anyway, he's a sweet guy. Tries to be rebellious but fails. Sad face. :(
• Yogi - TBH, I don't know why I've put him on here. He's taken.
• Ross Dunn ✓ - Let me tell you five things I KNOW about Ross Dunn, he's got a smile that could light up a thousand cities, a laugh that makes your stomach flop, hair that flows in the wind, he smells like summer, and his hands are so BIG! Gold check, for sure.
• Justin Flur - He's a bit weird, not going to lie, but he smells nice when he takes a shower!
• Lucas Friar ✓✓✓✓✓✓ - Did you see that? I put six checks and for good reason, too. The man is a lady machine, he's literally so f*cking hot! Holy shit! Man, he's my MAN dream (besides Charlie, of course). His abs, I've seen them one time. I think, it might've been a dream. Anyway, if it's personally up to me (WHICH IT ISNT! IT'S UP TO YOU, MAYA!), I'd pick this piece of MEAT so quick!
Love you so much! Choose wisely! Here are just a few suggestions! XOXO, RM
"That cowboy jock Lucas?" Maya asked her friend. "The one with the southern accent and the sweet bells and the," her voice dropped a few octaves and turned deeply southern, "good eatin' and wholesome livin' and the natural cornucopia of the earth's bounty?"
Riley rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Clearly, you've never talked to him."
Maya scoffed loudly. "And you have?"
Riley snorted. "Uh, duh. This list," she said, pointing to the list in Maya's hand, "was carefully thought out and crafted. I didn't just put some random people in a randomizer on the internet. Plus, I gave Lucas six checks. Very important stuff, Maya."
"I see," she breathed out sarcastically. She shoved the paper in her pocket, letting it crinkle up; Riley let a sound out of her throat that sounded something between disgust and annoyance. "I'll sleep on this, but it's time for me to check home. School's been out for awhile, and my mom will probably be wondering where I am."
"Oh come on," Riley cried, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Let's hang out, huh? And we can decide on this together. I'm sure your mom will be fine if you come over, probably much appreciated for you to get out of the house."
Maya shook her head promptly. "No, I need some alone time."
"You always have alone time!" Riley whined, stomping her foot on the ground like a child. They were seniors, and Riley was still as childish as ever.
"Well," Maya shrugged. "I need it now more than ever. I know you'll understand. This whole twelve weeks thing is a lot to think about, and if I sleep on it, I'm sure I'll come up with a decision. I don't want your very obvious bias influencing me."
Riley's smile turned into a frown but she relented, pulling Maya into a tight hug. "I trust that you'll make the right decision," she whispered to her, still tightly holding her.
"Riley, you're strangling me," Maya gasped. Riley pulled away quickly and gave her an apologetic smile.
"Sorry, you know how much I love you. Anyway, I should probably get bouncing! I have to study for Calc. You should too, you know. The test is in a week."
"You know me," Maya smiled cheekily. Riley and Maya parted with a kiss on her cheek and Riley bounced out of the room, skipping down the hall. Once Riley was out of her eyesight, Maya pulled the papers from her pocket and looked over them once again. She didn't know what to do, truly. The breakup with Josh was too draining for her to think about another specimen in her life, but just the thought of doing something other than mope around in her room made her toes tingle.
/
"I'm home!" Maya shouted through the open door, collecting her key in the keyhole. Maya heard the familiar rumbling of her mother as she shuffled around the clutter of their apartment. Her head peeked through her bedroom door and Maya smiled cheekily at the sight of her disheveled mother.
"Baby!" Katy yelled happily. She fell over a few papers cluttering around their house but she finally made her way to Maya and gathered her in a huge hug. After she released her, she moved a few strands of stray hair from her face, admiring her softly. "How was today?"
Maya shrugged off her mother's arms, making her way over to their couch and falling over. "As good as the last."
Katy frowned and sat next to her daughter, rubbing her knee in a form of consoling. "It hasn't been getting any better?"
"Not really," Maya frowned sadly, her head falling over to her mother's shoulder. "Everything I see reminds me of him. There's this kid named Jet in my class, and he has the same hair color as Josh. And I couldn't stop thinking about him. God, I hate myself."
"Well, you shouldn't," Katy quickly intervened, moving Maya's head so she could look at her daughter in the eyes. "It isn't your fault that there are still lingering feelings. You loved him, as any normal person would. And you're allowed to still love him. But when he breaks up with you like that, and when he treats you like shit the days following your breakup, it's not okay to go back to him. You can want something, but that doesn't mean you have to act on it."
"I know," Maya groaned, rubbing her eyes. "That doesn't even matter, though, he doesn't even want me. He broke up with me over text, for godsakes. Who stays hung up on someone like that?"
Katy sighed and rubbed her hand on Maya's back. "I get it, I do. That was like me with your father." The air suddenly grew silent and Maya closed her eyes tightly. They never talked about her father, Katy rarely brought it up.
"What do you mean?" Maya finally asked, breaking the silence.
"I mean," Katy said, "your father was a real shit. And even after he left, I thought he would come back, I hoped he would, even though my brain told me something different. The brain and the heart are funny things, Maya. And sometimes, it's better to listen to your brain. So what's your brain telling you?"
Maya was silent for a bit longer. "My brain," she finally said, slowly, "is telling me that Josh is a scumbag and he doesn't deserve me."
Katy smiled and her daughter fondly. "Good. I like that answer. Josh doesn't deserve you and he never did. What's your heart telling you?"
The silence hung longer in the air this time. Maya sat up in her seat so her back was parallel to the couch cushion. Her head tilted to the side as if she were thinking. A million and one thoughts were running through her brain. Would she? Could she? Should she? Yes, no, maybe. "Maya, sweetheart?" Katy asked her, snatching Maya's attention away from her thoughts. "Are you okay?"
Maya shook her head, shaking all of her thoughts away from her head. "Yes, of course, I'm fine. Just thinking is all. What was the question again?"
"Your heart," Katy repeated. "Is your heart telling you something different than your brain?"
"Not really," Maya shook her head. "I'm confused, I think. It's different today."
"How so?" Katy asked her, scooting closer to her daughter as if she were catching all the Hot Gossip in the town like a whine mom.
Maya gulped quickly, her eyes squinting and her eyebrows furrowed. She was looking at her hands intensely, searching for an answer somewhere. "I don't know," she sputtered. "It's all crazy, I think. But Riley insists, so I don't know."
"What are you talking about?"
"Riley knows I'm all hung up over Josh and she saw this post on twitter, and she devised this secret plan to help me get over Josh. It's all crazy, and a bit weird. I don't know what to do." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the papers, handing them to her mother.
Katy looked at them curiously, flipping through them over and over again. Once she finished, she handed Maya the paper with the names on it. "These are the names Riley suggested to do this...twelve week thing with you?"
"Yeah.." Maya laughed. "Now that I think about it, it's super silly. I don't know why I even thought about agreeing to do it with her."
"Oh, no!" Katy yelped quickly. "This is a great idea! It'll help you get out of that cocoon you've been building lately." Maya glared at her mom with daggers, but she simply ignored it. "And, if it doesn't work, at least we'll know you tried. You'll have fun, I'd like to think."
Maya threw her head back on the couch. "I want to do it," she groaned. "But I don't. The part that wants me to do it is half to make Riley happy, half for me. But then there's another half, which isn't mathematically possible but I digress, and it's telling me not to."
"That other half is Josh," Katy said pointedly. "He can't live with the idea of you not loving him."
"Or I can't live the idea of loving someone other than him."
Katy shook her head and pursed her lips together. "That's not right. You love Riley, and you love me, too. Josh wasn't the only factor in your life, and he should never be. And if he made you think that, that's abusive and toxic. So, I think it's for the better, if that is any consolation."
"Thanks, mom," Maya whispered, throwing her arms around her body. "You always know what to say."
"I am your mother."
Maya smiled cheekily, releasing herself from her mother. She looked at the paper in her hand that held all the names Riley suggested, but for some reason, her eyes kept falling to the last name. Lucas Friar, it rang in her head like a bell. Lucas Friar. She's heard stories about him, how he was expelled from his old school in Texas because he beat up a kid so bad he was sent to the hospital. She's seen him in the halls, sometimes. And, really, she wouldn't deny the fact that he was easy on the eyes.
But why the hell would he help her get over a breakup? She barely knew him.
"So, are you going to do it?" Katy pressed.
"I guess so."
/
Maya woke up in the morning with a slight hop in her step. This morning was different than the previous. It seemed a bit more light and the air tasted like sunshine. That's what Riley told her over text, anyway. Something definitely shifted from the time she went to bed to the time she woke up. The idea of the twelve weeks things finally settled within her and it seemed... real. She was going to do this, she was.
Riley had texted her relentlessly, asking her every five minutes what her decision was.
from: pumpkin?
sent: 6:32 AM
seen: 6:33 AM
Maya! Maya Maya Maya! What was your decision?
from: pumpkin?
sent: 6:36 AM
seen: 6:36 AM
Maya! MAYA! Have you made your decision?
from: pumpkin?
sent: 6:40 AM
seen: 6:42 AM
Did you sleep on it? Did you even sleep? Did you put trickery in your words?
from: pumpkin?
sent: 6:43 AM
seen: 6:45 AM
STOP IGNORING ME I KNOW YOU'VE READ MY TEXTS IT SAYS YOU'VE READ THEM!
from: PEACHES! :*
sent: 6:46 AM
seen: 6:46 AM
GOD RILEY! can you chill for like 2 seconds
from: pumpkin?
sent: 6:48 AM
seen: 6:49 AM
No! [insert a million emojis] I need to KNOW!
from: PEACHES! :*
sent: 6:51 AM
seen: 6:51 AM
right. ok then. i'll tell you at school. i have to get ready. meet me my locker at 7:15 plz
from: pumpkin?
sent: 6:52 AM
seen: 6:53 AM
Yes, of course! Be there or be square! HAHA! Don't be late. And the "plz" is a good sign, no?
Maya showed up at her locker at 7:13, two minutes before schedule. She was nervous, her hands were shaking and grabbing her book bag strap. She didn't even know why she was nervous, just the prospect of doing this had her shaking. But in a good way. At exactly 7:15, Riley popped up around the corner. Her cherry smile lit up the halls and Maya couldn't help but smile fondly at her best friend. She always had a way of making her happy. "There she is!" Riley screeched, bounding down the hall in a dramatic matter. No one paid mind, however, since this was a common occurrence at this point. She wrapped her small friend in a tight hug before releasing her on the ground. "Decisions decisions!"
"Yes, Riley," Maya raised her eyebrows. "I made a decision last night."
"I see that you were early to your locker. I'm catching good vibes all around. Can we play a guessing game?" Maya didn't get a chance to answer. "Too bad, since we're going to play anyway. I'm guessing that you decided to take up the offer I showed you."
Maya tapped her nose. "Ding ding ding!" Riley's face grew quickly with a smile as she jumped up and down.
"Ooh ooh! The master of guessing! And that's not even the best part, the best part is that you're going to do this! Yes, yes yes!"
Maya nodded her head at her friend's silly antics. She would never get enough of her. "Hold your breath," Maya said to her, and Riley did just so. Her eyes widened and she puffed out her cheeks, indicating that she was holding her breath. She didn't mean literally, but, ah, whatever. "It gets better. Not only did I decide to do this...weird little twelve week thing, I also decided on who." Riley's face started to turn purple. "Riley, sweetheart, you can breathe now."
Riley exhaled loudly and took a deep intake of breath. "Oh, good, I thought I was going to pass out. But.. WHAT?"
Maya rolled her eyes. "The point isn't who I chose, but how am I going to convince them to do this with me. It all seems out of the blue, don't you think?"
"That's the thing about this list," Riley said mysteriously, filing through her bag to collect a pink paper that was laminated. Instead of her pretty cursive, it was typed out this time. "I took the pleasure of typing it out." She pointed to all of the names on the list. "Everyone on this list has recently broken up with someone, not including Yogi. I still have no idea why he's even there."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Maya asked her friend, adjusting her bag strap.
"Well duh," Riley said as if it were obvious. "I took it on myself to help two people at once. I saw no point in just helping you get over a breakup, there're multiple people in this school with a recent separation, other than you, you know."
Maya started to catch on. "You're kidding, right? How would you even know that they broke up with someone recently? Isn't that kind of...stalkerish?"
"Well, no!" Riley gasped, offended. "It's just some basic sleuthing," she rolled her eyes. "Asked around, got some information. I mean, surely you were wondering why I didn't add some of the hottest guys in our grade besides Zay and Lucas? I mean, there were plenty other options. But there would be no reason for them to do this. For someone to be convinced like I convinced you, it's the thought of getting over someone that gets them going."
"So who'd they break up with?"
"I'm not that good at sleuthing," Riley shrugged. "Whoever you pick, I guess that's up for you to find out." A small silence lapsed before Riley finally spoke up again. "So, who was it?"
"Who was what?"
She rolled her eyes, grabbing Maya's shoulders and pivoted her body so she would at look her in the eyes. "Don't be dumb," she said. "Who did you pick?"
"It was all rushed, but I decided upon Lucas. I don't know, he seemed like a better option. And if he didn't want to do it, I guess Zay."
"Ooh!" Riley squealed, clapping her hands together. "This is exciting stuff. Whew, I'm getting a rush just thinking about this! And, remember, Maya. This doesn't have to be romantic. You can just find a nice, new friendship in this. It'll help you, either way."
"I know," she nodded her head squarely. "Now the new challenge is finding this Huckleberry and convincing him to do this shitfest."
The brunette shook her head, looking around the bustling halls as people went to their classes. "Oh, don't call it a shitfest. It'll be exciting."
"The shitfest is convincing him," the blonde one muttered, her eyes scanning the halls. Her eyes caught someone who was tall, tan, and attractive. And she knew immediately that it was Lucas. Shit, she suddenly didn't want to do this. Especially with him. Perhaps she should switch to Zay. Maybe if Maya pretended not to see him, Riley wouldn't see him and—
"Oh, there he is!"
Shit.
Please don't say anything, please don't say anything, chanted in her head.
"Lucas Friar!" Riley yelled from the other side of the hall. His head snapped towards the sound and Maya saw the color of his eyes, green like the sea. Ah, shit. God. Fuck. Dammit. Shit. Lucas looked around confused, trying to find another source for the sound other than Riley since it was a rare occurrence that the leader of the Quirk Balls was calling for Lucas's attention, the most popular guy in the school. And attractive. Shit. Fuck. Dammit. His eyes scanned the area until he finally saw Riley jumping up and down for his attention. So she was calling for him.
He gulped, ambling over to the two girls curiously. "Riley Matthews, isn't it?" he asked the brunette one. Maya could see the curious twinkle in his eye. And not to mention his deep voice, with that slight southern twinge, but not too deep that it was awkward and a turnoff.
"Yep," she smiled, popping the p. "See, my friend over here, Maya Hart, would like to talk to you."
Lucas's eyes snapped away from Riley's and his attention caught Maya's. He was looking at her, taking her in. Her small stature, her blue eyes, her wild blonde hair. "You would?"
Maya didn't know what to say to diffuse the awkwardness of the situation she felt, so she said the first thing that popped into her head. "Yes, you Huckleberry. I'd like to talk."
His eyes widened in surprise at her accusation. Huckleberry, huh? "Huckleberry?" he said in a soft voice, more towards questioning and a chuckle. "That isn't my name, you know."
The country named rolled off her lips naturally as if she had been doing it for awhile. She responded quickly, and with a snark. "Oh, I know. I'll call you what I like." His eyebrows rose, and Maya quickly thought: shit. This wasn't the way to convince him to do this crazy twelve week thing. Whatever, she was already in too deep to dig herself out of the nickname hole. But, soon, his lips formed into a soft smile. Yes, that was good.
Riley made a step backward. "I assume this is my cue to be leaving. It's up to you Maya, I believe in you." She turned around swiftly and skipped her way down the hall.
Certainly, the sight in the middle of the hallway was odd. Lucas Friar, head of the school, head of the jocks, and the face of the school talking to Maya Hart, the girl who dates over age boys and rebels and paints. It's why a few kids were looking, but Maya made sure to keep her voice low so no one else but him could hear her.
"You seem to be acquainted with Riley," she stated, looking at the back of her friend's brown hair as she skipped around the hallway merrily.
"We have a few classes together," he confirmed.
She snapped her attention back to him and she had to crane her neck to look at him. He was so damn tall. His eyes were searching hers, she could tell, looking for an answer as to why Maya Hart decided to take the time out of her day to talk to him. It was all very odd.
"Riley is my best friend, she's really relentless. I'm not going into details, but I just lived through a traumatic breakup." Lucas tilted his head, and his eyebrows furrowed. "This all seems very weird and very random, and you can say no if you please, but at least listen."
There was a moment of silence before Lucas spoke up. "I'm listening."
Maya fished through the pocket of her denim jacket, avoiding Lucas' gaze. Whenever he looked at her, her body felt on fire. She was probably just flustered from the attention. Once she finally found what she was looking for, the pink paper she crumpled up at the end of the school day yesterday, she flattened it out to look at it; she could tell he was staring at her. "It's this," she stated, handing him the paper.
"What's this?" he asked her, plucking it out of her hands.
"Riley saw it on twitter, she told me. It's some crazy list that I'm supposed to do with someone of the opposite gender, once a week." Maya also grabbed the yellow laminated paper out of her bag and handed it to Lucas. She decided against giving Lucas the paper with his name on it. "She's very thorough, I don't know. It's a bit crazy, and far-fetched if you ask me."
"I'm confused."
Maya sighed and walked over next to him on his left side. She leaned her body over so it was touching him and her hair fell over his arm as she read the paper he had in his hand. He moved his head to look at her, she could tell because his body shifted; but she ignored it. "You see here," she pointed to the first number. "Hike somewhere you've never hiked," she released her hand from the paper and moved her body a few inches away from him, but they were still breathing the same air. "You and I, together, hiking. Somewhere we've never hiked before."
"What's the value of this?" he asked, but not in a mean type of way. It was sweet and concerning. "I'm... not against this. I just don't understand, where all of this came from."
"This isn't a romantic advance at you if you were wondering," she clarified. His eyebrows knit together. "Listen, I just broke up with someone I thought I loved. And my sources, AKA Riley, told me you broke up with someone too, recently." His eyes widened at that, his eyebrows shooting up. "I'm not going to force you to do any of this because that wouldn't be fun. For anyone. But I've been moping around my house lately, and I'm sick of it. I just want to get out and to make a new friend. And if you broke up with someone, too, I'm sure you would enjoy a new friend as well. I'm not pressing for details, all I know is that you just recently separated with someone."
Lucas ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know what to say since it was all so sudden. This girl, whom he had never talked to before, called him up in the middle of the hallway and asked him to do this weird twelve week thing. He didn't know what to say; and how did Riley even know that he had broken up with someone? It wasn't anyone in the school, not anyone she knew, at least so he thought.
But there she was, this beautiful girl with blonde hair that sparkled in the dim school lights and eyes as blue as the ocean and it was kind of hard to say no to someone with such a sweet of smile, even if she did call him Huckleberry.
"It's to help us both," she continued. "I think. It'd help me, at least. So what do you say, Quickdraw?"
"Quickdraw?" Lucas sputtered, a light laugh lacing his lips.
"I have a list in my head that I'm ticking off."
Lucas smiled at her fondly, and he couldn't just say no. It was rude, and it's not like he wanted to say no. And, she said it wasn't a romantic advance towards him. If it turned out to be something like that, it wouldn't be so bad. And if they became friends, that wouldn't be so bad either; there was nothing wrong with making new friends.
"I'll do it," he mustered up with as much confidence as he could.
"You will?" she asked in a surprised tone, clearly confused. It was like she was expecting him to say no.
Lucas nodded, handing back the papers she gave him. "I'd like to see where this goes." She smiled at him, craning her neck just to see him. "You better not fall in love with me," he joked, a new type of mirth in his eyes.
"Oh, I won't," she joked back, her body swayed delightfully.
How wrong they were.
"Let's do this, cowboy."
the note at the beginning will be at the beginning of each chapter, with each task that theyre going to do or have done bolded. so far, out of the five chapters ive written, this is the shortest. so it's going to be a lengthy story in detail just so you know! review and fave