"Hey, Maya!" A familiar voice called out from behind the young blonde. "Maya." He repeated, finally catching up with his friend.

Maya turned to him with a forced smile, matching her pace with his. "Hey there, Cowboy." She said lowly, tucking her hands in her pocket and quickly looking away.

"Hey." He smiled, slinging his baseball bat unto his shoulder. "You walking from Riley's?"

"Yeah..." She answered quietly with a small frown. "Riley's on her rainbow and unicorns frenzy, so..." She trailed, forcing another smile.

He nodded, understanding completely. "I see." He smiled. "No wonder you're walking home so early."

She gave him a confused look. "What?" She asked. "Are you a stalker now, too, Ranger Rick?"

He looked up, feigning ignorance. "Maybe." He grinned, looking at her. "I mean, a short stack of pancakes with blonde hair like you doesn't stick out like a sore thumb 'round here."

"Oh," She began threateningly, shaking her head. "You're calling for it, Sundance." She warned, a small smile gracing her lips.

His smile grew wider, staring at her face momentarily. "I'm just saying."

She rolled her eyes. "Right."

He simply smiled, thinking of what to say next. "What a coincidence, don't you think?"

"What is?" She asked, turning slightly to face him.

He shrugged, looking up once more with a smile. "Coach practically canceled practice today." He simply said.

Her face scrunched up in confusion. "Where's the coincidence in that?"

"We're walking together." He stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Oh..." Maya began, pausing in her steps. "Sounds serious." She said, resuming her steps. "What do you want to talk about, Hop-a-long?" She smiled, brushing off what she forces herself to believe as 'inappropriate' thoughts.

He inhaled deeply, looking away. "It is." He answered, referring to the seriousness of the matter. "Kind of." He said, a bit unsure. "It's about Riley..." He trailed, watching her from the corner of his eyes.

"Oh.." She frowned, a tad hurt. "About Riley..." She sang lowly, shoulders slumping slightly. "What about...exactly?" She stated carefully.

He bit his lip as her eyes unconsciously watched him do so. "You mind if we talk about it somewhere more private?" He eyed the crowded street they walked through.

Unconsciously, she bit her lip, tugging on her vest. "Sure, uhm," She paused. "Mind if this private place is my place?" She asked.

He looked a bit reluctant, unsure if it's appropriate to go to her place.

Immediately, similar thoughts entered her mind. She nudged him playfully, though a bit offended. "Relax." She said. "No one will know if you come to my place." She says with a forced smile. "No one will assume your taste in women changed from good to bad." She joked.

"What-" He asked in shock. "Maya, that's not what I meant-" He tried to clear the intentions of his reluctance.

"Don't worry, Ranger Rick." She called out, walking ahead of him. "But if you really want to talk in private," She began, walking backwards, facing him. "My place offers the best privacy." She smiles playfully. "Mom's never home so we could do whatever you want." She raised her brows suggestively.

He rolled his eyes, jogging up next to her. "Whatever." He laughed, walking along with her towards her place.

.

.

.

"I don't like Riley that way." He says immediately as she closes the door behind her.

She stares at him in shock and waits for him to turn around and face her. "What?" She sputters once he finally does. "What do you mean?" She asks carefully.

He sighs turning away and walking towards the couch. "I mean," He began, looking straight at her. "I've realized that I've never liked Riley that way."

"What?" She gapes, confused.

He drops on the couch, exasperated. "What do you not understand about this, Maya?" He stares at her, waiting for her to take the seat next to him.

She follows his line of sight and sits beside him stiffly. "Riley would be heartbroken." She mutters, avoiding his piercing gaze.

He sighs, sitting up. "Maya," He began, taking her hand in his. "What are you doing?"

She snaps her head to him, feeling her cheeks warm up at the contact of their hands. "What?" She asks in utter confusion.

He rolls his eyes slightly, taking her other hand in his. "What are you thinking about?"

"Riley." She says carefully.

"Why?" He asks.

She bites her lip. "Because she's been head-over-heels for you for years-"

"No." He cuts off, shaking his head as he takes her other hand in his other one. "She hasn't been for a while, now."

She peers at him, unsure. "You just don't know, Lucas." She says carefully. "She's always been-"

"No." He scoffs with a small smile. "No, she hasn't liked me for a while, now."

Her brows furrow. "How would you even know?"

He shrugs, still smiling, squeezing her hands lightly. "She told me." He smirked.

"What?" She stared, intrigued and quite amused. "When?" She asks disbelievingly, almost challenging.

"Honestly?" He smiles. "Yesterday." He squeezes her hands a little tighter.

She remained silent, debating on whether or not to bask in the moment's revelation. "You're lying." She says all of a sudden, pulling her hands away. "Why are you lying?"

"What?" He frowns. "Why would I lie to you?" He pauses. "When have I ever even lied to you?" He scoots closer, as she scoots away.

She stands, confused, hand running through her blonde locks, exasperatedly. "First time for anything." She mumbles, fidgeting with her hands.

"Maya," He calls, turning her by the arm. "I'm Lucas the Good, remember?" He smiles, putting both hands on her shoulders as he locks eyes with her. "I wouldn't lie-" He pauses. "I can't; specially to you." He chuckles, gaze softening even more.

She bites back a smile, hand grasping the end of his sleeve. "Say that I believe you..." She says slowly. "Why would you even tell me this?"

His smile grows. "Same reason why you're smiling now..."

"What?" She blushes. "I'm not smiling." She declares, looking away.

He drops his head with a smile and a sigh. "Maya," He squeezes her shoulders, locking his gaze with hers once more. "The reason I haven't asked Riley out, was because I've been in love with someone else..."

She frowns almost immediately. "What?" She asks in a barely audible whisper. "Who?" Her frown deepening.

He scoffs. "Take a guess."

She pouts.

"No." He smiles. "Take a guess." He says, hands sliding down to grasp her arms gently.

Her brows furrow. "Lucas," She begins threateningly. "It's not nice to play with people's emotions."

He raises an eyebrow in confusion, but before he could formulate a question, she continues.

"And I swear," She glares. "If you've been secretly in love with Missy-"

He rolls his eyes and plants a gentle and short kiss on her lips, immediately cutting off her trail of thoughts.

Her eyes widen, as her cheeks immediately redden. "What was that for?" She mumbles, looking away with a hand on his chest in a useless effort of pushing him away.

He grins, using one hand to lift her chin to meet her gaze. "What do you think?"

She bites her lip. "What am I supposed to think..."

He stares. "Don't do that." He says, pulling her close by her hand.

"Don't do what?" She asks, confused.

He smiles, staring at her lips. "Bite your lip."

She smiles. "Why not?"

"Because it makes me want to kiss you." He says, looking back up at her eyes. "You see?"

She stares into his eyes. "No." She smiles, biting her lip.

He smiles back, nuzzling her as he rests his forehead on hers. "You keep teasing me like this;" He says. "You should understand how serious my feelings are for you, Hart."

She remains silent, contemplating, before asking, "How long?"

He smiles. "That's a secret."

"Why?" She pouts. "There shouldn't be any secrets between us, anymore."

"Why is that?" His smile widens. "There could be some secrets." He says.

"Well yeah, but..." She frowns.

"But...?"

"Aren't we...?"

"Aren't we what?"

"You know..."

"No I don't." He chuckles, cradling her face now.

She frowns, pushing him away slightly. "You know..." She mumbles.

He sighs, wrapping his arms around her. "It's been a long while now."

She blushes. "Okay..." She buries her head into his chest, giving up on the matter.

They remain silent for a while, staying in the same position, until she pulled away and tugged on his shirt.

"Yes?" He gives her a gentle smile.

"You know I hate you, right?" She asks. "For making me all girly..." She mumbles.

His smile widens. "Yeah, I hate you too, Hart." He pauses. "For making me so in love with you."

She grins. "Good." She tugs on his shirt once more. "How about a proper kiss?"

He grins and leans in closer for a kiss.

The both smile as their lips touch and meld into one another's.

.

.

.

Read and review please! Sorry this is my first Lucaya fic xD