Lucas Friar had no idea what he was doing on a plane to go back to New York for a surprise visit before he became a married man. Riley had convinced him it would be good to see the gang before the wedding festivities in just a few short months. He smiled widely when they made it into the bar. Hopefully it would just be him and Riley and Farkle. But of course he couldn't be so lucky.
There she was.
All blonde and all beauty.
He swallowed hard as he looked up to meet her eyes when her own were searching for his.
He didn't think it would hurt this much to see her after two Maya free years.
He didn't think his heart would hurt as much.
Or his head would hurt.
His thoughts telling him he did everything wrong.
Hell. Even Pappy Joe told him he did.
It was the summer after the triangle ended that he went down to Texas alone. He was sitting with his grandfather by the very same fire pit that changed his entire perspective of life.
"You wanna tell me what the hell happened?" Pappy asked as he looked over the young Friar.
Lucas looked up. "What do you mean?"
"You called me up. Tellin' me you made up yer mind. That ya know who you was gonna choose to end the triangle. And then you call me up two weeks later to tell me ya chose her best friend. The one you hardly talked about on the phone with me. The one you described as a 'pretty brunette'. Not a blonde beauty. Not someone who tests you every day. " Pappy explained.
Lucas opened his mouth before he looked down. "She...Josh..."
"Now from what I understand what Josh did was manipulate her to get his own way. Which doesn't sound like the rest of the Matthews." Pappy explained.
"No. She told me she didn't have any feelings for me." Lucas said. Almost defeated when he spoke the words.
Pappy closed his eyes. "Yer so dumb boy. I knew that girl was in love with ya from the moment I walked into yer classroom. From the moment you said you felt something change between the two of you. Ya know that yer Gammy June did the same exact thing to me. Gettin' in my face and saying things to try to piss me off and I never did."
Lucas looked down. "don't compare me and Maya to you and Gammy. You and Gammy are soul mates and I...no. No."
Pappy sighed loudly, "You done did fucked up."
Riley gave Lucas a bright smile. "She sings so pretty."
Lucas nodded. "She does." He murmured as he watched her and swallowed hard. He knew it was for him. Because it was true. They did almost have it all. And he was the reason everything went to shit.
Riley twirled her engagement ring and sighed as she looked down.
Lucas closed his eyes as he listened to the lyrics and frowned a little.
Once Maya got off the stage, Lucas was quick to be beside her. "Maya." He said softly.
Maya looked up and shook her head. "No. I'm not going to talk to you right now. Or ever. I'll be at your wedding and then I'll be out of your hair. "
Lucas' entire world shattered. "Maya..." He said.
But it was too late.
Maya Hunter left the bar.
