Girl Meets Drabbles – Part 3

*Author's Note – okay this next prompt I changed a little. The original prompt was something I felt like Maya or Lucas would NEVER do. So for this prompt I'll continue Ski Lodge because the second part I was already plotting has a lot of the same elements as the prompt. So whoever the guest was that requested a story where "Riley and Lucas are together, but Maya and Lucas are dating behind her back. Maya gets tired of the lies and tells Lucas to choose and he chooses Maya" I hope you like this!*

Prompt: Ski-Lodge Part 2

Previously:

"I LIED!" Maya said finally letting down all her walls. "I lied about liking you because… be-because that's what needed to be done." She said as the tears started pouring out of her eyes. Normally Maya wouldn't be so upfront about her feelings but she knew that Lucas was one of the few people she could trust. "The truth is I care about you a-a lot and I d-don't know what to do because… Riley… and I thought it was the right thing to d-do. But a-all it does is h-hurt." Maya said finally making eye contact with Lucas to see a pain in his eyes she knew all too well, but she also saw understanding. She didn't realize how close Lucas had gotten to her until he pulled her in for a hug. Maya quickly wrapped her arms around his midsection and sobbed into his shirt. Lucas placed his arms wrapped around her with his joint hands landing on the small of her back, resting his head atop of hers. As Maya's sobs became less and less she waited for the embarrassment to settle in but it never came. Instead she lifted her head and tried to make her way out of Lucas' arms but he didn't move them. Instead he just gazed into Maya's eyes, with the same look he had at the campfire, a moment that seemed so far away now.

"Maya I…" he started to say before a familiar draft made its way up their spines. They turned to see Farkle standing in the doorway watching them with his mouth agape.

Maya pushed herself out of Lucas' arms at the sight of their genius friend.

"Farkle wait!" they heard Riley's voice call out. Farkle, always one step ahead, slammed the door behind him before Riley could come in giving Maya and Lucas time to compose themselves. Lucas stood completely still, his mind still reeling with what had just transpired between him and Maya. As Riley opened the door that was closed on her Maya ran for the stairs and although Lucas wanted to he didn't go after her.

"Where's Maya going I thought we could all hang out by the fire." Riley asked her boyfriend. Lucas remained still, not knowing how to answer the question.

"Maya said she was feeling tired." Farkle lied. "Riley I think you should go check on her." Riley simply nodded and followed Maya upstairs.

When she got to the room she could hear soft sobs coming from inside.

"Maya? Farkle said you were tired but I don't think that's true." Riley said opening the door fully and seeing her best friend seated on her bed with tear streaks running down her face. She sat down next to Maya, took her hands in her own and said

"What's going on Peaches?" Maya took a deep shaky breath before responding.

"Riles, I'm so sorry."

"For what?"

"I lied. I lied about not liking Lucas anymore. I just said that so all that stuff would be over and done with."

"Maya, I'm your best friend. You didn't have to lie to me."

"Yes I did. Look you and Lucas weren't going to do anything to hurt anyone which meant that nothing would ever get resolved."

"Yeah but then you got hurt. I'm so sorry Maya." Riley said as tears started to pool in her eyes. The best friends hugged each other tight, because they both knew that things would be forever changed between them after this moment.

"So what do we do now?" Riley asked.

"We move forward. But with no more lies." Maya said suddenly getting a guilty look from Riley.

"In the name of honesty there's something I have to tell you Maya." Riley began "Lucas and I aren't as happy as we make it seem. It's been weeks and the only relationship like thing we do is hug and sometimes he'll give me a kiss on the cheek. At first I thought it was just our slow pace without pressure but … now I'm not so sure."

"Riles…"

"He misses you." Riley blurted out. "I know he does even if he doesn't say it. And although I know you'll never admit it… you miss him too."

Maya hung her head at Riley's words; she couldn't believe what she was hearing, feeling half happy and half guilty at Riley's admission.

"I don't want to hurt you." Maya said feeling the tears coming back up.

"I know. But sometimes the truth hurts no matter how much we don't want it too. And the truth is that even though Lucas and I still have feelings for each other we just don't work well as anything besides friends. And I've grown up enough to realize that that's not a bad thing." Riley said lifting Maya's head in her hand and wiping away her tears.

"What about you Maya?" Riley asked posing a question Maya didn't know if she was ready to answer.

Meanwhile back downstairs Farkle thought it was time to do what no one else had, talk to Lucas about how he felt.

"Okay what happened?" Farkle said once he knew the girls were out of earshot.

"I don't know. One minuet we're sitting by the fire just talking and the next she's crying in my arms."

"No I meant what happened between you and Riley that you're getting cozy with Maya again."

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me; I'm too smart to fall for..."

"I'm not lying. Nothing ever happens between me and Riley. It's exactly like it was when we were just friends except I kissed her cheek once. But doing that felt … forced. Like I thought that's what I was supposed to do so I did it."

"But why would you feel that way if Riley's the once you picked."

"I didn't pick Riley." Lucas said walking over to the fireplace. "Turns out Maya picked her for me. Why would she do that if she knew it would only hurt her?"

"Because sometimes when you love someone you put their happiness above your own."

"Love? You think Maya loves me?"

"No, I was referring to Riley."

"Oh"

"But I do think Maya cares about you and more importantly she trusts you. She doesn't let down her guard for just anyone."

"Believe me I know." Lucas said taking a deep sigh as he resumed sitting in his chair.

"So, how do you feel about Maya?" Farkle finally asked.

"Maya?" Lucas said with a breathy chuckle "She's not an easy person to get to know. But everything I do learn about her I feel like I understand her. With Maya I don't feel like I have to be "Mr. Perfect" because I know for a fact she doesn't see me that way. And it's not like with Riley … I'd hold Maya's hand in a heartbeat if I thought she'd let me. She's so strong and she thinks she has to be all the time, that's how I've always felt. Like I have to be the strong one and take care of all my friends. When Maya first came up to me on the subway that day, it was the first time since I moved from Texas that I smiled. Riley may have helped me survive my move to New York, but Maya's the one who made it feel like home."

"Sounds like you made your choice a long time ago." Farkle said getting up to go to bed. "Just be honest with her Lucas."

"Which one?"

"Both." Farkle said leaving Lucas alone by the fire. He sat there for hours thinking about his situation and before he knew it Lucas had fallen asleep in the chair and as he dozed off he had a vision of a campfire underneath a million stars and a chat between friends that ended very differently.

Maya didn't know why but she woke up extremely early the next morning. Maybe it was because after all the crying she and Riley had done her body just passed out from exhaustion. She brushed her teeth and showered, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't get the memory of Lucas' arms wrapped around her out of her mind. Maya knew she had to talk to him first and thought to clear her head she'd sneak downstairs and sketch that beautiful scenery she had abandoned the night before. She got dressed, put on her boots, grabbed her sketchbook and quietly left a snoring Riley alone in their room.

When she got downstairs Maya was surprised to see a very familiar figure asleep on one of the lounge chairs by the dying embers in the fireplace. At first she thought she should do something sneaky but as she watched the slow rise and fall of his chest Maya couldn't help but feel that teasing Lucas wouldn't be as much fun anymore. At least not until they cleared up whatever it was that stood between them. Maya laid down her sketchbook on the coffee table in front of him as she gently shook his shoulder while whispering softly in his ear.

"Huckleberry… Sundance… Hop-along… Ranger Rick…" Maya made it all the way to "Bucky McBoing-Boing" before Lucas' eyes finally fluttered open.

"Maya? What…"

"You picked a heck of a sleeping spot Huckleberry, what? Did it remind you of all those nights camped out under the stars?" Maya asked instantly regretting that particular choice of words. But Lucas' sleepy grin quickly assuaged her.

"Last night Farkle left me with something to think about. I guess I was so busy thinking I forgot to go to bed." He said with a yawn as a shiver ran up his spine. Without the fire the ski lodge had gotten pretty chilly. Before he knew it Maya was pushing a steaming paper cup of hot chocolate in his hands.

"Thanks." He said taking a sip. "So about last night..." Lucas started to say.

"Look Lucas, I'm sorry about all that. It was a long time coming but I hope I didn't make you feel too uncomfortable."

"Uncomfortable? No Maya…"

"I just hope we can still be friends." Maya said picking up her sketchbook and walking towards the window.

"Well what if that's not what I think we are?" Lucas said as he stood from the chair, echoing his words from the campfire.

"Well if we're not friends, what are we then?" Maya said almost teasing.

"If I remember correctly last night you said you liked me."

"No I said I lied about saying that I didn't like you. Big difference." She said walking up to him.

"So do you like me?"

"That depends, how do you feel about me?"

"Me? Maya I've liked you ever since you came up to me on the subway, asked me out and broke up with me all in the same sentence."

"You have?" Maya said as she once again let down her tough exterior to show the sensitive heart beneath.

"I have." Lucas said taking a deep breath "Actually I think I'm falling in lo…" But Maya didn't let him finish.

"Huckleberry!" She interrupted. "Me too." Maya said with a smile.

Hearing Maya say that Lucas could swear he felt his heart beaming in his chest. He gently took Maya's face in his hands and this time he didn't plan on backing away. Lucas looked into Maya's eyes once again but he didn't see the fear he had last time. This was his moment. Gently he placed his lips onto Maya's and in that split second everything was perfect. They both pulled away a few seconds later saying "Woah." in unison. All in all it was a very sweet moment, but like their classmate Sarah had said they were like 'Fiyaaah" and that's exactly how to describe their second kiss. Maya practically flew back into his arms and pulled his lips to hers. She had their lips pressed together so tight it seemed like not even air could make its way through and Lucas didn't mind one bit. He just pulled her closer and followed instincts he didn't even know he had. They only pulled apart when their burning lungs begged for air. Panting and a little disoriented Lucas took a step back with Maya in his arms not realizing how close their kissing had brought them to the big lounge chair. Lucas fell right over the arm of the chair pulling Maya down with him. This sent the pair into an uproarious laughter and once their hearts stopped pounding Maya helped pull Lucas up.

"So now what?" He asked her breathlessly.

"Now… we move forward." Maya said as she turned around, grabbed her coat, and headed outside with Lucas right behind her.

THE END