I'm sorry! I've been on vacation and that's why chapter three is so late. I promise I've not ditched this story! I now present to you, chalter three. :)
it's three am, and she's still crying. she thinks it was one or so when she started to cry; she can't remember. she feels so foolish! "why are you crying?" she scolds herself. she doesn't even know if she's sad for any real reason anymore, or if it's just the routine she's formed for herself.
if things were different, maya would've known to call riley or topanga or maybe even to go wake up her mother. but instead, she lays her head down on her pillow and lets the tears flow freely until she's fallen asleep.
although she knew lucas would be waiting for her, maya still showed up to class right as the bell rang. he greeted her with a "good morning," but she just nodded at him in response.
her foot bounced impatiently under her desk as she watched the clock tick slowly. she just wanted the lunch bell to ring so she could hide away in the quiet library again.
when the bell finally did ring, maya hurriedly grabbed her bag and headed straight for the library. shortly after she'd settled in the corner again, lucas sat down next to her. maya didn't feel the need to greet him nor tell him to go away. she appreciated the calm company he'd bring her, unlike riley who would probably talk until she ran out of things to talk about. (however, it's more likely that the bell signaling that lunch is over will ring before that happens). "how's your day treating you so far?" she asks him, eyes in a sketchbook.
"oh, it's well, thank you," he tells her. "how about yours?"
"i'm ready to go home," she says, but then she looks up at him. "but i'm always ready for the school day to be over, so it's not a big deal."
"that's understandable."
they fall back into silence, maya sketching away, lucas admiring her as she does so. when maya becomes aware of his eyes watching her, she feels self-conscious and turns her back closer to him. "sorry," he mumbles, softly.
"maya, do you realize how pretty you are?"
her eyes widen for a quick moment, but she makes sure he can't see her face. "where's that coming from?" she says, trying to hide the surprise in her voice.
"do you know how pretty you are? beautiful, even."
maya lowers her head. he can't really mean that, can he? "you're funny, ranger rick. i know i'm not pretty and nowhere near beautiful. riley, on the other hand-"
"maya, stop. this isn't about riley. i'm talking about you."
"that's a subject i'd rather not talk about," she says, eyes pleading for him to just stop talking about how 'pretty' she knows she isn't.
he sighs and drops his shoulders in defeat. he's really disappointed, but not because he wanted to keep talking about maya's beauty. he's disappointed because she didn't believe him. matter of fact, she insisted that's she's not pretty. and then she tried changing the subject to riley. yes, riley is pretty, but lucas finds maya beyond beautiful, and he knows riley would agree.
when riley shows up to school the next day, maya smiles and runs up to hug her best friend. "these last two days just haven't been the same without you," maya admits dramatically, placing her hand over her heart and also sneaking a quick glance at lucas.
maya and lucas's lunch routine has returned to normal, as they sit at a cafeteria table with riley. "ladies," they hear a voice approaching them. "and lucas, of course," the voice finishes.
"hey, farkle," they all say in unison.
"why are you just now getting here?" maya asks.
"doctor appointment," he says.
"and, how is it that both you and riley are sick at the same time?" is maya's next question. (and the one she really wants to know the answer to).
both riley and farkle look at their food and blush. maya's eyes widen. "were you two-"
"no!" they both say, and then look at each other. "it was just some innocent cuddling, that's all," riley says to her lunch tray.
"awwww," maya says, teasingly. "riley and farkle! how cute!"
lucas is watching maya with a small smile on his face. he finds it funny how her mood has changed now that her best friend is back.
"feeling better?" lucas asks maya as the four friends walk to riley's.
"what do you mean?" maya asks.
"never mind," he says, even though they both know that she knows exactly what he means.
friday rolled around quickly again, and though maya hated how much her mother was isolating herself, she was beyond greatful to have something to do tonight.
"which movies shall we pick out for the guys tonight?" riley asks.
"i don't care," maya says, smiling. "you pick."
"well, since we let them watch more action movies than not last weekend..." riley smirks.
"romance it is!" maya exclaims.
"or..." riley says.
both boys groan in annoyance when disney's "tangled" began to play. "just shut up and watch the movie," riley says as she wraps her arms around farkle and leans her head on his chest. his arm instantly goes around her and rubs his hand up and down on her back.
maya smirks and looks over to lucas who'd already been looking at maya. "i think it's so cute that it looks like it just happens naturally. you'd think they've been dating for months or even a year or something," she whispers.
"go farkle," is he whispers back.
"i wonder what it's like," maya says, still whispering, but it sounds more like she's thinking out loud rather than talking to lucas.
"what what's like?" he asks, clearly curious.
she looks up at him, startled. "oh, uh. just to... i don't know...feel that sort of love and security from someone who loves you back, you know? i know i love riley and that she loves me back, but i mean...well, i don't really know how to explain it."
"i understand," he says. "and there's not a doubt in my mind that there is someone out there just waiting to fall in love with you."
"i wouldn't be surprised if there isn't, though," she says.
throughout their movie night, lucas catches maya glancing over at the snuggling 'not' couple. he sighs, and hopes his idea he's about to try is going to work. "come here," he whispers to maya as he slowly starts putting his arm around her.
"what are you-"
"just go with it," he tells her softly, and she gives in.
she feels butterflies in her stomach as lucas's arm is fully around her shoulders and he brings her close enough to lean her head on him, too. so, just like riley, maya leans her head on lucas's chest, resting her hands underneath her head. she lets out a deep breath and keeps her eyes on the movie.
lucas looks down to the beautiful blonde laying so still on his chest, and softly kisses the top of her head while rubbing his thumb slowly up and down on her upperarm. he doesn't know if she's still awake or not to notice his actions, but he decides that he doesn't care.
