So I decided this would be the last offical chapter. Sorry to those who's suggestions were turned into chapters. I just felt that the story should end here. Without further ado, here it is.
"Maya, this is only the second trip. How are you out of breath?"
Lucas and Maya were lugging things like blankets and pillows up the stairwell to the roof. The first trip up, they carried all of their pillows. On the second trip (which they'd just completed) they each carried an air mattress and a load of blankets.
The two had planned on spending the night on the roof. The only problem was getting everything they needed up there.
"Well, sorry for not having super strength, Cowboy," Maya said sarcastically as Lucas held the door to the roof open for her by leaning against it. He still had all of his blankets in his arms, but he decided to let Maya go before him.
She dumped everything in her arms on the roof. They were setting up in the area close to the door. The roof was slightly angled so to level it out, builders put a step down the middle of the roof which led to another area. Maya had planted most of her flowers in the upper area in several large boxes. The area by the door was just plain roof. Around the edges were patches of grass where certain flowers grew, but other than that it was just empty space. It was wear Maya had painted most of her artwork.
"Okay," Maya said looking at her head of stuff on the roof before her. "Next trip is snacks."
She bolted past Lucas, who was struggling to get weight of the door off him so he could get on the roof, to get food from her apartment.
"Oh, yeah thanks for the help. I really appreciate it," Lucas called after her. He managed to lift the heavy door off him and set down the air mattress, blankets, and the air pump on the roof. Maya didn't hear him. She was already at the bottom of the stair well.
He shook his head and sighed, following her back down.
Lucas should have expected Maya to be this excited. She hadn't stop talking about the night on the roof since he suggested it. She was absolutely in love with the idea.
Lucas turned the corner of the hallway and entered Maya's apartment. He hadn't been inside of it before that night. It was a good size apartment for Maya, her mom, and her grandmother.
Maya was in the kitchen digging through the cabinets, trying to find good snacks. She saw Lucas out of the corner of her eye.
"I can't find much, but I think these will be fine," Maya said as she pulled out a package of Oreos and set them on the counter.
"Isn't there anything fairly healthy we can eat?" Lucas asked seeing the junk food.
"Right. 'Cause you're all about healthy-livin' and wholesome-eatin'," Maya said in her bad cowboy impression. She turned her head towards Lucas, giving him a serious look.
"You're in my territory. You eat my food."
Lucas chuckled. It was funny how serious she was.
Maya pulled a box of gram crackers out of her cupboard, a package of chocolate bars, and marshmallows along with other snacks. Lucas gave her a look.
"What?" Maya asked innocently. "Just because we don't have a fire doesn't mean we can't make s'mores."
Lucas just shook his head.
The two made their last trip up to the roof and began setting up. Lucas blew up the two air mattresses and Maya made a very comfortable-looking pile of blankets. Unfortunately, she used all the blankets, leaving Lucas with just an air mattress. Maya eventually gave Lucas some blankets after he had to practically beg.
Maya pulled her backpack over to their area. She had previously tossed it on the roof after they left for school. It was Friday, so Lucas just told his parents he was spending the night with a friend, and he went with Maya straight to her apartment building after school.
Bringing out her laptop, Maya sat on the air mattresses, which were right beside each other, crossing her legs. She turned on the computer and opened the package of Oreos and tossing one in her mouth.
Lucas plopped down beside her. "So now what?"
Maya shrugged. "All I knew was that we were sleeping under the stars. We can just do whatever now."
Lucas nodded. He was lying on his stomach, while Maya sat beside him. "So what are you doing on your laptop?" He took an Oreo and bit into it.
"Looking for music, or maybe a movie," Maya replied, shrugging.
He nodded.
Maya then looked around. "I forgot my phone downstairs. I'll be right back." Maya leapt up and rushed through the door to find her missing phone.
Lucas watched as she disappeared. Tonight he felt something different when Maya was with him. It was like he had fallen more in love with her, if that was possible. They'd spent so much time together he couldn't help but feel that way.
For once, Lucas actually wished they would talk about their feelings. He was tired of them beating around the rose bush. Speaking of roses, this all started with a rose. It started when he found that pink rose taped to his locker, so many weeks ago. He never thought it would lead to all of this, but Lucas was glad it did.
If I'm ever gonna talk to her, Lucas thought, what better time than tonight?
Maya burst into her apartment looking around for her phone. Okay, she thought. Where was I last?
She searched her bedroom, but she couldn't find it. Maya walked back to her living room and checked the couch cushions. It wasn't there.
Maya wasn't that clueless. She would remember where her phone was. But she was too distracted whenever Lucas was around. At first, it bothered her that she had to have fallen in love with him, but she quickly got over that. She was glad her and Lucas were close. If they never did act on their feelings (and Maya assumed that was how it would be for a while), friendship was the next best thing.
Maya walked to her kitchen. She definitely had it when she was looking for snacks. Checking the cabinets, Maya couldn't find her phone. This was starting to frustrate her. She was about to give up, but the fridge caught her eye. She was looking in there before Lucas came down with her… Maya opened the fridge and sure enough, her phone was resting there on the top shelf.
She silently scolded herself for being such and idiot. Maya then took her phone and walked towards her front door. Walking to the stairwell, she checked her phone. Riley had sent her a few text messages.
Maya, r u still up for shopping tomorrow?
Maya quickly texted a reply as she started up the stairs, slowly, so she wouldn't fall.
Yeah, of course
She looked at a few more of her messages she hadn't replied to. Maya was still looking down at her phone as she opened the door and walked out onto the roof. She started talking to Lucas, assuming he was still lying on the air mattress where she'd left him.
"Hey are you and Farkle going…" Maya's sentence drifted off as she looked up from her phone.
She didn't expect to see Lucas standing before her holding a bouquet of flowers. But, there he was anyway. Maya looked at him curiously, wondering what he was doing.
The bouquet he was holding was tied together with a rubber band. There were several little pink camellia flowers, light pink primroses, and white and pink viscarias. They were wrapped with maidenhair ferns. Right in the center was a single bright red tulip.
Maya's eyes darted from flower to flower. She felt tears forming in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. Was this really happening to her? She looked up at Lucas, approaching him slowly, while tucking her phone in her pocket.
She looked away from him for a moment, looking at their surroundings. It was dark out already, and you could see a couple stars poking through the thick air of the city. Around the roof were a few lights, all old and yellowish.
"Is this some kind of reenactment from a chick-flick?" Maya asked joking.
Lucas chuckled, looking at his feet. Then his eyes flickered back to Maya's. "No. This is real."
Maya's smile faded a little, but it was just because she realized he really did love her. This proved it. It was like he was pouring all his feelings into that one little bouquet and handing them to Maya.
When he did offer the bouquet, Maya took it. She looked at it, studying all the flowers. It was a lot to take in. She was beyond happy, but she was very overwhelmed. She focused on one flower at a time.
"So why are the viscarias here?" Maya asked looking up at Lucas, who was less than a foot away from her.
"You know what they mean," Lucas said. He walked to Maya's laptop, a few feet away. iTunes was already open, from before she went looking for her phone. Lucas started to play a slow song. He walked back to Maya and offered his hand.
"Can I have this dance, Maya?" Lucas asked.
Maya rolled her eyes at him, smiling and blushing at the same time. She set down the bouquet on the air mattress and then told Lucas,
"I would love a good square-dance, Hop-along."
Lucas laughed a little and led Maya to the open area on the roof.
He took her hand in his, propping it upward, while one hand was on her back. She put her arm on his shoulder but seemed hesitant.
"I don't really know how to dance," Maya admitted quietly, looking down.
"It's easy," Lucas said, as her eyes looked up at his. "Just follow my lead."
Slowly, Lucas began to step, leading Maya to do the same. The two fell into rhythm, and Maya got the hang of it. The two were dancing a sort of waltz, but it was much more causal. Maya smiled as Lucas began to speed up. He spun Maya causing her to laugh a little.
It was more fun than Maya would've thought. When Lucas spun her under his arm, she wrapped her arms around his neck when she was facing him again. She was laughing, and so was he. They continued dancing as Maya said,
"Where did you learn to dance?"
Lucas shrugged as he held her waist and they continued dancing. "My mom taught me a long time ago. Not all dancing in Texas is square dancing."
Maya smiled. She couldn't have been happier then she was right then, dancing on a roof under the stars with Lucas.
Lucas was glad Maya was enjoying herself. They still needed to talk a little, but Lucas didn't really want to rush into it. It was comfortable dancing with Maya. She caught on pretty quickly.
Maya was no princess. For one thing, she was wearing ripped jeans and a camo jacket. Also she didn't live in a castle, or have lots of money. Lucas didn't care though. Every inch of Maya, inside and out, was beautiful. Lucas fell in love with her, despite what everyone else saw in her.
They slowed a little. The two weren't laughing, but instead just dancing comfortably with each other. Lucas's eyes met Maya's and he said,
"I hope you know when I gave you that red tulip so many weeks ago, I meant it."
Maya looked up at him, she seemed a little worried. Lucas continued,
"I wanted to tell you a long time ago, but I didn't know how. When I figured out your own personal language of flowers, it was the perfect way to tell you. I needed to tell you in person, though. But, I still couldn't figure it out. So while you were downstairs, I made that bouquet. I still mean everything I tell you from the flowers."
Maya felt tears forming in her eyes again. She was so happy; she didn't really know what to do. But, still, Maya didn't cry. She was tough. Blinking a few times she managed to get the tears back. It worked for a few seconds, until Lucas continued.
He spun her one last time and then when she was back in his arms he looked at Maya and told her, "Maya Hart, I'm in love with you. I want to tell everyone in the world, how I've been hopelessly in love with you because you're the most beautiful and amazing person I've ever met. I want everyone to know how I can't live without you. You are perfect in every way. Even though you may not think you're good enough, you are. I fell in love with everything about you. I want everyone to know that. But most importantly, I want you to know, I love you."
"Lucas," she said softly.
Lucas's eyes widened a little. She hadn't called him by his name in so long; it seemed almost foreign on her lips. But, like most languages people wouldn't understand, it sounded beautiful, but he didn't know why. His eyes locked on hers, and their dance stopped slowly. Lucas felt himself leaning down and Maya was balancing on her toes to reach him.
Their lips connected and it was a sensation Maya couldn't even begin to describe. All she knew was that she was in love with Lucas, and this sealed it. She didn't think she'd ever want to stop kissing him. The kiss was soft, but it perfect in Maya's opinion.
When they finally pulled apart, Maya looked up at Lucas. She smiled.
"I'm in love with you, Lucas," she stated officially, like she'd just finally accepted the fact herself. She was in love with Lucas. And she had never been happier.
Lucas grinned from ear to ear.
"Good," he said. "Because that means I can now do this whenever I want."
He pulled her in for another kiss.
"Wait so that isn't the big dipper?" Maya asked. It was almost midnight and she and Lucas were still lying awake looking at the stars. The two were lying side by side on the air mattresses, propped up by a large pile of pillows.
"No," Lucas said laughing. "That's just a bunch of random stars."
"Are you sure?" Maya asked, still not believing him.
"Yes," Lucas insisted.
Although he said that, Maya sat straight up and pulled her laptop onto her lap. She began to look up the big dipper, hoping to prove Lucas wrong. Unfortunately, he was right about the constellation.
"I told you!" Lucas said laughing.
"You only know that because you've had all that time in the countryside to spend hours gazin' up at the deep blue sky in Texas, Ranger Rick," Maya said teasing him.
Lucas shook his head, "Just come here."
He pulled her back so that she was leaning against him while they were propped up with many pillows. She snuggled up to him and sighed.
"This isn't weird is it?" She asked, shifting her head to look at him. Lucas raised his eyebrows and she said, "Us dating."
Lucas thought about it for a moment. Then he replied, "Not really. You said Riley got over her crush on me months ago."
"Well, yeah, but I still feel weird about telling people. I mean, they didn't even know we were friends," Maya reasoned.
"Stop worrying, everything will be fine," Lucas assured her.
He lifted his arm from her shoulder and reached over to the edge of the air mattress to where Maya's bouquet was resting. He carefully picked out the red tulip and brought his arm back over. Maya looked at him curiously. Lucas handed her the flower.
"Let's promise to speak our minds from now often," Lucas suggested. "We don't need these flowers anymore. This will be the last one."
Maya accepted the tulip and said, "At least for a while."
Lucas nodded.
"Does this mean we won't hang out on the roof anymore?" Maya asked, sadly.
"Maybe," Lucas said. "The flowers won't last much longer in the cold weather."
"Then I want to remember this night," Maya told him, looking around at her garden, that would die soon.
"Don't worry," Lucas said kissing her head. "I don't think you'll have much trouble with that."
Yay! I'm so happy with how this turned out! I hope you all loved it too.
Flower Key:
Pink Rose- admiration/appreciation
Poppy- consolation
Ginger- proud
Cosmos- peaceful
Pink Carnation- gratitude
Peony- healing
Yellow Chrysanthemum- secret admirer
Gardenia- joy
Daisy- innocence
Violet- faithfulness
Calla Lily- beauty
Lilac- first love
Yellow Tulip- hopelessly in love
Pink Camellia- longing for you
Primrose- I can't live without you
Viscaria- Dance with me
Maidenhair Fern- Secret bond of love
and everyone's favorite,
Red Tulip- declaration of love
I made this chapter super long, but it needed to be this long. I mean, its the ending. I have to make it big. So, I'll probably end up making an epilogue type thing in a few days. Thank you to everyone who's enjoyed this story!
-Peyton
