Maya searched his eyes curiously, intriguingly waiting for him to start. But it's been ten minutes, and the boy hasn't said a word.
"Lucas, are you alright?" She spoke up once it got excessively awkward. "You haven't said anything since I motioned you to speak."
"Do you remember graduation?" The boy spoke up. "8th grade?" His hand began to move closer to where hers was resting, but she hadn't seemed to notice.
Maya smiled humorously. "Yeah. And then you kissed me in the heat of the moment when we graduated." But on the inside, a chill trickled down her spine.
Lucas chuckles nervously, and began to draw his hand back, his mind filling with emptiness once again. "Yeah. Odd memory, yeah?"
"Yeah. I'm sure we don't really feel that way about one another." Maya played off really well, ignoring the rapid beating of her heart. "It's always been us, Maya and Lucas: best friends."
Lucas's breath almost got caught in his throat. "Yeah. The best of the best. And you and I? That'd be a funny picture."
"Yeah."
And then the air flooded with awkwardness. The two were silent as the curious tension flew around them.
"Well okay then." Maya added as she began getting off her bed, Lucas following. Suddenly, due to Maya's capo being left on the floor, she tripped immediately, and fell onto the floor, tripping Lucas in the process as he turned and fell on top of the girl.
You'd expect them to be hurt and annoyed due to this incident, but Maya and Lucas were laughing. He looked down at the girl who's laughter was fading out, and they both met eye to eye. "You know you are my best friend, right?" Maya smiled. It was the first time they were close and in such a different position. They both leaned close to each other as their eyes began to come to a close.
Yet, to be interrupted by her bad-timing mother.
"I made dinner if you guys want it." Katie announced, opening the door and gaping the next minute. "..oh." They both scrambled up almost immediately and blushes filled their faces. She smiled almost mischievously at the two in front of her. "Was I interrupting something?"
Maya reddened deeper and choked out a small "no" as she avoided Lucas's gaze on her.
Katie stifled a laugh and continued on. "Alright. Well, as I was saying, I made dinner incase you guys want anything to eat."
The two nodded as she began to leave, winking at Maya before leaving the room. Maya wanted to crawl into a corner and die.
"Um." She cleared. "Where were we again?"
"uh, we were, um," he stuttered uncomfortably. If anyone else was there at the moment, they'd be dying of laughter. "Reliving old memories."
Maya forced a casual smile. "Oh. Right."
"You're lucky I didn't have to tell him, Minkus." Riley rolled her eyes with a small smile. "But you were right. He definitely has the hots for Maya."
"I love that phrase." Farkle clasped his hand over his heart. Riley quizzically waited for him to elaborate. "I'm right."
"Yeah yeah, you and your Farkle time." She tapped his nose as they leaned against the lockers. "You think there's any guy decent enough to go out with me? Preferably a person who isn't aching over his best friend?" Riley chuckled.
Farkle smiled. "I'm sure you're going to find someone. Any guy would be lucky to go out with you."
"Aw. You're sweet for a scientific genius." Riley quipped, gripping her books against her chest. Zay trudged down the hall with an exhausted look on his face.
"God I hate Tuesdays."
"I love them." Riley smiled brightly, wrapping an arm around him. He raised a brow and a corner of his mouth lifted at the girls enthusiasm.
"We need more of you here, darling." She laughed as the next two lovebirds walked down the hallway. They had more space between them usual.
"What's up guys?" Riley asked them once they met her gaze. She looked at Maya, her expression mentally saying, "talk later." And then a knowing glance at Lucas.
"Tired. The usual." Maya yawned, leaning against her own locker.
"Why? You and Lucas get enough sleep?" Zay remarked, causing Riley to elbow him. Maya rolled her eyes and folded her arms, blushing hard.
"For the record, we fell asleep. Lucas didn't feel like going home."
"Oh. Why Lucas?" Farkle said with a shit-eating smile. Lucas glared at his friends.
"I'm going to class."
"Right behind you."
And they both took off the opposite directions. Riley drowned and turned around to see the two with smug expressions. "Do you guys have to piss them off?"
"For the record, we aren't being dishonest." Farkle shrugged as Zay shook his head in agreement. The brunette rolled her eyes and huffed.
"You're gonna lose them as your friends before they get together. At least try to hold back on the teasing?"
"I wouldn't promise-" Surprisingly, Riley pulled Farkle by his collar, a dangerous look in her eyes.
"Farkle, we will always be the best of friends. But if you piss Maya off, you go through me."
"D-does that apply to Lucas too?" He nervously stuttered, eyes reverting to his own collar. She nodded slowly, and let him go.
"That was such a Maya thing of me to do." Riley stepped back, surprised at her actions. "She's rubbing off on me." She quipped.
"I find it pretty adorable." Farkle said which caused Riley to blush in annoyance. He stepped closer to her and gently planted a kiss on her forehead. At this point, the brunette reddened even deeper.
"Riley, why did you end it with Lucas?" Maya sighed as they sat at the bay window. Riley hesitated before responding, and 'casually' cleared her throat.
"I guess I kind of just lost interest." Riley said as Maya's brow flickered up. "And before you go off on explaining how amazing your best friend is, you don't have to push us together."
"And why do you think I'm trying to push you two together?" She folded her arms. Riley smiled at her friend and exhaled sarcastically, dripping with fake sympathy.
"Because you so obviously care about Lucas's happiness, Lucas being with someone and achieving some kind of goal. To win a date with a girl that makes him happy. Now why go through so much trouble?"
"Trouble?" Maya almost felt offended with a mixture of nervousness. "I'd do anything for my best friend. I love him." She fought the urge to bite her tongue from her choice of words, but shook her head confidently. "Yeah I love him. My best friend." The blonde mumbled which increased a smile on Riley's face.
"Yeah? Best friend?" The girl questioned as the blonde shook her head and murmured several yes's. "Lucas told me about eight grade graduation."
"What?" Maya blurted, immediately reaching up and scratching the side of her neck to act all nonchalant. "How come? Not that it's so important..." She trailed off. She smiled again and continued on, feeling mischievous.
"You know he used to like you, right?"
Maya blinked and did a double take. "He did?"
"Maya, he kissed you for gods sake." She exclaimed at her friend, surprised at her oblivious state. Riley always thought of herself as the oblivious goon, but Maya? "How could you be so blind?" But before Riley could say more, she added on. "I mean, I guess he got over it. So.. It's not so important anymore."
Riley watched for a reaction of Maya, and was satisfied when she saw her fidget a little in the seat. "Yeah, it's not."
"Man, he is a good kisser though."
The blonde's eyes curiously met the brunettes. "How'd he um, initiate it?" She wondered out loud, her voice barely a whisper.
Riley's eyes sparkled in more satisfaction. "Well, I had some ice cream on my lip. So he kind of politely leaned in and kissed it away." She fake swooned, glancing down and back at her to concentrate on her non subtle emotions. Riley could see Maya's eyelids slightly twitching as her gaze avoided her own.
"Oh." Maya squeaked out.
"Yeah." Riley casually responded. "Romantic, huh? But I had to end it."
Maya's expression changed. "And why?"
Riley closed her eyes and the corners of her lips turned up more mischievously. "If I told you that, I'd have to kill you first, peaches."
"And now, she won't even tell me why she won't go out with you." Maya explained, pacing around Lucas's room. "Like why? Do you think she's keeping something?" She asked, quite repetitively. Lucas was too focused on the crinkle between the girl's brows, noticing how cute it made her look when she was all worked up. Maya turned to him in question and he immediately shook out of his subconscious thoughts.
"Uh, yeah maybe." Lucas said, rubbing the side of his head. "We don't have to keep talking about this. It just works you up."
Maya shrugged, sitting on his bed and nodding in defeat. "Yeah, true. It's been a while since we've actually had a legitimate conversation. I also wanted to say thank you for staying with me the other night. Family life really sucks."
"Tell me about it. I just hope pappy Joe gets better."
"I'm sure he will. I'll give him a call sometime this week." Maya said with a smile growing. "He'll love my jokes."
"He always loves your jokes." Lucas rolled his eyes as he sat cross legged. Maya flipped her hair vainly, presenting herself all high and mighty.
"Lucas!" They heard a shout from downstairs. "I'm going to work a night shift tonight, so I left desert downstairs! Oreos with melted marshmallows." Lucas's mom exclaimed before yelling her goodbye, opening the door and closing it to leave for her job.
"It's been a really long time since she's made that. Thank god. I need sugar in my stomach."
"And chocolate for that matter. Jesus, when was the last time we had that? It seems like forever." Maya wondered out loud, cocking her head in thought. Lucas bit his lip when he remembered and calmly replied,
"Oh. It was the night of eighth grade graduation."
"Oh, right." Maya blushed. "That was a fun day." She was trying to refer to the Oreo goodness Lucas's mother had baked, but it kept resulting back to the biggest thing that happened between the two.
"I think that was my favorite day." Lucas spoke up in a quiet voice. Maya parted her lips slightly, and reached out and set her hand on his shoulder. She didn't really know why, but it just appeared to happen. Maya moved her hand down, feeling the muscle in his arm under her skin and gently caressing with her thumb. She wanted to say something, give him a sign that the night was mutual to her, but the blonde couldn't even speak.
The girl lowered her hand until it began to go near his, pausing a moment before lacing her hands in his own. Mentally gasping, she unlaced them and attempted to stand up-
Yet to be pulled back by her best friend into a passionate kiss. Maya felt her face heat up as she immediately cupped his cheeks with her hands. The boy wrapped his arms around her waist like they agreed when they first began to "fake date". She was sitting back down and very in fact close to the boy, caressing the side of his cheek as he continued, lips moving to her cheeks, nose, temple and neck. It was something they tried avoiding to do with one another; because deep down, Maya and Lucas rightfully knew that once they started this, they probably would have a hard time trying to stop. They both didn't know how much they've been pining for this moment up until it had happened.
Lucas didn't care what happened next at the heat of this very moment; because he finally had gotten what he had wanted, needed since graduation, since he first met her. Since their very first words to each other, Lucas felt the jigsaw puzzle called "world" begin to piece together. He didn't know it directly when it happened, but slowly and thoroughly, tiny miniature pieces were connecting.
And here they were, Lucas and Maya, kissing in his room late at night. He had her pressed up against him, once in a while caressing her waist as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss that they've never shared with anyone else. Sure they've kissed people before, but these were needy, consistent ones. It wasn't due any crush kind of feelings feelings or lustful emotion.
Deep down, they knew it was full of emotion, trust, longing.
Love.
It was as if they've been practicing their whole lives up until this very moment at the age of just sixteen. He gently leaned down and kissed her neck as her arms drew up his back.
And this time, there were no "almosts" or dreams. This was happening and it was only between Maya and Lucas. Their minds were empty but hearts were filled as his hand gently caressed her hair, kissing the side of her face as Maya closed her eyes satisfactorily.
But this wasn't simple. It was more complicated than ever before.
Don't throw rocks!
..
ow.
Game changer.
-A
Ps.
Your welcomes
3