I've had a few different ideas running through my head since watching Texas and reading a bunch of theories online...so I'm debating making these Screen Shots a little more close together again for a bit. We'll see :) This specific one does take place really close to the last chapter.

March

Josh was a liar. Not only was he wrong about Lucas deserving someone better than Maya, he lied about things settling. Sure Maya wasn't actually giving it a chance, but still, he was wrong. It wasn't going to happen. Maya was making a great effort to avoid running into Lucas. She didn't see him once during the remainder of Spring Break. As for the first week back, she just walked in the other direction the second she saw him. It was working wonders until Lucas decided to just show up.

"Hey Maya."

A few moments passed as Maya stared down at her sketch pad. It was another free draw period in art meaning she got to roam to find the right place to draw. Since the breakup she stopped drawing in bleachers of the football field, instead she now found herself on the front steps of the school. There was no way he should have found her here. He still had weights even if the football and basketball seasons were over. This wasn't where he was supposed to be. Just hearing him say her name still made her heart flutter, but that wasn't allowed anymore. Just like the last time she spoke to him, she shoved all her emotions deep down before looking up at him. A detached smirk on her face.

"Hello Luc."

"Oh please don't call me that."

"Isn't that what the girlfriend calls you?"

"Girlfriend?"

"Yea, Bethany? The redhead from math class. The cheeeeerleaderrrrr."

Maya put a bit too much emphasis on the word cheerleader. She was still smirking, as if she was trying to tease Lucas about it. She had no idea what she had hoped from that action of hers, but all it did was make Lucas look confused. Shaking his head, Lucas took a seat next to Maya on the stairs.

"Bethany is not my girlfriend. And I hate the name Luc. It makes me cringe every time she says it."

"Oh, I figured she was since you two were on a date and all."

As they spoke Maya hand absently reached for the bracelet hidden under her long sleeved shirt. Jackets and long sleeved shirts are her go to ensemble as of the breakup, it was the easiest way to keep anyone from seeing that she still wore the bracelet. Every morning she saw it on her wrist and for some reason she just couldn't take it off, even though she knew she should.

"We weren't on a date. Not like you and Josh."

"Josh and I weren't on a date."

"The hug sure looked very datey."

"The way she touched your arm sure looked like a date."

"I could say the same thing about Josh."

"Fine so what if I was on a date with him?"

"So what if I was on a date with Bethany?"

Their voices were growing louder and their faces moved closer. This was stupid. So completely and utterly stupid. They were arguing about not dating someone else any yet, both of those last lines were enough to silence Lucas and Maya. So what if either of them were dating? That wasn't supposed to mean anything to either of them. At least that's what Maya wanted Lucas to think. This whole thing was so he'd realized he deserved better. For a moment she just stared at Lucas before turning her head back down at her sketchpad again. Her voice cracked slightly as she spoke.

"You can date whoever you want Lucas. That's kinda how the whole break up thing works."

"It wasn't a date Maya."

"It's fine. Honestly. I broke up with you. I think protocol is that you move on first."

"Really Maya, it wasn't…"

Holding up her hand to silence him, Maya shook her head. She didn't want to hear a single thing about Lucas and all of his new relationships that were bound to happen. Being this close to him was making that undeniably clear. It was going to take more than just shoving her emotions aside if she was going to make it through being near him.

"I don't need to hear the details Lucas. Date whoever you want, you're more than allowed."

"Just like you are?"

"What?"

Curiosity caught her attention drawing her back to staring at Lucas. He was beginning to look angry. Not just frustrated like he had been earlier when they were awkwardly arguing. Lucas didn't have all the information that Maya did. He didn't know why she broke up with him, not really. All he knew was that she broke up with him and now he saw her with Josh. She had said maybe she wanted to be sure that there wasn't anyone else out there, it's just, Lucas had that twinge of hope she wouldn't. Now though, maybe he had been wrong, maybe she really did just want to be with someone else, someone other than him. Lucas couldn't decide if he was angry for not seeing it before or for the fact she just didn't admit it to begin with.

"You can date whoever you want now too. Was that really what this was all about?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Josh."

"What?"

"You broke up with me because you want to be with Josh. That's gotta be it."

"Lucas…"

It was Lucas' turned to raise his hand to silence Maya. He had been trying so hard to figure it all out. To give Maya space, hoping that would mean she would realize they were better together. After two months though, he really had no idea what was going on. Until he saw her last week with Josh. Sure he had been with Bethany, but that really wasn't a date, despite how much she tried to make it into one. They had English together and were supposed to be working on an assignment together, something Lucas had put off until the last possible moment, spring break. Seeing Maya at Topanga's with Josh though, his mind had been running for ages after seeing that. It was all falling into place.

"Look, I probably should have seen it coming. You forget I was there when you told him you were in it for the long game. I just figured…when we…it doesn't matter. You're allowed to date whoever you want too. That was your point. I've been racking my brain ever since that day Maya. I didn't get it. Now I guess I do."

"It's not…"

"Please don't say it. Whatever it is. It's just gonna suck no matter what you say."

The angry vanished instantly, with a sad smile on his face Lucas looked at Maya for a few moments before shrugging. He didn't know what he thought was going to happen when he saw Maya heading toward the front of the school and he decided to follow. This definitely wasn't it, but they had needed to talk. That was the driving force in Lucas' decision. Maybe he just should have ignored it. With his elbows on the stair behind him, Lucas leaned back, staring out into the New York Street.

"Scratch that, I do want to know. Maybe it'll help me move on."

"I wasn't on a date with Josh. I was supposed to meet Riley and I ran into Josh instead. I don't want to date him."

"Then why Maya? I get it, we're over, but come on, after a year you owe me the truth. I deserve it."

"That's the point."

"What is?"

"That you deserve better. Better than me."

Lucas sat up straight quickly, he head turning to the side as Maya whispered her response. She wasn't looking at him, or at her sketchpad. Instead she was just staring off to the side, making a very clear effort not to look at Lucas. It hadn't been her intent to say that, but she didn't want him to go on thinking she ended things just to be with Josh. He was right, she owed him the truth.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Lucas, everyone can see it. Bethany and all those other girls. They see it, I see, I don't know how you don't."

"See what Maya?"

"That you're better than me. You're Mr. Perfect Lucas and I'm just broken, I break things. I'm not gonna be the cause of breaking Mr. Perfect."

"Mr. Perfect? That's going to be stuck with me for the rest of my life isn't it? God, did no one actually get what that was about?"

Of all the things Maya said, that wasn't not what she thought he would focus on. Her eyes landed on him, his head rested in his hands. Taking a few long deep breaths Lucas ran his fingers through his hair before pulling his head back facing up toward the sky.

"I'm not Mr. Perfect, my flaw wasn't being Mr. Perfect. It's trying to be Mr. Perfect when that's not who I am. I spent so much time since I arrived in New York trying to be Mr. Perfect because everyone already thought I was. I don't want to be Mr. Perfect!"

Turning to look at Maya, Lucas grabbed her hand in his.

"And you're not broken Maya. You don't break things. You're the only person that didn't see me as Mr. Perfect, and it's exactly what I needed that. You helped me."

Dropping Maya's hand, Lucas turned back to his leaning position on the stairs. His head shook, but there was a smile on his face for what felt like the first time in two months. If those were her reasons for breaking up with him, maybe the only reasons, then he still had a chance.

"You're just saying that, I'm not…good."

"Will you stop saying crap like that Maya?"

"But it's true. Everyone knows it, everyone sees it. You deserve better than me."

"But I want you Maya. I love you."

"Don't say that."

Maya stood up and kept her back to Lucas. She probably should have run away when Lucas came outside behind her. Just got up and left no matter how awkward it was. Hearing him though, say he loved her, it was messing with her resolve. Turning around Maya stared down at Lucas. He looked so…pleased and it was starting to annoy the hell out of her. There was an ease about him now as he just leaned against the stairs, so utterly carefree almost. Unlike Maya who's entire head was running around in circles trying to find a way to keep from just looking at him.

"But it's true. I'm allowed to say true things."

"Well I don't want to hear it."

"Why not? Why don't you want to hear me say I love you?"

Slowly Lucas stood up and took a few steps toward Maya then a step down so his face could be more level with her. Why did he have to stand so close? And why did he have to have that smirk on his face.

"Because it doesn't matter to me anymore."

Lucas took another step toward Maya. Her breath caught in her chest.

"Is that really true Maya?"

She nodded slowly. Despite her best efforts she couldn't stop herself from glancing down at Lucas' lips as he took another step toward her. Lucas felt like an idiot for not putting it together earlier. For honestly believing at times Maya didn't actually want to be with him. He had given her space, hoping that it would help. Right now thought it was clear, space was not what Maya needed, far from it. Lucas licked his lips as he took another step, this time she took a step back herself, right into the brick wall of the school.

"Just tell me you don't love me and I'll never mention it again."

"I don't."

"Don't what Shortstack?"

Testing the waters, Lucas put one hand on Maya's waist. She didn't flinch or make a motion to get out away, instead she just slowly glanced down at his hand before looking back up at Lucas. After placing his other hand on her waist, he took one final step.

"Love you."

A smirk grew on Lucas' face. Letting go of her waist for a moment, he lifted his hand and tucked a strand of Maya's hair back behind her ear.

"Try saying that all together now."

Maya nodded slowly. Yes she should have run, because there was no way she could actually put those words together. Not when he was standing this close. Not with his hand now resting on her cheek. Her breath was caught in her chest and her heart had decided to skip a few beat just staring at Lucas. She was supposed to say something. Something that would make him realize she didn't want this anymore. Something that would make him move on.

"This is the part where you say you don't love me."

"I'm aware."

The hand on Maya's check lightly grazed her skin as it moved down to gently hold her neck. The hand on her waist slid around lifting the hem of her shirt slightly. The feel of his skin on the small of her back made her gasp softly. With a light tug, Lucas pulled Maya closer until their bodies touched.

"I'm going to kiss you now."

"Okay."

Maya's eyes flutter closed as Lucas' lips pressed against hers softly. Two months since she had felt his lips on hers and this was better than every dream that woke her since their last kiss. Tilting her head slightly, the kiss deepened and his arm wrapped around her waist pulling her in closer. As her lips parted, her arms wrapped around his neck. In one swift motion Lucas lifted Maya up and the hand on her neck pushed against the brick of the building for support. A moan escaped her lips and finally they pulled apart. Carefully Lucas guided Maya back down to the stair, his eyes locked on hers. As they tried to catch their breaths she let her hands rest on his chest. Maya couldn't decide if she wanted to say something on just pull Lucas back toward her so he was kissing her again.

"Do you love me Maya?"

"Of course I do Lucas."

"Then can we just pretend these past two months never happened. Because I want you and no one else."

"I'm not good for you Lucas."

"You're right Maya, you're not good for me. You are perfect for me."

Maya pressed her lips together to keep herself from laughing loudly.

"Impressive line there Huckleberry."

"It's still true Shortstack."

Shaking her head, Maya couldn't help but scoff at the grinning dork in front of her.

"You have got to get better lines if you want this to work out between us."

"Oh I'll get right on that Ma'am, top of my To Do list. Cross my heart."

Grasping his shirt in both her hands, Maya pulled Lucas down so their lips crashed together. Her arms wrapped around his neck tightly as his held her close. A tiny portion of their minds realized the school bell had rung, but neither of them were all that concerned