...SURPRISE!...

this chapter is a bit different than the others...but I've had it written for ages and I've finally decided I'm gonna post it.

June

Groaning loudly, Maya swatted absently at her phone alarm as it went off. Waking up was evil, waking up early for school was more so, only a few more weeks left. Pulling her phone in front of her face, Maya frowned realizing she didn't see her usual morning text from Lucas. It wasn't as if it was an official thing or anything, Lucas texting her every morning. However, it was pretty typical on school mornings. Something about making sure she actually woke up. Maya did think it was strange that her alarm was the thing that woke her and not his text. Pushing the disappointment aside Maya began her typical morning routine.

The start of school bell rang and still no Lucas. Riley, Farkle, and Zay had no idea where he was, but unlike Maya, they didn't seem too concerned. Closing their locker doors, Zay simply shrugged and walked off to his PE class while Riley ran off shouting over her shoulder something about a presentation for Spanish leaving Farkle resting against his locker.

"I'm sure he's just running late. It happens even to Mr. Perfect. I'll be sure to give him a very stern talking to when I see in him class."

"Thanks Farkle, I don't know why I'm so worried."

"It's cause you care."

With a pat on her back, Farkle made his way to Biology. Frowning, Maya closed her locker and slowly made her way to her own class. The disappointment from the morning had changed to a different feeling. There was a growing pit in the bottom of her stomach. Pulling out her phone, Maya sent a quick text to Lucas before sliding it back into her messenger bag and entering her class.

"Nothing? No one has heard from Lucas at all?"

"So he's sick, it's not that big of a deal."

"But he hasn't said anything to anyone? He always texts, even when he's sick."

"Then…he's... really sick?"

While her first comment was confident, Riley's second comment was filled with uncertainty. As far as she was concerned half a day without contact wasn't that big of a deal. It wasn't as if Maya and Riley hadn't gone a day without contact before, it was rare sure but it happened. While it always seemed strange to Riley when it happened, it wasn't until the second day that she ever started to worry. The way Maya was acting though was more than a bit worried.

"Somethings wrong."

"You don't know that Maya."

"Yes I do."

"How?"

"Because…because I do."

Maya didn't have a good explanation, at least not that one that would make any sense. It was just like at the playoff game when she didn't see Lucas on the court. She knew something was wrong before Zay even showed up to tell them. She knew it then and she knows it now. Her mouth opened a few times trying to think of more to say on the matter, the wide eyed attention from Farkle and Riley was not exactly helping the situation.

"He's Huckleberry, Mr. Perfect, even when he's sick. He wouldn't say nothing at all."

Part of her wanted one of them to say something, anything to make her stop worrying about him. It wasn't as if Lucas and Maya were codependent, nowhere near as close as Maya and Riley were. In fact they had always had an oddly even relationship when it came to time together and time apart. That fact just made Maya even more concerned that she was even concerned to begin with. A decision was finally made in her mind, in one quick fluid motion she had her bag on her shoulder and walking out of the cafeteria.

"Where are you going?"

Still walking Maya looked over her shoulder to her best friend.

"To find out what's going on with Lucas."

"But…it's only lunch, we have class."

"Never was much of the studious type anyways."

Riley opened her mouth again to speak but a hand on her arm stopped her. Farkle shook his head no slowly. Frowning Riley watched as her best friend walked out of the cafeteria before turning sharply to stare at Farkle.

"Why didn't you let me stop her?"

"Do you really think you could have?"

"Of course I could have, she's my best friend I'd make her see reason."

"Reason when it comes to Lucas?" A look of defeat fell upon Riley's face. "She's just checking in on him."

The phone hadn't been touched in over 12 hours, Lucas wasn't even sure if it was on. Turning his head he returned to his original spot staring up at his ceiling. Did he remember to charge it when he went to sleep? Did he actually go to bed last night? It wasn't as if he had gotten out of bed since his alarm when off in the morning. With a minimal amount of effort he looked down his body, still in jeans. Well he didn't change from last night so…that didn't help any of his questions. He did need to figure out what time it was though. For the countless time Lucas turned his head to the side to look at his phone, if he grabbed it he'd figure out if it was still alive, then he'd know what time it was. But did he really want to? No, the ceiling was a better option.

There was soft knock, followed but slightly louder ones. Still Lucas didn't bother to move. In place of the knocked there was now the sound of his window opening and curtains ruffling. It wasn't until he felt a shift in his bed that Lucas even bothered to find what was making all the noise. That blonde hair should not have been a surprise, and if Lucas was allowed himself to be honest about anything right now, he'd say he wasn't surprise but relieved to see her.

"You're missing school."

Sitting up his arm Lucas narrowed his eyes in on Maya as his response.

"Well it's expected from me. You're a different story."

Instead of responding Lucas fell back against his bed. It was becoming clear to Maya whatever was going on wasn't because Lucas was sick. After a few nudges, he shifted slightly on the bed making room for her to lie down next to him, taking his hand in her own.

"You didn't give me my morning wake up text."

"Well to be fair I'm not entire certain I went to sleep last night, so I didn't exactly wake up."

"What's going on Lucas?"

"Oh no…my real name? That's never good."

"I'm being serious."

"Well I'm not functional so that's not going to work."

"Lucas…"

"Again with the real name."

"Please."

"I…I just can't Maya."

Pushing herself up, Maya rested her arms on Lucas' chest so she could stare down at him. For a while she just watched him. There was something missing behind his eyes, something so essential to him. As she continued to stare Lucas reached a hand up and pushed a stand of hair behind her ear. Despite something missing, there was a faint smile on his face.

"I'm glad you showed up."

"Well that's a start."

Silence fell between them and eventually Lucas closed his eyes. After a few more minutes of watching, Maya rested her head down on his chest, so she could listen to his heart beating. Whatever was going on, at least that was as steady as always. Tight arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer, and it wasn't hard to drift to sleep even in the mid-afternoon.

"He expects me to move back in with him."

It was the first words Lucas had spoken in a few hours. He wasn't certain if Maya had actually woken up yet, but her breathing was almost too even, as if she was trying to be as still as possible. Of course he hadn't fallen asleep, his mind was still too busy trying to think everything out, but she had. It honestly helped though, just having her be there, having his arms around her, there was a comfort in it. It had helped him steer through the clutter in his head, realize what he was actually going to do. He had been ready to talk for a while now, but he didn't want to wake her. In the stillness he heard her breath catch in her throat at the statement. She was definitely awake now.

"Last night, he called. He's honestly expecting me to move back to Texas."

"When?"

"Over the summer, start my sophomore year with him."

Slowly Maya sat up and Lucas followed suit. Using the wall as a backrest they sat next to each other, unable to look the other in the eye. Maya was afraid his face would give away his decision on the matter, and that the decision was for Texas. Lucas' dad had mentioned it before, moving back Texas, when she had visited over winter break. We'll get him back here eventually. Maya thought it was just a passing comment, she never thought about it at all. Now though she was wondering if this plan had been set in motion ages ago.

"Is it something you…Do you want to go back?"

The silence that followed her question was deafening. Pulling her knees up, Maya wrapped her arms around her legs, doing everything in her power not to look at Lucas. Taking a deep breath she turned her head to look at Lucas. His head was tilted down, staring at his hands as he tried to keep them from fidgeting.

"No."

"So…your dad is making you?"

"I'm supposed to go. He's expecting me to want to go back. It's what I'm supposed to do."

"So you're going to go back?"

Another long silence followed. Maya leaned her head on Lucas' shoulder. It was Lucas after all; he was going to do whatever was expected of him. Right now that meant going back to Texas and leaving her. So soon after she had finally stop being stupid and got him back, he was leaving her. Blindly she reached her hand up, trying to find his, instantly he entwined their fingers.

"No. But I have to tell my dad that."

Maya's head shot up quickly at Lucas' response. He still hadn't bothered to lift his head up, continuing stare down at his hands, only now he was staring at his and Maya's entwined fingers. There was tightness in his voice as he spoke.

"He didn't even give me a chance to respond last night. He just…hung up after telling me the good news. I spend the rest of the evening realizing I was going to have to say goodbye to everyone I cared about here. I couldn't face anyone; I couldn't even fully process what was going on in my head. I was going to go back. How was I supposed to tell everyone I was leaving. I didn't want to deal with it, I didn't want to think about it. So I just stopped."

"What changed?"

"You came."

Finally Lucas lifted his head, tilting it to the side to lock eyes with Maya. There was a soft smile on his face.

"I don't want to leave New York. I don't want to leave my friends. And I don't want to leave you. So I'm not going to. But now I have to tell all of that to my dad."