Maya's POV

I walk over to the bay window on cloud nine. I've never given myself the permission to love anyone before, I've always gotten hurt. Over the years it's been a struggle to open myself up to people, but, to have friends like Riley, and Farkle, and Zay-and to even potentially have a boyfriend like Lucas makes me want to rethink the whole being closed off thing. Maybe loving people-maybe trusting people can work out for you in the end.

I take a seat in the ski lodge's bay window next to Riley. She's still staring out of the window looking at the leaves falling to the ground. I don't think Lucas has talked to her yet, she still looks just as introspective and bubbly as she did this morning.

"Hey Riles, what's up?" I nudge her good leg to get a response out of her.

"Do you feel like everything is about to change?" She turns her head towards me and away from the window.

"I think it already has. This trip has felt like an ending and a beginning ever since your dad said we were going."

"Yeah...have you talked to Lucas?"

I slowly nod. I don't like this feeling. I feel like I've betrayed her, she had feelings for Lucas first. I never wanted to come in between that, I just couldn't stop the way I felt about him.

"I thought he made a choice, and I don't mean to hurt you Maya, but I thought it was me." She twirls the leaf she's holding in her hand.

I want to tell her the truth, that me and Lucas finally told each other how we felt, instead I say, "I don't know Riles, I know he cares about you regardless of what his choice is."

"But, what do we do Maya? Whoever he picks is going to change things between us. I don't want you to stop being my best friend and I don't want to lose Lucas either."

I take her hands in mine, "Hey, nothing is going to stop me from being your best friend. And as much as we love Lucas...in more ways than one, he will always be our friend too."

"But, I want him to be so much more than that Maya. I just don't know how to do it. We've always been such an awkward couple because we forced it, because I felt like I had to be this perfect version of me or I was going to lose him. I just want to be myself around him again, I want him to see that I'm good."

I understand exactly what she's saying-but I know with a heavy heart that Lucas sees that good in me.

He shouldn't.

The doubts creep back in and I find myself questioning if I really am the right one for Lucas. Just because we love each other doesn't mean we're meant to be. We're sixteen. I know my heart is true for him so maybe, in a couple years, if it doesn't work out with Riley we can give it a shot. Or maybe I'll lose him to her like I've been fearing I would.

"I tell you what, I will go and talk to Lucas. We need to end this love triangle."

She gives me a solemn nod of confirmation as I stand up from the bay window and make my way up to room 218. Lucas' room.