The following day Maya avoided Riley as much as possible. Her phone was constantly buzzing from concerned texts and calls from all her friends. Finally it was her final period. Art, the one class that she would never skip. So, she snuck her way into the room and looked for a place to hide, eventually settling on a ventilated cabinet in the back of the room.

"Where is Maya?" She heard Riley question; worry edging into her tone.

"I don't know, but she would never miss art. It's the one class that she actually likes." Lucas sighed. From the small slits in the cabinet door she could see Riley and Lucas gathering what they needed for the project.

Lucas set up in the back of the room, right in front of her hiding spot, and Maya could see his painting. He had kept it secret from everyone else. The water colors where a splatter of different colors. Blues overlapped purples and yellows. The colors creating shapes and when Maya looked closer she could see that it was a girl's face. The subtlety of it was astounding.

She watched him work for the rest of the class. He had this goofy smile on his lips while his brushes grazed over the canvas. Then it would slip and he would stand there for a minute. Worry creasing the skin between his brown eyes. It was during one of these moments that their teacher came over and looked over his work.

"She looks familiar." She murmured.

"Yeah, I hope she likes it." Lucas smiled. "Her birthday is coming up."

"Well, as much as she will tease you about it. I know she'll love it."

It was then that Maya really looked at the painting. The colors and lines, how could she of missed it. HE painted her. She gave an audible gasp, then held her hands over her mouth, hoping that no one heard her. But, she noticed the quick tension in the Cowboy's shoulders. He scanned the room before gently opening the door, exposing the short blond.

"Why are you in the cabinet, Clutterbucket?"

"Shush, Cowboy." She reached for the door in order to shut it. He let her and gave a relieved sigh. She was safe. Acting beyond strange, but alive. Lucas decided he would talk to her after class once everyone else filed out of the room.

Then it hit him. She could see the painting. He was so careful, but he should have expected the unexpected from Maya Hart. Now, he just had a few more strokes and he would be finished with it. The dismissal bell rang the same instant he put his brush down.

"I'm going to see if I can find Maya." Riley called out at she rushed out of the room before Lucas could reply.

The art room was now almost empty save for the projects hanging on racks and shelves to dry and Maya, who was still in the cabinet. Lucas opened the door to find Maya sitting on the floor lite up by the blue light from her phone. The sight was rather surreal and Lucas bite his tongue to hold back a pleased sigh.

"It's safe to come out now."

She looked up at him and his now outreached hand. Tentatively she let him pull her up onto her feet and out of the small space.

"Did you really paint that for me?"

"Yeah. Do you want to tell me what you were doing in there?"

"Not really, he-haw." Her arms crossed over her chest.

"If that will make you happy, little Lady." He tilted his hat and she gave off that frustrated sound that he couldn't describe with words.

"Whatever, Ranger Rick."

Maya went to leave, she didn't know where she was going, but she needed to leave. Lucas grabbed her hand and turned her around. Their eyes meet and he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Who says you even have to tell her?"

"Are you crazy? We tell each other everything and I can hurt her. This, us, it would destroy her. Trust me." Maya's voice was raising with every syllable. Her eyes were blazing with frustration.

Both of their phones rang and Maya checked hers. If only for no other reason than to temporarily distract herself from the situation. It was a group text from Riley. She wanted everyone over for Family Game night at her house. Now, this could be interesting.

"How about this, I will take you out for your birthday. Think of it as my gift to you and you don't even have to think of it as a date."

His eyes were boring in to hers and it was impossible for her to say no to him. Plus it wasn't a date, although she kind of wanted it to be.

"Fine. But, it's not a date. I would also check your phone."

He did as he was told and after replying that he would be there he looked back up. She was gone, but he would see her later at the Matthews' place since she was like a second daughter to them.