"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Apple."

"Apple who?"

"Aren't you glad I didn't say orange?"

"I think that takes the prize for the absolutely worst one so far," Lucas declared.

Maya snorted a little in her laugh. She'd been working late in her studio and called Lucas to bring some food. Now they sat in the center of the room on the floor, telling each other bad knock knock jokes to pass the time. Maya's jokes were truly terrible, but Lucas was winning so far. In trying to think of the jokes that were so bad they were actually funny, he came up with jokes that actually were funny which ruined the game. Then the fact that a game of jokes could be ruined by honestly good jokes made them laugh even harder. Maya lifted up her head from Lucas' crossed leg and hit him with the pillow she'd been using. "I'd say we're doing this romance thing pretty well," she said.

"Of course," Lucas said. "I tell you jokes and bring you pizza." She smiled and put her hand over his.

Maya and Lucas had been dating for a few months, a little over a year after Riley and Lucas had decided that a long history together wasn't enough to keep them together. It took a while, but after enough time, a blessing from Riley, and an argument in which Maya heard Lucas curse for the first time in all their years of knowing each other, Maya and Lucas had become a couple. And maybe it was just Lucas, but he would swear he saw her smile more, and brighter, in the months of their being together.

"Alright, I have one," said Lucas.

"Oh no," said Maya.

"Knock knock?"

"What bad joke is here now?"

"I said, knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Tulips."

"Tulips who?"

He pecked her on the cheek in response. "My 'tulips'", he said, grinning at her.

"You took that from a movie didn't you?" she asked. "I should flick you in the ear for that. But it's my turn."

"This should be bad," he commented. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Exhaust."

"Exhaust who?"

"I am exhausted from these bad jokes and stolen movie ideas."

"Now that sucked."

She laughed before turning quiet and leaning her forehead against his own with her eyes closed.

"Thank you for bringing me pizza and making me laugh," she said. She opened her eyes and kissed him. "Thank you for not giving up." She was referring to their relationship.

"I could never." Lucas tried to breathe steady as he prepared to introduce his next joke. "My turn," he said. She stuck her tongue out at him again, bracing for his next attempt.

"Knock knock."

"Now who's there?"

"I."

"What kind of a joke is this? I who?"

"I love you. And that," he looked directly into her eyes, "is not a joke."

She stood up and started pacing. She wasn't running, but she wasn't leaping into his arms either. He knows what she's thinking. Maya knew that Riley was the only other girl he'd said that to, despite dating a few other girls. She knew that their "I love you's" had never been tossed around as jokes, but she also knew that over time they had dried and turned brittle until they were left with dust. He walked to her and gently took her hand.

"Knock knock," he said.

"Who's there?" she tenaciously replied.

"First."

Maya looked at him, confused and frightened. "First who?"

"First love. It didn't last forever. First love very rarely does." He places his other hand on her face. "We could be forgiven for that. We could be forgiven if we have other loves that fade after a time." He takes a deep breath, worried about testing her patience. "Last one."

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"Texas."

She raises an eyebrow at him.

"Texas who?"

"Texas strong and Texas sized. That's how I would describe my heart." She smiles a little. "Big enough to love again, and strong enough to have learned how to hold all of the 'I love you's together. You can fall in love, and fall out of love," he said. "But what matters is that I love you right now, and I want you to trust me. I don't what else I can say to help you to do that though, except say it again. I love you."

It felt different saying it this time, he realized. When he first said it to Riley, it was all twinkly and bubbly. Saying it to Maya was like the first time in a brand new sweater after you'd thrown your old ragged favorite out. You knew you'd never forget your old sweater, but that the new one would last much longer and soon become as fitted to you as the other one.

She rested her head against his heart, and he wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him.

"Knock knock," she said.

"Who's there?"

"I."

He smiled. "I who?"

"I trust you, and I trust you to love me."

He slowly felt the hope leak out of him like helium from a balloon. That was nice, but it certainly wasn't what he wanted to hear. He would love her until she was ready to love him. Lost in thinking about that, he didn't see her smirk- or else he would've been ready for the kiss she gave him.

"Oh, wait, who's that at the door?"

When she smiled at him, he vaguely thought back to what he said to Riley on their first date. That memory had grown duller with the years, but this one, he was pretty sure, would always show up in his mind sharply focused, but glittering around the edges. In her eyes.

"Knock knock," she said.

"Who's there?"

"I love you." And she kissed him again.

AN URGENT: I've decided not to update this story regularly as I have been doing anymore. I will continue with it, but randomly, only when a story inspiration really strikes me. I'm sorry if I diasppointed anyone, but I'd rather work on other stories, non-romantic probably.

And thank you to the reader that left the suggestion of Farkle and Riley as a couple trying to get Lucas and Maya together. I'll try to honor that.

I'm working with another author Writing Distractions for a collaboration on my script/story "Beautiful Reasons". I hope I get to work with other writers, no matter who you "ship", in a similar way. Both WD and I would love to do a group collab, so please don't be afraid to message! Thank you for all of the positive feedback, but I hope no one is afraid to leave critical (but sensible) comments.