Hi guys! I know I updated this really late but I've just been so busy. I decided the best option to upload these is on the weekends but hey, during Christmas break, I'll be able to write a lot more! Thanks for reading the story and please leave reviews. Enjoy!
It felt like two hours had passed before Lucas and Maya had finally reached their destination. Maya had demanded they walk to the place because she loved looking at the snow. Lucas obliged, only because he loved the snow too. Though the idea of walking in a picture perfect Christmas Wonderland seemed like a good idea, it ended up being the exact opposite. A thick ice covered the ground, causing the friends walking to grab on to each other before either one of them could take another toss. Sadly, both fell at least three times. Finally, Maya had managed to slowly guide Lucas towards a few stairs aiming down and carefully they climbed towards a door with Topanga's Bakery printed in fancy letters. "That's an unusual name for a bakery," Lucas said as the bells on the top of the door rang when Maya yanked open the door. "Yeah, well, don't tell that to Riley. That's her mom's name. In fact, this is her mom's bakery."
Lucas stood stunned for a minute but eventually followed Maya into the warm room. People lined the bookcase, others sat at the small tables, and some were standing in line ordering drinks. "Wow. Business seems to be doing pretty well." Maya wasn't even listening though. She had wandered towards the couches placed strategically in front of the fireplace and was animatedly talking to a pair sitting there. Lucas inferred they were Maya's friends, so slowly, he walked over and pretended to be examining the pattern on the chair until Maya had introduced him. The girl sitting there, Riley, seemed friendly since her immediate response to seeing him was to give him a hug. She had brown hair tucked behind her ears and falling just about the shoulder. The boy, Farkle, sent a happy nod Lucas's way and continued to fiddle with the tea bag string on the side of his mug. Lucas and Maya grabbed the chairs next to them and Maya started blabbering about their walk over here. Lucas watched her, the cute way her hands flew around as if she was conducting an orchestra and the way her eyebrows rose up whenever she emphasized a word. She caused the group to laugh in her descriptive retelling of Lucas slipping and falling on a small dog. Before long, all of them were going around telling their bad weather stories. Riley was in the middle of telling the hilarious story of how her father had climbed to the top of a tree to retrieve his umbrella when all of a sudden, Farkle stood up and waved to someone behind all of them. He poked Riley in the side. "Hey, he made it."
"Who made it?" Maya got up and was turned around, bobbing her head up and down in an attempt to spot the new friend. Lucas secretly did too. He wasn't sure what to expect. Farkle had gotten up and moved to collect the guy, who was conveniently not facing them as he hung his coat up. When he turned around though, Lucas almost fell out of his chair, "Zay?"
Zay turned towards him and a smile spread across his face, showing all his pearly whites.. His dark black hair was covered with little snowflakes and blue boots he wore were dragging in a lot of snow. "Uh, how do you guys know each other?" Riley had a confused puppy dog look drawn on her face. They both turned towards the other to see which one would explain.
"Well, my boy and I go way back. We grew up in Texas together, moved here together, and plan to get married together," Zay joked as he took the an empty seat in front of the group. The other's reactions were pretty close to how Lucas was feeling on the inside. "What a small world after all." Maya grinned cheekily at Lucas and took a sip of her chamomile tea. Lucas just rolled his eyes but on the inside his heart soared. They all sent grins around to each other and had generously started up their conversation again, this time including Zay's hilarious stories too. One thing was worrying Lucas, however. Maya had been staring curiously at him the whole time that they were there and even though it was weird, Lucas tried his best not to do anything too stupid.
Finally the night had wrapped up. Riley had given each friend a heartfelt hug and had departed in an air of vanilla and mint, Farkle in tow. Zay had decided to stay back a few minutes, as he had caught a hiring sign on the front of the shop and desperately needed a job. Maya and Lucas were not going to leave him alone and frankly, neither wanted the wonderful night to come to a close. "It's always great seeing Farkle and Riles. Ever since we all went to college, we haven't been able to hang out that much." Lucas nodded and percieved that Maya maybe had some feelings to talk about. "Well, you must have other friends, right? Like at your school or something." Maya shrugged. "Never found the right time to hang out with my other friends. Those two… we've all been best friends since forever. I could never picture myself with anyone else." Maya shook her head, drawing herself away from the peaceful daze that the fireplace seemed to be lulling them into. "Any friends back home in Texas? Besides the cows I mean."
Lucas ignored the little jab and started to describe his old friends, their great time hanging out in the sun with the cool wind whipping against their backs. It almost made Lucas tear up, just remembering it all was too much. His voice trailed off though, after Zay had walked over to them and all wrapped themselves in their coat and hustled out the door. Maya and Lucas had immmediately hailed a cab, first dropping off Zay and then heading to the apartment complex. It seemed as if everyone had gone to sleep already in their complex. The faint lights from above cast a glow around them and together, Lucas and Maya made it upstairs to their floor. No sounds were made, only because they were the only two apartments up there.
Maya slowly turned on her heel and kicked a few pebbles around. Lucas did the same. Neither wanted the night to end. "Hey, you want some cake? My mom sent some and I haven't had the chance to open it. You can be the first to try it." Maya grinned and Lucas happily agreed before checking his watch : 11:00. What's a few less hours of sleep going to do? Maya unlocked the door and pushed it open. Lucas's heart practically stopped. Right in the entrance hung bright lights, laced around the frame into the living room. Paintings and drawings covered the walls, and some paint was even splattered all over the furniture. Even though lights graced the foyer, they seemed to be all around the house, in place of an actual lamp. The room was so cozy, it almost seemed to make the homesickness in Lucas's chest shrink. Maya wearily looked up at him, eyes sparkling from the white lights around. "Sorry, about the mess and all the lights. I tried to be more festive for Christmas this year, but I may have gone a bit overboard." Maya blushed and removed her hat, shaking her hair loose from the snow. Lucas just shook his head in disbelief. "Maya, this just might be the most beautiful house I have ever seen. This is amazing."
Her eyes light up from his approval and immediately she was on another task. Grabbing Lucas's coat, she hung it on the back peg above the couch and headed to her kitchen, already cutting a slice of the chocolate and vanilla swirl cake. Lucas had followed her in, but had paused so many times that he eventually just sat down at the small purple dining table and looked around him. Some paintings featured mostly black, with a few peeks of yellow. Others were high definition, a real time telling of apparently all the things Maya had seen in her lifetime. It was at that moment Lucas noticed the painting easel that sat in the corner. Judging from the position of it, on the other side of that wall would be Lucas's bed. Lucas almost got butterflies just thinking that Maya and him were in that close proximity all through the night. She had told him she made the best art at night, and let's face it, Lucas was in bed at like 8:30. The painting laying on the easel was what really had drawn his attention. It was a square board and all that covered it were two green dots. Little flecks of gold were around it along with dashes to make it look like an iris. Huh. They almost look like-
"Here it is, Huckleberry. Eat up." Maya pushed a plate of the cake in front of him and went down to sit across as she dug into her own cake. The cake was lined with chocolate on the inside and Lucas about died from happiness with each bite.
"You know, it's been a while since I've actually eaten a cake." Lucas noticed the look of confusion plastered on Maya's face so he trudged on. "My family never believed in celebrating birthdays. It was always oh you're older this year? You receive the gift of working harder. I hated it so much but I grew to tolerate it because it was all I ever knew." Lucas slowly raised his eyes, too scared to see Maya's reaction. What he saw was understanding though. "Yeah, I know how that feels. My mom constantly worked overtime and was never there to celebrate with and my dad… Well, he just never even showed up." She wouldn't look up at Lucas but instead made designs with her fork using the leftover chocolate frosting. Instinctively, Lucas reached out and patted her hand in a comfort. Her hand was still soft and Lucas wanted to just keep touching it but he knew it would be too creepy. So with a sigh, he moved his hand back, picked up both of their empty plates and placed them in the sink. Maya watched him carefully until finally both were staring at each other awkwardly. Lucas checked the time. 1.00.
"Well, I'm going to head out. Thanks for the cake and thank your mother for me too." Lucas tipped an imaginary cowboy hat and Maya smirked. So much for not being a cowboy. She ushered him out, already yawning as she opened the door. Lucas put on his coat and exited, unlocking his door to his apartment as Maya watched from her own. "See ya tomorrow, Ranger Rick. Sleep tight." Lucas braced himself for the slam of the door but it never came. Her door had quietly clicked shut and loud music was already blaring. Thankfully, it wasn't heavy metal, but instrumental. Lucas could fall asleep to that.
He let himself into the apartment and didn't even bother taking off his coat or shoes. He maneuvered around the boxes and flopped down on his bed, already dozing off. One thing kept him up though. Maya was awake right next to him, painting away. Her muffled voice passed through the thin walls and Lucas was surprised to hear it sound so good. Her voice rose in pitches and decreased in tones but never once did she stop. Lucas must have never stayed up late enough to actually hear her voice. It was too late now though. Lucas was already closing his eyes, Maya's voice trailing in and out of his conscious, just like it always was.
As she carried a high note, Lucas fell fast asleep, dreaming of chocolate cake and bright lights.