A/N: Now that all preliminary things have been introduced, Part II of this story is going to be much faster paced. Also, more dramatic heheheheh
Thank you for being kind as always and for always bringing a smile to my face! I haven't been able to relax much in the past year pretty much, but you guys are a real comfort! Just reading what you write always helps me to get back on my feet, so thank you so much for that. I owe you a ton. Let's get back to it, shall we! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own GMW or A Walk To Remember.
To say Lucas was nervous as he stood in front of Maya's front door was an understatement.
Although she wasn't classifying their outing as a date, it certainly was a date in Lucas' mind. After all, he was going out with the girl he liked. His palms were sweaty, and he couldn't shake the anxious beating of his heart. He knew going out with Maya was a privilege and he'd messed up more than once, so this was one thing he absolutely didn't want to mess up on. He'd been fine walking down the hallway, but after knocking, his nerves had crept up and nearly debilitated him.
He didn't have too much time to dwell on his current state though, because the door suddenly opened, and he was met with the image of Maya bundled up in a long pea coat. Her hair was tied up in a cute bun and the glimmer of excitement in her gaze made his heart double time. She'd dolled herself up with a bit of lipstick too that drew his gaze down to her lips and made him want to kiss her again.
God… It was like every time he saw her again, he forgot to breathe.
"…Lucas?" she questioned, a brow raised in confusion. He snapped out of it when he realised she'd been speaking to him and he missed it all. "Hello?"
"You look beautiful, Maya," he blurted out, and then immediately wanted to punch himself for sounding way too eager.
But fortunately, she only smiled, a faint blush on her cheeks as she tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "Stop being mushy, Huckleberry. But thanks."
"Maya?" he heard Gammy Hart call from inside the apartment. "Is that your date? Invite him in."
Maya stepped back with a slight roll of her eyes and as Lucas walked in, he was met by Gammy and Katy both standing in the living room with wide smiles, looking proud. Katy started clapping in excitement, while Gammy was holding up a camera and clicking multiple pictures of them. Maya ducked her head in embarrassment, the tips of her ears growing red.
Lucas, however, couldn't keep the shit-eating grin off his face. "Here, Maya. I got you a rose."
Maya's gaze shot angrily to his as he handed the flower to her, and she all but snatched it out of his hand with a low growl. "I told you I hate roses, Lucas. I am so tempted to throw this in your face right now."
Her grandmother was having none of that. "Maya! Accept the rose! It's your first date after all. Let me get one of you and Lucas side by side!"
"Gammy!" Her cheeks were on fire. "This isn't a date."
Lucas nudged Maya's arm playfully. "Humour your grandma. It's just a couple pictures."
"Fine…"
She slowly exhaled in annoyance, but shifted over so they were standing by each other. Gammy Hart was ecstatic, clicking pictures from different angles and cooing over how cute they looked and how they looked like a little couple and things like that. It wasn't a real date, but at least with these pictures, he could pretend it was close enough to it.
"Okay, now Maya, go stand in front of the bookshelf and pose for me!"
Maya moved to that location, trying to keep the smile from her face as her grandma enthusiastically took pictures of her. Lucas leaned against his elbow on the kitchen island, watching the scene fondly.
"She's excited too, you know?" Katy said from her spot by the stove where she was scrubbing at an aged stain. Lucas found it amusing how his mother had the same habit. "Her grandmother is advanced in age, and I'm usually working so she's never had the chance to visit places in New York. She doesn't get much of a chance to go out with Riley or Farkle either. She's really glad you're doing this. Even if she's acting all annoyed."
Lucas could tell. Even though Maya had made clear her distaste for all the pomp and circumstance of this event, he could see that even she was getting into it too. Her smiles were wider and more carefree and she was even giggling a bit as her grandmother instructed her on how to pose. He didn't think he'd ever seen Maya as carefree as she was when she was around her family.
"I'm glad I could help her," he said honestly, smiling a bit when she started contorting her face to make goofy faces. "If I can do even a little to alleviate the pain in her heart, I will."
"I heard about what happened at school today, you know? Risking your possible future to defend Maya's honour is no small thing and don't let anyone downplay what you did for my daughter." Katy stared at him pensively. "I knew deep down you were a good boy. Thank you for being Maya's friend. Or boyfriend. Whatever you are."
"Brandon was being an asshole." It still made Lucas' blood boil thinking about what he'd done. "And I just didn't think it was fair that she has to deal with so much in her life."
Katy chuckled mirthlessly and started scrubbing the counter harder. "Yes, that's true. And that's admittedly my fault for not being able to provide for her or protect her."
"Ms. Hart, don't sell yourself short. You're dealing with so much in your life too. You're doing what you can, and I'm sure Maya is grateful that at least you're still in her life. You're the parent that stayed. And that's gotta mean a hell of a lot to her because you care enough about your daughter to be there for her."
She paused in her scrubbing for a moment and stared at Lucas, her expression mostly blank, but an enigmatic smile on her face. "Promise me you'll take good care of my baby girl for as long as she'll need you, alright?"
There was something about her phrasing coupled with the look on her face that seemed a little off to Lucas. Her statement wasn't altogether difficult to understand, but he couldn't help but feel like there was some hidden meaning to her words. In fact, he was getting that distinct vibe from her that he always got from Maya whenever she didn't want to talk about something.
"I promise."
Katy nodded in thanks. "Good."
Gammy Hart took a handful more pictures before they called it quits for the night. But before that, Maya had to promise her grandma that they'd take some more pictures at the end of the evening. With a satisfied sigh, Gammy sat down on her wicker chair to scroll through the pictures and enjoy her cup of tea.
"Hey, Lucas," Maya called out as she headed towards the hallway. "I'm grabbing my scarf, but I'll be back in a bit."
"Alright. I'll wait," Lucas said before turning to Katy again. "So how's Maya been holding up since Nadia left?"
"She's been dealing with it like she deals with everything. Painting or sketching. It's Mrs. Atallah who's dealing with the worst of it, knowing the daughter she birthed and loves so much has limited time left. I don't blame her, as a mother myself. I understand the sentiment. She loves her child dearly." Katy sighed, staring at the hallway Maya disappeared down with a dreary look in her eye. "And parents aren't supposed to bury their children…"
Before Lucas could respond to the morbid statement or Katy's quickly dwindling morale, Maya had bounced back out to the living room with a radiant grin.
"So you ready to go or what, Huckleberry?"
"Yeah. Let's go."
"Curfew is ten, Lucas," Katy threatened sternly. "Don't make me find you with a chainsaw if she's not home in time. And make sure she stays warm."
"Understood."
~.~.~
"It'd be fun to come here and paint the day scene. The sights must be gorgeous."
Lucas hummed under his breath, leaning against the railing and watching the horizon. They'd been largely resting in comfortable silence during the latter half of the ferry boat ride, but Maya had looked at peace, so he hadn't felt the need to ruin the calm sense of tranquillity that had surrounded them. Their ferry boat ride was just about almost over now, though Lucas was lamenting that that meant he was that much closer to having to bring her home.
"Is that a subtle hint for me to invite you out again?" he teased.
"Yeah. Let's make it an adventure and go with Riley and Farkle too." Maya stretched her arms above her head as if reaching towards the stars. "I like it a lot on this boat. It's a feeling like… time is standing still here, even though you know the city is always moving on, always continues on." She stared at the lights of the buildings in the horizon, her eyes shining almost clear. "Things never remain the same, but it's nice to suspend time if even for a little while."
"Maya?" He rose a quizzical brow. She was rambling and he hadn't quite picked up on her thread of thought.
The horn for the ferry blew and the intercom went off again with the announcements of the trip ending shortly. All around them people began to rouse and rise and head towards the exit off of the side.
When they had docked and the passengers were all being escorted off, Lucas took Maya's gloved hand just so that they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd. He half expected her to yank her hand out of his, but she gripped it a little tighter and moved closer to him so she was tucked by his side. Lucas could hear his pulse thundering in his ears and when he glanced down at Maya, she was blushing, a tiny content smile on her lips.
There was a vendor selling hot chocolate near the little park and he bought two they could sip on while in the cold. They walked in companionable silence towards where he'd parked his truck, and Lucas couldn't help but think they probably looked like a couple. They were basically cuddled like a couple, although he knew she only snuggled up to him because she was probably cold. Even so, it didn't stop him from feeling like he was walking on clouds. He wondered if she could hear how rapidly his heart was beating.
"I really love the holiday season. The glitter and gold, the joyous festivities, all the music and lights. The hot drinks are also great. It's a cesspool for creative people to find inspiration."
Lucas wasn't a fan. The holidays were always the few times a year his asshole dad contacted them. His distinct memories of holiday times were marred by his father's messages and cards and requests for Lucas to join his new family. His mother was usually in a bad mood too because her relationship crumbled around December all those years ago. Most holidays, he and his mother spent trying to do as few holiday like stuff as possible.
"I'm glad you enjoy the festivities," he said flatly.
"You don't?" Maya rose a brow as she glanced at him. "Cuz of your dad?"
"How'd you know?"
"You've got deserting dad issues written all over your face," Maya joked. "But seriously, do you want to talk about it?"
He shrugged, though he gave Maya an appreciative smile so she would know he wasn't bothered by her question. "What's there to talk about? My dad betrayed my trust, hurt my mom, and basically ruined our lives. I can't enjoy the holidays anymore because all it reminds me of are memories of my parents fighting, my dad walking out on us, and my mom sobbing on the carpet. He wants us to reconcile, but I have no intention of talking to him."
"He contacted you recently?"
"Yeah. He wanted me to spend Thanksgiving with him. I'm assuming he'll ask me to spend Christmas with him too."
"I don't mean to pry… but on the bright side, if you needed anything from your father, doesn't that mean he'd be willing to help you? It sounds like he's forgiven you for what you did to his home," she said quietly. "It sounds like he wants your forgiveness now…"
Lucas' expression soured. "He hasn't done anything to earn it. I don't owe him anything."
"Of course you don't. If you're not ready to forgive him, you don't have to. That's normal. I'm just saying, despite everything that happened between you, he hasn't shut his door on you." She gave him a soft smile. "Push comes to shove, or if anything really bad happens, he'll have your back."
It was true, but Lucas wasn't ready or willing to admit that. He knew his father was still open to forming a proper father-son relationship. He knew his father wanted to communicate with him, that he was treading lightly and only contacting him a few times while he waited for Lucas to reach back. Lucas could honestly say his extreme anger with his father had dissipated a bit in the last few months, but that didn't mean he wanted to let his father back into his life just yet.
"Anyway, I appreciate the support." Maya patted his arm, changing the subject. "And thank you for taking me out. I had a great time."
He relaxed a bit. "Anytime, Maya."
And he hoped she knew he really meant it.
It was just in time that they reached his car, because Maya had just about started to sneeze from the cold. She kept sniffling and the parts of her ears he could see had turned red along with her nose.
He unlocked the door and held it open for her as she climbed in. "We should probably get you home before it gets too cold. You're sensitive to cold weather, right?"
She nodded, snuggling up in her scarf as Lucas hurried to get in and start his car.
The drive back to her apartment was spent in toasty warmth, with Maya looking at all the lights and decoration in the street and changing the station every once in a while when one of them stated playing commercials or if they switched out of holiday music. At a red light, he glanced at her briefly, mesmerised by the cheerful smile on her face and the glittering of her eyes. He could have spent the whole evening watching Maya take in the marvels of the city, but unfortunately, before long, they reached her complex. They made quick work of leaving the car and heading inside so Maya wouldn't have to suffer in the cold longer than she needed to.
But Lucas was a little disappointed that they already reached her apartment door so soon. He was trying to figure out a way to extend their little rendezvous some more when she stopped unlocking her door and turned to him.
"Do you… maybe want to come inside for hot cocoa or something and hang out?" She shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a telltale blush forming on her cheeks. "I mean, if you don't have anything better to do."
"Yeah." He couldn't contain his smile even if he tried.
"We have to stay in my room though. Gammy goes to bed early and her room is by the living room."
"And your mom?" he asked, joking. "I would have thought she would be standing by the door with a knife ready if I didn't bring you back by curfew."
Maya wasn't smiling though. "Her second job."
Lucas winced. "Oh."
She pushed open her door, peeking her head into the darkened living room. They left their shoes by the door and tiptoed in their socks down the hallway to Maya's room at the back. When she flicked on the lights, he was a bit surprised. He wasn't really sure what he had expected in Maya's room, but it was definitely a lot neater and a lot emptier.
She had several finished paintings and canvases sitting on the ground along her wall. Some clothes were strewn about along with shoes, but other than that, her room was pretty clean. It was small, barely fitting her bed and dresser along with all the paint supplies, but it was cozy.
"Feel free to sit anywhere you want," she said as she started to leave. "I'll go make some hot cocoa."
Lucas plopped down on her bed, leaning back on his elbows and staring out the window. There were the blinking lights of a strip club facing his way and he wondered if Maya had grown up her whole life seeing this sight. He texted his mom to let him know he was keeping Maya some company so she wouldn't worry. And then ignored her text warning him to use protection.
A handful of minutes later, Maya walked back in with mugs of hot chocolate in each hand and handed one off to him. "Careful, they're super hot."
"These paintings are amazing. How long does it take you to finish them?"
"Thanks. It takes anywhere from a week to two months, depending on the size, intricacy, detail, and difficulty." Maya walked over to one of the paintings with a small smile. "You know, this was the one I was working on when you first came to help me paint the sets back in October."
"Have you ever thought about selling some of them?" Lucas asked as he stared at the one she was pointing out. It was a ballerina dancing in a forest who seemed extremely haggard and almost grey, as if she was decaying. Despite the bright, vibrant colours used, it didn't convey the sense of awe or happiness that faerie creatures usually brought. It was foreboding and almost horrific in its own right. "You could make a fortune. I know there are some people out there who would definitely love to pay some good money for quality stuff like this."
"…I've thought about it, but I can't sell any of these." She stroked one of her canvases with a wry expression on her face. "They're all a piece of me in some way. If I sell them, it will be like selling pieces of my heart and mind and soul, if that makes sense. And I don't want to do that."
"But you're so talented. It seems unfair that no one knows about how good at art you are."
She shrugged, though he could see a smile peeking out behind the rim of her mug as she took a sip. "I'm fine with it. I don't do or love art because I want recognition. Art is free expression for me. A whole new universe or world I can create and submerge myself in."
"Can I see some of your other stuff?"
Maya nodded, heading over to her pillow and pulling out a sketchbook. She handed it to him and he took it, flipping through the pages and taking in the amazing sketches she was planning the paint. Various ones of varying degrees. Some bright and cheerful, others difficult portraits, some extremely dark ones. There was a sketch of Nadia's face in the book, and Lucas wondered if she would ever be able to paint that, considering how much she was still reeling from it.
"I'm trying to complete them by graduation," Maya said after he hadn't spoken in a while.
"You've got a lot in the works. Why graduation and not later?"
"Well…" Her pause was a little too long, and Lucas glanced up suspiciously. "I want to spend my summer travelling and visiting other cities I've never seen with my Mom, Gammy, Farkle, and Riley."
"I see."
"…And you," she added quietly, but it was quiet enough in her room that he heard.
He held her gaze, feeling his own blush start to sprout up on his cheeks as Maya's did. She was chewing on her lower lip nervously, wringing the bottom of her sweater. And Lucas really didn't want to leave her presence with their usual goodbyes. Before he could overthink it, he set his mug and the sketchbook down, stood up and walked over to her, and pulled her gently into his arms. She stiffened at first, but after a few seconds, loosened up and reciprocated, and the only thing he could think about was how right her small body felt in his arms.
"Maya… you're an enigma." He wasn't really sure what had propelled him to speak, but he wanted her to know how much he cared for her. "I want to get to know you better, but I don't know how to ask you."
She didn't respond, but he could feel her heart beating fast in her chest. Or was that the beating of his own heart?
"I want to be there for you for whatever you're dealing with."
"Lucas, it's better if you don't know."
"Maya, I can handle it."
"Lucas," she said in a warning tone, and he knew he was skating on thin ice. "No, you can't. Trust me."
Frowning, he pulled back from the hug and held on to her shoulders. "Then at least give me a hint. Anything small."
She rolled her eyes. "Fine."
Maya moved to her dresser and opened up the top drawer, rummaging through some items until she'd found a sheet of paper she was looking for. It was tattered and old, but it had been written on recently. Maya walked back over to him as she unfolded it so that he could see. It was a list of some sort. Some of the things had been crossed out, others seemed to have been amended or recently added.
"What's this?"
"It's a list of things I've always wanted to enjoy, but have never had the chance to. I want to achieve these. All of them, but I've been limited by circumstances."
"When's your deadline for this?"
She stared at the list with furrowed brows. "As soon as possible."
It was a mostly standard fare bucket list, give or take a few creative or specific ones. There were some things like getting a non-traditional piercing. Getting a tattoo. Travelling to another country. First kisses and times and what not. But not all of them had been crossed off. She had a ways to go.
But Lucas had an opportunity to spend more time with her now. Maybe she hadn't had the chance to fulfil this list because she didn't have anybody who could devote enough time to do them with her. But he could.
And he would.
"Alright. Made up my mind. Starting on break, I'm going to help you complete everything on this list," he declared with a smile.
Maya's lips curved up in a small smile too, though she rose a brow. "There are a lot of things on this list, Huckleberry."
"Yeah, but most of the hardest of them have been checked off already." He pointed out one towards the top. "You've already got a tattoo. And here's another one, do something meaningful for another person. Everything you've done for Nadia has been meaningful."
"Yeah… but some of them will be next to impossible." She pointed to number fifty-six.
It said "get married". And at the very bottom of the list, in clear ink and definitely added recently, it said "experience a lifetime of love". And to be honest, Lucas wasn't really sure what that one meant.
"We can still try to get these checked off, can't we?"
"Lucas…"
He cut her off gently. "Maya, you have dreams you want fulfilled and your life is already hard enough. If you urgently want to finish this list, then you urgently need someone who'll be able to help you finish this list. And I want to be that someone. Let me do this for you. It's the least I can do, and I want to do it. Please?"
She searched his eyes for several terse seconds of silence before finally relenting with a sigh. "I know you won't leave me alone otherwise…"
He cracked a little smirk. "You know me so well."
"Fine…" Maya nodded. "I'll let you help me with this list, as long as you don't keep badgering me about this every hour of every day."
"You've got yourself a deal."
And Lucas got himself more "dates" with Maya.
