Hello people! Hope y'all are ready for some angst because there will be a lot in this chapter!
Enjoy!
Lucas stayed up all night thinking about how Maya is dating his opponent. Out of all the people she could be in a relationship with, it has to be Tony Espinoza? And Lucas did not take a liking to how Tony talked to her. She's not a dog to be ordered around.
He doesn't want to be bothered by it. He doesn't want to be upset that Maya is in a relationship. She is such a beautiful woman, of course she wouldn't be single. Lucas feels stupid for even thinking that he had a chance with Maya Hart. He had a chance with her back in high school, but he just broke her heart.
God, he is an idiot.
"Daddy?" Lucas sits up and looks at his four year old standing in his doorway. She is clutching a blanket close to her, and Lucas automatically puts Maya in the back of his head.
"What's wrong, princess? What are you doing up?" He asks. His little girl runs over to him, and he helps her up onto his mattress.
"Are you happy?" Sadie asks.
Lucas's eyebrow furrowed in confusion, "I am very very happy. Sweetie, why would you think that I am not happy?"
Sadie shrugs her shoulders, "No reason."
"Now, Sadie. You know you can't lie to your daddy. It's wrong, and I can tell when you're lying anyway. What's the real reason? Did you hear someone say something?" Lucas asks.
"Yes. I heard one of the reporter ladies say that you looked very sad, and they said that it was my fault that you aren't happy," Sadie explains.
Lucas has to bite his tongue. He can't say any curse words in front of his daughter. He also has to stop Texas Lucas from coming out. His face is crimson with anger. Luckily, his lamp was the only thing lighting the room, and Sadie can't tell that he's furious.
"Sadie. Listen to me, because this is important. I am not sad. I am very happy, and the main reason for my happiness is you. You are my daughter, and I love you so much. Okay? Next time someone says something like that to you or about you, please tell me or Maya. Do you understand? Don't ever think that I am not happy because of you," Lucas explains.
Sadie nods before asking, "Is it okay if I sleep in here with you?"
Lucas smiles, "Of course it is squirt." Lucas responds before covering his daughter with his covers. He kisses her forehead before getting comfortable beside her and falling asleep.
The next morning, Lucas wakes up before his daughter. He takes a quick shower and cooks breakfast. When he is finished cooking, he walks into his bedroom and wakes Sadie up. Luckily for Lucas, she wasn't hard to wake up this morning. She must be excited about something.
"Okay, so I'm going to drop you off at ballet, and I am going to see if Maya can take you to Riley and Farkle's daycare center. Does that sound alright?" Lucas explains. Sadie nods; although, she would much rather have another day with her father.
"Why can't I ever come with you to the gym?" She asks.
Lucas couldn't think of something to tell her. He didn't want to tell her the reason. Lucas doesn't want Sadie around whenever he's at the gym because he unleashes Texas Lucas at the gym. That's one reason why he would rather take his anger out on the punching bag at the gym rather than anyone else.
"You won't have fun there. You can do a lot of fun things at the daycare center. Plus, there will be other children there as well," Lucas responds.
When it comes to making friends, Sadie is a professional. Lucas has no doubt that she will have a hard time making friends at the daycare center.
Lucas and Sadie leave their home and head towards Maya's dance studio. Lucas and Sadie walk inside to see the other girls stretching. They are all quiet. A few of them turn their heads to see Sadie, and they smile and wave.
"Why don't you go ahead and join the other girls. I'm going to talk to Madame Hart. Okay?" Lucas says. Sadie nods and takes her sweater and backpack off. She puts her stuff in a cubby and joins the other girls. Lucas sees Maya in her office talking on the phone. He walks back there and hears the last part of the conversation.
"No, there aren't any guys here... Can you please not yell at me?... Yes. Tony, please. Please. Will you just calm down?... Okay. I'm sorry... I'm sorry I raised my voice. I promise not to do it again. Tony... Hello? Hello?" Maya says before throwing her phone across her office. Lucas sees her run her hands through her hair, and can't help but notice a light-colored bruise on her wrist.
He knocks on the door and watches as she jumps, "Whoa. It's okay, it's just me," He says as he walks in her office and closes the door so that the girls can't hear what is going on.
"I'm sorry. Please tell me that you didn't see that," Maya responds.
"What would you do if I said that I did?" Lucas asks.
Maya groans, "I am so sorry. Please, don't think that I do that all the time, especially in front of these girls because I usually don't. I-"
"Maya," He interrupts, "It's okay. I trust you more than anyone in the world. I'm just worried about you."
"Nothing to be worried about. Everything is a-okay," Maya smiles. But Lucas knows better. He knows that something is up with her. He knows that it has to do with Tony.
"Really?" He asks, stepping closer to her. He takes her hand in his and looks at the bruise that he saw before he entered her office, "This is 'a-okay'?"
Lucas watches Maya's demeanor change instantaneously. She looks at him with a mixture of pain, anxiety, and anger. She takes her hand back and slaps him in the face with it.
"You don't know what you're talking about! You have no idea what is going on in my life right now! You don't even have a right to know! You can't just show up in my life again and expect to ease your way back into it like you did in high school! Last I checked, you didn't even want nothing to do with me after you got what you wanted!" Maya continues to yell at him.
Lucas isn't angry at her though. He knows that the only reason she is doing this is because of Tony. That son of a bitch. Lucas wishes he could get his hands on Tony right now. But he knows he needs to help Maya, first. So he pushes her on.
"You're getting mad! That's what you need to do! Get mad! Let me feel what he makes you feel every night!" Lucas fusses back.
"You know what Lucas! I don't even know why you need me in your life again. I'm stupid. Ugly. Good for nothing. I'm worthless."
"You know why I need you in my life, Maya?" He asks as he walks over to her window over-looking the girls practicing what they learned last week. Lucas lifts his pointer finger and points at Sadie, "That's the reason. My daughter. Sadie. She is the reason why I need you in my life. You have no idea how much she loves you. It's like she remembers how much she loved you when she was an infant. And you think you're worthless? You are far from it, Maya!"
The two look at each other and say nothing for a minute. Maya looks down at the bruise on her wrist and sighs.
"He's never done this before. I know he can get angry and say hurtful things, but couples fight. And he apologized to me this morning," Maya says. Lucas knows she's lying because he just heard their phone conversation.
"What about the phone conversation?" Lucas asks.
"He was having a rough commute. He just needed to let his anger out, and if that means that he yells at me, then so be it," Maya explains.
"Maya. You are not stupid. You know that he doesn't treat you right."
"Lucas! Can you please? Just leave? I don't need any advice on how to manage my relationship, especially from you," Maya retorts. Lucas clenches his fists and immediately stops.
"Okay. I deserve that. I just don't want you to get yourself into trouble," Lucas says.
"Lucas," Maya pauses and walks over to him, "You've known me for a long time. I always find a way to get myself into trouble. I don't do it on purpose. It was just the way I was raised."
Lucas gently grabs Maya's wrist this time and inspects it. He pulls her into a warm and inviting embrace. She has her head snuggled into his neck as Lucas's head is leaning on hers. They hug for a while before Lucas pulls back to look into her blue eyes. He feels like every feeling he has ever felt for Maya comes rushing back to hit him in the chest. Her beauty makes his breath hitch. A Texas sunset couldn't compare to Maya's strength. God, she is beautiful.
"I am happy you are back in our lives, Maya. Don't ever forget how important you are to the both of us. And don't forget how amazing you are."
Okay! Hope you guys liked it! If you thought this was a lot of angst? Wait until the next chapter.