keep in touch
"Maya, where were you? I left my window open all morning waiting for you, are you alright?" Riley asked. It was later that afternoon and they were chatting by the bay window. Every Sunday morning, Maya would go to Riley's house and they would spend the entire morning online shopping or trying new clothes or whatever it is they wanted to do, except this morning.
Trying to hide the fact that she had been with Lucas, on Lucas, she made up an excuse that she had woken up late, hoping that Riley didn't see through her lie.
"Anyway, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I cannot wait for school. This new dress arrived in the mail today, look, it's all smiles for Riles!" Riley exclaimed. And it indeed was all smiles, it was a red dress with smiley faces dotted all over, very Riley-esque, Maya thought.
"I can, in fact, believe I'm saying this, I cannot wait for school. Look at my new turtleneck. The neck is more airy so I don't keep feeling so claustrophobic, and it's my all time favourite colour," Farkle added.
"See, Maya, this is what I have to do when you're not around. I spend an entire morning with Farkle and only buy 1 dress! Just one! What are you doing to me?" Riley asked and Maya lay her head down on Riley's shoulders, laughing as she knew that nothing about Riley would ever change.
The four of them sat by that window the whole afternoon and Maya could have sworn that just for that moment, she was back in her own world with her 3 best friends.
As she lay awake that night, Maya thought back to the morning. Although she had been caught up in the heat of the moment, she realised that she had meant every word she had said. Without Lucas, even in her present day, she would have no one to hold her back from running out a janitor's closet. And those 3 words, she had never said them to him before, and she knew they were true. In her world, she had just been too blinded by denial to see it. If she didn't love Lucas, then why did she stop him from beating up Billy that day? If she didn't love Lucas, then why did she get so close to him at all? I love Lucas, she thought, and those were a different set of words she never thought would cross her mind.
Maya got to school unusually early and waited for her friends at their usual spot. Riley strolled into school, backpack in hand, donned in a blouse, mini-skirt and heels?
"Hey, Riles, what happened to your smiley dress, you know, smiles for Riles?" Maya asked, "Did something happen to it?" Riley raised an eyebrow and said, "Uh, Maya, are you feeling okay? Did you eat something bad?" Maya was too lost in thought to reply. What was going on? Riley had seemed so excited to wear it, and now she didn't even know what that was?
The next person to walk through those doors was Farkle, except he didn't look very Farkle. He had on a beanie, a shirt and skinny jeans. She felt the need to ask him, "Where's your new turtleneck?" But he shrugged his shoulders and said, "Don't you remember, I told all of you a long time ago, those days are in the past. I may not be Donnie Barnes: Regular Guy, but I am Farkle: Finding Myself. Thought it'd fit better, don't you think?" This was all too much for Maya, Riley she could handle, but Farkle? At least the one person she could rely on was going to walk into school very very soon.
Concealing herself behind a pillar, she waited for the tall figure to walk through the doors. She jumped, right onto his back. She whispered into his ear, "Hey babe." And was thrown off before she could say anything else. Apparently Lucas had not realised that his attacker was Maya, and had practically judo flipped her to the ground.
"I'm so sorry Maya, I didn't know that was you, are you alright? And why did you call me ba-"
"Forget about it. Uh, sorry I think that milk I drank was a little old." Maya could only stare at the ground and wonder what was going on. How could Lucas not greet her with a kiss? Why was he acting like he wasn't… her… oh shit.
"Guys, this is going to sound really really weird, ok? See, when Riley was Morotia and Farkle was Donnie Barnes, I wished that everything in the yearbook would come true. So Riley became really smiley and Farkle was really… well, Farkle. And Lucas and I were…" She couldn't bear to say it, not when all of it was gone now.
"A couple?" Lucas finished, a tinge of concern in his voice. And Maya hated it. She hated that she had all these feelings for him, that she could tell everything he was feeling and all the meanings behind what he said, but he couldn't. He didn't feel anything for her, and she hatedhatedhated it.
"Yeah. I'm sorry if it sounds really really weird but it was just a dream and I'm probably just delusional. Hah. Let's just, let's just get back to the essay," Maya said. She had so much she wanted to say, but not to all of them, just that one person. She wanted to say how good he had made her feel, all while making her feel so bad, and she missed that. How pathetic can you get Maya, one day without him and you're falling to pieces, see? You are broken. No, no, no, I am not broken. He said he would help me. He said I wasn't broken. But he's not here now is he? Not the one you know. He's gone, and all you have is this one. The one that No. doesn't No. love No. you. That was a lie, she wanted to believe it, the Lucas she loved, the Lucas she still loves, he was coming back for her, right? He was. He is. He has to.
That evening, Maya paid a visit she knew she would regret, but it was a necessary one nonetheless. She knocked on the window and it opened for her, not because of any special reasons, only because of a mere friendship, which irked her.
"Hey, Lucas. I just wanted to ask you if we could, maybe-"
"Yeah?"
"Try out a kiss? I mean, I know it sounds weird but the dream me had no idea when it would be the last time I kissed dream you and it's really weird and out of the blue and uncharacteristic but I just need to know. You don't have to enjoy it, trust me, I didn't the first time, but, for me, and we never have to speak of it ever again to anyone. I promise. And Maya Hart doesn't break promises."
"Um, sure, but how would it look if I ran?... I'm kidding, I'm kidding, whatever you need shortstack."
Maya smiled to herself as she remembered how the other Lucas would coo her nickname into her ear. Even though she hated how it made her insecure about her height, she knew that it would always help her remember that Lucas loved pancakes, and Maya was his shortstack of pancakes.
Knowing the kiss she was about to initiate would definitely be the most awkward one ever, she took a step closer to Lucas and looked up into his eyes. Where she had seen the universe and a future yesterday, she only saw confusion, and that was it. Maya closed her eyes and tiptoed and for what she knew for sure was going to be the last time, she kissed him and it was short and sweet and if anything, it still tasted the same, felt the same, but didn't feel the same, but it was something Maya would have loved to keep in touch with nonetheless.
Hey guys! This is officially the last chapter of Keep In Touch! But wait... there seems to be something in my document called Epilogue? Epilogue coming to you very very soon (before Wednesday). What did you think? I would really appreciate it if you fave, follow and/or review, thanks! :)