You Left Me | l.h.

I Found Myself

Luke's POV

When we returned to school, we had a day of silence on Maya's behalf. Everyone was quiet or silent and a sullen mood had fallen on the entire 11th grade.

Somehow though, Lena and I couldn't stop smiling. It was just because of the time we'd spent together the weekend before, but Maya was gone and we knew that. We'd accepted it and begun to live with it, and honestly it felt magnificent.

The principal, Dr. Amentin asked us to speak about Maya and create some type of funeral simulation for her. So the whole day we were brainstorming for we didn't have class due to the day we were honoring Maya for.

"We can't do something traditional." I bring up quietly as we make our way up the library stairs. Lena adjusted her lace top. "Maybe we could have a prank day." She suggests as we sit on the floor in the top balcony of the library. "Dr. Amentin would never it pass it. Plus people might think it's disrespectful." I say. Lena purses her lips, "I guess you're right." She says.

"We could have a ditch day!" I exclaim. "Same thing, wouldn't pass." Lena brought up.

We keep thinking of ideas, shutting them down, and repeating that cycle for what seems like ages. "I want this to be the way everyone remembers her." Lena whispers after a while. "What?" I ask. "This. What we're making for her. Not that video or the rumors of why she did it to herself but this. It has to be perfect." She sighs.

I squeeze her hand thats in mine. "It will be, we just have to..." I trail off lost in thought. "Aw yeah!" Lena exclaims. I laugh, "What?"

"That look means you have an idea, and I'm betting it's a good one." She smiles. "The church." I say simply. "It's abandoned and old so we can-"

"We can graffiti it and decorate it the way Maya did on Valerie's Foster house!" Lena yells. I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "I was going to say we could fix it up but I like your idea." I say.

"We can do both." Lena smiles. "Have you seen you're brothers lately?" She asks out of nowhere. "Actually I'm going to see them today." I say. "We're meeting at a restaurant in Delaware, I think it's Mexican." I say. "That's really great Luke." Lena smiles.

"Okay, so it'll start out like this..." She began to explain it all. We'd have all her friends, family, spray paint a message or just their name on the long wall on the facade of the church that faces all the head stones. Then inside, we could have people from all over Philadelphia come and help paint and revive that church.

"This, will definitely get accepted by Dr. Amentin." Lena grins. "Then let's go tell her about it." I say.

•••

Lena's POV

"Although it's far overdue, this ladies and gentlemen is what Maya would have wanted. We're not burying anything, or burning anything, instead we're creating something better. Something bigger. So raise you're spray paint cans to the wall, and paint!" I yell into the mega phone.

Hundreds of people including our entire grade, Maya's family, and others who knew her run towards the long wall outside the abandoned church and begin spraying random words and pictures onto the wall.

I grin a walk towards the green grass where Luke, Maya's Mom, and my parents were standing.

"Hi Mrs. Tricket." I smile.

"Lena I really just want to thank you for all of this. I know I might have seemed a little weird about Maya when she first died but I guess--" She stopped to take a deep breath.

"I was just denial that she was really gone." She says with tears glimmering at the rims of her eyes. "And I'm sorry about my husband as well I know he--well he definitely was the most affected by it all but he went to far and-"

"There's no need to explain yourself Mrs. Tricket. She's your daughter. I'm just glad we could do this for her." I smile.

Mrs. Tricket nods and walks toward the bucket where all the spray paint cans are. "Mom! Dad! Grab a can!" I say to my parents. My mom hugs me. "We will Lena, we will. We just wanted to let you know how proud we are." She smiles. "Yeah kiddo. This is really really cool of you. And Luke." He says patting Luke on the shoulder awkwardly.

"Still getting used the boyfriend thing okay?" He jokes. I shake my head laughing and run over to get them cans of spray paint. "Pink for mom and blue for dad." I say handing them the cans. "Alright, let's go!" My dad says grabbing my moms hand like a kid. My mom screams playfully as they run off towards the wall.

"This is amazing Lena." Luke says as the warm April sun beats down on us. A cool breeze passes through. "We did it together." I smile. "Yeah but, it was your vision. This is--Maya would love this. You really did it." Luke grins holding my hands in between us.

I hug him. "Let's go see how they're doing inside."

The moss and vines was already off the walls and the painting had begun. I had suggested black in honor of it being Maya's favor the color but Luke and I had decided on a dark reddish maroon color.

"Hey!" I say to Calum who's painting the first wall on the right with Michael and Ashton. I give them all a quick hug and smile. "This is really cool Lena. I'm glad you guys did this for Maya." Ashton says with paint on his face.

"Thanks. You get any paint on the wall yet?" I laugh making us all laugh. "I told you guys I always liked Lena." Michael says patting my back. "Who's this?" I ask Calum gesturing to the blonde girl holding his hand.

"This, is my girlfriend. Devon." He smiles. "It's nice to meet you Devon." I say shaking her hand. "You too." She smiles. "I'm going to the bathroom I'll be right back." She says to Calum before pecking his cheek.

"Calum!" I say hugging him. "Why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend that's great!" I exclaim. He blushes. "Thanks Lena."

"Why didn't you tell me? I ask Luke who shrugs. "Now you know." He chuckles. "You forgot didn't you?" I smirk. "Yeah..." He laughs. "I'll see you guys later!" I say waving the Michael, Calum, and Ashton as me and Luke walk away.

It's wonderful. There are people on every wall painting, some at the benches cleaning, even some at the alter just admiring it all. Luke squeezes my hand and looks down at me as we walk up to the first row of benches.

"We met in this spot 7 months ago." He smiles. "Wow, that long ago huh?" I say. He nods, "I'm so glad I'm came into the church that day."

"I'm glad you did too." I say pulling him down to my level and resting my forehead to his. "I love you so much." I say. "I love you so much more." He laughs leaning in. And as our lips connect, I'm not alone. Maybe I was left behind before, I but I found myself in the process.

I'm not a loner, I'm not a math wiz, I'm not a reject, I'm not a rich girl, and I'm not weak. I'm Lena. I'm strong and I'm lucky enough to be able to see that the people who left me eventually may leave me again. But they're back now. Whether that's in spirit or in person, they're back.

And I'm okay with that.

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THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER !! i can't believe it!! thank so much to everyone who has supported me in writing this book. WE HIT 10k!!! THANK U THANK U THANK U!!! COMMENT VOTE IDEK ILY💝