Complicated People, Complicated Love

Ground Rules

Maya

A couple days ago I made the mistake of telling Lucas that we need to talk. So far I've been dodging the subject entirely every time he brings it up, but I know that we actually do need to talk. It'll be hard, but I'm sure I can open my emotions enough for one conversation. Probably.

I'm going over to his house after school today before his parents get home at 6.

I'm actually worried about meeting his parents. It won't be today but I'm sure I'll meet them eventually. I know that Lucas is close to his parents, or at least closer than I am to mine. If his parents don't like me then maybe he'll side with them and ditch me. See? Another doubt to add to the pile.

I'm already lying to him about my "conversation" with my dad the other day. It started off well, but somewhere along the way he got out the belt. Although it's more like a whip since it's just a long chain of leather that causes pain.

I snap out of my distracting thoughts when Riley elbows me. I look to my left at her and she's handing me an orange. I smile and take it. Lucas is sitting across from me at our lunch table. He hands me a hot dog and Farkle gives me a soda.

"You guys are the best, you know that?" I say popping open the soda.

"Oh, we know," they all say almost simultaneously. I shake my head as they eat their own lunches.

Lucas puts his hand on mine and smiles at me. I feel the rush of warmth at his touch. I look at him and give him the most convincing smile I can. I can't help but be nervous about our talk.

                                       .  .  .

After school, I take the subway with Riley and Lucas back home. But at the stop, I go with Lucas instead of going with Riley. We walk together talking about nothing in particular. The whole walk is mainly just me trying to not show that I'm in pain because of the damn bruises all over me. I wore Lucas's hoodie today hoping that it would cover most of my skin. Once again I curse at whoever invented the belt.

Once we reach his house around 4, I go straight to the kitchen.

"So, what questions are we going to start with, Huckleberry?" I ask, getting out leftover pizza from a couple nights ago when I was still crashing here.

"How about what we are going to call ourselves?" he says, standing on the opposite side of the counter as me, resting his elbows on the granite.

"You mean like I call you Cowboy you call me Short Stack?" I ask taking a gigantic bite of the cold pizza, leaning on the granite like Lucas.

"No, I mean, are we a couple?" I freeze. It's a valid question. It's basically what we're here to finalize. I try to unfreeze my limbs but it's hard.

"Do you want us to be?" I hedge with my mouth full of chewed up pizza. I realize that this might not be the best time to be eating like a truck driver.

"I do," he says holding back a laugh at me trying to swallow all the pizza in my mouth. This is some guy if he says that while I look like this. I smile as much as I can with a mouthful.

"Me too," I say. There, that wasn't so bad.

"Perfect," he says, continuing with the questions. "Now this one is important. Can I call you any classic pet names?" I scowl at him, not justifying an answer. "Come on," he begs. "Can't I just call you Sweetie?"

"You realize you're talking to ME right?"

"Haha, okay. How about Honey?" I shake my head. "Baby?"

"Definitely not," I got goosebumps when he said baby. But baby implies something that is owned, something that is cared for and vulnerable. Not gonna be me. So he doesn't have to know that just hearing him call me that got me all worked up. he sighs.

"Fine. Can we hold hands?" He asks, reaching for mine.

"Yes," I grab his outstretched hand. This, I have no problem with.

"In public?" He asks, raising his eyebrows like he knows PDA isn't my thing.

"Fine," I say somewhat reluctantly.

"Can we cuddle?" It's impossibly cute how this hot as sin man is asking for my cuddles.

I contemplate this, "I've never actually cuddled and I don't really know how."

"It's easy," he squeezes my hand, "I'll teach you," he says.

"Then okay," he smiles.

"Can we kiss?" He leans forward a bit smiling.

"Obviously," I lean forward to smack a kiss on his smiling lips.

"You taste like pizza," he says.

"You're welcome," I respond. "Ok, I'll compromise, maybe you can call me baby in private," I'm probably going to regret that. It just slipped out!

"You're the best, baby," he says with an exaggeratedly raised voice.

"Shhhh," I say, leaping forward to cover his mouth with my hand, only to remember that no one's home.

"I like the sound of that," he says and I scowl at him until he kisses me again.