Butterfly Effect On My Heart (Lucaya) ON HOLD

31. Finding Maya

Maya's POV

I drove to this secluded area that oversaw New York City. I got out of my car and sat on the hood just looking down at everything. My mom kept calling me, but I'm not answering, not until they both calm down. My family has always been complicated. More complicated then most families are. A different name appeared on my phone at this point, it was Lucas. Either he's calling to check on me or mom told him I took off. I picked up the phone and answered it.

Maya: what?
Lucas: Maya where are you?
Maya: don't worry about where I am, I'll come home when I'm ready.
Lucas: why didn't you call me if something was going on?
Maya: because I needed to get out of there and walking next door wasn't classified as getting out. I need space and time to think.
Lucas: what exactly happened?
Maya: why does it even matter? Why does anything I do matter?
Lucas: Maya you need to tell me where you are.
Maya: I'm sorry. I can't do that.
Lucas: please tell me you aren't with Dylan.
Maya: of course not! Do you really think I'm that stupid?
Lucas: no I don't, but no one knows where you are and we're all worried.
Maya: well, I guess you'll have to be worried a while longer.

After that that I hung up on him and put my phone on silent. I brought my knees up to my chest and placed my chin on my knees admiring how beautiful the city looked during the sun set.

Lucas's POV

I walked over to Maya's house to go speak with her mom. For once I actually knocked on the door since Maya wasn't there. Seconds later she opened the door and let me in.

"Well, I talked to her." I said looking at Katy.

"What did she say?" She asked me and I could tell she was devastated.

"Not much, just that she'll be home when she's ready to come home and that she needs space." I said as I looked down to the ground. "Has she done this before?"

"Never this long, before she left she seemed so angry at the world."

"Yeah, you could say that." I replied quietly. "Did she even get a chance to mention the doctors appointment?"

"No. She went straight to yelling and out the door she went."

"Doctor diagnosed her with PTSD. She was a mess after that appointment and even started yelling at me before I got her home." I explained to her.

"The thing about Maya is she hates change, absolutely hates it. She can't handle when life throws a 360 spin at her and that's what's happening, she's acting out on it. She isn't intentionally worrying us. Once she accepts everything she comes around and is herself again." Katy told me and things started to make sense.

"Well, I can drive through the city and see if I can find her?" I suggested because I was honesty so worried about her and I just want to be sure she's safe.

"You can. If you find her, don't approach her in a hostile way or she will retaliate and say things she doesn't mean. You need to be careful what you say to her when she's this vulnerable." She explained further and I told her I would be careful with how I would handle the situation.

When I left her mom I went straight for my car and got in and started my search for her. I can't even imagine what she's feeling right now, but I need to find her. I texted her a few times to see if I could get a response out of her, but nothing. I've been looking half the night and it's going on 10pm. Still nothing so I called my next best option. Farkle. He's a genius after all so he might be able to pin her location for me.

Farkle: what's up buddy?
Lucas: Farkle, I need your help. Maya's missing.
Farkle: what do you mean she's missing?
Lucas: she took off earlier when her and her parents got in a fight and won't tell anyone where she is.
Farkle: what do you need me to do?
Lucas: can you pin her location on her phone? It might be able to give me an idea where she is .
Farkle: yeah give me a second. Luckily her gps is on. Did you check the place we used to go when we wanted to see the city in full view because that's the roundabout location I'm getting.
Lucas: Farkle you're a genius, I didn't even think to check there. Thank you.
Farkle: of course, let me know if you find her.

I hung up with him and headed that way. Just as I started to travel through the city I was getting a phone call, it was from Maya. I kept saying hello, but she wasn't saying anything and just then I realized her phone was in her pocket because I could hear her crying and that instantly made me cry to the point I needed to pull over for a second to recollect myself. After that I drove all the way to the location where Farkle said she probably was and sure enough I see her car. I got out of my car as fast as I could and look in the window of her car and see her curled up in a ball still crying. She obviously didn't even notice that I pulled up behind her. I tapped on the window and her tear stained face looked back at me.

"Maya please open up, I've been looking for you all night." I said loud enough for her to hear me. She unlocked the door with no questions asked. "I've been so worried about you, you don't know the relief that I have knowing you're okay."

"How did you find me?" She asked locking eyes with me.

"I had a little help from Farkle, he pinned your location for me." I replied.

"Of course he did, I should have turned off my GPS." She retorted.

"Hey, don't be upset. Come here." I said as I reached my arm out and she cuddled into me starting to cry again.

"Maya please stop crying. Don't underestimate how much I love you, I would do anything for you and I've literally been looking for you all night."

"My dad wants to take me from my mom." She said quietly.

"That won't happen." I replied.

"How do you know?" She asked.

"Because your mom has full custody and he wasn't in your life until you got here, that's 17 years of being absent from your life, he can't make that call and if he tries I'll talk to Riley's mom myself, she's the best lawyer NYC has and I know she would help." I replied while running my fingers through her hair trying to calm her down.

"Thank you for searching for me and I'm sorry I worried you." She said locking eyes with me again.

"Will you come home?" I asked her.

"I'm not ready." She replied.

"How about we compromise then, come home with me to my house and you can park your car in the garage because my parents are in Texas until Sunday." I responded and saw a small smile on her face which was a relief.

"I'd like that." She replied.

I gave her a kiss and we both got out of the back seat and she got in the driver seat while I made my way back to my car. She followed me all the way back to my house and we went up to my room. I gave her a pair of my shorts and a tshirt to change into. As soon as we crawled in bed she instantly nuzzled her way into me, holding on to me tight.

"I love you." I said to her as I kissed the top of her head.

"I love you, too Huckleberry." She replied quietly.

It didn't take her long to fall asleep in my arms. She had such an emotionally draining day and I'm just happy she's safe.