And Then She Stopped

chapter twenty-seven

Lucas never lived an exciting life; he wasn't the bull riding, fight picking, southern moral compass everyone thought he was. All Lucas Friar ever was, was ordinary. Ordinary – that is – until the day he met Maya Hart. The minute she walked up to him on the subway his entire world shifted and she became his new center of gravity. Maya singlehandedly put adventure in his life, and just as easily she'd taken it away. Wake up. Go to school. Do homework. Go to sleep. Repeat. This was his life now, he was afraid to do anything else. How does one exist in a world where Maya Hart may never laugh again?

He smiled now, looking at his outfit. He was wearing a blue t-shirt, which was nothing exceptional, especially for him. However, this particular blue t-shirt was given to him by the one and only, Maya Hart. She'd strode into the classroom with a mischievous smirk and a box wrapped in old newspapers hidden behind her back. Because of her small frame and the angle she was holding the box Lucas had managed to see the corners sticking out from behind her.

"What's that?" He'd asked, she smiled up at him and handed the present over,

"I, Maya Penelope Hart, have managed to find you the perfect gift," She slapped the top of the box, "It's practical, it's fashionable, and it's something I know you love."

"Did you wrap yourself?" Lucas teased.

"Just open the damn present." She instructed, starting to tear at her poor wrapping job. Obediently Lucas unwrapped the rest of the package and there it was, shoved inside an old cereal box, a blue t-shirt. At first glance it looked like every other blue shirt he owns, but on the inside Maya had used iron on transfer paper to decal all of her drawers for the assignment she'd completed, because "It's what's on the inside that matters." Because they were still wandering at the time Maya called the shirt a 'work in progress', and now Lucas wondered if she'd ever get the chance to finish it.

"Morning kiddo." Lucas's mom poured herself a cup of coffee and pointed to the box of cereal she'd left on the counter, "I made you breakfast." Lucas stifled a laugh as he got up to pour himself a bowl of cereal. His mom was taking extreme measures to make him smile or laugh – if even just for a moment. His sister, however, was not.

"Morning moron." Melanie said, slapping the back of her brother's head and tugging down at the men's flannel she was wearing, "Joshy stayed over last night, I hope that's alright." She looked through the fridge for breakfast, finding nothing but some yogurt and leftover pizza. Like any college student she opted for the pizza and scurried back upstairs. Lucas quickly finished his breakfast and headed out the door.

School used to be his safe place, where he'd go to escape the chaos of the Friar household. For a while his safe place was Maya, but now? Now he didn't know where his safe place was. Everywhere he looked he was haunted by the reality that all of this time he just wanted to say it, to tell her he loves her, and now he may never get the chance. Did she feel the same way? He may never know. Stop it Friar, he thought to himself while he parked, Maya will get better. Maya doesn't leave people, she's been left too many times. He grabbed his backpack from the passenger seat and locked the doors heading inside of the school.

It was spring now, so flowers were popping up and everyone's spirits were being lifted. It was easy to forget about everything when you walked into those hallways, all buzzing with activity. Lucas made his way to History. Inside the classroom Cory had set up paper flowers all around the chalkboard, they'd made them while they were learning about the nuclear bombings, in homage to the innocent lives lost in order to end our war. Leave it to Cory Matthews to find any excuse to decorate his classroom. Students were already inside, getting excited about the spring formal.