Snapshots

Jealous Lucas

"Are you excited Maya?" Riley asks Maya one morning before school.
"Yeah, I kind of am," she says in response.
"What's up?" I ask. I didn't know anything was happening for Maya today.
"I'm going on a date with Zay," she says. "I thought he would've told you," she comments off handedly turning back around to Riley.
"Did you know about this?" I ask turning to Farkle.
"We all did. He asked her out in Matthews' class last Tuesd- oh, you were in Texas when he asked her. "I'm sorry buddy, I thought you knew," he says patting me on the back sympathetically.
"I did not know that one of my old best friends was dating the girl I'm in love with. I wish he would've told me. Then maybe I wouldn't be this crushed."
"I'm really sorry Lucas. You just lost your chance," he says reminding me of the all too painful reality I live in.
"It's okay. I'd rather her be with him and happy then without anybody," I say back. "Let's just go to class," I say. I walk into Matthews' class with Farkle right behind me and am struck with another blow to the heart. "What are you doing Zay? That's my seat."
"But now it's not," he says. I sigh and walk back to the seat behind him. Stupid 'most likely to be okay with anything that happens' me. Maya laughs at something Zay says and puts her elbow on his desk. That's not fair. That used to be something she'd only do with me.
~
"What's wrong, Lucas? Why don't you want your blueberry muffin? You always finish it," Farkle says.
"I just can't imagine Maya and Zay. I mean, they're all wrong for each other."
"Well did you tell Zay you're in love with her?"
"No," I say. "You're the only one who knows."
"Well maybe you can explain it to him. Zay's only been here for a month Lucas. Maybe he'll back off."
"Good point Farkle," I say. "Let's go. I'll need you for backup."
~
"I'm really excited for tonight Zay," I hear a familiar voice say as Farkle and I sit on the subway.
"Farkle, Maya and Zay are here."
"What? Okay well just lay low," he says.
"Me too, Maya. I'm so happy you said yes. Honestly, I thought you'd say no because you liked Lucas." What?
"No, I don't like Lucas in that way," she says back laughing. I try not to let that hurt me as much as I know it will.
"Well, I'm sorry that it took me so long to ask you," he says and she giggles. I love that giggle.
"Are you going over there?" Farkle asks me.
"No," I say taking one more look over there. "It's too late for me."
~
Farkle hung out at my house all weekend. He is a great friend. He even canceled his plans with Riley Saturday night so he could stay over. But now it's Monday, and I have to go to homeroom with everybody. Including Maya and Zay. I feel almost physically sick.
I'm already sitting two seats behind her and Farkle is talking to Riley when Maya and Zay come in, holding hands. How fast does he move? "And that guy," Zay says out of breath from laughing.
"He was hilarious," Maya responds laughing some more.
"What do you think we should do tomorrow?" he asks sitting down behind her.
"I don't know we could-" she says getting cut off by Mr. Matthews coming into the room.
"Today we are talking about-" he starts but I tune him out. I see Maya pass a note back to Zay before I put my hand up. "These people were- Yes Mr. Friar?"
"I-I-I," I say stuttering not able to finish my sentence or take my eyes off of Maya and Zay.
"Yes, Mr. Friar? Farkle?" he asks after I still don't get anything out.
"He needs to go to the nurse sir, he doesn't feel well." And that's when I feel my head nodding and my hand going down.
"Take him then Farkle. Come back once he's there safely," he says handing Farkle the trash can. He either thinks I'm really sick or doesn't feel the need to embarrass me. I follow Farkle to the nurses office where Farkle explains and I lay down. After an hour I feel better and decide to go back to class.
"Thank you," I say.
"You're welcome," the nurse says and I walk out into the hallway.
"Are you sure I can't go home," I hear someone say. "Just for a weekend." I recognize that voice. But it can't be. "I understand dad. But I want to see John and Caleb and Lacey," Zay. John and Caleb were his other friends, and Lacey was our good friend. Caleb and Lacey were together and have been since we were 5.
"Zay?" I ask turning the corner after hearing him hang up.
"Hey man, feeling better?"
"Yeah, I'm feeling good now. What's up with you wanting to go home?" That's a lie. I still never want to see Zay again but what he doesn't know won't hurt him.
"Just miss it. But it's cool. I don't mind."
"Oh okay, well let's head back to class."
"Okay dude, just don't get sick on me," he says taking a step away.
"Promise," I say as we walk back to Matthews' class. It's going to be a long day.
~
It's been two months since Zay and Maya went on their first date. I want her to be happy, but every time she's going on a date with him I die a little inside. "So, tonight?" I hear her ask Zay as she walks into the class.
"Tonight, my place, 8 o'clock," he says back.
"See you then," she responds sweetly. Maybe I'll go to Farkle's. He'll be free.
~
I was walking to Farkle's when something stopped me. I looked up and recognized Zay's building. It's 9:30, he and Maya are in there right now. I look down to keep going when I hear the door open. "L-Lucas?" I hear a soft voice stutter as she walks closer to me.
"What happened Maya?" I ask turning to face her. After Riley and Farkle started dating, we had gotten closer, so I knew her well enough to know that she never stutters.
"I thought I could deal with him. I thought he wouldn't do it to me like he said he's done to others. I thought, I guess I thought, I don't know what I thought," she manages to get out before I see a couple of tears make paths down her cheeks.
"Hey, hey," I say wiping them away. "Don't worry. Come 'ere," I say opening my arms for her to collapse into. Once I know that she's done crying I tell her to get on my back and hand me my phone from my back pocket. "Yeah, Farkle, I can't come tonight. Something came up," I say into the speakers.
"Okay, call me later," he says back.
"Will do," I say hanging up and starting the walk back to Maya's house.
"How do you know where I live?" she asks wiping away the tears.
"Real friends listen. Also, Farkle made me stop by that one Halloween, remember?"
She laughs at the memory. "Oh yeah, I remember."
It's a short walk back to Maya's house and she lets me in without letting me let her go. She leads me to the couch and I sit down on the side opposite her. "Do you want me to call Riley?" I ask, a little unsure.
"No, she left for Pennsylvania an hour ago with her family. She won't help any," Maya says getting up and grabbing a water bottle from the fridge for both of us.
"What makes you think I'll be able to do anything?" I ask curious as she sits back down.
"Because you stopped in the first place. No one I know would do that for me."
I smile but then remember why I'm here and frown. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, but I need to because that's the only way I'll be able to make any sense of it." I nod and wait for her to continue. She takes a deep breath and starts. "At the beginning of this relationship I thought I had found something special. We were both different. We both needed each other. But about a month in I started to double guess myself. I didn't know what was happening, but I didn't want it to. I decided to open up to him." I realized she wouldn't say his name, but I didn't say anything. Just listened. "Anyway, he opened up to me too and admitted that in his past he cheated on his ex-girlfriend Katie. I decided to give him a chance even though that trait probably didn't go away. He swore to me he'd never do anything like that to me," she starts slipping off into her own world and I see pools of tears in her eyes.
"We can stop if you want to," I say rubbing her back.
"No I need to finish," she says calming herself down. I nod for her to continue when she's ready. "Three weeks ago he said he was going back to Texas to see some friends, the way you used to do. I was stupid and believed him. He came back and was getting away with it except for the fact that one of your old friends payed him a little visit and I didn't know they existed. Until I walked in and saw her sucking his face off." She looked sad, betrayed, and mad.
"Lacey," I say through clenched teeth and fisted hands. "Hold on," I tell Maya getting out my phone. "Is this her?" I ask showing her Caleb's picture ID in my phone. He was holding hands with Lacey. Maya nodded and I called the number in the contact. "Lacey is here Caleb. Yeah, in Zay's apartment. He's cheating on one of my best friends with her. Yes, again. Caleb, this is the time. I'm sorry," I go through the conversation gradually getting more sympathetic. "Yeah, bye Caleb." I turn to Maya after I put down my phone. "That is Lacey, an old friend. Not one anymore. I'm sorry Zay hurt you like that. Do I need to go beat him up?" I ask partly for her benefit, partly because he deserves it.
"No, but I don't know how much of him I can take."
"It's okay Maya, I won't let him hurt you."
"Thank you Lucas," she says scooting over and putting her head on my shoulder. I instinctively start running my fingers through her hair. Within minutes she's asleep.
"I'll take care of you Maya. Promise."

(A/N: I know this is really cheesy, and I'm sorry for that. I'll post part two when this story gets 5votes or stars, so click that button! I have a story I'm working on that's like an actual chapter length story, so I might post that towards the end of the week. Thank you guys for reading, I love you all, you're the best.)