Falling Into Place

Chapter Ten

"Did you tell Lucas yet?" Liam asked. They walked down the hallway from their sixth period to Mr. Matthews' room.

"No..."

"What? You two hung out last night, you could've told him!"

"I know but-"

"No buts, Maya." Liam interupted. "It's Friday. You have until tonight or else I tell him Monday."

"I know." Maya sighed before they turned the corner into Mr. Matthews' class. "Hey, Lucas." Maya grinned. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her legs up off the ground. Lucas, chuckled, quickly wrapping his arms around her back.

"Hey little brat." Setting her down, Lucas kissed the top of her head. Maya laughed and continued to hug him. "Why're you being all cute?"

"I'm always cute!" She pouted. Lucas looked around at Riley and Liam who, although laughing, agreed.

"I guess you're pretty alright." He shrugged.

"Are we going to sit here and watch you two be disgustingly adorable or are we gonna go eat?" Liam interupted. Following him out of the room, they all walked to Topanga's. Lucas and Maya hand-in-hand, walked a bit behind Riley and Liam.

"So, on a more serious note..." Maya was nervous, but squeezed Lucas' hand.

"I knew there was a reason you were being so lovey-dovey." Lucas laughed, scratching the back of his neck.

"Well you remember that James kid that you don't really like?" Maya looked down, picking at her fingernails.

"Don't really like is an understatement." Lucas chuckled. "What about him?" They walked into Topanga's, sitting at a separate booth than Riley and Liam. Maya was still looking down and began picking at her nails again when Lucas grabbed her hand and made her look up. "Stop doing that."

"Sorry." She laughed nervously.

"What about James?" Lucas pushed.

"Well... about a week ago something happened."

"I'm not gonna like this, am I?" Maya shook her head and looked down at her lap. Telling Lucas everything, not leaving out a single detail, he squeezed her hand as she told him the story.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Shh, Lucas!" Maya smacked his arm and he shook his head. He grabbed her hand, pulling her outside, away from Topanga's, and all the way to his house.

"Maya Penelope Hart I don't understand why you keep on keeping things like this from me."

"Lucas I can handle things on my own."

"No, Maya, you can't. You know in size you can't compete. You know you're vulnerable and what he said could hurt you!"

"It-...it doesn't bother me."

"Maya, I'm always one hundred percent honest with you. If you can't come to me when you need help then... then maybe we should break up."

"What...?" Maya's heart sunk. About as quickly as she heard him say what he did, tears filled her eyes and she glanced down at a rubber band on her wrist.

"You think I really want to do that? I don't, but maybe you need a little time alone..."

"No... Lucas-" Maya whimpered. Tears fell from her eyes onto her cheeks and her shirt. She glanced down at the rubber band again, now blurry due to her tear filled eyes, and she began to snap it against her wrist.

"Stop that." Lucas pulled her hands apart and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Why do you think think us breaking up would help?" Maya sniffled, squeezing Lucas tightly.