wanderlust ▷ lucaya

one; welcome back

I approached the front doors of the school with caution, almost like I was on my way to a guillotine. But I knew I wasn't, because this was high school, though high school was its own form of torture. I couldn't bring myself to open the doors, though, because I knew what was waiting for me on the other side of those doors—judgement, pain, and worst of all, memories.

I looked to the left.

To the right.

Nobody was watching me.

I slipped inside.

The cool air of the building swept over my exposed arms and legs—I was wearing a dress today—and I shivered. As usual, the hallway was a lively buzz, swarming with chatting students, and teachers rushing in and out of classrooms. For some reason, I smiled a bit at the sight of this, and I felt slightly better about the whole thing. Some of the memories I had of JQA, of Greenwich, were good, but not the most recent one. The most recent one was bad, and it was what drove me away in the first place.

Nobody noticed me—so far, so good. I looked down at my schedule, which I hadn't even realized I'd been holding until just now, and let my eyes roam over the contents. First period was, thankfully, art with Ms. Kossal. Aside from Mr. Matthews, Ms. Kossal was the only teacher I missed at this God forsaken school. She always understood me, and she helped me to have hope. She helped me realize that I had a real talent for drawing.

The little piece of paper with my classes printed onto it had my locker number, which was locker 127, on the first floor. I looked from side to side again, making sure the coast was clear, before I took off down the hallway as fast as my little legs could carry me. My flats left scuff marks against the tiled floor of the hallway, but I ignored it as I buzzed past the lockers that didn't belong to me. I checked each number on each locker in the periphery of my vision.

121.

123.

125.

127.

I stopped, nearly screeching like a car which came to an abrupt halt as I did so. Releasing a sigh, I all but pressed my face up against the locker, getting as close as I could to it in a shameful attempt to hide my face. The less people noticed me, the better, and I really wanted people to just treat me like I didn't exist. Riley was always the one that people adored, anyways, so it shouldn't have been too hard for people to simply ignore my presence.

I entered the combination that the paper told me in the locker, waiting for the click! before abruptly swinging it open and stuffing my bag inside. Once it was in, I unzipped it, hauling out my sketchbook and art history textbook that I was going to need for Ms. Kossal's class. With that, I shoved the locker closed, not thinking straight enough to do it nonchalantly as it created a loud slam.

Maybe no one noticed it, I thought to myself. Maybe they don't care enough to notice it. Maybe they're all to absorbed in their own lives to care what broken little Maya Hart did, or to even think about the weird new girl who tries so hard to hide herself from the world.

"Maya?"

Shoot.

I knew that voice anywhere. It was the same voice that I used to be able to listen to for hours on end, whether it was in History class or at the ever so popular bay window. Wherever I was, I knew that voice, and I knew that I couldn't hide my face from the person for much longer, because she knew me, and I knew her.

Riley Matthews.

Craning my neck ever so slowly, my blue eyes met a pair of chocolate brown ones, which were so wide, you'd think Riley had just seen a ghost. I wanted to run away, I wanted to turn and bolt down the hallway until my knees gave out and I couldn't run anymore, but it was impossible. My feet seemed to be glued to this spot on the floor, unable to scurry down the school like I so desperately wanted them to.

"You're back?" Her voice was soft, a mixture between confusion and shock.

I didn't respond.

"W-when did you get back?" she asked.

Again, I didn't respond.

"Maya," she said, her voice turning slightly stern. "Talk to me."

"I..." I couldn't form any words after that. It was like they all died in my throat before they had the chance to make it out in the open.

"Talk," she demanded.

"I... Where's Lucas?"

It was the worst possible question to ask, but it seemed to be the only sentence I could manage at the moment. Instantly after the words had left my mouth, I regretted it, especially when I saw the stone cold expression that overtook Riley's face. She was mad, I could tell, but I couldn't bring myself to apologize.

"Why?" She looked away, her jaw clenching and unclenching. "So you can kiss him again?"

I deserved that.

"I just need to talk to him," I said.

She seemed to calm down a bit at this, but her cool demeanor returned seconds later. "I don't know where he is," she told me.

I was confused. She always knew where Lucas was—either that or they were always together.

"But-"

"He's not my boyfriend anymore, Maya," she interjected. "We broke up that day."

I shook my head. "But you're Riley and Lucas—you're perfect for each other."

"I used to think so, too." She shrugged. "But that was the past."

I couldn't take it anymore—I was the one who caused Riley to be so hostile, I was the one who caused Riley and Lucas to break up, and I wasn't going to take it anymore. She had to know that I didn't mean to do any of this, that I still wanted to be her best friend. She was always going to be my best friend, though, whether or not she still loved me.

"I'm sorry, Riles," I finally said.

She nodded. "I know you are."

"It was an accident," I choked out, just then realizing that I was starting to cry. I was so weak. "I never meant to hurt you, Riley, I never planned to kiss Huckleberry, it just sort of happened. You understand, right?"

She looked like she was contemplating believing me in her mind, but judging by the way a deep sigh released into the air, I figured I knew what was going to happen—she was going to forgive me.

"Of course I understand," she breathed. "But I didn't break up with Lucas because you guys kissed, Maya. I broke up with him because..."

I frowned. "Because, what?"

"Because he felt something from it."

—❀—

sorry there was no Lucas in this, but this was just kind of introduction to the whole story because I don't want to jump right into things. I really hope you guys enjoyed it!

[ unedited ]

xoxo, Jenna