If age is just a number

Love always, Riley

I got out of the car as soon as they pulled in the driveway. The rest of the ride was silent after Lucas came up, the last thing I needed was a lecture. I stood by the door as Shawn unlocked it, heading straight for my bedroom when I got inside.

I shut the door behind me, taking a look around the room before going to the bathroom attached to my bedroom and taking a shower. I stood under the hot water, letting the steam relax me after the hellish 72 hours

My body slid down the back wall, shaking as tears racked my body. I cried to myself for a few moments, every emotion you could think of running through my veins. Happiness, that me and my loved ones are alive. Sadness, that so many people tragically lost their life's..that Lucas isn't here with me. Anger, that missy would do such a thing.

After I was pretty sure I had no tears left to cry, I emerged from the steamy shower, changing into nice clean loose pyjamas and crawling into bed. I lay silently, my eyes watching the world outside the window as I didn't dare to use my brain.

I felt as if anytime I thought about anything, moved, out effort into something, I would just want to cry. Sitting or lying down and just zoning out was the biggest form of comfort, don't get me wrong, I'd love to snuggle into Lucas' protective muscular arms, but for some reason a Californian university thought it was a good idea to send them over to Pennsylvania instead of somewhere closer like I don't fucking know, Arizona?

"Maya honey" my mom spoke softly as she entered my room, a tray in her hands. I hadn't realised how hungry I was until she placed it on my lap, it was my favourite meal. "Do you want to watch something? I'll put Netflix on" she smiled, taking the remote from the nightstand and turning on Vampire diaries for me to watch

"Maya honey I want to talk about this Lucas" she added, the same soft, fake tone in her voice. I rolled my eyes as she sat down beside me "mom I get it! He's older then me, it's wrong, it's illegal or whatever. But he was there for me and he protected me, cared for me while I was there, and he is sweet, he is kind, he never tried anything with me, he never violated me or whatever assumptions you and shawn have" I ranted

She smiled softly again "maya..I was going to say that he sounds like a very sweet person and that in two weeks you will be eighteen, therefore it will be legal and completely normal. We'd love to meet him, thank him for being there for you when we couldn't...now eat up, I'm sure your hungry" she replied, standing up and leaving me alone in the room.

I pressed play on the Netflix, tucking into the spaghetti meatballs she had made for me. She approves of Lucas? Shawn approves of Lucas? I would've never saw that one coming.

I force myself to forget about it again as the thought of Lucas makes me want to cry my eyes out all over again. Continuing to watch the episode, for a short moment in time I had forgotten about the previous events of the week.

Until I received a text,

They're doing a memorial thing at school on friday..my dad said your one of the people they want to say a few words so thought I'd give you a heads up. Missing you, Love always, Riley