thank you for 13k bitches !!!!!! i still can't believe this book is almost over💔 and sorry for my mistakes on the chapters.
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The next day, Lucas and I decided to go shopping for Christmas items. Christmas shopping, as I would put it. This time, our friends would be coming with us. Meaning, I would finally get to go shopping with my bestfriend, Sofia, and her twin and also Zac and Becky. As for Dexter...he wasn't in contact. I wondered if I was the only one worrying about him and Aspen. He would show up at school and hang out with us at lunch, but that's about it.
"Deck the bows of halls and holy, fa‐la‐la‐la‐la, la‐la‐la‐la!" Zac sang across the living room, throwing his mitten to Lucas. His singing was terrible, not to mention off‐key and wrong.
"It's 'deck the halls of boughs and holy', smartass," Lucas said, throwing the mitten back toZac. "And try not to "deck" the halls with your gloves, please."
"He could use some lessons, couldn't he?" Becky said slyly, smirking at Zac as he groaned. Sofia giggled and bounced on her feet. Usually this meant she had some sort of idea she couldn't wait toshare.
"Maya, can you play Deck the Halls on the piano??" she asked eagerly. I widened my eyes, immediately refusing. "Please? For me, and all of us will sing along." I gave her a look. "Everyone except Zac." Everyone burst out laughing as he scowled to himself.
"Come on. I'm pretty sure we can get into a holiday mood before we're off to shop," Cyrus said, trying to convince me. After a long time of pestering me, I sighed loudly and walked to the piano seat.
"I have to do this all because of you." I glared at Zac and he grinned.
"It's my job, sweetheart," he said. Lucas gave him a dirty look and he erupted with laughter. "The look on your face is priceless, hot sacks. I was just complimenting her that she has a sweetheart. Get it?"
"We're waiting for you to play," Lucas told me, clearly ignoring his obnoxious friend.
I sighed again and placed my fingers on the delicate keys of the grand piano. The room was bright with morning light, and faint notes of the song Deck the Halls fluttered in front of my eyes. I remembered learning this song from my dad when I was nine years old. He would sing along with me and I enjoyed it.
But I had no one else to show it to other than my parents. Now, I have a room full of friends who were waiting for me to play the Christmas song. I started with the intro to signal everyone that the song was starting. I started the first line, 'deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa‐la‐la‐la‐la, la‐la‐la‐la' and everyone followed.
Sofia, Cyrus, Becky, and Lucas sang the verses perfectly, as Zac managed to say the 'fa la la lala' part. Through the middle of the song, Zac and Becky were partner dancing crazily around the room singing 'Strike the harp and join the chorus'. I burst out laughing looking at them and Becky chuckled.
Lucas, still singing, came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my neck, looking at my fingers playing the notes past my shoulder. Sofia and Cyrus came up beside either side of the piano as I did the last finishing verse and ended the song with a loud pair of chords.
"That was amazing!" Sofia said clapping her hands excitedly.
"Yeah, wasn't I the best?" Zac said, and cleared his throat. "Deck the bows of‐"
"The end," Becky interrupted, rolling her eyes. She glanced over and a smug smile played on her lips. "Before the new couple resist to come out of the house, we better hurry up."
"And shop 'till we drop," Sofia added smiling.
I shook Lucas' arms off of me, embarrassed and heat filling up my face. We just figured this out yesterday and I really wanted to take those small baby‐steps. Every single time he even touched me‐ like this morning when we reached for the cereal box at the same time ‐ I felt like I needed to run away. It gave me that familiar compacted and compressed feeling as my chest tightened out ofair.
All of us left the house and got in our cars. Sofia and Cyrus joined Zac's car, leaving me in Lucas car. I didn't know being in a relationship meant you were given different rights and standards or new rules. Or even space. We were just regular people, some liking each other more than others.
"Why didn't you sing along?" Lucas asked me as he started the engine to his beautiful Mercedes Benz which he recently sent to the car wash.
"Because, I'm saving my breath for the talent show," I answered, rubbing my mittens together. "And I don't care if we didn't decide of which song to do. We should ask Mr. Hanson."
"Mr. Hanson," he repeated, looking ahead and pulling out the driveway after Zac's car cleared the way. A small smile splayed on his face, a distant and content curve of the lip. Which obviously looked really nice on his face...although I wouldn't...really pay attention, anyway.
"What about Mr. Hanson?" I took off my gloves and put them back on in a repeated motion. Lucas glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
"He reminded me of the first day I met you." Those words literally made my heart beat a thousand times faster. I opened my mouth but was interrupted. "And before you ask the dumb question, yes. It is important to me and yes, it would cross my mind. So don't keep assuming I'm a jerky, popular guy who is self‐centred and extremely narcissistic."
"Whatever," I said, looking out the window.
"It's not whatever," Lucas said, his tone suddenly a little colder. My startled eyes went back to him, his jaw slightly clenched. "Maya, I'm really serious about this, okay? So even if you're joking around or just being you, it's not just whatever."
Fear replaced the nervousness in my stomach, as I looked ahead at the traffic a mid the frosted trees along the streets. Was...was Lucas mad at me? Just because I said whatever, didn't mean I really didn't care. For someone who was so very new to this, I couldn't come up with anything else to say. I should've just kept quiet. It wouldn't have hurt his feelings...I'm pretty sure. I mean, were his feelings hurt? Does he think I just don't take this relationship seriously? I mean, we just got together yesterday!
"I...I'm sorry," I said, my voice a little raspy. I cleared my throat, looking out the window. "I'm‐"
"I need to talk to you." Lucas' monotone answer cut my apology off. Another fear overlapped the one I was already having. I imagined all the kind of things he wanted to talk to me about. It was all too much for my introvert brain.
"Lucas, I'm so...I'm so oblivious to this kind of thing. And we just got together yesterday and we're having another talk the day after," I said, close to chewing my nails off.
I was really worried at this point. Was he planning to break up with me or something? And he wouldn't react to anything I say. Did I make him angry by pushing him away a lot? We came to the shopping complex where a crowd of people walked across the snowy sidewalks. Lucas turned the car to a parking lot to the side of the shopping mall.
"Lucas," I said.
"What?" he replied, turning his head to me. His green eyes looking right at my blue ones. I shivered at his gaze, knowing I annoyed him again.
"I must really be a bad...girlfriend." Lucas didn't look away after about ten seconds.
He turned to face the parking lot again and found an empty spot at the second row. He turned off the engine and stuffed the car keys into his back pocket. He fished out his phone to check something and I sat quietly, looking at my lap. Lucas called Cyrus to enquire where they found a parking lot and where to meet up. I looked out the window with my hood up.
"Let's go," Lucas said.
I nodded right away, not wanting him to get more annoyed. I closed the car door after I got out and followed Lucas towards the shopping mall. The entrance always awed me‐ it was the second ﴾I'm pretty sure﴿ time I ever went here. It was huge with glass doors and escalators right at the beginning.
Sadly, we didn't use the escalators even though I caught Lucas looking at me expectantly as Ir eluctantly followed him past them. A set of couches at the centre with potted plastic plants at the sides aligned behind the angle of the escalators. We saw the rest of our friends waiting there, chatting and sometimes fooling around with nearby customers.
"Oh, there you guys are!" Sofia said when she spotted us. She was holding one of the mall pamphlets, and I was glad it had nothing to do with me. "I know the perfect place for Christmas items!"
"Is it somewhere upstairs?" I asked eagerly.
"It's second floor, Maya," Becky corrected me. Oh. "And yeah, it is 'upstairs'."
"We can go by the stairs, right?" Lucas said, looking at everyone.
I gawked at him as he avoided eye contact. He knew I liked to go on the escalators, and he knew it was the fastest way to get to the second level. Unless Superman magically appeared and carried us there.
"Actually, yeah," Sofia said, her nose dug inside the booklet. "The store is closest to the other side of the mall, exactly where the stairs are."
Lucas smirked. "That's convenient." He looked at me just when I glowered at him. Sofia looped an arm through mine, pulling me away and down the large and wide hallway.
"You just watch. I'm gonna show you all the cool things to buy and help you with all the decorations..." Sofia rambled on and on.
It sounded good to my ears, to have someone's arm through mine and talking to me like a really close friend. Which she obviously was. The rest of the group followed behind us, talking really loudly. If anything, it was just Zac and Lucas making most of the noise. I knew it would've been way louder if Dexter was also here. It sort of bummed me out that he wasn't here. He belonged in the group and was a routine member before I even came along.
Along with the rest of the mall, the stairs were pretty crowded, too. There must be a lot of sales going around because it sure seemed rushed and populated. Just by looking at the store from the outside, I could see an explosion of Christmas colours, spirit, and products. My mouth was open in surprise as I saw the many wreaths hung outside and displays of stockings and presents through the windows, and an arrangement of ornaments hung around the entire shop like it was a big Christmas tree itself.
"Oh my Lord, I think I'm gonna get lost in here," Zac murmured, squinted at the store to makeout the entrance. It wouldn't surprise me if he did get lost. He sure loved to explore and roam around everywhere with a pint of childishness.
"Come on!" Sofia squealed, immediately dragging me into the store.
That's pretty much how half of the day went by. We explored more than Christmas stores, but by lunch, we were loaded with bags and bags of stuff. I knew the popular kids were pretty rich, but I didn't know this rich. I wondered if they also had a part‐time job or something. We were sitting at a table in the Food Court, eating fries, burgers, and other meals.
It was warm inside the building and comforting with the Christmas spirit and buzz going around. I was positive this year's Christmas would be the best. And my parents there on time would really be the cherry on top of a perfect Christmas tree. Zac wanted to get slushies and everyone went with him but Lucas and me. Partially because I was to the far right of the booth and Lucas was blocking my exit. He didn't want to go and didn't let me either.
"What about the Christmas tree?" I asked him, my mouth full of salty French fries. I wiped my mouth with the tissue when he looked at me with his elbow on the table.
"That aside, I told you I need to talk to you." He bent forward, looking directly at me with his intense eyes. I had almost forgotten about that whole conversation we had in the car this morning. If it was even a proper conversation.
"I'm sorry," I squeaked. He furrowed his brows. "I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?" he said, sitting up straight.
"For being such a brat in the car." I looked at Lucas for any trace of anger. But he didn't look like he did in the car. "Were you angry at me?"
"Let me think," he said, rubbing his chin. Then he glared at me. "Yes. Maya, I want to be your boyfriend. You don't have to do anything but stick with me."
"But that's not the only thing a girlfriend does," I told him. Lucas brushed through his hair, facing the table and putting both his elbows on the table.
"Look, don't try to act any different than you normally do. I don't care if you push me away or run away from me. Just don't...don't think this isn't serious," Lucas said.
"But I do think this is serious," I said, entwining my fingers and unwrapping them. "I just don't know how to approach it. I don't know if those are the right words, but‐"
"Do you want me to make you understand again?" He looked at me, his gaze solid and unwavering. I gulped, going back to yesterday and predicting what would happen if I said yes.
"They're gonna come back, you know," I said instead.
Lucas sat back against his seat. "Nah. If Zac's there, they're sure to hold up the line." I smiled and looked at the table. "Well, we better get home soon. And I still need to look for catalogues for the tree."
I nodded, remembering something my parents wrote in their mail. Lucas and I reached forthe French fries cup at the same time and our fingers brushed. I snatched my hand back right away, taking a napkin to not look so insecure. Lucas took a fry and put it between his teeth.
"I'm gonna make you so comfortable around me one day," Lucas pledged. I rolled my eyes, my hand returning to the cup of fries.
"You still didn't fulfill the promise you made last week," I reminded him. "Of you babysitting me. So that's still pending, for your information."
"I know." He grinned slyly. "I've got it all planned, darling. You don't worry."
"Is this going to be a thing now?" I asked, tapping my cheek with my not‐greasy hand. Lucas gave me a confused look. "Calling me sweetheart and darling and stuff. It's kind of cheesy, isn't it?"
"Not to me. And plus, I called you that even before we became a couple," he said.
A couple. He could say it so easily but those two words really tingled my skin. Lucas was right about them taking so long to come back. But it didn't bother neither of us. Lucas and I kept talking to each other and he was probably the first and only guy I talked to the most. And the first and only guy that talked back.
All of us went back to our houses, and my ears felt frozen solid by the time I shut the main door. I pulled down my hood and took out the earmuffs, putting the tons of shopping bags on the kitchen counter. We still had a lot of work to do before our parents came home before Christmas. I took a warm shower, spending at least an hour sitting in the bathtub. I just soaked up all the comfort and happiness, and remained tranquil. I felt like falling asleep, although I was pretty tired.
But before school started tomorrow, and before we had to contact Stiles for those talent show plans, Lucas and I still had to put the decorations up. I wrapped my hair in a towel and stepped outside the misty tub and onto the fluffy rug. When I tapped Lucas' door, he told me to come in. Because of the fresh scent of body wash, I knew he took a shower, too. And the fact he was wiping his hair shirtless totally gave it away.
"You don't tell me to come in if you're still getting dressed," I remarked, my eyes falling to his tattoo.
"I'm done dressing up," he replied. A wave of satisfaction swept his face when I blushed slightly. "We're putting up the decorations after an hour."
"No, you are." I crossed my arms across my chest. "I decorated your entire house, so it's time for you to decorate mine." I leaned back against the wall, looking up at him.
"Sure. Only because you look like you're about to go splat on the ground any minute." He walked up to me and took my wrist. Out of reflex, I tugged back, no where stronger than his hold.
"But we still have time before that." He took me to the bed where we lay on the sheets. I was tired and drowsy, so I let him do what he wanted. He took the towel out of my hair and set it aside.
"So I can sleep?" I asked, yawning.
"No. We're going to take a nap and wake up after exactly an hour," he said, putting his iPhone to the side. He closed the curtains and pulled a blanket over us. I was already half‐asleep on the pillow beside him. "By the way, couples do this," Lucas said quietly, pulling me gently to him.
Although my heartbeat increased dramatically, I didn't have the strength to pull back or move at all. His body radiated off great heat which felt warm and comfy. I felt caged with his arm draped around my waist, but in a good way. He reminded me of my parents when they put me to sleep when I was younger. I felt near to my parents when I felt near to him, too. It was that sheer relief that helped me get closer to Lucas.
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someone said i should make maya or lucas dead at the end of the story. what do you guys think ?