A/N: Yes, I said a week. It's been more than a week. Oops.
Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. I do so appreciate the kind worlds.
Anyway, here is the actual date between Maya and Lucas. Again, some dialog may be too mature (or maybe I'm just not giving teenagers enough credit, you decide.) There's also one part I found more Farkle-y than Lucas-y, but I went with it anyway. See if you can spot it. And go!
!
Lucas took a deep breath before knocking on the door of apartment 26. It was Mr. Matthews who answered. Lucas tried to keep the fear out of his voice as he greeted his history teacher. "Good evening, Sir. I'm here to pick up Maya."
Cory stepped aside to let the boy in, but he didn't look happy about it.
The look on the elder man's face and Lucas' own nerves were wreaking havoc on his brain. He blamed that for the horrible attempt to lighten the mood that came out of his mouth. "I thought you'd be happier to see me, Sir. I'm not here for Riley."
The look on Cory Matthews face was not one of a teacher or a mentor, it was pure protective father. "It doesn't matter who you're here for, Mr. Friar. You still answer to me in the end."
Lucas gulped. "Yes, Sir."
"Cory," Topanga called from the kitchen, "let the boy breathe." She left her place next to Auggie at the table to rescue the young Texan. Physically pulling Cory away from Lucas, she smiled. "Lucas, why don't you come in and sit down? Maya should be ready in a minute." She drug a reluctant Cory back into the kitchen with her and they proceeded to have a whispered argument, though it was mostly one-sided.
Lucas sat on the couch, but it wasn't long before his nervous energy had him back on his feet and pacing the living room.
!
Maya twirled once in front of Riley. "What do you think?"
Riley squealed and clapped her hands. "Maya, you're beautiful. And you're giving like 100 percent."
Maya shrugged, but the blush on her cheeks gave her away. "Yeah, well, I figure if I'm gonna do this, why not give it my all?"
Riley jumped up from her place on the bed to give Maya a hug. "That's my girl. You ready?"
"If I say no, can we hide under the covers until college?"
Riley laughed. "And miss the look on Lucas' face when he sees you? Absolutely not. Come on," she said, pushing a minimally resistant Maya out of her bedroom.
!
Lucas stopped his pacing at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Cory and Topanga stopped their angry whispering at the sound of a clearing throat.
Riley stopped at the end of the hallway, Maya almost running right into her. "Lady and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to present to you, Miss Maya Hart."
Maya rolled her eyes as Riley side-stepped, hands in a Vanna White pose. She walked past her weird best friend and stopped dead at the sight she saw. She'd seen Lucas dressed up before, of course, but it was different somehow, knowing he was dressed up for her.
She took in his black slacks and jacket with a blue button down; the top two buttons open to reveal just a glimpse of a smooth chest with a Texas tan he still hadn't lost after almost two years in the city. But the sexiest thing he was wearing was his smile; a smile that was excited, nervous, and predatory all at once. Her heart raced at that smile.
While Maya looked him over, Lucas took the time to do the same. She wore a plain blue dress that stopped just below the knee and made her eyes pop. It had spaghetti straps and a neckline that dipped just low enough to make him swallow hard but still be considered conservative. But the look she was giving him, that was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. It was excited, cocky, and a little bit seductive. His heart raced at that look.
Topanga's clap and "Oh, Maya, don't you look beautiful," is what brought the couple out of their mutual perusal of each other.
Lucas cleared his throat. "Maya, you look..." He couldn't find a word that suited her in that moment. He finally settled on "Amazing," but even that didn't do her justice.
"You look pretty amazing yourself, Huckleberry." At Riley's little nudge, Maya moved towards him.
Lucas watched her come near, and it was like watching a painting, he thought. Which reminded him…
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a box of paint brushes. "I almost forgot." He handed them to her. "I was going to bring you flowers, but I figured you could make something entirely more beautiful with these than any flower I could find."
Maya blushed as she took the package from him. "Thank you," she whispered.
They just stared at each other with dopey grins on their faces until Cory broke the spell.
"Well you two better get going if you're going to be back by 10." He looked at Lucas pointedly. "Sharp."
Maya rolled her eyes at her surrogate father but couldn't help the warmth in her stomach at his protectiveness. Her father may have left when she was five, but she'd found an infinitely better one in Cory Matthews.
Lucas nodded. "Yes, Sir." He held his hand out for Maya. "Ready?"
Maya handed Riley the paint brushes with a serious look; one that Riley returned. Yes, she would keep them safe. Then Maya took Lucas' offered hand, noticing how it fit so well with her own, and their night began.
!
They made small conversation on the subway ride, with Lucas refusing to tell Maya where their destination was.
"You know, I'm going to find out when we get there."
Lucas just smiled. "Exactly. So you can wait until we get there to find out."
Maya huffed. Her annoyance was short lived, however, as the train came to a jerky stop, throwing her directly into Lucas' chest.
His arm came around her waist to steady her and her arms came up to his chest on instinct. Neither moved as they stared at each other.
A voice that sounded more like radio static that a human came over the intercom to announce the current station and Lucas slowly released the girl in his arms. "This is us."
Maya had been too distracted by his eyes and his warmth to pay attention, so she just nodded and followed him.
They walked the two blocks to the restaurant in comfortable silence. When Lucas stopped in from of a little Italian place, Maya continued and had to be pulled back.
When she realized where they were, her eyes widened. "I've wanted to come here since it opened."
Lucas smiled. "I know."
She raised a brow. "How do you know?"
He shrugged, smile still firmly in place. "I have my ways."
Maya took a step towards him, putting them barely two inches apart. "Is one of your 'ways' a quirky, klutzy brunette who just so happens to be my best friend in the world?"
He shrugged again. "Maybe."
Maya shook her head, but she was smiling. "That's cheating."
"I like to think of it more as using my resources." He opened the door and gestured with a nod of his head. "Shall we?"
!
"Not happening, Huckleberry." Maya shook her head and smirked.
They sat at a table for two near the back of the small restaurant. The flame of a small candle flickered in between them. Both were munching on a bread stick as they waited for their order.
"Come on. I told you." Lucas pouted and took a bite of his bread stick.
Maya chuckled. "Like you wanting to be a rodeo star when you were little is a surprise."
"Please, Maya?" Lucas gave his best puppy dog impression‒lips jutted out, eyebrows up, eyes wide. "Please?"
It was the face that got her. She let out a small laugh. "Fine. Fine." She sighed. "When I was little, I wanted to be..." she paused and could just imagine Lucas' ears literally perking up. "...a ballerina." She expected laughter, but he just raised his brow in surprise.
"Really? I had no idea you were a dancer."
She looked down and played with the half eaten bread stick in her hands. "I wasn't. My mom couldn't afford the classes. I just copied what I saw on TV."
Lucas reached across the table to take one of Maya's hands. "You would've been a great ballerina."
She looked up at him then. "I guess some things just aren't meant to be."
He squeezed her hand. "That's true. But I think it's because other things are." When she furrowed her brow, but stayed silent, he explained. "Like, you weren't meant to be a ballerina, because you were meant to be an artist. And I wasn't meant to stay in Texas and ride bulls, because I was meant to come to New York and meet you." He quickly continued when he felt Maya begin to pull her hand away. "And Farkle and Riley. Some of the best friends I could ever hope for."
Maya cocked her head to the side. "So, you're saying that some dreams don't come true so others can?"
Lucas nodded. "Yeah. I guess so."
Maya smiled. "I like that."
!
Conversation slowed when their food arrived.
"How's your Lasagna?" Maya asked before putting a mouthful of her own dish in her mouth.
Lucas swallowed his bite. "It's great. Nothing like my mama makes." He looked at her pointedly. "But different is good, too." He ate another bite. "How's your...What is that?"
Maya chuckled. "Penne all'Arrabbiata. It's delicious." She held her fork up. "Want a bite?"
"Yeah. Thanks." He grabbed her wrist to direct the fork to his mouth. He watched her reaction to his touch in her eyes and he smiled. "Mmm. That is delicious. Spicy. Just like you."
Maya blushed.
!
"Tell me something no one knows about you."
Lucas swallowed his water and set his glass down slowly. A small grin crept onto his lips. "I like the nicknames."
Maya smirked. "I actually knew that." At his raised eyebrow, she explained. "You're a nice guy, Huckleberry, really. But even the nicest guy in the world wouldn't let me call him names every day if he didn't like it."
Lucas nodded. She had a point. "What about you? What's something no one knows about you?"
Maya played with her water glass, avoiding his eyes. "I like Texas Lucas." She looked up at him. "Not all the time. But the little glimpses when you get all dangerous and protective, it's..."
"It's what?" he prompted, leaning towards her.
There was a knowing smirk on his face, and she refused to be embarrassed. "It's hot."
His lips twitched. "I actually knew that." Her narrowed eyes were the equivalent of a call in poker. "Everyone is always afraid I'll lose my temper. They're scared of what I'll do. But you..." he smiled. "You get this look in your eyes. You're not afraid; you're excited."
"You noticed that, huh?"
"I notice a lot of things."
!
They were laughing when their server came to the table to tell them it was closing time.
"What?" Lucas checked his phone for the time. "Oh, no." He looked at Maya in despair. "We missed the movie." He shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Maya. I promised popcorn and hand touching and-"
"Hey." She grabbed his hand across the table. "It's just a movie." His expression didn't change. "Why don't we go for a walk? We can accidentally brush hands if you want." That managed to pull a smile from him.
Lucas paid the bill and Maya bit her tongue to not ask where he'd gotten the money for such a meal. They left the restaurant and without talking about a destination, began simply wandering aimlessly.
!
"Do you ever think about the future?"
Maya sighed. "I try not to."
They'd been walking in silence, just enjoying each other's presence for awhile.
"Why?" He thought about the future all the time; high school, college, marriage, kids. He felt Maya squeeze his hand before she answered.
"I don't know if anything's gonna happen for me." She shrugged. "I'd rather live in the moment instead of worrying about ending up like my mom." She winced and stopped walking. "That sounded harsh. I love my mom, and I am so grateful for everything she's done for me, but-"
"You don't want to be her. I get it, Maya. Trust me."
Maya smile gratefully at his understanding, and they continued walking. She'd never actually met his father, but she'd always had the feeling their relationship was rocky at best. "So...I'm afraid, I guess. Of the future." She'd never even admitted that to Riley.
"It's a scary thing. But it's also exciting." His voice rose and a twinkle came to his eye. "The thing about the past is that it's already written; it can't be changed. But the future..." He stopped walking and turned to Maya. "The future can be anything you want."
Maya couldn't help but smile at his optimism. "You really believe that, don't you?"
Lucas nodded. "I do."
"Good. The world needs people like you." Her voice was softer when she said, "So do I."
!
"Where are we going?"
"You'll find out when we get there, Sundance."
They were on the twelfth floor of an apartment building neither of them lived in, and Maya was on a mission.
"Ah. There it is." She led Lucas to a door that read "Roof Access" and didn't even pause before pulling him through it. A set of stairs later and they were standing on a rooftop in the middle of Manhattan. "You were so lucky to grow up somewhere you could see the stars."
Lucas nodded, looking up. "Yeah. That's one of the things I miss most about Texas."
Maya walked to the edge of the roof and leaned her arms on the ledge. "I feel so small; like my life is just a speck in the universe."
Lucas came to stand beside her. "It is." Her eyes left the sky to focus on him. "Each of our lives is just a tiny fragment of the universe. But they matter. Especially to those we surround ourselves with." He swallowed before his next words. He'd been careful all night, trying not to spook her, but if they were going to try this, he couldn't hold back. "You may just be a speck in the universe, but, Maya, you are one of the most important people in my life. I hope that means something to you, because it means a whole lot to me."
Maya took both of his hands in hers. She looked into his green eyes and almost lost herself in them. "There aren't very many things I hold dear in this world, but that is definitely one of them."
Lucas wanted to kiss her. The urge had been building all night, but it hadn't been as strong as it was at that moment. But he had promised her that it would be her call, so instead, he wrapped her in his arms and placed a gentle kiss into her hair.
He held her just right, she thought. Not too loose, like it was awkward, and not too tight so she couldn't breathe. She made a wish on every star in the night sky that this moment could last forever.
But wishes on stars don't come true and eventually they parted.
"We should probably get going. I'm afraid of what Mr. Matthews will do if you're not back by 10."
Maya smiled. "Oh, he's all bark and no bite."
Lucas took her hand in his. "I think there's a lot more to his bite when it comes to his girls." And he lead her to the roof door.
!
They were approaching the Matthews' apartment building when Maya spoke. "Thank you for tonight."
Lucas squeezed her hand. "Anytime." And he truly meant it.
They bypassed the front doors to head around to the fire escape that led to Riley's bay window without talking about it.
He let her climb up first and kept his eyes straight ahead, though he had to admit, it was difficult. Texas gentleman or not, he was still a fifteen-year-old boy.
They stood in silence when both had reached the bay window. It was the first awkward moment of the night.
Maya opened her mouth to say something, though she wasn't sure what, but Lucas beat her to it.
"Look, Maya, if tonight is the only night we spend together it-well it won't be enough. It'll never be enough, but I'll deal with it, because I don't-" He was cut off in the best way possible when Maya put her lips to his. He stilled for a moment in shock before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.
When they separated, each had a Riley-sized smile on their face.
Lucas nodded absently. "Goodnight, Maya."
"Goodnight, Lucas."
The sound of his name on her lips made his heart beat faster. "See you tomorrow?"
Before Maya could answer, Riley poked her head out of the window. "Sorry, Lucas. You can have her whenever you want. Tomorrow she's mine. We have a lot to talk about."
Lucas, smile still in place, waved to Maya as he backed towards the stairs.
Maya waved back, beaming, until Riley reached out and pulled her inside.
!
And there it is. I hope it didn't disappoint.
Just to be clear, this IS the last chapter. I have no plans to continue.
Please leave a review and any constructive criticism you'd like to share.
Thank you so much for reading!
*Just a little extra tidbit, I picked Maya's dish because it means "angry" in Italian. I thought it was fitting.