Of Course I Like You

Maybe In Your World

[Earlier That Day – Auditorium]

Lucas and Maya were sitting beside each other planning Riley's surprise party. "Okay, so definitely balloons! She loves balloons." Lucas said. Maya chuckled at him. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just kind of cute how excited you are about the balloons. Maybe you're the one who loves balloons." Maya replied joking around. Lucas smirked. "Okay, definitely ice cream cake. Mocha-chip." Maya was jotting down the list when her sleeve rolled up and exposed her wrist. Lucas peeked over and noticed it.

"Umm, Maya what's that...?" As soon as Lucas pointed at her wrist, Maya slid down her sleeve and held it with her four fingers. "Maya!?"

"What?" Maya asked nonchalantly.

"Are you freaking kidding me?! You don't get to act like that's not a big a deal!" With that Maya closed her notebook and ran off. Lucas went after her. 

➰

[Maya's Apartment]

"What do you think you saw...?" Maya asked him.

"I saw burns and cuts... Maya if you're hurting yourself-"

Maya stopped him from continuing, "Lucas-- please! Stop! Ok? I told you it's not important..."

"It's the most important thing in the world!" Lucas argued.

"Maybe in your world..." Maya argued back.

"What about Riley's?" Lucas asked.

"Y-You can't tell her! Huckleberry please... You don't even have to do it for me, but do it for Riley. You know how she'd react..." Maya pleaded with him. Lucas' face was empathetic and sad. He hated the fact that Maya hadn't denied anything; that's all he really wanted. All she had to do was deny it and he'd believe her. Even if it was a lie, he wanted to pretend and make it all go away. "So...?"

"I won't tell her--"

"Thank yo-"

"I'm not finished..." Lucas interrupted, "I won't tell her, but you will..."

"Like hell I will!" Maya screamed. Lucas hesitated to answer, instead he look out the window and noticed it was raining. Not heavily, just ever so-slighty. Just enough to have water running down the window like tears running down cheeks. Just enough so that the sun still semi-peeked through the clouds and danced along the dark tree branches. Just enough to have a beat to bob his head to as he thought about his next words. He got lost in the sound of the rain and thunder as it slowly grew louder. "LUCAS?!" Maya snapped him out of it, in sync with the flash of light the lightning produced. 

"Maya... You have to tell her, because if you don't, I will." Lucas stood up and walked out of Maya's apartment and walked home in the rain.

➰

[Lucas' Apartment]

"MOM, I'M HOME!" Lucas shouted as he walked through the door. "MOM?" He was drenched from the rain and took off his muddy, grey sneakers. He walked into the kitchen where he saw a note from his mom on the table. 

'Went to visit Pappy Jo in Texas for his health reasons, be back in a week. I talked to Zay's parents and they said it was fine that you stay with them. Love you! Mom.'

"Great" Lucas said to himself. *DING* his phone chimed from his pocket. He took out his phone and saw a message from Riley.

'Hey Lucas. My parents want to have you for dinner on Friday, you up for it?'

Lucas ignored the text as if he hasn't seen it. He just kept thinking about Maya and her wrist. Why did she do it? How could she do it? Why didn't she ask for help? How couldn't she have gone to him? Those thoughts replayed in his head over and over again. He couldn't help but feel helpless for her, he'd never had to deal with this kind of stuff before. He couldn't understand it.