Windows To The Heart

Disapprove/Page 37

You laugh once more, "While I'm glad you're trying new things, you should probably get a hobby that is, you know, productive," you put the wine bottle back in the cooler.

Maria looks back to the dishes and starts washing them again, "Oh... yeah, sure whatever Lucas"

You raise your eyebrow at Maria's disregarding comment, but decide not to say anything. You search through the refrigerator for anything to eat but come up with nothing.

"Hey Maria, do we have anything to eat that's not fruit?" you ask.

"You just looked in the fridge didn't you?" she replies.

You nod, "Well if there's nothing there," she continues, "then you'll just have to wait until I make dinner because I'm washing the dishes right now."

You shift in place in front of the refrigerator sensing tension in her words, "Is something wrong Maria? Is this about the wine thing?"

She looks back at you, her gaze feels like it's piercing right through you, "No Lucas, nothing's wrong"

"Are you sure? Because it REALLY feels like something's wrong," you insist. 

"What are you doing," she quickly retorts back.

"Wh-what do you mean?" you stumble out.

"This, she throws her hand out in your direction, "why are you suddenly so concerned about me?"

"Because I care about you, I mean you're practically family Maria," you awkwardly laugh.

Maria looks down and shakes her head, "You don't care about me, you never even bothered to call me, a whole year and you didn't care enough to even talk to me."

You sigh exasperatedly, "Maria you don't have a phone, and it's not like there's a ton of landlines just laying around these days."

"What a lazy excuse," she shoots back, "I know spoke to your parents at some point over the year, you couldn't have asked to speak to me once? I love you, Lucas, why can't you care about me as much as I care about you?"

You hang your head, "I always asked mom and dad how you were, they always said you were fine... I'm sorry Maria, I didn't know it meant so much to you."

Maria dries her hands off and starts to quietly sob. You look at her, unsure of what to do, you wish some voice inside your head could just make a decision for you, tell you how to make everything better, but no voice appears, instead, you are left to figure this out on your own. 

Something suddenly changes in his brain as if a connection was snapped. Lucas feels lightheaded and like there's a pit in his stomach, but most of all, he feels... free. Lucas rubs his eyes and blinks, feeling like himself for the first time in his entire life.

He looks up at the crying girl in front of him, approaching her he softly lays his hand on her shoulder, Maria turns around to tearfully look at him, their eyes meet and she quickly wipes away her sadness as she sees his smiling face.

She looks deep into his soul, "Who are you?"

"It's me Maria, Lucas, you don't have to be lonely anymore, I'm right here," he embraces her.

The two hug each other like they were the last people on Earth. Lucas takes Maria's hand and guides her outside the cliff, he sits on the edge and lets his legs dangle off, Maria follows suit. 

Lucas looks out at the setting sun, "It really is beautiful, don't you think Maria?"

She giggles somewhat, "You know I actually used to feel dread when the sunset, but for some reason, it isn't so bad with you here."

Maria leans her head against him, and he wraps an arm around her, "I love you, Lucas."

He lays his head on top of her, "I love you too, Maria"

The sun's warm light dips below the horizon, ending the day of just another love story.

End.