against reality | gmw

Laughter in the Dark

"Shhh, Lucas! My mommy might hear us!" A sweet little five-year-old Maya stood behind the marble kitchen island with her best friend Lucas, who was sleeping over.

"Sorry, Maya! Maybe we should go," he pointed towards the corridor that leaded to Maya's room.

"But I want to get chocolate!" she whined, pleading to Lucas.

"Ok, fine, Maya. I'm gonna keep watch. You go grab the chocolate, then we run back to your room. Got it?"

"Yeah, let's do it!" they hi-fived, as they continued on their respective roles.

"Maya! My dad's here," he whispered to Maya as he peered towards the front door, where he could see Maya and Lucas' dads talking to each other.

"Sorry, Kermit. I have to go. It's for a job, and Daisy already agreed to it. I hate to take away your best friend and your daughter's best friend from you guys, but we have to leave," Lucas could make out from his own father's mouth.

What? We're leaving? But what about Maya? he thought, as he turned towards the adorable little girl raiding the fridge.

"C'mon, Lucas! Let's go!" she tapped on his shoulder, breaking his train of thought.

"Okay," he said gloomily, taking one last look at their fathers.

That night the two played and ate happily, talking about weird but cute stuff. However, when they heard the front door shut again, they immediately switched the lights off.

"Goodbye, Maya," Lucas trailed off as he stared at Maya, who was sleeping soundly in her bed.

*11 years later*

"Okay, class. We have a new student here today. From Austin, Texas, here comes, Mr Friar," Mr Matthews said to the whole class, as a tall dirty blonde walked into the room.

16 year-old Maya Hart couldn't care less. She had her elbow rested on the empty table behind her, her hair covering her petite face.

"Maya? Is that you?" the new kid asked as she turned to face him.

"Yeah... I know you how?" she tucked her haur behind her ear, raiding an eyebrow.

"When we were 5, our dads were best friends," Maya immediately knew who he was. She's been waiting for the day he'd come back. That night he left she was torn. It was the same night her father got into a gory accident and passed away. Why was she always the one getting left? It was a recurring question in her head.

"Maya? Do you know this Lucas Friar?" Riley asked.

"No, can't recall him."

"Sorry for wasting your time, Mr Matthews. Maybe this wasn't the Maya I thought I once knew," his words pierced through her heart, but when you've gone through so much already, words don't even make a scratch on you.

*a few weeks later*

It's been weird. Slightly awkward, but at least there's some connection between the two of them.

"He's bound to come around," That's what Maya always told herself. He was bound to cone around. But it didn't seem like he was going to, anymore. Until one random day.

"Oh, hey, funny running into you here," Lucas said as he turned to face the blonde, who was waiting in line at Starbucks.

"Yeah, hey. I'm just gonna grab a drink, maybe sit down for a while."

"I got you, I got you... Say we have a little chat about something?" He asked.

"Of course. Lemme just," she pointed towards the cashier.

"My treat," he handed the cashier the money, and they say down at a booth at the corner of the café.

"So, what was it you wanted to talk about, Ranger Rick?" Maya smoothed out her ripped blue jeans.

"I know you're her, Maya."

Silence began to set in between them, despite the rest of New York was busy and noisy.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Lucas." she started to avoid eye contact.

"You do. I know you do. Please tell me you're the one I know. Please," he pleaded. Maya finally looked up at him. His green eyes were full of something that Maya knee but never believed in. Hope. Faith.

She shut her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Hi, Lucas. How's it going?"

Without hesitation he took her into a hug, a tight one, packed with emotion. She was for once, happy.

"Why am I always the one left?" she murmured, a hot tear escaping.

"Not anymore. Never. I won't ever leave you. Remember that. One day, we're gonna grow old together. You love me, right, Maya? Because I can't stand not having you around. Remember when we were younger, we had that one picture of the two of us. But it got ripped? I still have half if it," he said, practically in tears.

Not saying a word, she reached into her pocket, taking out an old piece of paper.

He smiled, and planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you, Huckleberry," she whispered, her forehead against his.

"I love you, and I'm never gonna leave you. We'll have fun under the lights and make laughter in the dark, kay?"

"Laughter in the dark." she laughed. "I love it."

"I love you."

"Stop with the mushiness, Bucky McBoing Boing."

"You know you love me," he nudged her in the shoulder.

"Yeah, I do. But first, where's my-"

"MPH?" the barista called out.

She shut her eyes, and smiled. Wiped her tears, and stood up.

"There it is."

Her coffee. She was waiting for her coffee.

*11 years ago*

"We're gonna laugh in the dark getting chocolate in the middle of the night again. I know it." 5 year-old Lucas stared at the torn picture of Maya Penelope Hart.

He knew it all along.