A Part of Me -Sequel to Empty

•twenty-six

"Your hand fits in mine like it's made just for me."

•lucas

We finally made it to Austin. It was seven o'clock once we finished unpacking all of our stuff in the hotel. I told Maya that we should go do something together so we decided to go out. It would be the first time we went out on a date in almost a year.

I finished getting ready in ten minutes, but Maya had been getting ready for at least the last forty-five minutes.

"Maya how long until you finish getting ready?" I asked.

"Just give me a few more seconds," She yelled back.

"I am sure that you look beautiful already."

It was quiet again. She must be finishing up.

Maya stuck her head out of the door, "Can you toss me the sliver earrings on the nightstand?"

I looked around, "Which nightstand?"

"Lucas are you nervous?" She asked.

"What makes you think that I am nervous?"

I pulled on the collar of my shirt.

"Your leg is shaking," She smirked.

To be honest I was nervous. I wanted this night to be perfect. I had to make sure that I didn't mess up this night.

I got up and picked up her earrings.

I gave her the earrings, "Hurry up and finish getting dressed. We have a dinner reservation at eight fifteen."

The door swung open and Maya stood there in front of me smiling.

I stood up and stared at her.

"Dang I look that good that I took your breath away," She smirked.

"No...no...no you look way better than good. You look absolutely stunning. You look beautiful."

"Thank you," She locked her arm with mine, "Now Lucas Friar I do believe we have a dinner to be getting to."

"Right this way Maya Hart."

-

I picked my favorite restaurant. I had never taken a girl I was interested in before to this place. The place seemed to special to waste on someone who I didn't I care about.

It was perfect now.

A waiter led us to a table and put down two menus. I pulled out Maya's chair for her and pushed it in once she sat down.

"I'm impressed Friar. I don't think I've ever seen you act like this before," Maya said.

I've never been this nervous around Maya before.

"I just want everything to be perfect tonight."

"Perfect is overrated. As long as you and I can have a good night together I'm fine."

"Can I start you two off with something to drink?" The waiter asked.

Maya nodded, "I'll have a sparkling water."

"Make that two," I replied.

The waiter wrote that down, "Okay I will be back in a couple of minutes with your drinks. If you have any questions about the menu feel free to ask."

Once she left Maya and I began searching for something to eat.

Maya asked, "What's good here?"

"My favorite is the Fettuccine Alfredo."

"Maybe we should get that so that we can share it and end up doing that kissing thing whenever we pick up the same noodle."

"Are you trying to get my hopes up?"

"I don't think you'll have to get your hopes up."

-

"How much longer until we get there?" Maya asked.

"You are really ruining the surprise with your complaining," I refuted.

After dinner I wasn't ready to end the night so I started driving. At first I didn't know where I was going to end up, but then I knew exactly where I needed to go.

I pulled up to a small park. Quinn and I used to play here when we were kids.

"I'm assuming that this playground has some kind of backstory behind it."

"Quinn and I used to play here as kids. She'd always make me push her on those swings over there. Sometimes if I was lucking she would push me around too. Even though she was older than me I think that she liked to pretend I was her older brother."

"She was lucky to have you."

"I was lucky to have her. Just like I was lucky to have you."

"I was lucky to have you too."

Maya took my hand and we walked over to the swings. She sat down on the one Quinn used to swing on. I sat on the other one. We still were holding hands.

I asked, "Can I ask you something?"

This whole thing going on between Maya and I was really confusing me. I already knew that she still loved me, but beyond that I was clueless.

"What's on your mind?"

"What are we?"

I made it sound like we were in elementary school and just held hands for the first time.

"I know that I still have feelings for you and from the way you have been acting these last couple of days makes me think that maybe you return those feelings. Am I misreading everything?" I asked.

My turned her head and looked at me. Her blue eyes were huge.

"No you aren't misreading anything," She replied.

"Then why aren't we doing anything about this. I like you and you like me. Why should we complicate things?"

"I'm scared. After what happened the last time we dated, I don't want to put myself out there again. You broke my heart Lucas and it took a long time for me to pick up all the pieces. I don't want to end up picking up the pieces again."

"I can promise you that I would never risk compromising our relationship a second time around. And if you need time or space to figure that out just let me know. I will wait as long as it takes to get you back."

Maya shook her head, "No. You don't have to get me back, because you already have me."

She leaned over towards me and kissed me gently.

-

I drove us back to the hotel as I held Maya's hand.

When we got to the door Maya stopped me from going in.

"I want you to know that you mean everything to me. And that kiss back there was real," she said, "And I wanna be with you."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life," she replied.

I picked her up bridal style and carried her into our room.

"I wanna be with you too."

-

And I think you know what happens next.