Room 221 || Lucaya

Old Versus New

MAYA'S POV:

The light shining from the morning sun penetrates the porcelain windows, causing my eyes to open gradually. I turn my head to the other side of the bed to see Lucas, still in his pajamas, sleeping soundly against his light, fluffy pillow.

Sometimes, with a keen eye and a sense of imagination, life can feel like the most beautiful thing in the moment. Other times, life can feel like a never ending trap.

Not this time.

"Good morning," a deep, raspy morning voice whispers next to me.

Adjusting my neck on the pillow, I turn towards him. "Good morning," I glance right into his eyes, only inches away.

"What time is it?" Lucas yawns as he harshly rubs his eyes.

I lean over to glance at my phone. "9:23."

Brushing his wild bed head away from his face, Lucas sits himself up on the bed and stares at the door.

Suddenly, my mind blanks and my memory fades away, causing me to question the last few hours. I scan the room around me, leading up to Lucas' exhausted face.

"We... um..." I stutter erratically, waiting impatiently for a logical answer. "We didn't...?"

Lucas' eyebrows rise high as he struggles to understand my question. "No!" He replies rather loudly. "Sorry, um, no. I wouldn't do that to you, Penelope."

I swallow the words carefully, each one hitting my gut in a different way. "Sorry, it—it's the medicine," I chuckle with embarrassment.

Lucas rolls out of the bed on his side, making his way over to mine. He extends his toned, muscular arms towards me, waiting for me to accept.

I accept with slight hesitance that is quickly replaced with comfort. The faintest touch of his skin against mine sends a contagious feeling through my entire body. A feeling that caused my heart to flutter, my lips to quiver, and my knees to shake; a feeling that left my mind at peace, my breaths steady, and my eyes fixed in admiration.

A feeling that no one in this world has ever attempted to give me, let alone succeed with  natural effort.

With a gentle pull of his arms, Lucas sweeps my tiny, fragile figure into his own embrace. I feel his arms snake around my waist as he holds me close into his chest.

"You don't have to apologize," he consoles  softly, stroking my tousled blonde strands. "You're safe here."

"I know," I breathe slowly into the crook of his neck.

I adjust my chin, nuzzled into Lucas' neck as our bodies seemed to melt together, becoming one. The most simple act of affection calmed even the loudest, most haunting voices that lingered in my mind.

Affection turned into silence—the most peaceful silence I had ever experienced in my entire life.

Suddenly, a loud bang erupts from the kitchen. Lucas eyes the door, but struggles to see the commotion through the small crack.

His eyebrows raise, preparing for an adventure. "Shall we?"

"We shall," I respond as my lips curl up into a smile. Lucas gently leads the way, grasping on to my hand.