Maya's POV
This day disgusts me. It always has, but even more so now that the whole Ski Lodge thing happened. I'm not in love with Josh. He's... He's nice, but he isn't what I want. Why? Because hope is for suckers. Love... Love is for suckers. The great Maya P. Hart is destined to be alone forever, and Valentine's day is making it worse.
Everyone. Everyone is getting flowers and chocolate and those stupid 'I love you' teddy bears and it all makes me sick.
Anyways, staring out this window isn't helping. It's such a bright sunshiny winter day. It's beautiful. Beautiful things are for suckers. I need to go to my locker and put my stuff away before heading to art, so I do. I walk to my locker and twist the dial to the last number of the combination to open it. Something I learned long ago, if you keep the first two digits of the combination dialed in, and then leave like... a few digit turn until the last digit, you can easily lock and unlock your locker by simply turning it. It doesn't always work, but it seems to work on my lockers, and I'm lazy so... think smarter not harder, am I right?
I start putting my stuff in my locker when I notice a small folded piece of paper. It's red and when I unfold it, it's shaped like a heart. I roll my eyes. Wonderful. Someone has decided to play a cruel joke on me. I'm about to throw it back in my locker, when I notice it has something written on it.
"You are the light in Maya Heart. Please keep shining." I roll my eyes again, smiling and laughing though. It's really cute that someone made a pun out of my name. Wait. I'm Maya Hart. Badass Extraordinaire. Lone Wolf when it comes to relationships... Who the fuck could have done this?
"Peaches!" I hear the dorky brunette best friend of mine yell at me to get my attention. I continue to stare at the heart as she walks closer. "What's that?" I turn sharply and put the heart behind my back.
"Nothing! Just something I was about to throw away! Some punk playing a cruel joke or something. I'll find out later and beat them up." I look up at her, and for a moment I see a look of hurt in her eyes.
"Oh..."
"Anyways. Did Lucas get you some flowers or something?"
"No. Lucas and I decided just friends. It didn't feel right to him... He, uh... He likes someone else. And so do I."
"Well who's the lucky girl? And who's the lucky boy?" I ask, curious to see who Huckleberry is pining after.
"Uh.... It's Farkle."
"You've got a thing for Farkle?!" I say a little loudly, causing the older students around us to glance at us. "Shit. You have a thing for Farkle?" I repeat quieter.
"No. Lucas does."
"Oh. OH! I didn't peg him to be the type."
"The type?"
"Yeah.. You know... Gay?" I cringe at the words, trying to keep my face from faltering. I'm pansexual, but I have a badass rep to keep. Being out would damage that, and I'd be the one getting bullied.
"Maya, being gay isn't a bad thing." The hurt look comes back.
"I know Riles. I just didn't expect someone I know to be gay. So.. Who's your lucky guy?!"
"It's... I'm.... It's not... Important. I'll tell you later. My place, bay window."
"Okay." We go our separate ways.
The day continues on as normal. People get more flowers, do more disgustingly cute things. I finish art class and head to Riley's. I crawl through the window as normal. The lights are off, but there are candles lit. Riley appears to not be in the room. I decide to sit down and enjoy the darkness. My hands are in my pockets and I rub my thumb across the small paper heart, smiling at the idea that someone might like me.
I'm pulled away from my thoughts as someone straddles my hips and kisses me. I'm stunned. This persons lips are soft and delicate and they smell like honey. Rather than the guys I've kissed, whose lips are rough. It's like they don't know how to use chapstick! Soon enough, I'm kissing back. I bring my hands up to the back of their head and realize quickly that this is a girl. Shocked, I push the girl away. The lights turn on and it's Riley.
"Riles?!" I'm still shocked.
"Maya! I'm so sorry. It's just... I realized that I didn't want Lucas. I wanted you! I was afraid if I just told you... I was afraid I would lose you. I'm sorry Maya." She starts crying and I instinctively rush towards her and wrap her in my arms.
"You'll never lose me, Honey. I'm here to stay." I wipe away the tears on her cheeks. "I'm honestly kind of glad you did this Riles."
"Why?" She asks. I shake my head. Instead of answering her, I press my lips to hers again, slowly and passionately.
"Because I'm pansexual. I didn't think anyone was going to approve. I thought I'd be shunned, that I'd lose everyone I had. So I hid it and kept up the act of 'Maya Hart: Badass Bitch.' So... the heart..." I trail off as I pull it out of my pocket. "This... This was you?"
"Yes." She smiles.
"It's perfect."
