A beautiful storm

Chapter one: Just a sword hanging over your head

Maya's POV

"I said I was sorry like twenty-five times!" Lucas groaned as he turned the corner to where the group normally met before Mr. Matthew's class.

"Are you really sorry?" Riley snapped brushing past him.
"For saying she's beautiful? No, actually, I'm not!" He snapped following her towards us.
"Uh-oh." Zay sighed as Smarkel braced themselves.
"Here come the love birds." I groaned preparing for another fight.
"You are my boyfriend Lucas, not hers. You chose me, you can't be complementing her like that!" Riley huffed standing next to me, stamping her boot.
"So how should I compliment her then?!" Lucas asked scoffing at her.
"Hey guys, ar-" I tried to intervene.
"Butt out Maya." Riley snapped causing me to look down.
"Woah!" Zay interjected.
"Seriously Riley?! She can't even talk now?!?" Lucas snapped.
"I'm not talking to her. I'm talking to you and telling you how to compliment her. Stuff like, 'nice painting Maya! Nice shoes, the socks match great.'"
"She already knows she's an amazing artist. I'd rather tell her something she needs to be hearing everyday than sound like a dull broken record."

I felt my eyes shoot towards him and lock with his. Lucas. The same Lucas I still have feelings for and lied about to make Riley happy...which has caused him to become miserable for the past four months.

"You're with me. You don't need to be complementing anyone but me." Riley smiled, standing straighter.
"Oh, so you can go up to all the other boys in this school and flirt your little ass off with them, but I can't call Maya beautiful?!? She wasn't even near us. It shouldn't matter!"
"Lucas you don't need to be saying that stuff...you know it causes trouble. It's fine." I assured him attempting to step in again.
"No Maya, you're beautiful and you need to know that."
"You're really not..." Riley spoke slowly in an innocent voice.

I felt a pang in my chest as my best friend turned to look at me with a smile on her face.
"Wh-"
"Okay, back off Riley." Farkle finally stepped in as Zay had to discreetly calm Lucas down.
"Well she's not that pretty compared to me." Riley shrugged.

Smakel walked behind me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
"You're right, Riley. She's not that pretty compared to you, because she is beautiful while you are merely satisfactory." She smiled leaving Riley in shock as the bell rang.

Riley stalked off to class and Smarkel followed her. I followed behind as Zay came up to me.
"Nothing today?" He asked.
"Nope. Not yet. I'm honestly relieved." I sighed feeling a heavy weight lift from my shoulders.
"If you do get one....you're going to tell Lucas this time right?"
"Why? There's absolutely nothing he can do about it and it's honestly not a big deal."
"If it wasn't a big deal it wouldn't bother you. Maya, I'm worried about you, I already didn't like the guy and he's doing this. You're not even dating." Zay complained, obviously upset.
"Za-"
"Who's not even dating?" Lucas asked walking up to me on my other side.
"It's nothing." I assured him, earning a look from Zay.
"It doesn't sound like nothing."
"Because it's not." Zay mumbled
"What?"
"He's making a big deal out of nothing. I'm fine." I tried again.
"Yeah but that don't mean you're okay!" Zay exasperated.

My phone buzzed before I could respond and that weight came crashing back down. I slipped it out of my pocket and looked at my message slowly.

Cancel anything you have tonight. You're coming over.

I felt my heart drop slightly as I responded without putting up a fight. It was pointless.
"Was it him?" Zay asked raising his brow.
"Yes." I nodded
"Who's him?" Lucas asked.
"No one!" I spat out
"Josh." Zay exposed me.
"Zay!"
"Josh?" Lucas asked scrunching his eyebrows together.

I sighed in annoyance and ran a hand through my hair.
"Yeah."
"I thought you didn't like him anymore? Why are you still dating him?"
"I don't know. Riley set us up and she's happy we're together. I'm just, there."
"What's going on?"