Lucas looked at Lia admiring the river.
Lucas broke the silence and said,"ehmm let me take you home.
Lia nodded and stood up.
The ride back was quiet. The streetlights cast long shadows over the road as Lucas drove through the dusky cityscape. Lia sat behind him, arms loosely wrapped around his waist, her cheek occasionally brushing against his back when the bike swayed. It was peaceful—until they stopped at a red light.
Lia shifted, trying to adjust her grip.
Lucas, without turning around, reached down and gently caught her hand. Then, deliberately, he placed it on his chest, right over where his heart beat steadily.
Her eyes widened. "Lucas…"
"Don't move," he said, his voice lower than usual.
Lia immediately tried to pull her hand back, her face burning. "Let me go."
"I will," he said with a teasing calmness, "when the light turns green."
She struggled a bit more, whispering in a rush, "Lucas, seriously—"
But he just chuckled under his breath and held her hand tighter, as if trying to press her palm against his heartbeat. "Can you feel that? That's what you do to me."
"You're impossible!" she whispered furiously.
Just then, the light blinked green.
Lucas released her hand without a word and revved the engine.
They didn't speak the rest of the ride.
When they finally pulled up in front of Lia's house, Lucas killed the engine and sat back.
Before she could get off, she turned to him. "My mom wants to meet you."
Lucas blinked. "What?"
"She's inside. Probably waiting. Come on."
He scratched the back of his neck, looking genuinely startled for once. "Uh… I wasn't mentally prepared for that."
Lia giggled. "Oh no, Senior Lucas is nervous?"
"I'm not nervous," he said too quickly, then added under his breath, "I just didn't know I was walking into a battlefield."
Lia hopped off the bike and tugged his arm. "It's not a battlefield. Come on, she just wants to say thank you."
Lucas reluctantly followed her to the front door, hands shoved into his pockets. Lia opened the door and stepped aside for him. "Be nice," she whispered with a smirk.
Inside, her mother waited in the cozy living room, a warm smile already on her face. She stood when she saw him.
"You must be Lucas," she said.
Lucas gave a small bow of respect. "Yes, ma'am. It's nice to meet you."
Lia leaned closer to whisper in his ear, "She likes good manners."
"I like him already," her mother said, smiling wider. "Come, sit with me. Lia, go freshen up."
Lia gave Lucas a mischievous look before disappearing down the hall.
Lucas sat stiffly on the couch, fidgeting with the edge of his jacket.
Her mom turned to him. "I've heard quite a bit about you."
He gave a nervous chuckle. "Good things, I hope."
She looked at him carefully, then nodded. "Yes. And I just wanted to say… thank you. For bringing my daughter back."
Lucas's posture eased a little. "She came back on her own, I just—"
"No," her mother interrupted softly. "She came back because she felt safe. And that… that means everything to a mother. Do you know how many nights I cried, wondering where she was, if she was eating, if she was warm? When she returned, she didn't say much. But I could tell. You made her feel like she could come home."
Lucas's throat tightened. He looked down. "She's… special."
Her mother nodded, tears in her eyes. "She is. And so are you, Lucas. Thank you for not giving up on her."
At that moment, Lia returned, her hair wet from a fresh shower, wearing a simple t-shirt and pajama pants. Her face was bare, free of makeup, glowing naturally.
Lucas stood up quickly when he saw her. His eyes lingered on her face, awestruck. She looked so different, so real.
"You okay?" she asked, noticing his stunned expression.
Lucas blinked and nodded. "Yeah. Just… you look…"
"What?"
"Beautiful," he said before he could stop himself.
Lia froze for half a second. "Um… thanks."
Lucas cleared his throat and turned toward the door. "I should go."
"I'll walk you out," she offered.
Outside, the cool night air swirled gently around them. The bike sat silently by the curb.
"Hey, umm…" Lia began, nervously toying with her fingers. "I wanted to say something, but I'm afraid it might offend you."
Lucas tilted his head, smirking. "Nothing offends me. Unless it's about another boy."
Lia gave a small laugh, then looked serious. "I think you should stop flirting with me. I… I see you as my senior. Like a mentor or… big brother figure."
Lucas raised his eyebrows, taking a step closer. "So you think it's flirting?"
Lia immediately took a step back. "It's late. You should go."
Lucas gave a soft laugh, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah. Bye."
He turned toward the bike, but just before putting on his helmet, he glanced back.
Lia was already walking toward the house, but he stared at her retreating figure with an unreadable expression.
Under his breath, he whispered, "Don't you see my love?"
Then he got on his bike, revved the engine, and disappeared into the night.
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