Without You: Book 1 of the Changing Hearts Series

by Yesenia Vargas

  Twenty minutes later, she got a text from Lucas.

  We still on for tonight? :)

  She replied.

  Yep :)

  She had been texting Lucas for a couple of days. Before, their texts had always been about the project they were working on. Now they talked about other stuff. She liked talking to him. He was funny and kind. And kind of hot. She had made up her mind yesterday that if she had another boyfriend in high school, she wanted him to be like Lucas.

  She finished getting her hair done and changed into something nicer than what she wore to school, but not too flashy either. She finally settled on blue skinny jeans with a black v-neck top and nice sandals. She straightened her hair and put a few pins in it and then put on some makeup, a bit more than usual. When she looked in the mirror, she felt like a million dollars.

  There was a knock at her door, and Jimmy came in.

  “You look nice.”

  “Thanks.” She turned towards him.

  “You ready?” He hung out by the door.

  “Yep. So what did Mayra tell you?”

  “That you’re going out with a friend.” He sat down on her bed. He was a bit dressed up himself. She wondered where he was going.

  “And where are you going to be, and why aren’t you complaining?” she wondered out loud.

  “Because let’s say I’ll be on a date of my own.” He winked.

  “Who?” she pressed.

  “You don’t know her,” Jimmy said as he lay back.

  “Well, I want to know her if you’ve suddenly fallen out of love with Mayra and in love with this girl. Does Mayra know?”

  He nodded. “Don’t worry.” He put his arm around her, and they went to living room, where her parents were watching TV after having had dinner together. She took her purse from Jimmy and slung it on her shoulder.

  “We’re leaving. We’ll be back later.” They gave each of their parents a hug and kiss.

  “Call me when you get there,” her mom said. “Remember to be back by eleven. Are you picking up Ryan and Mayra?”

  “Ryan couldn’t come today, but we’re getting Mayra right now.” Jimmy answered, a little too quickly.

  Ariana wondered what he and Mayra were up to.

  They said bye one last time and shut the front door behind them. Less than a minute later, they were in Mayra’s driveway.

  “Mayra told me she wasn’t coming today,” she said, looking at Jimmy.

  “She’s not,” he said.

  “Then why are we here?”

  “For my date.” He unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. She rolled down the window. “I’m not going either.”

  “What is this?” She stared at Jimmy.

  “You remember last year when I got Mom and Dad to let us go to that party?”

  She nodded.

  “Remember what our deal was in exchange for that?

  She tried to remember. Then it clicked. She gasped. “You? Mayra?”

  He nodded with the biggest smile on his face she had ever seen.

  “Have a good time, sis.” He began to walk away.

  “Jimmy!”

  He came back and shrugged. “What?”

  “Are you guys going to…”

  “No. It’s a date! And I’m a gentleman.” He looked at her like she was crazy. “We’re hanging out and watching a movie. Ordering in.” He winked.

  She couldn’t believe what was happening. She looked at her phone. It was too late to cancel with Lucas. She would look like a jerk. Besides, she didn’t want to cancel on Lucas.

  “Have fun, sis. But not too much.” Jimmy walked up Mayra’s porch and knocked on the door. She had no choice but to leave and drive to the movies.

  But not before texting Mayra.

  WHAT THE HELL???

  ###

  By the time Ariana arrived at the movies, Mayra had answered her text.

  :)

  She couldn’t believe that Mayra and Jimmy had tricked her. She sat in her car, wondering what they were up to. She shook her head to get rid of the image that had just invaded her mind. Surely they were just watching a movie, not even touching, much less kissing or who knows what?

  Her phone buzzed again. It was Lucas. He was inside waiting for her. As she had gotten closer and closer to the mall, where the movies were, a knot in her stomach kept growing from the nerves.

  She didn’t think this was a date, but it kind of felt like it.

  As she got out of her car and locked it, she wondered what the night would bring.

  She checked herself in the car window. There was nothing obvious like something in her teeth, so she went inside to meet Lucas.

  She saw him right when she opened the door to the mall. He was near the ticket booth with his hands in his pockets. He looked just as nervous as her.

  She walked up to him, not knowing whether to just say hi or give him a hug or shake hands…

  “Hey,” she said. She settled for keeping her arms at her sides.

  “Hey.” Lucas came towards her, and they had an awkward hug. She smelled his cologne and closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds before pulling back.

  “You look nice,” he said.

  She tried not to blush. “Thanks. You too.”

  He really did. He looked like he had stepped out a fashion magazine, especially with his always-smiling eyes and perfectly white smile. Working at that clothing store obviously had its advantages.

  “Are you hungry?” He looked down at her and indicated the concession stand.

  “Not yet. I thought we were going to watch the movie first, so I had a snack.”

  “Oh. Yeah.” They began walking towards the ticket booth. “What movie do you want to see?”

  “Doesn’t matter.” They looked at the movie posters on the wall and the electronic sign above their heads with movie titles and start times.

  “What do you like to watch?”

  “Anything really? I like action, thriller, romantic comedies.”

  “Have you seen that new car racing movie?” He pointed at a movie poster with two racing cars on it.

  She shook her head. “Mayra, Jimmy, and I were going to watch it last time, but we ended up watching something else. I hear it’s good.”

  “Me too. Should we see that one?” They looked at each other.

  “Sure.” They got in line.

  A few silent minutes later, it was their turn. Ariana quickly got out some cash from her pocketbook, but Lucas handed over a twenty to the lady before she could even complain.

  “Lucas!”

  “What?”

  “I was going to pay for my ticket.” She grimaced at the fact that her comment came out kind of whiny, but she didn’t want Lucas spending all his money on her.

  “I got it.”

  The lady handed them their two tickets, and they began walking upstairs towards the movie theaters.

  “But you help out your family and stuff. You don’t have to buy me anything. We’re just friends.”

  As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she wished she hadn’t said them. They felt wrong. But it was too late. They stayed quiet for a minute after that. Once they got to the top of the stairs, they looked for their theater and headed that way.

  “I think it’s this way,” he said. She followed him down a hallway to the left, and sure enough, a sign above the theater on the right indicated their movie. They went in and climbed the stairs to the top. It was dark and empty except for a couple of people towards the bottom. She almost tripped, and Lucas grabbed her hand.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah.” Except for her dignity.

  He held her hand the rest of the way up. By the time they got to the top row, their hands were sweaty. They sat down, and their hands fell apart. Ariana caught herself wishing they hadn’t and wondered if Lucas was thinking the same thing.

  More people began coming in until the theater was almost full, and the previews began playing. She looked at Lucas, and he smiled
at her. They laughed at some of the previews together. Lucas leaned over to say something in her ear.

  “You sure you don’t want something to eat or drink?”

  She turned towards his face, and he didn’t back away. His face was just a couple of inches away, and she tried not to look at his lips, but it was too late.

  “I’m good,” she whispered.

  For a split second, she thought he was going to kiss her, but before that thought had even fully entered her mind, he was facing forward again and resting back in his seat. She turned back to the screen and tried to focus on the movie.

  ###

  When the movie was over, Lucas held Ariana’s hand again as they maneuvered through the crowd to leave the theater. People were buzzing and laughing about the movie. They stepped out into the hallway and began walking towards the exit. He let go of her hand again.

  “What’d you think? Pretty good, right?” He glanced at her and kept walking

  “Yeah, it was pretty awesome.”

  They walked out of the mall and into the parking lot.

  “You hungry?” he asked. They stopped on the sidewalk.

  “Yeah. You?” She adjusted her purse on her shoulder. The movie had been almost three hours. Way longer than she’d thought.

  He smiled. “Starving. You want to go get something to eat? We can go in my car if you want.”

  “Sure.” She nodded and followed him to his car.

  “Right over here,” he said, and they walked in between some cars. They got to his car, and he opened the door for her.

  She couldn’t meet his eyes. “Thanks.” She got in, and he walked to the driver’s side.

  He got in and turned on the car.

  “So where we going?” he asked.

  She remembered the tacos and torta they had last time. “Let’s go where we went last time.”

  “Yes. I kinda wanted that too.” They smiled and headed towards the mini mart/restaurant.

  A few minutes later, they were there.

  They went inside, ordered, and sat down. This time, though, Lucas slid in beside her in the booth. It was cold in there. Ariana’s arms were covered in little bumps from the cold, and she shivered. She rubbed her arms.

  “Here,” Lucas took off his jacket and put it over her shoulders. It was toasty inside from Lucas’s body heat. She sighed and hugged it closer.

  “Thanks. Aren’t you cold, though?”

  “Nah,” Lucas replied. He began playing with a straw wrapper. Ariana took a sip of her drink.

  “Do you work tomorrow?” she asked, looking at him.

  “Yeah. The whole day.”

  “That stinks.”

  “Yeah. But it’s better than being at home with nothing to do. And I get paid tomorrow.”

  “That’s true. So what other classes are you taking?”

  “Statistics,” he replied.

  “I’m in statistics. Do you have Warner?” She looked at him.

  He nodded. “First period.”

  “I have him last.”

  “I also have chemistry,” he said.

  “Taking that next semester,” she said.

  “And Spanish. And Art III.”

  “So you like to draw and stuff?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Anything really. Painting. Clay. I’ve been taking art since eighth grade. I don’t do it in my spare time anymore because I work all the time, but I do it in school.”

  “That’s so cool.”

  They saw their food land on the counter a few feet away, and Lucas sprang up to go get it. Ariana got up too, to get salsa and lime slices. And some extra napkins.

  They sat down again.

  “Oh my God, this looks so good.” Lucas grabbed a taco and took a huge bite.

  Ariana laughed. She had her torta in her hand, and she took a big bite too. “Mm.”

  They finished chewing and drank from their drinks.

  She caught Lucas glancing at her cheesy torta. “Want some?”

  He shook his head but glanced at it again.

  “Come on.” She turned it around to the unbitten side and put it up to his mouth. He smiled and took a bite. She loved this. He grabbed one of his tacos and gave her a bite.

  She put a thumbs up. They had been a few inches apart in the booth, but now, after trying each other’s food, their bodies were touching. They stayed like that the rest of dinner.

  After their last bites and swigs of soda, they threw away their trash and headed out.

  “That was amazing,” Ariana said as Lucas opened her door.

  “Shhyeah.” She couldn’t stop looking at his smile. It was radiant.

  He drove them back to her car at the movies. She pointed to where she had parked it, and he parked in the space right beside it. She couldn’t believe the night was already over. She had forgotten all about Jimmy and Mayra. She didn’t even care what they were up to anymore if she could just keep spending the night with Lucas. But it was already really late, and she had to be home soon.

  Lucas came around to open her door. She got out, not knowing what to do. How would they say bye? It was like before the movie all over again, except they felt more comfortable with each other. Still friends, but maybe more.

  Maybe.

  Lucas shut the door and smiled at her. She smiled back.

  “Did you have fun?” he asked. He leaned against his car, and she did the same.

  “Lots,” she said quietly. “Thanks for the movie. And the food. Seriously, I’m gonna pay next time.”

  “It was nothing.” He moved so he was in front of her, and there was only a small space between them. She moved so she wasn’t leaning on the car anymore.

  He put his arms around her and took a step closer. Ariana stood on tip toes, and then she was completely enveloped by him. She inhaled and closed her eyes. The side of Lucas’s face was touching hers. She felt his ear on hers. He had one arm around the small of her back and the other on her shoulders. He squeezed her a little, and she did the same. Just as she was sure it would never end, he pulled back, holding her hands for a few seconds.

  “I had a great time with you.”

  She nodded and looked up at him. “Me too.”

  “I’ll see you in school Monday?”

  “Yeah.” They turned towards her car, and she fumbled to unlock it.

  “Drive safe.”

  She got in and he closed the door for her. He stepped back and leaned back on his car again.

  Ariana tried to remember how to pull out of a parking space and simply drive. Her head was still buzzing from Lucas’s hug, but she managed to get out of the parking lot without hitting anything.

  Then her mind turned to Jimmy and Mayra.

  chapter six

  Ariana went into Mayra’s house without knocking, without thinking. The lights were off except for the bathroom, and the door was halfway closed. The television was on, but the movie was long over because the main menu of the DVD was on the screen. They had been watching some chick flick, apparently.

  She saw them on the couch, covered with a fuzzy blanket. She walked over and noticed they had clothes on. She exhaled in relief, her hand on her chest. Her keys jingled in her hand as she pushed her hair out of her face. Mayra was leaning on Jimmy’s shoulder, and Jimmy’s head was on top of Mayra’s. They looked so peaceful she almost didn’t want to wake them, but it was past time for her and Jimmy to get home.

  She nudged them both. “Guys.” She nudged a little harder. “Hello, I’m back.”

  Jimmy opened his eyes and looked around and down at Mayra, who was also waking up.

  “I know you lovebirds must have had a nice time and all, but we were supposed to be home like twenty minutes ago, Jimmy.”

  He sat up and grabbed his phone from the coffee table. “Crap. It’s almost eleven thirty?”

  “Uh, yeah. I’ve only been gone like four hours.”

  “Shit.” Jimmy said as he stretched his arms into the air and stood on his tip toes.

  “W
hat were you guys up to?” She stared at Mayra, who was in a tank top and some tiny shorts. She was rubbing her eyes.

  “Just watched a movie and ordered in.” The leftovers and trash were still on the coffee table.

  “Is that all you guys did?” she asked as Jimmy began cleaning up.

  Jimmy just winked and said, “We don’t kiss and tell. Sorry.” He messed up her hair with his free hand on his way to the kitchen. She barely reached his shoulders now, he had grown so tall.

  “Bleh.”

  Mayra came over and gave her a hug.

  “You guys good then?” Ariana asked.

  “We’re still technically friends. We want to take things slow,” she said. “How was your date?”

  Ariana rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch. “It was not a date. It was a…celebration.”

  “Okay. How’d your celebration go?” Mayra and Jimmy joined her on the couch.

  “Yeah, who’s the dude?” Jimmy asked.

  “Funny how you actually care about that now that your date is over, huh?” She reached over and playfully punched him on the shoulder.

  “His name is Lucas, and he’s in our Spanish class. He’s a senior. So where’d you guys go?” Mayra looked at her.

  “We saw that new racing movie, and then we went to eat tacos and tortas. Really good.”

  “The movie or the tortas?” Jimmy asked. She noticed how his hand was around Mayra’s waist, but she looked away before he noticed she had noticed.

  “Both. He’s really nice.”

  “Nicer than Carlos?” Jimmy asked.

  She flinched a little at the sound of his name. “He’s nothing like him.”

  “Good.” Jimmy squeezed her shoulder, and they all got up and said good night to Mayra. Ariana walked to the car first and turned it on. Jimmy followed a minute or two later.

  He got into the car and closed the door.

  “So you guys had a good time, huh?” Jimmy said.

  “Yeah. We did. We’re just friends, but I don’t know. Could be something more eventually.”

  “Do you like him?” he asked as she pulled out of the driveway and onto the street.

  “I don’t know. But for now I’m okay just like this.”

  He nodded.