The week following the fundraiser passed in a blur of classes, homework, and hallway chatter. For Lucas, though, one thing stood out: his connection with Lily was growing. It wasn't just the English project that brought them together anymore—their conversations began to drift beyond books and schoolwork, into the kind of topics that hinted at something deeper.
One afternoon, as they sat in the library surrounded by stacks of papers and textbooks, Lily suddenly closed her notebook and leaned back in her chair. "Okay, enough about Ellie and her survival strategies. Let's take a break. Tell me something about you, Lucas. What do you do for fun?"
Lucas blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Uh, I like drawing," he said after a pause. "Mostly sketches. Landscapes, sometimes people."
Lily's eyes lit up with interest. "That's so cool! Do you have any of your work here?"
"Not really," Lucas admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mostly draw in my sketchbook at home. It's kind of personal."
"Fair enough," Lily said with an understanding smile. "But now you've made me curious. Maybe you'll show me one day?"
Lucas felt his heart skip a beat. "Maybe," he said, a small grin tugging at the corners of his lips.
"And besides drawing?" Lily asked, her curiosity evidently not satisfied.
"Well, I like hiking," Lucas said, relaxing into the conversation. "My dad and I used to go a lot when we lived in Sydney. There's this spot called Bundeena—it's got these amazing cliffs overlooking the ocean. You'd love it."
Lily tilted her head thoughtfully. "That sounds incredible. I've never been to Sydney, but I'd love to visit someday."
"You should," Lucas said earnestly. "There's so much to see."
For a moment, Lily's gaze lingered on him, her expression soft and thoughtful. Lucas couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking the same thing he was—that he'd like to be the one to show her around Sydney someday.
---
A few days later, Lucas found himself walking to the bus stop after school when he heard someone call his name.
"Lucas! Wait up!"
He turned to see Lily jogging toward him, her backpack bouncing on her shoulder.
"Hey," she said, slightly out of breath. "Do you have a minute?"
"Yeah, of course," Lucas said, trying to ignore the sudden rush of nerves that came with being alone with her.
"I just wanted to say thanks," Lily said, falling into step beside him. "For helping out at the fundraiser. Ethan told me he was impressed by how hard you worked."
"Really?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"Yeah. And so was I," Lily said warmly. "You didn't have to get involved, but you did, and it made a difference."
Lucas shrugged, feeling his face heat up. "It wasn't a big deal."
"It was to me," Lily said, stopping to look at him. "You're a good guy, Lucas. I'm glad we're friends."
Friends. The word hung in the air like a bittersweet melody.
"Me too," Lucas said, forcing a smile to mask the twinge of disappointment.
They stood there for a moment, and Lucas felt the familiar pull of wanting to say more—to tell her how much she meant to him, how being her friend was both a joy and a quiet ache. But before he could summon the courage, Lily glanced at her watch and sighed.
"I've got to run. See you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, see you," Lucas said, watching as she disappeared down the street.
---
That evening, Lucas sat at his desk, flipping through his sketchbook. He paused on a page filled with rough pencil drawings of cliffs and crashing waves—a memory of Bundeena from when he and his dad last visited. But it wasn't the scenery that held his attention; it was the idea of showing it to Lily someday, of sharing something personal with her.
With a sigh, Lucas closed the sketchbook and leaned back in his chair. His feelings for Lily were growing stronger with each passing day, but her words earlier kept playing in his mind. *You're a good guy, Lucas. I'm glad we're friends.*
Friends.
It wasn't everything he wanted, but it was something.
---
Over the next few days, Lucas and Lily continued to spend time together, both in and out of the library. Their conversations flowed more easily now, filled with shared laughter and little moments of connection that Lucas treasured.
One afternoon, while they worked on their project, Lily leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Okay, I've got another question for you. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"
Lucas thought for a moment. "Probably Japan. I'd love to see the cherry blossoms and the temples. And the food—ramen, sushi, all of it."
Lily's eyes widened. "That's at the top of my list too! My cousin went last year and sent me the most amazing photos. We should go together someday."
Lucas's heart did a little flip at the casual suggestion, even though he knew she probably didn't mean it that way. "Yeah," he said with a small smile. "That'd be cool."
"What about you?" Lucas asked, eager to shift the focus to her. "Where would you go if you could travel anywhere?"
"Paris," Lily said without hesitation. "It's so cliché, I know, but I've always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and eat croissants in a little café."
"Sounds like a dream," Lucas said. "I can totally see you in Paris."
Lily laughed, her cheeks tinting pink. "Maybe one day."
---
As the weekend approached, Lucas found himself looking forward to the small moments he shared with Lily. On Friday afternoon, as they walked out of class together, Lily suddenly turned to him.
"Do you have plans tomorrow?" she asked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Not really," Lucas replied. "Why?"
"My family's going to the farmers' market in town. It's kind of a tradition, but it's more fun with friends. Want to come?"
Lucas hesitated for a fraction of a second, caught off guard by the invitation, before nodding. "Yeah, I'd love to."
"Great!" Lily said, beaming. "We can meet at the main entrance around ten?"
"Sounds good," Lucas said, his chest tightening with a mix of excitement and nerves.
---
The next morning, Lucas arrived at the market a little early, the smell of fresh bread and flowers filling the air. He spotted Lily almost immediately, her bright smile cutting through the bustling crowd.
"Hey!" she called, waving him over.
They spent the morning wandering through the market together, sampling homemade jams, browsing colorful stalls, and sharing laughs over the quirky trinkets they found. Lucas couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so at ease.
At one point, they stopped by a booth selling small potted plants. Lily picked up a tiny succulent and held it up for Lucas to see.
"Isn't this cute? I've been wanting to add some greenery to my room."
"You should get it," Lucas said.
Lily hesitated, then smiled. "Okay, but only if you pick one too. That way, it's like a memory of today."
Lucas couldn't argue with that. He chose a small cactus with a single pink flower blooming at the top, and as they paid, he couldn't help but feel like this moment—this day—was something he'd always want to hold onto.
---
As they parted ways later that afternoon, Lily turned to him with a warm smile. "Thanks for coming, Lucas. I had so much fun today."
"Me too," Lucas said, his voice earnest.
For a brief moment, it felt like something unspoken passed between them—a quiet understanding that their bond was growing into something special.
"See you Monday?" Lily asked.
"Yeah," Lucas said, watching as she walked away.
As he made his way home, the little cactus cradled carefully in his hands, Lucas couldn't stop smiling. Lily might see him as a friend for now, but with each passing day, he felt that they were building something real, something that could grow into more.