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Lucca had never been crazy about parties.
Sure, the socialisation aspect was nice. It gave her the opportunity to converse with people outside of her subject group at college that she wouldn’t have crossed paths with otherwise. But going to parties meant being around people who were in her age group, many of whom could get a little… energetic at parties.
They were all in their early twenties, and despite having left the nest of teenhood years ago, all seemed eager to prove that they still hadn’t lost that youthful spark. This resulted in the party's energy becoming much too rowdy for Lucca’s liking. By this point, it was difficult to find anyone who hadn’t had one drink too many, and so the charm of interacting with other people had been completely lost. She’d give it ten more minutes before she made her move to leave.
At least, that had been the plan until she walked by.
Lucca, completely dumbfounded, could only stare wide-mouthed at the woman before her. She must have only just entered the building, because there was no way Lucca hadn’t noticed her before if she’d been here the whole time. The woman’s silky, silver hair sat neatly by her shoulders; even the way her hair shone was so distinct that Lucca couldn’t pry her eyes away. She was wearing perhaps an overly fancy white and pink dress for the occasion, one you’d sooner see at a red carpet rather than a small college party. The smile she carried had a quiet yet confident air to it, and she seemed more content to observe the party rather than participate.
Every little detail about her immediately drew Lucca toward her; however, the main event was certainly those eyes. Her irises gleamed like a chest full of dazzling jewels, holding a beauty to them which could rival that of diamonds. Their purple tint glowed with intelligence, matching her oval earrings seamlessly.
How long had Lucca been staring at the goddess before her? It must have been long enough to be noticeable, because the woman had now turned her attention completely on her. Being in her direct line of sight alone sent a warm shiver throughout Lucca’s body. Her now flustered face probably matched the rosy pinks of the woman’s dress quite nicely.
“A-Ah…” Lucca stammered pathetically as she begged her mouth to spit out any form of greeting. She was going to blow it. She’d just encountered the most gorgeous woman she’d met in her entire life, and she’d already completely dropped the ball.
But the woman didn’t seem put off by Lucca’s mess of an introduction. Instead, her smile deepened with a kind glimmer, and she walked towards her.
“This party is quite lively, isn’t it?” she spoke humorously. Even her voice was heavenly.
“Hah, yeah, they’re good people, but they get a little too much for me after a few drinks.” Lucca smiled in an attempt to stabilise herself. “I’m Lucca, by the way. I’m taking a teacher training course at the moment. I don’t think I’ve seen you around campus before, what do you study?”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lucca. My name is Maria.” After introducing herself, Maria did a small, polite curtsy, which subsequently caused Lucca’s heart to flutter. “To tell the truth, I’m not studying at the college situated here. But I noticed the little gathering here on a walk and decided to have a venture in. I’ve never been to an event like this before… so I thought it would be nice to have a small taste of it while I’m within age appropriateness for it.”
Well, that checked out. If Maria had studied at her college, Lucca was certain there would have been some sort of fan club solely centred around the beautiful girl. And yes, she would be the founding member and president of said club. Judging from Maria’s expensive-looking attire and polite manner of speaking, Lucca couldn’t help but wonder if she came from a rich family. It would make a lot of sense given that being around her made Lucca feel like she’d been granted a meeting with some divine figure of royalty.
“Oh, so it’s your first party? I’m not a massive fan of them myself, but I hope it can be somewhat of a pleasant experience for you. It’s a convenient way to meet interesting people, I suppose.” Lucca offered her opinion.
Going into this party, Lucca had told herself it would probably be her last. Summer exams would be coming up soon, so all her spare time would be devoted to studying. And even past that, she felt she would have outgrown these sorts of things once she’d graduated. It was a bittersweet thing to part with, almost as if she was saying goodbye to her childhood, but everyone had to grow up eventually.
Maria’s eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief. “I see. And have you met anyone interesting tonight then?”
Oh, she’d definitely noticed Lucca’s yearning gaze before walking up to her. Not that she’d been exactly subtle about it. The woman before her knew that her presence alone had a grip on Lucca, and that made her even more irresistible. Maria had her completely wrapped around her finger, and Lucca would have to take extra caution to not make an utter fool out of herself. She could play this game too!
“Your eyes are gorgeous, they shine to me like amethysts,” was all Lucca managed to breathe out. So there went being extra cautious. Maybe Lucca was more of a lightweight than she’d thought. Or maybe Maria just had this special power of divulging the inner thoughts of her target just from looking at them. Regardless of the explanation, Lucca was now very much at the mercy of however Maria chose to respond to her blatant longing.
Maria let out a chuckle. But it wasn’t one of mockery. “Thank you,” she leaned in closer, “You have a pretty pair yourself. It’s like being lulled in by the depths of the ocean.” The woman’s mouth was so close to Lucca that she could feel the wisps of her breath as she spoke.
The heat brought on by both the enclosed party space and Lucca's rapidly growing feelings was causing her to become quite overheated. There was little chance she’d be able to maintain the conversation at this rate; she’d definitely need to grab some air.
“Sorry, I might step out for a moment. This place is getting overly stuffy, and I don’t want to be a sweating mess in front of you,” Lucca attempted to excuse herself. There was a high chance Maria would go and find someone who wasn’t a pathetic blushy mess if Lucca left right now, but she feared that if she continued like this, she’d end up as a pile of mush on the floor, which was obviously very unappealing.
“May I accompany you? To be honest, I think I joined in a little too late. Most people are quite dazed from the drinking. I think I saw someone throw up just now, too.” She eyed a space behind Lucca nervously. “And besides… like you said, I came here to find someone interesting. And I think there’s someone who's caught my attention~”
“Oh!” Lucca gaped at Maria’s blatant flirting. “Yeah, once the vomiting starts, things only get worse from there; you're definitely better cutting off the party here.”
As the pair turned to leave, Lucca interlocked her hand with Maria to pull her along to the exit. It was a bold move mainly stirred by Lucca’s desire to get a bit of vengeance for how much of a grip Maria had had on her. Maria didn’t seem against the physical contact, though as she made no move to sever their hold.
“The stars are really pretty tonight,” Lucca remarked upon gazing up at the night sky. The flow of the chilling breeze was a welcome sensation; being inside that stuffy building had become much too suffocating. The nervous wreck she’d been around Maria was very out of character for her, and she’d hate for that to be the main impression the beautiful woman had of her.
Maria hummed in agreement. “I always find them so calming, even in the hardest of times, it’s like they’re always there to quell my worries.” Her smile twisted into a more troubled expression. “When everything keeps changing without my say… It’s nice to know that the stars and moon will always be there.”
Lucca blinked at her companion in surprise. “... Does that sort of thing happen to you a lot? Are things pretty tumultuous for you?” she asked. She knew it was stupid to make the assumption, especially when they’d literally just met, but Lucca really hadn't labelled Maria as someone who had much to dread about. She tended to assume rich people had very easy lives, but there was just something so insecure about the way Maria had spoken.
“Ah… Sorry, I don’t want to unload my burden onto someone I just met. Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything and enjoy the view together,” Maria attempted to dismiss the issue.
But Lucca knew she could never be satisfied if the rest of their night was shared under the guise of a fake smile. She led Maria towards the field where she usually ate her lunch during breaks. There would be plenty of room to gaze up at the stars they both so adored here.
“Here.” Lucca lay down on the grass beneath them and patted the spot next to them. “Oh, will your dress be alright?”
“A little bit of dirt never hurt anyone,” Maria said and took her spot next to her.
A few moments of silence passed between the two as they were content to peer into the depths of the glittering sky above them. In their moment of solitude, the rest of the world didn’t need to exist. They were alone, together.
“So,” Maria was the one to break the silence, “you wish to become a teacher? What led you to that decision?”
“Well, I’ve always been good at explaining things. When I signed up for the student peer mentoring program at my school, I realised how much of a talent I had for it. Helping those who are struggling, understanding what they need to overcome their personal hurdles… it gave me a feeling of satisfaction that just felt right ,” Lucca explained as she ruminated on her decision.
“That’s wonderful!” Maria spoke up with true enthusiasm. “You’ll help so many children discover their dreams, and push forward the ones who can’t see the path that calls them… you’re going to make such a positive impact on those kids, I just know it.” The woman had turned to face Lucca now, her eyes widened with admiration.
Lucca’s throat tightened, and a fuzzy sensation bubbled in her gut. This woman probably held a power over her that no other person could even begin to compete with. “Yeah, I really hope so. What about you? You said you weren’t in education, so do you already have a job?”
Maria’s eyes flickered with a troubled expression for a brief moment, then she darted her eyes towards the stars once more. “I…” She seemed to struggle to get the words out. “I’m helping my father with his business. He’s a very busy man, and he has a certain condition that makes aspects of his job impossible for him to do. So I act as his representative of sorts.”
“I see, that sounds quite important. And is supporting your father something you always wanted to do?” Lucca asked innocently. But she could sense Maria’s hesitation, the slight pain in her voice.
“...” Maria didn’t answer, and for a moment, Lucca feared she’d retreat back into her forced smile and leave it at that.
“The man that I will marry one day has already been decided.”
“Huh?” Lucca sat up in shock at Maria’s sudden statement. “Already decided… Do you mean an arranged marriage?”
“Mhm,” Maria had spoken in her usual voice, and yet there was just something so empty about it to Lucca now. “In a few years from now… when he’s old enough to serve as the director of my father’s company, we will be married and start a family together.”
The surrounding air became laced with a heavy tension, and Lucca feared its weight would crush Maria completely. “Wow… that’s… I didn’t even think people did arranged marriages any more. Talk about archaic, is your dad from a hundred years ago or something?” Lucca joked in an attempt to lighten the mood even a little.
That got a small chuckle out of Maria at least, although it sounded quite strained. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a really nice man. We’ve gone on a few outings together, and I do genuinely like him, just…”
“Not in that way?”
“... Yeah,” the silver-haired lady admitted. “But it’s alright. I know how important our arrangement is for the future of my father’s company. I want to help him reach his own dreams. And this happens to be one of the ways I can assist him with that.” Maria smiled once more, but it was enriched in such a sad, quiet acceptance.
Lucca breathed out, mulling over her words. She knew she never had a chance of having anything with Maria. But she thought that was because the angelic woman was way out of her league. That sentiment still rang true, but knowing that Maria didn’t even have a choice in the matter of her romantic partner… it made the sting of what they could’ve been ebb in pain all the more.
“We’re kind of opposites in that sense then, I suppose,” Lucca began. “My mother has lived her whole life as an adventurer. She’d tell me story after story of every little journey she’d had, and when I turned old enough, she even started to bring me along with her. But… I could never quite share her enthusiasm for it all. I just couldn’t enjoy those thrills she’d always spoken so highly of. To me, the constant venture into the unknown just seemed like a hassle. I realised it wasn’t for me, and I preferred a much quieter life.”
Maria raised her eyebrows, her interest piqued. “And so? How did she take it?”
“Well, when she started rambling about the next adventure she had planned, I just told her how I felt. That I didn’t hold the same interests as her and rejected that path. She was actually completely fine with it; in fact, she was happy I could voice my feelings to her so comfortably.” It had been a hard step to make, but every day, Lucca was grateful that she’d managed to put her foot down. That hadn’t stopped her mother from adventuring, of course, which had resulted in them not seeing each other as much afterwards, but it had been a necessary sacrifice so that they could both follow their own paths. “Thinking back on it, that day was the catalyst for me forming one of my strongest beliefs. I decided I’d never try to force any path on my child if I had one, or even any of the kids I’d teach. I’d let them jump out of the nest for themselves, so every stone that they carved would be of their own will.”
“... I like that idea,” Maria whispered in slight awe.
“Lucca.” She rose into a sitting position, her voice gaining an intensity she hadn’t spoken with until now. “Your ideals have truly moved me. But they cannot change the path I am walking. Although my path was carved out by someone else… I am following it because I believe in it. I know that the future my father seeks will be bountiful for both people and pokemon, and I intend to help him every step of the way.”
“I see…” Lucca conceded, although disappointment sat heavily on her chest.
“But.” She spoke with a conviction that was laced with desperation. “If I’m going to spend my life living for the sake of others… I want to be selfish, at least for tonight.” Maria was fully facing Lucca now, and her lips had been edging closer and closer to the blue-haired woman’s.
“Please, Lucca… won't you grant that for me?”
Once more, Lucca was met with those amethyst eyes. But now they’d been stripped of all their layers, of the shining facade they had once held. Now, all that gleamed within them was a painful yearning. And Lucca was certain that hers reflected the same.
Lucca nodded, and without missing a beat, the pair's lips entangled and became one. She had thought that it would’ve felt like fireworks going off. Rather than the explosion of passion she’d envisioned, the connection of their mouths was soft and gentle. As they held each other in this private moment, the main emotion that coursed through them both was comfort. They’d only known each other for a few hours. And yet… being intertwined like this just felt right. They welcomed the others' warmth as if it had been a piece of them that had once been pried away, a piece that this kiss would put back in place. Together, what was once one could finally be restored.
… But only temporarily.
Maria was the one to pull away. Her cheeks were flushed with a rosy pink, and her violet eyes swam with fulfilment.
“Thank you, Lucca. I appreciate it more than you could ever know,” she smiled with genuine adoration. “And I’m sorry we could only have this one night… in another life, maybe we could’ve had more.” And there was that quiet sadness Lucca had come to expect from the woman’s gaze.
‘Then stay! Keep walking this path with me!’ was what Lucca yearned to tell her. But she couldn’t. She’d seen the determination in Maria’s eyes when she’d spoken about her path earlier. There would be no changing her mind, and all Lucca could do was respect that decision.
“I’m glad I at least got to meet you,” was what Lucca forced herself to settle on. “I’m grateful for every single meeting I have. I like to believe everyone crosses paths for a reason, no matter how short that time may be.”
Maria nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure fate wanted us to meet today, even just briefly.” She took a moment to just stare at Lucca, as if burning her image into her mind. Then, she finally rose to her feet. “I have to go now, my people are probably searching for me. To be honest, I actually snuck off to be here, so I might be in a tinsy bit of trouble,” she winked mischievously.
“Wow, what a disobedient little princess you are. Off with her head!” Lucca spoke melodramatically. “Wait, before you go… Can I at least take a picture? Just something to carry with me besides the memories.” Lucca tested her luck.
“Sure, go ahead. But I won’t take one for myself. Just knowing a document of this night exists at all is enough to satisfy me,” Maria agreed.
The pair of temporary lovers took their position under the stars, hand in hand. Lucca held up her phone, making sure to point it at the best angle. After a snap rang out, Lucca lowered her phone back into her pocket.
They spoke little to each other as they made their way out of the field and towards where the party had been held. Neither of them had much that they wanted to say, at least nothing that was more important than basking in the presence of the other, whilst they still could. After a few minutes of waiting, a long, black limo drifted toward them and parked in front.
“Well, this is goodbye then,” Maria announced as her back faced the car.
“Will we ever meet again?” Lucca dared to ask. But she knew the answer. They practically belonged to different worlds.
Maria’s eyes narrowed in pain. “I… I don’t think so. To part with you is agonising… and yet I know in my heart that to keep you at arms' length would just torment me all the more.” Her voice was thin and fragile; she was clearly using all the strength she had to not break in front of Lucca. “But I will always hold a special place for you within my heart.”
And with that, she broke her gaze away from Lucca, disappearing into the back of the limo. The car sped off into the depths of the night, leaving Lucca alone beside the road.
***
“This one is from my first day at college. I remember it had all felt so daunting leading up to it… But it wasn’t that scary in the end,” Lucca reminisced.
Liko gasped in awe, as she had for every photo she’d been shown. Lucca’s daughter was only five years old and would be starting school for the first time soon, so she’d decided to take her on a trip down her own personal memory lane.
“The first step is the hardest part!” Liko excitedly chimed in, echoing her grandma's words. She’d been obsessed with that line since the last time she’d paid them a visit. It was a good sentiment for her child to learn, though, so Lucca was happy that she seemed to have ingrained it into her soul.
She turned the page to the next set of photos, a collage of various events she’d had during her time at college. That had all been over a decade ago now. Her teaching career had gone pretty successfully after graduation, and she’d even met someone she decided to start a family with… she’d lived the satisfactory life she’d dreamt of, that was for sure.
“Whoa, pretty! Who is this woman?” Liko pointed towards a photo in the bottom left.
Lucca’s heart lurched from her chest at the sight of it. She didn’t bring out her photo folder too often, so sometimes she’d forget about its contents. The picture in question captured the smiles of two young women, who had been joined for a painfully brief moment. It had been so fleeting… and yet Lucca could still feel the warmth of Maria’s hand within her own as if it were phantom pain.
“A very precious friend,” Lucca settled on.
This intrigued Liko even further. “Then, will I meet her someday?”
Lucca shook her head, a bittersweet smile gracing her lips.
True to her word, Lucca had never met Maria again after that day. There had been many nights when she’d considered tracking her down, and she probably knew enough about her to find her. But when she thought about the pain it would’ve caused Maria, she couldn’t go through with it. Maria would never have been able to choose her, so being in her life would just serve as a constant reminder of that. Lucca would’ve suffered because of it too, if she’d had Maria in her life; then she’d probably hold back on pursuing anyone else just in case a miracle occurred. So… It had been for the best that their presence in each other's lives had been temporary.
Still… there had been many times in her life where she’d pondered what if . What if that day, she’d taken Maria’s hand and pushed her to choose her path instead of her father's? What if they’d abandoned everything that day and started anew together? What if she’d dedicated herself to becoming the director of Maria’s father's company instead, and then she could’ve been the one to take her hand in marriage?
It was all so strange. She’d only known her the one night. And yet thinking of her felt like mourning a lifetime.
But if she’d lived that life, then Liko wouldn’t be before her right now. She wouldn’t have met Alex, whom she also loved very dearly. This was the path she had followed, and she didn’t regret it.
“I haven’t seen her in a very long time. But that’s just how it is sometimes. People will come into your lives, and they will leave them, too. All you can do is enjoy it while it lasts, and hold the memories close when it's over,” she spoke thoughtfully and patted her daughter's head gently.
Wherever Maria was, wherever her path had led her… All Lucca could do was hope that she had found happiness at the end of it.
And for Liko, she hoped the path that her daughter would choose someday would lead her to happiness as well.