Chapter Text
Riley closed her bedroom door with the utmost care, as if she were sealing a sacred sanctuary, and Maya watched the whole process with a face that clearly said, What now? Then, as if performing some sacred ritual, the two settled into their usual, almost mythical position: both seated on the windowsill, gazing out at the world from their throne. Sure, the world outside kept spinning, but for them, the chaos of life was just background noise.
Riley had just had an epic confrontation with her father, defending Maya as if she were fighting for the last slice of pizza at a party. She’d declared Maya was worth everything and refused to let anyone take her best friend away. During the speech, Maya had just stared at her in silence, her expression unusually tender. She couldn’t figure out what she had ever done to deserve someone like Riley. Seriously, how the hell did I pull this off?
Mr. Matthews looked at her with some pride, and in the end, he’d said that he’d never want to take away something his daughter treasured so much—like her friendship with Maya. All he wanted was for Riley to be herself, to find her own way, instead of trying to be someone else. Maya wholeheartedly agreed with that sentiment. He’d also said he cared about Maya, which was why he worried about her education and wanted her to start taking it more seriously. Maya doubted he was being completely sincere, but she promised herself she’d at least try.
After that unbelievably deep conversation, things with Matthews had returned to normal. All that was left now was for Maya to face her punishment with the principal.
“Your dad’s something else, huh?” Maya joked, breaking the silence.
“He is,” Riley admitted, her voice steady, “but he knows there’s nothing I’ll fight harder for than you.”
Maya gave her a small, genuine smile—the kind she didn’t often show.
After a while, once their conversation had lifted both their moods, Maya remembered she had to tell Riley about Lucas and his unsolicited therapy session. She caught Riley’s attention with a sound, the kind you’d make before spilling the juiciest gossip ever.
“I’ve got something to tell you,” she began, brushing the crumbs off her hands from the chips they’d been snacking on while chatting.
Riley tilted her head, intrigued but calm, her curiosity fully piqued.
“After talking to your dad in the hallway, I needed to step outside for some air. I couldn’t stand hearing another word. I felt… I don’t know, like no matter how hard I try, I’ll always be 'the problem'. And then, as if my day couldn’t get worse, there was Lucas—the nosy cowboy—eavesdropping on everything.”
Riley’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Lucas? What was he doing there?”
“That’s exactly what I thought. What was he doing there? Well, he followed me to the courtyard, I guess because he saw me storm out looking like a complete mess.”
“And what did he say?” Riley asked, her curiosity barely masked.
“Oh, you know, typical philosophical cowboy nonsense. That I shouldn’t bury myself in sarcasm, that it’s okay to ask for help, that I’m not a lost cause.” Maya rolled her eyes, though her voice betrayed a hint of gratitude that Riley didn’t miss. “I mean, who would’ve thought? He was giving me a motivational speech, like he’d win a prize for being the most inspiring guy in the room.”
Riley tilted her head, studying Maya closely.
“And what did you say to him?”
“What do you think I said? I laughed in his face, obviously. Told him he barely knew me and that he had better things to do than waste his time on me. But the guy… he didn’t flinch. Did you know he can be just as stubborn as you?”
Riley smirked, a spark dancing in her eyes.
“That’s a compliment. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” Maya replied with a playful grin before returning to the story. “Anyway, there he was, insisting that I was upset about more than just your dad. How did he know that? No clue. But like some expert at spotting other people’s insecurities, he got me to tell him the truth. And let me tell you, that’s a red flag. The guy’s way too smooth.”
“What truth?” Riley couldn’t help but ask.
Maya sighed, as if saying it out loud was harder than juggling flaming knives.
“That the reason I don’t do my homework—it’s not just about 'rebellion'. When I don’t understand it, I have no one to ask for help. You know my mom’s always working. I’m alone all day without the resources to look things up because we don’t have money for books or fancy tech.”
Riley’s face softened, her tone dropping to a gentle octave.
“Maya…”
“I didn’t tell you this to make you pity me, Riles. And neither did Lucas, although of course I didn’t tell Lucas the whole story like I’m telling you. He… well, it was weird. He said asking for help doesn’t make me weak and that I’m not a burden. He even offered to help me with the next assignment.”
“The guy has no idea what he’s signed up for,” Riley said with a tense smile, though there was something about the story that unsettled her. “Lucas is… kind. That’s no surprise.”
“Yeah, sure, Mr. Perfect Gentleman,” Maya said sarcastically, rolling her eyes as if to downplay it. “But don’t get me wrong—the last thing I want is to depend on him or anyone else.”
Riley fell silent for a moment, processing what she’d just heard. It wasn’t easy to hear that Lucas had such a deep conversation with Maya, especially since Maya rarely opened up like that. And while she tried not to show it, something stirred inside her—a mix of surprise and jealousy she wasn’t ready to admit.
“And what do you think?” Riley finally asked, her voice soft.
Maya shrugged, trying to seem indifferent, though her eyes betrayed her.
“I don’t know. I guess it was… nice. For a moment, I didn’t feel so alone in that place.”
Riley shifted on the windowsill to sit closer to her friend, taking one of Maya’s hands in hers.
“Maya, you’re never alone. Don’t forget that. No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you.”
Maya smiled again, this time with less irony and more gratitude.
“I know, Riles. I know.”
Riley didn’t say it, but the idea of Lucas getting so close to Maya unsettled her in a way she couldn’t quite explain. So, she just squeezed Maya’s hand one more time, letting the moment speak for itself.
The silence they shared wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was heavy with unspoken words. Two best friends, each wrestling with their own feelings, together but lost in their own worlds.
A week had passed since the epic rehearsal incident, and Maya found herself at the crossroads of her life: serving the principal’s punishment.
The punishment involved staying late after school to clean up the classrooms of her last-period classes each day. If her last class on Monday was math, she cleaned the math room; if it was chemistry on Tuesday, then the chemistry lab was hers to scrub. And it wasn’t just putting chairs up or erasing the boards—no, she had to clean everything from top to bottom.
The principal claimed it was to make her appreciate how much the janitors put into cleaning up her mess. To Maya, it just sounded like, 'I want to see you suffer'. But she couldn’t complain—not that it would help—and she only had one week left of the punishment anyway.
Meanwhile, Riley had finally received her official metro card, which apparently meant she was ready to 'travel the world' (or more accurately, the neighborhood). The dynamic between Maya, Riley, and Lucas had also grown stronger, though Maya made sure to keep a safe distance from the guy.
On the first day of her punishment, both Riley and Lucas had kindly offered to help her clean. Naturally, Maya sent them straight to limbo. There was no way she’d let them step into her disaster zone—her mess, her problem.
And one time Maya was late for class, earning a mild scolding from Mr. Matthews. As she approached the door, she noticed Lucas standing there, waiting to go in. She acted indifferent, but deep down, she felt... something she couldn’t quite explain.
“Another rough night? Thanks to you, I now know what real bags under the eyes look like.”
“And who gave you permission to analyze me, cowboy? Go save a horse or something.”
“Or I could save someone more complicated... if you let me, of course.”
That threw her off balance. But, of course, she wasn’t going to let Lucas see that. She smiled—naturally—but with the kind of sarcasm only Maya could pull off without showing a trace of vulnerability.
Little by little, Lucas was chipping away at Maya’s walls. She wouldn’t admit it, but something inside her was starting to think Lucas might be a little different than she’d initially thought. Still, she couldn’t let things get weird.
She tried to avoid him as much as possible because, clearly, this was Riley’s territory, and Maya wasn’t about to overstep. Riley was her best friend, and Maya would never put that at risk.
Now, they were by the lockers when Maya noticed Riley typing away on her phone like every word was about to save the world. A few steps away, Lucas was sitting on a bench, also glued to his phone, blissfully unaware of the subtle glances coming his way from down the hall.
Riley had a certain smile on her face, one that Maya had only seen once before—when Cory and Topanga had gifted her that precious phone. Lucas? Of course it’s Lucas. Only he could make her eyes light up like that. Maya sighed and crossed her arms.
“Talk to him"
“Why would I do that?” Riley replied, completely serious. “Our texting relationship is perfect.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“You know what’s better than texting?” she asked, adopting her best motivational commercial tone.
“What?”
“Talk to him,” Maya said, enunciating each word like she was explaining basic logic.
Riley ignored her entirely, her focus back on her phone.
“Look at this,” Riley said with a dreamy grin, holding her screen up for Maya to see.
Maya barely glanced at it before rolling her eyes.
“He’s right there!” she insisted, gesturing discreetly toward Lucas.
“No,” Riley drew out the word dramatically, her tone evasive. “It’s complicated over there. Anything could go wrong over there. The only thing that can go wrong over here is going over there.”
Maya let out a deep sigh, dropping her shoulders.
“You’re exhausting.”
Before Riley could launch into more philosophical musings about the complexities of human interaction, Maya snatched her books and, in a déjà vu moment worthy of a sitcom, firmly shoved her in Lucas’s direction. If this didn’t work, at least Maya could say she tried. Unlike last time on the subway, Riley managed to stop herself before she got too close.
“Maya!” Riley protested, throwing a pleading look over her shoulder.
Unmoved, Maya pointed toward Lucas with the authority of someone assigning a life-or-death mission.
Resigned, Riley adjusted her hair, straightened her shirt, and walked toward Lucas with all the grace of a newborn fawn.
Maya watched as Riley stopped behind him. Instead of saying something, Riley just... mimed. What happened next almost made Maya drop the books and scream in disbelief.
Instead of speaking, Riley sniffed him. Yes, she literally leaned in, took a deep breath, and sniffed him like he was some rare flower in a botanical garden.
When Riley returned, looking triumphant, Maya could only gape at her.
“How’d I do?” Riley asked, grinning with smug self-assurance.
“You sniffed him.”
“I know!”
“You sniffed him. That’s what you did. You sniffed him. Literally. Sniffed. Him.”
Riley sighed dramatically, taking back her books like she was dealing with someone who simply didn’t understand her art.
“I walk through life the way I walk through life.”
Maya blinked, utterly baffled.
“That doesn’t even make sense. Can we please talk about this, Riley?”
But Riley didn’t respond. Instead, she pulled out her phone and started typing. Seconds later, Maya’s pocket buzzed. At the same time, Riley walked off toward class. With a sinking feeling, Maya pulled out her ancient flip phone and read the message aloud.
“'No.'”
Maya let her arms drop, defeated.
“This girl is impossible.”
Left with no other options, she followed Riley into the classroom, wondering how someone so smart could be so absolutely ridiculous.
In class, Mr. Matthews was conveniently lecturing about the enslavement of society to cell phones. Maya couldn’t help but wonder if he secretly bugged Riley’s clothes to prepare his lessons because, somehow, they always seemed to tie perfectly into their lives.
“This is a timeline of humanity,” Mr. Matthews said as he drew a not-so-straight line across the chalkboard. “At the beginning, we have all the lives that were born, loved, connected, and discovered the secrets of life,” he added, his voice filled with dramatic flair. “And oh, right about here—” his tone shifted to pure frustration as he scratched another line near the end of the first, “—the cell phone era begins, which basically ruins everything that came before it.”
Maya let out a small snort, sinking deeper into her chair. This is going to be fun, she thought, stealing a glance at Riley, who was completely engrossed in her phone under the desk. The irony was palpable.
Across the room, Lucas raised his hand. Maya’s curiosity piqued, and she found herself subtly turning to watch him. He had that signature calm look on his face, but there was a spark in his eyes that made him seem alive in a way that was... irritatingly captivating.
“Can I offer a different perspective, sir?” Lucas asked, his voice relaxed but self-assured.
Mr. Matthews paused, turning to him with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, Mr. Friar, have I gone too far?”
Lucas gave a lopsided smile, and Maya couldn’t help but notice how his lips curved just so—enough to be annoyingly perfect.
“Always, sir,” Lucas replied, pausing for effect. “I get your point, but I don’t think cell phones ruin relationships. I use mine to video call my family, talk to friends, and keep up with what’s happening back in Texas.”
“Right, because how else would you watch all the cattle parades and barn dances?” Maya interjected, mimicking a Texan drawl with a grin.
The class stifled a few laughs, but it was Riley who gently scolded her, though she was smiling.
“Maya... be nice.”
“It’s okay, Riley,” Lucas said in his usual composed manner, as if soothing the situation. “Maya’s opinions about country life don’t bother me. Like my Uncle Buster used to say, 'Be the eagle and soar above the mockingbird.”
Maya raised an eyebrow, her jaw tightening.
“You’re the mockingbird.” Riley whispered, a touch too helpfully.
“I know, Riley, I got that,” Maya shot back with a roll of her eyes before turning to Lucas, who was sitting there with a maddeningly self-satisfied grin.
“It kills me that I can’t get to you,” Maya said, her tone dripping with barely contained irritation.
Lucas, predictably unbothered, gave her a playful cowboy salute, miming the act of tipping an imaginary hat.
“Sorry, ma’am,” he replied with exaggerated politeness.
It was the last straw. Maya felt heat rush to her cheeks, and she tried to convince herself it was just pure anger. Damn helplessness.
She whipped around, determined not to let him see her flustered state, and letting out a clumsy sound as she tried to release the air she had been holding. She crossed her arms tightly. The chalkboard suddenly became the most fascinating thing in the world.
Why does he always seem to enjoy this so much? Damn Texan with his perfect smile and his stupid grandfatherly sayings.
It was amazing how she couldn't annoy him or make him angry, he seemed to even like it, which irritated Maya to stratospheric levels. And it also made her curiosity to a certain extent. She calmed her nerves and made her throat sound, hoping to get rid of that feeling.
Suddenly, Maya’s phone vibrated in her pocket. With a resigned sigh, she pulled it out discreetly, hoping Mr. Matthews wouldn’t notice. The message wasn’t from Riley this time.
“Calm down, mockingbird.”
It was Lucas.
“How did you get my number? I never gave it to you.”
“Riley gave it to me.”
Maya groaned audibly, letting the phone drop onto her desk.
The minutes dragged on. Maya perfected the art of appearing attentive while her mind wandered elsewhere. A smudge on the ceiling caught her eye—it looked like a dinosaur. As Mr. Matthews droned on about the history of technology, she doodled absentmindedly in her notebook. A few curves here, some quick lines there, and soon the ceiling dinosaur was on her page—now sporting a hat. A masterpiece.
With only ten minutes left in class, Farkle, who had been practically vibrating with anticipation, finally couldn’t contain himself.
“Farkle Time, sir?” he exclaimed, waving his hand so enthusiastically that Maya thought he might dislocate something.
Mr. Matthews smiled as if he’d just witnessed something adorable.
“Oh, I do love Farkle Time.”
Leaping up like he was about to star in a Broadway musical, Farkle assumed Mr. Matthews’ spot at the front. He adopted the stance of a politician mid-speech, hands clasped, gaze fixed on a horizon only he could see. His energy was so intense that Maya half-expected him to whip out a microphone and start promising free pizza Fridays.
“With all due respect to history, Mr. Matthews,” Farkle began, his tone solemn as if about to unveil a groundbreaking revelation, “the most important thing for our generation lies beyond this timeline.” He gestured dramatically toward the air. “Clearly, when technology and I rule the world.”
Maya raised an eyebrow. Was that... dictator energy? Yep. Definitely dictator energy.
“And with ease, I could make another version of you...”
Farkle walked over to Riley, plucking a single strand of hair from her head with zero warning.
“Ow!” Riley yelped, instinctively reaching to cover the spot.
Maya’s stomach sank. She had a bad feeling about this, which was confirmed when Farkle moved to her next.
“And you,” he declared triumphantly, yanking a strand from Maya’s head.
“Ow” Maya hissed through gritted teeth, resisting the urge to rip out all of his hair one strand at a time. She mentally tallied all the reasons she hadn’t done it yet.
Completely oblivious to the danger he was in, Farkle held up the strands like trophies.
"So now it's four of us girls against you, just one?" Riley said innocently.
"Isn't that amazing?" Farkle's face lit up with excitement, his eyes sparkling with a thousand plans he’d clearly already mapped out. Maya twisted her mouth into a grimace.
"Yeah, amazingly annoying," Maya muttered, crossing her arms.
"The future! There's no escape!" Farkle declared, raising his arms like a victorious hero. "I am Farkle!"
With an exaggerated bow, he returned to his seat.
"Homework! There's no escape! I am the teacher!" Mr. Matthews imitated, earning chuckles from only his daughter and Farkle. "Here’s the deal—we're going to form teams and figure out if new technology has actually made us better people. You’ll present your findings, but here’s the catch: no computers."
"What?!" Farkle shouted, clutching his chair as if someone were about to pry him off of it.
"Old school, just like I had to do. You’ll conduct your research at the New York Public Library," Mr. Matthews said with a cheerfulness that suggested he was reveling in the chaos he’d unleashed.
"Where?!" Maya exclaimed, horrified. Libraries? Weren’t those just urban legends?
"And since I don't trust you all..." Mr. Matthews extended his hand. "Hand over your cell phones."
"No!" Riley protested this time, clutching her phone as if it were a defenseless puppy.
"Yes."
"You can’t do that!"
"Riley, I’m your teacher. And your father. I have double authority. Hand it over."
Reluctantly, everyone began fishing out their phones, handing them over one by one, though Matthews had to wrestle a few (including Riley's) away.
The students groaned and protested as they surrendered their phones. Some looked defeated, others let out dramatic sighs that could’ve won an Oscar. Matthews, holding the pile of phones like a trophy, finally said:
"Alright, now… Teams will be… Maya, who would you like—"
He didn’t get to finish the question because Farkle launched himself toward Maya with so much enthusiasm that she nearly toppled out of her chair.
"Oh, fine. Riley, who would you—"
Matthews stopped when he noticed the sweet looks Riley and Lucas were exchanging, like they were in the middle of a romantic movie scene.
"No! Change of plans. Girls with girls, boys with boys."
"But you can’t do that!" Riley protested, indignant.
"Oh, yes, I can. I’m your teacher and your father, remember? Double authority."
Maya raised her hand, motioning for Mr. Matthews to come closer.
"Do you realize we’re all just going to end up together at the library anyway?" she murmured, purely to torment him.
"No!" Matthews exclaimed dramatically, just as the bell signaling the end of the class rang. "No!" He looked on in despair as everyone started packing up, especially as Riley and Lucas exchanged smiles.
Maya also watched the scene with a grin, though she couldn’t deny feeling the tiniest, most minuscule, nearly nonexistent pang of disappointment that it was Farkle who had jumped to partner with her.
"Why did you have to come along?" Cory said sorrowfully to Lucas.
"Sorry to inconvenience you, sir," Lucas replied respectfully before heading to his next class.
"Oh, Dad, we don’t have our phones. What could possibly happen?" Riley asked with a grin.
"Yeah, Matthews," Maya chimed in mockingly. "What’s there to worry about? Two boys, two girls, a library, and real human connection—exactly what you wanted, right?"
Mr. Matthews's face twisted more with each word as Maya grabbed Riley’s arm, and the two strutted out of the classroom.
They made their way to the lockers, only to find Lucas already there, packing his bag with surprising precision.
"Hey, flying eagle," Maya said, leaning slightly toward him. "Are you coming with us to the library?"
Lucas looked up and smiled. "Sure, if that's okay with you two. I don’t think I need to ask Farkle—he’ll be fine with it."
"Well, since Riley is now my partner thanks to Matthews' switcheroo, her opinion is important, right?" Maya stepped back a bit, blocking Lucas from interrupting. Still, he kept smiling, his gaze bouncing between Maya and Riley as if he were watching a ping-pong match. "Riley?"
Riley didn’t say anything. Her face was frozen in total panic.
"Any thoughts you’d like to share using actual words?" Maya pressed. Riley remained still. "No? And since you don’t have your phone anymore, I wonder how you’re going to communicate."
Riley simply gave two thumbs up and a sheepish grin.
"Oh, look at that. Two thumbs up… and a smiley face. So helpful."
Lucas's smile widened, and Maya couldn’t help but wonder if his cheeks ever hurt from smiling so much.
"What about you, Maya?" Lucas asked, now directing his attention to the blonde.
"Me? What?"
"Do you want me to come along with you and Farkle?"
"Uh, why ask? Riley’s opinion is the only—"
"It’s important to know what you think too," he interrupted, his gaze meeting hers with surprising intensity. Maya shifted uncomfortably under the weight of it.
"Um, yeah, sure, I guess. I mean, I asked you first, remember?"
"I just wanted to be sure you wanted me there," Lucas replied. With his signature move—tipping an invisible hat—he smiled and walked away toward his next class.
Maya watched him go, while Riley stayed frozen, still trapped in her awkward bubble.
"Riley, please tell me you at least know how to get to the library," Maya sighed, dragging her friend toward their next class.
In the afternoon, Maya walked slowly through the streets of New York, feeling the cool breeze ruffle her hair. She wore a yellow shirt with a punk print on the front, a purple jacket, ripped shorts, and underneath, some sheer stockings. Her backpack hung loosely from one shoulder, light—really, she only carried a little book and a few pencils.
How the hell are we supposed to do this assignment? she thought, kicking a small stone she found in her path. Is there even a book titled "Has Technology Made Us Better People?" Or something like that? I doubt it. We’re probably going to end up digging through giant encyclopedias heavier than Farkle.
Although she couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the thought of Farkle carrying a pile of books bigger than he was, her mood shifted as she remembered who else would be there. Lucas.
Sure, we’ll do the assignment, she thought sarcastically. It’ll be more like an endless session of smiles between him and Riley, while Farkle gives dictator speeches... and me... well, I’ll try not to throw a book at them.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. She didn’t know what to expect from being so close to the cowboy.
She stopped in front of the Matthews' apartment and looked up, seeing the lit windows. She buzzed the intercom, and after a positive reply from the Matthews family, they let her in.
In front of the apartment door, she knew they were having dinner, as she could smell the unmistakable aroma of something baked and homemade—probably the work of Topanga.
Maya let out a sigh, adjusted her jacket, and pressed the doorbell. Minutes later, the door opened to reveal Riley, smiling brightly but slightly nervous.
"Maya!" Riley greeted her and quickly ushered her inside. "We’re having dinner, but I’m almost ready."
Inside, Maya saw Cory, Topanga, and Auggie sitting at the table, enjoying what looked like a delicious, balanced meal. Auggie, as usual, smiled at her.
"Maya!"
"Hey, little pirate," Maya said with a lazy grin as she dropped onto the couch.
Cory turned in his seat to look at her.
"So, how’s the whole 'no phone' thing going, Maya? Riley’s not handling it too well."
Topanga laughed softly.
"Cory thinks Riley won’t survive the week, and I’ll tell you something: it’s not in our best interest for him to be right."
Maya gave a sideways smile.
"Well, for me, it’s no big deal. I’m the only one in the class without a smartphone, remember? So, I feel like we’re kind of on equal footing now."
Cory raised an eyebrow.
"Really? You don’t feel even a little bit of anxiety?"
"Please, Mr. Matthews, I don’t need a phone to be interesting." Maya crossed her arms dramatically.
Riley sighed from the kitchen, where she was rummaging through her backpack.
"I don’t know how you do it without going crazy. I feel like they ripped off one of my arms!"
"Riley, it’s been five hours without your phone," Topanga rolled her eyes while serving more vegetables on Auggie’s plate. "It’s almost offensive how much you depend on it."
"Five hours? Or five years?" Riley replied, clutching her heart in a theatrical gesture.
"Oh, please," Maya said with a mocking smile. "You’d be surprised how productive you can be without a phone. You might even end up discovering things like... I don’t know, talking to real people."
At that moment, the intercom buzzed, and Farkle’s voice echoed through the apartment.
"Farkle Minkus here!"
Riley turned toward the intercom.
"I’ll be there in a minute."
But before she could return to what she was doing, the device buzzed again.
"And Lucas."
Riley jolted as if she’d been electrocuted, grabbing her backpack.
"I’m ready!" she shouted, grabbing her backpack and coat and rushing toward the door.
Maya, still sitting on the couch, raised an eyebrow.
"A minute for Farkle, but two seconds for the cowboy?"
"Shut up, Maya!" Riley snapped, her cheeks turning red as she hurried out the door.
Maya calmly stood up, glancing at the family.
"Well, this should be interesting. Thanks, Matthews."
Cory sighed in exasperation.
"Just don’t lose track of them at the library, okay?"
"What am I, their babysitter?" Maya asked, though she couldn’t help but smile as she followed her best friend toward the chaos that was surely awaiting them.