A/N: Hi! So I wanted to thank everyone who has been so supportive and nice about the 'i love you a latte' stories. It was my first attempt at writing in this capacity, and I have had so much fun writing them. I am still in awe that people actually read it and liked it. It means a lot! A lot of people told me they want me to keep writing for that particular storyline, so I'm definitely thinking about it! I have gotten a few tempting prompts that I will likely cave and end up writing…..A few said that the chapter where Maya had the baby was a good stopping point if I was ready to end it, so I'm considering that too. In the meantime, I got stuck babysitting in a house with terrible cell reception and this new series happened. My first multi chapter (Chronological, at least) au series! I have always been kind of a sucker for fake date fics, even though they can be cheesy and very predictable. This one is au because I made the triangle never exist and kinda changed the parameters of their friendships. This chapter is largely a setup chapter just to establish the dynamic of their friendship. As of right now, it is the only chapter I have written, but I don't really want to make it a slow burn situation, largely because I sometimes get impatient during those. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this. Please let me know what you think/if you think I should keep going with this story! I love hearing your thoughts/suggestions!

Ever since high school, Maya and Lucas had always been especially close out of everyone in their friend group. They were content to hang out with everyone else, but were known to basically be together at all times outside of group time. Not only were they especially close with each other, but Lucas and Maya both knew each other's families really well. It was not weird for Maya to come home to find Lucas at the table with Maya's mom catching up or Lucas to come home to find Maya baking and cooking dinner with his mom. For the past six years of their friendship everyone has made it known that they believe Maya and Lucas should be together. At this point, they both just laughed when people said that to them because they were so used to it. Little did they both know the reaction that question caused them both to have internally. That feeling of tightness in their chests, the flutter in their stomachs, the acute awareness of their facial expressions that they desperately tried to keep neutral.

The summer before sophomore year of high school was the time when their friendship originally shifted from casual friends to inseparable. Everyone knew Maya's family struggled financially when she was younger. Things weren't completely solved at the time either, but Maya's mom, with the help of her new husband Shawn, had things under control now. One thing that had unfortunately not changed with that shift in the paradigm of Maya's life was the occasional dig at Maya's "bad life". Maya had learned to just shrug it off and build up a wall that wouldn't let her get hurt because of her friends' careless comments. She knew they loved her and didn't mean it as terribly as it came off. However, one day Lucas had enough of hearing it.

It all started when Maya didn't know why her best friend Riley was so horrified by the idea of going to a high school party. Yes, there would be "scary things" there like alcohol and potentially couples hooking up in plain sight. And yes, it started at 10:00pm. But Maya felt confident that if the 6 of them went together, they would be able to handle it. They didn't have to do anything bad, they could just experience something new. Riley, likely embarrassed that Maya brought up the fact that Riley found those things that were pretty commonplace to the typical high school student completely unthinkable, immediately fired back with a comment along the lines of 'not all of us have to do outrageous things just to cope with abandonment issues, Maya.' Lucas couldn't really remember her exact words, but he did remember seeing red as soon as they left her mouth. Before Maya even had a chance to react, Lucas stood up, glaring at Riley, and grabbed Maya's hand and pulled her out of the café. She was so taken aback from Riley's particularly harsh jab that she just let him drag her out with no protest. Once they were outside she realized what had just happened.

"Why did you just drag me out of there, Huckleberry? I wasn't planning on clobbering her. She says shit like that all the time. I just ignore it."

Lucas looked at her with a sadness in his eyes, "I don't care if you're used to her making comments like that. That doesn't make it okay. You don't deserve that at all. You and I will go to the party tonight, okay?"
Maya looked up at him, somewhat surprised that he stuck up for her like that.
She smiled softly. "Sure, that would be fun."
Lucas smiled with a fondness that Maya had still yet to notice and turned to walk her home.

Neither of them had ever really discussed the idea of taking their relationship to the next level. Sure, they often acknowledged how attractive the other was, they cuddled constantly and they had so many inside jokes they could make anyone around them feel uncomfortable. But to them, crossing that line meant risking the relationship they had both come to love and depend on over the past six years. As a result, they really didn't even entertain the idea.

Now, as college sophomores, their friendship was strong as ever. Both Maya and Lucas were the only ones out of their friend group to attend NYU. Riley was at Yale, Farkle was at Harvard with Smackle and Zay went back to Texas on a football scholarship. Nothing had really changed between them. They were still inseparable, they were constantly told what a cute couple they were and most importantly, they loved to tease each other more than anything.

Maya barged into Lucas' dorm after her Thursday afternoon class, which she always did. Lucas wasn't back from his tutoring job yet, so Maya took off her shoes and climbed in his bed to nap until he got back. When she woke up, the light in his room had shifted quite a bit indicating it was early evening now. Maya looked around and noticed Lucas had dropped his stuff off at his desk, but she didn't see him anywhere. She got up and saw the note he left on her backpack.

"Hey Shortstack,
You were sleeping so peacefully I didn't want to wake you. You need all the beauty rest you can get ;) KIDDING.
I was starving and knew you probably would be too, so I went to get us some food. So don't leave before I come back.

I'll be back soon,
Huckleberry"

Maya smiled and thought about what a dork her best friend was. But he was the best kind of dork who brought her food without having to even ask. She thinks she'll keep him around.

A few minutes later, she heard the door open and quite a bit of rustling. She walked out of his room to find Lucas juggling two take out bags from her favorite taco place and a drink tray while trying to shut the door. She ran over to help him carry, unable to resist a little jab for his near clumsiness.

"Ranger Rick, have I taught you nothing? Dropping tacos breaks them and turns them into taco salad. There will be no salad eating in this dorm room tonight." She smirked at him and carried the bag of food she had taken from him into his kitchen area to get everything set up."

Lucas shook his head fondly in response and promised to be more careful in the future. Maya smiled and thanked him, also making sure to thank him for getting them food in the first place. She loved to tease him, but she also wanted him to know that he is appreciated.

He looked at her a little guiltily in response, but Maya thought she was just imagining things due to extreme hunger.

Both Lucas and Maya filled their plates with tacos, chips and guacamole and sat down at his kitchen table to eat. It had been a normal dinner, except Maya kept getting a weird vibe from him. Normally when she would make fun of him, he would make fun of her right back, but tonight he was just letting her get away with everything.

"Huckleberry are you okay? You're being too nice to me." She scrunched her nose. "It's weird."

Lucas looked at her and back down at his tacos. "Maya, I need to ask you something but I'm pretty sure once you hear it you're going to send me to my momma's shed."

Maya furrowed her brows. What on earth could he ask her that would make her want to send him to the shed? She was truly baffled.

"Okay, Lucas, now you have to tell me. You're freaking me out."

Lucas took a deep breath and looked at his best friend. "Okay, Maya, but you have to promise not to freak out on me. Just let me explain first."

Maya nodded hoping she could at least follow his simple request.

Lucas looked at her and started, "Okay you know my grandma Mabel? Pappy Joe's wife?"

Maya nodded, not understanding what his grandmother had to do with anything. She has spent several summers with his family in Texas at Pappy Joe's ranch.

Lucas continued, "You know how she has always loved you? Well her 90th birthday is coming up in 3 weeks and we are flying out to Texas for the party. It falls during our fall break, so we are spending the whole week down there. She isn't entirely well, so when we were telling her that we would be able to make it, she kept insisting that I bring my 'pretty blonde girlfriend' to the party. We tried to remind her that you're my best friend but she wasn't having it. That was all well and good, but then my mom talked to my aunt and found out that Grandma has told the entire family that I'm bringing my beautiful girlfriend to the party, and apparently they have all freaked out because I finally came to my senses and asked you out. Maya, I'm so sorry you got roped into this crazy web, but is there anyway you would come with me to Texas and pretend to be my girlfriend for the sake of Grandma Mabel?" If you want we can tell everyone you're not my girlfriend. I don't want you to feel like I'm ruining your rep, even if this is fake. But it would mean a lot to me and my family." Lucas gave her puppy dog eyes, knowing she could hardly ever say no to them.

Maya looked at him incredulously. "Lucas Joseph Friar, I cannot believe you just let yourself get so worked up about asking me to help you. You know I love your family like my own and you're my best friend. Of course I will be your fake girlfriend. We will hardly even have to act different, everyone thinks we are dating 90% of the time already. It also works out because your family likes me better than you, anyways."

Lucas smiled and immediately stood up, pulling Maya into a hug. He spun her around and kissed her on top of her head and profusely thanked her.

Maya laughed and told him it was nothing, but was sure to add that he owed her. Big time. This was going to be an interesting trip, to say the least.

A/N: Hi! Just a quick note- I really don't want anyone to think I'm trying to make Riley a villain! This is au, so I chose not to go with typically bubbly Riley. I wanted there to be some source of conflict that drew Lucas to protect Maya as the basis of their friendship, and that just seemed like a good way to go. Anyways. Hope you liked it!