Hartbreaker

i. Aftermath

The Blonde Beauty.

That's what he called her, according to Zay anyways.

The Blonde Beauty.

And all she could say was oh.

She didn't think any of it at the time. It was something small, something that made her heart beat fast. It was a compliment, she wasn't used to having anything positive about her as a compliment. The mysterious night according to Farkle but that wasn't really a compliment. That was her reasoning for feeling that way. It was just a compliment, something she wasn't used to. And besides, Riley had a detail explanation of who she was. She was just looks, a pretty face. She never knew Lucas like that anyways.

The next time she felt something was a few weeks ago. Farkle tried to throw a paperball in the trash can but ended up hitting her head. Before she got the chance to murder the genius, Lucas grabbed her by the waist and sat her back down in her desk. When she turned around to yell at the cowboy, she found the words dying in her mouth because all he did was smile. That smile managed to unbury the feelings she kept deep down. The feelings she wanted to bury deep so no one would get hurt. So nothing would change, she's always hated change.

Then Texas had to happen. Freakin', stinkin' Texas had to freakin' stinkin' happen.

Now all Maya Hart could do was sigh. She hasn't gotten out of bed since the weekend started. The only thing running through her mind was Stinkin' Texas. Everything would have been fine, but it was stinkin' Texas and stinkin' Lucas and stinkin' feelings. The reason why she was coped up in bed for the past two days. The phone Mr. Mathews got her was on the opposite side of the room. It didn't stop ringing and vibrating for the past two days.

She didn't want anything to change. She wanted nothing to change. She liked things the way they were. Lucas was Riley's, they had their unofficial thing. Even though she thought they were like siblings, it didn't mean they actually were. She could have been wrong. It's easier for her to be wrong. For Riley to prove her wrong, but instead Riley agreed.

She let out a sigh, twirling the friendship ring Riley gave to her on her birthday.

sisters tell each other everything right?

That's what Riley asked Maya. Maya shoved her face into her pillow and groaned. She was gonna lose her friends, all because of that stupid stinkin' cowboy. She would Riley and all of her friends.

Farkle loved her and Riley but something in her gut told her that Farkle would choose Riley. After all, even though he loved both of them, he loved Riley first. She closed her eyes, remembering the look Farkle gave her when he walked back into Topanga's after getting dragged out by Riley. It was disappointment, pure disappointment. She knew he was angry at her and it made her stomach churn to even think about it.

Lucas would choose Riley, because she was a fluke. There was no way Lucas had any feelings for her, not the way he did with Riley. Even if she and Riley thought they were like siblings, she knew that Lucas had feelings for Riley. Strong feelings for Riley. Her mind drifted to how jealous Lucas was when he found out she wad dating Charlie Gardner. He would never get like that with her.

Lastly Zay, the newest addition to the group, would choose whoever Lucas chose because they're best friend. That person would most likely be Riley. Wonderful, sweet Riley.

So all she could do was sigh and mop for two days because things had changed. Nothing was the same anymore. She could feel herself drifting from everyone, being second place to everyone. Including her own best friend. She twirled the ring around her finger and bit the inner of her cheek.

So much for ring power.

Maya Hart tried her very best that monday to hide from everyone. Especially Lucas. She ditched class, she didn't pick up Riley this morning, and she didn't even go to her locker. Instead she spent it hiding away in the art room. She was surprised no one thought to look for her in there, but another though appeared in her mind. A thought that made her chest hurt and made tears start to form in her eyes.

What if they weren't looking for me?

She stopped stroking, letting her paint brush sit heavy. It was possible. Everyone in Mr. Mathew's class did say that no one would miss her. How could she except her friends to? She rationalized yesterday that it was clear they would never abandon Riley. Sweet little Riley who lived in Rileytown filled with rainbow and sunshine and happiness. Rileytown was far better than Mayaville.

Maya let out a sigh, sucking up any tears from falling. She continued to stroke.

"Just the person I wanted to see." Maya looked up to see her favorite teacher, Ms. Kossal. The second person in her life to recognize her for her talent, to let her know she had talent. "I contacted your mother and see knows about it." Ms. Kossal handed her a pamphlet. "It's a program, a one year program. It's abroad and every few years a school gets to choose one student to go to Europe and study the culture there. I recommended you and there are other teachers here who agree."

"Oh." Maya grabbed the pamplet. "This sounds amazing but I don't think-"

"Talk about it with your mother. She seems excited for you" Ms. Kossal smiled, Maya nodded and looked back at her painting.

"What do you got here?" Ms. Kossal asked peering over her shoulder. "This is new." she commented. "It's sad, dark, almost..." she trailed off. "Maya, sweetheart. You know if you need to talk to an adult. I'm right here, in this room." she said with worry.

Maya smiled sadly at one of her favorite teachers. "I'm fine." she said dipping her brush into a darker blue. "I'm... in a conflict" she nodded. A conflict she's sure to lose.

Ms. Kossal nodded then went to the back to set up for the next class. She looked down at her painting and sighed. She continued to paint with the same sad expression. You're a great artist Maya. Maya shut her eyes, wishing the words to stop replaying in her head. I want you to be happy Maya. She clenched her fist tighter wishing the words and the look on his face to go away. All she wanted was those sweet words to go away.

Maya Hart couldn't go anywhere. Everywhere reminded her Riley, Lucas, her friends. She couldn't get away from anyone or anything without that constant reminder. She tightened the strap of her bag and pushed her way through the crowd. Her body was on autopilot, making her way home.

Maya entered her house, the first she heard was the television playing. Which was quite odd for her considering that it was never on around this time. She grabbed the baseball bat stinkin' Lucas let her borrow when she had to spend the weekend alone at home since Riley went out of town. She approached the living room carefully. Seeing the figure on her couch watching some sort of documentary. She gripped the bat tighter and took another step causing the floorboard to creak.

The figure turned around and screamed which caused Maya to scream. Maya dropped the bat and put a hand over her heart. "Shawn!" she yelled. "How did you get in here?"

"Your mother let m in before her shift at Topanga's. She said you could use some cheering up." He said as he sat back down on the couch. He patted the spot beside him on the couch. She sighed and took a seat.

"What do you got for me Shawn?" she asked.

"What's the matter."

"Have you ever had feelings for Topanga?" Maya asked.

Shawn scoffed. "No way, it was engraved since we were kids that Topanga was Cory's, even those years where Minkus tried to get at her and she was a crazy freak" he shrugged. Maya looked down at her hands in silence. Shawn looked at her. "You have feelings for someone Riley likes?"

"He's her Topanga" she said with a sigh. "I-I just need to get over it. It's just a silly crush. That's all that it is, a silly crush"

"What happened while you were in Texas" he finally asked.

"It doesn't matter Shawn, no point to talk about it if I need to move on and get over it." Maya got up and pushed her hair behind her ear. "I guess we aren't exactly a like after all-" She started to had to her room.

"Maya." Shawn called out as he stood up. Maya stopped. "You and Riley are suppose to be me and Cory right?" Maya slowly turned around to face Shawn. "If that's true then nothing, and I mean nothing will stop you guys from being best friends. Whether it's a kid, a fight, a bully or a guy"

Maya nodded then went straight to her room.

"Who knew the famous Maya Hart would be moping" a familiar voice said. Maya groaned and clung onto the pillow. "Lucas told me what happened"

"Of course he did" she mumbled. She turned her head to see the troublemaker Isiah Babineaux holding a carton of ice cream and two spoons. She raised her eyebrow at him. "What are you doing here?" She sat up. "Who let you in?"

"You know Ms. Hart you should learn to lock your doors if you're home alone. You should know from all the criminal minds you've been watching" She rolled her eyes. "And since you're moping, I have brought your favorite chocolate fudge brownie ice cream and have already set up your living with popcorn and all sorts of goodness as well as the current Criminal Minds episode I have stopped at. Key ingredient for moping." he said smiling.

Maya smiled and stood up. "Alright Zay, I'll bite since you did bring me junk food essential for moping."

An episode and a half later, they had finished half of everything. Maya was currently working on finishing the ice cream carton. "It's not right" She finally spoke.

"I know." he said looking at her. "You're "date" didn't really seem like a date" he pointed out.

"Stinkin' cowboy" she muttered before shoving more ice cream in her mouth.

"What's the issue here Maya?" Zay finally asked. "You clearly have feelings for him. The entire trip and back all you did was look at Lucas with those sad eyes. Do you think no one noticed that Maya?"

Maya stayed silent and looked down at the carton. "I know what Riley's doing. She's stepping back because I stepped back." she muttered. "Everyone's doubting my feelings for him so maybe they're right. Maybe this is just some stupid crush like with Josh"

"This isn't just a crush" Zay said. Maya didn't reply, she just looked down at the carton.

"People like Lucas and people like me aren't suppose to be together. He's right for Riley." Maya said as she got up and went to the kitchen with the empty bowls.

Zay got up, grabbed the empty carton and followed after."I wonder how many times you've said to yourself. Look, I know you've had something for Lucas since he got all fired up for you in art class." Zay said. "Even before then I'm sure you knew something was going on between you two."

"I'm wrong about the them being like siblings. It's clear now. You're right, Riley and Lucas are a-like and maybe that's good. No it's great! They're perfect for each other and it was wrong for me to have these feelings anyways. It's clear that everyone else thinks so." Maya threw her hands in the air. "It doesn't matter how I feel, it's never mattered how I feel. Didn't matter when I was a kid, still doesn't matter now."

"Why would you say that" Zay asked, he approached her. "Who's tell you these things?"

"You think I don't see it or hear it" Maya asked with teary eyes. "I can see how Riley feels about this and I'm trying to understand how I feel. But it's hard to know how I feel when all I feel is disappointment. Farkle looks at me with disappointed. One minute he's comforting me being the friend I thought he was and the next he won't even look at me. I act like I don't care what people think of me but I know what they think and I know what they say"

"You heard what they said." Zay confirmed.

"How could she do that to Riley? How could she hurt Riley? What kind of friend is she? How could she come in between Riley and Lucas?" she scoffed. "They voted us best couple but they think I ruined that for them..." She looked up, tear filled eyes. "I tried to tell Riley she was doing the right thing, not directly. I told her that I break Lucas down a peg or two and she builds him up." her voice cracked. "The first thing he said to me on our so called "date" was a story he told Riley at the library. " A tear slid down her cheek. "He still likes her and she still likes him. Gardner is displayed as a fool and I'm displayed as..." before she could finish her sentence she found herself in the stranger place.

Zay wrapped his arms around her, her face against his shoulder. "You pushed your feelings aside for two years. Two years. They don't know your side, they just know Riley's. She wears her heart on her sleeve and you... you Hart wear your heart in a place where no one can see or find. Your so called best friend didn't even notice how you felt about Lucas because you hid it for so long. It broke in Texas. You are a good best friend, you are a good person." he felt her grip her tight on him. "Maya Hart, even if I am Lucas best friend. Even if in Texas Lucas, Farkle, and I agreed it's gonna be the three of us. Even if you decide to go away for year, I'm always gonna have your back."

Maya pulled away and gave him a weak smile. "Even though you think Lucas and Riley aren't brother and sister"

"Oh I know they aren't brother and sister. If they were brother and sister, do you think he would have said yes to date her and all that mushy gushy stuff" Maya let a little laugh out.

"Thank you Zay... if you tell anyone anything I said or that I broke down in front of you I will-"

He raised his hands in the air. "I know I know, jack me up son" he gave a smile. "I may be a blabber mouth, but I know what secrets are important to keep"

A/N: hello so this is what happens after Texas. There will be more. To be honest, I love the idea of Maya and Zay being good friends, they're both trouble makers. Also let me do a quick rant about Texas.

Part 1: As much as I love characters, what irked me was what Riley did. She put Maya on the spot and friend-zoned Lucas in front of all their friends. What the heck was that ! What I did love was Riley and Maya's conversation, how Riley figured out how she stepped back for her.

Part 2: what pissed me off was when Riley told Lucas how Maya felt. I understand that Maya did that for Riley but that's just not how Maya works, she even told Riley she didn't want anything to change. I also feel like Maya seemed to be more opened in this episode about her feelings because Riley now knows so she doesn't have to bury everything deep inside. Also can I just say how adorable it was Maya and Riley pretended to be Zay's girlfriend. This is why I think Zay and Maya would have an amazing friendship because she seemed to understand what to do instantly for Zay. This also shows that Zay is going to be a more permanent and recurring member of the group (YAY). I LOVED how Farkle comforted Maya. THE CAMPFIRE SCENE. Oh my goodness, so many feelings in this scene. I loved how Maya was still her self, denying it and getting annoyed. I also love the almost kiss scene (i mean let's be real who didn't).

Part 3: I had a lot of love/hate feelings with this episode. Let's start with the love. I love how indecisive it was, in real life nothing is really decided. I love Farkle was there for Riley, I love how Riley tried her best to put her feelings aside. I love the ending how they ring powered it. I LOVE HOW MAYA POURED SMOOTHIE OVER LUCAS FOR TELLING HER A STORY SHE TOLD RILEY. To me that was basically saying "AYO FOOL I AINT RILEY." What I hate is a longer list. I hate how Gardner was the instant rebound, I think he deserve more than that (CHEESE SOUFFLE). I hate how Farkle seemed to ignore how Maya feels, I mean I get it Cory told her to focus on how his daughter feelings blah blah, but it seems like he forgot how Maya felt in Texas. I loved their moment though, it tore my heart to see Riley cry again. What I hate was how Maya seemed to be fine with Lucas acting that way even after their moment. Like she seemed to be okay with the fact that Lucas still wants to be with Riley. Like she's okay with being second.