Summary: Riley was staying in NYC, but someone else had to leave and everything changed. Now, four years later, college life is nothing like they thought it would be. Unexpected encounters will mess things up even more, but can they all find their happy endings? They are no longer too young to fall in love for real...

xXx

"I am so glad we stayed, but to be completely honest I feel a litlle bad about my mom not being able to accept the promotion."

Riley and Maya were at Topanga's sipping hot cocoa and waiting for the boys and Smackle. It has been over a month since Riley almost moved to London and they haven't really talked about the whole thing since. Everyone was just happy that the Matthews family stayed. And for once Maya was the absolute center of attention as the news that she became Maya Hunter reached the rest of the group. She was happier than she has ever been in her life and her friends were thrilled to see her like that.

"I know how you feel, Riles," said Maya, her face turning serious. "I hated the idea of you moving the second your mother said the words, but I felt bad about it at the same time. I love your whole family and Topanga is like a second mom to me, so I really want her to get everything she wants from life. But she is the best lawyer possible, so she'll get another chance soon, I'm sure of that."

"Oh Peaches, you always know what to say to make me feel better," Riley exclaimed resting her head agains her best friend's shoulder. "But I know she made the decision she did mostly because of me and Auggie, so I think I'll keep feeling just a little guilty at least until she does get promoted in New York."

Maya let out a deep breath and just remained silent next to Riley. She has been so joyful lately that she almost forgot how scared she was when the possibility of Riley moving across the globe presented itself. She was pretending to be strong for her friend, but she was silently falling apart inside.

Ever since she and Riley became friends they were unbreakable. Nothing ever got to them.

Until Lucas.

But that story was over. Riley and Lucas were a couple. Riley was a permanent resident of the New York City. And maybe one day Josh would see his niece's best friends as something more...

Maya's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the rest of the group.

Zay was passionately explaining something to Smackle who was entirely devoted to the conversation. Farkle was at her side, smiling at the sight of his girlfriend so engaged in regular social life. Behind them came Lucas.

Maya could see starigh away that something was off about him. He did not seem to pay any attention to his friends. He was staring at his feet as he walked. As he approached their sitting spot, he hardly nodded at the two girls and sat without a word. Riley just smiled at him as if nothing was wrong and turned her attention to the conversation that the others were having.

Maya knew she should do the same. She knew it was not her place to try and get Lucas to open up. Riley was the one who always saw when something was wrong and did everything to solve the problems of her loved ones. But for some reason she was blind to whatever was going on with Lucas. And it wasn't something sudden, Maya realized. As she came to think of it, Lucas was oddly silent since they all met at school in the morning. She didn't pay much attention to it then. A lot of stuff was heppening at school, but here with everyone from their small gang being their joyful selves, Lucas stood out like a sore thumb.

"Hey, Huckleberry!" Maya called out against her better judgement. "What got your cowboy hat in a twist?"

"What?" he asked pulled from his thoughts. "What do you mean?"

"You've been walking around with a storm cloud over your head whole day. Did something happen?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he quickly answered without looking her in the eye. "I'm fine."

"Oh, come on, Sundance. I can see that something's bothe..."

"I said I'm fine!" Lucas cut her off with a hint of anger in his voice. By this point the rest of the group turned their attention to the two blondes. "Since when are you the one making sure everyone is walking on sunshine anyway? I thought you were Maya again, and Maya doesn't care. The only thing you ever notice is Riley."

Now Maya was sure something was wrong. The Lucas she knew would never talk to her like that. But still, she felt something throb deep within her at her friend's words.

"Hey, don't talk to Maya like that!" - Riley joined in, defending her best friend. "Of course she cares about all of us. And she's right. You are not yourself today."

"You would know better how other people feel, wouldn't you?" - Lucas shot back. If his anger toward Maya was not proof enough, the fact that he talked like that to Riley definitely meant that something happened. Something really, really bad.

"Hey man, don't do that!" Zay stood up to stop his friend from going too far. "The girls are right. You are acting odd. Even if I didn't see it before, you talking to them like that definitely means something's ain't right. Spill it."

Lucas looked down. His features softened. In a split second, all anger was gone from his face. He pressed his lips in a thin line, but his eyes showed a storm of emotions, with something resembling sadness sticking out the most.

"Oh, come on, Face. Just say it," Farkle moved to the edge of his seat, waiting for Lucas to reveal whatever was bothering him. "We are the kind of friends who talk about things, remember?"

"Even if you feel like it is bad, I am sure that if we all put our brains into it, we can find a solution to your problem," added Smackle.

"I'm afraid that even your genius mind can't help with this one, Isadora."

Lucas' voive was barely a whisper. It took him a moment to even raise his head. He slowly gazed at all of his friends. Farkle and Smackle were sitting across the table with puzzled expressions, which almost made him smile. Almost. Riley was holding her best friend's hand, her eyes fixed on Lucas. Zay was standing behind the girls. His brows were furrowed, his arms crossed on his chest. Closest to him was Maya, with her eyes wide open and worried, bitting her lower lip.

After Lucas' outburst and his statement at Smackle's comforting words, she was really scared. Before he said the next words, she knew it would be awful and unfixable. Too much good things heppened. She had real family, her frienship with Riley was safe. Too much good things. Life was never this good. Something had to come and break her heart. She braced herself for the pain, but nothing could prepare her for the blow that came when Lucas opened his mouth.

"My father was transferred. There was no discussion. We are going back to Texas."

xXx

(a/n) (Fair warning: I ship Lucaya, Riarkle and Zayadora. If you only accept the cannon ships, don't read and don't hate on the story just because you don't like those couples.

Also, it's gonna be a rather slow burn, so don't get discouraged by a lack of real romance in the early chapters.

I'll post a real chapter soon, so everyone can feel what the story will be like.)