Normally i don't do Author's notes at the beginning, but this is important. I have recently been informed about a piece of misinformation concerning details to the show. I am going to correct every reference to this point. However, it changes nothing concerning the plot.

"… Hart and Friar Muffins…"

What? No! Him? Damn it Mr. Matthews. You have no idea what you've just done. Maya was internally seething. This situation would do no one any good.

"Let's see what happens."

Turning around to face Farkle, Maya took her claim. The competitive aspect of this assignment was the only good thing about it.

"Here's what's going to happen. We are going to crush you."

"We will be Bo-zillionaires and you will eat your words with plastic cutlery." His high pitched smugness didn't bod well with Lucas.

"You're cute when you're menacing." Maya flirted back. Although her tone was more mocking than anything else.

"I don't know what to do now." Farkle was clearly confused. For all the flirting he did he had never had a girl flirt back with him before.

Lucas noted how cute it was when she smiled and blinked as she responded to their friend/competition. She really is cute.

"I know." She knew how to play mind games. Especially with someone as predictable as the strange little nerd that was somehow her friend.

The bell rang and almost everyone filed out of the room. Lucas ran up to Maya and grabbed her wrist. Stopping her from getting to far.

"I'll catch up to you later, Riles!" She called down the hallway.

Riley turned around a few feet in from of them with a nervous smile before Farkle barreled out of the classroom and began talking at a rather quick pace about their business plans and not to let the secret get out to the competition. Maya only rolled her eyes and leaned against the locker looking up at the tall cowboy.

"Alright, Ranger Rick, how are we going to do this?" A smirk graced her lips as she used her self-appointed nickname for the cowboy.

"Well, little missy, I vote we meet at my place after school and discuss it than." With an imaginary tilt of his hat her smirk fell.

"Fine. Meet me in front of the school once class is over." With that she spun on her heel and went to join Riley in their next class.

"Will do, Clutterbucket." He called after her retreating form.

Maya released a frustrated sound similar to the one she gave in class after Lucas came back with that blasted harmonica during the school elections.

Lucas opened the doors a few minutes after school let out. Maya was sitting on the bottom of the steps messing with her phone. A smile grazed his lips at the sight of his rambunctious blond friend, even thought she would never admit that she was his best-friend. No matter how much they bicker, or as his mother described it disguised flirting, but flirting non-the-less.

"You ready to go?"

"Yeah, I guess so, Cowboy."

They walked to the subway station a few blocks from the school and hopped on the train. Their timing however could have been better as it was oddly very crowded and in order to fit both teens were pushed together. Maya had her back packed tightly against his torso. One of his arms was wrapped around her shoulders; holding her closer to him while the other was holding on to the rail above them.

"Why is it so crowded?" Lucas mused. Normally at this time there was hardly anyone on the train, well by New York standards.

"There was a major wreck in the business sector of the city. Traffic is backed up to New Jersey and the rail way was the next best option." A woman answered. Her red hair was in a tight bun and button down shirt had just a few too many buttons open to be appropriate. "So, handsome, where are you headed?"

Her flirt threw the Texas native off and he was thankful that Maya could cover him in his flustered state if she wanted too. Fortunately she did and glared at the tramp.

There is no way this… scumbag is making a pass at my Cowboy. Wait? MY Cowboy? Where did that come from?

"Thank you for the information, however where we are going is none of your business." Her tone was polite, but the threat was still evident and the woman backed off.

Lucas squeezed her shoulder tighter in thanks just as the train pulled up to their stop and quite a few people stumbled off the train in front of them.

"Thanks for the save."

"Don't mention it. Seriously, never mention it."

He only tilted his invisible hat and led her through the station and down the crowded street to his humble apartment. The first thing that Maya noticed was that the apartment was much smaller than the Matthews' with only a small kitchenette and a decent sitting area that doubled as a dining room. There were three doors in the back, one of which she assumed was a bathroom.

"I know it's not much, but it's home away from home." He smiled down at her as he set his bag down next to the door. "I'm home Mum and we have company!"

A brown haired woman who was only a few inches taller than Maya walked out of one of the rooms. Her smile was almost contagious and Lucas gave her a quick hug before introducing Maya.

"So this is Maya, you're as pretty as a picture. Lucas has told me so much about you."

"Uh, okay…" He talks about me?

Her cheeks began to warm up at the thought. It was an odd notion that he would talk about her at all and from the way his mother was acting it was nothing bad.

"Mom, we are actually going to be working on a project for class. We'll be in my room."

"Just leave the door open." She laughed as her son turned beat-red and Maya looked away.

Grabbing his bag in one hand he pulled Maya with the other to one of the plain white doors. She was actually looking forward to seeing his room. The more she learned, the more material she had to tease him with.

His room was actually the opposite of what she was expecting. The bare white walls and a few pictures of himself with his old friends where the only décor she could see. There was nothing there for her to make fun of.

"Pretty boring room, Hop-along." There is nothing here for me to use. It's actually really boring. Does he have a personality?

"Perhaps, but I haven't fully unpacked yet. So, I was thinking something organic."

"Why?" Maya drew out the single syllable while throwing herself onto his bed. The sheets wrinkling beneath her.

"Because it's good for you and delicious."

Honestly she could find no fault in his argument.

"That's work."

"Well I'm not doing it by myself, ma'am." His arms crossed over his toned chest. Maya noticed and groaned as a slight blush tainted her cheeks.

"You think this is going to be some kind of hoedown don't you?"

"If that will make you happy, ma'am."

"Fine." She moaned and Lucas's mind went to some not so innocent thoughts at the sound.

Shaking it off he left the room to discuss the ingredients and recipes with his mother. Maya sat up and followed him back into the living area. Ms. Friar was there at the kitchen table doing some kind of paper work.

"What can I help you with, Ranger Rick?" His mother questioned as he noticed her tall sitting next to her at the table. Maya was shocked that she would use one of the nicknames she created.

"Mom." He said it like it was a scandal that she would say that.

"Oh, relax, it's catchy." She laughed and Maya couldn't help but join in.

"Well, we were thinking about making organic muffins for our fake company." Lucas tapped his fingers against the table top.

"Wait, make them? I thought we were going to just buy them or something." The blond stated before taking the seat next to Lucas. Not noticing just how close the chairs were.

"Maya, that stuff isn't truly organic. If you want good, wholesome food you have to make it yourself."

Again, she had no argument for that. She couldn't find any words and Lucas was patiently waiting for some kind of sassy remark.

"That makes sense, I suppose. So what next, huckleberry?" She looked over at him and noticed just how close she was to the Texan. However, as much as she wanted to move away, she refused to let him see her back down. So, she stayed put; only a few mere inches between them.

"Next, we look up a recipe and buy what we need." Lucas smiled at his companion. Both young teens forgetting that they were in the presence of Ms. Friar.

"Here's $100 and there are some cook books in the cupboard." She smiled and gave the large bill to her son.

"Thanks mom."