Isaiah Babineaux is an intelligent man. He is intelligent enough to know when one of his best friends is keeping a huge secret from everyone.
He stared at Maya from across the room. She once again had her gaze focused on Riley, who was focused on Lucas. Could that girl be anymore obvious?
Zay was pretty sure everyone besides Riley and Lucas knew what Maya was hiding, but they were too busy with their "triangle" to pay any attention to who was really at the center of it.
He had come to the Matthew's apartment with Farkle and Lucas with the promise of tacos, although being 8am he would really prefer pancakes, and instead got roped into finding a childhood toy. Zay didn't mind though, he would do anything for his friends and by darn if Riley wasn't convincing. That girl brought him to tears while talking about a stuffed bear, that's impressive.
There was no doubt in his mind that Maya Hart was madly in love with her best friend. No girl becomes her friend just to see if another boy is good enough. He wasn't sure if Maya fully knew what she was doing at the time, but it was obvious to him. Not to mention that girl really loves tacos. Since she had returned to normal she turned her attention back on Riley's uncle, but Zay could see that Maya never looked at Josh the way she looked at Riley. The way she looked at Josh was weird for lack of a better word, as if she was putting on an act.
No seemed to be planning on doing anything about this. Cory, her teacher, didn't seem to see an issue with his college age brother planning on dating a High School freshman. That may be because Cory knew what was going on same as Zay. He would have to hope thats the case, or he'd need to really be concerned about the man's judgement. That man did raise his daughter thinking it was ok to eat another person's cookie, so who know how far his skewed moral judgement goes. If no one else was, Zay would. It was his duty as a friend because his mamma raised him right.
Hours later Riley and Lucas surprised Maya with tacos. He could see how Maya's face lit up as Riley gave her some stupid bobble head.
"This is what's important," he heard Riley tell Maya. Those two are meant to be. Sorry, Lucas.
Josh was saying his goodbyes, now was Zay's chance. Someone needs to knock this guy down a notch. Zay motioned Josh over near the window to say his peace, only to inspire the entire room to become a captivated audience.
"I'm glad you and Maya might be right for each other some day, fly to the moon and all that. Very sophisticated. Now here's what I was thinking back here on earth," he stopped talking to Josh and turned his attention to Maya. "Hey Maya, uh Lucas and Riley are going to be going out on dates, and holding hands all scare to death. Lucas isn't going to think anything at all about ditching one of his best friends.
"I'm not ditch-" Lucas tried to interject.
"You abandoned me for her!" Not the point of this, but its true. I'll deal with you later.
"Ok?"
"And if you really care about her as much as you say you do you don't want her thinking so much about later that she misses now do you?" Zay turned back to Josh.
"No. What do you have in mind?" asked Josh
"What do you have in mind?" Maya asked as well.
"You helped me not feel like an outsider. A lot is probably going to happen to us and it'll all probably be stupid, but what's not stupid is you and her," he motioned to Riley. "And I never want you to feel like a third wheel when Lucas and Riley are gazing into each other's stupid… stupid eyes. So I want you to know that I'd be happy to sit next to you, next to Riley and Lucas, at the movies so we could all be together."
Maya was speechless, but he expected that. They had nothing between them but friendship, and that is why he was doing this.
"That alright with you? I don't care. That alright with you?" Zay turned his focus back to Josh. I'm ending this nonsense.
"Well I think that's up to Maya. Till next time?" Josh said as he took his laundry from Cory and left to go back to his dorm. Ya you better leave you freaky college boy.
"Till next time," she said in reply with a weak smile.
"Maya, can we talk about this further somewhere a little more private?" Zay asked her once Josh was done.
"Um, sure." He led her to the other side of the apartment, out of earshot of their friends.
He sat down, motioning for her to take the spot next to him. "I know you don't really like Josh."
"W-what?"
"He's a distraction, and that's ok. I meant what I said back there. I never want you to feel like a third wheel, and I do really enjoy sitting next to you."
"Zay, I don't know what you are saying," she said.
"You love her."
Maya turned white, her gaze snapping to Riley who was in the middle of a conversation with Lucas at the kitchen table. She turned back to Zay, "How do you…?"
"It doesn't take a genius like Farkle to see it."
"You can't say anything," she fought back tears.
"I'd be happy to be your distraction, Maya. Someone to sit next to when those two are together."
"Thank you."
"Like I said earlier, you sat next to me and talked to me when I was new. I'll never forgot that, Maya. Just know I'm always going to be here for you just like you were there for me." He pulled her into a hug.