A/N: Okay as usual: I've fallen behind in responding to reviews and PMs, so if I haven't responded yet, I'm a little frazzled, but I will try to get on that later today!

I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story thus far! Thank you for taking the time to review! You all are really sweet! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own GMW, but Cynical!Maya is my heart and soul ❀(*´◡`*)❀


Maya stumbled through her dark apartment, her vision completely spinning and barely able to hold herself up. She tripped on her carpet and ran into the wall, giggling stupidly to herself before continuing on her unsteady way to her bedroom. As she walked, she shed her foot of one high heel, and then another one, and then her skirt somewhere along the way.

She plopped down on her bed with a groan, already feeling the sleep creeping into her system. She knew she had to take off her top, and hop in the shower, but she was barely able to function, much less stand up in a slippery bathtub and wash the grime from her skin.

Her phone rang and she blearily dug through her purse to pull it out. She figured it was Missy checking in on her to see if she got home.

"Hello?" she slurred, slurping up the drool that almost snuck out the corner of her mouth.

"Maya."

"Farkle?" she said, a frown on her face as she rubbed her sleepy eyes, "It's like two in the morning. Why are you calling?"

"Because for some reason, your mom is under the impression that she needs to call me in order to relay information to you."

It made sense. Maya typically knew why her mom called her, so she tended to ignore her calls and delete the voicemails that were left.

"What did she want?"

"She told me she met someone interesting at Topanga's. Some lawyer or something. She gave him your number."

Maya rolled her eyes with a growl of annoyance. She was twenty-six. Why the hell did her mother continue to believe she had to set her up with these obscure men? Maya had made it clear multiple times that she had no interest in dating anyone. Because what was the point? She'd never grow to love them. It was pointless and a waste of her time to humour them if it wasn't going to go anywhere. She could think of much better things she could do with her free time than date irrelevant people who would enter her life in one day and leave in the next.

"Tell her I'm not interested."

"Okay, I did. But don't be surprised if some random guy still calls or texts you."

"Well then, he'll be scarred for life." She said sweetly. "Will that be all, Farks, because there is a plush, comfy pillow at the head of my bed and he is calling my name."

"One more thing: Riley called me. She's flying up tomorrow—well, today—to visit you. I know you've probably been drinking, but please be at your office."

"What for?"

"No reason. She just wanted to see you."

He sounded like he was definitely hiding something.

"Why would she fly all the way from Texas just to see me? Doesn't seem like a good enough reason." Maya sat up, clumsily unbuttoning her satin blouse so she could take it off. "And why didn't she just call me herself?"

He sighed through the line, sounding tired and defeated and honestly a little exasperated. Maya grinned, a little amused by Farkle's irritation. He was usually pretty unaffected by her, but years of knowing her had slowly chipped away at his patience.

"Okay, please act surprised when she tells you this because she really wanted me to keep it a secret. But she's engaged."

"To who?"

Maya frowned. Had Riley been seeing someone? Maya couldn't remember.

"Lucas. Who else would she be engaged to?"

Maya's brows furrowed in concentration, her sluggish mind finally making the connection as she slowly remembered Riley talking about a Lucas a few times a couple months ago. Her Mr. Perfect boyfriend. Well fiancé now. (Which Maya didn't believe for a second. There was no way a guy was that perfect. It just didn't make any sense. He had to be putting on airs). Riley tended not to talk to Maya too much about the guys she dated since Maya had a tendency to try to dissuade her of her relationships at times. She had forgotten Riley was still with the guy.

"Lucas Friar? The guy she started dating in February?" Maya's nose wrinkled in distaste. "It's only May. Is she serious right now? They've barely been dating."

"I guess she is. I was as shocked as you were when I found out."

What the hell was she thinking? Getting engaged so soon when she'd barely had time to honestly get to know this guy was a stupid idea.

"Hey, when are you going to return the TV I let you borrow?"

Maya held her cellphone away from her face, blowing occasionally into the receiver hole of the bottom.

"Oh sorry. The… connection… is… bad. I can't hear you very well. Must be bad service. I'll call you back, okay?"

"Whatever Maya. I'm breaking into your apartment tomorrow to get it back."

Maya snorted, "Thanks for letting me know. I'll make sure it's properly hidden away."

He sighed, the deep timbre sounding exhausted.

"Goodnight Maya. And make sure you act surprised tomorrow."

"Alright. Night."

She tossed her phone haphazardly onto her bedside dresser and her purse on her clothes-cluttered floor before tugging on her smock and crawling under her covers. She snuggled her head into her pillow, fully intending to let the fatigue take over her body to induce her sleep. But her mind went back to the information she'd just been given.

Riley was engaged. So apparently she thought she had found real love with some guy she barely knew. What had even compelled her to make such a rash decision in the first place?

Maya's eyes narrowed.

This sounded like disaster waiting to happen. And Maya didn't want to watch her best friend's heart get broken when the inevitable end to their relationship occurred.