Hey Guys. Sorry it's been so long. I'm having pretty bad writers block as evidenced by the content of this chapter. Next chapter will probably be the lead up to the Ski Lodge chapter. Sorry again.
After Gym/Art
Farkle was acting different, not overly different, but just different enough for an overly observant Zay to notice. He was still being his overly friendly self, but there was just a hint of nervousness while he was talking to Riley now. That's the only change; his behaviour towards Riley. Interesting.
On the bright side, Maya and Riley seem to be on the mend. Zay can only wonder what Lucas could have possibly said to Maya to get it that way. After all, Lucas is Maya's moral compass, she listens to him, always. But the thing that was fascinating Zay the most was how quickly Riley and Lucas prioritised and just who their priorities were. Riley will always put Maya first, but in this situation, Farkle was a very close second. As for Lucas, his priority was Maya.
'Hang on. No one prioritised Zay? That's cold,' Zay thought to himself, chuckling yet not surprised in the slightest. He could see the seams fraying and knew it would take a mere tug to make everything unravel. It pained him that his deal with Farkle prohibits him from interfering. Although, if Farkle was now also involved in the mess, maybe he wouldn't object to a little meddling if it benefitted him. Gahh. This mess was going to turn their brains to mush.
After School
Things were going back to normal, well at least closer to what they were before, which in most people's minds would suggest the mess was being sorted. Not for Zay though. For Zay it meant that there was a storm coming. Riley and Lucas are officially official, but even now in this group setting, they seem to be trying really hard to be a lovey couple. They're struggling, starting to tear. That's if they started whole to begin with. One thing Zay is sure about is that from the beginning, Lucas's heart wasn't fully in it. His heart belonged to Maya.
As the five of them exited their high school towards Topanga's, he noticed the first crack in the group as a whole. Maya was withdrawn from it. Walking a step behind, sullen faced, there purely by request from Lucas. Riley was getting friendly with Farkle, and Farkle was walking with his arms tightly crossed, clearly uncomfortable and Lucas seemed to be in a different world entirely, a focussed look on his face. The group was well and truly breaking at the seams.