Chapter 9 of It's still Rock and Roll to Me

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Their time in Texas seemed to fly by really quickly, and before they knew it their train was heading back to New York. Although it had only been a couple of days, everyone in the group left Texas with a feeling of growing up. Maya and Lucas had become boyfriend and girlfriend, Riley and Farkle were in the awkward beginning stages of a "will they won't they?" dance, and even Zay and Vanessa had agreed to the start of something long distance.

Lynn Friar watched as the kids all slept on the train, Lucas and Maya cuddled up together again, Farkle with his head against the window, Riley leaning onto his shoulder, and even Zay, sitting alone, but holding his phone close by in case he received a message from Vanessa. She smiled as she looked at the young teenagers around her, knowing that this was a simple time in their lives and hoped that they would be able to just enjoy it.


All too soon it was Monday and they were back at school again. Lucas wasn't really sure what the relationship protocol was here at school. He'd kissed Maya when they dropped her off at home last night, but was he allowed to kiss her at school? Would it draw too much attention to them as a couple? He wasn't really sure what he was supposed to do, so he walked up to Maya, who was busy putting books into her locker, and leaned up against the locker beside her.

"Hey Shortstack."

Maya looked up from her locker with a big smile on her face. She turned towards him and stood on her toes, placing a quick kiss to his lips. "Hey Huckleberry!"

Lucas smiled. Well that answered that question. Maya had turned back to her locker and seemed to be struggling to get a book from the top shelf. Lucas held back a smirk as he reached over and grabbed it off the shelf for her.

"Thanks Ranger Rick. Always saving the day." Maya said with a wink. "So have you seen Riley or Farkle this morning? I stopped at her house to pick her up this morning, but Matthews said that she'd already left for the day." Maya shut the door to her locker and grabbed Lucas's hand, walking towards their history class. Lucas grabbed the books out of her hand and when Maya looked like she was about to protest, quietly whispered, "Maya, I've earned the title of your boyfriend, let me show it off by carrying your books for you."

Maya smiled and rolled her eyes. "If you really wanted to show off the title, you'd do something big in front of everyone to let them know we're dating."

"How could I possibly do that?" Lucas stopped walking in the middle of the hallway and had a smirk on his face. "Oh look, here's a piano sitting in the middle of the hallway, how strange." Lucas let go of Maya's hand and went to sit behind the piano and began to play a song right there in the middle of the hallway. Everyone around them stopped to see what was going on, and he smiled as Maya's face started to turn red. He'd never played the piano in front of people in New York, but he knew that Maya would say something like that and wanted to call her bluff.

"Oh, I can't fight this feeling any longer and yet I'm still afraid to let it flow.
What started out this friendship has grown stronger, I only wish I had the strength to let it show. I tell myself that I can't hold out forever, I said there is no reason for my fear, 'Cause I feel so secure when we're together, you give my life direction, you make everything so clear. And even as I wander,
I'm keeping you in sight, you're a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter's night snd I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might, And I can't fight this feeling anymore, I've forgotten what I started fighting for. It's time to bring this ship into the shore and throw away the oars, forever. 'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore, I've forgotten what I started fighting for and if I have to crawl upon the floor, come crushing through your door, Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore."

Everyone standing around the hallway started clapping as he finished singing to Maya. He smiled and winked at her. "I didn't think you'd actually do something, Huckleberry! Do you know how embarrassing that was?" Everyone kept walking up to Maya and Lucas congratulating them on getting together finally.

"Congrats guys!"

"It's about time!"

"Aww, I can't believe he actually sang a song to you, that's so sweet!"

Maya walked over to Lucas and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him off the piano bench and started walking towards their history class that they were probably going to be late for. "How did you even pull that off? And how did you get Mrs. Jones to let you take the piano out of the choir room and put it in the hallway?"

Lucas squeezed Maya's hand. "It actually didn't take that much convincing. I went in there and asked her, and she said no. Then I sat down and started running through the scales and started playing with my eyes closed. I made it through three songs before she told me I could use it, but only if I agreed to participate in the talent show."

Maya stopped walking and turned around to face Lucas. "I can't believe you actually sang in front of everyone here at school. It really was sweet of you." She stood on her toes and pecked him on the lips again.

"Hey, it could've been worse, I could've hired the sky writer like Farkle suggested in his sleep while we were in Texas. I think he might actually do that for Riley."

Maya laughed and shook her head. "See, Riley would actually like something like that. You and I like simple things, or completely over the top cheesy things. There is no middle ground."

"Well, I can't argue with that, Shortstack. Just wait until there's a dance and I ask you to that." Lucas chuckled.


Maya smiled and shook her head, continuing their walk to Mr. Matthews' class. They spotted Riley and Farkle walking into school together, holding hands. Riley waved at Maya and pointed to their conjoined hands. Maya smiled back at her friend and entered the classroom, Lucas right behind her. "I'm sure there's gonna be a very interesting lesson today, concerning the development of that." Maya whispered to Lucas as she sat down in the seat in front of him.

Mr. Matthews walked into the classroom, ready to start another week of history classes. "After a quiet week of classes last week, let's welcome back to class Lucas, Farkle, Zay, Maya, and Riley. I trust that you all had a very educational trip to Texas and are ready to start another fun week of learning history." He smiled at all his students. "Now, before we officially start our lesson, I heard something very interesting in the teachers' lounge this morning."

Farkle and Riley looked at each other with a look of fear in their eyes. Maya couldn't help but wonder what was going on between the two of them. She focused back on Mr. Matthews who was still talking about his experience in the teacher's lounge. "…Something about two members of our class." Cory Matthews looked expectantly at his daughter and her friends, a slight smirk on his face.

Lucas rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and could see that Farkle looked like he was ready to bolt out the door.

"I'm sorry sir. I know I should've asked your permission before I asked Riley out on a date by using a skywriter. Please don't kill me sir." Farkle pleaded as he sank down into his desk chair. Riley put her hand on her face trying to hide away from her father's reaction. Maya looked between her two friends with a look of surprise on her face. What was going on with them? Lucas could see the smirk slipping off of Mr. Matthews' face. "What?! I was talking about the piano playing bull rider in the middle of the hallway this morning! What do you mean skywriter?"

If it was possible, Riley's face turned even redder as her father began to freak out about Farkle asking her out, she looked over at her best friend for help. Maya turned towards Mr. Matthews trying to divert his attention from trying to get rid of Farkle. "Hey, Matthews, aren't you gonna say something about Huckleberry serenading me in the middle of the hallway this morning? And aren't you gonna say something about us becoming an official couple?"

Mr. Matthews turned away from Farkle and faced Maya. Farkle looked back at Lucas with a look of gratitude on his face. "I was gonna say that I was surprised to hear that you are such an accomplished piano player, and that I hope you'll be participating in the talent show."

Maya wanted to keep his attention away from Farkle and Riley for as long as possible. Lucas spoke up, seeing where Maya was going with this. "Yes sir, I am. Maya and I are actually going to be singing a duet in the talent show this year." Lucas shot a grin with a wink at Maya, who turned around to look at him.

"I'm very glad to hear that, I'm sure that everyone is looking forward to seeing that performance. As far as the other thing, about you two becoming a couple, does your mother know? What about Shawn? Because I'm pretty sure they'll have some concerns about this."

Maya looked at Lucas and rolled her eyes before looking back at Mr. Matthews. "Come on now Matthews, do you think this is our first rodeo? We've been together for a few days now, of course my mother knows."

Mr. Matthews smirked at Maya again. "Well, as Mr. Friar is still standing here and I haven't received any crazy messages yet, I'm guessing Shawn doesn't know yet. Moving on now, for today's lesson…"


The rest of their school day went by quickly, and without any more drama or excitement. The group learned that Farkle had asked Riley to walk to school with him that morning, where they stopped at the bakery for a muffin and then sat in the park to see where the skywriter had written the message asking Riley out on an official date. Maya was happy for her friend, glad that she had gotten over her crush on Lucas, putting Maya at ease about her own feelings for Lucas and helping her not feel guilty that she might be stealing him from Riley. Lucas walked Maya home from school, where they stood on the front steps of the apartment kissing and saying goodbye. When Lucas finally left, Maya headed upstairs to her apartment, looking forward to grabbing a snack and working on her art.

Maya opened the door to the apartment and was surprised to see Shawn sitting there on the couch, waiting for her. "Hey kiddo."


"Hey Shawn. Where's mom?"

"She's down at the bakery. I was wondering if we could talk."

Maya glanced down at her shoes and then back at Shawn. "Umm yeah, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I got a call from your teacher and apparently he's concerned that you have a boyfriend now and he felt that I needed to know, in case I wanted to put some fear in the kid's eyes and needed his help."

Maya looked up at Shawn with wide eyes.

Shawn laughed. "I'm just joking with you kid. Cory actually did call to tell me and mentioned that, but I already knew. Your mom told me after you guys talked. She didn't go into detail or anything because she respects you and wants you to continue to confide in her, but she felt that since I'm a part of your life that I should know."

Maya glanced down at her shoes again and quietly whispered, "Are you mad that I didn't mention it to you yet?"

Shawn softly smiled at Maya. "Hey kiddo, I'm not mad at you. You just got back into town last night. I just want you to be happy, and if Lucas makes you happy then I'm happy. And besides, I feel like you and that boy have been dating for over a year and a half now, except for now you just acknowledge it with the titles boyfriend and girlfriend." Shawn chuckled. "But don't think I won't call Cory and threaten Lucas if he hurts you, because I totally will. I know I'm not your dad, but I care about you very much, which brings me to the actual reason I'm here. I wanted to talk to you about something." Shawn motioned for Maya to sit on the couch beside him.

Maya looked up at Shawn with a look of confusion on her face. "What is it?" Maya could feel the fear creeping into her mind. Was Shawn leaving? Was he going to break up with her mother and she'd lose him forever?

"Maya, I wanted to come talk to you because I know that your mother is the most important person in your life. Maya, I'm in love with your mother, and I wanted to ask if it would be okay with you if I asked her to marry me."

Maya looked at Shawn for a couple of seconds before breaking out into a giant smile. She flung herself across the couch into his arms. "That would be the most okay thing that's ever happened for me. So does this mean that you'll be like my dad now or something?"

"Well, assuming she says yes, that's how I'd like to think of you, if that's alright."

Maya smiled and hugged Shawn again.

"You just have to keep it a secret from her for a couple of days, because I want it to be really special for her. I love her, and she really deserves it to be special."

"I have an idea." Maya said with a grin before sharing her idea with Shawn, who agreed enthusiastically. "You should surprise her and ask her tonight! I'll go call Lucas!"