Riley and Maya had different arts classes; Maya took painting and Riley took photography. It was the one classroom that Jana didn't follow her into, since the teacher barely ever said anything, and generally put on videos or wrote assignments on the board. The students were usually sent out on photo safaris through the school, or into the photo studio for portraits.

Anyways, Riley didn't need an interpreter.

Zay was in the photography class too, and he usually was her partner. He could generally get the gist of what she was saying, which was more than Riley could say for the other students in the class. They liked her, but conversing was too much work.

Riley and Zay headed for the lunch room, where they were supposed to meet Maya, Isadora, and Farkle. Zay headed for the lunch line, indicating that he would meet Riley at the table. Riley nodded.

She sat down at their table and pulled out her paper bag with her lunch, smiling as Isadora sat formally down on the other side of the table.

'Hi Riley,' Isadora signed without speaking, before pulling her own lunch out. Besides Maya, Isadora was the best at signing - probably because she had such a high IQ. She learned fast, and sign language wasn't the only language she was fluent in - she also knew Hindi, French, and Spanish.

'Hi,' Riley returned, startling as Maya plopped down beside her. Not being able to hear made it harder to sense people coming up behind her, which made it more startling when people surprised her.

'I saw Farkle on his way to the lunch room,' Maya informed them, also without speaking. 'Apparently he'd rather study than be with us, his best friends.'

"I didn't catch that last thing," Isadora admitted, signing most of her sentence.

"Farkle wants to study rather than be with us," Maya repeated, still signing. "Sorry."

'Zay's in the lunch line,' Riley informed them both, and Isadora nodded to show that she had understood that.

"I saw that guy again," Maya said. "We had English together. Isadora, do you remember that guy, Lucas, in History?"

Isadora nodded, glancing to Riley.

"He wanted to sign to Riley," Maya told her, eyes laughing. "Riley is officially obsessed."

'Not true!' Riley refuted. She caught sight of the boy lingering on the outskirts of the lunch room, glancing around, and she turned back to Maya, eyes shining. 'Think he'll sit with us?'

Obsessed, Maya mouthed to Isadora. She pulled Riley closer to her, making space for the guy.

'What do I say?' Riley asked Maya nervously.

'Oh honey, I don't think that will be a problem,' Maya signed back silently, smirking.

"Hey," Lucas said, waving to Riley and all the others at the table. He sat down next to Riley, and Maya smirked at the flush in Riley's cheeks.

Maya covered her mouth so Riley couldn't read her lips - knowing how rude it was - as she said to Lucas, "Put your hand to your forehead and swing it out like a salute. That's how they say hi in sign language."

Lucas obeyed, and Riley beamed, grabbing Maya's hand to squeeze in excitement.

"I feel like I keep getting lost in this school," Lucas told them all, and Maya began to interpret. "Hi, I'm Lucas, by the way."

"I'm aware," Isadora returned. "I was in History with you."

"Oh sorry," Lucas blushed, "there were a lot of people. You are…?"

"I am Isadora Smackle," Isadora informed him, stretching her hand over the table to shake Lucas's.

"Nice to meet you," Lucas smiled.

"And you," Isadora said politely.

"Sup?" Zay greeted them all, plopping down next to Isadora. He knocked against her shoulder with his own, and Isadora winced.

"Don't touch me," she reminded him.

"Right," Zay mumbled, "sorry."

"This is Zay," Maya informed Lucas.

Riley looked around at everyone, and then to Maya, pleading with her eyes. She was lost in the conversation; with Isadora and Zay only signing one or two words, and Lucas not signing anything. Maya had paused in her interpreting, caught up in the introductions with Lucas.

'Sorry,' Maya signed apologetically, before explaining, 'Isadora introduced herself to Lucas, Zay said hello and when his shoulder touched Isadora's, she told him not to touch her.'

'Thanks,' Riley signed back, uncomfortably. She didn't like feeling dependent, but she was, in this situation. And it was especially embarrassing with this new boy, which she had quickly realized that she was starting to have feelings for.

A/N: I think I've accepted that this will be the general length of these chapters, which I'm not entirely happy about, but it is what it is. I'm not sure how good this piece is either, because I'm writing it after over 18 hours of no sleep and 3 sedatives which should have knocked me out by now.

Still trying to synthesize an outline for this book, but in the meantime we're going to write fillers! Yay! Everyone likes fluffy Rucas, am I right?

It's been hella hot here for the past few days and it's promising to stay in the 90s. So maybe with not being able to move around much, I'll get some more writing done in the coolest place I can find.

I finally finished Chrysalism, so if you haven't read that book, I highly recommend it. It's one of my best stories, in my opinion.

Once again, if anyone has any ideas, or requests, or feedback, review or PM me! I'm always interested in having friends :)

Stay safe and stay home, everyone.

Kisses,

C