After school on the way to after school activities

Maya POV

Riley and I are at her locker putting away her books from last period, getting ready for our after school activities. Riley is heading to play rehearsal and I'm heading to my first sculpting class. I'm a little nervous honestly, I'm a little out of element and I hope it doesn't show.

" So I'll meet you outside the auditorium at 4:45 and we can head home together!" Riley states as she starts to walk away

" Sounds like a plan." I say and start to walk in the opposite direction

" Oh and Maya?" I hear her call and turn around to face her

" Yes?" I ask

" You'll love it!" She says

" I hope so." I say

" I know so." she says, trying to reassure me. I have the most amazing best friend.

" Anyway, Riles, break a leg!"I yell in her direction

" Thanks see you later." She says while taking off towards the theatre.

I walk into the art room and the room is already pretty full. I look around the room looking for a place to sit and my eyes land on Rebel, okay well his real name is Brandon but no one refers to him as Brandon unless they are talking to him. I decided to sit next to him so at least I am not stuck next to someone I don't know because there's a possibility that I might hate them. I can't take that risk. I never took Rebel as an art guy, I mean he's been in my art class since 7th grade, but everyone takes art. I guess I'll find out soon enough. I sit beside him and he immediately smirks at me.

" Hart"he greets me

" Rebel" I return the greeting in the same matter

" You know, I have an actual name." he says while rolling his eyes

" I know, but Rebel is just so much more fun." I say

" Well at least you have the guts to say it to my face." Brandon says

" Yeah, I get that a lot." I mention

" I believe it." He says while laughing

" I didn't know you were into art." I admit

" I'm into a lot of things." he says with a shrug of his shoulders

"Oh, man of mystery, huh? Maybe you need a new nickname?" I say, trying to get a rise out of him.

Oh, I'm a mystery? I thought an after school activity would be the last place I would ever find Maya Hart. What made you decide to join?" he asks, whoa this guy his good.

" Maybe I wanted to broaden my horizons. Why do you ask, curious are we?" I say, continuing the mysterious banter.

" Maybe I am, is that such a bad thing?" he says seriously all of a sudden. It took me back a bit. What's this guy's game?

" I guess not'" I say honestly. I study him for a minute, taking him in, I guess I never really looked at him before but he is seriously good looking. Not that I'm interested, my heart is taken by someone else, not that he cares, but that's a whole different story. Anyway, I wouldn't mind getting to know Rebel a little better, for artistic purposes of course. Ms. Eberwein finishes the class by doing a demonstration on the pottery wheel and talking about how we will all be using it next week, I'm excited to try out the new things she talked about today and hope I can do it justice. Rebel and I are making small talk while I wait for Riley to get out of rehearsal.

" Well I got to go, I see Riley coming out of the theatre, see you later?" I half ask

" Yes, you will." He smirks at me and walks towards his locker.

"Hey, what are you smiling at?" Riley asks me as we head towards the exit.

" I don't know yet, maybe something." I say vaguely, Riley looks at me with wide, confused eyes and laughs.

" Okay then, and everyone thinks I'm the weird one." Riley points out as she links her arms with mine

" I have my moments." I say

Lunch

Farkle POV

I walk out of the lunch line and make my way over to the table where Lucas, Maya, and Riley are already sitting. I greet them and slide into a seat next to Lucas. We are talking about how boring our classes have been today when we are interrupted by the intercom.

" Happy lunch time John Quincy Adams! This is your friendly reminder that Friday night is the first dance of the year! We are ending the summer right with a Beach Bash! There will be music, food, games, and tons of beach fun! The dance runs from 7:30 to 11, tickets are seven dollars, It's going to be a blast, oh and dress appropriately, thank you!" Whoa Ms. Hawkins must have been practicing, I don't think she could have said that any faster, it makes my lungs hurt just thinking about it.

" Oh god, could they make it any cheesier, really a freaking beach bash?" Maya comments, interrupting my thoughts.

" I don't know, it kind of sounds intriguing to me." Lucas says while smiling at Riley, Of course it does to him, he has a girlfriend, and it's an excuse to touch her all night.

" Of course it does to you, Cowboy Casanova! Its your chance to break out the moves on Riley here." Maya takes the words right out of my mouth, sure it's in a more sarcastic, slightly meaner way, but she nails the jist of it.

" I know you, Maya and as disturbing as you find theme nights, I know you are just a wee bit curious aren't you?" Riley points out

" Maybe I am" She responds back.

"So maybe you should go." Riley continues the banter

" Maybe I will." Maya continues

" Alright, we get it, unfortunately we don't have all day to figure this out so just go Maya, your image will survive." Lucas says ending the banter.

"Hmm Cowboy has a sassy side, good to know. Anyway, Farkle you want to go to the dance with me?" Maya asks me quickly. Whoa, I was not expecting that! I feel the familiar urge to faint, but I attempt to hold it in.

" God, yes, I'll go anywhere with you." I say excitedly

" Just as friends though, I just would rather go with one of my best friends then some creepy, psycho loser." She says nonchalantly

" Yeah, okay fine with me." I say and honestly mean because even though I have always cared for Maya in a romantic way, I'm starting to have feelings for someone else.

" Hey, can I sit with you guys? " Right on cue that someone else walks up to our table.

" Absolutely Iz, Take a seat." Riley says as her and Isadora Smackle exchange smiles. She sits next to me and I can feel the smile spread across my face, not just because she's sitting near me but because she is getting along with my people, and that is one of the most important qualities I look for in a potential future girlfriend.

We all continue to talk until the bell rings signaling the end of lunch. We all head our separate ways and I hope that Iz will sit with us tomorrow as well.

After school

Hallway

Riley POV

I walk out of play rehearsal and head towards my locker. I get my stuff and head to a bench to wait for Lucas to finish up in the locker room. We are going to the Nighthawk diner to have a date. We have both been so busy with our after school activities that we haven't had time for a date lately so we decided we would make time tonight. We are adorable like that.

" Ready to go, Riles?" I hear Lucas say. I smile at him and he walks towards me and pulls me up. He intertwines my fingers with his and we head out the door towards the diner. We make small talk on the way and talk about our after school activities. I tell him how I didn't rehearse much today and focused more on measuring the other actors for their costumes. He tells me about how awesome the guys are and how the team is working so much better now that the coach has forced them to bond. We continue to talk through out dinner and I get sad when I realize my curfew is fast approaching. We share a piece of chocolate chip pie, he let me eat most of it like he always does. I insist the meal is my treat and he fights me for a moment but he's a smart guy and he eventually lets me have it. I pay the bill and just as quickly as the evening started, we are at my door. I don't want the night to end; I never do when I am with him.

" Thanks for dinner, Riley." Lucas says as he lets go of my hand and steps closer to me.

" It was my pleasure." I say stepping closer to him as well.

" Goodnight, Riley." He steps even closer to me and cups my face. My heart starts racing, just like it always does when he's about to kiss me, he leans in, I can almost feel his soft lips against mine and-

" Riley, its 9:01, your curfew is up, run along and go inside." My father says ruining yet another moment between Lucas and I. I'm convinced it's his favorite past time.

" Good night Lucas, I'll see you tomorrow." I say almost laughing from the situation.

" Goodnight, Riles!" He says smiling at me, lingering in the doorway longer than my father can handle.

"Good night, Lucas!" My dad says practically pushing him out the door. He's such an overprotective weirdo sometimes!

"Good night, Sir." I hear Lucas say as the door shuts. I sigh really longing for my goodnight kiss.

" Thanks for that, Dad." I say to my dad, sarcasm clearly evident.

" Anytime, Riley! I'll be here for the rest of your life!" He says pretty satisfied with himself. He is convinced that he is hilarious, I'm not so sure about it, though.

"Hey, Mom. How was your day?" I say to my mother, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

" Busy, I just got the twins to sleep! They were extra cranky tonight, so hopefully they will sleep until a decent hour." She says clearly exhausted

" I wouldn't count on it." I say honestly. Diedra and Tobin are terrible at sleeping through the night. They are lucky they are so adorable because eight months of middle of the night screaming has really done a number on my patience.

" Urgh, you're right." My mom needs a break, she deserves one. My dad does too, and I need some points in the amazing daughter category.

" So the dance is Friday, but Saturday Maya and I are having a girls night, we can babysit, interested?" I ask

" Yes, absolutely. Thank you I think your father has lost count of when our last date was, we can figure out the details later because I'm going to sleep while I can. Goodnight Sweetie." My mom says as she heads to her bedroom.

"Goodnight, mom!" I say walking towards my own room to do some homework before bed. As soon as I walk through my door I hear a knock. I smile, sit at my bay window and open the window.

" Did you forget something?" I ask Lucas who is sitting on the other side of my window

" Yes, here." He hands me a box, I open it and inside is a beach ball charm

" Riley, Will you go to the beach bash with me?" Lucas asks me. I smile at how thoughtful he is

" Of course! Thank you, I love it! You know you didn't have to do this." I say as I add the beach ball to my bracelet, I put it next to the big sister heart charm he got for me when Tobin and Deidra were born.

" I know, but I wanted something to symbolize our first high school dance." He says. He honestly makes my heart melt, I know that he's not perfect and we're not perfect, but I just feel so lucky to have him in my life.

"Thanks, its perfect." I say while smiling

" You're welcome! I'll see you tomorrow." He says as he gets up and heads down my fire escape

" Good night!" I shout out the window. I close the window. I walk towards my desk to start homework. I have not even written my name on my math homework when I hear another knock. I quickly walk to the window, sit down and open it once again.

" I forgot something!" Lucas says. Before I have a chance to answer, he cups my face and pulls me in for a long, chaste kiss.

"I love you, Riley. Goodnight." He says sweetly and leaves for real this time.

" I love you, too" I shout after him. I love that after nearly a year and a half of dating; he can still give me butterflies.