A/N: I keep writing chapters thinking they're super short and wanting to continue but then end up saying screw it, uploading it, and realizing they're actually mad long. Weird.

Writing during school is hard. Not sure if it's just I don't have motivation or whatever, but I'm doing my best. I'm gonna be doing community service soon too so not sure how this will work out. Let me know you like this. I'm not sure if I'm going to continue this tbh, I feel like no one is reading it or liking it for that matter, but I have such good ideas coming up so it would be a shame for me to stop. But yeah, these next couple of chapters are kinda filler or whatever. At least this one is. It's the calm (not really though) after the storm. Enjoy and leave a review please :)

Chapter 7

Maya's POV

I hadn't left my room that weekend when we returned unless absolutely necessary. By absolutely necessary, I mean the toilet and to grab a protein bar every couple of hours so I didn't die of malnutrition.

My curtains were closed, my lights were off, I stunk of numerous body odors considering I hadn't the willpower to shower in the past few days, and the only source of light in my room was my television playing The Bachelor.

I wasn't sure if I had the energy to even think of the situation with Lucas or if I was just afraid. Afraid of something that I wasn't sure of, or afraid of the subsequent consequences if I did think about it. But tomorrow was Monday, meaning that not only would I have to confront Riley, but also Lucas. The thought made my stomach churn.

Riley kept texting me that weekend, asking me to get lunch, asking me to "catch up", asking me "what's wrong?" when she knew exactly what was wrong. She knew that Lucas stood her up, and chances were Lucas was probably doing the same thing as I was this weekend—loathing in self pity. She had to have figured it out by now, right?

Riley's POV

My eyes searched the cafeteria frantically, one hand entangled with my boyfriend's and the other holding my lunch tray. Lucas sighed.

"Maya probably didn't come to school today, let's just-"

"Shut your piehole, Heehaw."

I dragged Lucas behind me as I relentlessly scanned each table. He groaned, and I abruptly stopped.

"Riley!"

"Why do you not care about Maya? She could be hurt or, god forbid, kidnapped! She would tell me if she missed school. I'm not going to stop until I find her, and you shouldn't either. She's your best friend, Lucas."

I continued walking on my own, until I saw a blonde with a black hoodie on her head. She was crouched over the table, with a nutrition bar beside her and a can of diet coke. Quickly, I approached the table, my heels clicking against the tile floor rapidly, and sat down.

She looked up.

"Oh, shit Riley, you can't be near me," she said, coughing periodically and clearing her throat. Her eyes were bloodshot and her breath was excruciating.

"When was the last time you took a shower?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Riley, I'm serious. Go sit with," she looked up slowly, saw Lucas approaching, and quickly returned her glance back to the table, "Lucas. Go sit with Lucas."

Lucas and Maya exchanged a swift glance, and Maya flipped her hair over her shoulder and gave another faux cough.

"Is there something I'm missing here? You two are acting a bit… weird."

"Nothing. Nothing at all, babe. Let's go grab something to eat—Maya's right. She's probably contagious."

Maya nodded in agreement, in the most energetic fashion I've seen from her today.

"Maya, what's going on?"

Maya let out a sigh, and whispered in response,
"I have mono."

My mouth gapped, she immediately nodded, followed by another cough, and I left with a look of concern.
"Call me tonight," I gestured, as Lucas led the way to the lunch line.

Lucas POV

1:37. Last period Chemistry. Mrs. Consolas had been giving a lecture, but I couldn't keep my eyes off the clock. Or Maya, for that matter.

I decided today I would talk to Maya about everything that had happened, since she was too stubborn to confront me. It was as if I did something wrong. Like I kissed her.

Maya decided to sit next to freshman Jimmy Poole today, who last week used a microscope to closely examine his saliva. She was clearly disgusted, but apparently it was worth it if it meant she could avoid me. But she wouldn't be able to avoid me today.

My plan was clearly detailed, written in the notes of my phone with diagrams to assist and strategic thinking behind it. A minute before the bell would ring, I would ask Mrs. Consolas to use the lavatory, but instead wait outside the classroom by a locker. When the students would flood through the surrounding doors, I'd keep my composure, looking for the blonde with the black hoodie and ghostly pale complexion. After seizing her, she'd have no choice but to accompany me to the janitor's closet, where I'd confess my lifelong love for her, she'd be touched, and her and I would secretly date, until of course Riley left for college, and we'd then elope on one of the many Caribbean islands, having a Beach Boys tribute later at the reception. It was the perfect plan. Until, of course, I'd been reminded of the school policy regarding bathroom breaks at the end of the day.

"No student is allowed to use the lavatory during the last ten minutes of the day."

I dropped my head to the table, groaning, and Riley turned to me with a giggle.
"You okay there? I know the feeling. UTI's are a pain."

Yeah, real funny.

Riley rubbed my back supportively, while I squirmed in my seat, and she whispered,
"What are you doing later?"

My head bolted up. Riley's face read intimate, while mine read Urinary Tract Infection, no can do. I frowned, and she nodded sympathetically.

"I understand."

Suddenly, the clock struck 1:40, and the bell rang. Before saying goodbye to Riley, I jolted out of my seat, running towards the door, because of my Urinary Tract Infection, obviously. Maya, just as fast, sped ahead in the hallway, but I was able to grab her arm, pull her back, and put my hand over her mouth, because Maya Hart would most definitely scream "Rape!" in a crowded hallway like this.

She kicked, jabbed her elbows into me, licked my hand (which, I must say, almost worked) and screamed, but to no relief. I'd finally had her right where I needed her.

"Are you trying to rape me or something? I'll call the cops right now," she scolded, holding up her cellphone and trying to catch her breath.

"Maya, I'm just here to talk."

"That's what they all say."

Again, she tried to shove past me, relentlessly, grinding her teeth and body-slamming me into the door.

"You aren't going to get past me," I laughed.

"Yeah, but I can try."

Tears streamed down her face as she got weaker trying to shove past me. It wasn't because she was physically tired, but rather emotionally. She took a deep breath and sunk against the wall, sitting on a bucket as her heart raced through her chest.

"Maya, I know you have feelings for me, and that's-"
"I don't have feelings for you."

I paused.

"Then how can you explain-"
"It was in the spur of the moment. I was heartbroken. You were there. I was thinking about Josh. You were there. It was nothing, Lucas. Get over yourself."

Again, I paused, pursing my lips.

"You're lying."

She laughed.

"But I'm not. So if we can get on with this, I'd appreciate it. I have dinner with my mom at 5."

"Maya, whether you believe me or not, I have been in love with you since the third grade," I paused again, choked up, "I've been in love with you since that day I was being bullied by Ronnie Evans and you told him to bug off. I've been in love with you since you walked with me at recess because I had no one else to talk to. I've been in love with you my entire life, why can't you just understand that? I'm not here talking to you about this to insult or embarrass you, I'm here because I want to be with you, and I'm willing to sacrifice everything for that. Everything."

A tear rolled down my cheek as I waited for a response, but Maya was stone cold. You couldn't see her blink, her face was blank, and her body was motionless. It was as if she was paralyzed.

"Maya, I-"

"You're an inconsiderate asshole, Lucas Friar. You couldn't give less of a damn about how your own girlfriend feels about this entire mess. You lie to her, you pretended you loved her, but why? If this was your ultimate plan, why did you have to do this to Riley? I could never be with someone as cowardly as you. You try to hide behind your macho persona and big-bad quarterback football jersey, but what's the point, Lucas? You weren't even manly enough to tell me you liked me for ten years. What made you think you even had a chance with me?"

She laughed again, easily pushed her way past me, and was off.

Riley's POV

The front desk, per usual was slow. As I ticked my pen against my desk and kept a returning glance to the clock placed above the office, the bells of the door rung, and in came Isadora with a faux fur coat on and sunglasses. Despite, you know, us living in Miami.

"Isadora! What can I help you with today?" I said with a bright smile. She, however, wasn't as friendly in response, raising an eyebrow in my direction and shoving past me to get to the office. After poking her head into the office and not seeing her boyfriend, she turned to me on her heel, with her Chanel bag hanging lazily on her wrist.

"Riley," she began, returning the smile, "I need you to do me a favor."

She handed me a brown paper bag, grease on the bottom, and tilted her head at me.

"It's for Farkle," she whispered with a wink, as if I assumed it were for me.

Farkle came running down the stairs, wiping his forehead with a towel, and approached his girlfriend with a grin.
"Aw, Izzie, you didn't have to-"

"Don't call me that, and of course I had to. I didn't want my hubby to starve."

With her high heeled boots on, Isadora towered over Farkle as she hugged him, and I almost closed my eyes when she continued on to suck off his face. When Farkle subtly pushed her off, she groaned, rolled her eyes, and flipped her hair over her shoulder, glancing at me as if it were my fault.

"Why don't you get going honey? You need your beauty rest."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Since when was it okay for you to abdicate me to the stereotypical feminine roles played by the submissive housewives of society," she began, crossing her arms, "but if you insist. I was going to get going anyways."

She leaned down to kiss Farkle's cheek, sashayed away with a swing of her hips, and jetted off in her black BMW, complemented by her bejeweled license plate reading D!VA.

"She's a keeper, huh?"

Farkle and I watched as her car aggressively merged into traffic, I nodding my head slowly with a laugh but he standing there oblivious to what his life had come to. You gotta feel bad for the kid. Isadora Smackle as a girlfriend? That's gotta take some emotional toll on his life.

"She's a good person, deep down. Behind the four inches of makeup and superstition lies the girl I fell in love with in the ninth grade."

I looked up at Farkle, whose eyes were still glued to the window and mouth was turned into a faint smile.

"That's so sweet, I-"

"Let's not get sentimental at work, yeah? You've got some paperwork to do with Arietta. Let's get to it."