A/N: You guys seemed to like the idea of even chapters being Lucaya and odd chapters being Riarkle so I'm gonna play with that and see how it works. With my schedule right now I'll be updating every Monday and Wednesday and sometimes a bonus chapter on the weekends, all of that information will be updated on my profile so if you want to know, just go there. Also, leave me requests about other stories you want me to write in the comments. This chapter is Lucaya with a bit of Zayadora. Next chapter we'll find out what Riarkle was up to.

Chapters after this will be longer. I had the first two pre-written so they're shorter. I am sitting down to write the third chapter on Friday so it may be up as a bonus chapter over the weekend, look out for it. As always, I'd love to hear your feedback and thank you for reading!

Mating Rituals

"I can't do this." Riley had taken maybe twenty steps before turning around and heading back to her friends.

"Oh, sure you can, Riles. It's easy. Just walk up to him and say 'Hi, I'm Riley. You're really cute, we should hang out some time.'"

Riley shook her head vehemently. "Too forward."

"Hi, I'm Riley."

"Like we're on a first name basis?" Riley's eyes went wide as she thought of being rejected, that's the last thing she needed right now.

"Hi." Maya suggested.

"Hi." Riley confirmed, they found a winner.

"Hi back." Both girls jumped at the sound, they had been so consumed in their own little world that they hadn't even noticed the boy join them at their table. Not only was he at their table uninvited but he was also eating Maya's chili cheese fries, she shot him a death glare.

"Oh, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Zay, Zay Babineaux. Also known as your ticket to Larkle town."

"Larkle?" All three girls asked in unison.

"Yeah, ya know. Lucas. Farkle. Put em' together. Larkle."

Maya shook off the thought. "Listen, Babineaux. We're not interested in Larkle or whatever you call it. We're only interested in the Farkle part of that equation."

"Really? Well, why? What do you want with Farkle?" He said it in a way that made Maya think that Zay was extremely protective of his friends, Maya found that endearing.

"I'm gonna hook up with him!" Riley proclaimed and Maya swears half the bar turned to look at her. Maya would like to have blamed it on the alcohol but Riley had only had a few sips of her beer and even she wasn't that much of a lightweight.

Zay's mouth dropped open in confusion and Maya could tell he was about to say something to ruin everything so Maya cut him off before he could. "Riles, could you go get me a beer?"

"Why? You have one right there."

"This one isn't cold and my throats kind of hurting. Please?" Maya did her puppy dog eyes at Riley, that's always worked on her.

"Okay." Riley smiled and headed off towards the bar.

"You know, if you wanted her to hook up with someone you should have picked literally anyone else here."

"I know." Maya confirmed.

"Then why'd you pick him? Farkle's one of my best friends and he's not exactly the casual hook up kind of guy." He wasn't getting it.

"Because as much as Riley would like to believe it, she's not a casual hook up kind of girl." Maya watched as Zay reacted to her words, it was important that he knew how sensitive Riley was, Maya couldn't let her get hurt. Not again.

"Wait, how'd you know I was the one who picked Farkle?"

Zay gestured toward Smackle who'd been remarkably quiet this whole conversation. Maya reminded herself to ask Smackle about that later. That moment is when Riley reappeared from the bar. "Okay. I think I'm ready to do this."

"Go get em' kid." Maya took a swig of her beer and motioned towards the boys.

"Fine. I will." Riley turned away from the group and for a second Maya actually believed she was going to do it. "You have to come with me." Riley spun around on Maya so fast she could have sworn she felt a breeze. "What if I say the wrong thing or embarrass myself or trip over nothing?"

"Honey, you're Riley Matthews. All of those things are going to happen. It's who ya are." Maya grabbed Riley by the chin and shook it as she was talking to her. It reminded Maya of the time she got stuck babysitting Ava Morgenstern. By herself.

"Maya." Riley whined.

"Fine." Zay slammed his hands on the table and stood up. "I'll take you over there myself." He grabbed Riley by the arm and started pulling her through the crowd. Maya was impressed, she knew she was going to like that kid.

Maya watched from the corner of her eye as Zay introduced Riley to Farkle, seeing Riley so happy Maya couldn't help but smile to herself. Zay's got this, Maya thought. So she turned her attention to the petite brunette sitting beside her. "Are you okay? You've been quiet Smarklestein. I haven't heard anything to make me fall asleep in at least two hours, and I like my naps."

"Butterflies." Smackle simply stated, as if it was the solution to world hunger.

"What?" Maya rarely knew what Smackle was talking about, but this was a whole new kind of weird.

"I believe that when Isaiah is around I get a strange feeling in my stomach. I have often heard it being referred to as butterflies." When Smackle said it she seemed almost afraid. It was refreshing to see Smackle experience new emotions.

Maya's jaw dropped open "Smackle, you like Zay!" Maya teased.

"I am a scientist, Maya. I am simply attracted to the pheromones that his body produces."

"She's back! We've missed you!" Maya reached over and pulled Smackle into a big bear hug and started stroking her hair, taking her teasing up to full.

"Can I have one?" Maya turned at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, he's one of the boys from before. Not Farkle, what was the name of the other one? "Hi, I'm Lucas." Oh yeah, Lucas! Damn. He's even cuter up close.

"In what world do I give a random stranger a hug? I can barely tolerate hugging the people I actually like." Maya had a weird way of flirting and she knew it. She also knew that she was dynamite and anyone who got too close would be taken down with her. Shawn once told her that she's rude to people she meets to keep them away from her, to protect her walls. Sometimes it scares her how similar they are. When Shawn and Katy got married she thought maybe the world would give her a happy ending too but then she realized, she didn't want one.

"Ah, come on, I'm not a stranger. Ya see Zay said you've been over here talking about me." Lucas lowered his voice to a whisper "He also said you think I'm really cute."

Maya spit out her beer, a reaction she hadn't expected, of course. "Oh, he did, did he?"

"Yeah." Lucas folded his hands in front of him and stood up straighter.

"News flash, cowboy. Zay was just trying to get rid of you. You see he and I, we're trying to get my best friend," Maya pointed towards Riley and Zay. "Together with Farkle. You were simply a road block Zay needed to get rid of."

"Oh, I don't know about that. You sure you aren't just embarrassed that I caught you and maybe I won't feel the same way?" Lucas shifted his accent to have more of a country twang. Maya couldn't believe it, she was playing her game and the cowboy was playing right back.

"I'm sure." Maya stepped closer to him and stared him in the eyes, it was an intimidation tactic but Maya couldn't help but notice how gorgeous his eyes were, the color of green in contrast with his tan skin made him look like a Greek God. Maya wasn't sure how long they had been staring at each other, long enough for Zay to join them at their table unnoticed.

"Okay, what did I just walk into?" Zay's words broke Maya and Lucas out of their stare down and when Maya turned towards him her eyes immediately went to the 3 chicken tacos Zay was trying to simultaneously shove down his throat. Why is it that whenever Maya sees him he's eating?

"I believe it is their own personal version of a pre mating ritual, Isaiah." Maya scoffed and Lucas just smiled like Smackle was exactly right.

"You know what? I think you're right." He turned to Smackle and smiled. "And you can call me Zay." And then he winked at her. Maya couldn't believe it. Was Zay flirting with Smackle?

"I'll call you whatever you want me to." Smackle playfully punched his arm. Zay was flirting with Smackle, and Smackle was flirting back? Could this day get any weirder?

"So, Zay," Smackle raised her eyebrows flirtily when she said his name. "How's it going over there?"

"Well, when I left they were talking about Pluto. I got bored so I left." Zay shrugged and had somehow managed to find another taco without leaving their table.

"What do we do now? I am not familiar with this protocol." And just like that she was Smackle again.

"Now," Maya turned around so she could see Riley and Farkle. They were smiling and laughing about something. Good, Maya thought. She deserves this. "We wait."