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Wednesday 5:17 PM

Farkle?

Yeah?

Can I come over and vent? Please?

Of course. You don't even need to ask.

She entered his bedroom practically sobbing, her eyes rimmed red and hiccuping. He stood up from his bed and walked towards her, hugging her tightly. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed. When he pulled away, she was still sniffling.

"What happened, Maya?"

"Riley thinks I'm not me anymore."

"Of course you're you! You're Maya Hart!"

"That's what I said. She- she said that I was dressing like her, and wearing my hair like her, and I was liking Lucas like her-"

"What? That's insane. Even as the scientist of the group, I can tell that you liking Lucas has absolutely nothing to do with her."

"Could you tell her that?" Maya said darkly, throwing herself down on his bed. "What do I do, Farkle?" He climbed up next to her and leaned back against his headboard. "Farkle?"

"Riley's liked Lucas ever since you pushed her into his lap. She's kissed him, they've been out on a couple of dates, and I know Riley thinks he's her boyfriend."

"She does."

"I don't know if you've liked Lucas as long as she has, and that technically should mean that she has claim. But I think your feelings towards him are much stronger than hers."

"Yes and no," she sighed, snuggling up so they were side by side on his bed. "I had a bit of a crush on him when we first met. By the time the Missy debacle had ended, I didn't really feel that way anymore.

"But that summer, you and Riley were gone almost the entire time. Lucas and I spent a lot of time together. And then when we went to see Hamilton, when Angelica started singing that song… Everything clicked. I'd been thinking something similar all summer, and then that happened… I stayed quiet. He didn't feel the same way."

"I've seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one's watching, and the way he reacts to your teasing. But when he talks about you, not when he's comparing you to Riley, but simply talks about you… I honestly think he has more important feelings for you than he does for her, but we won't know that for sure unless you all get together and talk through this thing."

"I've tried! She won't let me, and she won't let him."

"Then make her. Be the Maya Hart I know you are and fight back."

She gave him a look and gave a small nod, though she didn't mean it. If Riley wanted to wind up like the seniors, then so be it. She needed this to be over, but it couldn't be over unless Riley was ready, and deep down, Maya knew Riley wasn't anywhere near ready.