~Maya~
"Sooo, do you like Lucas?" Riley asks me again at recess, I swear she's been asking the same question over and over again like a broken record. Seriously, what is she hoping to achieve?

"For the thousandth time Riley, no!" I'm growing tiresome of trying to convince her that I don't like the cowboy but my efforts to do so are failing.

"You do though. You like him." She comes to this conclusion, nodding vigorously, adamant to make me admit something that's not true.

"When are you gonna let this go?" I plead.

As if on queue Farkle walks up behinds us. "Let what go?"

"Maya likes Lucas." Riley casually blurted out. I responded by glaring at her whilst she smiles innocently. I was so tempted to tell Farkle she likes him so she can have a taste of her own medicine but I decided against it. I kinda liked the friendship the three of us have formed, I didn't want to ruin it with a petty argument. We're like the 3 musketeers...only, I'd unintentionally distance myself from them around other students to keep my reputation as the 'cool badass'. I stop the little staring contest we were having when I hear Farkle speak up.

"Lucas." I watch him shift from one foot to the other, he seemed to be angry for some reason. "Lucas the arrogant, stupid, little obnoxious bastard?" he spits. What the hell? That was harsh.

I hold my hands up in defense. "Whoa, okay there ex-turtleneck, we all have our flaws. He may have come from a rich family, have an overpriced car, live in a mansion and have a reputation but... I mean he's not that bad. Right?" I alternate my gaze between Riley and Farkle, searching for some sign of agreement from them. I could practically sense Riley smirking at me saying 'Hah! I told you so' or 'see, I knew you liked him' in her head but it's not true. I don't like him.

"Are we talking about the same Lucas here? The same self-centred Lucas who physically and emotionally bullies people like Riley to make his pretentious self seem superior? That Lucas? Because if so, you are way too good for him Maya." I frown, confused. 

"Wait, he does what?" I ask in disbelief, how can he care so much about someone like me yet treat Riley like trash. All I know is that Riley gets bullied, I have no idea who bullies her -apart from Missy because of the other day- or how far they go to make her miserable. I didn't think Lucas, the golden boy, could do anything like that.

"You didn't know." Farkle states slowly in realisation rather than asking.

I ignore Farkle and turn towards Riley who had her head down. "Riley?" I ask, hoping she says it's not true.

"How did you not know?" I could tell by his tone that he was still angry so I snap back around.

"I had enough problems of my own Farkle. I didn't care about strangers I knew nothing about." I shout.

"Riley's not a stranger," he argues.

"Not now but she was."

"Still, you should ha-" I interrupt him.

"There's a reason why I'm known as the lone wolf, Einstein! I don't get into other people's business and they stay out of mine. It was just me against the world!" I look over at Riley who's awkwardly rocking back and forth on her heel. I realize we had been talking about her like she wasn't even there. "But now I've got a best friend to care for," I hold Riley's hand and she gives me a sad smile as she stops rocking, "and a genius who asks too many questions." I nodded my head towards Farkle which made her laugh away the tears that were about to build up.

"Don't forget your cowboy crush." She says.

"I don't like him Riley." I sternly state. I knew she could tell I was being serious as she just nods and says okay. "Why didn't you tell me he was one of your bullies?" She shrugs in response to my question. "Are you okay?" She gives an unconvincing 'yeah, I'm fine'. I figured she didn't want to talk about it so I give her a hug and leave to go to art class early, the idea of secrets and hidden truths giving me inspiration for a new piece of artwork.

~Riley~
When Maya left it was just me and Farkle. He was staring at me, occasionally frowning in concentration like he was solving a difficult equation, like he was trying to 'figure me out'.

"What?!" I finally blurt in frustration.

"N-nothing, I-I was just wondering," I felt bad for yelling at him. "Why didn't you tell her he bullies you?"

"I don't know. I guess I didn't want to ruin whatever image she had of Lucas. I know she has some sort of feelings towards him, though she doesn't want to admit it. And Maya seems like someone who doesn't have a chance to be happy very often, I didn't want to destroy her chance at a little happiness, even if it is with someone I hate. I'd do anything for her." It's true, I would do anything for her. Maya Hart is a broken girl deep down, yet I always thought she was the complete opposite before I spoke to her that night outside Lucas' party. She puts on a hell of an act.

"Okay, so if you didn't tell Maya, why did you tell me?" Because you were the first person at this school who was friendly to me. Because you were the first person willing to listen to me and talk to me. The first person who- I begin to blush as I recall what he said to me in the greenhouse. His reaction of showering me with sincere compliments after discovering I was being bullied, comforting me whilst I cried and giving me this pendant.

I fiddled with the pendant as I replied. "You asked me to tell you everything back at the greenhouse, so I did." I smile and gazed into his eyes as he did the same to me.

"You're so cute." He says, out of nowhere, making me blush. I just looked down in embarrassment and whispered a quick 'thanks'. "Shall we go?" he suggests as he reaches for my hand and walks me to my next class, our fingers intertwined. Our friendship is so weird, I love it, it's like we're in a relationship...but we're not. There's no pressure or awkwardness that may come with being a couple we're just...us and I feel so comfortable around him.

A/N: I apologize if it doesn't make sense, I'm so tired and I think all of these exams have messed with my brain 😄 but they're over now so yay! Having said that, studying for the exams led to procrastination which led to me drafting and thinking about the rest of the story so...fingers crossed for sooner updates I suppose (if that's what you guys want of course)