Everyone had just finished singing happy birthday to Maya when Josh whisked her away from the party for some privacy, his hand on the small of her back. Riley couldn't help but beam at the pair... looks like hope isn't for suckers after all, she thought to herself as she turned away from the door and began talking to Smackle excitedly.

Zay, on the other hand, watched Lucas for his reaction as the two walked away together. It was always hard to decipher Lucas's feelings unless he made them clear. Even after years of knowing him, he could never fully tell what he was thinking except for that occasional twitch in his eyebrow. That was when he knew something bothered him. So that was what he was looking for now.

"So that's it huh?" Lucas turned to Zay, jumping slightly at the sound of his voice. "Maya riding off into the sunset with Josh while we stay down here on earth?"

"Zay, what on earth are you going on about?"

"Oh nothing, nothing." Zay walked away from him. He heard Lucas take the bait as he followed him to the bay window in the living room, just slightly away from the others.

"Zay, you should be happy for Maya. She's finally getting what she wants." Zay didn't say anything as he sat down on the cushioned seat comfortably. Lucas shuffled awkwardly, "You don't like her do you?"

He knew that Zay and Maya were an unspoken couple of sorts. They had always tagged along when Riley and him were a couple. It's been two years since they've broken up in Sophomore year. Both finding that the transition between friends to a couple was too difficult. If they were meant to be, as Riley said, then they shouldn't have found it difficult to kiss or even hold hands. But it was, everything about it felt awkward.

Through the length of their relationship however, Zay and Maya acted very much as a couple would. At times he would envy the two when he was with Riley. They seemed more comfortable with each other than Riley or him could ever be and they weren't even together. He had to ask Zay if he liked Maya. Surely the times they held hands, and occasionally kissed each other's cheeks, made him develop feelings for her. He wouldn't find it unbelievable to think that Zay might like her, as he had once liked Maya all those years ago. What he didn't know was if Zay had feelings for Maya. He had expected Maya and him to stop going out together after Riley and Lucas broke up, yet that never happened. He always wondered if they ever went further...

"I️ like Maya," Zay nodded confidently. It's true he did. He liked how funny, creative, and loving she was. He also liked how fiercely protective over her friends she was and had always admired that about her. Not to mention the fact they always had fun together. But he didn't like her in the way that Lucas was asking him. He was her friend as she was his.

He had never wanted Maya to miss the opportunities she would get while waiting for the so called long game with Josh. He thought it a bit selfish at first until he had that talk with Josh and thought he really was a good guy.

Since then he and Maya had become a lot closer. He didn't want her to feel out of place especially when Lucas and Riley were together. She had done this to him when he first came from Texas. He felt like an outsider as he watched his friend act so differently around these new people. Riley made him feel even worst with the way she hardly paid him any mind. It was like she refused to believe Lucas had a past that didn't involve her. Then Maya sat down and started talking to him, in that moment, he never felt so grateful. So hanging out with her while Lucas and Riley did their awkward couple thing, was the least he could do. Besides, he enjoyed their time together, she was a great friend.

If he was being completely honest with himself then he could see himself with Maya proudly. The two got along just well and he couldn't ignore the fact that she was beautiful. But he never stopped talking to Vanessa after their trip to Texas back in their last year of middle school. He was even visiting her in Texas during the summer as Maya had suggested.

"I️ like Maya, she's my best friend and I️ like to think that I️ know her pretty well." He glanced up at Lucas who for the most part seemed to be unsure of this entire conversation. He scooted slightly before patting the seat for him to sit down. When he did he began again, "we spent years hanging out. In the beginning it was only because I️ didn't want her to feel like an outsider while you and Riley tried to be a couple. We spent years dealing with Farkle and Smackle being all in love, yammering on about world domination. And I've spent years watching Maya keep up with the cool facade that everyone expects from her."

"Zay, no one expects Maya to be anyone but herself. Of course she's fine, if she wasn't then Riley would've known." Lucas, up till now, had listened to Zay quietly. Waiting for him to get to his point. But he couldn't stay quiet when he accused that Maya wasn't as happy as everyone expects. He knew this was wrong. "Face it, she's the happiest she's ever been. Katie and Shawn had baby Johnathon just last year. Riley told me that they were planning on being dorm mates for NYU next year. Maya's actually planning on going to college! She's fine, better than fine even! She's great!"

Zay shook his head, a look of somber crossed his face as he raised his eyes to meets Lucas's. "I️ didn't say she wasn't happy about any of those things."

"Then what the hell are you going on about?" Lucas got up in exasperation. The whole conversation was wearing him out and all he wanted to do was get out of it and enjoy the rest of his time with his friends.

"I'm talking about how you refuse to acknowledge your feelings for Maya and how she refuses to do the same." Zay watched the back of Lucas. The way he didn't run off and join the rest of the party right away as he thought he would was all the evidence he needed. "The both of you have never fooled me into thinking that you just decided to not have any feelings for each other. It doesn't work that way. The both of you, Riley, and Farkle... you all fooled yourselves into thinking what you believe should be instead of what can be. I've always wondered what would have happened if we never went to that ski lodge."

Zay shook his head, if they never had went there then Riley and Lucas never would have gotten together. He wasn't sure what exactly happened, just that everything seemed to turn out just how everyone expected. That the two of them would end up together and Maya finally getting her chance with Josh.

Mr. Mathew was right. It was a bad, bad place. Zay saw everything transpire the way it did and knew it was wrong. Sometimes the things we think are right, is what's wrong the most.

Lucas doubled back, his knees hitting the cushion. He let himself fall into the seat with his mind reeling. Was Zay right? He didn't know, he didn't think he was. He really couldn't think at all really.

"I️ remember when I️ was back in Texas and you were here..." Lucas looked at Zay, wondering how in the hell there could be more. "We Skyped, and you were talking about this time in class where you all wrote your flaws on your head. And then I️ asked, why the hell would you do that? Then I️ asked, what did you write for yours? Do you remember?"

Lucas nodded, thinking about it as if it were just yesterday. It was hard for everyone to admit their flaws, even harder to put it where the whole world could see. "Mr Perfect."

"You told me that Farkle, the boy genius who will one day rule the world, wrote nothing on his head. He's definitely not nothing now." They glanced Farkle's way. Lucas knew that was true. Farkle was never nothing, it was only what Billy made him think. "You told me that Riley, the Ray of sunshine, wrote insecure. I️ can't say she's fully moved on from that flaw, after all, we're all a little insecure sometimes."

They glanced at Riley who was listening to Smackle talk feverishly, a small frown on her face as she absently nodded. She still cared about what her friends thought of her, he knew that. But she remained who she was. A ray of sunshine, maybe she's not as insecure as she once was...

"Then you told me about Maya, the blond beauty. You said she was broken, that was her flaw. I️ like to think Maya is halfway to being repaired. Now tell me something Lucas, why does yours still say Mr. Perfect? And why does Maya's still say broken?"

Lucas unconsciously touched his forehead, as if the writing was still there after all those years. He cursed himself for being stupid enough to believe it was.

"You're still doing what you think others expect from you. Hell you couldn't even choose between Maya and Riley back when the whole triangle business was going on. Well you did but then the girls came back all purple and what now and you waited even longer to choose. Even then you didn't, you only chose Riley after Maya told you to." Zay glanced at him, waiting for Lucas to object but he remained quiet.

Finally, he sighed as he stood up, waiting for Lucas to notice. "Question is are you ready to stop being Mr perfect and start being Lucas Friar?" Lucas glanced up, realizing suddenly that Zay was standing up. Zay patted his shoulder, "while you think about that, just know that Josh is up there with Maya right now. And their long game is about to end any minute." With that, Zay left Lucas sitting there thinking about just that.

__
On the roof, Maya and Josh stood beside one another in a comfortable silence as they stared down at the city below. Josh took the time to glance at Maya thinking how she's grown from the girl he once knew that had a bad school girl crush on him, to the girl standing beside him today. She had this thing about her that intrigued him. Maybe it was the fact she no longer jumped at the sight of him. Maybe it was the fact she matured brilliantly. He didn't know what it was but he was glad that the wait was now over.

He didn't know if boys her age went after her. If she had experience in the boyfriend department. He did know that Isiah took her out frequently, but he didn't worry for a second that he had feelings for Maya. Hell, if he did then there was no way that he would have had the chance to take Maya away.

"Are you going to keep staring at me or are you planning to talk soon?" She smirked at the bashful face he made before looking away from her. Knowing that he was caught and couldn't fake it.

"Sorry Maya, I️ was just thinking about how gorgeous you've become." She lifted her eyebrow at him.

"Haven't heard that one before," she joked sarcastically. She remembered a time that he had said almost those exact same words to her. She could vaguely hear Riley in her head muttering something about her not becoming her aunt.

"How about this...?" He turned to her, his cool fingers brushing against her cheek to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "You're absolutely beautiful." He breathed.

The way he was staring at her made her actually believe it. It was like the time he had told her that he liked her when they were at the ski lodge. The truth behind his words made her melt, just like the way his words made her now.

He shoved his hands in his pockets, face reddening with his blush. He didn't regret telling her this. He somehow got the impression that she didn't get it enough from the way she looked at him. He was prepared to have that changed though. She deserved to hear it everyday of her life. And he was determined to be the one she hears it from. No one would stop him from that.

__
Riley didn't know how long Zay and Lucas were talking for, nor what they were talking about. She kept a watchful eye when she realized the two were missing from the group and found them in a middle of a deep conversation. Her distraction caught on easily by Smackle and Farkle as they too, looked at the pair. Watching as Lucas stood up before Zay said something that made him pause. It was hard to tell what made him freeze. His eyebrow only slightly furrowing before he stumbled back and sat down.

"What do you suppose they're talking about?" She asked.

"Who knows?" Farkle shrugged, watching the pair like an experiment. Lucas gave little to no emotion as he listened quietly to Zay.

"They're talking about Maya of course," Smackle removed her glasses, cleaning the lenses with the sleeves of her sweater before placing them back on. She glanced at the way Farkle and Riley looked at her, both wondering how she came to that conclusion. "It's obvious that Zay is finally confronting Lucas over his affections for Maya. He wouldn't have done so if he didn't believe they still had the chance to get together but those two are about as dumb as a light post when it comes to feelings, especially when it involves the other. Sorry Riley, I️ know she's your best friend and he is your ex lover but honestly it was obvious they always had some form of connection that was stronger than the inferior one you had with Lucas."

"Isadora!" Farkle looked down at his girlfriend as she shrugged. He then glanced at Riley who had flushed over the use of the word lover.

"What? These are facts, Riley and Lucas were made to fail from the start. What with the way she encouraged his insecurities of being perfect."

"What? I️ did no such thing." Smackle sighed deeply. How was it she was the only one to notice this? Not even her former nemesis noticed this and they were intellectually equal. The only one who seemed to have noticed this besides herself was Zay.

"Yes you did, but don't worry Riley it's not entirely your fault. He is to blame for his own down falls but you simple encouraged him to be this knight and shining armor that he just was not. He did many things to prove that he was your prince like the time he rode on a horse and named you a princess in his eyes. Then the time you encouraged him to ride a bull which is very hot to think about..." she patted Farkles arm when he protested at her thoughts.

"But it was also very dangerous, and it was all simply for him to make up for his downfalls on Judy the sheep but really when it comes to safety who cares what other think when you'll most likely never meet them again. After all there is about-"

"Smackle, I️ don't see-"

"As I️ was saying, you and Lucas just weren't made for each other. Maya and Lucas have more of a percentage in lasting in a relationship based off the way they balance each other and help one another instead of putting unnecessary thoughts in each other's minds that are purely fantasy."

"Riley always got in the way of the progress of their relationship. Maya loves Riley very much and wants nothing more than to protect her and she's willing to do anything by doing just that. Which was why she sacrificed a relationship with Lucas not once, but twice. Once in the very beginning, and twice during the ski lodge where she told Lucas to go after Riley even though it had pained her to do so. But again this was after she had talked to Josh and thought it would hurt less to send Lucas off knowing she had some chance with him. Not to mention, Maya even subconsciously allowed Riley to be the evil villain that wedges between the two lovers. Also the two of you even played Romeo and Juliet, a tragic love story doomed from the start. How is it that no one picked up on this?"

Riley slumped slightly, "I️ didn't know..."

Smackle finally stopped her ramblings as she took pity on the girl. She smiled at her slightly as she patted her shoulder only a tad awkwardly. "You didn't know. But now it might just be too late for the pair as Maya is up there on the roof with Josh. Hopefully Isiah gets through Lucas on time or else their chance will officially die."

Riley wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed and cry. She caused so much pain without even noticing. Her best friend had once again stepped back for her to be with Lucas and their relationship hardly lasted. If they could really call it one. She watched as Zay walked away from Lucas, walking towards them rigidly.

"Hey guys, what did I️ miss?" Zay smiled at them uneasily.

"I'm going to go talk to him," Riley took a step towards Lucas as a hand wrapped around her wrist stopping her. "Farkle let go. This is all my fault, I️ have to go and try to fix this before it's too late."

"Riley, he needs to go through his own feelings before you go off and try to make him go sweep Maya off her feet. Besides, who knows if Maya would even want him confessing his feelings at this point. She's up there with Josh right now, maybe it's time to just let them move on."

"What's going on?" Zay looked at the three, wondering if they somehow heard his talk to Lucas.

"If you're wondering if we heard the talk you had with Lucas don't fret. We didn't, I️ simply observed the both of you and knew you were talking about Maya." She turned to Farkle, missing the shocked, admiring face of Zay as she did.

"Farkle, you are about as clueless as the next when it comes to feelings as well, save for Riley's..." she furrowed her brows thinking about how he sought out Riley and accused her of her feelings for Lucas. She shook her head, one problem at a time. "Maya still has affections for Lucas, it has never gone away. Riley, if you really want the two to have a chance. Go to him, tell him you have long since stopped having feelings for him and tell him to go after her."

Riley nodded her head, shaking off Farkle's hand as she took off to Lucas. She stood in front of him, hands on her hips as she stared him down. He looked up at her, brow furrowed wondering what she was doing.

"Lucas Friar, go up to the roof right now and tell Maya how you feel about her."

"What-"

"I️ know you like her. And I'm sorry I️ got in the way of the two of you getting together but if you don't go up there right now it might be too late."

"But Riley, Maya and I️ tried to be a couple. Remember? She poured a smoothie over my head and everything."

She smiled down at him, "Did you ever really give it a chance?" She sat down next to him. "Lucas, you were the best first crush a girl could have ask for. But you were so wrapped up over the idea you had to be with me that you didn't give Maya a chance. And if I️ recall, you did tell her you were going to be a veterinarian and you used that one on me who knows how many times." She laughed lightly at the thought. "It's just how I️ said, you never gave her a chance..."

Lucas leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he ran his hands on his face. "Riley I️ just don't know what to do anymore..."

"Can you truly say you like Maya?"

He thought about it. He thought about how much he missed talking to her. How she poured her soul into her paintings that showed just what she was thinking. Hell, he even missed the way she Ha-Hurred him. He missed the way they bantered. How her hair looked soft to the touch and how all those years of sitting behind her in class he wanted nothing more than to run his fingers through them to see if they were as soft as he imagined.

"I️ do." He looked at Riley, "I️ really do like Maya..."

"Great! Now go tell her!" He shook his head.

"She's up there with Josh, for all I️ know my chance is gone. I️ just have to deal with it, I️ want her to be happy and if she's with Josh she will be."

"If you won't tell her then I️ will," she got up. Maya deserved to know. Even though she might be ruining her chance in having Maya officially becoming apart of her family, she knew that Maya will always be her sister. And her sister deserved to know.

"Riley, stop!" Lucas cursed himself for not seeing this coming. He took off after Riley as she ran out of the apartment.

__
"You know I️ never got the chance to tell you happy birthday." Josh smiled at Maya, pulling out the present he got for her out of his pocket. "I️ also didn't get the chance to give you this."

She looked at it warily as he nudged it forward until she smiled and took it from him. "You didn't have to get me anything Josh..."

"I️ wanted to," he watched as she open the small box and gasped lightly. She lifted the necklace, turning it over her fingers and read the inscription.

"Long game," she breathed the words. He stepped forward, taking the necklace from her silently to place it on her neck. She lifted her hair so he could clasp it for her. His fingers brushed the back of her neck and he felt as she shuddered underneath his fingertips. She turned to him just then, staring up at him with her big brown eyes.

"I'm 18 now..." she could almost roll her eyes at how stupid she sounded. Of course he knew that.

His eyes glanced down at her lips, her heart skipped slightly. This was it. She was going to be kissed. It wouldn't be her first time, she did kiss Zay after all. It wasn't anything romantic, they simply thought the moment was just right. They didn't have any feelings because of it and both came to an understanding that it was just a one time thing. Now, she was happy that their kiss gave her some type of experience. She knew Josh had to have kissed plenty of girls in the past and she didn't want to seem like she had none.

Their lips were about seconds from touching, her breath hitched. She was going to kiss Josh Mathews! Uncle boing!

The door burst open, it slammed against the wall so hard the two jumped apart. Riley was there, hair wild, breath ragged as she stared at the two of them.

"Riley, what's wrong?" Maya asked.

Lucas came just behind Riley, almost slamming into her before he screeched to a stop. He saw the flushed faces of Maya and Josh and his heart dropped slightly as he thought about what Riley had interrupted.

Maya was even more confused as Zay, Farkle, and Smackle appeared behind Lucas and Riley. All of them trying to talk to Riley but she paid them no mind. She knew that look on her face, she was determined. No one would stop her now.

Josh looked at his niece, then at Lucas just behind her. His eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to figure out what was going on. He met Lucas only a handful of times throughout the years. The most important one was in the ski lodge and he recalled how his niece, Maya, and him had somewhat of a triangle going on that year till it ended on the trip.

"I'm sorry Josh, Maya..." Riley began.

"Riley, don't do this." Lucas begged her. It was too late. Maya was with Josh.

"No Lucas. This is all my fault and I'm going to fix it. You're my friend, and I'll do anything for my friends." Maya furrowed her brows, this felt oddly familiar...

Riley looked at Maya, pointedly ignoring Josh. "Lucas loves you. He always has, but I️ got in the way of that. But not anymore, I️ don't like Lucas. I️ haven't in a long time, and I️ know he feels the same way about me. But he's always loved you Maya. Right Lucas?"

Lucas couldn't help but glance Maya's way to see her reaction. He didn't know how to feel over the shocked face she bore. He heard his name, then saw Maya glance at Lucas. He remained silent, he didn't know if he could talk.

"Lucas... is this true?" Maya needed to know. She didn't know why, she just had to know.

Lucas closed his eyes, he couldn't believe any of this was happening. "Of course I️ do," he opened his eyes. "I️ have to be to fool not to."

__
They didn't notice Riley and the others leave. They returned back to the party, Riley fidgeted with her hands wondering if she did indeed, do the right thing. Farkle reached over and held her hand to stop them from shaking.

Smackle watched from a few steps back. For once in her life she didn't know what to do with this information.

Zay glanced at Farkle and Riley, then he looked at Smackle beside him. Without thinking about it too much, he leaned over and tapped her shoulder. She looked at him, confused, almost as if she forgot he was there. He didn't let that bother him though as he held his hand out for her. She glanced at it briefly in question then looked at him. The way she looked at him was as if she was trying to figure him out like one of the many problems in class that always captivated her. He didn't say anything, he just continued to hold his hand out to her until she finally took it. He led her to the dance floor, really they had just pushed everything into one of the rooms for the party, and he started dancing with Smackle. He noticed for the first time just how much she grew up...

Farkle looked at his interlocked fingers with Riley and furrowed his brows. He looked up at her, she didn't seem to be as confused as him. Instead, she looked at him and smiled brightly at him with her head tilted slightly to the side. The way she looked at him was the same way she had once looked at Lucas. The way he had hoped she would one day look at him. He blinked away his thoughts as he looked around for Smackle. His eyes landed on her in the arms of Zay. They were slow dancing to a song that wasn't made for it and they didn't seem to mind at all...

Riley followed Farkle's sight till she saw Smackle and Zay. She smiled at them warmly, thinking how romantic the moment between them was before her smile soon disappeared... she looked at Farkle, unsure. Deciding quickly what she wanted to do, she tugged on their hands. His eyes found hers, they were calculating, she knew it. She nodded her head to the dance floor, without waiting for him to reply she pulled him forward. His hands found her hips and hers went to his shoulders. She never noticed before just how taller he was than her...

__
Cory looked at Topanga as she changed the song to a slow one after seeing the odd pairs dancing together. "Should we-"

"Let them figure it out on their own, Mr Mathews..." she took his hand. "Now, aren't you going to ask your wife to dance?"

"Of course, my apologies Mrs. Mathews..."

__
Maya sat numbly on the bench on the roof. She couldn't find within herself to notice how cold it had gotten. She felt numb. She didn't think this was how she would spend her 18th birthday. Completely and utterly confused.

She stared straight ahead as Josh and Lucas sat down on either side of her. She glanced down at her necklace that Josh had gave her just moments ago before she glanced down at her watch. "It's midnight." The words felt like Deja Vu to her mouth. And she realized that once again, she was caught in another triangle. "My birthday is over."