Lucas left at the tail end of their freshmen year. Maya sensed that he'd told Riley before her. The way Riley would sometimes sigh deeply while they sat at the bay window, doing math homework, and her extra time spent with Lucas, as if he had terminal cancer and was due to die in mere weeks. Eventually, Lucas blurted it out, as if someone had finally smacked him on the back and he just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I'm moving back to Texas!" he'd sprung on her as they entered the subway terminal.

"What?" she almost yelled, her voice echoing around them. She stopped immediately and turned on him so fast, she could see fear-literal fear- in his eyes.

Farkle and Riley slowed down next to her. Farkle looked both curiously and cautiously between Maya and Lucas and said, "We should-"

"We should go. We'll meet you on the subway," Riley finished, dragging Farkle away by the forearm.

Lucas back stepped his way to her, stumbling and almost falling over his own shoes. "This summer. I'm moving. My parents...kind of brought it up and I agreed," he mumbled to the ground. And then, as though that was the end of the conversation, he started walking again, but Maya stayed rooted to the spot.

"They just kind of brought it up and you agreed?" she repeated. She dug her nails into her backpack straps, curling her toes inside her boots. It was just that easy for him, she thought. "And you're leaving this summer? You're just gonna run out of here as quickly as you came, huh?"

Lucas stopped and glanced back at her. Just glanced. Not even caring. People change people, my ass, Maya thought. She stormed past him, rushing to catch up with Riley and Farkle. Lucas called her name, but Maya didn't acknowledge him until she was forced to when he walked past her (damn her short legs) onto the subway. The subway was crowded, but they'd found a bench at the back of the cart. Maya sighed as she realized there were no more spaces left and grabbed the pole, out of breath just from the short sprint.

"Here," Lucas said, standing up and offering her his seat. She was both thankful and hated him for it.

As he stood, practically pressed against her knees, Maya tried her best not to look up at his stupid face. "Look, I'm sorry, I think it came out wrong," he said, "My parents didn't just bring it up and I didn't just agree to it-it was more of a 'Hey, we're moving to Texas,' and I didn't have a say in it."

Maya nodded, but she was still fuming. Riley and Farkle were trying their best to give them space, but Maya could see them sneaking glances at Lucas and her every few seconds. "I just don't understand why you waited until a week before summer break to tell me," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Lucas sighed and looked away, resting his forehead against the subway pole. "I knew you would react this way."

"Well maybe I wouldn't be mad if you'd just told me sooner," she retorted. And then added, "You told Riley weeks ago, didn't you?" but then immediately regretted it. She felt Riley shift uncomfortably to her left.

"I didn't tell you sooner because you-"

"Because I what?"

"Because...nevermind. You're right. I should've told you sooner."

Maya sunk into the seat, comforted in her victory. They didn't talk the rest of the ride. They didn't even talk the rest of the week until they'd said their goodbyes. Riley crying into his shoulder at Topanga's, Lucas slapping Farkle on the shoulder, Lucas giving Zay more of a see-you-later half-hug, and Maya...and Lucas not knowing what to do with Maya. They settled on a handshake.

But now Lucas was coming back to New York right in the middle of junior year. And Maya dreaded the day of his return.

Technically, Maya didn't dread the day of his return. Riley told her the instant the text came in and has been counting down the days since, giving Maya reminders between classes. Sure, Maya acted like she didn't care, but she'd secretly marked the day in her agenda.

"Lucas told me he has first block with us," Riley tells her, hugging her books to her chest and giving Maya a playful shove with her shoulder.

"What a coincidence," Maya mutters, trying to distract herself by pulling on a loose string hanging from her shirt.

Riley tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and nods. "He's coming back today. You know that, right?"

Maya shrugs. "Must've slipped my mind."

"Maya-"

The bell rings, and Maya practically runs to their first class. "Riles, it's gonna be fine. He'll be the same old Huckleberry-just like before. Two years doesn't change a person," she calls to Riley over her shoulder.

"But, Maya, you should-"

Maya doesn't hear what she should do because she's pushing her way through the crowd, elbowing people twice her side and not waiting to hear their reactions.

She's avoiding Riley's didactic lesson on Respect and Kindness, but she would've been lying if she said she wasn't a little bit eager to see Lucas again.

And when she walks in the room, there he is. Sitting next to Farkle, Zay behind him. His hands are folded across his desk and he's smiling like he knows something nobody else knows and the feeling of excitement and giddiness fades in her stomach and is replaced by anger. Maya coolly strolls over and takes the seat in front of him.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, she remarks, "Come here often?"

For a quick second, his smile falters, like he almost lost his focus or he wasn't expecting it. But just as quickly, he picks it back up and retorts, "Howdy, Maya. It's been quite a while, don't you think?"

"Oh God, please don't start that again. You moving to New York from Texas was bad enough the first time," she grumbles, turning back around and crossing her arms over her chest.

She feels him lean forward behind her, and she swears he must be right behind her ear, when he says, "Well, if you want to make it a showdown, partner."

"I'm cringing," she groans, slumping down into her seat. She can just feel him smirking behind her.

She looks up as Riley rushes through the door. "Lucas!" she screams as she hurls herself across the room, into his arms, in a blur of brown hair and a tangerine-colored dress.

Lucas wraps his arms around her shoulders, but she's bent over him, so it's awkward, and it would just be easier if he stood up or something. Riley steps back and beams at him like he hung the moon or something. Maya didn't realize it, but she's turned completely around in her seat, hands gripping the back of it, staring at the two of them with mild interest and an almost tangible jealousy.

Although it probably wasn't intentional, Lucas had left right in the middle of their love-triangle fiasco, safely avoiding any injury in the mess. Riley and Maya never talked about it after they left. Maya never spoke to Lucas again, but Riley texted him daily and Facetimed him every weekend, so she assumed it was settled. But seeing Lucas flick his eyes back and forth between the two of them, she isn't so sure.

Farkle leans over and says, "Welcome back, buddy!"

Riley snaps her head up, finally broken from her daze, and smiles. "We missed you very much," she tells him before making her way to her seat in front of Farkle.

"I wouldn't say everyone," Maya says, but she's teasing.

"Maya missed you very much," Riley corrects.

Maya snorts.

"I know we didn't leave off in a good place, Maya," he says to her.

"Slow it down, Huckleberry. I'm fine now. No need to cry at my feet and beg for forgiveness," Maya mumbles, twisting her ring around her finger.

Lucas chokes out laughter, as if he hadn't laughed in awhile.

"What?"

"You called me Huckleberry. Haven't heard that in a long time," he notes. He shakes his head, looking up at the ceiling.

"Yeah? Well, don't get too comfortable. I might have to call you by your actual name if you start to like it too much."

Riley shoots her a glare. Maya tries to ignore it. "Maya, shouldn't you at least try to be a bit nicer to Lucas?" she suggests in her matronly voice.

"It's okay," Lucas says. Maya's so shocked she spins around in her seat to see if he's lying. "I was a jerk to Maya before I left," he admits. And then he looks at Maya and says, "I'll be your punching bag."

Maya squints her eyes and looks at him, burning holes into his stupid blue shirt. "You're lying."

"I don't think he's lying," Zay chimes in. "And believe me, Lucas lies about a lot of stuff. Like a lot. You guys wouldn't even know."

"I don't lie, I just avoid the truth. That's not lying," Lucas asserts.

Zay makes a clicking noise and shakes his head. "Sure. Whatever you say, Moral Compass."

"So did Smackle break up with Farkle or did Farkle break up with Smackle?" Lucas asks.

"Smackle broke up with Farkle," Zay answers before taking a gulp of Orange Fanta.

"Ouch," Lucas says, giving Farkle a sympathetic pat on the arm.

They're seated at their old hangout at Topanga's, Lucas slouched in his seat with a now-empty plate across his stomach. It's almost effortless the way he glided back into the group, like he never left. Maya sits to his left, eyeing him over her strawberry smoothie, like she's just waiting for him to slip up.

"Why'd she break up with you?" Lucas asks.

Riley glances nervously at Farkle, before looking away quickly, a slight pink creeping into her cheeks. Farkle, who's seated next to her on the sofa, tries to avoid even acknowledging her.

Farkle shrugs. "You know. Academic stuff. Too similar, a clash of brains, regular stuff." He clears his throat and tries to look at Riley and gauge her reaction.

"You know, regular couple stuff," Zay mocks.

Farkle gives an uneasy laugh and Riley laughs just a bit too much. And then Lucas burps and they all join in, breaking a strange tension.

After they settle down, Lucas easily starts up the conversation again, "What else have you guys been up to?"

"The usual," Zay starts, "barely passing Algebra I…"

"I hear that!" Maya agrees, lifting her smoothie. Her and Zay pretend to clink drinks.

"Wishing your ass was here to help me try out for baseball," Zay mutters.

"Oh that reminds me! I made Varsity," Lucas says.

They all give a round of congratulations, to which Riley's are a bit faked, since she probably already knew. And even though it shouldn't bother Maya, it still grates on her nerves a little.

"I just got my license," Riley offers with a modest cheek-to-shoulder shrug.

"That's great! You guys?"

"Yeah," Farkle says.

"Yep-better watch out. I'll wreck your big ass truck," Zay says.

Maya shifts and pulls her legs up onto the chair. "You brought a truck to New York? Good luck, Ranger Rick!"

"What about you Maya?" Lucas sits up, putting his plate on the table.

"Funny you should ask…"

"Maya's only got her permit," Riley tells him.

Lucas nods. "Well, that's still good."

Maya scoffs. "Oh, please. Look, my mom hasn't had the time to take me out driving. Besides, you don't need to know how to drive in the city. Isn't the average age for a license in New York City like fifty?"

Lucas rests his elbows on his knees like he's about to lecture Maya on the shortness of life or something. "I can teach you to drive. Not in the city, but around the suburbs."

Maya squeezes her empty cup and stares at him quizzically. "You don't-"

"I want to, Maya," he insists. "Just one time."

Biting her lip, Maya looks over at Riley who's nodding her head, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Fine," Maya gives in. "Saturday. Noon. But don't try anything funny."

Lucas leans back with a grin on his face. "Wouldn't dream out of it."