Authors note: It has been a bit since I did a Lucaya fanfic and now I am back and ready to go. If you recall my last two fanfics involved vampires and werewolves and family disputes, this time I am delving into the heat and churning up some later on down the line. High School is over; destiny has a funny way of pulling the heartstrings. Lucas and Riley broke up…the it couple part ways as Lucas heads off to join the rodeo circuit and Riley pursues college. Maya, well, she has never truly gotten over Lucas, even after setting aside her personal feelings so Riley could have her happily ever after. She is off making art come alive. Maya is now 19 and as time tends to do…she and Riley have not spoken in a long time. Farkle is off making the place a more technological and safe place. Bear with me as I get through this.

Shawn and Maya's mother married and Shawn has become a father, well, aside from being Maya's secondary father figure, he is now an official father. Cory still teaches and his wife Topanga is teaching law. Auggie is still going through school and is currently dating Ava, more or less. So many other characters to cover but we should push on with the fic.

Tethered hearts: Dancing broncos and paintbrushes

CH.1: Painting the world

Maya Hart, Maya Penelope Hart, Maya Penelope Hunter, she went by many names. Shawn and her mother had dated for a while before marrying…having her grow accustomed to having him around instead of being a deadbeat dad or someone not in the picture but mentioned now and then. Shawn was a great fatherly figure and she was surprised how he had not been a father sooner. Maya enjoyed how he helped her out, inspired her to paint what she did.

After graduation Maya knew what she wanted to do…to pain, it was her passion. However even as she was getting ready to leave home she noticed implosions of sorts impacting the lives of family and friends. Lucas and Riley for starters, they had chosen each other and while she had tried to deny her feelings, they still lingered. Joshua, well, much as one would say yay…she said nay. Her heart was not into it as much as it had been so long ago and truthfully the chemistry was stale in her mind. She also felt it wasn't fair on him…and…it just slipped through her fingers.

Maya had done a bit of traveling and had gone to Italy, though this was during break. Suffice to say even after having left New York she still wound up back here…in fact she had every intention of just staying in Italy. However she was called back here…and it was where her family was. She was 19 and much as she tried…she felt she still had a lot of growing up to do.

Maya spent a lot of time in her dorm painting and when she wasn't there she was in the studio which served as a classroom, so many skilled and gifted artists that were proving why they were here. Maya did not have Riley to turn to…in fact the two hadn't spoken since graduation or through most of school as she was kind of left behind. It was not easy being a third wheel.

The dorm she had was shared with another girl, her name was Stephanie. However the girl was often out partying and much as Maya used to see herself as the party girl or the one who let loose, she knew she didn't wish to ruin the chance she had to be here. Her grades never being the greatest and she had to really apply herself. Aside from art she also took some high end lit classes, creative writing, and set design as it would allow her to temper down her creative flow of art to a more planned out approach.

Paint was her creative outlet and as she stood there, paintbrush held in one hand, the other holding the palette. Right now the painting wasn't much, just a field with some trees and falling leaves. There was one lone figure there, looking off but she had yet to determine where exactly.

"Maya!" The door slams open revealing her roommate in disheveled clothes and hair; her eyes were wild as she looked out through her sloping glasses along the ridge of her nose.

"Steph…you look…wow." Maya turns her head just enough to see how much of a mess she was. Stephanie had red vibrant hair and eyes that were green. She had a healthy weight to her that she owned and at times it was kind of hard to see her with so many boys flocking to her. Stephanie Sterling was 19 just like her and as for her academics, they varied.

"Huh, oh this, yeah…things got pretty freaky. What is this?" She makes a gesture and Maya arches a brow.

"I think you will have to be a little more specific there Steph. Are you indicating my clothes, the fact my side of the room is cleaned up, or-?"

"Ha ha, I meant your…well…painting I suppose. Though yes I can see my…disorderly side of the room, which I will promise to pick up later, thank you mom; so, you almost done?" She walks over and Maya takes a step back.

"I guess, though, I don't know what she is staring at. To be truthful not sure why I took up painting this, guess, it spoke to me at the time. So, what is up?"

Maya studies her friend and she stares a bit too long at her painting, maybe she sees something there. Honestly according to her teachers art is open to interpretation so one person may see something different then what the painter themselves see. Sometimes it is better not correcting a person as it destroys the illusion, the control in what they see, what story unfolds.

"Oh right, the rodeo is in town. I figure you and I could go and see it. You spend so much time in this room, or, at class…doesn't that get boring?" Her friend's eyes level with her and Maya shrugs as she walks over and takes a seat on her bed.

"I don't know, maybe, it isn't who I used to be. I kind of just settled into this role…maybe in some ways making sure I belong. However, I also feel like I am emulating my…well someone I used to know. We kind of grew apart…our worlds kind of drifted apart. Anyway rodeo isn't really my thing-."

"It was a boy wasn't it?" Maya sighs as she goes to stand up and begins to put away her painting supplies. "I knew it, what was his name? Was he a hottie?"

Maya shoots her a friend a look and pushes some strands of her lengthy blonde hair behind her ear. "Will you just drop this ok? It was some time ago, plus, you could learn something from attending classes now and then."

Stephanie shrugs and walks over to her side of the room as she removes her shirt and Maya sighs looking away. "I'm going to the rodeo, those cute boys in those tight jeans, mmm. Anyway I sort of already bought you a ticket and you are going with me."

"Steph…you didn't, no, wait…of course you did." Maya finally looks back at Stephanie whose shirt is now even shorter and she has even changed into some tight short shorts.

"It'll be fun Maya; you can use a bit of that in your life now. I will wait for you downstairs, do not keep me waiting." She winks at her before hurrying on out of the room.

Maya turns to look at her painting again and thinks of him. There was no way he would be there. Even after all this time, is name was still difficult to say. A slight heat caresses her cheeks but she pays it no heed as she hurries after Stephanie.

Authors note: Next chapter we catch up with Lucas. If you can see some similarity between this and another movie, might be intentional, as it is one of my favorites. Also yes this is a Lucaya fan fic so best buckle yourselves in for a rough ride.