Chasing Butterflies | a GMW fanfic

Girl Meets Luggage

Maya and Riley sat in the bay window. Riley had told Maya about Lucas' invitation, and she wasn't sure that Maya was taking it well.

"You guys are going to Texas over Thanksgiving Break?" Maya asked.

"Yeah," Riley nodded. "He wants me to meet his parents."

Maya scoffed. "I didn't even know he had parents. He's never talked about them before. Why now?"

Riley shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well," Maya said. "When do we leave?"

Riley raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Maya paused. "When do me, you, Lucas, and Farkle leave for Texas?"

"Maya-" Riley frowned. "I think it's just Lucas and I."

Maya rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. We're all going."

Riley looked down at her lap. "Maya, I don't think so."

"But, we always go everywhere together." Maya frowned.

"The last time we all went to Texas, everything went horribly. I think it would be better if just Lucas and I went." Riley sighed. "I'm sorry, Maya."

Maya made a face. "No, you're not sorry."

"You don't know that." Riley said.

"I do, actually. You're probably glad to get away from the rest of us," Maya replied, her tone acrid.

"Maya, what's gotten into you? It's just for a few days!" Riley stood up and looked down at Maya, her arms crossed.

"I don't care how long it's for. I'd rather we all be there!" Maya stood up, too.

"Why do you need to be there?" Riley threw up her arms, exasperated.

"I need to be there in case he hurts you again!" Maya said. "If it's just you and him, what are you going to do if things go wrong?"

"I'll just hope that things don't go wrong. I don't need you to be there for me, Maya." Riley sighed.

"Riley, we're best friends. We're always supposed to have each other's backs!" Maya narrowed her eyes at Riley.

"Maya, you can't protect me forever. In a few months, you'll be on the other side of the country! How are you going to protect me from there?" Riley asked.

"I'd figure it out." Maya said.

"I am capable of taking care of myself, Maya." Riley said, scowling.

"You know what?" Maya said. "Maybe you are. You and Lucas can take a nice little trip to Texas, and when things get bad, I'll get to say 'I told you so.'"

Maya gave Riley one last angry look, then turned and walked out of Riley's room.

Riley stood by her bay window, slightly shell-shocked, as her best friend walked away.

&

"So, you and Riley are going to Texas without us?" Farkle crossed his arms and looked at Lucas.

The two of them stood at the counter of Topanga's, in some sort of stare-down.

"That was the plan," Lucas said, nodding.

"Why aren't Maya and I invited?" Farkle asked. "We're your friends."

"This is just something for Riley and I, okay?" Lucas sighed. "I just want this to be for us."

"What are you planning to do there that Maya and I can't be there for?" Farkle said.

"Are you trying to imply that we're going to do something?" Lucas asked, his face turning red.

"Not exactly, but you never know." Farkle scoffed.

"Look, all I know is that the last time we went to Texas, things went really bad." Lucas frowned.

"So what?" Farkle asked.

"So, I was hoping to avoid any of that if it was just Riley and I." Lucas said.

Farkle paused for a second, as if he was thinking. "You promise to take care of her?"

Lucas nodded. "Of course. I won't let anything bad happen to her."

Farkle sighed. "Fine. But bring her back safe."

&

Lucas crawled through Riley's bay window, where he could see Riley sitting.

"Is it weird for me to intrude like this?" He asked.

Riley turned to him and smiled. "Not really. Everyone else does it, anyways."

Lucas nodded. "So how did things go between you and Maya?"

Riley rested her chin in the palm of her hand. "She didn't take it very well. What about Farkle?"

Lucas smiled. "He was okay with it, surprisingly. What about your parents?"

Riley sat up and leaned against the window behind her. "It went better than I expected with them, actually. They said I could go."

Lucas' face lit up. "So we can go."

Riley nodded. "Yeah. We're going to Texas."

[A/N: Sorry that it's been so long since the last update!! It was definitely hard to update over the holidays! But, thank you all for 1.1k!!!!!!]