IT WAS A rainy day in New York, which never meant well in the city itself. It meant people walking around through the place with either an umbrella, or any inanimate object to protect them from the rain.

As the trio strolled toward their subway stop, peeling off the green trash bags they'd worn to protect against the rain, Katherine suddenly halted. "There she is again," she murmured, noticing something.

"Crazy hat's always here," Maya remarked at the odd woman on the bench.

"Always staring like she's nuts," Riley chimed in, adding to their commentary.

For the past couple of days, they've noticed this woman who was always on the bench before them, eyeing out everyone hectically walking and worming around the station. It was a rather strange sight to the trio, but all they could really do was wonder why she was spending her precious time like this.

"What do you think her deal is? Former movie star? Olympic figure skater?" Riley pondered out loud.

But Maya, ever direct, interjected, "Bum on a bench."

Riley shot her a quick glare. "But look at how she watches everyone. What goes on in a head like hers? I guess we'll never know."

"Hey, crazy hat! What's the story?" Maya impulsively shouts out loud.

Kat winced slightly, eyes darting to her friend. "Oh my god, even though I'm trying to gain confidence, I wouldn't do that!"

Knowing what was about to happen, Riley sighs. "And a new adventure begins."

Kat and Maya approached the bench where the woman sat, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You three, come here! I'll teach you about life."

Riley hesitates however, standing a few paces back. "Can't. Stranger danger. If you want me to sit on that bench, I'm gonna need three forms of identification," she insisted.

An officer nearby suddenly vouched for the woman however. "Trust me. I know who she is. She's all right."

Riley salutes him. "Okay, copper."

"Hey! That's Officer Copper to you," he pointedly corrected.

With that, Riley finally settles herself down next to Maya's side of the bench.

"Mornin', Evelyn. Never gonna stop rainin', is it?" the cop asks of her.

"That's okay, Eugene. These three little dollies are about to give me one of their designer ponchos," she assured, shooting a sly glance towards the girls surrounding her.

Kat sighed as Riley rummaged through her bag. "They're garbage bags, Eugene. But you have to cut a hole for your head."

The cop nodded. "Ah, so you can breathe."

"So the garbageman doesn't throw you out," Kat insisted, her grin broadening slightly.

Riley nods, recalling her close call. "Yep, that happened. I was yelling, but he didn't care."

Maya interjects, "Kat and I rescued her from the truck."

"They chased me all the way to 33rd street."

The cop, visibly impressed, remarks, "Wow, now that's two good friends right there. Me? I don't Chase nobody for nothin'."

Maya tests the cop's resolve with a hypothetical, "What if I stole a banana?"

"I'd be very disappointed in you," he replies pointedly.

Maya concedes with a sigh. "Okay..."

Evelyn turned again to the girls. "I have observed you three are good friends," she revealed.

"Don't miss a thing, do you, crazy hat?" Kat questioned, raising her brows.

"No, I don't. Now you're about to be late for school, and I'm about to be late for addressing the United Nations." Riley hands her a trash bag. "Have a good day, dollies. Be good people, learn all you can." And with that, Crazy-Hat's walking away from the trio.

As Riley watches her go, she ponders more, "How does that happen to someone, guys? Do you think that could ever happen to us?"

Suddenly, a random passerby slips a dollar into Riley's hand.

Kat looked at the bill, her expression twisting. "God, I hope not," she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Well, at least nothing worse than that could ever happen," Maya assured.

Only, in the next moment, the trash collector suddenly swoops Riley and dumps her into the bin. "Guys ahhh!"

Kat and Maya exchanged a troubled glance before the blondie grabs Riley's bag and slung it over her shoulder.

"Guys!"

"Yeah, Okay..."

⤵︎

     FOR THE MOST part, history class was going smoothly and rather normal at first as something different was on today's agenda: Belgium. More specifically:

"Belgium, 1831," Cory began, setting the scene for his lesson.

"No!" Riley suddenly interrupted.

Cory shot her a surprised look but tried to continue. "In 1831, Belgium-"

"No!" Riley repeated, her voice rising with distress.

Now thoroughly perplexed, Cory addressed her, "Riley?"

"What's my thing?"

"What's your thing?"

"What am I going to be, Dad? Am I gonna be okay?"

Cory's demeanor softens as he walked over to her desk, shifting into father mode. "Riley, listen to me very carefully."

"Okay."

"In 1831, Belgium declared its independence from the Netherlands."

Despite his calm tone, Riley's anxiety didn't fade. "What will people think of me if I end up living in a subway?"

Kat, sharing her friend's concern, chimes in, "Hmh. Now that I'm thinking about it, what if nothing happens for her, sir?"

"Yeah! Riley can't end up like that. She and Kitty-Kat are my meal ticket!" Maya exclaimed.

Cory's confusion deepens at the girls. "What the...? I just saw you girls at breakfast!"

In a flash, Farkle suddenly bursts into question, "Wat gebeurde er in België? (What happened in Belgium?)"

The teacher spits out a chuckle. "Calm down, Farkle. You're speaking in Dutch again."

"Echt waar? (Oh really?)" He slaps himself once before pointing sternly to his teacher. "Mi educación no debería basarse- (My education should not be based-)"

"No no no," Cory repeats as he chuckles again. "You slapped yourself way too hard. You went all the way to Spanish.

(A/N: to my dutch/spanish readers, pls comment the correct translation so I change this bc i know this is the wrong one lol. girly is just getting this from google translate)

Again, Farkle slaps himself back into English. "My education should not be based on your daughter's moods!" he insisted.

"Neither should mine, but it is!" Cory retorted. "Guys, a daughter asks her father, "what's my thing?" This question will resonate in the hearts of all parents from the moment it's asked until the day their child feels comfortable in the world. Pretty soon you're all going to join the work force. What's your thing? What do you aspire to? How will you affect people? That's the only history that matters."

"Thank you, daddy," Riley grins fondly.

"Thank you, Daddy," Farkle echoed softly, almost reverently.

"All right, guys, tell you what," Cory said, scanning the room. "Let's split the class into two separate businesses and see how you do for yourselves. We'll see if anyone's got anything to worry about, okay?"

Farkle perked up at his teacher's idea. "Excellent! What will our companies be?"

"It doesn't matter. Uh..." Cory's eyes landed on a muffin on his desk. "Muffins, okay? You two will be 'Riley and Farkle's Muffins.' That's your thing for the week."

Maya interjected, "I already got my thing. Riley and Kat are gonna be a success, and I'm gonna sponge off them until they get sick of me."

Kat shook her head, smiling. "Nonsense. You know I'll never be tired of you."

"Me neither," Riley added, matching Kat's smile.

"I'm set for life!" Maya beamed at her odds.

"All right, let's get out there and make some money... cash, cabbage, cheddah-cheeeze!" Farkle exclaimed.

A like appeared between Cory's brows. "Those are your values, Farkle?"

"What else should a company value but profits?"

Lucas inserts himself into the discussion. "Well, if I had a company, I'd treat my employees well and make sure we did right by our customers."

"You are everything that's wrong with this country," Farkle spat out his way.

Kat's eyes widened, her jaw dropping in disbelief. "Wow, such a low blow and it didn't even come from my lips."

Cory stepped back into the conversation, redirecting the focus. "Then you do have a company, Lucas. 'Hart and Friar Muffins' it is... So these two competing companies will hire the rest of you guys as employees. Everyone else in school will be your customers. Let's see what happens."

"Here's what happens," Maya twists her figure to face Farkle. "We crush you."

"We will be bajillionaires, and you will eat your words using plastic cutlery," Farkle fires back.

Maya wrinkles her nose. "You're cute when you're menacing."

Her little compliment leaves Farkle frozen in place. "I don't know what to do now."

"I know."

Kat giggled as she turned around, crossing her arms at the situation. "Well, well, let the muffin games begin."

⤵︎

MAYA WOULDN'T GO to Lucas' apartment if Kat didn't come with her. She couldn't have cared less that Kat was making fun of her for that fact, but she wasn't about to deal with his mama alone.

But even with their presence together, it still didn't stop either of them from being annoyed a majority of the time being there.

As nice and hospitable as Maria Friar was to her son's "friends", her thick southern accent, along with nonstop rambling made it hard for Kat to deal with.

It irritated her more especially when all she could talk about was how great her son was and how every day she'd always cook up something organic for her family as she worked at a bakery nearby.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for them to whip up the blueberry mixture and pop it into the oven. But while that first batch was baking, Maya got stuck with Maria as she started showing her childhood photos of Lucas and his family.

As Lucas was mixing the batter to make more muffins, Kat found herself unable to look away from him from across the kitchen countertop. She was entranced oddly, and she couldn't bring herself out of it.

Ever since she became aware of her own feelings for Lucas, she's been having a hard time getting out of moments like these. Moments where she'd just stare at him, doing anything.

Most of the time, it only when he was talking. He liked to ramble sometimes. But when they were together with Riley and them, and he was talking about something passionate to him, her attention would be locked onto him and nothing else.

It was all new for Kat. No other boy had ever affected her like Lucas did. He stirred up emotions she didn't even know she had. And even though she found it strange, she couldn't deny the hold he grew to have over her attention.

Despite her self-proclaimed status as a "love repellent," Kat has liked boys in the past. But perhaps that was another reason why she hated the idea of love; because when she realized she liked them back, they always did something bad to make her stop liking them.

She half-expected the same pattern to repeat with Lucas. But even though she already couldn't stand him most of the time, she just couldn't shake her growing attraction to him.

But in watching Lucas now, mixing batter in the kitchen, she felt oddly at peace. She couldn't explain it, but there was something comforting about being in his presence.

"You okay?" His voice broke through her thoughts, and Kat jumped slightly, snapping back to reality.

She cleared her throat. "Yeah, I'm fine, Texas," Kat replied, trying to sound casual.

Lucas looked at her, concern evident in his expression. "Are you sure?"

Kat nodded, not wanting him to not only be concerned about her, but to be suspicious. "Yeah. I guess I just—zoned out. Sorry."

Why am I apologizing? She wonders, irritated at herself for doing that.

He shook his head, a growing smile playing on his lips. "It's alright, Juliet. Don't worry."

God, not that nickname... She thought again, feeling a sudden flutter in her stomach.

She hated whenever he'd call her that. It often sent unwanted butterflies to flutter around her stomach, and it was one of the many things she couldn't understand about her body.

Why nicknames like that would leave her to feel like that? Or why anything having to do with Lucas Friar made her heart soar?

She didn't know. And it was killing her more as the days passed since her realization.

Kat sighs, eager to change the topic. "Anyway, how was grocery shopping with Maya earlier?"

Yes, Kat forced them to go together instead of him and her. She wasn't about to spend fifteen minutes alone with him again since their conversation at the library. Hell no.

Instantly, Lucas scoffed. "Dreadful," he replied. "Why couldn't you have come with me to get the ingredients?"

She shrugged, obviously not telling him the real truth. "I thought I'd give you a small break from my tormenting."

He scowls slightly. "So you decided to let your minion torment me instead?"

A sudden scoff leaves her lips as she lightly punched the side of his shoulder. "Rude."

Lucas chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, what did you and my mom even do while we were gone?"

"Oh, we looked at your adorable childhood pictures like Maya is right now," Kat answered with a smile, glancing over at Maya and Maria. "I have to say, I didn't expect to see so much interesting stuff, but boy did you have one hell of a childhood."

Again, he finds himself chuckling, softly.

Kat walked over to Lucas's side as he finished mixing. "But your mom brought up something I thought was interesting."

His gaze veers to hers. "Which is?"

"That you—'speak quite highly of me'" she said, adding playful air quotes for emphasis.

As Mama Friar, or Maria as she liked to be called, turned the pages of her family photo book, Kat couldn't help but feel all dreadful sitting besides her on the couch.

She usually got along well with her friend's parents, but considering this was Lucas' mom, and the boy in question wasn't one she particularly liked (or at least that's what she's trying to tell herself), this was hard on her end.

Maria's voice breaks the silence then. "You know I've heard a lot about you, Katherine."

In that moment, Kat's world seemed to tilt slightly on its axis, but her gaze stays glued at the book on Maria's lap. "Oh—really?"

Maria hummed into a grin. "Yeah...Lucas talks about you and your friends a lot."

Kat felt her heart go a little warm and mentally cursed herself. That was never a good feeling when it came to anything Lucas-related. "Oh...That's—nice to hear, I guess."

Maria steals a glance at her as she adds, "Especially bout you, Kat."

Those four words alone almost sink Kat down a small rabbit hole. But she makes the effort to not let it affect her, at-least physically.

She swallows nervously. "W-what?" Kat asked, trying to put up a calm front.

"Yeah," Maria nods with a smile. "He speaks quite highly of you, actually."

Kat's pulse quickened. "What do you mean by that, Mrs.—Maria?"

The mother gives her a look for nearly slipping up, but she reassures, "He'll tell you in his own time. But don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure my son's true feelings will come out... Just like yours will."

Of course, Kat knew exactly what she meant by that. Which was why she assured herself, "Oh, no, Mrs.—I mean, Maria, I don't have those kinds of feelings for your son. We're just—friends, and that's all we'll ever be."

But Maria's knowing smile remained. "Whatever you say..."

His lips twitched into a shy smile. "She only meant I always talk about how smart you are."

Kat's brows raise instantly. She didn't expect him to actually admit that out loud. She wouldn't expected him to put up more of a fight and tell her that she was wrong, but no.

"You mean to tell me you actually talk about how smart I am to your mama?" Kat taunted.

However, again, instead of the expected sarcasm back, Lucas's response catches her off guard. "Yeah, you're like the smartest person I know, Kat...Well, that isn't Farkle."

At this point, she knows she's screwed as her breathing seizes, and she's left momentarily stunned by his sincerity.

But quickly she regains her composure, a pouty grin spreading across her lips. "Aww, so it is true...little cowboy here likes to talk about me to his mama!" Kat taunted again, horribly attempting a southern accent.

Again, the Texan can't help but chuckle. "Yeah, about how annoying you are."

She scoffed. "Hey!" she spat, swinging her fist toward his shoulder again.

But this time, Lucas caught her mid-punch, stopping her hand with his own.

Kat felt her breath hitch as time seemed to stand still. It was like déjà vu, him stopping her punch again, just like in the library when she realized he cared more than she thought he did. And now, with their hands locked, she couldn't shake the feeling of being in too deep.

Lucas eyed their clasped hands, a playful glimmer in his eyes. His lips twitched again, holding back a smirk as he settled for a grin instead. "Well, well," he said, releasing the grip he had on her.

While on Kat's end, her heart began to thump louder, sounding more like drums against her chest.

It made her want to vomit, though it kind of didn't.

But amidst the chaos in her mind, a small smile crept onto her lips. She met his gaze and exhaled slowly. "Nice catch, Texas."

In response to her tone and grin, Lucas's lips curved into a mirrored smile. "Thanks, Red," he replied, fondness, with just a sprinkle of smugness in his tone.

And in that moment, their gazes lingered with smiles and grins still etched on their faces. Meanwhile, on the inside, they both felt like they were short-circuiting from the growing intensity of the moment.

Neither fully understood what was happening between them.

But they surely would...soon enough.

⤵︎

     THE NEXT SCHOOL day came by dreadfully quick as they were all back at Cory's class to discuss their earnings, with Maya and Lucas upfront first.

"All right, progress reports. What's up in make-believe corporate America?" Cory sought to know.

Maya takes the lead then, starting them off, "Hart and Friar muffins report: We started with 100 muffins, made each with all-natural and organic ingredients."

"And you selected these ingredients because?"

"Because that's the right and responsible thing to do."

Cory's expression twists slightly at her response. "You really believe that?" he questioned, his skepticism evident considering who he was talking to.

"I dunno! You spend a day with this guy," Maya grumbled, her frustration slipping through.

Pushing past her annoyed tone, Lucas continued with their presentation, "So far we've sold 14 muffins at a dollar each."

"Okay, how much do they cost you?"

"They didn't cost us anything to make."

"How's that possible?"

"My mother gave us the money to get specific ingredients since she wanted us to only sell healthy food."

Maya couldn't resist a jab. "How's that working out for us so far, Huckleberry?"

Lucas turns to her, "As soon as we sell them all, I'll pay her back...I stand by our product, sir."

"So do I." Maya saunters to the door with an annoyed glint in her eye. "They're everywhere," she declared, standing by a towering stack of boxes.

"How are your profits, Friar?" Farkle asks, chiming in obnoxiously.

"Let me teach my class, Farkle, okay?" Cory interjected firmly. "I decide what to say and when I'm gonna say it, and I decide who to call on and what I'm gonna ask them!"

However, Lucas does that for him. "How were my profits, Friar?"

"Yes!" Cory exclaimed in defeat.

"Well, I have those right here, sir...It's right in-front of me."

Cory raised a brow. "What?"

"You're standing next to our profits, sir," Lucas clarified, gesturing to the sight in-front of him.

Cory turned then to see Kat in her seat, stuffing her face with their muffins, which she bought a whole box of.

Kat briefly looked up from her indulgence to find everyone's stares on her. "Can you people stop staring? I'm just hungry, man!" she grumbled, her fingers still coated in crumbs.

Maya's smile widened as she glanced at Kat. "This is why everybody loves Kat."

Lucas grumbled. "But it's not right, sir. Our muffins are good for you."

"I'm sorry, what?" Farkle interrupted, still having an obnoxious edge to his voice.

"We can't even give them away," Maya sighed, tossing one into the class, only for it to be promptly thrown back onto her face.

"All right, let's talk about a real make-believe company," Farkle says as he and Riley stand up and move to the front, pushing away Maya and Lucas. "Farkle's Muffins!"

"Riley and Farkle's Muffins," she corrected.

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Farkle retorted, as he and Riley confidently turned to the class. "We're about to show you how it's done."

But as Kat glanced at her classmates, she couldn't shake off her concern. They seemed unnervingly antsy, shaking and almost hyperventilating. "Why are they like that?" she voiced her worry. "I feel like that's gotta be some sort of health code violation, right?"

Farkle assured, however, "They ate the product, sir."

Cory turned to his daughter for an explanation. "Riley?"

"Everybody seems to like our muffins, Dad," she replied innocently.

"Oh, my sweet innocent child," Cory sighed, shaking his head. "Can't you see why?"

"Because they're filled with love."

"I don't think that's what they're filled with, Riley."

Only now noticing their fidgeting and hyper behavior, Riley's mind starts to wonder. "Yeah," she turns to Farkle. "Why do they come out so white, Farkle?"

"Because they're 100% carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen," he explained matter-of-factly.

"Uh, explain that to the non-scientists, Farkle," Cory requested.

Farkle triumphantly grasped their last muffin. "Sugar! They're all sugar! Just one big sugar cube!" he declared.

Lucas's expression morphed into disbelief. "What? Ours are oatmeal, honey, and locally harvested berries."

As well, Riley's disappointment was evident. "Farkle, you said all-natural."

"Sugar!"

"You said organic!"

Sugar!

"You said delicious."

"Sugar!" everyone chorused in unison.

"Farkle, we're a business. Businesses do not just mislead their customers to make a little bit of money!

"Ha-aaaa!" Farkle exclaimed, caught up in the moment.

"We're done for, Farkle," Riley sighed, taking the last muffin from the box. "These muffins are pure evil."

Meanwhile, one of their classmates chimed in eagerly, "Are you gonna eat that? Because if you're not gonna eat that, I would eat that right now. That's what I would do."

Farkle remained undeterred. "You know how you succeed, Riley? You give the people what they want. That's why we're a success." Farkle grabs a muffin from Maya's pile and threw it across the room, only for someone to throw it back. "And they're not."

"Because you're liars, that's what," Kat interjected with a pointed glare.

"I'm not talking to you, pretty woman!" Farkle retorted.

The apple-haired girl raises her hands in a fake defeat as Maya began to ramble, "This isn't fair, Mr. Matthews! Me and Kat had to listen to Lucas and his mother talk about "Good eatin'" and "wholesome livin'" and "the natural cornucopia of the earth's bounty" yesterday."

Lucas narrowed his gaze. "Have you ever even heard me talk?"

"Ha-hur-rrrr!" Maya exclaimed, getting right up into Lucas' face.

"Wow," Lucas chuckled amusingly at Maya's dramatic doings.

Meanwhile, Kat couldn't help but applaud beside them. "Wow, that was amazing...Do it again."

Maya continued on, her frustration evident, "...while these two just poured sugar into a muffin cup. It isn't fair!"

"What isn't fair?" Cory asks.

"That I'm not on their team!"

Riley argued though, "Maya, what we did isn't okay. But I didn't know and I'm not going down for this. I'll talk."

"To who? To everyone who loves our muffins? Enjoy the taste of success, Riley. It's sweet," Farkle insisted.

Riley shook her head. "Not to me. I have a very bitter taste in my mouth."

"You must've eaten one of ours," Maya insisted.

"Maya, you played fair. We didn't. We have no integrity. You do," Riley spoke with regret.

"And what does that get them? We can buy and sell their business. In fact, I like the sound of that. Yeah! I propose a merger between Riley and Farkle's muffins and Hart and Friar muffins," Farkle proposed confidently, his eyes glinting with determination.

"Why the merger, Farkle?" Cory questioned his actions.

"We both have what we each need, Mr. Matthews. We have profits. They have integrity. I'm buyin' it!"

Lucas, however, stood firm in his principles. "My integrity is not for sale."

"Mine is," Maya assured pointedly.

"Maya!"

"We owe your mother a hundred bucks," she reminded him.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lucas quickly extended his hand out to Farkle. "Put 'er there, partner!" he exclaimed as he shook Farkle's hand, sealing the deal.

Farkle hummed. "Our new company will be called "Farkle." Your names are no longer part of the company."

Riley slightly frowns. "Why not?"

Farkle decides to imitate Riley, mimicking her voice as he points to himself, "What's the first thing that happens after a merger, daddy?"

It makes her follow his actions. "What's the first thing that happens after a merger, daddy?" Riley asks then.

"Downsizing. When two companies come together, employees become vulnerable," Cory explained in brief terms.

"Don't tell him!"

"Uh, Riley, I think he already knows."

Dramatically, and with authority, Farkle flips the name tag to his name as he sits on his teacher's desk. "Lucas, fire half of the company. Start with Riley and Maya."

"Why do I have to do that?" the Texan asks.

"Because you're all full of that Texas gee willikers" hooey. You charm people. So you'll be the face of the company and I'll be the behind-the-scenes hermit genius."

Still confused, Lucas spun back to his teacher. "Mr. Matthews?"

"How do you argue with that?" Cory concedes with a shrug.

Farkle smirked at the man. "Always liked you, Matthews. You got moxie."

"Thanks, chief!" Cory saluted.

Eventually, Lucas brought himself over to the brunette beside Farkle. "Riley?"

"Yeaaaah?" she replied with a breath.

"You're fired," Lucas bluntly declared.

Riley lets out a defeated sigh. "Fine," she says before stomping out of the room.

"Hey, if she goes, I go," Maya insisted, before going out the door with her.

"And Kat," Farkle spoke, watching her head turn up to his, "You're fired too."

An appalled look plasters her face. "I'm not even apart of your company."

"Well too bad! You missed a great opportunity to become my famous wife."

She gives him a puzzled look, then shakes her head. "Okay, fine, I'm going with my girls," she scoffs before standing up and grabbing her box of muffins, only to pause in front of Lucas. "Good luck dealing with Dictator Minkus alone, cowboy."

A faint smirk graces Lucas's lips. "Aww, thanks, Juliet. Though I don't really think I need your luck anyways."

She shoots him a skeptical glance, then glances at Farkle. "Yeah... sure you do," she says before heading out the door.

But little did she know, Lucas just couldn't help but still be grinning to himself after their little banter.

Oh...now he was the one that was very screwed.

lani's talking!

sooo tempted to edit them to that song but not rn bc allergies are flaring up so bad atm

until i feel better, don't expect weekly updates bc girly really goes through it when she's sick in any sorts.

but anyways, thank you all for reading and supporting this beloved story of mine, I really appreciate it and i will see you all later!

byeeee <3