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❛ ʟᴇᴀᴛʜᴇʀ & ʟᴀᴄᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ
ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛᴇxᴀs ꒱


❝ SO INSTEAD OF PLAYING
MATCHMAKER, WE JUST
PLAYED OURSELVES ❞

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Farkle Minkus (probably-definitely-maybe) had a crush on her. Miya still wasn't used to this new reality. For so long, she had thought it an impossible dream— he'd made it so obvious that whatever his feelings were hadn't included her— that it was taking her awhile to adjust to it. Each morning she woke up, that would be the first thought that popped into her head. The words were odd; she understood them separately but couldn't quite seemed to comprehend that they applied to her, together. It didn't stop a smile from appearing on her face when she thought of them or the fluttery feeling in her stomach when she remembered the soft but certain confidence of his expression when he'd told her.

However, as happy as having this knowledge made her, it also only made it more daunting to talk to him. She didn't know how to act around her best friend anymore. He said he'd needed time to figure things out, time that she was happy to give him, but what exactly did that mean? Did he want space? Should she avoid him so he could think about whatever he needed to? Should she be around him more so he could confirm his feelings? She had so many questions about what he was looking for— he'd never been one for signs like Riley and Maya— but no answers as to how to help him, if she even could. Maybe this was something he had to figure out on his own and her presence only made things more confusing!

Her mom hadn't been much help with this situation, either. As pleased as Juliet was that everything was seeming to work out for her daughter, the only time a guy had wanted "space" was after they'd broken up— not before they'd gotten together. So, the most she could do was be a buffer for the two teens until they were ready to take the next step. That meant being a listening ear for Miya and a chauffer so that the girl didn't have to go to school in the same car as Farkle.

That was why, as Miya was heading to the first class of the day (History), she stopped abruptly as Farkle tried to enter the classroom at the same time she did. They stood on either side of the door with an embarrassed sort of smile on their faces, lingering by the entrance awkwardly.

"Hi," the brunette breathed out, feeling her face heat up as she remembered his windy rooftop confession.

"Hi," he greeted her equally quietly in return, his blue eyes holding an intensity that they never had before.

They stood like that for a few long seconds before they were interrupted by another student trying to get inside the room. (Un)fortunately, it turned out to be Zay, who groaned at their cautious interaction. "Oh, come on! Not you two, too! We've already got enough of the 'hi, hi—'" He changed his speech for each of the 'hellos' to mimic Riley and Lucas' voices. "—with Dr. Dolittle and Little Miss Sunshine. Do we really need another pair acting like they're in a painfully slow rom-com?"

Miya and Farkle immediately stepped aside to let Zay walk through, but the damage was already done. The brunette was now blushing furiously and Farkle was rubbing the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact.

Zay sighed dramatically as he went over to his seat and sat on top of his desk. "I swear, if this is contagious, I'm transferring. Again."

Lucas, who had just entered the room behind him, shot his best friend an unamused look. "It's not contagious."

"Oh, really? Then explain this!" Zay gestured wildly between Miya and Farkle, who were still frozen near the doorway. "That is the same awkward, hesitant, 'do we talk, do we not talk, what even are emotions' energy that you and Riley have mastered. And now they're doing it, too! We're multiplying, people!"

Farkle finally cleared his throat and gave Zay a flat look. "This is not the same thing."

Zay smirked. "Oh, so you have things figured out, huh?"

Farkle hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Yes. Almost." His voice was steady, but Miya could see the uncertainty flicker in his eyes. She knew that look— it was the one he always got when he was deep in thought, piecing together an answer that he hadn't quite reached yet.

Zay groaned. "Oh, for— just hurry up and get there! Some of us would like to see this slow-burn nonsense finish before graduation!"

Lucas rolled his eyes and muttered, "you act like you don't love the drama."

"I love watching drama," Zay corrected him. "Not living through your mess."

"We're not in a mess," Farkle countered. He finally took the first step into the classroom. Then, with a second thought, reached out and grabbed Miya's wrist to pull her with him. "Look, I'll prove it to you."

She didn't protest and followed him, her eyes a little wide with surprise. He came to stop by his seat and copied Zay's position as he ignored his perfectly available chair completely. After he got comfortable, he tugged on his best friend's arm and maneuvered it so that it draped over his shoulder. Miya felt her face heat up even more as the gesture made her chest press against his back and her fingers rest against his stomach. It was the most contact they'd probably ever done except for the occasional hug, and now he was acting like it was an everyday occurrence— and in front of people!

As amazed as she was by this new development, she was concerned that maybe it was too soon and that they were taking a step he wasn't ready for. Trying to reassure him that he didn't have to prove anything, she stumbled out: "i-if you're not ready—"

"Don't worry," he reassured her with a bright smile that made her stomach flip. "This is all part of my experiment to prove my hypothesis."

How could he even make science sound romantic? she wondered, awed. Zay chuckled at Farkle's response. "You're right; you are so not the hot mess that's Riley-and-Lucas—"

"Hey!"

"I say that with love," he added as if his best friend hadn't cut in. "Do whatever you've gotta do, man."

Lucas braced himself for more teasing from his best friend but he was saved by the arrival of the other two members of their small group— though perhaps it wasn't the kind of 'rescuing' he'd been hoping for. Riley and Maya walked through the door arm-in-arm. The brunette wore her usual happy smile, though it seemed even brighter than they were used to as she announced, "we have changed the life of somebody in this room."

They all looked over at her with expressions of dawning horror. "Oh, please not me."

"I'm happy with my life the way it is," Farkle agreed. "I got tall and my teeth came in nicely."

"Yeah, things are looking up for me, too," Miya stated. The two girls gave her odd looks for her current arrangement as Farkle still held onto her arm, but they decided to address that particular interesting situation later.

"Yeah, we're not talking about you three," Maya declared. They turned their gazes on the only person who hadn't spoken.

Lucas groaned. "Oh, no. What'd you do?"

The pair walked towards him, with Riley remarking, "oh, Lucas, in your whole history, we know what has always been your biggest regret."

They stopped right before him and Maya turned her head as she let out a quiet, "baa."

Lucas' glare hardened at the sound. "What's that? Why would you do that?"

She did it again, louder, and beamed at him. "You used to be a champion sheep rider at the mutton bustin' rodeo, until you fell off of Judy the sheep."

"And then you gave up, but you never got over it," Riley finished, her tone more regretful than the blonde's teasing one.

"That is my deepest, darkest secret!" he exclaimed. "No one knows I fell off Judy the sheep except. . ." He trailed off as he turned to look at his best friend accusingly.

Zay glanced down at his shoes and smiled nervously. "T-They made me, Lucas. They made me."

The Texan folded his arms against his chest and gave the other boy a hard stare. "How did they make you?"

"I said, 'y'all wanna hear a great Lucas story?' They said, 'yes,'" he explained unabashedly.

Lucas shook his head, trying to brush off the betrayal as if it meant nothing to him. "Okay, it doesn't matter. I'm over it. I don't think about that day at all." His brave face faltered and Miya could've sworn that his eyes looked a bit glossier than normal as he recalled the memory. Sadly, he murmured, "I fell off that sheep so fast. No one likes me."

Riley placed a comforting hand on his arm while Zay patted his shoulder. "Lucas, you can fix this. Get back on that sheep and be a sheep champion."

"We have made that possible!" Maya informed them.

Lucas looked over at them skeptically. "How? How'd you make that possible?"

"Show it to him," the brunette told her best friend, still smiling at him in a self-satisfied manner.

Maya presented an official-looking certificate to the teen. It had a gold border, a shiny embossed stamp and even his name written in fancy script.

"Ride, Lucas! Ride, boy!" Riley cheered.

"We have entered you in. . ." the blonde began loudly.

"The annual mutton busting tournament!" her best friend continued.

"In Austin, Texas!"

"In front of everybody you know!" The two girls 'yayed' in unison after their announcement.

Miya smiled a little at the mental picture of Lucas riding a sheep. She couldn't imagine it would be that hard, especially for someone as tall as he was. She would definitely be asking her mom if she could go to Texas with her friends to watch the rodeo with them. But, the boy's initial annoyance had turned into confusion rather than anger once the girls finished their declaration. "You can't enter me in mutton busters. You can't be over eight years old or over fifty-five pounds."

Riley gestured for her best friend to continue their presentation. "You are wrong, young Lucas. We entered you last week and your application has been accepted."

The Matthews girl held out her hand and Maya placed the certificate in it. In an 'authoritative' voice, she read: "'congratulations, Lucas Friar. You are an official entry in this year's Austin Round Up Rodeo. You will be riding Tombstone the sheep.'"

"What?" Zay yelped, his shock sending him to his feet. "Tombstone? Oh, well, that's the end of you."

Everyone gave him a confused look as Maya inquired, "why is it the end of him?"

"What's the difference between riding Judy the sheep and Tombstone the sheep?" Riley wanted to know.

"Read it again," Lucas advised her faintly.

Maya took the certificate back from her friend and scanned it. "Blah blah blah. Over the age and weight limit for mutton busters. Blah. We have placed you in the adult rodeo where you will, blah, ride Tombstone the sheep."

"Oh, you only got one word wrong!" the Texan pointed out, panic making his voice rise with each word.

"Let's see if they find that one word," Zay narrated sarcastically.

Maya returned to the paper in front of her. "Blah blah blah blahdy blah blah blah blah blahdy blah blah blah blah blahdy blah. Oh, bull!"

Zay snapped his fingers to confirm their discovery. "Ah, she found it."

"A bull?" Miya blurted out. The funny image of Lucas riding a sheep turned into a much more terrifying one of him falling off a gigantic creature and breaking his neck. "That's a lot different than a sheep! They don't even share the same letters!"

"Maya did the reading!" Riley excused herself quickly, her nervousness making her throw her best friend under the bus.

"Hey!" the blonde protested. "You're the one who came up with the idea!"

"You signed me up to ride Tombstone the bull!" Lucas yelled.

"Um. . . you're welcome?" the brunette offered, though it sounded more like a question as she began to realize how frightened their scheme was making the Texan.

"Alright," Mr. Matthews began as he entered the room. "May we begin class?" Everyone went to their usual seats as he pointed to the chalkboard, which had the same words he spoke: "the railroad."

"I don't get it," Farkle declared.

Cory chuckled. "What do you mean you don't get it, Farkle?"

"How's the railroad tie into what's going on in our lives, hambone?" he wondered.

"Maybe it doesn't tie into our lives this time," Miya suggested. "Maybe it's about somebody else's life."

The genius turned in his seat to give her a fond look. "That's cute, 'Nacci, but it always ties into our lives."

She became flustered by the fact that he'd called her (however indirectly) cute and she just gave him a shy smile in response. He grinned, feeling unusually smug about her reaction to his words and faced forward again. Maya arched a brow at their teacher. "You just gonna let him call you hambone, Matthews?"

"The railroad allowed us to travel great distances," Cory lectured them. "The railroad allowed us to see how other people live. When you see how other people live, it changes you. And I like hambone. It's cool."

Lucas leaned forward to urge the Matthews girl, "Riley, rip it up before he finds out."

Riley frowned at his vague request. "Who?"

"He's gonna find out, and when he does, nothing will stop him," the Texan panicked.

"Who?" she repeated.

"Oh, you'll know who," Zay remarked. "You'll hear his big, booming voice. He'll say something. . . he'll say somethin' like. . ."

"This country was built on railroads," a voice that came from the hallway announced. It was just as loud as Zay had described and carried easily through the empty corridors. An older man appeared in the doorway. He was dressed in Western attire, complete with a cowboy hat and boots. "I myself, just arrived on the noon train from Austin, Texarkana and Arkadelphia. Guess why I'm here."

When the class remained silent— mostly in awe at the man who stood before them— Cory prompted them, "anybody?"

The older man laughed at their bewilderment. "I'm here because I could not be more proud of my grandboy, Lucas."

Maya's eyes grew wide and she looked like Christmas had come early. She beamed at Lucas as she breathed out excitedly, "Pappy Joe. That's your Pappy Joe. That's Pappy Joe. Yes! More stuff!"

Lucas' grandfather pointed at him. "That right there is the first Friar that ever had the courage to ride the most ferocious creature in all of creation."

Trying to remain in blissful ignorance, Riley attempted to brush off her worry by convincing herself that Lucas wasn't really riding Tombstone the bull. "Are we talking about Judy the sheep, Pappy Joe?"

Pappy Joe laughed again. "Judy the sheep! Remember when you fell off of Judy the sheep for about two seconds, boy? Remember that? And we all said it was okay 'cause you were only five years old. So we said it was okay, but it wasn't okay, because you were a disgrace to the community and you dragged your family name through the mud hole right up to this day. You put us in the mud hole, remember boy?"

"Yes," Lucas mumbled shamefacedly. "There is one moment in every man's life that shapes who he is forever. My moment was Judy the sheep."

"Well, you know what, Lucas Friar? Forgiven," his grandfather stated. "You get on that bull for more than three seconds and you will be the master of Tombstone the bull, and I'll tell you I love you— and that's somethin' I've never said to another human."

"Can we talk about this?" Mr. Matthews spoke up, growing concerned for his student now that he better understood what was happening.

"Time for talkin's over," Pappy Joe brushed him off. He handed a piece of paper to their teacher. "I got a permission slip. Babineaux, got one for you, too. Come on, boys. Let's go ride."

🌎🌎🌎

Of course, Lucas' friends wouldn't let him pull off a death-defying stunt without being there to support him, so they all got permission slips to join him in Texas. He wasn't the most pleased to see them— his shocked expression was priceless and Miya was proud of herself for capturing it on video— but it wasn't like he could tell them to go home. They wouldn't listen to him, for one, and for another, he knew they meant well (even if his shame would be forever archived in one of their phones.)

They took the day to get settled in their new surroundings. The three girls insisted that they go shopping right away and, to Miya's surprise, Farkle handed her his family's heavy gold credit card. She tried to protest by saying that her mom had given her an allowance for the trip, but he dismissed her concerns by saying, "come on, 'Nacci. How am I supposed to get accurate results for my experiment if I don't do everything a. . . boyfriend is supposed to?"

She'd blushed and hadn't been able to stutter out a response to that, so she (responsibly) spent the money he'd generously given her. Under Maya and Riley's influence, however, she did splurge for real-leather, buttery-soft, light brown cowgirl boots. The girls traipsed back to their room to get changed and were enthusing over their purchases. In addition to her boots, Miya had gotten a light purple plaid shirt and cutoff jeans to match Riley. She tied the shirt at the bottom as she wore a white tank top underneath and rolled up the sleeves to her elbows. As she was deciding on how to do her hair, she watched the other two girls get ready in their own styles.

As much as she'd appreciated her mom's attentive care to her feelings about Farkle, now that she knew how he felt about her, she was more prepared to talk about her own feelings about him with other people. She hoped that this trip would help convince him of whatever he was waiting for and they'd be able to take the leap from best friends to boyfriend-and-girlfriend. Zay had been right, she mused thoughtfully, that Riley could relate to her situation. She knew her two friends would be nothing but supportive once they found out and it was only because they didn't know that they had acted otherwise. So, she steeled herself and searched for the courage to broach the subject hesitantly.

"Um, guys?" she started, causing the pair to look over at her. Riley's brows furrowed at the seriousness of her tone. "I. . . there's something I need to tell you."

"Sure, shoot," Maya invited her, not as affected by her tentativeness. "What's up?"

Miya took a deep breath and braced her hands on her legs. "I don't really know how to say this. I mean, for so long I thought it would never happen so I didn't even want to admit to myself, but now it finally kind of has I really want to talk about it with someone my age, you know? But I'm still getting used to the idea myself and I. . . it's kind of scary if I think about it too much, but also exciting—"

"You like someone!" Riley squealed, unable to keep her excitement contained. "Oh, Miya, this is amazing! Who is it? Is it someone we know? Of course it's someone we know! Let me guess— no, tell me!"

"Riles." Maya laughed at her best friend's enthusiasm. She placed her hands gently on the other girl's arms, her expression soft with fondness as the brunette beamed happily. "Let her speak, yeah? We'll only be able to help her if she tells us."

"I know, I know," the other girl allowed, not at all put out by the blonde's gentle scolding. They both turned to the Asian girl with anticipatory expressions on their faces.

Miya smiled, her heart light at their supportive reactions— just like she'd hoped. She didn't think it would change once she'd identified the person she liked and she couldn't deny how nice it was to talk about girly things like this. She took one more deep breath before she shared in a rush: "Farkle."

Riley and Maya's faces were twin expressions of shock as they processed this news. Maya was the first to recover, blinking rapidly as she turned to Riley, who still had her mouth open in surprise. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, both girls let out simultaneous squeals and threw themselves at Miya, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"This is amazing!" Riley gushed, pulling back to grip Miya's shoulders supportively. "Oh my gosh, why didn't you tell us sooner? This changes everything!"

Miya laughed, a little sheepishly. "Well. . . I didn't really plan on telling anyone at first. I just didn't think it would ever go anywhere. And then when he and Smackle were getting closer, I figured that's what was meant to happen. I mean, they're both so smart and I'm. . . not. I thought that would be enough for him to like her like that."

At the mention of the other genius, her friends' faces became unexpectedly guilty, which made her feel touched that they cared enough about her own emotions to look that way.

"Oh, Miya. . . we kind of pushed him towards her, didn't we?" Riley wondered. "We thought they were perfect for each other, but maybe we should have found out how he felt first."

Maya groaned dramatically. "Great. So, instead of playing matchmaker, we just played ourselves. We could've been helping you this whole time."

Miya shook her head quickly. "No, really, it's okay! You guys didn't know because I didn't tell you. And besides, it's not like he and Smackle are together now."

Riley perked up again at that, her eyes sparkling with renewed hope. "Wait, so what's going on with you two, then? Did you tell him how you feel?"

"Well, he actually told me," she admitted, cupping her face with her hands to try and cool down her heated cheeks. "It was totally unexpected and. . . and romantic! But emotions aren't his strong suit and he told me he needed a little more time before we start going out officially. I don't really know what to make of it. But maybe—maybe— we could actually be a couple soon."

Riley grinned. "Then we'll make sure it happens! Right, Maya?"

Maya's smirk turned downright mischievous. "Absolutely. First things first, though— we need to make you extra cute for him."

Miya blushed. "Guys, come on—"

"No arguments!" Riley giggled as she grabbed a small makeup bag. "A little mascara, maybe some blush. . . nothing over the top, just enough to make you glow."

Maya stood behind Miya and started separating her hair. "And we're doing French braids. Trust me, it'll drive him crazy."

As Maya worked on Miya's hair, she stole a glance at Riley, who was carefully dabbing some blush onto Miya's cheeks, her tongue poking out in concentration. Maya's heart did that stupid, annoying little flip again, and she quickly refocused on the braid, pretending like nothing had happened.

Outside the girls' shared room, the guys waited with growing impatience. It felt like they were taking forever and they just wanted to go out and do some exploring. To pass the time, Farkle tried on the black cowboy hat Pappy Joe offered him until finally— finally— the trio was ready. As the girls appeared, all three boys immediately decided that the long delay had been worth it.

Farkle froze the moment Miya stepped into view. His mouth fell open slightly, his brain seeming to short-circuit at the sight of her in a completely different style than usual. The boots, the tied-up plaid shirt, the cutoffs— he was already reeling. But then his gaze landed on her hair, now braided into two neat French plaits, and it was over for him. Miya, who had been feeling both excited and nervous to see Farkle's reaction, caught sight of his completely dumbfounded face and felt warmth bloom in her chest. A soft, pleased smile played at her lips as she ducked her head slightly, brushing a hand over her one of her braids.

Riley beamed at their reactions. "Told you this was the best way to spend all of our allowance money on the first day." She turned to Farkle specifically; there was a scheming look in her eyes that only appeared when she came up with her best plans. "Well, what do you think?"

Farkle blinked, still looking slightly dazed. "I— uh— wow." His voice cracked slightly on the last syllable, and Zay chuckled, though he was equally stunned. He'd never considered it before, but Maya. . . she was beautiful, and more than just on the outside.

Maya leaned over to whisper to Miya, "oh yeah, he's done for."

Miya's blush deepened, but she giggled nonetheless. "You like it?" she asked.

Farkle finally managed to form a coherent thought, shaking himself out of his trance. He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Yeah, you— uh— look great. Really great."

Maya and Riley exchanged the most knowing grins ever. How had they missed this before? It was so obvious now. The way Farkle was looking at Miya like she'd personally hung the stars in the sky, the way Miya's whole face lit up at his words— it was all right there.

"You look. . . good," Zay finally spoke up, startling the girls.

Maya blinked at his compliment. "Oh, thanks."

"Yeah, you all look good," Lucas chimed in, his eyes trained on Riley.

A thoughtful expression appeared on the brunette's face. "You know what this place needs? A bay window. Bay window, right now."

She picked up a stool and moved it next to the nearest window. Maya took a seat on the saddle while Miya dragged an ottoman over to join them. Pappy Joe watched them, puzzled. "What's a bay window?"

"Oh, you know, a safe place where the girls have their private talks," Lucas explained.

"Oh, well then I'll make sure those three stay right there, forever," his grandfather promised.

An unknown, older man burst into the ranch home. He had flyaway hair that was only mildly contained underneath his cowboy hat. "Pappy Joe! Pappy Joe! Pappy Joe!"

Pappy Joe held out a calming hand to his frantic friend. "Whoa, whoa," he comforted him, then turned to the teens and reassured them, "don't be alarmed. It's just Cletus."

"Tombstone the bull gone crazy!" Cletus ranted. "He's everywhere all over the place at the same time like one of them Houdini bulls!"

"Use your words, Cletus," Lucas' grandfather reminded him.

"I am using my words, garducky," he insisted shakily. "Tombstone the bull gone bananahooey!"

Maya beamed at the hysterical man. "I love him."

"What did Tombstone the bull do?" Pappy Joe wanted to know.

"He done tore up the China shop, ironically. It's true what them say."

Pappy Joe frowned. "You mean he broke out of his pen?"

"Oh he brammoed the pen!" Cletus waved his arms wildly to describe the bull's behavior. His gaze then fell on the girls. "What's them, a bay winder?"

"Ah, that's Riley, Maya and Miya, Cletus," Lucas introduced them.

The older man took off his hat respectfully. "Oh, well how dee doo."

"Well how—"

"—Dee—"

"—Do," the three girls responded in turn.

Then, he realized who had spoken and he turned back to the boy, delighted. "Lukey. Thissar Lukey!"

They embraced, patting each other on the back in the stereotypical 'man-hug.' When they pulled apart, Lucas questioned him anxiously, "wait, did they get Tombstone back in his pen, Cletus?"

"Yessir," Cletus confirmed. "We shot him fulla sleepy juice, but I seen the look in them red eyes just afore he went nighty night. And when he wake up, huh-huuurr!"

All of the teens instantly recognized the sound. Lucas' face fell as he realized what Maya was going to do. The blonde stilled, a slow, almost evil smile appearing on her lips. She calmly climbed off the saddle and walked over to the two Texans. She very deliberately asked, "what?"

Cletus turned around to face her. "Huh-huuurr!"

"Oh," she murmured, still grinning in a way that made Lucas very uneasy. She spun the man back around and positioned them so they were looking directly at each other. "What?"

"Huh-huuurrr!" he burst out, his jaw quivering from the force of the sound.

"I know it's early, but my life is complete," Maya announced contentedly.

Miya giggled at her friend's antics, hiding her laugh behind her hand for Lucas' sake. He bowed his head as soon as he could, regretting every second of his life since Maya and Riley had entered him in the stupid rodeo. Cletus remained oblivious to the importance of the blonde's discovery and straightened, replying, "well, thankee."

"No, thank-ee," she responded.

"All I know is, I feel sorry for the po' fool gonna ride on Tombstone," Cletus remarked, returning to their original conversation. "Did I tell you what he done did today?"

Pappy Joe placed a solemn hand on his friend's shoulder. "Lucas is gonna ride old Tombstone in the rodeo, Cletus."

"Oh," the older man breathed out, pity appearing in his expression. "Oh. Oh no." He got choked up and was unable to meet the teen's eyes. "Lukey. . . Lukey. . ." He took his hat off again. "Bye, Lukey."

"Goodbye," Lucas sighed as he sank heavily back onto the couch.

🌎🌎🌎

By the time they made their way down to the rodeo, it was a bit later that afternoon. Lucas split off to go check out his fate while Zay offered to show the girls around the grounds. Miya had been about to go after her friends when Pappy Joe placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Say, girlie, you interested in seeing some sheep?"

Her expression brightened as she thought about the fuzzy animals. "Yeah!" she agreed, then turned to Farkle, who had lingered nearby. "You wanna come with me?"

He looked a bit taken aback by her invitation but he smiled a second later. Warmth bloomed in his chest at how quickly she had wanted to include him, as if his coming along was second nature to her. That, paired with how adorable she looked in her braids, made it impossible to say no— not that he would have, anyway. "Sure."

The older man lead the way over to where the farm animals were kept. The sheep that weren't being used for the rodeo were in a separate pen. There was feed available for purchase, which Pappy Joe bought for them. Miya took it from him excitedly and poured some into her hand before she approached the fence. She stuck her palm out into the paddock and called to the sheep, cooing softly at them. A few perked up at her invitation and wandered over to her. They sniffed her palm curiously and she giggled at the feeling of their soft muzzles brushing against her skin.

Farkle stood a few steps behind her, watching as she laughed softly, completely enthralled by the animals in front of her. The afternoon sunlight caught in her hair, making the dark brown strands appear like they were shot through with gold. Her eyes were bright with delight as she ran her fingers over the thick wool of one particularly friendly sheep, murmuring something he couldn't quite hear.

A fond smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He didn't even think about using his own feed, too caught up in simply watching her. There was something about the way she interacted with the creatures— so full of kindness and joy— that made his heart stutter in his chest.

"Farkle," she addressed him suddenly, "aren't you gonna feed them too?"

It took him a second to process her words. "Oh, yeah," he realized, blinking himself back to reality. But he made no move to actually do it, still too entranced by the way her nose scrunched up when one of the sheep nuzzled into her palm.

From the side, Pappy Joe let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head knowingly. He'd seen that look before, recognizing the young love between the pair. His own life had made him too jaded for that kind of softness but he had nothing against other people finding it between themselves.

Miya was too busy to notice, humming as she reached for more feed— only to find her bag empty. "Oh," she mumbled, glancing down at the crumpled paper in her hands, clearly disappointed.

Farkle, still holding his untouched bag, moved before he could even think about it and extended his arm towards her. "Here."

She looked up at him uncertainly. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he conceded, a little too quickly. He swallowed, then tried again, softer this time. "Yeah. I don't mind."

Her lips curled into a smile as she took it from him. "Thanks, Farkle."

His name sounded different when she spoke it like that— gentle, grateful. He shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking on his heels as she happily went back to feeding the sheep.

Pappy Joe chuckled again, shaking his head with amusement. "Boy, you got it bad," he muttered under his breath.

Farkle didn't even argue; he simply added it to his list of observations he was making about his changing feelings for Miya. 

Another Texan who apparently knew Pappy Joe came over and talked to him for a bit about the rodeo; after he left, Lucas' grandfather told them that they should go find the others since the main events were starting. They located their friends in the air-conditioned refreshment tents. Apparently, they'd missed a lot since Miya could see that tensions had risen in the group; Lucas was back to looking worried, Maya seemed angry and Riley was a mix of the two. Zay was torn between appearing entertained and concerned for his friends' wellbeing. Farkle didn't notice the shift in the atmosphere right away, instead announcing: "the mutton busters are getting ready to ride, then it's you, Lucas."

"Make us proud, boy," his grandfather added.

"Friar," yet another cowboy spoke up. He was about Pappy Joe's age and dressed in similar Western attire.

"McCullough," Pappy Joe greeted him coolly.

"I'm talking to young Friar," the other man corrected him. "So, you fixin' to ride again, huh?"

"That's right," Lucas confirmed.

"Well, don't think about last time," McCullough taunted him. "You don't want that in your head. Let's watch my grandson, Timmy, master Judy the sheep. Oh, you were about two seconds on Judy the sheep, as I recall. But don't let that be in your head."

Despite his claim that Lucas would only regain his family's pride by riding the bull, Pappy Joe still defended him from the older man as he sneered, "how come you ain't out there with your grandson?"

McCullough simply smirked at the question. "Well, then I wouldn't have the pleasure of watching him right in front of your face."

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's mutton bustin' time!" the announcer's voice sounded over the speakers, drawing their attention to the TVs that had been set up around the tent. "And here they come, the mutton busters!" They watched a few of the contestants but none of the kids were able to hold onto the sheep for very long. "And now, everybody's favorite, Judy the sheep, who will be ridden this year by Timmy McCullough."

"That's my grandson!" his grandfather cheered.

The buzzer sounded and the ranch hands opened the gate. The sheep charged out with a young boy clinging to its wool— but not for long as he slid off and hit the mud with a dull thump.

"Ha ha! That's his grandson!" Pappy Joe mocked the other man.

Riley gave him a scolding look. "Pappy Joe!"

"Sorry, Riley," he apologized. "Stereotypical cultural reduction's all I have left."

McCullough walked off, having been put in his place by his grandson. The announcer spoke again: "and now, for the event you've all been waiting for, bull ridin'! And this year, will we finally have a master of Tombstone? The record on Tombstone is three point seven seconds. Will someone finally beat it? But first, riding Buttercup, is, Eddie Callaway! Oh! Eddie, that had to hurt. Looks like Eddie's gonna have himself a little lay down for a moment."

The teens' eyes widened as they watched the bull— which looked a lot more dangerous than a sheep— fling the fully-grown man from his back in what seemed like no time at all. There was another thump, but this had the squishy impact of hoof meeting flesh. The bull rider lay still on the ground and didn't get up again.

Lucas let out a nervous breath as he adjusted the safety vest he was wearing. Maya stared at her best friend in disbelief, her eyes flicking between the fallen rider on the screen and the boy standing beside her.

"Riley," Maya hissed sharply. "I can't believe you're okay with this! You just watched that guy get thrown like a ragdoll and you're still going to let Lucas ride?"

Riley's brows furrowed. "Maya, I'm supporting him." She turned to Lucas with a determined nod. "Lucas is serious about this. He can seriously do this, right?" Her voice wavered slightly on the last word as she searched his face for reassurance.

"Yeah. I learned from the best, actually," he promised.

"Who's the best?"

He swallowed visibly as his eyes returned to the screen. "Eddie Callaway."

"Coming up, our main event. Lucas Friar tangles with Tombstone." They were out of time. The teens could hear the crowd cheering from where they had gathered to view the rodeo.

"You're encouraging this," the blonde accused Riley. "Every time you tell him he can do this, you're pushing him closer to getting himself killed."

Riley crossed her arms, defensive now. "Maya, he knows what he's doing! He's trained for this! And you acting like he's just some idiot isn't helping!"

Maya let out a humorless laugh, shaking her head. "Oh, I'm the one not helping? That's rich, coming from the person who's been standing here playing his personal cheerleader. Do you even care what happens to him out there?"

"Of course I care!" Riley shot back, her voice rising. "That's why I'm supporting him! I believe in him! I want him to succeed. I want him to make his grandfather proud— unlike you, apparently!"

Maya flinched at the brunette's uncharacteristically harsh words. For a moment, she couldn't even speak. It wasn't just about the bull, or the danger, or even the fact that Riley seemed blind to the very real possibility of Lucas getting hurt. It was this. The way Riley always stood by his side, always believed in him, always put him first. And Maya— Maya had spent so much time pushing down everything she felt, pretending it didn't hurt.

But right now, it did hurt. More than ever.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Maya countered finally, her voice quieter but no less sharp. "You stand there, acting like you know what's best for him, but you don't get it, Riley. You don't—" She swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat didn't go away. "You don't have to watch the person you—" She cut herself off, biting down on the words before they could slip out.

But Riley's expression softened, her anger fading into confusion. "Maya?"

Maya exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through her hair. "Forget it," she muttered, stepping back. "Just-just go do your thing. Be his biggest fan. Hope that bull doesn't kill him."

She shoved past them and left the tent, the fabric flapping furiously behind her. Riley instinctively went after the other girl. She had no idea why Maya had gotten so mad at her when it was Lucas who was the one putting himself in danger, but she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Of course, she hated every argument she had with her friends, but the ones with Maya hurt the most. Maya was her best friend, her sister, and when they didn't see eye-to-eye, it was like a piece of her was missing.

They all filed out of the tent after the brunette but before she could chase after the Hart, Lucas reached out to stop her, imploring, "Riley, I'd. . . I'd kinda like you to watch."

She glanced back and forth between her two friends, then relented to the Texan's wishes. "Then I will."

"Alright, as we know, Buttercup the bull ain't no Tombstone the bull, but Buttercup, as you can see, has sent Eddie Callaway on a little vacation. Bon voyage, Eddie. And now, the main event. Let's welcome Lucas Friar into the riding ring."

Miya, Farkle, Zay, Riley and Pappy Joe took up positions on the metal fence that enclosed the ring. They climbed up onto the first few rungs to get a better vantage point while Lucas swung his leg over the top and descended down the other side.

"You can do this, Lucas! You can do anything!" Riley encouraged him. "This bull is nothing!" Her eyes widened as the large, black creature stepped forward into its pen. "That's the bull?"

Maya paced a little ways away from the event. A part of her wanted to close her ears— and eyes, for that matter— so she wouldn't have to listen to her friends— her best friend— be supportive of something that was so obviously dangerous she felt sick just thinking about it. She felt like she was suffocating under the weight of her emotions, a tangled mess of frustration, fear, and something else—something deeper.

Why did Riley always have to be like this? So supportive, so relentlessly optimistic, so damn loyal to their friends, even when it made no sense. Even when it hurt.

Because that was what was hitting Maya now— it hurt.

She had always admired Riley's unwavering belief in people. It was one of the things she loved most about her. But right now, standing here, stewing in the knowledge that Riley was giving him all of that boundless support, it felt unbearable. It felt like she was being crushed under it.

Maya dug her nails into her palms, trying to will away the sting in her chest. Riley didn't even see it. Didn't even realize what she was doing, how she was making Maya feel like she was the outsider here, like she was the only one who could see the sheer recklessness of all of this.

She had spent so much time convincing herself that it didn't matter. That Riley backing Lucas up, encouraging him, championing him—it wasn't a big deal. It didn't mean anything.

But it did. And now, with her heart pounding and her throat tight, Maya couldn't lie to herself anymore.

She had a crush on her best friend. (Damn Jack for being able to see that before she'd been aware of it— she didn't even know that kinda-sorta-not-really-adopted-fathers could tell that kind of thing!)

That was why this had been eating her up inside. That was why every single time Riley threw her unwavering support behind Lucas, something inside Maya twisted painfully.

This wasn't about him riding the bull, or her mocking Lucas for being Texan. Not completely.

It was about Riley. About how much Maya wanted to be the person Riley looked at like that. How much she wanted to be the one Riley believed in, the one Riley fought for. (And sure, she was, but only as a friend— and worse, a sister. She'd thought that she could be content with that for the rest of her life, but she wasn't.)

"That's Lucas Friar right there climbing up onto Tombstone. Let's see how old Tombstone feels about that!" the announcer commentated, his narration loud enough to reach even Maya's rather distant location.

Back at the bull ring, Riley advised, "Lucas, tell the bull you want to be a veterinarian! It's your only hope!"

They didn't hear him speak, but the bull apparently didn't appreciate his future service to animalkind; it began to throw itself against its metal cage.

"Here we go, folks. Time for the moment of truth!"

The gate opened and the bull charged out. It reared and bucked but Lucas seemed to have a pretty good hold on the saddle. Miya could feel the thunder of the bull's hooves hitting the ground from where she stood on the outside of the ring. The metal under her hands shook from the force of the landing, rattling her teeth in her skull. The creature's movements kicked up great clouds of dust, making it hard to see.

Then, Lucas was abruptly thrown from its back. He landed in the dirt, still and unmoving. Next to her, Riley screamed Lucas' name but didn't dare go into the circle until Tombstone had been safely locked away. Then, they all climbed over, but the Matthews girl was the fastest. She sprinted towards him and fell on her knees by his side, shaking him frantically. "Lucas! Lucas, are you okay? Lucas, get up!"

"I stayed on for, like, thirty seconds," he groaned.

Riley smiled, shaky with relief that he was okay. "Yeah. Yeah, I knew you could." They all helped him to his feet and he struggled to get his helmet off.

Zay looked over his shoulder, his eyes finding the bright red numbers of the timer, which read four-point-four-six-eight. "Look, you did it."

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, that is an official time! He's done it!" the announcer congratulated him. "Ladies and gentlemen, Lucas Friar! The new master of Tombstone!"

🌎🌎🌎

As much as Riley wanted to be there to support Lucas in his victory, she was equally worried about Maya, so she let her other friends take her place for the time being while she sought out the blonde. She took a seat next to the other girl, who seemed to be having a hard time looking at her. She frowned, saddened by the fact that Maya was so mad at her she couldn't even meet her eyes. Trying to broach the subject as gently as possible, Riley reassured her, "he was wonderful. How are you?"

"I couldn't watch," the Hart confessed, but she wasn't talking about the bull ring. I couldn't watch you support him. "I don't know why, I just. . . I couldn't watch." She still wasn't referring to Lucas, but she didn't have the courage to be more specific, not when she was the sole focus of Riley's warm brown eyes.

"I know why," the brunette stated. Maya jerked towards her, her heart thundering in her chest because how could she know? She hadn't even known! Had it really been that obvious? But Riley continued, oblivious to her momentary panic: "I know that you think I love him like a brother."

She let out a relieved breath, her shoulders slumping from their suddenly tense position. Of all the things for Riley to figure out on her own, that was the least concerning. "You know?"

"I know that you've thought that for a while," the Matthews girl admitted.

"Riles, whatever you feel, that's up to you." Again, her best friend didn't know all of the subtext she was trying to hint at. She wasn't about to jeopardize their friendship. Sure, they talked about everything under the sun, but Maya didn't know where Riley stood with the whole 'liking girls' front; of all the things they'd never shared, it was that one.

"Maya, it's up to you to tell me whatever you feel," Riley pointed out. She met Maya's eyes unhesitatingly, turning her head to make a pointed effort to gaze directly into them. "You shouldn't be afraid to tell me anything. You're my sister, and I've always wanted a sister."

Maya's breath hitched. Sister. There it was again. That word, that barrier, the line in the sand that Riley didn't even know she was drawing between them. And the worst part? She meant it as the highest compliment, as the deepest comfort. It was supposed to make Maya feel safe. Instead, it made her stomach twist, because Riley didn't know— she didn't understand that Maya didn't want to be her sister.

But how could she say that? How could she look into those kind, open eyes and tell Riley that every time she used the word sister, it felt like a door slamming shut?

So she swallowed it down like she always did. "Me too."

"Sisters should tell each other their secrets, don't you think?" Riley proposed. "You couldn't watch him. . . Because you were afraid something would happen to him. Because you like him. You make fun of him because you like him."

Maya's stomach dropped. She should have seen this coming. Riley was smart, maybe not always in a book sense, but when it came to people, when it came to feelings, she was almost always right. Almost.

The blonde laughed, but it was hollow, a poor attempt at covering up the way her heart was fracturing inside her chest. "Oh, Riles," she exhaled, shaking her head. She forced herself to look at Riley, to see the concern and care  of someone who thought they had just made an earth-shattering revelation. But she had come to the wrong one.

Riley took her silence as confirmation. "Well, you're right. I love him like a brother."

Maya clenched her jaw. She teased Lucas because he was easy to mess with. Because he was safe. Because when she was teasing him, she wasn't staring at Riley like was the sun, the stars, her everything.

And the worst part? Riley genuinely thought she was helping. She was encouraging Maya to confess feelings that didn't exist— at least, not for the boy in question.

Maya wanted to scream. She wanted to tell Riley that she didn't tease Lucas because she liked him— she teased him because she didn't. She teased him because she couldn't stand the way Riley looked at him, because she wanted to be the one Riley's eyes softened for.

But instead, she pretended her feelings didn't exist. Just like she always did.

Because if Riley thought she had figured it out, maybe it was better to let her believe it. Maybe it was easier this way.

So she forced a smirk, slipping into the role she knew so well— the girl who deflected, the girl who never let anyone get too close. "Yeah," she drawled, rolling her eyes. "You got me, Riles."

🌎🌎🌎

The two girls returned to the Friars' home later that afternoon. The boys and Miya had been talking on the couch about what it had been like to grow up in Texas, completely unaware of the rollercoaster of feelings that two of their friends were experiencing. Now, though, as Miya faced the other two girls— the two girls who had been the most supportive friends she could've asked for— she saw the tension on their faces. She wished that she had stayed behind to help them through whatever it was that they were going through, but she wasn't sure she'd even know where to begin.

Riley seemed to pause just as she stepped over the threshold, her gaze taking in the boy who'd been her crush for the past two years. "Hey Lucas, can I talk to you?"

He stood up, his expression just as soft as he gazed at her appreciatively. "Actually, I have something to say to you, Riley. If it wasn't for you, I don't know if I would have got on that bull, and if it wasn't for you. . . I don't know if I would have survived in New York. You're really important to me."

She smiled warmly at him, unable to hide the affection on her face. "You are really important to me too, Lucas. We've always been really good at talking to each other." She paused as if gathering strength for the unpleasant task she was about to endure. After taking a deep breath, she continued: "but we've never been too good at holding hands. And then we tried being a couple and we couldn't even talk to each other. I don't want that."

Miya glanced around the room to see her other friends' reactions. Farkle looked confused, Zay's mouth had dropped open in shock and Maya's face was unreadable— but perhaps that was the most telling expression of all. Riley's gaze stayed focused on the boy in front of her as she told him, "I want to know you're always there to talk to. You're my brother, Lucas, and I'm your sister."

Lucas frowned, his brows furrowing in complete confusion. "That's what you think we are?"

"That's what I think we are," she declared. She gave him a perfunctory kiss on the cheek as his eyes stared blankly ahead while he tried to process this unexpected turn of events. "I love you, Lucas, and now I know how." Riley leaned around him to meet Maya's eyes. "How do you feel about him, Maya?"

A/n: I edited this chapter while I was very tired so I might've missed some things— including the fact that I'm still not entirely sure the whole Maya/Riley route I wanted to go makes sense. I know it's kind of a controversial opinion, but Lucas is way too boring to be able to pull both Riley and Maya, which is why I wanted to change up the love triangle so it was Riley in the middle instead. That meant Maya had to get mad at Lucas for a different reason, and that was because Riley was focusing on him the whole time. Nobody else reads what I write besides you guys (so nobody I know irl) and so I can't get a second opinion; I only have my own, which is biased.

I've always found writing my own dialogue to be extremely difficult, so even though the argument makes sense to me, I know what I'm thinking even if I haven't written it out in the same way. I don't have anyone who doesn't know what I'm thinking to tell me otherwise— does that make sense? (Again, I'm really tired right now.) Plus, I've been writing this book for so long that I've forgotten what has and hasn't happened so I'm not sure if I've already had Maya realize her feelings for Riley yet or not; I tried doing a control-F in my word doc to find the scene and I didn't, so I don't know if that means it hasn't happened or I just didn't use the right key words.

But, besides me being paranoid and questioning everything (having anxiety is so great!) it's my humble opinion that Riley and Maya are 100% girls' girls. They may be entirely clueless and stuck in their own world most of the time, but you can't tell me that once they know about a problem (or potential relationship), they'll do everything they can to help. That's why I wanted to portray them differently than perhaps other fics do where they're stuck-ups and fake friends because I just don't think that's genuinely who they are.

As for the timeline, I realize it can be a little confusing, so all chapters from the semi-formal one to the New Year's Eve episode take place in a two-ish week timeframe which is why Juliet can still be in New York for the holidays since I figure that's how much time career people take off if they get paid leave.