Longing Hearts [Rilaya]

subway stops

Maya's POV

"I can't cram all this information into my head in one weekend" I groan as I push my textbook away from me.

The past week had flown by and I couldn't be bothered to care about creating a studying schedule.

"That's why you should have started studying earlier, Maya. I told you finals would be hard if you sat around and procrastinated" Riley sighs.

All of us had decided to study together at Zay's house. Or at least attempt to. I came over at my mother's request since exam week starts tomorrow. I didn't protest because what's the hurt in going over the material with people who are actually prepared. I feel the textbook being placed back in my lap.

"You have to keep going Peaches. Once you get through this week you'll be free" Riley says calmly.

"But it's too much to memorize" I pout.

"Not if you focus on it, I know you've got it in you" she says.

She shifts to sit in front of me and crosses her legs.

"Here I'll quiz you. What was the year the Treaty of Paris was signed to end the French and Indian War?" she says.

I hear her ask something but I'm too focused on staring at her lips to realize I'm supposed to answer.

"Maya" she snaps her fingers in front of me and waits for my response.

"Oh yeah uh 1850 or something I don't know" I say while forcing myself to look back up at her.

There you go Maya, words actual coherent words. I know my answer was probably wrong but I got distracted.

"1763" she says trying not to laugh at how far off I was.

"Maya you really thought it was in the 1800's? You were like a century off" Lucas says from the couch.

"Hey shut up I wasn't paying attention" I say defensively.

He shrugs and goes back to tapping a pencil against his notebook.

"Hey Zay?" Farkle calls from the kitchen.

"What's up?" Zay yells back and looks as Farkle walks in holding a pot.

"I was searching for a water bottle but I'm more curious about whatever this is on the stove. Like dude what did you cook?" Farkle says.

He walks over to the chair Zay's sitting in and holds the pot out for him to see.

Zay glances up from his papers and says "oh I made soup."

"This is some poorly chopped onions floating in chicken broth"

Riley and I start laughing when Zay simply shrugs and gets back to work as Farkle gives him a look.

"Isaiah Babineaux everybody" Lucas says, clearly amused.

"What's the point of even doing that it wouldn't taste like anything and— you know what just forget it I'm not going to even try" Farkle shakes his head and goes to put the 'soup' back in the kitchen.

"Now that Zay's experiment is back where it belongs..." Smackle begins to say but raises her voice to talk to Farkle in the other room.

"Farkle dump it in the sink would you" she tells him before lowering her voice and addressing all of us again.

"I have to define what love means to me for psychology class. Any of you have an idea?" she says.

"What even is love? How do you figure out what it means?" Lucas asks aloud.