Snapshots

Through Their Eyes

Hey guys! This story is set in their senior year and goes back and forth between different points of view and between present day and flashbacks. You'll get the hang of it I think! Also, shoutout to my fabulous editor @shipperL... she's been an awesome support and a ton of fun to write with! Go check her out. Love you guys, thanks for the support!

It was just another Saturday morning for Farkle. He was on his way to meet up with Lucas and Zay before going to pick up the girls for a weekend at Shawn's cabin. Luckily for them, Mr. Hunter had offered for his step-daughter and her friends to take it over for the long Memorial Day weekend, and they were all thrilled and jumped at the opportunity. When Farkle rolled up to Lucas' apartment, he saw that Lucas was already in his truck with Zay sitting in the passenger seat. Lucas was on his phone, but it was clear to Farkle that no one had answered yet. "Hey Farkle," Lucas said, starting the car with one hand and holding the phone with his other. Farkle just nodded as way of greeting. "Hey," Lucas says, putting the phone on speaker and pulling out of his parking spot. "Hey," a voice that Farkle decided to be Maya responded. "Are you on your way?" "Yeah, just letting you know that I'm probably ten minutes from y'all," Lucas says as he stops at a stop sign. "Okay, well you know where to go. See you in ten," Maya says. "See you in ten," Lucas says hanging up the phone. "So, are y'all excited?" Lucas asks, turning on the radio quietly. "You bet I am. A whole weekend away from our parents and the city? I'm pretty pumped," Zay says. Farkle agrees and the boys all fall into comfortable silence, knowing that when Riley gets in the car, the three introverts are going to have to engage in conversation. Zay is on his phone texting someone Farkle doesn't care to ask about, and Farkle is marveling at how quickly Lucas can get to Maya's, and without GPS navigation. They've only really hung out at Maya's once or twice over the past couple of years, and Farkle is completely lost getting to her apartment. But he's not surprised that Lucas can get there with no help. It's like that one Halloween when they were in the eighth grade:

    "We should take some of this candy to the girls. They didn't go trick-or-treating this year, and they are having a sleepover. They'd probably love to have some," Lucas suggests, turning right instead of left at the intersection. "Sure," Farkle agrees. "But we don't even know where Maya lives. Remember, they aren't at Riley's." Lucas makes another turn down a sketchy alley. "Oh, I know. I know how to get to Maya's," the blond says to his best friend, turning again. "Why?" Farkle asks, genuinely curious as to why the boy was so sure of his route. "When Matthews assigned us that business project, we spent a lot of time together. I ended up just memorizing the way to Maya's from my place. And from the pancake place she loves. And from Topanga's. And from school. And, you know what? I can probably get to her place from just about anywhere." The two boys laugh. But even when they made it up the fire escape and to Maya's third floor window, Farkle was curious. Because sure, Lucas knew how to get to Maya's apartment, but he also knew which floor and which window was her's. Farkle knew that if they were working on the project together, they would use the front door. So that means that Lucas had been there outside of their partner project. But he didn't really think very hard past that. Sure he was still wondering why Maya smiled and raised the window, as though this was a normal occurance for Lucas to show up on her fire escape at eleven o'clock at night. But he just assumed he was missing something. He was.

    So yeah, Farkle thought. It's weird that Lucas can get all the way to Maya's from his apartment without really thinking that hard about it. Because nobody else in their friend group could. But through Farkle's eyes, that's the way it's always been. They were close friends and nothing more.

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    "Thanks Uncle Shawn for lending us the house," Riley says, hugging her father's best friend. "Of course kiddo, enjoy it," he says, letting go of the brunette. "Alight Riles," Maya says coming out of the kitchen with her water bottle. "The boys are out front, I just got the text from Lucas." "Perfect, let's go," Riley says, grabbing her bag and heading out the front door. "Bye mom, bye Shawn," she hears Maya say as she makes her way down the stairs. "I'm so excited," she tells Maya once the blonde makes her way up to her. "I know," I'm so grateful that Shawn is trusting us to go to his house for the weekend. It's going to be such a great time!" Maya responds, opening the front door of the building and leading Riley to the red truck parked in front of the apartment complex. "Hey girls," Lucas says getting out of the driver's seat and undoing the cover of his truck bed to help the girls get their luggage in. "Hey Lucas," Riley says smiling at him. She begins to make her way to the backseat, opening the door and letting herself in, but not before she hears Lucas ask Maya quietly about where she wants to sit. "I can get Zay to sit in the back, I know you get car sick pretty easily." "I don't want to be a burden," she says timidly. "You won't be, I'll go get him to sit in the back. Follow me." Riley quickly closes her door so that her friends don't think she was eavesdropping. They were all grateful that Lucas had a car, none of the rest of them did. But they rarely used it. In fact, Riley couldn't recall the last time Maya had ridden with them in the truck. So she was super curious why Lucas knew that she got car sick. But then she thought of Coney Island, freshman year and realized that was probably it: