Take me back to the good ol' days [RILAYA]

20. Blue Dasmascus

Blue light tinged the city, while they whooped around at their latest get away. Farkle took in the sight before him, pensive. Lucas jokingly tried to trip Maya, while she retaliated by successfully tripping him and nearly taking Riley down with her.

A notification from his watch brought him back to present time. Before they rounded the corner, Farkle called them.

"Wait, there's security near the parking lot."

"Then let's head to your place sinc-"

"No"

"And why not?"

The mousy brown hair boy's eyes shifted down and tightened the small trunk closer to his chest.

"I'm cold, lets take the train to Topanga's. I've got the key to the cafe." Riley spoke up noticing Farkle's discomfort.

"We can pick up your car tomorrow," Lucas said, clapping his hand on Farkle's shoulder reassuringly.

In a snap moment he caught eyes with Maya as she warmed Riley's face with her hands. In that flash of blue - he sure as hell knew he was going to be needled about it later, but for now they enjoyed the silence of the waking city.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The wooden doors with chipped paint stood before them, the familiar jingle of the keys opened the smell of nostalgia. They all breathed in the smell of coffee beans, pastry and wood.

Lucas took the small trunk from Farkle and gently laid the box on the coffee table. Opening the rusty latches, they waited to see what treasured were hidden. Letters that are meant to be read alone, Maya's guitar pick, Lucas's lone star badge, Riley's pluto ball and various knickknacks. 

Farkle waited till all the knickknacks were removed, then took out the false bottom board revealing a sphere with a motherboard.

       "Well that just seems a bit ominous there, mad scientist." Maya whelped when Riley lightly punched her thigh.

       "We support your hobbies - " Riley said

       "as long as it doesn't kill people. And that my bud looks like a part of the Deathstar" Maya added.  Ignoring their jest, Farkle spoke up

"I made this because I was afraid we were all going to change someday and we wouldn't be able to remember how happy we use to be. This is just a prototype.  I created one a while back, but it just lacking a code. A bit of creativity and drive I had before, that I don't have anymore."

"Where is this coming from, man" Lucas asked quietly.

"I wrecked my apartment. I thought I was okay, but I'm just... tired. Tired of the parties and smiling. What am I trying to fill up, what am I missing?" He croaked. Maya's griped her thigh because she understood the facade they had to play. "I'm not inlove with Smackle, I thought when I saw them together it would hurt. To feel something atleast."  

Farkle felt warmth and realized that his friends, no his real family enveloped him.

"Hey loser, we can't go in your mind and fight the bad stuff with you. When you're in that mindset, its like a blackhole. No matter how much love we throw at you, it gets voided."

"What should I do?"

"Lets get help...and lets try this little gizmo you made for giggles and stuff." Maya eased. It was a bandaid on a cracked dam, yet it was a start. Maya leaned back and pulled herself out of the group hug. "Grabbing a cup of whatever is available in the fridge."

"Can you grab me-"

"Nope, I didn't offer."

Riley held out her hand and Farkle passed the sphere to her. "How does it work?"

"I just need to flick this switch and the motherboard needs to be inserted to a computer to track the timeline. Its old gear, it doesn't really work like it should."

"Have you tried it?" Lucas asked curious of the harmless looking blinking sphere.

"No, I had simulations of it with inanimate objects. The one I worked on for a side project for fun is actually in the train station. "

Maya rummaged through the fridge grabbing the whip cream can. "Cool we can check that one out." She pulled out her work phone to take it off of silent mode and realized she had 300 texts and 56 missed calls from her agency, 'friends' in tabloids, her assistant and unknown numbers.

The air felt heavy and it became hard to swallow.

"What the fuck happened this time," Maya murmured to herself. Opening the first one from Max, head of the agency - she nearly dropped her phone.

"This is going to run in tomorrow's blogs and will be circulating - " She didn't read the rest, there was a picture of Riley resting her head on Lucas. It was when they were having their talk at her parents' welcome party. Maya knew how the rumor mills operated and she blamed herself for not being stop the attack. For the shortest time, she forgot she was an artist.  All the blessings and curses that held over her head.

They were going to come for Lucas and Riley with pitchforks.

The whistling was in her ears and the world started to spin.

Everything came too soon.

"Riley."