A Stray Cat

A Stray's First Date

"Hey Huckleberry!" Maya shouted at him when she walked through the school doors with Riley.

Lucas was talking to Zay and Farkle when he heard her. He chuckled and turned around.

"Wanna go out sometime?" Maya asked with a smirk on her face.

Lucas looked at her in shock, then he smirked. "On a date?"

Maya shrugged. "That's what I meant, obviously." She rolled her eyes. "Wanna go out with me?"

Lucas looked from Maya to Riley who was giving him a guilty look, then he looked back at Maya. "You don't have a boyfriend, do you?"

Maya scoffed. "I don't even have friends. Riley was just being overly concerned and a total worrywart, weren't ya Riles?" She smirked over at Riley and winked.

Maya was giving Riley a free pass to get out of her lie, but Riley didn't want to be dishonest again.

"Not really." Riley hung her head in shame. "I mean, I was kinda worried, but mostly I was just being selfish and stupid." She frowned. "I didn't want you, any of you guys, to like Maya more than me. I was being insecure."

"You're always insecure." Zay stated outright. Farkle glared at him. "But we love you anyway."

"Thanks Zay." Riley smiled. "I'm sorry, Lucas." She sighed.

Lucas chuckled. "It's okay, Riley. Zay is kinda right. I'm used to you feeling insecure and lying about something or being a little selfish. You actually, kinda, do it a lot."

Riley stared at him. "Oh.. I see.. Well I'll have to work on that."

"So, we going out or what?"

Lucas smirked. "Pick you up at Riley's at seven-fifteen?"

"Seven-thirty." Maya countered. "I don't take long to get ready, but I take long showers." She chuckled.

Lucas chuckled too. "Okay. I'll pick you up tonight at seven-thirty."

Maya gave him a cocky grin. "Can't wait. See ya Huckleberry."

"See you in history class, ma'am." He tipped his hat like a southern gentleman, but it was imaginary.

Farkle and Zay chuckled, waved goodbye to the girls, then took off after Lucas because they all had gym class together next period.

"What are you gonna wear?! Where are you gonna go?! Are you gonna kiss him?!" Riley let her questions fly without much breath in between. She was grinning like a Cheshire Cat and bouncing in her brown boots with the fur.

Maya shrugged. "Don't know, don't care, and don't kiss and tell." She said as she walked away from her.

"But Maaaayaaaa." Riley whined while chasing after her best friend all the way to their math class.

Maya was putting on a brave face and walking with her usual care less attitude, but inside she was a nervous wreak. This would be her very first date with any boy and it happened to be with a cute boy.

What am I gonna wear? Do I dress casual? It's a date so I probably shouldn't wear jeans and a T, but what if he just wears jeans and a T, he seems kinda like a jeans and T guy. What if I dress really nice and he doesn't? What if he dresses really nice and I don't?! Will it send the wrong message?! Will he think I don't like him?! And where are we going? The cliche dinner and movie or something more thought out? If we go to dinner and a movie will it be fancy or fast food or somewhere in between? Would the movie be romantic or funny or action? What if he wants to go bowling? I don't bowl! I've never been bowling! But I heard some people bowl on dates and if he likes to do that and I can't maybe he'll think we have nothing in common and he won't want to go out with me anymore! What if we go to something sporty I know nothing about sports! What if he wants to just sit somewhere and talk?! What would we talk about?! Oh shit.. I have to cancel this date before tonight! I'll cancel in history class! Yeah, that'll work. I sit right behind him so I can let him down easy without anyone knowing.

"Maya? Are you okay?" Riley whispered nudging her best friend. "You're nails are nubs."

Maya snapped out of it and looked over at Riley. "What? Yeah." She realized she was biting her nails and quickly shook her hand then she placed it on her desk. "I'm fine and uh, yeah, I'm totally fine."

"It's okay to be nervous about tonight." Riley whispered do the teacher wouldn't hear. "Lucas is nervous too. Don't tell him you saw this." She slid her phone over to Maya when the teacher looked away from the students again.

Group Chat
Farkle,  Zay,  Riley, Lucas

Guys, I'm freaking out.. What if I blow it on this date with Maya?

Take a calming breath.. Then scream out her name. That's what I do and it works for me.

That's because your crush is in Texas. She can not hear you. Don't follow Zay's advice. Just tell Maya you want her to be your future wife like I did with Riley 😁

No no no, don't follow that advice. Follow mine. I know what's what.

You don't know anything.

..Boys

Riley. Help.

Can't. Maya is my bff. It's girl code. I can't give you a cheat sheet. Just go out and have fun!

Like he knows how to have fun.. I'm the fun one! 😜😎😏🎉

You're the dumb one 😝

LUUUUCASSSS

GUYS! STOP! WE'RE IN CLASS!

Maya chuckled. "So, I guess he is nervous too?" She let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, then I guess I won't call the whole thing off and run."

"You better never run."

Maya sighed. "I meant run away from the date, like chicken out running, not literal running."

Riley gave her a small smile. "Don't chicken out, Maya. You and Lucas could be great together. Just go out and have a good time."

"Easier said than done." Maya let out another sigh, this one longer, then she turned her attention to her class work. "Oh.. I hate math."

Riley giggled. "Agreed."