A Stray Cat

A Stray At A Fair

"How did you get here so fast?" Maya asked Riley by the door.

"You walked, but Farkle was waiting outside in a car for me. I left right after you did and got here a few minutes ago. Just in time to put on my costume."

Maya shook her head and chuckled. "That explains why you dressed me all country." She said slapping her aqua blue tassels.

Riley stroked her pig tails. "Uh huh. Lucas wanted to give you a real special date because you're a real special gal." She giggled.

Maya raised an eyebrow at her.

"His words." Riley chuckled.

"Right this way, lady!" Farkle called as he walked over to Riley and Maya. "It's a small fair, but the best we could do in the middle of winter in New York."

Maya laughed at his costume. "What the- What's with the outfit? You look like the monopoly man."

Farkle pulled on his suspenders. "I'm the mayor of this fine county so I done came to the county fair!" He said in a deep voice with a loud phony southern accent.

"Watch it, Mayor." Zay gave him a weak glare. "The only one allowed to make fun of all this is Maya."

"I ain't makin' fun! I'm having it!" Farkle bellowed. "It's gonna be a good time at the county fair!"

"Where did Lucas disappear too?" Maya asked between her laughter.

Riley grinned at something behind Maya so Maya turned around. As soon as she saw him she started cracking up.

"I had to get my ten gallon hat!" Lucas grinned nodded his head so his huge foam cowboy hat flipped around. "And a cowboy has to have his spurs and boots!" He clicked his heels. "Yee haw!

Maya couldn't stop laughing. "You look ridiculous." She chortled.

Lucas grinned at her and walked over to stand in front of her. "I just wanted to make you laugh. I'm glad it worked." He took off his goofy big blue hat and handed it over to Zay. "May I have this dance?" He asked holding out his hand to his beautiful date.

"There's no music." Maya gave him a weird look. Music started to play making her look around until she saw Riley and Farkle over by a speaker system hidden in the hay.

Lucas grinned. "There is now."

Maya bit her lip. "I can't dance."

"All you have to do is sway." Lucas said taking her hand in his. Maya nodded and he pulled her close to him rocking back and forth to the soft country music playing.

She's a little complicated
She'll make her mind up just to change it
The kind of girl that keeps you waitin', waitin' around
She likes to get her toes done bright red
She's always reapplyin' her lipstick
The muddy river bank she's the first in and last out
She's got somethin' I can't figure out
That everybody's talkin' 'bout

Lucas spun Maya around then pulled her back into his arms.

"I thought that all I had to do was sway?" Maya chuckled.

She's got the blue jeans painted on tight
That everybody wants on a Saturday night
She got the mood ring, she's never the same
She's sunny one minute then she's pourin' down rain.
And she'll do whatever she wants
And when she moves every jaw's gonna drop
And I do but I don't want her to stop
I want, I want I want whatever she's got
I want whatever she's got

Lucas grinned. "You do, but I can still spin you out and back in."

Maya leaned her head on Lucas' chest and smiled. "I kinda like it."

He smirked. "Well in that case." He spun her around again then held her close to him again. "I like you."

"I like you too." Maya smiled.

"I don't think I've seen her smile that much since we met her." Zay chuckled as he walked over to watch the dancing couple with Riley and Farkle by the snacks.

"I know." Farkle smiled. He gently pulled his fake mustache off. "I like seeing her happy." He looked over at Riley and caught the sadness in her smile. "You okay?"

"Huh?" Riley sniffed. "Yeah. I was just thinking about something Maya told me, about why she ran away, and it made me sad."

Zay and Farkle frowned.

"Why did she run away?" Zay asked with concern in his voice.

Farkle gulped. "Was she.. abused?"

Riley solemnly nodded. "Yeah."

Zay sighed. "Oh, wow, um, what- what kind of abuse?"

Riley wiped at her eyes. "The really bad kind." Her voice shook.

Farkle put his arm around her to comfort her. "It'll be okay. We won't let her go back there."

Zay clenched his hand into a fist. "No way. She stays with us."

Riley pulled her head away from Farkle to smile at Zay. "Right." She nodded. "She stays where she will be happy. That's all I want for her. I wish she never moved away."

When the song ended Maya ran over pulling Lucas by the hand. Riley immediately threw on a smile and wiped her tears away.

"Come have fun with us!" Maya called out to them, mainly Riley.

Riley chuckled. "It's supposed to be a date. We just work here."

Maya laughed. "Boo!" She used her other hand to grab Riley's hand. "Come on! I wanna play a game!" She laughed dragging Riley and Lucas over to the few games that Farkle made. He made a whack-a-mole, a balloon dart board, and a mini fishing game.

He even set up various prizes. A few stuffed animals, some little toys, and some keychains. It was almost like a real fair. For one night Maya forget how horrible her life was and just had fun with her date and their friends. Lucas even won her a stuffed kitty that she named after Riley.

"So, um, can we go out again?" He asked shyly as he walked her back to Riley's place at 9:45 at night.

"We better." Maya smirked. She gripped his shirt with her hand and pulled him down to her level. Then she kissed him. When she pulled away she ran ahead of him daring him to catch up to her or he would never get another kiss again.