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Maya laughed, leaning casually against the lockers beside her. "You brought this on yourself, Dani."

Danielle shot her a look at the nickname, but Maya just grinned. "You do know tutoring Riley means subjecting yourself to her dramatics, right?"

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I figured. But I've survived worse."

Maya smirked. "Bold of you to assume you'll survive this."

Before Danielle could respond, the bell rang, signaling the end of recess. Maya pushed off the lockers. "Guess we'll find out soon enough, huh?"

Danielle huffed out a laugh, shaking her head. "Guess so."

As they walked in opposite directions toward their next classes, Danielle couldn't shake the small, amused smile lingering on her lips.

"What, you not sittin' with us anymore?" Maya asked, not bothering to turn around as she addressed Riley, who was slumped at the back of Topanga's.

"I don't deserve to sit with you guys. I am disgraced. 'D' for disgraced." Riley dramatically pointed at her Spanish test, which she had pinned to her chest like a badge of shame.

"Riley, it's only one grade." Lucas tried to soothe one of his girlfriends, his voice calm and reassuring.

"Yeah, you know how many 'D's I got in middle school?" Maya asked from her spot beside Lucas, smirking slightly. "Once, I got five 'D's in one day."

"You were Cinco D Maya," Zay quipped, chuckling at his own joke. The rest of the group laughed, even Riley, though hers was more of a defeated fake laugh.

"I don't get it." Riley groaned in frustration.

"Actually, those 'D's don't matter anymore, Maya," Farkle chimed in, his usual know-it-all tone kicking in.

Apparently, Lucas was on the same wavelength. "None of our old grades do."

"We all start as equals here because only our high school grades count on our permanent record," Smackle added, finishing the explanation.

Riley's eyes widened as she shot up from her seat and rushed over. "What? What's that?"

"It's our high school transcript," Zay explained.

"It's what colleges use when deciding whether to accept you or not," Farkle added, watching as Riley leaned in closer, taking in every word.

Smackle perked up. "And so far for you, not."

"Hm..." Riley hummed before narrowing her eyes. "Smackle, remember how you asked us to let you know when your refreshing honesty crossed over into—"

"Get to it, Bubbles!" Smackle interrupted loudly.

"Now!" Riley pointed a finger at her, exasperated.

Maya, shaking her head slightly, cut in. "Wait, so they don't care about middle school?"

"They only look at your high school grades," Farkle replied nonchalantly.

Maya grabbed Farkle's shirt in her fist, yanking him slightly. "Then why'd you make me go all this time?"

Farkle immediately pushed himself away from her, straightening out his clothes.

"Wait. So nobody cares about all the good grades I got when I was a kid?" Riley asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

"They only care that you didn't eat paste," Zay threw in randomly.

Riley frowned. "Oh. How long does that stay in ya?"

Maya leaned back, staring up at the ceiling as if imagining the life she could have had. "Boy, all those years I went to middle school, I could've been scratchin' lottery tickets and chuggin' sody pop."

"Well, Maya, you finally hit the jackpot. I mean, right now, you can go to any college you want," Zay said with a grin.

"What about me?" Riley interjected.

"You're her cute friend," Zay replied without hesitation.

Riley gasped. "Please don't give up on me, college."

"Colleges don't only care about grades, you know," Lucas added, shifting the conversation.

"They care about extracurriculars," Farkle supplied.

"And that's why Zay and I are trying out for baseball," Lucas said proudly.

"Since the football team made their feelings about us quite clear," Zay added with a grimace.

"It wasn't that bad," Lucas tried to downplay.

"It was! They hit us so hard," Zay protested.

Lucas gave him a pat on the back. "It's all right. Baseball's our sport anyway."

"Yeah. Lucas was our star in middle school," Zay nodded.

Smackle turned to Zay, tilting her head. "What were you?"

"I was his cute friend."

Riley sighed, looking down at her test again. "I never got a 'D' before."

Farkle sighed dramatically. "I used to be the biggest star in middle school."

Smackle placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You're still a star, dearest one."

Farkle huffed. "Yeah, but I used to be the North Star. I used to be the brightest star in the sky. What do you do when you realize you're not the smartest kid in school anymore?"

Riley shrugged. "I don't know." She turned to Maya. "Maya, what do you do when you realize your best days might have been in middle school?"

Maya smirked, grabbing her paper with a flourish. "I don't know. Why don't we ask my big, fat, honkin' 'A'?"

---

"Matthews!" Danielle called out opening the Matthew's house door. To her surprise four pair of eyes followed to her, while the blonde didn't move from where Topanga stood behind her braiding her hair.

"Yes?" Cory asked with his usual grin.

"Not you." Danielle rolled her eyes as she pointed at Riley. "My torture starts now, go get your books."

Riley slumped down before standing up to go get her books sorted in her bedroom.

"You two princess. Chop, chop." Danielle said clapping her hands two times.

"Why me?" Maya pouted enjoying her hair getting styled. "Because it's your fault I'm doing this. Move it, now."

Maya huffed and rolled her eyes as she walked in the direction of Riley's room.

Danielle catches the flying kid that launched into her arms, "Hey buddy."

"Dani!" The curly haired kid yelled squishing her.

"Auggie? You know this girl?" Topanga asked clearing the table.

"Yeah, Ava said she's her big sister." Auggie smiled getting out down on the ground.

"Auggie, you know Ava is lying to you?" Topanga said to her son giving a soft smile

"Ava is my wife, she wouldn't." He shook his head running off to his room.

"So you know Spanish?" Cory asked slightly impressed.

"Of course I do." Danielle scoffed. "All the Youngs know more than two languages."

"Hold on a minute, I thought you were a Lopez?" Topanga asked sitting down at the table.

"The name is Danielle Cheryl Young-Lopez, it's nice to see you again Topanga -something I can't pronounce- Lawrence-Matthews." Danielle smirked walking in the direction to Riley's room.

As Danielle made her way toward Riley's room, she could hear the muffled voices of the two best friends inside, likely complaining about the study session that was about to happen. She smirked to herself, pausing at the doorway before pushing it open without knocking.

Maya was sprawled out dramatically on Riley's bed, her arms thrown over her face. Riley sat at her desk, stacking and restacking her books like she was trying to delay the inevitable.

"Alright, let's get this over with," Danielle announced, tossing her bag onto Riley's chair.

Maya peeked out from behind her arm. "Do I really have to be here? I already passed Spanish. With an 'A' might I add."

Danielle rolled her eyes. "Yes, because you're the reason I got roped into this in the first place." She turned to Riley. "And you, Princess, stop stalling."

Riley sighed dramatically before opening her Spanish textbook, flipping through the pages aimlessly. "I don't even know where to start."

Danielle pulled a chair up to the desk and leaned in. "Well, where do you keep messing up? What did you get wrong on the test?"

Riley held up the paper with the glaring 'D' at the top. "Everything."

Danielle snatched it out of her hands, skimming through the answers. "Yeah, I can see why."

Maya snickered. "You're not helping, Dani."

"I'm being honest," Danielle shot back before sighing. "Okay, let's start with the basics. Conjugation. Because whatever you tried to do here isn't even close."

Riley groaned, dropping her head onto the desk. "I'm doomed."

Danielle smirked. "Not if I have anything to say about it. Now, repeat after me—'Yo hablo.'"

"Yo hablo," Riley mumbled into the desk.

Danielle flicked the back of her head lightly. "Sit up and try again, drama queen."

Maya burst out laughing, sitting up properly. "I'm actually enjoying this."

Danielle shot her a look. "You won't be when I make you quiz her later."

Maya immediately stopped laughing. "Wait—what?"

Danielle smirked. "Oh yeah. If I have to suffer, so do you."

---

Danielle sat cross-legged on the floor of Riley's bedroom, flipping through Riley's Spanish textbook while the girl in question dramatically sprawled across her bed.

"I just don't get it!" Riley groaned, holding up her test paper with the bold red D glaring back at her. "Why does Spanish hate me?"

Danielle raised an eyebrow. "I don't think Spanish is capable of hating you, Riley."

Maya, who was sitting in the bay window, smirked. "Yeah, but I can."

Riley shot her a glare before turning back to Danielle with wide, pleading eyes. "Please help me. I'll do anything."

Danielle leaned back on her hands, feigning deep thought. "Anything, huh?"

Riley nodded enthusiastically.

"Alright," Danielle said, smirking. "Then stop being dramatic for five minutes and actually focus."

Maya snorted as Riley gasped. "You wound me."

"Yeah, yeah." Danielle flipped to a page in the textbook and tapped it. "Come on, let's get started before I change my mind."

Riley pouted but sat up, grabbing her notebook. Maya watched with amusement, clearly enjoying the show.

Danielle glanced at her. "You know, you could help her instead of just sitting there."

Maya grinned. "Oh, but watching you suffer is way more fun."

Danielle rolled her eyes, but a small smirk tugged at her lips. "Right. Because watching me try to drill basic Spanish into Riley's head is so entertaining."

Maya shrugged, leaning back against the window frame. "It really is."

Riley groaned, dropping her head onto her notebook. "You two are the worst."

Danielle nudged her with the end of her pen. "Come on, stop being dramatic. Let's start with something easy. Conjugating verbs."

Riley lifted her head, looking betrayed. "Easy?"

Danielle chuckled. "Okay, maybe not easy for you, but if you actually listen, it'll make sense."

Maya stretched out her legs and tilted her head toward Danielle. "Seriously, though. Why are you the one helping her? Couldn't she just ask someone else?"

Danielle raised an eyebrow. "You mean you?"

Maya smirked. "Exactly."

Danielle leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "Well, princess, if you actually wanted to help her, she wouldn't be begging me right now."

Maya's smirk faltered just slightly at the nickname, but she recovered quickly. "Fair point."

Riley let out an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, okay! Can we focus? I need to not fail my next test, and you two flirting isn't helping me learn."

Danielle choked on air. "We are not—"

Maya simply grinned and winked at Riley. "Yeah, Dani. Focus."

Danielle glared at her before sighing and turning back to the textbook. "Right. Verbs."

Riley suppressed a giggle, but at least she was finally paying attention.

After about twenty more minutes of struggling through conjugations, Riley let out a loud groan and dramatically flopped backward onto the floor.

"I give up," she declared. "I will simply move to Spain and be known as 'the girl who points at things.'"

Danielle rolled her eyes, shutting the textbook. "That is not a solution."

"It's my solution," Riley huffed, staring at the ceiling in defeat.

Maya, still perched comfortably by the window, smirked. "You really are hopeless, Riles."

"Hey!" Riley sat up, pouting. "At least I try to learn!" She turned to Danielle with pleading eyes. "Can we take a break? Just a short one?"

Danielle leaned back against the couch, crossing her arms. "A break, huh?"

Riley nodded rapidly.

Danielle glanced at Maya, who was watching the exchange with an amused expression. "What do you think, princess? Does she deserve one?"

Maya pretended to consider it, tapping her chin. "Hmm. Well, she hasn't thrown a full tantrum yet, so I'd say that's progress."

Riley narrowed her eyes. "That sounds like an insult."

Maya grinned. "Because it is."

Danielle shook her head, unable to hide her smirk. "Fine. A break. But only for ten minutes."

Riley cheered, jumping up. "I'm getting snacks!" She dashed out of the room before Danielle could change her mind.

As soon as Riley was gone, Maya turned her gaze toward Danielle. "You're nicer than I thought."

Danielle raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Maya smirked. "You pretend to be all detached and cool, but you actually care."

Danielle scoffed, leaning back. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Maya tilted her head, her smirk softening. "Sure you don't."

Danielle opened her mouth to argue, but before she could, Riley came running back in, arms full of snacks. "Okay, break time! Let's watch something while we eat."

Maya let the moment pass, but the knowing look in her eyes lingered. Danielle ignored the warmth creeping into her chest and focused on the bag of chips Riley was holding.

Anything to keep from thinking too much about the way Maya saw right through her.

Riley plopped down between them, tossing a bag of chips at Danielle and opening a pack of cookies for herself. "Okay, what should we watch?"

Maya stretched out, getting comfortable. "Something that doesn't require too much thinking. My brain already hurts from watching you butcher Spanish."

"Rude!" Riley gasped, but then turned to Danielle. "What about a classic rom-com?"

Danielle raised an eyebrow. "You and your rom-coms."

"They're comforting!" Riley defended. "Besides, they always end happily."

Maya scoffed, grabbing a handful of chips from Danielle's bag without asking. "Yeah, because they're fake."

Danielle smirked, nudging her lightly. "Not a believer in love, princess?"

Maya rolled her eyes. "I believe in it, I just don't believe it happens like it does in movies."

Riley hummed, scrolling through the options on the TV. "What about you, Danielle? You think love is like the movies?"

Danielle hesitated. She hadn't expected the conversation to turn on her.

"Depends on the movie," she finally said, leaning back against the couch. "Some of them are a little too perfect, but I think some get it right."

Maya gave her a sideways glance. "Huh. Didn't think you were the romantic type."

Danielle smirked. "I have layers, Hart."

Maya rolled her eyes but was clearly amused.

Riley, oblivious to the small moment between them, finally settled on a movie. "Alright! 10 Things I Hate About You! Classic, funny, and full of love!"

Maya groaned. "If we must."

Danielle shook her head, but she was comfortable, the warm atmosphere of the Matthews' household making it easy to relax.

As the movie played, Riley got lost in the story, occasionally mouthing along to the lines. Maya made sarcastic comments under her breath, though Danielle noticed she was paying more attention than she let on.

Danielle, however, found her focus shifting—not to the movie, but to the way Maya sat beside her, the soft glow of the TV lighting up her features, the way she absentmindedly twirled a piece of her hair while watching.

She quickly looked away, brushing off whatever that feeling was.

It was nothing.

Just a stupid movie and a stupid moment.

At least, that's what she told herself.

---

A/N

Ahhhh we are getting close to the ski episodes!!

I'm excited!!!