A seventeen-year-old Maya Penelope Hart flipped through the book of art that laid against her bed. Every picture was something new, something exciting that made her mind lively. Everything was so beautiful. And yet she knew it was something she'd never be able to see. Flipping another page, a painting caught her eye.

It was a photo of friends. Walking down an unfamiliar street.

And that was the best thing she'd even seen in her life.

A wide grin spread across her lips. Wheels were turning within her mind. This was something that had to happen. All Maya could imagine was her, Lucas, Riley and Farkle as they stepped down new, cobblestone steps of some other city.

Closing the full yellow book, she set it aside, next to her bed. As quickly as she could the girl shoved clothing into a backpack. Maya knew that she wouldn't have to pack toiletries or anything else. She had a plan for that too. What good trip wouldn't involve tiny, travel-sized shampoos that really only lasted half a bath? She kept her grin wide as she zipped up the black backpack. This was the most exciting idea she ever had.

Opening her bedroom door, she saw her mother sitting on the couch.

Crap.

She wasn't going to just leave her with no explanation.

Sighing, Maya approached her mother, smiling innocently. "Hey mom..."

"Yeah, sweetie?" Katy leaned over the back of the couch.

"Me and Riley were planning a trip and... And it's tomorrow morning. I was thinking about leaving tonight."

"What kind of trip?"

"We're going to..." She looked down at her feet, before grinning up at her again. "We're going to go to L.A, mom."

"L.A? Babygirl, isn't that a little far?"

"It's not just going to be me and her. We have Farkle and Lucas too." Maya sat down beside her mother, taking her hands. "Mama, please? Me and Riley have talked about this since forever."

She was technically right. They always had talked about one day taking a trip to the city. In fact, you could say it was their dream. But recently, with Maya now dating( even though she might not consider it that ) Lucas and Riley having long-developed feelings for Farkle, the girls decided to throw them into the batch. And they said that, when the time were to come, they'd agree.

"You have to have an adult with you."

"Lucas is an adult. Technically." He was eighteen. It counts.

Katy wrinkled her face. "I'm not so sure. How responsible is he?"

"He's kept me from getting arrested. You know that's a milestone."

Her mother cracked a smile. Katy knew how incredibly responsible Lucas was. He was Maya's, and realistically all the friends', moral compass. It was even his well-known nickname throughout their school. She sighed. Her daughter was as hard-headed as she was and she knew that far too well. "Honey, are you sure it's alright with their parents?"

And that? That was her mother's way of saying "yes.". Maya's grin only widened as she threw her arms around her the older blonde. "Thank you, mom! Thank you, thank you, thank you." She kissed both of her cheeks, laughter flooding the air.

"Hey," Katy pulled her daughter back from her in order to better see her face. "you text me every morning, every night, and everything in between. Okay? Call me, too."

"I will, mom." Maya nodded rapidly.

"And Maya?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you, babygirl." Katy told her, hugging her tightly again. She didn't want to let her go and allow her to grow up, but she knew she had to. And really? She was beyond proud of her daughter. Maya is an amazing young woman. She's so much better than Katy had ever dreamed.

"I love you too, mama." Maya wouldn't cry. Not now. She was too excited for this trip of hers, and on top of that she was sure that if she were to cry, her mother would too.

"Have fun out there, okay?"

"I will." Maya let herself pull a smirk as she tightened her grip on her backpack before she stood up. "And mom? You have fun too." She held open the door as she stated her comment.

"With what? I'm thirty three years old and living alone." Katy sprawled herself out on the couch, reviving her old southern accent while clinging the television remote to her chest. "All I have left is Netflix and Full House reruns-"

"and Shawn." Maya stated, hiding her overly excited smile as she turned her head.

"Shawn?"

"Have fun, mom." She flashed a wink over her shoulder, closing the door just slow enough to hear her mother shout;

"Maya!"

And with that, the door was closed and the short blonde's adventure was just beginning. Oh, this would be the adventure of a lifetime- of astronomical proportions. And Maya couldn't wait.