Love at a Price (re-write?) - a GMW Joshaya fic

One

Birthdays shouldn't really matter so much. I mean, sure they're a benchmark, but it's growing up and not growing older that really counts. Life can't change overnight, but these milestones are celebrated, deemed important. Despite feeling this way, turning sixteen has me feeling so excited, albeit a little nervous, as to what changes might come.

I started this morning like I would most other days: getting dressed to run off and see Riley. I was first stopped and given a bear hug by Mom and Shawn, and told to be ready for a big celebration. I hadn't wanted anything elaborate, that just isn't me, but Riley insisted. So, of course, I gave in. When I crawled through her bay window, she was ready to tackle me backwards with a million birthday wishes and a whole lot of laughter. When we had managed to calm down enough to be comprehensible, she thrust over a package.

I'll admit, I don't think anything could really beat the box in a box in a box stunt from my fourteenth. This year, Riley gave me a tin of drawing pencils, 64 of them, and when I opened the tin to get a proper look at the colour range, two gorgeous garnet earrings were in there, sliding down the pencils as I had the tin tilted on my knees. I couldn't contain my smile and didn't know what to say, so I just hugged her and she understood.

"Only the best for my Peaches." Riley had giggled, lighting up the room.

When we had walked out into the hall, a mouth-watering smell of breakfast food permeated the apartment. I looked at Riley who just grinned and mouthed the words 'my mom is amazing'. I nodded in agreement and slid down the bench in front of her family.

I was wished a very special happy birthday but quickly told we weren't ready to eat yet. Not that it wasn't ready, but we had to wait. Now, since it smelt so good, I pouted like a child. "Why? What's happening?"

Riley kept her mouthed covered, but her sweet brown eyes twinkled. I was tempted to pester it out of her, knowing full well that it wouldn't take much pressure for her to burst. But even I knew that it would be spoiling their fun, so I held off.

That's when I heard the front door push open, and Riley's face got even brighter behind her hand, smile nearly splitting her in two. Cory and Topanga locked eyes and then they both watched me. Auggie was the only one who seemed as clueless as I was, and both Topanga and Riley had a grip on either of his hands, restraining him.

In the short moments leading from the door opening to me actually turning around, I noticed so much and my heart started beating faster and faster. When I finally swivelled around, with Riley turning to keep watching me, I guess I already knew what was coming. But I wasn't able to comprehend it, so when I saw my someday boy waltz in, easing the door shut with his shoe, I couldn't stay seated.

I met him halfway across the living area, actually jumping from the raised dining space down to where he was. My eyes raked across Josh's tousled brown hair and blue eyes as he glanced down at me, breaking stride. Josh did quickly gesture to his family behind me but didn't break eye contact. I lost focus after noticing the stubble slowly growing in, and then his hands were on my face.

I'm sent into an internal frenzy, belly flipping and I'm smiling so happily, so vulnerably, and I can't help it. It's as though everything else has frozen, and it is only me and Josh. That it will only ever be us, and I'm okay with that.

"Happy birthday, Maya," Josh whispered, breaking the illusion and his fingers slowly grazed down my cheeks to my jaw, dusting ever so slightly down my neck before he walked past me. I turned to watch him scoop Auggie up, flinging him around before depositing him roughly onto the couch.

I could feel myself blushing wildly and briskly headed back to the table, resting my head onto crossed arms. Riley jabbed at my knee, managing to tease me with only the slight rise and fall of her eyebrows. I could only escape after I'd turned my head completely down, skin burning all the way to my ears, and I fought not to burst out laughing at the trivia of it all.

Riley left me be, snickering slightly before Josh started up an actually regular conversation. I stayed hidden, or what I'd like to think was hidden, only up to the point where Riley hauls me up by my forehead, fingers curled into my skin, and I notice an absolutely loaded plate in front of me, similar plates all around the table. The breakfast was awesome, though I could barely make a dent in the amount, considering that by the time I was done, it seemed as though I had barely started. The various foods were transferred to containers, separating it all for easy access to leftovers.

It was by this point that Riley and I knew that we had to get a move on, so I had a super quick shower, just needing to rinse off and perk up, while Riley took possibly hours to wash her hair and do God knows what else.
I grabbed some clothes out of my drawer in Riley's dresser – specifically, a cropped yellow shirt, mildly wrinkled, and some basic jeans. I tugged them on quickly and decided to tackle my hair.

"If I do this now, it won't be so difficult tonight," I whispered to myself, knowing that I had to decide on a general style. Riley walked in, fluffy bathrobe around her shoulders, her hair pin-straight and dry. "No wonder you took so long," I teased, "Now help me decide; straight or wavy?"

"Maya, you know that I love your wavy hair, it suits you so well!" Riley gushed, rifling for her blue mini-skirt. She let out a pleased hum when she rescued it from the bottom of her clean-clothes pile. Meanwhile, I was busy sorting my hair into an effortless looking half-up style, which took far more attempts than I'm willing to admit.

When Riley and I eventually leave her bedroom, Topanga corners us, dish towel in hand. "Through the bay window!" Riley yelps dramatically, but catches the towel headed for her head.

"But... it's my birthday," I try, but Topanga refuses to budge. Cory seems very pleased with himself, simply for avoiding such a slimy chore. His smug grin quickly disappears when Topanga dragged all three guys out to do whatever she had up her sleeves.

By the time we finally got out of there, it was 2.30 and we had the group on speaker, who had been waiting at Topanga's all the while. Smackle was a no-show up to that point, despite our invitation, which made sense. At first, we said she was still recovering from the break-up with Farkle. I'm sure it wouldn't have been so bad had Farkle not asked Riley out less than two weeks later. Riley, in her always positive way, happily agreed without thinking what it could do to the entire dynamic of our group. Sure, they split six months ago, but it takes time to heal.

Things just aren't like they were six months ago, not since the argument.

Anyway, the five of us spent our time together walking aimlessly down the city's streets and just generally killing time before we'd see each other for the party. The more they went on about it, the more excited I became, despite not really wanting it to begin with. Eventually, we had to separate and I went back home to spend time with Mom and Shawn, all the while excitement bubbled in my chest the closer it got to nine.