Words [Riley Matthews]

38 ~ first kiss

"Okay, Maya, I am really confused," Gabriel said once he was alone with her. "We keep having these - these moments whenever we're alone and then we pretend nothing happened. And here comes Riley, for some reason, convinced you like Lucas. What's going on?"

"I don't know what's going on," Maya said. "I don't know what to do."

"Tell her the truth," Gabriel said. 

"Or what?" Maya asked. "I tell her the truth or what?"

"Or I'll tell her about everything that's been going on between," Gabriel said. "I'm pretty sure she would much hear it from her best friend than me."

"Aren't you one of her best friends too?"

"Yeah, but I'm not you," Gabriel said. 

"Fine, I'll tell her the truth," Maya said. 

"Thank you," Gabriel said.

Riley entered the room.

"Hey, guys," Riley greeted them.

"Hey," Gabriel and Maya said in unison.

"What's going on?" Riley asked. She could tell that something was up.

"Um, Maya has something to tell you," Gabriel said, pushing Maya gently forward.

"What? I'm not going to tell her now," Maya said.

"You have the opportunity, take it," Gabriel said. "I gotta go talk to Caleb."

Gabriel rushed out of the room to look for Caleb. 

***

While Caleb and Gabriel were talking, Riley walked over to them and said, "Gabe, I want to talk to you. Alone," she looked at Caleb.

"Um, yeah, sure," Gabriel said.

"I'm going to look for Farkle and the others," Caleb said.

"Thanks," Riley said.

After Caleb left the room, Gabriel asked, "Did Maya talk to you?"

"Yeah, she did," Riley said. "Do you like her?"

"I don't know," Gabriel said. "I'm confused. I know I like you but with what's going on between Maya and me, I'm really conflicted."

"I like you too, Gabe," Riley said. 

Maya, not knowing that Riley and Gabriel were in the room, entered.

"I didn't know you two were in here," Maya said.

"Well, we are," Riley said. "Good thing you're actually in here."

"It is?"

"We need to figure this out," Riley said. "I think you two should go out."

"We should?" Gabriel and Maya asked in unison.

"Yeah," Riley nodded. "You should. I don't think Gabriel and I would work out."

"Riles, you and Gabe have never gone on a date," Maya said. 

Gabriel didn't say anything. He left the room.

"Gabe!" he heard Riley call after him.

He ignored her. 

"Hey, Gabe, what's wrong?" Lucas asked as Gabriel was heading to the door to leave the house.

"I need some time to think," Gabriel said, without looking back.

"Gabe," Lucas said, standing up as Gabriel reached to the door and left.