Loving Again

Chapter 32 - Seventeen

It was early the next morning and Maya woke up.
She didn't want to see anything like it was.
She was giving up her life and for what?
To satisfy her mother?
She never thought her mother would want this.
It was her seventeenth birthday and she had no idea what the day would bring.
Of course she had a guess but nothing spesific.
She got out of bed and saw all the boxes.
Of course she knew packing was something she had to do but a bit later.
She walked to her closet and quickly pulled something over her head before heading to the kitchen.

"There she is. The birthday girl. How does seventeen feel?" Riley asked.
"Like I'm old. I don't know. It just doesn't come to me that I'm seventeen," Maya said.
"It will," Riley said.

"Happy birthday Maya. I made something for you," Auggie said and gave Maya a painting.
"Thank you Buddy."
"Ah she's awake. Happy seventeenth Maya," Cory said.
"This is super weird. I've never had so many congrats in one day. Really feels like I'm special," Maya said.
"You are. I'm sorry your mom doesn't see it like that," Topanga said.
"It's okay. I have you guys and that's more than enough. For now. Maybe even more," Maya said and there was a knock on the door.
"I'll get it," Riley said.

"What are we doing today?" Cory asked.
"School. It is after all Tuesday," Maya said.
"Maya this is for you," Riley said and held a gaint bouquet of red roses.
"For me? I have no one who will end me roses. Who is it from?"
"I don't see a... Ah here it is," Riley said and Maya read it out loud.
"Happy Birthday Maya. Hope you have a wonderful day and hope it just gets better. Love Josh."
"My brother?" Cory said.
"Think today is going to be magical," Maya said.

Much later the day.

"Happy Birthday Maya," Smackle said as she gave Maya a hug.
"Thanks Smackle. Wow. I really do feel special," Maya said.
"You should feel like that. How old are you anyway?" Lucas asked.
"Seventeen," Maya said.
"Congratulations," Lucas said.
"Yeah congrats. Isn't every day you turn seventeen," Zay said.
"Yeah. I have a few things to figure out which includes visiting Josh so don't expect me too early," Maya said.
"Everything okay?" Farkle asked.
"Yeah everything is fine. I promise. Just a few things I need to figure out before the party. Something I really need to sort out," Maya said.
"Just tell me if I can help. With anything at all," Riley said.

It was much later the day and Maya was just busy walking to NYU.
Of course she had send Josh a message warning him she's in her way.
She wasn't just going to drop in without a five second warning.
She wanted to let him know and she did.
Whether he got the message or not she doesn't know.
Maya knocked on the door and a guy opened he door.

"Hi is Josh here?" Maya asked.
"Yeah he is. Come in. I'm Jo by the way. You must be Maya. Josh told us about you. This is my girlfriend, Melody," Jo said and Maya smiled to the girl.
"I'll go get Josh."

"You can sit down," Melody said and Maya sat down on one of the chairs.
"So how do you know Josh?" Melody asked.
"We kinda grew up together," Maya said and saw Josh.

"Hey what you doing here?" Josh asked giving Maya a hug.
"We need to talk," Maya said.
"Okay why don't we go in a walk then? I'll be back in a second," Josh said and the two of them went out.

~

Maya and Josh were sitting in a bench at a park just a single mile away from NYU.
Josh was waiting for her to say somethjbg about the kiss but it didn't look like she wanted to talk about that.
Or maybe he thought so.

"So I'm guessing you're here to talk to me about yesterday," Josh said and sigh as Maya smiled.
"No," Maya said and looked at Josh who had a strange face expression.
"You didn't come to see me about the kiss? Okay why are you here then?" Josh asked.
"Ask that. I woke up this morning feeling different. Not like I did before. I knew I wanted to talk to you but not about what exactly. I just knew I had to come see you," Maya said.
"Okay. That's..."
"Weird, I know," Maya said and leaned forward.

Josh took a look at the seventeen year old girl not actually knowing why he is pulling himself back.
Is it really as bad as he thinks it is?
Josh smiled as he took Maya's hand in his.

"You know, maybe this isn't that bad of an idea. The two of us," Josh said and Maya looked at him.
"You are right about one thing. Conversation is the most important part of any relationship. And I think we've had enough to know who the other is. So what do you say? We gonna give it a shot?" Josh asked and Maya embraced him.

Feeling each other close was a feeling they never felt before.
Maya definitely never felt it in her entire life.
She knew she belonged there and there was nothing that could change that.

~

It was later the night and now everybody was so overwhelming Maya had to make a plan to escape.
She was overwhelmed at the amount of people there.
Not just her friends but also Josh which would rarely happen.
She does see him a lot but she has never felt like she does right now and for her that it is really special yet scary at the same time.