I tie my monster hair in a bun while sitting criss-cross on Riley's bed. The girls are getting ready for their Valentine's dance and I have to make sure they both look superb.
Not my words.
Maya wears a red dress I bought her and it fits her perfectly. It has thin spaghetti straps and makes a V-line, not showing too much skin. It stops above her knee but falls lower in the back. It has a smooth fabric and the red compliments her pale skin.
Riley has a similar dress I bought her. However, it's strapless with a sweetheart neckline in light pink. I give her a half up and down due. The top is braided into two cute space bun with wavy hair in the back,
Maya's hair is curled, and the top of her head has a cute messy bun. I pull two strands out in the front to frame her face.
While I am putting a necklace on Maya's necklace I tell Riley "Make sure you get a lot of pictures, have fun, and call me if you need anything."
Riley nods her head and exclaims "Ay aye captain."
I roll my eyes and point for them both to sit on the bed in front of me. When they sit next to each other on the tip of the bed and face me I look at them seriously. "Most importantly y'all are sisters. For a moment forget about boy drama. It's a day of love and as each other's best friends y'all are each other's Valentine. Do y'all understand me?"
They both nod their heads.
I stand up straighter and fake patting myself off. I walk to the bay window and say "Well I have to go. Bye kiddos". As I am exiting the window Riley says something
"Thanks for being such an awesome big sister to us both."
I nod my head and leave out the window without another word.
----------------------------
I groan loudly for the 40th time. My sore arms have been blow drying my hair for an hour and a half.
I already had my outfit on. It was a red tube top with black shorts. I had an oversized red and black plaid flannel tied around my waist. I put on red converses and red lipgloss.
I reach in my head and pull out my last hair strand. I direct the hot on the strand, stretching it out. When I'm finished I drop the blowdryer on the bathroom counter and look in the mirror.
I literally look like a lion. My hair is very voluminous and reaches mid-back. I shake my head and put it into a back ponytail quickly. As soon as I am finished the doorbell rings.
I close the light slid my phone into my back pocket. I walk to the door and open it quickly. I walk out and say "Ok I'm ready."
Noticing no response I look up and notice Josh staring me down. "Que? Que paso?"
He has slight reminisce in his eyes and says "It's just been a long time since I have seen you like this."
I tilt my head.
He looks me in the eyes and say "You look grew up beautiful. You really are beautiful Rayne."
I look down and shake my head playfully "Gracias senor pero ahora vamos!" I grab his hand and pull out the apartment.
We walk to Topanga's and Josh never lets my hand go. When we get inside I take my hand back and see Katy.
I call out "Katy Kat. I'm here for my presentttttt."
She looks up at me. With a surprised face she exclaims"Ray! Happy Birthday and I LOVE the hair. You should were it more often, you look beautiful."
I look to the side and see some icecream. Changing the subject I said, "Can I buy some ice cream?"
Katy shakes her head and smiles. "It's on the house. Why don't you and Josh sit down, while I get your things."
I got sit down in a booth while I notice Josh whisper something in Katy's ear. When he makes his way to the booth and sits down in front of me, I raise my eyebrows.
He looks at me and asks "What?"
I shake my head and look to the side "So what brings Josh to the big apple?"
He smiles and runs his hand through his hair "Business."
I look at him and tilt my head.
He raises his hands in a gesture while saying "What?"
I sarcastically say "Trying to see if I can imagine you as a businessman?"
He asks "Can you?"
I quiclky say "Nope. I see you as a family man. You look up to Cory don't you, your closest to him than all your other siblings."
He shakes his head "What about you Ray?
I tilt my head with a grin "You are changing the subject."
He rub his face on the side of his face and hesitantly says "Then let me."
I question "That's a luxury that I don't if I want to give to you."
With a cheeky smile he say "As my wife, you should be willing to compromise."
I shake my head "Writing."
"What about it?"
"That's my major."
He furrows his brows and says "I thought you wanted to be a singer."
I look at him with an 'Are you serious look?' face. I deadpan "Josh I was like 5 or 6 at the time."
Still not understanding Josh says "So. You were 5 when you meant me and here we are. Why'd you give it up?"
I shake my head and say "The world's a hard place."
He leans on the table and looks into my eyes, "Tell me about it."
I look at him
Luckily I am saved by Katie coming in with two presents and two cones of ice cream.
My eyes zne in one one of the cones in particularly and I question "Is that cotton candy?"
Katy smiles and says "A little birdy told me it was one of your favorites."
I looked at Josh and he avoided my gaze.
Once we both take our cones, Katy comes back and places two boxes on the table. "Ok here's y'all presents. Happy Birthday to you both."
I look away and Josh says "Thank you" for the both of us.
I enjoy my cotton candy cream, squeal in excitement, and moan. I haven't had this ice cream in FOREVER. It's a delicacy that I honestly forgot. I look up and see Josh staring at me blushing. I tilt my head and lick my ice cream. My eyebrows furrow until they finally raise.
I tease "Oh, you dirty-minded boy."
He looks away with pink cheeks saying "I-I don't know what you are talking about."
I roll my eyes and lick my ice cream. I smirk and say "If you wanted a taste you should have just said that."
In his signature voice he says "Stop it"
I lift my eyebrow with a smirk "Assuming we are talking about the ice cream."
"Stop Ray"
I laugh and he runs his hand through his hair with a red face.
I shrug my shoulders "To be fair you thought of it first. I was just expressing what you were thinking."
Looking away he says "Somethings are best if they stay in your head."
I lean in a little closer to him and say "So you admit that's what you were thinking."
Josh's face turns beet red.
I start laughing.
He looks away a mixture between upset and hurt. Quietly he says "Stop."
I laugh "Okay. I'm gonna stop."
He doesn't look at me and remains silent.
After another five minutes, I playfully say "Joshy are you still mad?"
He doesn't reply.
"Gabby?"
When I get no response, I get up from my booth and sit next to him in his. I lean up to his ear and say "I'm sorry Josh."
He looks at me and I sigh "Yes, I know you weren't thinking that, I was just teasing ok?"
He rolls his eyes.
I pat his cheek soft and ruffles his hair. "I'll give you a Ray favor okay."
He shakes his head.
I return to my seat and get comfortable before saying "Thanks for the icecream................I haven't had this in a while."
"Your welcome."
We share a comfortable silence, enjoying the cold sweet treat. Just as I look up to say something he's already looking at me.
Deciding not to upset him this time I ignore it and mention "Presents."
He gestures towards me "Lady first."
"I totally agree. So go ahead and open your present."
He deadpans me in the face.
I give a sheepish grin "I couldn't help it."
He rolls his eyes and I move a box in front of him.
He carefully unwraps it and sees an apple watch. He picks it up and examines it for a while then looks up at me.
I smirk and say "So you will be on-time more often and won't have to be on your phone so much because I know you dislike that at times."
He looks and smiles "Thanks Ray."
"De nada."
I put it on his wrist for him after I grab his wrist to extend it. I look up to him staring at me. "You gotta stop that you know. I'm starting to think that there's something wrong with my face."
"Never"
He places a small box in from of me.
I look at the small box and raise one of my eyebrows. I look at him for any indication and he just shrugs his shoulders with a stupid smile on his face.
He is most definetely Cory's younger brother.
"Josh please don't tell me you are proposing to me again. You can't do that if we are already marr-" but stop mid-sentence when I see a dainty sliver jeweled ring with 'Peace, Safe, Haven inscribed in it'
I freeze.
Josh finally speaks and says "It has a chain so you can wear it around your neck if you want."
I look down at Josh's hand and finally understand why he a slice band on.
Josh gets up and places the ring on a chain then around my neck while I am still frozen in time. ?He speaks but I can't respond. Finally realizing my silence he scratches his neck and fakes laughs "Say something."
I don't say anything and look down at the ring hanging from my neck. "Why?"
"Before you left you did say you would need a new ring when you came so I got you one ha-ha."
"Why?"
"Rayne. YOu have always been my safe place and haven. I wanted to get something for that. That represents the beauty in my relationship with my best friend."
I look down hesitantly touch the ring around my neck.
"And- I just-"
I look at him after hearing him struggling with his words.
There's a silence between each other as we stare at each other for the hundredth time this night. but it feels different
After a while, Josh finally says "I love you Viola."
I drop the ring like it ice and my eyes widen.
Katy comes and begins to say "We are about to close in an-"
I jump out of my seat and do the thing I always find myself doing when it comes to Josh.
Run
----------------------------
I sit in my room and braid my air down into two cornrows. I look at myself in the mirror numb.
Feelings, emotions, and relations. I don't do that stuff.
What is love?
What is it really, because all it has taught me is hurt, disappointment, and pain?
Can I love?
What is there to love in this world anyway?
Why don't I know myself?
My questions get cut off in my head as I hear a knock. My first reaction is to ignore it and I continue to finish off my braid. The knock comes again and this time I am brought back to reality.
That sounds a little too close to be a knock on the door.
I exit my bathroom and see in my room Maya knocking outside my apartment door. I quickly open the window and she sits on my bay window. I look down at her and notice her dress has a discolored stain, she has puffy red eyes and is shaking.
"Maya what's wrong and what are you doing outside my apartment so late? Shouldn't you be with Riley at the party or the Matthews?"
Tears drop from her face and she hugs me.
I take my phone out of my sweats with one hand power it on. After a few minutes, I text Katy that Maya is with me and Power it back off.
Ignoring any communication from Josh.
After about 30 minutes, Maya whimpers "We couldn't put the boy drama aside."
I hug her back thinking 'Me too'
And that's how we fell asleep for the night.
Author's Note:
Sooooooo who else was single for Valentine's Day......just me, okay.
Anyways, I am back and this has been the end of a long chapter 10. This short story will also probably be ending soon. Maybe like 5 or so more chapters. I have been reading all of y'all lovely comments. I'm thinking maybe descendants, TWD, a continuation of fanfic on the Gifted series (check it out and leave your opinions), and or a completely new story.
Y'all been doing so much for this book and I want to say thank you.
-Much Love and God Bless😘