I only get about three hours of actual sleep that night and I'm already wide awake when my alarm goes off. I just had eight more hours until Josh and I were together again.
I sit up and grab my phone checking for texts but unfortunately I have none. Josh must still be sleeping after his long car drive into Greenwich last night.
I climb off my bed and walk over to my closet grabbing a red button-up blouse and my favorite pair of jeans. I go into the bathroom when my phone vibrates with a Skype request from Josh. I'm in the middle of getting dressed and I know I should deny it but I can't. It's Josh.
I press the answer button throwing my blouse on quickly but unfortunately I'm not able to get it buttoned before his face appears.
"Good mor-." He says cutting himself off.
"Hunter, if I knew it was this kind of chat I would've dressed more appropriately" he says laughing. I look at my boyfriend through the screen realizing he's wearing pajama pants and an old t-shirt.
"Shut up" I laugh as I button up my shirt. "I didn't want to miss your call, but I was getting dressed. I decided that you seeing me in my bra was better than me not seeing you."
"I'm not complaining" he says smirking.
"You're lucky there's a screen between us or I'd slap you" I laugh.
"Yea okay. You can slap me later, or kiss me. Whatever you prefer" he adds.
"I plan on doing both" I say matter of factly. "Consider this your warning Matthews" I say evilly.
"Thank you so much for the warning Hunter. I am so scared of you" he laughs.
"You should be" I insist as someone knocks on my door.
"Is someone here?" Josh whispers. I nod and put my finger to my lips signaling him to shut up. I walk out of my bathroom and into my room opening the door.
"Hey Peaches" Riley says happily.
"Oh my god" I say pulling her into the room. "I thought you were my parents."
"So what if I was?" she asks following me into the bathroom but the second she sees my phone she nods laughing. "Oh. That's why."
"Morning Niece" Josh says happily.
"Good morning Uncle Josh" Riley says matching his sunshiny tone.
"Sorry I didn't catch you last night or this morning. I got in late and you got up early" he says apologetically.
"It's okay. But Maya, we gotta go. We're gonna be late" Riley says.
"Do we have to?" I ask sadly.
"Yes. After tonight you and my uncle can do whatever you want together but right now we have to get to school. Come on" she says grabbing my hand.
I grab my phone and say a quick goodbye to my boyfriend before following Riley out the door. I just prayed that school would go fast because the quicker school ended the sooner I got to see Josh.
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It's almost the end of the day and we're in our last class, history. Mr. Matthews is explaining the homework assignment he was assigning over break but I wasn't paying any attention.
BOYFRIEND: Why are school days so long?
MAYA: At least you're at home. I'm stuck in class. Your brother is assigning HOMEWORK over break
BOYFRIEND: Are you kidding?!
MAYA: Nope!
BOYFRIEND: He's lost his mind. I'm sorry babe 😕
MAYA: It'll all be worth it when I'm in your arms later. I love you 💜
BOYFRIEND: I love you too 💙
Two more hours. I could do this.
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After school Cory has to stay after to tidy up the classroom before break so he sends Riley and I home early. Lucas gives us a ride and after ten minutes we reach the apartment.
"Thanks for the ride Huckleberry" I say jumping out of the car.
"Maya, you can't get in without my key" Riley shouts as she follows me out of the car. We speed up to their loft and Riley turns the key slowly teasing me.
"Riley come on" I complain annoyed.
"Why is there someone on the other side of this door that you'd like to see?" she teases.
"Yes" I say as I grab the key out of her hand before unlocking the door quickly. I throw the door open and my heart starts beating quicker as my eyes land on my boyfriend, whose walking down the stairs as he notices my presence.
"Maya?" he asks excitedly.
"Hi" I respond happily and before I know it we're running into each other's arms as Riley sneaks upstairs to avoid our reunion. "I missed you so much" I say with my head buried in his chest as we continue our hug.
"I missed you too gorgeous" he says pulling away from me slightly. "I can't believe we're actually together again" he says as he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear but his hand doesn't leave my face. Instead he caresses it gently as he leans in to kiss me.
My eyes flutter shut as our lips meet and I move my arms up to his neck letting my hands get lost in his hair. I kiss him harder pulling him as close to me as possible when I suddenly hear someone clear their throat.
My eyes are still closed when I pull away from Josh afraid to open them to find out who's caught us. I count to ten before I finally open them and when I do all the air leaves my lungs.
Standing on the staircase is Topanga.
"Ummm Topanga. I can explain-." Josh starts but he quickly realizes he can only say one of two things and both didn't look like they would end well for either of us.
"Okay, go ahead." Topanga challenges.
Josh looks at me, back at Topanga, and then back at me. I walk over to stand next to him and lace my fingers through his. I look up at him and nod silently giving him permission to tell Topanga.
"Well" he starts looking down at me. "Maya is kind of my...girlfriend." He doesn't say anything else he just looks at Topanga waiting for her reaction. His grip on my hand tightens and I wince a little as we wait for her response.
It seems like forever before Topanga finally says something, "I knew it!" she shouts.
Me and Josh look at each other confused and then turn our attention back to Topanga.
"What do you mean you knew?" I ask.
"Well, you're mom was telling me a few weeks ago that she thought she heard you talking on the phone with a boy and since I knew that you and Zay had broken up I knew it wasn't him and then the rest just kind of fell into place. I mean the two of you aren't really that subtle."
We look at each other and laugh acknowledging the truthfulness in her words.
"So my mom" I start knowing Topanga will finish the thought.
"I told her my suspicions but she doesn't know for sure." I nod afraid to ask my next question.
"Are you going to make us break up?" I ask deathly afraid of her answer.
"What? No. Of course not, you're both old enough to make your own decisions. And besides if I said yes and demanded you break up this second you would just sneak around anyway." I smile and walk over to Topanga and hug her but as she pulls away the next words that leave her mouth make me more nervous than I've ever been.
"But Maya, while your mother and I may be okay with this I can almost promise you Cory and Shawn aren't going to be."
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After we tell Topanga the afternoon is pretty calm. Cory ended up going out with my dad to do some last minute Christmas shopping and so Josh and I were free to actually act like a couple for the day.
Ava ends up coming over and since she needs to be occupied to keep her attitude in check we decide to bake cookies but halfway through baking we run out of cookie dough. Topanga volunteered to go to the store with Auggie and Ava to get more cookie dough giving me and Josh the opportunity to go up to his room.
I'm pacing the floor in front of his bed and he is sitting on the edge of it.
"Josh! What are we gonna do? My dad and Matthews are going to kill you." I say thinking of the various make out sessions me and Josh have had in this very room.
"Maya, they're not gonna kill me" he says calling me out on my exaggeration.
"Okay maybe not really but what if they make us break up?" I say as Josh gets off the bed. He walks over to me and grabs both of my hands stopping me from using them as I talk.
"Maya, do you love me?" he asks looking at me.
"Of course I do" I say returning his gaze.
"Then we have nothing to worry about. We're not going to let my brother and Shawn's opinions ruin this."
I finally feel my heartbeat slow down a bit as a calm comes over me. Josh is right, it's me and him, and we love each other, and no matter what Cory or my dad said there was no way we were giving up on each other.
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When Topanga gets back from the store her, Riley, Auggie, Ava, Josh, and I finish up the last few batches of cookies. I notice that Auggie is decorating a heart cookie for Ava, Ava is decorating a tiara cookie that is no doubt for herself, Topanga is decorating a Christmas tree, and Riley is decorating a bunny cookie. I have to do a double take as I look at Riley's cookie and start to laugh.
"Riles, where did you find a bunny cookie cutter?"
"In the drawer" she says confidently and I just laugh at my silly little goofball of a best friend.
I finally look over to see what cookie Josh is decorating but he quickly moves it away.
"Hey" I exclaim annoyed.
"What, it's a surprise!" he replies smiling.
"I hate surprises, come on Josh, just let me see" I insist, leaning around his back to try and take him by surprise but I fail.
"Hey, that's cheating" he shouts.
"No" I say leaning forward "this is cheating."
I press my lips to Josh's and I open my eyes far enough to see him place his cookie on the table as he uses that hand to wrap around my waist pulling me closer, to him and the cookie. I take him by surprise when I pull away and reach across the table and grab the cookie.
It's shaped like a heart and has my name written in the center with tiny hearts surrounding it. And at first I don't realize it but there is a date written across the bottom of the cookie also surrounded by a heart and I feel my eyes start to fill with tears. Because written at the bottom is the date of the day that Josh and I became boyfriend and girlfriend. October 14, our anniversary.
"Why are you crying?" he asks no longer mad that I stole the cookie. I know I could just tell him that the cookie made me really happy but instead I leaned in and kissed him and as we pulled apart I said, "I just love you, a lot."
"I love you too" Just then I hear someone clear their throat and I remember that Josh and I aren't alone.
We laugh as we look back up at everyone else. Riley looks disgusted but I figure she still owes me for walking in on her and Lucas. Topanga is looking down intently at her cookie even though I'm sure she's the one who cleared her throat, not that I blame her. I'm sure Josh and I were pretty nauseating but I didn't care and Auggie and Ava are staring at us with their jaws on the floor.
"Wait a minute!" Auggie says holding up a hand just now realizing that I was dating his uncle. "Does this mean I have to call Maya my aunt now?"