Maya's POV
"Why aren't you coming over tonight? I can help you with algebra" Riley offers as we talk on the phone on Saturday evening. Usually I went to her place on Saturday nights to study with my friends and hang out but I had other plans tonight. Plans I wouldn't dare tell her about. I close my eyes to compose myself as I stand in front of my mirror in my bathroom, getting ready for the party Josh was taking me to tonight.
"I'm busy Riles. Family stuff" I add nonchalantly as I curl my eyelashes. "You'll survive one study session without me" I laugh as I hear a muffled voice from her side of the line.
"Hold on Peaches" Riley says to me as I hear her open her door. "What do you want Josh?" she asks annoyed causing my breath to hitch in my throat. After he and I made out last night I snuck back into Riley's room and woke her up, pretending that I too, had fallen asleep though I had never felt more awake. She bought it but the guilt was eating me alive. "Whatever" she says in annoyance before I hear her door slam shut. "Sorry bout that. He's going out. Probably with that Bridget girl."
"Probably" I reply, hoping my voice isn't as shaky as I think it is. I wonder if she thinks Josh and Bridget are dating or more like she probably thinks they're hooking up. "Look Riles, I really gotta go. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay" she replies happily. "Love you."
"You too" I say quickly as I hang up the phone. This was gonna be a long night.
~ 📚 ~
Josh's POV
"You look tense" I observe worriedly as I look over at Maya in the passenger seat of my car. She looked gorgeous tonight, dressed in a simple black wrap dress and a pair of red pumps, her hair falling in curly waves around her shoulders. Yet she looked wrecked with guilt.
"Just a little" she replies as she looks up at me. "This has just been a very confusing few weeks" she adds with a sigh.
"I know" I smile lightly as I reach over and take one of her hands in mine. "If you need to end this, just tell me."
"Okay" she says simply as she shoots me a soft smile while we pull up to the house holding the party tonight. I go around and help her out of the car, offering my hand and she graciously accepts it, following my lead into the party. I see guys looking her up and down and I resist the urge to punch them. She wasn't technically mine, I couldn't let jealousy take over.
"Want a drink?" I ask as we reach the foyer of the house. To the left is a living room that's been transformed into the dance floor, to our right is a staircase and off the side is the kitchen.
"Yes please" she replies as she lets out a breath. I lead her to the kitchen and get us both a cup of beer, letting my arm wrap around her waist as I hand her the cup.
"Can I tell you a secret?" I whisper in her ear causing a smile to pull at her lips.
"Sure" she replies happily as she brings the cup to her lips, looking at me curiously.
"Other than Bridget, you're the first girl I've brought to a party" I confess causing her to smile wider as she turns to face me.
"Good" she smirks before reaching up and placing a kiss on my lips. I respond immediately, wrapping my arms around her waist as I pull her closer, allowing her to dominate the kiss this time. Unfortunately we're quickly interrupted.
"New record, you got a girl in less time than it took for me to find you" Mike laughs as I look over at Maya who is gnawing at her lower lip with a blush apparent on her cheeks.
"Um actually Mike. You remember the girl I'm tutoring right?" I ask as I grab Maya's hand, pulling her next to me and wrapping my arm around her again.
"Oh. The sophomore" he says judgmentally making me close my eyes, as if that could actually make me disappear from this conversation.
"I have a name. It's Maya" she replies snippily. "Come on Josh, let's dance" she insists. I conceal a smirk as she pulls me onto the dance floor.
~ 📚 ~
Maya's POV
The sophomore. I was much more than that at this point. I wasn't Josh's girlfriend or anything but I'd be lying if I said that wasn't my endgame.
"He's an ass. I'm sorry" Josh apologizes as we make our way onto the dance floor.
"It's fine" I assure him with a smile. "Now show me what you've got" I add making him smirk as he grabs my hand, spinning me around and gripping my hips as he pulls me against him. His hand rests on my hip while mine hooks around his neck as we grind together, moving to the music that's blaring around us.
"Mind if I cut in?" the girl from the mall asks as she materializes out of nowhere. Josh and I stop moving and I feel his hands leave my body causing my to angle my body towards him to look up at him, finding him staring back at me.
"Actually I'm kinda busy. Maybe another time" Josh smiles as he takes my hand in his, leading me off the dance floor and out the back door. The door opens out onto a huge patio, filled with people drinking and having a good time. Beyond that there's a large grassy area with trees placed all over the yard with couples underneath making out.
"Sorry about that" Josh apologizes as he leads me to a tree at the end of the yard. We sit down under the tree side by side.
"I know about your past Josh" I reply nonchalantly. "I wish it wouldn't pop up so often but it's something I'm gonna have to deal with if I want you. And I do" I add honestly as I glance up at him.
"What changed? You hated me. I didn't think you'd ever forgive me after I blew up our someday."
"I wasn't going to" I admit as I pull at the grass on the ground. Something I did often when I was a little kid when I was deep in thought. "After I found out that you were hooking up with so many girls I decided I'd never let myself become another number to you. Then you decided to lie to your guidance counselor" I laugh making a smile pull at his lips.
"I didn't know how else to convince you. You wouldn't even talk to me" he replies defensively making me laugh as I nod.
"I'm not arguing that fact" I smile as I look up at him. "I just like how honest you are with me" I shrug. "You don't bullshit me. I like that you open up, you're winning at earning back my trust Josh."
"For the past year the only people I've been honest with are Cory, Topanga, and Bridget. I try with Riley but she won't let me in. I like having someone to talk to."
"I like that I'm the person you enjoy talking too" I reply and suddenly his lips are on mine. He grabs my waist while I let my hands get lost in his hair pulling at it gently. He deepens the kiss, distracting me from the movement of his hands as he positions me on his lap making his back fall against the tree. "You okay?" I laugh as I break apart from him slightly, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.
"Right now yea, but my back is gonna hurt like a bitch tomorrow" he laughs as his hands rest on the small of my back, pulling my hips to his so there's no space between our bodies. "What are we gonna do gorgeous?" he whispers as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear making a blush rise on my cheeks.
"Let's not think tonight" I reply as I lean back in for another kiss. "I wanna live in the moment."
"Okay" he gives with a soft smile before pressing his lips to mine once more.
~ 📚 ~
"You're home late" my dad says as I open the door a little after two in the morning. Josh and I spent a decent amount of time in a lip lock under the tree and after that we went inside to dance a bit more before finally deciding to leave the party. I was exhausted yet energized all at the same time. I could've spent all night with Josh.
"Sorry. Lost track of time" I apologize as I kick off my shoes feeling instant relief from the pinching of the heels I was wearing all evening.
"Were you with Josh?" he asks making my heart stop momentarily. I didn't want to lie but I didn't want to risk it getting back to Riley. Why did I have to fall for the most complicated boy on the planet?
"Maybe" I reply as I walk over to the kitchen, retrieving a glass of water.
"I don't know if he's the best influence" my dad says carefully, obviously afraid of having a teenage rebellion on his hands.
"He's not as bad as everyone makes him out to be" I reply defensively. "We were just at a party and didn't realize how late it was."
"Were you drinking?"
"I had one beer" I explain honestly, "and it was when I first got there."
"He has a reputation Maya. I remember you reminding me of that a lot."
"He's been kissed a lot" I shrug. "I can live with that."
"I just don't want you getting hurt again kiddo."
"I know. But I'm okay" I assure him with a smile. "I love you but I think I'm gonna head off to bed. I'll see in the morning."
"See you in the morning."
~ 📚 ~
Josh's POV
I walk into the loft a little after two thirty in the morning. I had dropped off Maya and then headed home to get some rest though I wasn't actually very tired. When I turn on the light I see Riley sneaking into the kitchen to no doubt get a midnight snack.
"You're home late" she says simply as she makes her way to the fridge, pulling out a bowl of spaghetti noodles.
"Parties run late niece" I joke as I walk over to the dining room table, taking a seat. "I can warm that up for you."
"I like it cold" she replies snippily as she sits across from me. "You didn't bring a girl home. You feeling okay?"
"I ran into a friend at the party. We hung out most of the evening. No hook up tonight" I smile as my head fills with thoughts of Maya who was most certainly more than a friend at this point.
"I think Maya is starting to like you again" Riley says bluntly causing my eyes to widen. "You need to stay away from her. I can't watch her go through hell again when she finally realizes you're nothing but a man whore." That stings a bit as the words leave her lips. I was trying to change. Trying for Maya. I didn't want to hurt her.
"I never meant to hurt her Riles."
"It doesn't matter if you meant to. You hurt her and I'm not letting it happen again. Leave her alone Josh" she finishes as she takes her plate of spaghetti up the stairs towards her bedroom.
"Shit" I mutter under my breath as I head up to my room.