Hey everyone! Including this one there are three chapters left! Thank you all for reading and I hope you guys enjoy!
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The graduation went by in a blur for Maya. Honestly, she couldn't keep her mind focused on it at all. She let her mind wonder throughout the whole ceremony, clapping when she heard others clap, nodding her head whenever she felt Riley leaning over and whispering something in her ear, never really processing anything that she was saying.
"Josh is next!" Riley squealed quietly to her, breaking Maya out of her train of thought. Maya looked up at the stage, and noticed Josh standing right there, waiting to be called.
"Joshua Gabriel Matthews." The announcer spoke. The whole section of the Matthews family clapped and cheered loudly as Josh walked across the stage and accepted his diploma, shaking hands with the dean of the school and smiling for a picture at the camera that was flashing.
As he was walking off stage and someone else's name was being called, Maya froze. Josh brought his head up to stare right at her, never breaking eye contact until he walked fully off the stage. It made Maya's heart stop and her breathing hitch. She felt that similar ache in her heart, and you didnt have to be a genius to know what it was. Or what he was asking her to do with that one look.
Maya ignored the rest of the ceremony, Riley seeming to have the same idea as she hid her phone down low and started texting on it. The important part was over, Josh's name had been called, and they were ready to get home and start Josh's goodbye party.
Maya was thinking over ways that she could make excuses so she wouldn't have to go when Riley bumped her shoulder and nodded towards the stage. Maya looked up and noticed that the ceremony was over and that all the graduates had finished the tradition of throwing their hats up in the air.
"Well we should get back to the house and set up everything for Josh's party." Topanga said as she turned towards the rest of the family, Katy standing beside her.
"Go ahead, we'll head back in a bit." Cory told them. Topanga and Katy walked off towards the parking lot, while Cory, Shawn and Mr. and Mrs. Matthews all headed over to where Josh was celebrating with his friends.
"Come on!" Riley exclaimed, but Maya pulled back and shook her head.
"Actually, I think I'm going to head back to our room and start changing clothes." Maya told her. Riley frowned. "I promised Farkle I'd meet up with him anyway after the ceremony was over." Maya lied. Riley seemed to know it was a lie to, but she took pity on her friend and nodded her head.
Maya didnt waste anytime from Riley's nod, she turned around and started making her way back towards her dorm room, which was all the way on the other side of campus from where they were having the ceremony. Maya walked as fast as her heels would allow without her actually running, she didnt want to break her ankle. Although it would be a good excuse for the rest of the family as to why Maya had to skip out on Josh's party, it wouldn't be to Riley. She would drag Maya out of her grave if it meant her going to that party.
Maya felt immediate relief as soon as she got into her room and kicked off her heels. The dorm halls were filled with family and friends as they were all going into the now newly graduated college students dorms and hanging out. Maya found comfort in her bed as she laid down and closed her eyes.
She wanted to avoid Josh so badly, but at the same time, she felt bad because of everything he had done for her over the last few weeks. He even went to take her to go see her father and his family. Maya wouldn't wish that upon anyone.
Maya felt the huge weight come down on her shoulders again, sighing as she brought her hands up to her face. This is his dream. She continued to tell herself. This is what he wants.
Maya sighed and pulled her hands back from her face and she stared at the ceiling. Forming a plan in her head of how she could ignore him tonight. According to Riley, there was going to be a lot of people there at the party. Much like his birthday party. And everyone would want to speak with him about his new job and what his plans were.
Maya felt part of the weight slightly come loosen up again. She would be able to avoid him easily. She would just have to make sure she didnt give him an opportunity to come up to her and talk. She would surround herself with her own friends and other people to make sure he didnt get the chance. She wouldn't allow herself to be alone tonight.
A lightbulb went off in Maya's head. And suddenly she was out of bed, changing clothes quickly and running out of her room and down the hall, trying her best to avoid people that were walking and standing in the halls.
Finally, getting to where she wanted to be, Maya knocked on the door rapidly and waited. Less than ten seconds later, the door was opened and an annoyed Simon stood on the other end. His expression seemed to change when he noticed it was just Maya.
"Oh, hey." He said. Maya pushed past him and into the dorm room. "May I come in, Simon?" Simon asked himself in a mock representation of Maya's voice. "Well of course you can!" He replied in a sarcastic tone of his own. Maya glared at him before she sat down on Farkle's bed, ignoring the fact that he was still obviously trying to sleep.
"I need a favor." Maya told him. "And why is Farkle still asleep at one in the afternoon?" Maya asked him as she looked down at her best friend. Simon rolled his eyes and plopped back down on his bed.
"Because lover boy didnt get off the phone with his girlfriend until five this morning. Keeping me up in the process." Simon groaned as he brought his hands up to rub his face.
"He and Smackle were up that late? Are they okay?" Maya asked him. Simon nodded his head, trying to stifle a yawn that was coming out.
"Yeah, they're fine. More than fine, actually. I dont know what they talked about, but he did a lot of listening and had the biggest, stupidest grin on his face when they got off finally." Simon said. Maya let herself smile a bit as she looked down at Farkle's sleeping face. "But I doubt you came here to talk about Farkle's love life." Simon stated. Maya came back to reality and nodded her head.
"Oh right, I need you to come with me to Josh's party tonight." Maya told him. Simon stopped rubbing his face and looked up at her with a confused, yet shocked and slightly hesitant look.
"Why?" Simon asked her.
"Because I'm trying my best to avoid him, and I know that he's going to try and talk with me tonight. Just the two of us, alone. I dont think I can do that. So I need to make sure I'm not alone tonight and with somebody who can make sure that wont happen." Maya explained. The look on Simon's face became less and less confused, and more on the disbelief side.
"Maya, wouldn't that be equivalent to you practically slapping him in the face?" Simon asked her. Maya narrowed her eyebrows.
"Of course not, why would you think that?" Maya asked him. Simon sighed.
"Look Maya, the guy practically detests me. You know that, and he knows that you know that. I'm pretty sure I'm one of the last people that he would want to see at his party, on your arm especially." Simon told her.
"That's not true. Josh knows that we're friends, he knows that there isn't anything between us anymore." Maya told him. Simon rolled his eyes.
"That's not the point, Maya. Look, you've already broken the guys heart, salvage what you can of the friendship." Simon stated as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his head back on the backboard of his bed. "I would do a lot for you, Maya. And you know that. But I'm not going to help you run away from your feelings. You dont want to talk to him tonight, then fine. But you're going to have to either tell him that to his face, or get someone else to help you avoid him. Because I wont be apart of it."
Maya felt like she had just gotten slapped in the face. She felt very taken back with what Simon had told her. Maya stared down at the floor fora moment, waiting to see if Simon would say anything else, but it was obvious he had said what he had wanted to say. Maya got up from Farkle's bed and slowly made her way to the door. She looked back at Simon, and he was staring at his bedsheets.
"I care about you, Maya. A lot." He said quietly. "And I want you happy. That's why I'm doing this, I hope one day you can see that. And hopefully you'll thank me for it."
He still couldn't look her in the face. So instead of answering, Maya opened the door and walked out. Making her way through and ignoring the loud voices of everyone in the hallway.
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Thanks for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed!