1) things you said at 1 am
disclaimed
...
They're half awake, really—in that hazy spot in the night where their mouths are moving faster than their minds are. Maya rarely lets herself get like this anymore, so worried about the words that might come spilling out. But they got home from Homecoming a few hours ago, giddy and glittery and Maya's heart still jumps when she thinks about Riley asking her to dance when the first slow song of the night started, tugging her away from Lucas, Charlie looking at Riley longingly from across the room.
Maya hadn't minded; if she were ever honest, she'd say that she had wanted to ask Riley to be her date. She'd say that she wished that they could have danced like that the whole night. Riley had kicked off her heels so that she wasn't towering over Maya, but Maya had been able to rest her head on Riley's shoulder just the same.
So now they're here—side by side on Riley's bed, city lights illuminating their faces just enough to see the other, and Maya is feeling incredibly, stupidly brave.
"I liked dancing with you tonight," she whispers, more to the ceiling than to the girl pressed against her shoulder. For all her ill-timed bravery, Maya's far too afraid to look at Riley.
The silence stretches out between them. Maya almost thinks that Riley's fallen asleep, almost okay with that when Riley responds, "I liked it too, Peaches."
