I don't own Girl Meets World nor will I ever. No copyright infringement intended.
Maya has always had a hard time accepting love in her life because of how she grew up and so she kept quiet once she realized the truth of the extent of her feelings for Lucas. Riley noticed and bugged her best friend to tell her what was wrong but Maya put walls up so high no one could get in and refused to say anything. Lucas didn't feel anything for her - he liked Riley and vice versa - so there was no point in telling him how she felt and ruining their friendship. Maya couldn't do that even though it was slowly killing her inside to not tell anyone what was wrong.
"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Topanga pressed.
Maya nodded. "I know. It's fine," she lied.
"Maya, it's not fine. You're in love with Lucas, right? That's why you've been acting weird around him and Riley for months," she corrected guessed.
She froze. "Please don't tell them," Maya begged, tears coming to her.
"Oh honey, I won't. It's up to you to tell them and only you. But you need to be honest because this is hurting you and no one wants that. Riley will understand, I promise you that. She's not going to hate you for this, baby," Topanga comforted. She pulled Maya in for a hug as the girl began sobbing into her stomach. She stroked her hair to calm the teenager down.
"Are you sure?" Maya finally asked once she calmed down and wiped the tears off her face, feeling worse than she had before she had said anything.
Topanga nodded. "Of course I am. And if Riley has a problem with it - which I doubt she will - then you come to me and we'll sort this all out."
"Okay. Thank you." The pit in her stomach widened some more and made Maya nauseated but she knew that keeping quiet about this would only cause more pain. She just had to get this over with and then she could move on. This would most likely end her and Riley's friendship but it would be better to have everything out in the open (even though Maya still didn't want to tell Lucas anything because he definitely would not react the way she wanted to. She had to be realistic and cynical about this. Preparing for the worst was something she had done her whole life).
"You're welcome." Topanga hugged Maya again and then hurried into her bedroom, prepared to eavesdrop on the conversation between the girls.
When Riley finally entered the apartment, Maya took a deep breath. "You look pale. Are you sick?" a worried Riley questioned.
She shook her head. "I have to tell you something and you have to promise not to hate me."
"I could never hate you, I promise you that one hundred percent," Riley vowed, frowning at the look on her best friend's face.
"You might think differently after this." The nausea swelled up again but Maya ignored it and plunged ahead, looking at the floor because she couldn't bear to see the look Riley would have after this confession. "I'm in love with Lucas," she mumbled.
"What?" Riley wasn't sure she had heard it right because she could barely hear Maya.
Maya's heart wouldn't stop pounding. "I'm in love with Lucas," she admitted more clearly and prepared for the fallout.
It never came. "Oh," was Riley's response. Now that she looked back over Maya's actions recently - especially around Lucas - things made a lot more sense. "And you thought I'd hate you for this? I just want you to be happy! That's what you deserve. Tell him the truth because I'm pretty sure he feels the same way about you." Truthfully, she was a little hurt but Maya's happiness mattered to her and she didn't want her best friend to feel like she had to hide important shit like this from her.
"I can't tell him! He'll hate me for sure and then I'll tear the group apart!"
Riley stared at her. "Maya, stop being so overdramatic!"
"You're overdramatic all the time," Maya sulked.
"Maya. If you need me there to be supportive, I will but you should do this by yourself." She planned to eavesdrop anyway and Maya probably knew that but she was grateful when she wasn't called out on it.
"Okay. I can do this." Maya tried desperately to convince herself of that.
When Lucas came over later (after Riley called him and informed him it was important then booked it to her bedroom), he wasn't expecting what happened next. "So what's going on, Maya?"
"Sports! Movies! Some other shit!" Maya tried, unable to think clearly.
A confused Lucas could only stare at her. "Something's wrong. Do you need to talk to me about it?" He worried about and didn't want Maya to bottle anything up. That tended to end epically bad for her and everyone involved.
"Nothing's wrong. Just going to fuck everything up," she muttered underneath her breath.
"Maya, what is it? You can tell me anything." Lucas sat down on the couch and waited for Maya to spill the beans.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Now stop stalling," he ordered.
She bit her lip and started crying again. "You're going to hate me," Maya sobbed, hating herself for falling apart so fast and early.
Even more worried, an alarmed Lucas stood up and hugged her. "I promise I won't hate you. Now tell Ranger Rick's what got you so upset."
He succeeded in making her laugh. "Damn it, Lucas. Why do you have to be like this?"
"Like what?" Lucas pressed.
Was she actually about to admit how she felt about him? Fuck. Maya's lip wobbled as she tried to hold back another onslaught of tears. "I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life because how could you ever feel the same? How could you love me?"
He froze and tried to process her words. "Maya, what are you saying?" His whole body thrummed with anticipation. Was she saying what he thought (hoped) she was saying?
Maya choked on another sob. "Lucas, I'm in love with you but I know you'll never feel the same. You like Riley, not me."
Lucas started laughing but stopped when he realized the impression he was accidentally giving off. "Maya, don't you see? Riley's one of my best friends but I've fallen in love with you too. All the stupid, annoying nicknames and everything else. I've actually started to look forward to what odd name you'll come up with for me next. I just never dreamed you'd feel the same way."
"Really?" She couldn't believe this was happening.
"Really," he confirmed before swooping in for a kiss. They broke apart when Riley and Topanga started cheering.
"I should have known we'd have an audience," Maya complained but she couldn't stop the smile and warmth invading her whole body. She felt lighter now. Was this what being in love and happy felt like? She should have said something sooner.
"We can go and talk about this some more in private. I know you'll tell Riley everything later, though." Lucas kissed her again and the two of them walked out of the Matthews' apartment holding hands.
It wouldn't be easy - there'd be some missteps - but Maya and Lucas were determined to make sure their relationship didn't fall apart. And he made her happier than she had ever been in her life.