Chapter 2- The Rules
Josh's POV
"We obviously really do need rules for this long game." I agreed with her completely. Who'd think the two people who have the hardest time following the rules would be sitting here notebook and pen in hand, creating a list of their own.
"What shall our first rule be little ferret?" I asked smirking at her. I found it adorable how she was handling this, at the same time made me happy that she was this serious about our deal, that even though she's younger she's capable of the same feelings I have for her. If I've learned anything from Maya it's that I was completely wrong about her the past few years. It didn't matter her age, that didn't make her the immature one. The fact she knew what she was feeling and was brave enough to be open with it proved she was stronger than me, the "adult". Here I was becoming flustered at the sight of her not understanding the jittery feeling her presence caused until I seen her handle the death of this triangle. It made the fact that I'm in college and she's in high school a little less frustrating.
"How about no kissing?" She suggested surprising me, did she not want to kiss me? I began to worry. "Calm down boing I can practically see you over thinking. It's not that I don't want to kiss you, trust me I do, it's just we have this obvious chemistry. I don't know how waiting the long game out will go if we kiss and all that chemistry is set free." She explained.
"Fine rule number one: No kissing, but just no kissing on the lips." I smirked as I kissed her cheek. "I'm not prepared to give up cheek kisses."
She smiled at me and said "I'd never want you to. Your turn for rule number two."
I thought for a minute, these rules are something we're going to need to stick to for the next few years of our life. The only thing coming to mind is how I'm already wanting to break them.
"Okay hear me out here. You said at the ski lodge for 6 weeks a year we're only two years apart. Why not a week out of those 6 or a day a week of those 6 whatever would work, we kind of I don't know test drive us as a relationship, we can be as couply as we want, the rules won't count those days, but it has to just be that week or those 6 days not a day after."
"Leave it to us to make a rule about not following the rules." She said with a giggle. I was about to say I understood and suggest a new rule when she began to write. "Rule number two: For periods to be decided during our 6 week period we put a temporary pause on the rules, but must return to following them as soon as the last day is over."
"Perfect" I smiled. "Your turn."
Maya's POV
I thought for a minute. "Are we going to see other people?" I was extremely serious. If he asked me to wait I'd wait for him, but deep down I knew it wasn't fair he had dates to high school events and first dates and I wouldn't have them. I also knew as soon as I looked at his face he didn't want me to be with anyone else, but he'd never ask me to pause my life and wait on someday.
"Maya as much as I hate seeing you with someone else I'm not going to ask you to miss out on your high school years, having dates is a big part of that. While I wish those dates were me, they can't be yet so yes we can see other people." He said grabbing the paper from my hand and began to write. "Rule number three: We can date other people. We live our own lives until we can be together." I could tell he wasn't going to be a fan of this rule that he would gladly hold off dating til we could be together, but he wouldn't ask me to do so.
"Rule number 4 no jealousy. We have to be able to accept that we're seeing other people we can't go around punching dates whenever we see them." I said with a small giggle.
"Okay that asshole deserved it." He laughed "But fine that will probably be a little hard but no jealousy. How about rule number five: We tell each other whenever we're going to go on a date. Yeah it'll be hard to do that knowing we're probably hurting the other but it'll be a lot easier to stay calm if like I see you at a party with a guy to remain calm if I'm prepared that you are on a date. Just please no guys like Chance, I can only punch minors for 6 more weeks without it being a legal issue." We both laughed.
"Okay Josh we can tell each other, and it's not necessary to punch anyone, I'm a big girl."
Josh's POV
I know these rules are necessary, but they're already beginning to suck. Just the idea of Maya out with another guy like Chance makes my skin crawl. I knew deep down I was going to wait on her, I've had my share of first dates and first kisses, but she hasn't she has to have the chance just as I did.
"Rule number 6: We only do things in groups, like how it's just me and you right now I don't think that it'll be appropriate to be just me and you, plus it makes it insanely hard to control my feelings. While I want to remain in your life I think it's best if we have at least Riley present whenever we're around." I knew that rule was going to suck as soon as I said it, but the whole time we've sat here making these rules I've wanting to burn the notebook and kiss her, I knew having someone around would at least help me control myself.
"We're alone now? What's the big deal?" She was obviously confused. The last thing I want her to think is that I don't want to be alone with her.
"Maya never think I don't want to be alone with you coz trust me I do, it's just that it's so hard for me not to hold your hand or kiss you even now while we're making this list saying I can't I just want to be with you so much more when there's no one around to remind me we can't. Plus it's not like we will never have alone time, we have the 6 week period." I say trying to make her feel better.
"Fine no alone time outside of our test drive time." She said with a sigh. "Rule 7: We keep this a secret, I know Riley already knows but I feel like Shawn would freak out and he just became my father and I can't handle losing either of you." She said in one broken breath. I pulled her into a hug.
"Maya, both me and Shawn adoreyou. We'd never leave you, and I know he'd probably have an issue with the age, but I think once he grew use to the idea of us he'd be happy his daughter was going to be a Mathew's one day." I said.
"Wait I'll be a Mathew's one day?" she said with hope in her voice.
I smiled "Maya I agreed to the long game, don't you remember the rules? The long game were friends become family. I'm in this for forever. You gave me the ability to see life more clearly the least I can do is give you my last name." I said with a small laugh. She kissed my cheek in response and smiled a smile I would never grow tired of seeing.
"How long are we going to wait? I think that should be a rule."
"18 Maya, I think you should be 18. I know it's technically not illegal after you're 16, but I'd be more comfortable knowing you're 18. I would rather not face the wrath of Shawn for deflowering his little girl, not that we would do that. Unless we both wanted to, but we're not going to anytime soon." Great I was rambling. She busted out laughing at me.
"Joshua Gabriel Mathews are you saying that you think you'll be who "deflowers" me?" She says teasing me.
I knew I was blushing. Obviously I want to be her first. Mine was meaningless and because I felt like I would be uncool to graduate high school a virgin, I want hers to mean something. "Maya it's not that I'm saying it'll be me, obviously I want it to be, but its high school it may not be and I'll have to accept that. I just want it to mean something. You probably don't want to hear this but you need to. I've had sex once. For a few reasons. It was prom night, not long after you followed me to the party at NYU. You were on my mind more than I was comfortable with especially since I didn't understand my feelings, I felt so weird having this middle school girl always on my mind when I was about to graduate high school. Not even to mention how lame I felt graduating high school a virgin, my friends tended to tease me about it a lot. So it was prom night and it happened with my date, and I've always regretted it. It didn't mean anything and I've just felt guilty about it ever since. So it doesn't have to be me, but please make sure it's meaningful, don't do it just to lose your virginity because it's not worth it, plus I don't like the idea of any one being that intimate with you. I don't have much of a right given I didn't wait, but still it'll be hard to see you go down the same path." I finished my rant to look up in the blank stare on Maya's face. She was in deep thought. She began to write without saying a word. As she put the pen down she said.
"Rule number 8: We wait until I am 18." She said and passed me the notebook to approve her rule number 9.
"Rule number 9: No meaningless sex." I read aloud.
"I was going to put no sex with other people, but then that left the loop hole of well you know what I'm getting out." She said with a blush.
"How about rule number 9: No sex. Just in general. I mean I will be understanding if it happens to you and it's with someone important, but we should try our hardest to just not break that rule." I said awkwardly.
"Agreed I think we need a 10th rule to make it even any ideas boing?" she asked trying to lighten the now heavy mood.
"How about rule number 10: We will always stay in each others lives. No matter if we're seeing someone else or mad no matter the case we will always be there for each other."
"That's perfect Josh. I know we won't break that one." She laughed knowing that the other 9 rules would probably be harder to follow. It was already taking all my control not to kiss her. To think tonight came from a horrible person trying to kiss my future girlfriend.
"Maya how are you feeling. I know tonight was a bad night for you." I asked making sure she wasn't still thinking about what Chance tried to do.
"It's been an interesting night to say the least. Of course I'm not feeling all that great my date, who knows what he was planning to do, but I ended up spending it with someone great." She said looking at the ground she was getting emotional about what happened with Chance. I don't think I've ever hated a person until tonight, and it's someone I don't even know. I don't need to, anyone willing to hurt Maya was worthless in my opinion.
I grabbed her face and looked into her beautiful blue eyes that were beginning to tear up, breaking my heart. "Maya, I'm so thankful I was there to save you tonight. I can't stand to think what could have happened, but I don't want you sitting here hurting over what could have happened. I'm here for you always Maya no matter what you will never be alone. I'll keep you safe."
She smiled a small smile at me before whispering "And I'll keep you wild." We both lost it at that sentence and our lips crashed together. It was everything I've read a kiss should be. Sparks, damn fireworks were going off in my body, and my lips felt tingly like peppermints. I could kiss this woman forever.
It's almost like I lost all control of what was right as I pulled the feisty blond into my lap and held her tightly. Her hands tangled into my hair and my lips found her neck. She let out a small moan and that should have snapped me back to reality I know this deep down, but instead I laid us down on her bed and let her slip off my shirt as I continued to definitely leave a mark on her pale neck. She ran her hand down my chest to the waist line of my jeans and that's when we both stopped. I touched my foreheads to hers as we struggled to catch our breaths. We met each other in the middle for one more sweet kiss. I pulled myself off of her and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry Maya, I shouldn't have done that. We just made these rules and I should have taken it more seriously." I felt ashamed, last thing I wanted was for Maya to think I didn't take our long game seriously, she was special and deserved the best, not a hookup when she's vulnerable.
"Josh don't worry I'm not upset, I was just as much into that as you. Honestly I needed it I was feeling very worthless after what happened with Chance, it was nice to see that you really do care for me that way. Plus we never signed the rules, hence they are not yet official." She said as she signed her name.
I smiled. "You're my world Maya, never think differently."
We spent that night cuddling and talking about life until we fell asleep. I know I shouldn't have stayed the night. The trouble we could both get into if we're caught, but she needed me tonight, and after all I haven't signed my name the rules don't take effect until tomorrow morning, and I was holding her as long as I could.
It's going to be a long wait, but Maya Hart will be worth it.
Guys I'm so sorry for the long wait. I've just started a new college and moved into my own apartment and there's been a lot of adjusting and homework and settling, but I'm settled almost now. Still trying to get use to new jobs and friends and a new life in a big city, but I promise to try my best to update quicker from now on. I hope you guys like this chapter, and please review. Thank you all so much for all the kind words on this story.
