Maya laid in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, still unsure what to make of the storm brewing inside her. She'd heard of crushes, and she knew about romance. Still, they weren't the kind of things she often meditated on. Riley turned into a stammering ball of mush whenever she tried speaking to Lucas or any other boy she'd been interested in, and that's when she could summon up the nerve to speak at all. Becoming boy crazy and anxious, that's what was supposed to happen to an adolescent girl, Maya thought.
Sure, she'd never experienced anything of the sort; however, she rationalized, the right time and the right boys just hadn't come for her. It wasn't like she was unaware of when boys were handsome. Lucas was good-looking, and she understood why Riley might like him. Maya just felt absolutely no pull toward him, or any other boy for that matter. But being gay? Pfft. Riley was beautiful, but she'd always been able to talk to Riley, no awkwardness at all. Whatever she was feeling, it couldn't be romantic—no, romance was a different beast entirely. Clearly, she finally decided, she was just very thankful to have such an empathetic and kind-hearted friend.
The storm guided to a lull, she laid her head against the pillow and was out in seconds.
Maya found herself lying face down in the middle of a cornfield. She raised her face out of the soil. The sky was dark, the wind howled, rain came down in a torrent, bolts of lightning tore through the sky, and thunder roared in the distance. She climbed to her knees and questioned aloud, "Where am I?" No answer was forthcoming. The field was everything, and everything was the field. It extended far into the distance, seemingly enduring to infinity. Without another option, she began walking.
Hours passed, but she pressed forward, her body shivering as it was drenched by the cold rain. Bats flew by, inches from her face, and she heard the sound of vultures hissing as they circled overhead. Every step she took seemed only to push her further into the desolation. Her body exhausted and aching, Maya dropped to her knees in surrender and began to cry. Then, from far in the distance, she heard a yell. "Maya, come up here! Come to me!" The voice was unmistakable; Riley was calling for her. Summoning a second wind, Maya fought up to her feet, now seeing a tall hill off in the distance. A rainbow emerged from beneath her feet and ended right at its peak.
So Maya marched on, weary but relentless. She couldn't give up, she thought. Riley needed her and she needed Riley. And when she reached the steep hill, she fought up it on her hands and knees. Finally, hypothermic and covered in mud, victory! She sat atop the hill. The weather calmed, the sky turned a pure blue, and the sun came out to warm her. Her body bathing in the rainbow light, even though the place was still unknown, she knew somehow that her trek was over. She heard the sound of footsteps creeping up behind her, Riley.
Riley crouched down, pushed Maya's hair behind her ears, and delicately rubbed her cheek against her best friend's face. "It's scary out there, but I knew you'd make it." She kissed Maya's cheek. "I love you, Maya."
"I'd fight through anything for you," Maya replied. "I love you, Riley. I've always loved you." She turned around, took Riley's hand, and kissed it as they both rose to their feet. Maya ran her muddy hands through Riley's hair. "You are so beautiful," she said as she closed her eyes, leaned toward Riley's face, and awoke.
Maya jolted up, covered in a cold sweat, and looked at her alarm clock. It was 3:32 AM, and she was in love with Riley Matthews.