As he walked away from her towards his building, he kept asking himself the same question. Why did he just ask her to lunch? What was he thinking? Now, she'll definitely think he was leading her on. Obviously, he has lost his mind. He pulled the handle on the door and swung it open, but before stepping inside, Josh turned his head back. There she was. already sketching again. He smiled, just one lunch couldn't hurt right?

Maya was scribbling in her sketch book, trying hard not to look up at Josh. She was older now, more mature, so she had to be better at holding herself together. No more creepy, lovesick buffoon screaming from her, she's a big girl now. And maybe if she kept telling herself that, someday it'll be true.

But that someday wasn't today. Her first college art class and Maya couldn't concentrate at all. For christ's sake, Uncle Boing just asked her to lunch. How could she possibly be calm! The entire class she could feel her phone vibrating, knowing that Riley was on the other end freaking out as much as she was. But her professor was very specific about phones. There was already one victim early on whose phone was now sitting on the desk at the front of the room. Riley would just have to wait.

Their first assignment was a free for all. Just draw whatever you like. As always with introductory art classes, there are two groups of people. The freshman art majors who actually want to be there, and the seniors who just need a few miscellaneous creative participation credits to graduate. So as always on the first day, the professors have to figure out who's who.

Maya, as usual, took the assignment to the next level. She took the charcoal and started to scribble all over the 24x18 inch page in front of her. She had no idea what she was drawing. She just let all of the confusion and anxiousness guide her hand. The professor came up to look her piece. "Something on your mind Ms. Hart?"

She looked up at the man. You could tell he was bald but had a thick beard and a beret on. "Yeah, you could say that."

"And who is it?"

"What do you mean who?" She turned back to the page and continued to slash marks on the page with so much force, she was creating little divots in the paper, giving the drawing a whole new texture to it. "I wasn't drawing anyone. They're just scribbles." She mumbled.

"You sure about that Ms. Hart? Because when I take a step back," The professor took Maya by the shoulders and made her take a few steps back. "I seem to see something different."

It was then that Maya saw. Up close, they just looked like scribbles but when she took a step back. She saw the areas on the page that were darker, with more lines, that made up his hair. And the parts that were lighter for his cheeks. And the deep indents she made where his smile should be. Shit. Without even realizing it, she drew Josh. The professor raised an eyebrow at her. "So, if you weren't drawing anyone, then what is it?"

She took a moment to think. "Just something I've been trying to figure out for a long time."

Maya took her time getting out of class. As much as she wanted to go to lunch with Josh she was also much too nervous. Maybe if she took long enough getting out, he'd get fed up waiting for her and just leave. She opened the door, squinting at the sun suddenly shining in her face. Once her eyes adjusted she looked at the bench she was sitting in before class. It was empty. Guess he really did just leave. She stood, looking at the empty bench, half disappointed half relieved. Why would he want to go to lunch with someone like her anyway? It was just probably one of those things people say to be courteous, he didn't really mean it.

"Hey," Maya whipped her head around so fast she got a little dizzy. There he was, leaning against the wall in his beanie, black t-shirt, and gray jeans. "You ready to go?"

He chuckled as she turned. Watching her walk out of the building, he has seen her look of disappointment. And he couldn't help but feel charmed by the expression she had now that she saw him standing there. She looked like… she was grateful; grateful that he actually meant what he said about lunch, that he was there. It was a good look on her.

"Yeah, where are we going?"

"I know a half decent place, come on." He pushed on the wall with his foot and looped around her, leading the way. She followed close behind him, watching the concrete in front of her as they walked, satisfied seeing their shadows next to each other.

They took a short walk around the block. Josh was taking her somewhere he knew she would like. They finally reached their destination and Josh stopped short on the sidewalk without warning. Maya, who was still watching their shadows next to each other walked right into him, "Ow,"

"This is it. This is the place." He beamed, obviously proud of himself.

She looked up. Dorado Tacos. She turned back to him with disbelief. How? How could he possibly have known that she was craving tacos? How did he know how to make her knees weak every time?

They sat down and Josh ordered a ridiculous amount of tacos for the two of them. As if they were only a quarter. And there, sitting in the window of a taco joint in New York City with their giant pile of tacos, Josh and Maya were finally able to enjoy some time alone together; the first time in a long time.

He asked about her first day as a good caring uncle of her best friend would, and she told him it was alright, as a Maya would. It was nice, she was finally able to just talk to him about everything and nothing at the same time. She finally understood why Riley and Lucas loved it so much.

But of course, as we all know, life and Maya never really got along. So every time Maya was just a little bit happy, life just had to throw her a curveball. The door opened and two girls in their mid-twenties walked in. Maya's back was turned to them so she didn't notice until they called her name. "Maya? Is that you?"

The blonde turned around. It was the two girls from the dorm party two years ago. She couldn't remember their names, and she was even more shocked that they remembered hers. They were really nice to her four years ago and she liked them. But they also knew how creepy crazy she was for Josh, who was not so coincidentally sitting across from her right now. She could already feel the oncoming doom as the girls walked over to their table, "Hey how are you guys?"

"We're great, how are you doing! Are you a student at NYU now?" the brunette one said. God, Maya really wished she remembered their names.

"Yeah I am actually. What about you guys?"

"Jasmine and I are both grad students now." the asian one chimed. Well at least that's one mystery person solved.

"Cool that's awesome. Wow, to be honest, I can't believe you guys still remember me." Frankly, she was really hoping they wouldn't. That really wasn't one of her most glorious nights after all.

"Of course we do! You are still the bravest 14 year old girl we've ever met. Except you're not 14 anymore are you?"

Maya nodded, "Nope, guess I'm not."

Jasmine looked at Josh, "Yeah Josh, guess she's not." she smirked sarcastically. These two were still playing matchmaker.

"Okay, I get it. Thank you, for once again deciding my life more me."

"You're welcome." Jasmine gave Maya a pat on the shoulder before they both turned and walked away towards the ordering line. Maya smiled as she watched them walk away without another word, not really sure whether she should be mad at them or be thanking them. Sure they made things a little bit awkward, but they were certainly good at pushing things along.

When Maya turned back around, Josh was looking at her with a grin, "What?"

"They're right you know. You really aren't 14 anymore." He knew that, he knew that all too well. He watched her grow year after year, every time he saw her she was more beautiful.

"No, no I'm not Josh. So you can't use age as a reason to avoid us anymore." The coy smirk on Maya's face that Josh was all too familiar with was menacing.

"No, I suppose I can't. And I've been thinking, how 'bout we try this? "

"Boyfriend and girlfriend right now."

Josh rolled his eyes, "No."

"Boyfriend and Girlfriend eventually."

He paused for a while, silent just like the first time she asked him at the ski lodge. She stared at him, gesturing for him to give her some sort of answer. He sighed, "Maybe. It's definitely a maybe." Her blue eyes twinkled again. Hope was a good look on Maya, whether she liked to admit it or not. "You really still want us to happen don't you?"

"I like you Josh. There's never been anyone else." She told him, staring right in his eyes, never wavering, never backing down.

"I like you too. But I don't think now is the right time."

She sighed, there was always a 'but' involved, "So when is the right time?"

"Well, remember when I first started college? How it wasn't exactly easy for me?

She nodded, "Yep, and you were Schnoopaloop's roommate."

"I just think, right now, you're just starting the next phase in your life. Things are going to change, things you might not be ready for. And it's going to be even harder because now, Riley's not here either. So I don't think it's the right time to start anything between us. Once you get settled in, then maybe we'll talk about it. How's that sound?"

She nodded. This was Josh, always looking out for her. And even though she didn't really agree with his thought process, she appreciated it. At least he cared enough to consider her circumstances. So she didn't argue his point; Maya just held out her hand across the table, the same way she always would, "Someday?"

He grinned and took her hand. "Someday." They shook on it, their promise to each other. And once again, he might have let her hold onto his hand a little too long.

Next chapter gets slightly more dramatic a promise. Still rebuilding the base in these first two chapters. I'm planning three more for this story and then it's a wrap.

R and R pls and TY