Honestly I did not think this many people would enjoy this story after a couple of chapters. So thank you. I got inspired so here is chapter three. Fair warning there isn't a someone that's going to get in between Joshaya more like each other. Don't kill me.
Riley smiled as she looked around the photography section of the museum. The pictures they had were some of her favorite. They even had one of her favorite artist Robert Adams who photographed landscapes and nature. Things you wouldn't expect to be photographed.
They even had her favorite photo which she could have been enjoying if Lucas would let her hand go. Everytime she try to let his go he grip it tighter sending currents of unexplained sparks through her.
"Lucas will you slow down I'm trying to enjoy the photos." Riley tells him as he stops to look at a photograph. "What do you think of this one?" He asked smiling at her as she sees he circled back to her favorite.
Robert Adams Fort Collins, Colorado, 1979-1982 a black and white photograph as were most of his work view of a single tree in a parking lot with short grass in the background and a darkened night sky with a sliver of the moon. If you looked hard enough you could make out the stars.
"It's an okay picture." She tells him with a shrug knowing if she told him the truth he probably make fun of her like he always did. He narrows his eyes at her before looking back at the photo. "Well I like it. Robert Adams has an eye for taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary."
Riley bit her lip trying to ignore the way her heart was starting to beat in her chest. Those were the exact reasons she loved his work. He looks back at her moving the hair off her face making her gulp. "Why are you still holding my hand?" She whispers closing her eyes as he gets closer to her.
He smirks looking down at their hands then at her. "Cause your letting me." He whispers against her lips. She opens her eyes seeing him staring at her. "Plus got to look out for my little brownie make sure she doesn't get lost. Josh would kill me."
He pinches her cheek as she rolls her eyes saying she was going to find Maya. "Your an idiot Friar." He muttered to himself rubbing his neck as he looks at her retreating form and then back at the photograph again.
Maya loved going to the museum taking in all the artwork. She especially loved when whoever she was with let her stare in amazement at one painting for however long she wanted. She didn't like when people interrupted that trancelike state she would get in.
"Ms. Hart?" She sighs angrily as she turns seeing a blond older woman smiling at her with a clipboard. She shakes her head and plasters on a smile knowing exactly how this woman was. "I'm sorry to disturb you dear but I thought you might like to talk if you have time?"
Maya looks around the room searching for Riley and notices someone duck behind a wall she thought it was strange but turns back to the woman. "Yes I have time to talk Mrs. Patterson. How did you know I was here?" She asked as they move to a bench and sit.
"Well just like you I love to marvel at the paintings in here from time to time." She gives her a smile knowing she got in a trancelike state too. "Plus I seen when you walked in." Maya smiled at her tucking her hands under her legs something she only did when she was nervous.
"So. The reason for my interruption." She takes an envelope she had clipped to her clipboard and hands it to Maya. "This should answer any and all questions you have but if you still have some feel free to call me." She hands her a card as she sees someone waving at her.
"I do hope you consider us Ms. Hart you're very talented and we here at SFMOMA can help you." They stand as she shakes Maya's hand and starts to walk away. "Oh we also have an exhibit at the festival you should check it out."
Maya smiles looking at the envelope and the card slipping it into her bag. She looked around the place wondering if she could see herself there or in California. She starts walking still looking around when she bumps into someone.
"Oh sorry." She starts but bites her lip when she sees she ran into Josh. "Hey fancy running into you here." He tells her instantly regretting it from the weird look she gives him. "What are you doing here?" She asked walking away from him.
He jogs to keep up with her wondering how someone so small could walk so fast. "Well I do happen to love art you know that." He tells her nudging her slightly as they walked. "Oh yes how could I forget." She tells him hoping he hears the sarcasm in her voice at him trying to get her to remember one of their shared interest.
He sighs as she continues walking looking anywhere but at him. "Maya are we ever going to talk about our fight?" He asked making her stop in her tracks. She looks at him saying no and continues walking.
"No?" He asks spinning her around to face him. "There was nothing left to say Josh so leave it alone." She moves out of his arms and heads to the elevator. "I still had something to say." He tells her as he gets on with her as the doors close.
Maya folds her arms across her chest and waits for him to talk. He just stares at her at a loss for words. "Told you." She tells him rolling her eyes and facing forward. They stand in silence as josh tries to think of something to say before they reach the first floor.
Josh sighs staring at her wanting to tell her how he really feels but everytime he tries to put it in words it comes out wrong and pushing her further from him. He scratches the back of his head staring at her wanting her to look at him like she used to.
"I do like you Maya." He tells her pressing the emergency stop button not wanting to let her out. Maya glances at him shaking her head. "No you don't." He tells her he does and she tells him no he doesn't.
"Why don't you believe me? I do like you." Josh tells her standing in front of her. Maya ignores him pressing the button to make the elevator start. "You don't like me Josh I know you don't. I'm not even sure you know what you feel for me."
The elevator dings and the doors open and Maya steps around him. "It wouldn't matter anyways. I told you I was done and..." she takes a deep shuddering breath looking at him trying to keep the tears away. "I meant it." The doors closes as Josh watches walk away from him.
What was wrong with him why couldn't he tell her how he really felt. Was she right and he didn't know what he was feeling?
Maya shook her head mentally cursing Josh Matthews and his witchy warlock ways trying to get back in her head and heart. She sighs wiping at her cheeks feeling the tears she tried to avoid falling down.
She heads to the bathroom splashing cold water on her face and giving herself a pep talk. "You're Maya Penelope Hart dont let Josh and his blue eyes pull you back in. You already said you were done. Moving on." She sighs shaking her head at herself.
"Can't believe I'm talking to myself again. What's wrong with me." She gives herself one last look before walking out and seeing Lucas in the photography section staring at a photograph. "Finally something to focus on." She tells herself walking towards him.
"Huckleberry you stare any harder at that picture you're gonna end up in it." Lucas bows his head shaking it turning around seeing Maya smiling mischievously at him. "Funny pancake." He tells her looking back at it again.
"Just tell her you love her." Maya tells him noticing he was looking at Riley's favorite photo. Lucas looks at her with a confused expression. "Tell who?" He asks feeling his cheeks heat up when Maya points to the second floor where she could see Riley.
Lucas shakes his head walking in the little gift shop they had. "Maya I don't know what you're talking about I don't love her. Annoy her yes but love?.." He pauses before saying no as Maya flipped through the calendars they had not really believing him.
"Ranger Rick we both know you love her. Just man up and tell her. Your little brownie's response just might surprise you." He looks up at where she was smiling at someone he couldn't see. He sighs shaking his head and looking back at Maya.
"What about you and Josh huh? Why don't you tell him?" Maya glares at him as she sees him smile smugly at her thinking he won. "I already did that Sundance and nothing came of it."
He sees the look on her face knowing that expression all to well after all josh had the same one. They both glance up at Riley and see she was with Josh. What was it about the two Matthews that had them hiding their true feelings.
"Uncle Josh there you are have you seen Maya?" Riley asks hanging up her phone and putting it back in her bag. "I tried calling but I think she has it off. Which is ironic if you asks me. Silent in a museum but extremely loud in a library."
Josh slightly laughs as Riley sees the expression on his face. "Okay what happened?" Josh straightens up shaking his head. "Nothings wrong okay well my feet hurt so there's that." Riley gives him a look making him smile since she looked just like Cory.
"Fine I got into a teensy weensy fight with Maya." Riley widens her eyes and punches him making him yelp. "Damn I forget you can throw a punch. I feel sorry for anyone that does you wrong." He tells her rubbing his arm as she does it again.
"What was that for?" He asked scooting down the wall he was leaning against and away from Riley. "Don't pretend you didn't deserve it. Your messing with Maya's head again aren't you?" He sighs lowering his head flexing so when she punched it wouldn't hurt as much.
"Ow!" He groans holding his shin where he was sure he was going to get a bruise. "You know what I'm telling Cory." Riley glares at him flicking him in the arm. "Oh shut up dad would be on my side anyway. He likes me."
Josh gives her a look leaning his head back. "You know I'm your uncle so shouldn't you be on my side?" Riley looked at him to see if he was serious and starts laughing. "Uncle Josh I am on your side just as I'm on Maya's side. More so hers than yours."
He frowns as she smiles making him shake his head at her. "So what do I do? How do I fix this?" Riley leans against the railing near the wall and sighs. "You have to be honest." " I have been." He tells her interrupting her.
She balls up her fist as he steps back apologizing. "I didn't mean with her I meant yourself." He looks at her with wide eyes and she nods giving him a look that told him she knew a lot more than he thought.
He smiles playfully pushing her as she links her arm through his walking down to where she sees Lucas and Maya. "So what's going on with you and Lucas?" Josh asked noticing the slightest bit of pink on her cheeks.
"Nothing is going on other than his incessant need to annoy me." Josh smiles knowing something was going on. "Uh huh so that whole thing at dinner yesterday what was that?" She looks at him making him chuckle. "You two act like you have been married for years. You know that right?"
Riley groans shaking her head and walking ahead of Josh who was laughing and throwing her arms around Maya. "Peaches I've been looking everywhere for you." Maya smiles giving her a hug as they link arms walking out ahead of the guys.
"Sorry got a little sidetracked how long were we in there?" Riley looks at her time and says a hour and a half. Maya looks at Josh and then back at Riley. "Funny seemed like a lot longer to me." Riley looks at her as Maya shakes her head and they both turn when they hear someone yell out to them.
They laugh as Zay drives up to the museum stopping right in front rolling his window down. "Get in losers we're going shopping." Riley and Maya shake their head as they guys join them staring at Zay weirdly.
"What I can't quote mean girls? That's sexist." They all laugh getting in the jeep with him. "Dude how did you even find us?" Lucas asks trying to put the gift he got Riley in her bag without her noticing. "I have my ways this is my City after all." He starts the car and drives as Riley tells him he asked Farkle.
"Okay yes I did but I had to. These two knuckleheads didn't leave a note this morning they just left. I thought the worst." He pretends to cry wiping at his eyes. He shakes his head and smiles. "Anyway I thought a little Cali shopping followed by a sushi dinner would get us ready for the festival."
They all look at him weirdly as he kept abbreviating California and saying hang which was completely weird. "Did you invite the geniuses?" Maya asked staring out the window. Zay tells her yes and Smackle growled at him since he and to quote her interrupted their post coital cuddle.
"I was extremely grossed out and had to take four showers to get the image of them out my brain. What is going on with them?" Maya and Riley shrug saying to watch the movie love potion number nine it would explain them. Sort of.
After shopping and stuffing themselves with sushi they all head back to their respective homes and pass out. All except Riley who was busy developing the pictures she took that day. She smiled at the one of Zay squatting on a rock pretending to sit on Maya's shoulder and remembered she had another roll of film in her bag.
She walks back to her room seeing Maya sleeping with her sketch pad and closed it seeing she was going to need a new one with all the drawings she had in there. She knew she only got like this when she was trying not to be in her head.
She was going to have to talk with her. She grabs her bag walking out the room feeling something heavy in it. She walks to the bay window wondering why she didn't notice earlier and dumps it.
She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face when she sees it's a book of her favorite artist photographs. She flips it to the first page seeing the inscription.
"To my little brownie." -Lucas