Northern Constellations

Summary: Explore a year in the life of Joshua Matthews and Maya Hart as they explore the wonders and woes of young parenthood. Joshaya. Post-S3.

Author's Note: Okay, yes. I did forget about this story, but I am determined to finish it someday. I honestly haven't had much time to write anything lately. I go to school on the east coast, and my campus was evacuated recently due to Hurricane Florence—because it's literally five miles away from the beach—so I am at home for the time being. I came across an email notification from ffn on my personal gmail, and I was inspired to pick this up. So thanks, unknown guest. This one is for you. Expect another update soon. If any of you are in Florence's path, stay safe.

Chapter Three

Shawn Hunter loved Joshua Matthews. They were family, but for the first time in years, both men were at a loss for words. Shawn was reminded of the day Josh was born. He had seemed so helpless then, but by grace and through faith, he managed to pull through.

Shawn wouldn't have envisioned himself sharing this moment with the young man he had grown fond of over the past nineteen years. It was surreal to think about how much their lives had changed in only a few short months. Josh grew up, and more importantly, so did Shawn.

"I can explain, sir," Josh sighed, his hands wrapped around a steaming hot mug of coffee. It was all so strange, and Josh felt as if he didn't belong. "I would never take advantage of Maya. You know that. You know me."

"Stop right there," Shawn interjected. His use of formalities seemed artificial. Josh spoke like they were strangers, and it was beginning to get under his skin. "What did you just say? Can you repeat that for me?"

Josh nodded. He made himself clear the first time, but he would oblige without any questions asked. This was a discussion they were bound to have time and time again.

"I would never take advantage of Maya," Josh proclaimed, inhaling deeply. "That's the truth. The respect I have for her is insane, sir."

"No, you idiot," Shawn rolled his eyes, taking one final sip of his cold brew. Words could not describe the discomfort he felt. "That's not what I meant. You called me sir. Who does that? Not you. Look, Josh, you're my best friend's kid brother. I remember you running around in diapers. Don't try to sir me, man."

"Right, sorry," Josh apologized, fighting the urge to run from the leather clad man facing him. Shawn Hunter was an honorary Matthews—just like Maya—but Josh was torn. Their relationship had always been casual, but Shawn wasn't just a cool role model anymore. He was Maya's dad. "I just don't know what to say anymore. We didn't plan this."

"There aren't many people your age that do," Shawn said, attempting to break the thin ice that settled in between them. "You guys are young. Sometimes you do things that don't make sense, but there's always a reason. Maya's pregnant, and the kid is yours. That makes me a little uncomfortable. I'm sure you feel the same, but there's nothing we can do about that."

"I know."

"And there isn't a damn thing you can do to change the past either," Shawn continued. "So you have to make the best of what you have. I know that you're a really great guy, but you have to keep in mind that I have a family now. I only want what's best for Maya."

"I want the best for her too."

"Then what are you going to do about it?" Shawn pressed, hoping to milk something out of the young man. "What are you going to do for her?"

"I don't know," Josh answered truthfully. His tone was far from patronizing. He was genuinely lost. "I don't know anything anymore. I'm not going to lie to you, man, I'm scared out of my mind. But I'm not leaving. I plan on...no, I am going to be there for Maya."

"Kids are a lot of work," Shawn added, reflecting on the very few moments he shared with his best friend's daughter when she was young. Riley Matthews was a force to be reckoned with, and her younger brother followed in suit. "This is going to change your entire life."

"I know."

"You okay with that?"

"Not at all," Josh confessed, suddenly feeling a weight being placed on his shoulders. He was beyond stressed, and he couldn't even begin to imagine how Maya felt. "But I will be."

"I'll hold you to it," Shawn affirmed, standing up from his seat to pour the rest of his beverage down the drain. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order."

"What?"

"Relax," Shawn said, chuckling to himself. "I'm not congratulating you for knocking up my daughter. I'm congratulating you because you've earned it."

"I can't say that I know what you're talking about. I haven't done anything yet. Care to enlighten me?"

"You're cooler than me now," Shawn said simply, shrugging his shoulders as if it were the most casual thing that ever came out of his mouth. "Congrats, man. You've proven yourself to be more of a man at nineteen than I had been until I turned thirty-two."

Moments later, Maya reappeared in the kitchen with an armful of warm hand towels fresh from the dryer. The tension between the two men dissipated immediately, and Maya felt a surge of hope rush through her body. Maybe they had a fighting chance after all.

"Alright, class," Cory Matthews clapped his hands together to gather the attention of his students. He corralled the teens back into their seats in preparation for his new lesson and socratic seminar. Cory cleared his throat as soon as silence overwhelmed the crowd. "I know that we're a little behind because of yesterday's PSAT schedule, but I'm sure that we can breeze through chapters eight and nine in no time. I mean, of course, because you all look so enthusiastic to learn. Look at my daughter, she's beaming with joy."

The entire class collectively groaned and fell into a miserable silence afterward. Nigel Ocampo, dressed to the nines, seemed to be the only student willing to learn.

"I hate to break it to you, Mr. Matthews, but it does not look like she's beaming with joy. It actually looks like she's dying a very slow, painful death," Zay said, raising an eyebrow at his friend's sunken figure and then at Maya who was hunched over in a similar manner.

"He's right, daddy," Riley attempted to sob, lifting her head up to show off an award winning pout. If it were any other day, she would've been ready to take on the world—history class included—but today was different. "It would be really nice if you could give us a free day for once. I think I need some time to suffer in silence."

"Come on, Morotia," Mr. Matthews exasperated, shaking his head in disbelief. He loved teaching these kids, but sometimes they were a lot of work. "I started lecturing you while you were in your mother's womb. A little extra knowledge never hurt anyone."

Maya, half-unconscious, laughed absentmindedly at the mention of wombs. "You said womb," Maya snorted, raising her head from her desk for a brief moment. "That's funny."

Maya's joke was funny in her own eyes at the very least. Unbeknownst to her peers, she was carrying a child of her own. The thought still horrified her, but she was getting used to the idea each passing day.

"Very mature, Maya," Cory remarked, his voice dull with sarcasm. "Anyways, like I was saying, we will be covering chapters eight and nine today. Next week is pop quiz week, so it would probably be in your best interest to take notes. Prepare yourself accordingly, children. Who knows what'll be on your first quiz."

"Daddy, no" Maya mocked her best friend, earning annoyed glances from both Matthews. Instead of soliciting a response, Cory continued to write something on the chalkboard. Maya cringed. She hated the sound of chalkboards. With all of the funding their school had, they never installed better boards. It made no sense.

"Margaret Sanger," Mr. Matthews exclaimed, setting his chalk down. "Does that name ring a bell. Zay?"

Zay pondered for a moment, opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it shortly after. "Nope," he shrugged, "I'm not even gonna try."

"Moving on," Mr. Matthews chuckled, scanning the room before pointing to another unsuspecting soul. "What about you, Mr. Friar? What do you have to say about Margaret Sanger."

"Margaret Sanger," Lucas repeated to himself over-and-over. After a few short moments, he snapped his fingers enthusiastically. "Didn't she design sewing machines? My nana has a singer at home."

"I think you're talking about Isaac Merrit Singer, Mr. Friar," Mr. Matthews said with an open mind. "But that was a pretty solid guess. I'll give you an A for effort. Farkle, what about you?"

"He isn't even here, Mr. Matthews," Maya pointed out, sitting up to stretch her arms. "Farkle and Smackle are on clean-up duty in AP Chem."

"What did they do this time?" Mr. Matthews asked incredulously. Their misadventures in science class always called for interesting discussions in the teachers lounge during planning periods. Mr. Matthews wanted the scoop.

"Drop it," Zay cringed at the mention of his favorite pair of geniuses. "I'm in AP Chem with them, so please don't ask. I don't think my heart can take it. Now what were you saying about Margaret Singer?"

"Margaret Sanger, Mr. Babineaux," Cory corrected, stepping away from the chalkboard to lean against his rectangular desk. "Isaac Singer and Margaret Sanger are different people. Write that in your notes."

"Margaret Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood," Riley yawned, resting her cheek against the cover of her history textbook. "I think she opened up the first birth control clinic in the early 1900s."

"That's my girl," Mr. Matthews beamed at his only daughter. "Welcome back to the land of the living. You love this stuff."

"Well, it is interesting," Riley admitted, shutting her eyes to help relieve the headache building at the back of her skull. Tension headaches were a nightmare. "Even if you don't necessarily believe in contraception or abortion—I know we all have different opinions about those—Margaret Sanger was revolutionary...well, at least when you disregard the fact that she was really ugly on the inside."

"It was a different time then," Mr. Matthews continued, carrying on with his lesson as planned. "And while I do not agree with many of her beliefs and teachings, she did play a pivotal role in women's reproductive rights in the twentieth century. She fought for decades so young people could have a choice."

"So what you're saying is that before this whole reproductive movement, safe sex wasn't a thing?" Zay mused, leaning back in his seat. The open discussion of sex in school was entirely new to the bunch, but they were getting older. It was inevitable.

"Safe sex," Riley began, flinching as she made eye contact with her father. She was still his little girl, and she learned very early on that this topic made things uneasy between them. "...well, back then, it was either marital sex or no sex at all. Women were expected to have one partner—their husband—and anything else was frowned upon."

"That sounds like a double standard to me," Lucas whistled, acknowledging his girlfriend's statement. "Why couldn't everyone just mind their own business? I mean, if isn't your body, it shouldn't be your problem."

"Social norms are a thing, Lucas," Riley answered, taking the stage again. All eyes were on her, but it wasn't anything new. Maya finally sat up in her seat to listen. "They've always been a thing. It's 2017 and we still let them influence the way we think. Let's take women for example. What's the first thing that comes to mind when we hear about a girl sleeping around? We assume that she's easy. That's so unfair because when a guy does the same, he gets a pat on the back. And don't get me started on teen moms."

"What about teen moms?" Maya spoke up, suddenly intrigued by her best friend's feminist spiel. It was painfully ironic. In a matter of months, she would be one herself.

"We're so quick to judge them," Riley elaborated, tapping her the cap of her pen against her desk. "We're so quick to judge women based on whether or not they're sexually active, but newsflash, it's natural. It happens."'

"Damn—sorry, I meant dang—Riley," Zay breathed out, his eyes widening at the young girl's audacity. Riley Matthews was a Matthews through and through. "What's got you so riled up?"

"Is it that pregnant junior in your math class?" Lucas asked, taking a moment to reflect on one of the many miniature rants she went on during their nightly FaceTime session.

"Something like that," Riley nodded, agreeing with his statement. She slumped back into her seat and sighed. It was true. It wasn't much of a secret that Alexandra Jane, 17, would be expecting her first child in June. Riley was happy for the girl, but a handful of upperclassmen were not. It was impossible to avoid all of the rumors spread about Alexandra, and it was beginning to take a toll on Riley's mood.

The class sat in silence for a moment as Mr. Matthews wrote another key point on the board. For the first time since she discovered the news, Maya felt incredibly guilty for not telling her best friend. She knew that Riley would support her. It was unfair of her to wait this long.

Then the door opened, breaking the blonde away from her train of thought, and the class was welcomed by Farkle Minkus and Isadora Smackle. Both teens were in a disheveled state, but the goofy grins on their face were enough to indicate that they were just fine.

"What did we miss?" Farkle asked, finally taking his seat behind one of his best friends. "Sorry Mr. Matthews. We had a little too much fun in chemistry. Smith made us scrub the floor."

Mr. Matthews lesson carried on without a hitch, and Maya began to feel more confident as if she took in each and every fact or detail about important women of the twentieth century. If they were strong enough to power through adversity, so could she.

"I think I'm ready to tell my friends," Maya confessed later in the day over a box of greasy pepperoni pizza. She sat on the floor, paper plate in lap, as she nibbled away at a slice of her most recent craving. Josh laid on his stomach a couple feet away, and Maya wasn't quite sure if he already fell asleep, but it was worth a shot.

"When?" Josh asked, rolling on his back. He took a few seconds to stretch and eventually sat up to face her. He reached across Maya to grab a slice of his own and took a bite.

"I don't know," Maya sighed, wiping her hands on a paper napkin already covered with grease. It was disgusting, but this time, it made her mouth water. "Maybe today."

"Oh, yeah," Josh gulped, picking off a piece of pepperoni to pop it into his mouth. "Aren't you meeting with them at the bakery later?"

"I'm actually supposed to be there now," Maya said, checking the time on her phone. Riley left her six texts already. She felt bad for ignoring them. "But you just had to buy me pizza, didn't you, boing? I am always late because of you."

"You sent me the pizza emoji with a question mark," Josh laughed, knowing that she was only half joking. "You wanted this as much as I did."

"Just a little bit," Maya teased, feeling her heart skip a beat she stared adoringly at Josh. She looked forward to spending time alone with him. It was the highlight of her day.

"So what's the plan, gorgeous? Are we going to sit here all night and watch Netflix or do you want to meet up with your friends before it gets too late?"

"Before it gets too late," Maya repeated mockingly, raising an eyebrow at the older boy. "Yeah, okay, but I kind of want you to come with me. You know, for moral support."

"Done and done," Josh grinned. They didn't say much after that and were off to the bakery within the hour. Domesticity seemed to suit them well.

"Peaches!" Riley Matthews squealed, suddenly cured of her post-school blues. She tossed her tablet aside and shot out of her seat, nearly tripping over her boyfriend's leg as soon as she caught a glimpse of her best friend. It was already five o'clock and the gang had been waiting for over forty-five minutes. A life without Maya was a life left unlived.

"What in the..." Riley trailed off, her mouth curving downward into a frown when she realized that her best friend wasn't alone. Maya walked into the bakery hold hands with the youngest Matthew brother, tall in stature and stiff with mannerisms. Josh and Maya were undoubtedly the most problematic pair the gang had ever laid eyes on, but he seemed to make her so incredibly happy anyways. Their alleged friendship was based solely on passion and promise, and whenever they came together, things either went terribly wrong or terribly right. Riley wasn't quite sure what to think of her uncle's sudden interest in their evening study session.

The rest of the gang rarely saw Josh. The last time that they had all been in the same room was when the Beary-the-Bear-Bear incident went down months prior. He wasn't really on good terms with one-sixth of his niece's motley crew, but he had enough respect for the girls in his life to proceed with kindness. Farkle and Isadora were great company to keep. Lucas was a little rough around the edges, but he was virtually untouchable, so Josh treated him as an equal. Zay, on the other hand, made everything so much more complicated.

"Look what the cat dragged in," Isaiah Babineaux smirked, earning a nudge from Lucas. His words were meant to be heard as a joke, but it only added to the awkward tension that arose. "What? I'm kidding. It's really nice to see you again, Matthews. I haven't seen you around in a minute."

"Babineaux," Josh acknowledged, releasing his grip on the blonde's hand before stealing a stool from a nearby table to place next to his favorite pair of geniuses. He felt a lot more comfortable sitting next to them than Zay and Lucas. Farkle and Isadora were indifferent to his budding relationship with their beloved friend. They cared more about Maya's happiness than anything else. "It's been a while. How've you been?"

"Tremendous. What about you?"

"Well, I've been better."

After getting that out of the way, the boys decided to keep to themselves, hoping to limit conversation. Contrary to popular beliefs, Zay liked Josh. Joshua Matthews was a wholesome guy, a business major of all things, someone his family and friends could depend on regardless of the circumstance. Zay knew that he was harmless, but he couldn't get over the influence he had over Maya's life. He understood that they were bound to explore their relationship in time, but that didn't mean now.

From his perspective, anyone could see how easily Maya allowed herself to be blinded by love. Even though Josh and Maya claimed to be just friends, that wasn't a sure thing. Maya refused to give any other boy a chance and was reluctant to consider anyone below the high rankings of her golden boy from Philadelphia. That bothered Zay to no end. Josh started college, and they were still in high school. Maya deserved an even playing field, and more importantly, an array of options. In the beginning, Zay couldn't put a finger on why he cared so much, but then it hit him. He liked Maya. He liked her a lot. It was a damn shame.

Ignoring the silence between them, Riley and Maya met each other halfway. They were better together than they were apart. Maya hoped that their relationship could withstand anything and everything that life threw their way.

"Riley," Maya began, interlocking eyes with her best friend as they held each other's forearms. Her eyes scanned the bakery for any unwelcome guests. Topanga's was crowded, like always, but all of the regulars could be trusted. "You need to sit down."

"What's going on?" Riley asked, retreating back to her seat as Zay excused himself to purchase a new tray of curly fries. "Why did you bring Josh? You never told me that you guys started hanging out again."

"It's all pretty new," Josh inserted, not wanting all of the responsibility to fall on Maya's shoulders. "We've only been spending time together for a couple of weeks."

"So he's the reason you haven't been coming to the bakery lately?" Lucas questioned, directing his attention the blonde beauty before taking a long sip of the strawberry banana smoothie he bought for his girlfriend. "See, Riles, everything is okay. At least we know she's in good hands."

"So are you guys dating now?" Riley asked, slightly unnerved by the idea. It wasn't that she didn't support them—she did—but she knew for a fact that her best friend wouldn't keep this big of a secret from her. It was news to her that they had been hanging out recently.

"Well, not exactly," Maya answered, looking up at her partner in crime. Josh and Maya interlocked eyes for a brief moment, and then she opened her mouth to explain: "We're friends, I think. He's been really supportive lately, and that's honestly all I need right now.

"That still doesn't explain anything, peaches," Riley sighed, pressing an index finger to her right temple. This was beginning to stress her out, and she didn't even know why. It wasn't like Maya to dance around the subject. She was blunt, brutally honest and she surely didn't stall. "Why do you need support from Josh of all people? I mean, we're here for you."

"I know that you guys will always be there to support me," Maya said, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. "That's why I chose to tell you sooner instead of later."

"Tell us what?" Farkle asked, suddenly interested in the conversation. Throughout the entire ordeal, Farkle and Isadora sat still and pretty, silently observing the couple. Josh and Maya were withholding important information. Farkle understood that much.

"It's kind of a long story," Maya explained, taking a deep breath. "I want to begin by saying that I love and appreciate all of you. You guys have made my life so much better just by being in it. That's why this is so hard for me. What I'm going to tell you is huge. It's life changing, and I can hardly wrap my head around it. What I'm trying to say is that…well."

"You're pregnant?" Isadora said, nodding her head sympathetically as if she had already known for quite some time. Her blunt statement earned a laugh from Riley, but it seemed as though everyone else took her words quite literally. Lucas sat with his mouth agape, Zay dropped his tray of curly fries in shock, and Farkle's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "I mean, all of the signs are there...and you did bring your plutonic hunk-of-a-man for what you called moral support. Please correct me if I'm wrong."

"Where did that come from?" Riley asked, looking at the young genius as if she had grown an extra head. "There is no way she could be pregnant. We're kids—and Maya's a virgin—for crying out loud!"

Maya flinched, and suddenly the entire group felt very uncomfortable. They had seen the signs, of course, but no one expected this. If Maya Hart was, indeed, pregnant, she had some serious explaining to do.

"I calculated all of the possibilities in my head," Smackle shrugged, turning to her beloved. She placed a hand on Farkle's thigh and gave it a hard squeeze. "It's the only explanation that makes sense."

"Maya?" Lucas spat, his eyes shooting daggers between the blonde beauty and her male accomplice. "Is it true? Are you...?"

"Pregnant?" Zay asked, finishing his best friend's sentence. He nipped and chewed at the fleshy lining of his cheeks. It couldn't be true. He didn't want it to be true. The mere thought of Josh having his way with her—a high school girl—made his heart sink. All Zay wanted was a chance.

"Smackle's right," Maya confessed with her eyes closed, facing the silence that possessed the group. "I am pregnant. I found out a couple of weeks ago. Me and Josh—we've been trying to get the hang of things—it's been really hard. I'm sorry, guys. I know this changes everything."

"Congratulations, Maya," Farkle said after a moment, breaking the silence. "The circumstances aren't ideal, but I know that you'll be an amazing mom. We're behind you one hundred percent. Right, guys?"

"Of course," Lucas agreed. Zay and Isadora nodded shortly after. Their quiet support meant the world to Maya. She was forever grateful for their friendship and loyalty.

"Thank you," Maya let out a sigh of relief. The scene was so bittersweet. "I was kind of worried that you guys wouldn't back me on this. I don't know what I would do with out you all…especially you, Riley."

"Yeah," Riley croaked, forcing herself to smile at the blonde before returning her attention to her tattered black converse. "I'm happy for you, Maya. I really am."

"Oof," Zay breathed out, shaking his head at the pair of best friends. He could sense the tension building between the two. He had a feeling that the brunette would reach her breaking point at any given moment.

"Riles, you're obviously holding back," Maya prodded, furrowing her eyebrows. Her exchange seemed so artificial. It wasn't like her at all. "Talk to me."

"You want me to talk to you, Maya?" Riley gasped, suddenly jumping to her feet. "Are you serious right now? I can't believe that you kept this from me for so long. We're best friends. We're supposed to tell each other everything. I genuinely want to be there for you. I want to be able to hold your hand throughout all of this. I love you so much, and you know that, but you lied to me. You lied to me about being sick. You lied to me about your relationship with my uncle. I am so tired of this."

"Where are you going?" Lucas called out after his girlfriend as she began to walk away from their table, leaving all of her belongings behind.

"I am going home," Riley said pointedly, tears prickling at the corners of her large doe eyes. "It's the only place where life makes sense."

With that out in the open, Riley ran and Maya followed.

"So you're the dad?" Lucas asked as soon as the girls disappeared from the bakery. Josh looked so beat. He felt awful knowing that the conflict that had brewed between his two favorite girls was all his fault. He wasn't emotionally prepared for this moment. Hurricane Matthews threw him through a loop. "Care to explain?"

"It's self-explanatory," Josh sighed. He didn't really feel comfortable with everyone's eyes on him, but he would have to make-do with the situation. "I didn't force her into anything…if that's what you're thinking."

"No," Zay said boldly, standing up from his seat to stand at eye-level with the older boy. "We know that you didn't. That's the thing, man. You could get that girl to do anything for you. All you have to do is say the magic words…someday and long game. Huh. Must be nice."

His voice was dripping with anger, but Josh refused to let his words get to him. He was nineteen, legally a man, and losing it over snap accusations would be the equivalent of child's play. Zay wasn't his friend. He was Maya's.

"Come on, dude, just let it go," Lucas pleaded, suddenly becoming his voice of reason. After everything that they had been through together, it was safe to say that Lucas was the only person who truly understood his best friend's mind. "It's not worth it."

"I can't," Zay stressed, squaring his shoulders. "I want to. You know I don't like drama like that, but I can't. I'm sorry. She deserves more than that, but you know that…don't you, Matthews? I mean, we're freshmen in high school. You're a freshman in college. What's wrong with that picture?"

Of course, Zay didn't stop there. He continued after licking his lips: "She's going to get hurt real bad. School isn't going to be easy…hell, life isn't going to be easy. Imagine what people are going to think. We may be accepting of your someday bullshit, but that's just us. Look, I care about Maya. We all want what's best for her. If you slip up, just know that we'll be here to pick up the pieces."

"And you'll have to deal with me," Lucas added. It was true. If Josh hurt her, Lucas would take action. He wasn't immune to punishment just because of his familial ties.

"My man's as strong as a horse," Zay chimed in, pointing a finger at the texan. "You see, Lucas would do anything—I mean anything—to protect Maya. We're family."

"We didn't intend for things to end up this way," Josh explained. All four teens looked at him expectingly. "I know that I'm older, but that doesn't mean that I took advantage of her. I'm not a bad guy. I've had feelings for Maya probably longer than you guys have known her—with the exception of Farkle, of course—and there's no going back now. Maya made her choice…to be with me and keep the kid. I am going to be in her life regardless of what any of you guys think. I hope that you'll stand with me."

"Always," Farkle declared. "Look after her. Alright?"

"That's the goal," Josh answered, the excruciating pain in his head growing worse and worse with each passing second. "Thank you."

Just as Maya expected, Riley Matthews sat beneath the bay window, her knees resting against her chest. The window was open, so the blonde entered with ease, taking a seat next to her best friend. Surprisingly, Riley didn't flinch. Her sobs were muffled by the purple butterfly pillow she held to her face.

"Riley, can you please look at me?"

In response, Riley shook her head, retreating deeper into the purple cushion as if it were the only thing that could provide her comfort. "I'm scared, Maya," she confessed after a painful pause. After a while, she removed her face from the small, decorative pillow. Her makeup was smeared all over the place. She felt like a child throwing a tantrum.

"You're scared?" Maya asked rhetorically, placing a hand on her best friend's back. "I'm the one that should be scared. I'm the pregnant one. Not you. Look, I am so sorry that I didn't tell you about all of this sooner. For the longest time, everything was so embarrassing and messy. I didn't want to ruin anything between us. I mean, Josh is your uncle. It would've been awkward to talk about."

"I agree," Riley stammered, wiping away her runny nose with the collar of her floral blouse. "Hearing you talk about having sex with my uncle probably would've made me vomit. I'm not upset about that though. Not really. It's just that you're my best friend in the whole entire world. I'm scared."

"Of what?"

"Of this," Riley croaked. "Of change. We're growing up so fast. I thought I wanted this, but I don't. Not anymore. Maya, it's always been you and me. Now you're growing up without me, and I don't know what to do. I'm freaking out because I can't afford to lose you. Not now. Not ever."

"Stop," Maya pleaded, catching a case of her best friend's tears. They were contagious. If only she knew how wrong she was. "You aren't going to lose me. Baby Hart is going to need a cousin—well, aunt—like you in their life."

"Baby Matthews," Riley corrected, her head in her hands. She wasn't scared of the baby. In fact, she always dreamed of having little cousins one day.

"Okay, fine," Maya sighed, giving in. "Baby Matthews needs someone like you in their life. You're my family, Riley. The baby isn't going to change that. There isn't a damn thing in this world that can. But seriously, I love you. I love you to Pluto and back. We are getting older, but that doesn't change anything between you and me. We're in this together."

"Ring power?" Riley sniffled, their tears yet to cease.

"Thunder."

"Lighting."

Forever.

Additional Author's Note: I am missing a few chapters of NC from my archive, so the next one will be a tad different than the original.