Chapter VII: You're The Voice...I Need To Find You...I Gotta Find You (Part 2)
Josh stands there dumbfounded. The unthinkable happened! Maya's father, Shawn, is here...on the Flakesville campus...in Maya's dorm-apartment...RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM! He came to tell Maya that he was ready. He wanted to come to her house and have his arms opened wide only for her to run into them. And then, they'd share a kiss. However, not everything has to be a fairytale. Unfortunately, Josh has to learn it the hard way.
Shawn is here.
He was never here.
The last time Josh seen Shawn was at his High School Graduation. It wasn't as if Shawn was a bad parent. Hell...Josh, Maya, and Riley has the best fathers/uncles in the world. They still talk to Shawn almost once or twice a week, depending on his driving schedule; he is a tourist and writes articles, which he gets paid good money to write. However, they haven't seen him in person in almost two years. So, this was a surprise.
A pleasant one...YES!
But, for Josh, in this situation...NOT GOOD!
"So are you going to just stand there or are you going to join us in our annual Nasty Fingers Night!" Shawn asks Josh as he stands awkwardly by the couch that the father and daughter duo were currently occupying. Nasty Fingers Night is one night out of the year where Maya and Shawn order hot wings, pizza, chips, and anything else that makes their hands get all messy. It was something that made them bond. It felt like years to Maya, where she hadn't gotten to do this. So, for her, this was EVERYTHING!
Josh clears his throat. "Um, yeah...sure." He stammers out, which makes Maya look confused. "So, what do you guys do? I mean, I have heard about this but I never got a chance to be apart of it."
"Duh!" Shawn exclaims. "You weren't apart of it, because it was something that Maya and I enjoyed. We didn't need someone like you ruining it." Both Shawn and Maya laugh.
Josh pouts. "I didn't find that funny." He says, glaring at the two which made them laugh even harder. Eventually, Josh joins in on the laughter. "Good to see you, Uncle Shawn." Josh says when the laughter subsides.
"You too, buddy." Shawn says, pulling Josh into another hug. "So," Shawn says once the hug is over. "What's got you over here?"
"Well..." Josh lets out a sigh. Maya looks at Josh intently, also wanting to know why her best friend's twin brother and crush was standing in front of her. "I needed some girl advise. And, I was coming to see Riley but all I got was you and Maya."
"I don't believe it." Maya says, standing and moving to where Josh stood. "You know that Riley is at work. Coming over here for girl advise isn't the real reason."
Josh gives a look to Maya before turning to Shawn. "Uncle Shawn, you ever had bad experiences with girls?" Josh asks as he scoots beside his uncle. Shawn goes into thinking mode, while Josh gives an evil smile to Maya. For what, Maya doesn't know.
"No..." Shawn lies, which makes Josh give him an I don't believe you face. "...okay, fine!" Shawn exclaims. He makes Maya sit down. "I had some past relationships, but I don't think any of them can compare to the one I had with Angela. It was great until she broke up with me and left." He says and shrugs his shoulders. "I mean, you guys have seen how we really ended things. We just left it there in your mom's shop."
"And that's the only bad experience that you had?" Josh asks.
Shawn lets out a nervous laugh before changing the conversation. "Um, why are you over here again?" Shawn nervously asks as he messes with his ear. He has a tendency of rubbing his ear when he's nervous.
Josh laughs at his uncle before turning to the television. "So what were you guys watching?" Josh asks Maya and Shawn.
Both Shawn and Maya look at each other for a few seconds before turning to look at the teenage hottie. "...you leaving." Shawn says.
"What?" Josh says with a confused look.
"You asked what we were watching, and I said that we were watching you leave." Shawn says with a serious but playful smile as he picks up Josh with all of his strength. "There's no way in the hell that I'm allowing you to crash our father-and-daughter bonding time. I haven't gotten to do this with my daughter in almost two years. If I wouldn't let my wife join in, do you really think that you're an exception?" Shawn asks Josh.
"Huh?" Josh raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Didn't you just ask me if I wanted to join not even two minutes ago?" He laughs.
Shawn let out a nervous laugh. "Yeaaah, I was just being polite." Maya goes into a fit of laughter after this. Shawn smiles, "Again, Did you really think I was gonna let you mess...this up?" Shawn asks again gesturing to the area around him.
Josh crosses his fingers. "I was hoping." He says with a smile which earned him a punch in the chest from the one-and-only favorite uncle. "Ow, uncle Shawn...sorry."
"Not so tough after all." Maya calls out. As soon as Josh lays his eyes on her to glare, she quickly turns her head to the television.
Josh glares at the back of Maya's head. He couldn't tell, but Maya was smiling big. Even though she was pretty mad at the fact that he slept with another girl, she couldn't disagree with the fact that he was a clown in his own right. A smile appears on Josh's lips as he watches Shawn walk into the hallway after announcing that he had to use the men's room.
Josh runs to the couch and surprise attacks Maya with her eventually beneath him. He looks down at her face with a cocky smirk. "I guess I am tough..." Josh says with that cocky smile still on his face. "...after all." He ends, remembering her words.
Maya makes a face at him before trying to push him off. However, Josh has a pretty good amount of weight on her forcing her to stay put. "Would you please get off of me?" Maya pleads.
Josh scoffs. "Oh stop it. You love it. Don't deny it." Josh says. And to be honest, Maya loves every bit of this. But, he did just sleep with a girl...that girl being Jennifer.
Like, how could he sleep with her? I bet the sex wasn't all that good anyway. Maya thinks to herself as she kept looking at Josh's perfect white-teeth smile. To her, he was just too beautiful. I shouldn't be in love...well, that's a stretch...I shouldn't have a crush on someone like this. He can be such an ass but a sweetheart at the same time. But, is he worth it? Is all the heartbreaks and disappointment in the future worth my time? Granted, I don't use it properly, but...ugh, he's just so darn cute. Her thoughts always seemed to take over in moments like these. Moments where he would be so funny and sweet to a point where Maya would forget what an ass he could be sometimes.
And that's the thing, maybe Josh doesn't realize how big of an ass he looks when he's going around sleeping with different girls every other night.
"Hey guys, I—" Shawn pauses at the corner of the hallway when he notices Josh on top of Maya. The instant protective daddy mode tries to activate, but Shawn wouldn't personally allow it. Josh is family...his nephew in a non-blood type of way. He couldn't dare hurt him emotionally or physically. However, Shawn does get this top player vibe when he's around Josh. It was something Shawn happily participated in back in his younger days...which, if you asked Shawn, it wasn't that long ago. At the end, he seen the light. Well, look at him now, he got a beautiful wife and a beautiful adoptive daughter in Maya. It's something he hopes Maya will stay away from. And hopefully, for his and his daughter's sake...and Josh's as well, he's wrong. Hopefully, he's wrong about Josh. "—HEY!" Shawn calls out, walking into the living room making Josh jump off of Maya. "Is there something going on that I should know about?"
Maya throws her hand in the air. "What?" She acts clueless. "No. He was just...um...he was just—"
"—running away from a spider." What a lame cover-up Josh.
"In her arms?" Shawn asks, folding his arms.
Josh shrugs. "Yeah." He says. "You act like you never seen a guy run from a spider and into a girl's arms."
Shawn nods. "Yeah, I have! I have seen a guy do that before, but you were on top of her." Shawn exclaims. "So, I'm going to ask you again." Shawn threatens. Both Josh and Maya gulp. Shawn stands in front of both of them. "What's going on here? Is there something I don't know about? Like...um...let's say: boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Both Josh and Maya take a look at each other, not knowing how to respond.
Yeah, take back everything that was said before...Protective Daddy Shawn might come out in 3...2...1...
{*****}
"So do Josh and Maya like each other?" Jennifer asks Lucas, who is in the passenger seat of her car as she parked in the parking lot. Lucas gulps, not knowing if Josh would want him to reveal his secret. Jennifer notices the tenseness. "Oh, I was assuming since their eyes light up every single time they look at each other." Jennifer says, putting the car in park and turning the car off.
"Oh, I don't know." Lucas says. "It's complicated, but let's not talk about them."
"Yeah, you're right." She says with a smile. It was a smile Lucas didn't know was genuine or fake. "Let's talk about us." She leans closer to him and he watches as she moved closer and closer with each second. Her lips were a pretty pink color, especially with the help of her lipstick. "All about us..." Jennifer slowly says as her lips grace his, only for him to pull away before she fully kissed him.
"Sorry..." He apologizes. "Kisses aren't on my To-Do list on my first date."
"Forget that stupid To-Do list." Jennifer says, throwing her seatbelt off. "...unless it has me on it."
Lucas is seriously having second thoughts on not helping Riley right now. "You know, I think we should go in." Lucas says, getting out of the car. He has no idea where they were, but he just needs some fresh air because that girl...is crazy!
Jennifer steps out of her car and closes her car's door. She turns to look at Lucas, who still wore an uneasy facial expression. "Are you ready?" It was a rhetorical question coming from her. She skips to the entrance doors with Lucas hot on her heels.
"Strip Bar? What's a—" Lucas suddenly stops and his face gets red. He could not believe it. This girl had the nerve to drag him to a stripper club. "Oh my gosh...tell me that this isn't what I think it is?"
"What? A Bull-Riding club? No..." Jennifer teases. Lucas tries to keep as much composure as possible.
Jennifer grabs Lucas's arm as she is about to enter. "Georgio Sean SS44 Poppy 5197 Shelby Flipper." Jennifer speaks code to the security guard who gives a small nod before he lets her pass. He stops Lucas with his hand on Lucas's firm chest. "Oh, sorry. He's with me." Jennifer says and the security guard lets him in.
Lucas catches up to Jennifer. "What was that?" He exclaims. That was pretty long for a security guard code.
Jennifer laughs. "Learn to have fun, cowboy." She says. "What you heard was our only way in seeing that we're under twenty-one. Got it?!" She says before walking a short way from him to go to the bar.
Lucas stands there, looking around. Blue and Green neon lights. Red sparkling lights. It was a perfect place to get drunk and get laid...something Lucas was not planning on doing.
{*****}
Billy grunts as he lifts the weights at a constant pace. Being on the football team comes with responsibility: staying healthy and staying fit. Those two things are the very important. Billy doesn't mess around, seeing as he wants to stay on the time.
The door opens, revealing Zay. "What's up, man." Zay greets as Billy continues to lift his weights in the living room. Billy ignores him, focusing his attention on the weights. However, Zay doesn't know that. So, Zay stands above him looking down at the guy with a worried face. "Dude, if I see you lift another weight, I might as well kill you myself."
Billy laughs before halting his training and sitting up. "So what I'm taking away from this..." Billy begins to speak as Zay walks into the kitchen. "...is that you want to kill me because you want to be me."
Zay shakes his head. "Oh no. You totally took it a different way." Zay says, pulling out his phone and shoving one hand in his pocket as he stands in front of Billy.
Silence takes over the room for about two minutes. Zay was too occupied with his Instagram that he didn't notice that Billy took those two minutes to stare at the print in his jeans. No, not the brand's logo print...we're talking about a whole different print. A print that every teenage-adult seem to have because they're shifting from being little kids to becoming men.
"So Billy..." At the sound of Zay's voice, Billy jumps out of his trance and lifts his head to look at Zay who was thankfully still paying attention to his phone. "...I seen Julie the other day. She was totally checking me out." Zay says, and Billy crosses his arms across his chest while leaning back on the couch. His legs suddenly wide open with Zay standing in between them. However, Zay was still too busy looking at his phone to pay attention to where he was standing and Billy, for that matter.
"Okay, whatever man..." Billy says. "I mean, I wouldn't be okay with it if SHE AND I WERE STILL TOGETHER!" Billy shouts, getting up and stretching. His shirt rises a little; his abs were showing. But unfortunately for Billy, Zay wasn't paying him any attention.
"Well, since you said that..." Zay says walking away from Billy before making his way to the hallway. He turns around, finally looking at Billy after several minutes. "...I'm going to do what I do best and get the lady."
"WHAT!" Billy exclaims, making Zay flinch. "I mean, go ahead bro." Billy stumbles.
"Bro?" Zay says walking into the living room again. "You've never called me bro, brother, or anything in that context. Something is up."
Something was up, and it was the last thing that: A) Zay needed to hear and B) Billy wanted to say. If you're looking at both sides, it's a lose-lose. And unfortunately, Billy needs to think of something fast because Zay is giving him a questioning look.
After a quick second to think, Billy sighs. He is about to say something that is so unbelievable to Zay. Unfortunately for Rachel, it was about her crush on him. "I was trying to keep it a secret, but Rachel has a crush on you." Billy says. "Don't go out with Julie. Go to Rachel."
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe it..." Zay says, looking at Billy with such a surprising face. Billy lets out a relieved sigh. He was in the clear...well so he thought. "...that you would keep this from me. I thought we told each other everything."
"They made me keep it on the low." Billy defends himself.
"They? So more people knew about this?" Zay asks Billy. Billy nods his head, telling Zay that it is true. "Oh my...this is a big deal! If people knew, it means that she really does have a crush on me." Zay grabs his jacket. "And do you want to know the funniest thing?" He asks. "I have had the biggest crush on her since like forever." And with that, he dashes out of the dorm-apartment.
Billy's body felt lifeless as he fell to the floor. "What in the hell?" He asks himself out loud. "What is going on?"
For what it felt like two minutes, Billy was staring at Zay's d*ck print. And no, it wasn't just a in sight-out of sight thing. Billy was actually STARING. "Maybe it was...no, I was actually staring." He groans and then face palms. "You have got to be kidding me...but no, I was...oh my god, maybe it was those pills I took." He blames the pills, and a smile suddenly appears on his face. "Yeah, it's most defiantly the pills. Staring must be one of the side affects."
Oh, Billy...blaming the pills, are we?
{*****}
Zay wasn't the only one dealing with a humongous crush. Riley was also dealing with a huge one. With eleven minutes left of her shift, Riley decides to call the person she can depend on. She needs to have a talk with the woman who is known for settling issues. She needs to talk to a well-known lawyer in her own right. She needs to talk to...her mom.
"Mom, I just...I can't believe that he did that. I mean, he's practically my unofficial brother...and for him to not come to my aid bothers the crap out of me." Riley tells her mom on the phone as she wipes off tables.
"Baby, Lucas is a mature guy. Maybe he is like your brother in some ways, but...oh come on!" Topanga says over the phone. "One: he's not my son. So the brother that I never had crap shouldn't leave your mouth. Because if you're serious about liking this boy, then stop talking about how much he is like a brother to you." She says and a sad sigh escapes Riley's mouth. "Two: If I was a cougar, I'd snatch him up so fast. The boy is sexy, mature, and has rode a bull before. If that doesn't spell fabulous sex, then I don't know why God would put someone through that." Topanga laughs.
Riley makes a face. "Okay, mom. I don't need to hear about how sexy he is." Riley says. "Or what sex would be like with him? Am I talking to Topanga Matthews...or Maya Hart?"
"Oh come on, you can't deny it." Topanga says. "He's nineteen now, so technically I'm legal to marry him."
"Okay, so what?" Riley says shrugging her shoulders. She turns around and looks at the clock, noticing that she had seven minutes left. "Listen, mom..." Riley speaks into the phone. "He is cute and sexy and mature and a bull-rider, but I can't look over the fact that he chose some girl over me."
"Riley, would you listen to yourself?" Topanga exclaims on the phone. "You're basically pinning your problems on him without Lucas knowing a damn thing. He doesn't know that you like him. All he knows is that you are his brother's twin sister. He was on a date with some girl. If he chose you over the date, I would have drove all the way to Colorado to slap some sense into his ass." Topanga curses a lot when she gets fired up, which is one of the main reasons why Cory, the twins' dad, fell in love with her. Deep-down, he loves feisty. "He's on a date, Riley. If you were on a date with him, and he left to help out a friend...would you be mad? Think about it that way."
Riley seriously began to think about what her mom just said. Was it true? Was she really pinning her problems on Lucas?
"Thanks mom." Riley's voice breaks and she quickly ends the call before sitting down at one of the booths and crying. How could she be so stupid? She was pinning everything on a boy that doesn't know that her crush on him exist. But, it was too late now. Her crush went on a date with a girl that looks like Maya from the back.
Well, he did say blondes were his type.
If only she could fix it...
{*****}
If only Lucas can fix the situation that he allowed himself to be apart of...
Unfortunately, Lucas has the horrible pleasure of seeing Jennifer shake her ass in front of other guys. It was officially the worst first date ever in his eyes as he watches from a stool.
"Is that your girl?" The bartender suddenly asks Lucas, who was too busy looking at Jennifer.
When Lucas first met this girl, he thought she was going to be a cool chick to hang around. She was born in Texas and she loved riding bulls, which is beginning to unfold as a lie to Lucas. He can't believe that he let this girl drag him to a bar, especially since he had to be at school the next the morning. Seeing as it's after midnight, he don't know if he'll function right.
The same question kept finding its way into his mind. Why did he choose Jennifer over Riley?
He didn't have an answer. Well, he did but he didn't want it to be true. He gets all nervous around her, and he can't help but rule it as a little tiny crush. Does he really have a crush on Riley Matthews...sister of Joshua Matthews? Or is it just something that his brain tried to create?
Nah, he really does have a crush on Riley.
"No."
This was the last word Lucas says before he runs out of the building and heads to a place that will soon be heard of as the place that Lucas apologized to Riley for being such an ass...well something like that.
{*****}
Chris finally reaches the door that opens to Rachel's and Missy's dorm-apartment. Before he could even knock, Rachel opens the door with an annoyed look. Chris knows why. "I am so sorry. I thought I was free today, but my professor emailed to tell me that I was on the verge of failing if I didn't turn in three assignments." Chris explains and Rachel rolls her eyes before walking away from the door. Chris follows suit, closing the door and walking behind her. "Listen, I'm sorry Rachel and—" Chris stops talking at the sight of Missy. "What the hell?" This was his reaction.
"Yeah, I had the same reaction." Rachel tells him.
"I mean, she looks like complete hell. What did you say she had again?" Chris exclaims, walking over to Missy's sleeping body and touching her forehead. She has a fever.
"She told me that her stomach was hurting her really bad." Rachel explains. "And since we know that you two aren't doing the level 5 freaky yet, I am thinking that it has to do with some food poisoning." Rachel says, referring to the conversation that they had earlier about Chris's and Rachel's relationship.
"I still can't believe I told you about our Friends with Benefits deal." Chris groans and hits head on the couch repetitively. "You do know that if she ever finds out that I told you...I am dead."
Rachel laughs. "Relax. I got it covered." Rachel says.
Chris eyes her intently. "I really hope you do, because I am not about to be yelled at like a little puppet because someone couldn't shut their mouth." Chris says, referring to Rachel.
"And if someone doesn't shut up, my mouth won't be the only one shutting." Rachel threatens.
Chris rolls his eyes. "Just let me take her to my place." Chris says, lifting Missy into his arms bridal style careful enough to not drop her. Her blanket slowly begins to slide off of her until Chris carefully reaches a hand out and grabs it. Rachel gives him a look that was questioning. "I promise to not do anything. Besides, my roommate is visiting his parents in California. We'll be all alone." He ends the sentence with that, which makes Rachel kind of anxious.
"Um, I don't think—" Rachel begins to say, but Chris stops her from continuing.
"Rachel, she'll be fine." Chris says. "I promise."
"Ooh, you better protect her with your life." Rachel says with her voice sounding a little more frightening. "Because if you don't, I will personally grab that little friend of yours—" Chris lets out a shriek after feeling Rachel's hand grab that little friend. "—and I will squeeze it until it turns into a little flat pickle. Do you understand?"
"I do. I do." Chris breathes out. "Now can you let go?"
"Oh." Rachel says, finally letting go. "Sorry. Just pretty protective over my best friend."
Chris gives her a nervous nod. "Good to know." He days before Rachel unlocks the door and allow Chris to carry Missy away from the dorm-apartment.
{*****}
Maya and Josh sit on the couch with their arms folded, not wanting to upset Shawn further. Although, Shawn isn't upset at all; he just needs to make these lovers believe that he's upset for them not telling him anything...not that there's something going on.
"I just don't get why Josh came over in the first place. I mean, when a boy shows up to a girl's house uninvited, sometimes that means that the boy wants some desert." Shawn explains, which causes Josh to blush and Maya to awkwardly sit there. "I have been a nineteen year old boy before. A stupid and foolish nineteen year old boy. I was all in it for sex, and it was fun but it's not when I think about it now."
"Where is this going?" Josh asks.
"Somewhere we never want it to go." Maya responds. Shawn continues with his speech, which was getting on Maya's last nerves. "Dad!" Maya shouts. Ever since Shawn married Katy, Maya started calling him dad. "Would you stop it? Josh and I are not dating nor are we together. You don't have to give the big sex talk." Maya says. "Plus, I'm a grown woman."
"...that has needs." Shawn adds in.
Maya is about to respond, but Josh beats her to talking. "Actually, there was a real reason that I came over here." After saying that, he earns a what are you doing look from Maya. "I—over the last few weeks, I have been feeling like complete crap because I wouldn't allow myself to admit to something that I knew was true for so long. I mean, a kiss is just something that couples or people do to warm their hearts. But, that kiss that we shared—" Josh is looking at Maya now. Shawn thinks about cutting off Josh, but he lets Josh keep talking. "—was something that I couldn't get out of my head and my heart. After that kiss, every time I looked at you or every time you looked at me...it was...it was like we were meant to be."
"You don't have my blessing." Shawn suddenly says. Josh and Maya instantly turns their heads to look at still good-looking goofball at the age of thirty-nine. I mean, do I have to say it or will you finally wake up Josh? You're a player! And I am not UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES letting you put my daughter through that."
"Dad..." Maya says softly. It wasn't a whisper, but it was quiet and soft enough to let Shawn know that Maya didn't want this.
Probably because she knew what was about to go down...
"Excuse me?!" Josh, for the first time tonight, felt confident. "A player? Is that what you think of me now? Uncle Shawn? Really?"
Shawn was not afraid to voice his opinion, whether someone liked it or not. "Listen Josh, I am a father before I am an uncle. I can't stop you from going around and partying and breaking these girls' hearts, but I can stop you from breaking my girl's heart." Josh felt his heart skip a beat. when Shawn said those words. Am I really a heartbreaker? He thought to himself. Shawn continues, "See, I knew there was something off about you. Nephew, I love you. I really do, but this...that...whatever you're doing HAS TO STOP!" He says shaking his head. "It has to."
Josh closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. "But..." He says. "But, what if I want to...and I can't?"
"What do you mean?" Shawn asks then shakes his head. "There isn't an excuse, son. There isn't. You either stop it or you don't. And guess what, that's all on you." He explains to him.
Maya stands. "I...um...I..." She felt her eyes watering a little, and she had to find a way out. She didn't want her dad to see her hurt, because it'll get him even more fired up. "I'll be in the back." She says and walks to her room.
She closes the door and slides down the wall. The tears now pricking the corner of her eyes.
There it is.
Her two favorite guys going at it with each other.
Well, it was bound to happen eventually, right? The father is always protective over their child, especially their daughter. And to be fair, and Maya knows this as well, Josh is at fault.
Can I blame my dad? Maya thinks to herself. Josh is everything he's saying he is. He goes around and sleeps with girls just for fun, then he'll brag about it to his boys later on. Then, he'll hit repeat. It never fails. So, why am I falling for a guy that anybody would call...absolute trash? Tears begin to fall down Maya's cheeks. Her dad is right. Josh is a player.
But, there's also a side that many don't see.
The vulnerable side.
It's a side that is loving, caring, and wholesome. Before popularity, Maya always fell in love with that side of Josh. She loved the Josh that would defend Riley and herself from guys that loved to flirt with them. She loved the Josh that would stay up in the middle of the night and come sleep with them, because they were both scared of the noise from the thunder when they were little. She loved the Josh that would wake up every morning and make from of combination of breakfast foods: pancakes, bacon, waffles, oatmeal...hell, even cereal.
What happened to that Josh...
The answer was...it's still there, but he's added this other personality that has made Maya question her feelings. Should she be falling for someone as fickle as Josh who seemed to care more about his popularity & status than his well-being?
Probably not.
{*****)
"...Probably not, but I love you daddy." Rachel says on the phone as she spoke with her dad about how college life was going for her. "Yes, I will make sure that I lock the doors and do my assignments on time. I have all of the covered. Trust me, daddy."
"Okay, love you too kitten." Her father says before the call ends.
Rachel throws her phone on the couch and lets out a tired breath. The cold yet comforting air, blowing in through the open window. Finally, she has the dorm-apartment to herself. She cannot be anymore happier. With Missy being sick, she really didn't have any time to sleep. Now that she was gone, sleep was calling her name. It was only a matter of time before Rachel could fall into a deep beautiful sleep.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"UGGGGGGGGGGH!" Rachel loudly groans before she walks to the door and opens it to reveal...Zay.
"I'm really scared for you since you didn't ask 'who is it'." Zay tells her. "But for real, I heard from a little bird that..."
"That?" Rachel tries to play it cool, but she really wants to kiss this boy's face. Unfortunately not everything works her way either. The universe is against her every move.
"That...you...have a crush on...me." Zay hesitantly says.
Rachel felt like crying and hiding in a dark hole, running away from everybody and everything in her life. How could someone tell Zay her secret? Well, of course, that someone had to be either Josh or Billy. Rachel knows Josh, so she narrows it down to Billy. For some odd reason, Rachel wasn't mad at him. She was happy that he told Zay, because she was getting a little too nervous to stand around him. Now that he knows...the question that she has: What does Zay think about it?
"Y-yeah." Rachel stammers out.
"Is it true?" Zay asks.
Rachel is hesitant about what she was preparing to do next, but what the hell with it. It was going to happen sometime in the future...why not now? She leans in and capture his lips, and thankfully he kisses back. Their lips were in sync, a feeling that Rachel has been craving since she saw this boy. "Hell yeah, it's true." She says when they pull away.
Zay smiles. "Do you want to go somewhere...private?" He asks.
"Nobody's here." Rachel says with a smile that showed a million feelings.
From an open window across the room, Billy watches as Rachel reaches to take Zay's shirt off. He unconsciously licks his bottom lip, causing him to quickly shut the window.
What in the hell? He thinks to himself. No, no...no...I need to go to sleep. Damn pills. I'm never taking them again.
He sits on his bed and lets out a tired breath. He stares down at the floor for a while before he shakes himself out of it. "See, it's these pills. Got me staring at everything." He laughs to himself.
He shuts off the light then returns to bed. The comfort of his sheets puts a smile on his face as he tried to get comfortable. For the first time in what seems like forever, he's all alone in his dorm-apartment. Usually, he'd have someone over but not tonight.
By myself. Just like I like it. Billy thinks to himself.
Quit lying. Comes a voice in his head. You know you miss Zay.
Huh? Who's there?
Your heart dumbass.
How can my heart be talking to me? Isn't this my mind?
Yes, but...whatever. Billy, you just need to admit it. The long lingering looks are not just a fluke. They mean something.
Yeah...they mean that I need some new pills.
No, they do not. Billy, why do you keep lying to yourself?
Why are you still in my head trying to convince me that I like Zay? I don't like guys. I like girls. Period.
Billy, there's nothing wrong with liking guys.
Says who? Mr. Heart...Haha. How about you get back to your job and keep pumping my blood so I stay alive.
He chuckles to himself, "Like Zay, my ass."
{*****}
"Uncle Shawn, I'm sorry but—"
"—You can be sorry all you want!" Shawn cuts him off. "But when it comes to that girl in there..." He points to the hallway. "...you are not allowed to date her."
Josh sighs, "As you wish." Josh sniffs.
Tears had already began running down his face as Shawn scolded him about being a player who isn't good for his daughter. And Josh knew he was right. He was nowhere near the level he needed to be to even be considered as a gentleman...or at least a good guy. Shawn wasn't trying to be an ass, but he wasn't going to let this guy who he knows can be better put his daughter through hell. He, as a teenage boy, did it before. Yes, Shawn wishes he could go back and fix everything, but he can't. What's done is done. However, he can help Josh and get him to stop before it's too late.
Because, at some point, it'll become who he is. No more sweet guy. That personality trait will be long forgotten, and the player personality will come breaking through and make an impact like it's never done before.
Shawn brings Josh in for a hug. Josh is trying to hold back the tears, but he can't because it's all true. Everything that he thought he was...it was true.
"I love you." Shawn whispers in his ear. "But, you need help. There's another side of you that I love. But then, there's this new side that I just picked up tonight." He explains. "And if I picked that up this quick, something is wrong."
Josh sighs, "Thanks." He shakes his head and pulls away. "I'm gonna change. You know why?" His voice begins to crack. "Because I want to prove you...and her...and Lucas...and Riley...that I'm better than this."
Shawn smiles, "That's my boy. That's what I wanted to hear."
Josh nods, "And that's what you're gonna get it."
{*****}
"I like you more than I did before, honey. Your eyes and your teeth and those legs. Yeah, those legs are always something nice to get tangled in." Riley sits on her couch with a blanket wrapped around her petite body. It was cold, but Riley didn't want to leave this movie. It was just too good.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Riley groans as she pauses the movie. She walks over to her door. "Who is it!" She calls out to the door. She got a one word reply. It was a reply that she didn't want to hear. The voice spoke and came out Lucas. The boy of her dreams was standing right behind the door. Should she open it? No, she's still mad at him. But, her mom did give a valid point on pinning all of her problems on him.
She just opens the door, not wanting to hear what her mind kept telling her.
There, stands the cute handsome cowboy that almost every girl fawn over. "You got five minutes." Riley tells him with one hand on her hips and the other on the door. "Go."
"Riley, I am so sorry. I was stupid to not come to your rescue. I chose a girl that I really didn't know over you." Lucas explains. Riley wants to jump in and tell him that it wasn't his fault, because he was on a date but she wasn't going to totally admit that. "You have every right to be mad at me. Riley, I am sorry okay. If anything happened to you, Josh and I would be devastated. You are like my baby sister that I never had." Hearing those words stung Riley in her heart. "I was stupid...stupid...stupid. I'll say it again and again, because I was stupid."
Riley sighs. "Is that all?" She asks.
Lucas nods his head. A smile appears on his face, because he knew that Riley was going to forgive him.
...but instead, all he got was a door being slammed in his face. A thing that no guy ever wants a girl to do to them, because that means that the girl is pissed at them.
How was he going to win Riley over?
TO BE CONTINUED
