Chapter 29

Maya and Josh were driving to his hometown to visit his parents for the weekend, one of the few stipulations of him staying in Huntington. "I wonder what my mom has planned? There isn't much to do here. I mean, that's not entirely true there's an ice rink and mini golf but, I don't know we'll see."

Maya saw his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel. "Are you nervous?"

"No, not nervous. I just didn't want to come back home." Her brows furrowed.

"Well, you aren't moving down here. It's just for tonight and we leave tomorrow night." Josh nodded his head. "Why don't you want to go home?" Her boyfriend didn't answer and she didn't pry. "I wonder how Lucas is doing? Have you talked to him?"

"No, I haven't not since like 2. Why don't you give them a ring real quick. That way we'll know if he made it okay." The blonde did as instructed and placed her phone on speaker.

Hello?
Hey Lucas. You made it okay?
Yeah, waiting on Riley to land.
How're you feeling Luke?
Oh, i'm fine. Just want Riley to land safely. Thanks.
No problem.
Have you two not made it your place Josh?
My parents wanted us there at a specific time, I don't really know why. So, we left later, we're about 10 minutes away. But, we were just checking on you so i'll let you go.
I appreciate that. I'll have Riles text you once she lands. Maya interjected.
Please and thank you! See you later!

Maya hung up the phone and turned to Josh. "He's not fine."

"Nope, he is not." He turned the wheel into an edition. "I wouldn't be either."

"When I talked to Riley she said that he doesn't want anything. Just for her to stay with him. Isn't that sweet?" Josh laughed revealing his smile.

"Yeah, it is."

"Then why did you laugh?"

"That's exactly what i'd want from you." The blonde smiled and kissed his cheek. "Okay, we're here." His brown eyes glanced to the house next door and turned off the engine. Josh grabbed the bags from the back seat and saw his parents running down the sidewalk to greet them.

"JOSHY! MAYA! Hi!" Rachel's long arms wrapped around the couple and the blonde immediately laughed at the nickname.

"Son, how are you?" Josh shook hands with his dad and quickly pulled into a hug.

"Great, nice to be out of the truck."

"Babe, I can carry my bag." The blue eyed girl held out her hand and Josh glanced over like she was crazy.

"You guys aren't tired are you?" They both shook their heads and were escorted inside by their parents. "Good, because we have a little surprise."

"Does this have to do with the whole 'be here by 7:30 thing'?" His parents opened the front door and snickered to themselves.

"Yes it does." Josh clutched his girlfriends hand and squeezed, preparing for anything. The lights flicked on and a crowd of people jumped out and yelled surprise. Scaring the living daylights out of Maya. There was a welcome home banner draped across the living room.

"Oh my God!" He never let go of Maya's hand but was going around giving hugs to his friends. "These are my old friends from school. Football and track a few others." Her blue eyes narrowed when she smiled, finally understanding what was happening. With her one free hand she straightened out her shirt and tousled her hair.

Rachel leaned over and whispered. "You look beautiful sweetheart stop it." Maya laughed and glanced at her skinny jeans, booties and burnt orange long sleeve fitted shirt that she tucked in. The blonde straightened her belt, and glanced back up.

"Maya; this is Bryan, Harley, Jake and Trent. My best friends from when I went to school here." Maya smiled and one of his friends took a particular interest in her.

"Hi, i'm Harley." Her blue eyes softened. "You knew that already from the last introduction."

"It's okay. There's a lot going on." Josh turned around and hugged his parents.

"Thanks for this. You didn't have to."

"Oh don't mention it. We've decided to go to dinner and a movie so can we leave you in charge?" Eric helped put on his wife's coat.

"I thought you guys wanted to see me."

"And, we will our beautiful blessing, we have you all day tomorrow and when we drive down for Thanksgiving." Rachel kissed his cheek. "Please, don't let anything break. Please."

"Yes m'am."

"Also, don't let the music get too loud."

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"So you played football with Josh?" There were a group of kids dancing in the living room and another group playing games, that would normally be played with alcohol, but decided coke should work fine. Harley had invited Maya into the kitchen to get her a drink. Harley was very tall a few inches over 6 foot, with blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Yeah, but we went way back. I've known him since middle school. Sucks that he's gone." Maya didn't mind him leaving his hometown.

"I can imagine. I'm glad he didn't have to move back though."

"So are you two dating?" She slowly nodded her head and expressed a smile.

"Yeah, for almost 2 months. Nothing crazy long but, because he lived down here there was no way for us to be together." Hayden laughed and showed his gorgeous teeth.

"I wouldn't let long distance stop me from someone as beautiful as you." For whatever reason, if anyone else had said that then she'd find it creepy. But, his tone held a level of innocence so she decided not to make a big deal out of it.

"Thank you. That's very sweet of you to say." Josh sauntered into the kitchen with a smile on his face. "Hey baby." He wrapped his left arm around her back and kissed her.

"I'm sorry I didn't know all of this was going on." She took a sip of her soda and shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. Don't worry about me, go have fun, socialize." Josh smiled at her, realizing yet again how lucky he was to be with her.

"You'll be okay if I leave you alone?"

"Yeah, Harley can keep me company if he doesn't mind."

"Nope, nope I don't mind at all!" Maya smirked and kissed him again.

"JOSH!" Maya looked behind her boyfriend and saw another gorgeous blonde after him.

"Hi." Her arms wrapped around his neck and his girlfriend kept a happy face, pretending not to be bothered by this girl. "What are you doing here Malia?" Malia was tall, tan, blonde, and had green eyes, all in all she was very pretty.

"Um, I live next door, we went to school together, and we 'dated' for a few months. Why wouldn't I be here?" She laughed and glanced at Maya. "Although, I don't know if you'd call that dating though I mean you didn't even have your license."

"Malia, this is my girlfriend Maya." His girlfriend put her hand out and smiled, and with reluctance, almost disgust Malia did the same thing.

"Come on, you have to come dance." Josh was drug off before Maya even had a chance to stop them. Harley looked towards the ground, taking note of how awkward the situation was.

"You okay?" She shook her head.

"Yeah, she's pretty but I trust Josh." The blonde glanced into the living room and saw Josh left Malia alone, and she felt a wave of relief.

"Want to go to the backyard? It's quieter."

"Sure, i'll go tell Josh."

"Oh, no need! I'll take care of it for you. There's a swing back there, it's old but you should be fine." Her face looked distressed as she opened up the back door and ran into a couple making out on the porch. The blonde completely ignored the situation and adjusted her jacket before she left the closed patio. She trudged across the yard and luckily the wind wasn't blowing too crazy. Maya was just happy she got along with someone, that way Josh could hang out and see whoever he wanted. She sat on the swing and rocked herself back and forth, it was hard for her to picture Josh playing on this small swing and in the fort to her right. "Hey, see I told ya' you'd have nothing to worry about." Harley laughed and sat on the slide to her right.

"Yeah, that creak sound you're hearing doesn't worry me at all!"

"You're funny."

"Thank you." Her toes rocked her back and forth on the swing.

"So, tell me about yourself." His blue eyes were locked on her while she looked at the ground.

"There's not much to tell. I'm not very interesting." Harley's head tilted to the side.

"I find that extremely hard to believe. What do you like to do in your spare time?" The blonde perked up.

"Draw, paint, anything art related. I teach a class at the community center twice a week for beginners."

"That's really cool! I used to coach a pee-wee football league with my dad but I've been pretty bored since the season ended." That was adorable.

"Don't you have to be like 18 to coach?" The blue eyed girl sipped her soda and noticed her hand was going numb from the cold can.

"I am. I'm a senior."

"Oh, sorry I assumed since we're juniors." A silence fell upon them, but it wasn't weird. "What else do you like to do?"

"Well, I haven't had a sparring buddy since Josh left so i've slacked off there. Really just school and work." Maya furrowed her brows and he realized she was confused. "Which part? Sparring?" She nodded and leaned against the chain on the swing. "It's basically a lighter form of boxing. You practice the motion but you don't use a lot of force."

"Oh, okay. I had no idea he even did that. That's actually pretty nifty though. Where do you work?" He stood up and started walking behind her.

"I work for my church. Maintenance stuff mostly, mowing the lawns, fixing things, occasionally i'll get lucky enough to help out with youth group. That's my favorite." The blonde looked towards the ground and smirked.

"You like kids don't you?" Harley sweetly pushed her on the swing, keeping his hands close to her shoulders.

"Love, is probably more accurate. Their honest, and fun. I know I don't sound very manly." She started to laugh and when she turned around to face him he took note of her gorgeous quality.

"You don't have anything to prove. If you really did used to box with Josh, that's manly enough." Harley glanced at the ground and blushed.

"Anyways, how did you meet Josh?"

"Well, actually he's my best friend's cousin. So, I've known him for years."

"I'm really surprised I've never heard him mention you, maybe he did but because I didn't know who you were it went through one ear and out the other." They both laughed.

"Typical man." The back door opened and Josh waltzed out, and a little shocked seeing Maya being pushed on the swing by his friend.

"Hey, what's going on out here?" Maya smiled and slowly stood up.

"Nothing much, just talking about how obsessed you were with me when you lived here." He rolled his eyes. "Don't deny it, Harley told me everything." Josh wrapped his arms around her.

"That's impossible, I didn't tell people about you. They'd try to steal you away."

"You're full of it." Everyone laughed, even Harley who stood a few feet away.

"Come dance with me." Maya nodded her head and started walking inside with Josh.

"Hey! Harley come on!" The boxer perked up and followed them inside. Josh glanced back at his girlfriend. "He's really nice, besides he kept me company when you ran off with Malia. Ew no, don't like that name in my mouth." Josh spanked her and Harley stopped walking.

"I'll be in, in a few seconds. Go ahead." He walked to the other side of the house once the couple walked inside and whispered to himself. "She's taken, respect that. Josh is your best friend, you just met her, why is this bothering you so much?' He jumped up and down and shook his whole body.

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Girl I gotta know, how you dance like that, dance like that, you dance 'cause your puttin' on a show. Can I take you back, take you back, I just gotta ask you to show me yours, i'll show you mine. Don't you worry you're too fine.

"Thank you for not dancing with Malia. I saw you leave." His arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

"I knew you wouldn't like that, which is why I didn't." The back door opened and Harley walked back inside. "What's going on with you and Harley?" Maya scoffed.

"What?" She turned around to face him and kept rocking her hips.

"I think he likes you a little." The blonde laughed and ran her fingers through her hair.

"We just met, he doesn't even know me. Plus, he's your friend."

I can't get you out of my mind, the way you walk, the way you walk, the way you-

"Then how do you explain that?" His eyes glared towards the kitchen and his girlfriend nonchalantly turned around to find Harley glancing at them with what was clearly a fake smile.

"He's just watching. And, even if he did like me it wouldn't matter. I'm with you." She turned around and kissed his lips. "I'm going to the bathroom, where is it?" Maya giggled.

"Up the stairs. Take a left and you'll see it." The blonde bolted and Josh looked at Harley from across the room.

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