Chapter Thirty-Four, Pinky Swear, Part 2

"By the way, I also secretly got you something at the market," Josh informed her with an excited grin as he started washing their dirty dishes. "Wanna take a guess what it is?"

"Aw, you didn't have to, Boing..." Maya responded with a wide smile. She was busy setting up Josh's speakers in the living room for their upcoming "dance party."

"Well, it aint a four-carat diamond ring girl, so don't get too excited."

Maya chuckled. "I figured. But you already gave your clue away, Boing. I kinda know what it is now."

"Oh really? What is it?"

"It's probably jewelry," Maya retorted confidently. "You bought me something from that jewelry stand I was checking out, right?"

"Yep! You got it!"

Maya grinned. "Thanks Josh. But you really shouldn't have. I don't know if you've noticed but I don't really wear a lot of jewelry..." She took a moment to observe herself. "I'm not even wearing any right now, except for my friendship ring," She pointed out with an amused smile. "You know, you wear 'em and then you lose 'em...Riley is always losing hers...it's so bad...she's so clumsy..." Maya shook her head in amusement as she thought about her best friend.

"Well, it's a good thing that you're not as clumsy as Riles, cos hopefully, you'll never lose this," Josh stated as he dug his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small, brown pouch.

"Here, open it," He handed her the bag.

Maya eyed him curiously before opening the bag. She gasped when she saw the contents inside.

"Oh my gosh...Boing..." She murmured in slight shock when she saw a heart-shaped, opal blue, sterling silver necklace along with matching, glittering blue earrings.

The necklace was designed as two dolphins embracing each other. It had caught her attention at the jewelry stand but she had refrained from buying it because of the steep price.

"Oh my gosh, Josh... I can't...I can't take this...you have to return it..." She attempted to hand the gift back to him.

Josh gazed at her in shock.

"Woah...not the reaction I was looking for," He stated with an awkward chuckle. "You're joking, right?"

"No," Maya retorted. "This was expensive, Josh... I remember looking at it. I mean, it's beautiful...but...it's too much, Honey...I mean, don't get me wrong- once you're a hot shot doctor, I'm gonna be expecting diamond earrings everyday but...not now...you gotta save up Boing...you're broke...you say it like all the time."

Josh burst out laughing.

"True, I am broke. But you're acting like this cost me a thousand bucks, Maya," He replied. "It didn't even cost a hundred. Let's see...the necklace was like twenty-five...and the earrings were like twenty...so around fifty total for both. Which is fine. Once in a while, I can afford that. So yeah, stop worrying. And I figured they're both really good quality so they'll last a long time, and you could wear them on special occasions. Plus, we didn't really get to celebrate our four months because of everything that's been going on so I figured this will be a nice way to mark the occasion and to show you how special you are. So, will you stop whining about the money and just try it on? Let's see how you look! Ok, Babe?"

Maya gave him an uncertain look. "I dunno Boing...I don't even know if I can wear this...they're so fancy looking..."

"You silly little girl," Josh murmured with an amused grin. "Do you like them? Because, if you don't, that's the only reason why I would return them, Maya."

"Yeah, I love them. They're really pretty," Maya answered him as she observed the necklace and earrings further. "Thanks so much for buying them Josh... really...but, it's a lot, you know? Like,you don't have to get me this much. I'm fine with just tacos, really..."

"Ok, shut up," Josh responded with an amused grin. "Lemme help you out before you keep yapping on."

He approached her, grabbed the necklace, and gently placed it around her neck.

"There. You look beautiful," He whispered with an affectionate smile as he observed her. "Matches your eyes, which is exactly what I was going for. Go look, in the mirror," He pointed towards the bathroom.

Maya nodded before quickly heading over. She walked out a few seconds later with a satisfied grin on her face.

"You like how it looks?" Josh asked her curiously.

"Yeah."

"Still want me to return it?"

"Um...yeah," She murmured in an uncertain tone.

Josh eyed her skeptically. "Pinky swear? You really want me to return it?"

"Um..."

"Ok, now I know you're full of crap, Maya Hunter," Josh stated with an amused grin.

Maya burst out laughing.

"There's no way in hell you want me to return this. I don't know why you don't wanna admit that. Enjoy your gift, and, you're welcome."

"Thanks Josh," Maya retorted with a warm smile. "I really love it. I'll definitely wear it for like special occasions like you said..."

Josh shook his head at her. "You owe me an apology," He remarked.

"For what?" Maya asked him shocked.

"Oh, you know, for straight up calling your boyfriend poor and telling him that he can't buy you nice things cos of his broke-ness- which he doesn't like to be reminded of by the way. 'Oh my gosh, you're so poor Josh... you shouldn't have bought this. Return it. Now. Ayayaii...omgeee...how dare you buy me something so nice...I'm gonna cry now...this is so bad...'"

Maya burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh, I didn't mean it like that. Is that how I sounded like? I'm so sorry!"

"Gurl, that's exactly how you sounded like. You were so rude. Remind me never to get you anything again..."

"Bo-ying! I'm sorry!" Maya pouted.

"I'm just kidding," Josh replied with an amused chuckle.

Maya approached him and wrapped him in a warm embrace. "Thanks again, Josh," She told him softly. "I'm sorry I didn't have the best response. I think it was just cos I was so shocked. I don't want you spoiling me with your precious dough. You could spoil me a lil bit. But that's it. I'm a very simple person actually. I know I can come across like a diva and super high maintenance...but I'm really not."

Josh laughed loudly at this comment.

"I just pretend to be..." Maya continued. "So, you know, the boys won't bother me too much," She winked at him playfully.

Josh chuckled. "Well, if anyone gets you a thousand dollars' worth of diamond jewelry, now I know I won't have anything to worry about cos you won't give a crap. So, it's all good. I'm gonna buy you really crappy stuff from now on, now that I know you don't give a shit."

"Hey!" Maya cried out in protest.

Josh chuckled. "What's the matter, Hon? You don't like that idea? I thought you didn't want anything fancy?" He teased her.

Maya stuck out her tongue at him in response.

"Anyway, what song we dancing to first?"Josh asked her. "Since we're already in each other's arms, we might as well get started, right?"

Maya grinned. "Si, Senor!" She cried out excitedly in Spanish. "Pero, un besito por favor antes de bailar. Kissy, kissy!" She pointed to her lips.

Josh chuckled before leaning in for a gentle kiss.

"Okie dok!" Maya stated excitedly after their kiss."You know the song, 'Happy' by Pharrell, right?" Maya asked him.

"Um..."

"'Because I'm happy, clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth,'" Maya started singing the song to jog his memory.

"Oh yeah!" Josh cried out with a wide grin. "Wow, that song was huge like two years ago."

"Yep! We're gonna dance to that first!" Maya announced excitedly.

"Oh, alright, let's do it. This is gonna be interesting," Josh retorted.

"This is a simple song, Boing. That's why I chose it. You can dance however you want. Nobody judges you. So, don't be shy, ok Baby? This is a safe space."

Josh chuckled. "Alright. We'll see."

Maya pressed the 'play' button on her phone screen. Within seconds, the upbeat rhythm of Happy by Pharrell Williams was flowing through the apartment.

Maya started shimmying from side to side as she sang along.

It might seem crazy what I am about to say

Sunshine she's here, you can take a break

I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space

With the air, like I don't care, baby, by the way

(Because I'm happy)

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof

(Because I'm happy)

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth

(Because I'm happy)

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you

(Because I'm happy)

Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do...

"Alright, girl, you do your thang!" Josh commented with a wide grin as he watched her moving along effortlessly with the beat.

"Dance Boing! Don't just stand there watching me!"

"I can't help it! You're too good!" Josh responded.

"Come on, shake that booty!" Maya grabbed his waist and started moving his hips from side to side.

Josh laughed. "Alright. Stop. I got it. I got it. I'm gonna do the moonwalk."

"What the-" Maya cried out as she gazed at him skeptically. "No one...literally, no one on this planet...Joshua Matthews- I'm gonna do the moonwalk! Like, what the hell? How the hell do you know how to do the moonwalk when you can't even move a single part of your body successfully to any rhythm whatsoever?"

"Damn girl! You wanna keep roasting me some more? What happened to there's no judgement?! I'm gonna crawl off into a corner and cry now, thank you very much," Josh responded.

Maya chuckled. "I'm just kidding!"

Josh shook his head at her. "Anyway, watch and learn! The moonwalk everybody!"

"Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth," Josh crooned the chorus of the song in an off-key tone as he started gliding his feet across the floor to imitate Michael Jackson's classic 'moonwalk' dance.

Maya burst out laughing as she observed his silly, awkward movements. "Nah, I don't think that's it, Boing," She teased him. "You really should stop and just dance regular before Michael Jackson's ghost gets pissed and starts haunting you every Halloween."

Josh chuckled. "Are you kidding me?! This is the moonwalk! Do you have any idea how many girls I impressed back in the day with my moves? Now I know you're just being a hater, Ferret."

Maya giggled. "Alright, Babe. You keep doing whatever the hell that is. I'm just gonna keep dancing."

She continued swaying energetically to the song whilst her boyfriend "moonwalked" his way around the entire apartment.

"Ok, song's over! You can stop moonwalking now!" Maya cried out as she observed him with an amused grin.

"Oh ok. Whew, that was a lotta work," Josh retorted as he pretended to wipe off his "sweat." "I think I'm ready to move on with the kissing part of our date now. What do you think, Baby? Let's do that."

Maya burst out laughing. "So, that's what this is about. That's why you're not making any effort to dance? You bad, bad boy," She shook her head at him in disapproval.

"Hey! Let's get things straight here. I'm the good one," Josh protested. "You're the one who tried to harass my naked tummy earlier and wouldn't let me put my freaking shirt on! You couldn't get enough!"

"Stop it!" Maya replied with an amused chuckle.

"Compared to you, I've been behaving very well this evening. Making sure you don't get out of control. I wish Shawn could see me now. He would be very proud of me," Josh responded with an amused grin.

Maya giggled at his comment. "So, you don't wanna dance anymore?" She asked her boyfriend in a sad tone.

"Nah, I'm just kidding. I actually have a song that I want to see you dance to," Josh responded. "It's an African song. I think it's Nigerian. Andrew was listening to it, so that's how I found it. I think you'll like it. It's basically about the guy chasing this girl...you know, the usual crap that we guys have to go through...but he's like trying to convince her to be his girl...but the girl's playing hard to get."

Maya grinned. "You know it was the opposite for us, right? I was the one chasing you, remember? You were playing hard to get. You were basically the girl and I was the guy."

Josh burst out laughing as the realization suddenly dawned on him. "Oh yeah. Very good point, Ferret. Look at that. We're breaking stereotypes with our relationship. We should like do a reality show or something."

Maya grinned. "Lemme hear the song."

"Ok, but get ready to dance as soon as you hear it. This is a test of how good of a dancer you actually are, especially, with songs that you're not familiar with."

Maya nodded. "Ok, I'm ready."

Josh tapped his phone, and almost immediately, the rhythmic love song, Baby, by the Nigerian artist, Joeboy, started blasting through his speakers:

The one (the one, the one, the one)

What I fit do to get your love
Girl I don give you all I got but it's not enough for you
Say u fire me catapult of love
Na why be say I no fit get enough of you

Wetin be that
Nothing I can't do
For ma baby
Ma bebe
Anytime wey you need me come through
Ma sare
Ma sare wole

Wetin be that
Nothing I can't do for ma bebe
Ma bebe
Ma shawty oreke
Ma bebe ma bebe eh

Baby say you dey for me
As I dey for you
Baby say you dey for me
As I dey for you

Oh, oh, oh...

"Oh, Baby..." Josh cried out in a mesmerized tone as he watched his girlfriend throw her hair back with careless abandon and begin moving her body rhythmically to the beat. The necklace that he had just gifted her was bouncing around her neck.

Josh couldn't take his eyes off her.

After she had danced alone for a few seconds and gotten a sense of the beat, Maya approached her boyfriend with a playful grin and grabbed his arms.

"Dance with me, Baby. I really like the song," She told him.

Josh grinned before wrapping his arms around her. He observed her for a few more seconds before imitating her dance moves.

Maya felt her heart soaring as she watched him dance.

She couldn't take her eyes off him.

For the last minute of the song, enveloped comfortably in each other's arms, they immersed themselves in the effervescent rhythm, joyful harmony, and aching yearning which surrounded them.


Mom: Baby girl! I hope you're feeling better and having a nice time with Josh :) Shawn and I have something to tell you. So, come home soon, ok? Love you :) See you soon.