(Author's Note: Sorry for the delayed update and for this chapter being so short, I've been trying to catch up on my courses lately. I wanted to briefly show Riley's side of the call, and since they are apart, I want to keep Maya's POV's and Riley's POV's in separate chapters for now. I'll be back to post Maya's next chapter soon.)

Riley's POV

I waited as the phone rang 4 times. No answer. Darn. I guess I'm not surprised. The last time I saw her, we left things kind of…unresolved I guess. I knew I wasn't going to leave a voicemail but I waited to listen to her greeting anyway, just to hear her voice. "Hey, it's Maya. My inbox is probably full from the voicemails I never check. Text me." I laughed. Wow, Maya.

And of course her inbox was indeed full. Good thing I wasn't planning to leave a voicemail anyway.

I was taking a nap earlier and I was dreaming, except it wasn't really a dream, it was a memory of us. It was right after our first time together in the park. She had made love to me first, and then we switched, and after I held her close while she tried to catch her breath. The storm had calmed down by then. There was no more thunder or lightning, just moderate rain. We cuddled a bit longer and listened to the rain.

"I found something the other day in a closet. It was a VHS tape," I began.

"Wow, vintage. What movie was it?" she asked.

"It was a documentary style video project that my parents made when they were in school," I explained.

"So, I take it you watched it then?" she inferred.

"Yeah, I had to dig out the old VCR and I facetimed with Farkle so he could walk me through how to set it up," I answered. "It was a project for their English class. They were reading Much Ado About Nothing."

"Never heard of it," Maya said.

"It's Shakespeare," I said.

"Oh, yeah I try to avoid him," Maya remarked.

"What do you got against Shakespeare?" I asked.

"Nothin! i just don't know what his characters are trying to say, like ever," she admitted.

"Well in the play, this girl named Hero-"

"-Wait, the girl's name is Hero?" she interrupted.

"Yes."

"Huh. I might like this story," she wondered.

"She's supposed to marry her love, Claudio, but these jerks trick Claudio into believing that Hero cheated on him and slept with another guy so Claudio called off the wedding and her reputation was ruined."

"Nevermind, I don't like this story."

"So, Uncle John-"

"You mean Mr. Turner?" she clarified.

"Yeah, he assigned the class to interview each other about their opinions on love and sex in a documentary."

"I might want to watch this movie," she said smiling.

I turned to face her, and she turned her head as well so our eyes could meet.

I continued, "My mom said she thought sex was a part of a special kind of love that you feel for a very special person."

"Aww, precious Topanga," Maya gushed.

"I think she's right," I smiled.

"Of course you do baby, you get that from her," she said, smiling back at me. I blushed at her calling me "baby".

"And she is right. What did Shawn say?" Maya asked.

I cringed. "You don't want to know."

Maya giggled. I miss her laugh so much.

"But Mr. Turner spoke the truest words when my dad interview him," I said.

Maya's eyes returned to mine as she listened.

"He said 'love is the most important thing in the world, Matthews, and love is the only thing that makes sex worth having'" I quoted him.

Maya smiled and said "I completely agree with him."

"So do I, Peaches. I'm really happy my first time was with you," I said as I leaned in to kiss her.

"Me too," she said as we parted lips. "Because I have always loved you, Riley Matthews," she took my hand, the one with the ring on it, in hers and planted a kiss on it, "and I always will."

I could feel myself smiling the same smile I gave her that day when she said that. It's amazing that no matter how many years ago it was, I can still remember that moment and I can still feel that same feeling like it was yesterday. I don't know why that memory was in my head while I was napping today, but I wonder if Maya if ever thinks about that day too.

"What's that goofy smile about?"

I looked up, surprised to see Zay standing in the doorway of my dorm room. I held up my phone and fibbed "Oh, I was just watching this cute youtube video…of…um…purple cats…"

"Riiighhht. Well I'm on my way to the dining hall to meet Vanessa and grab some food. Do you want to join?" he offered.

"Oh, I'm not really hungry," I said.

"Because you miss Lucas, right?" Zay speculated.

Well, there is SOMEONE that I am deeply missing right now.

"C'mon," he persisted, "I told Lucas I'd take good care of you while he was out of town, and if I'm not making sure that you're eating, then I'm not doing my job."

Zay was flashing that charming smile of his. I guess I can't argue with that. I nodded and smiled back and followed him out toward the dining hall.

I guess I can text Maya later, or wait and see if she calls me back.