I know I'm the worst. I said I would have this out weeks ago. But the fanfiction gods had it out for me and kept deleting my chapter and replacing it with another. It made me mad and I had to step away before I did something I would regret. But hopefully you guys are still enjoying the story sorry if chapter isn't any good. But enjoy anyways
Lucas realized he really only had two options as he stared wide eye at the scene in front of him. Option A he could drop the bags he was holding and make a run for it. Or option B he could take on the wild twitching eye dragon with steam coming out his ears.
Before he could decide which option he would choose Mrs. Matthews chose for him.
"Lucas nice to see you again come in." She says taking the bags from him as Mr. Matthews taps his foot glaring at him as his eye twitched more wildly.
"It looks like I interrupted family time I'll just head out." He says heading back for the door as Topanga calls out to him. "Nonsense. If anything it looks like we interrupted your dinner date with Riley." He looked at Riley who was shaking her head as her dad walked up to her mom who was taking the groceries out the bag.
"Topanga what are you doing?" He asked whisper yelling even though Lucas could clearly hear him. Which he was sure he wanted to him to. "Cory behave yourself." She tells him as he growls in Lucas direction.
"I will not. He's trying to get my daughter." He says as Riley groans laying face down on the couch. "Riley isn't a little girl anymore she can make her own decisions."
"But he's forty!" He shouts throwing his arms in the air as Topanga shakes her head looking at Lucas. "I'm not forty." He says quickly as she begins to laugh. "I figured as much. My husband is just crazy. Ignore him."
He nodded as Cory walked towards him. "Cory!" Topanga shouts as she pinches him. "Riley your father and I are going to head out so you can enjoy your dinner date with Lucas."
"Topanga we are not leaving. He's trying to take advantage of her." Cory tells her as Lucas shakes his head. "Just stay." Riley says getting up from the couch giving Lucas a sympathetic look.
"See Topanga she wants us to stay. She needs me." He says flashing Lucas the I'm watching look before plopping himself on the couch turning on the tv. "I'm sorry about this." Riley says as she walks towards Lucas who rubs his neck.
"It's okay. Hope y'all like turkey burgers?" He says rolling up his sleeves as Cory says yuck. "Turkey burger will be wonderful Lucas if you have enough?" Topanga says as he nods. "I meant about dinner." Riley says after a moment as he looks at her weirdly.
"I kind of forgot you were coming over. Sorry." She says biting at her lip. Lucas looked at her with a sad face deciding to mess with her. "Wow. I can't believe I mean so little to you? Am I not important enough?" He asked as Riley narrowed her eyes at him.
"You want me to hit you?" She asked making him chuckle. He holds his hands up in surrender as she begins to laugh too. "See Topanga he's already making her laugh we have to stop this." Lucas shakes his head chuckling as Riley groans at her dad's incapacitate to whisper.
He frowns nudging Riley who was biting her lip trying to keep from laughing as her dad continues to comment. Lucas wiped his brow as he placed the burger on its bun placing it in front of Riley. He smiles at her as she smiles thanking him until her dad coughs loudly causing everyone to look his way.
"Lucas this looks delicious." Topanga says as she pinches her husband who mimics her. They all dig in as Lucas tries not to look at Cory who was glaring at him as he viciously chewed at his burger.
They continued to eat as the conversation moved from him and his plans to seduce Riley. Cory's words not his.
"So Mr. Friar how does your pregnant girlfriend feel about you trying to get with my daughter?" He asked just as Lucas sipped his water causing him to spit and choke. "What?" He asked breathlessly as Topanga patted his back.
"Your pregnant girlfriend the reason you were buying those books." He continues as Lucas looks at Riley who looked like she was going to hurl. He knew she wasn't ready to tell them and he was sure she didn't want them to find out this way either.
"I was getting those for my sister." He says as Riley looks up at him. "Your sister?" Cory ask as he nods his head. "Yup my sister she just found out she was pregnant and I was getting the books to be able to know everything she does."
He chews his cheek as he sees Cory staring at him like he was trying to see inside his mind. "That's nice of you." Topanga says as they move off that subject.
Lucas smiles politely as he heads for the door glad he didn't have to endure Mr. Matthews interrogation anymore. "Thank you for dinner Lucas." Topanga says as he smiles at her. "No problem goodnight." He says closing the door behind him as he sighs in relief.
He had just made it outside when he mentally curses himself. He completely forgot the reason he asked Riley for this dinner and knew he still had to tell her.
"I like you Maya."
He said as she looked at him with wide eyes. "What?" She squeaked as she sipped her own water. "I like you. And I know it's kind of sudden seeing as I just got out a relationship and we got married like we did but... I do."
He looked at her making sure she was still with him before he continued. "I know this is kind of alot to take in and I'm kind of just blurting it out but..." He takes a deep breath. "I was wondering if you felt something for me too?"
Maya was going to respond when Josh shook his head. "You don't have to answer let's just enjoy dinner." Maya nodded slightly as she stared at her menu. He had to admit he was a little afraid of her answer.
"It's a bit sudden don't you think?" Josh looked at her as she bit her lip looking at him. "What do you mean?" He asked knowing exactly what she meant. "Well you said it yourself. You just got out a relationship and we got married pretty quickly and drunkenly... you know what they call that right?"
"No what?" He asked slightly confused about what she was saying. "They would call this." She gestured between them. "Your rebound relationship. I don't want to be your rebound Josh." She gets up grabbing her jacket leaving out the restaurant.
"What? Maya..." Josh gets up going after her as he sees her trying to hail a cab. "Hunter you are not my rebound relationship." He tells her as she scoffs rolling her eyes slightly walking up the street more. "I'm serious. I'll be honest and say yes I do have some lingering feelings still for Mary but that's..."
He steps in front of her cupping her cheeks to get her to hear him. "I do feel something for you and I don't want you to be my rebound either." He sighs scratching at his neck as she steps back.
"Can you at least come back inside?" He ask as Maya finally hails a cab opening the door. "I even convinced paco to give us bobble heads?." He adds as she looks at him debating with herself.
"Fine." She says closing the door and apologizing to the driver. "I'm only going back for my bobble head." Josh nods smiling as she glares at him as she passes him.
"Play nice or no bobble head ferret." He says as they reach their seats again. "Oh I'm getting that bobble head. Last time they were giving them away Riles watched some video about abused puppies and we had to console her." Maya says as Josh chuckles.
"You remember when Cory would have family game night?" He asked after a few minutes. "Yeah. He would get mad everytime Ava or Topanga got competitive and would suggest playing the long game."
Josh chuckles softly nodding his head remembering his last visit when they played. "Well I think we should play." He says as Maya looks at him with a confused expression. "Are you serious? You want to play a board game right now?"
Josh looked at her shaking his head. "Not the actual game. I want us to play the long game." Maya looked at him as if he was crazy as Josh continues. "What I mean is I know we have this whole are we married are we not married thing and what I said to you.."
He smiles at her as she lets out a light laugh. "However I like you and I meant what I said I don't want you to be a rebound relationship. So I propose this. While we figure this marriage thing out you live your life, I'll live my life, and I'll know you're out there... and I'm out there...waiting."
"That's your deal?" Maya asked staring at her hands. "That's my deal. Someday?" He says nodding holding out his hand. Maya stares at it before looking at him. "Can I have some time to think about it first?" She asked as Josh pulled his hand back nodding as a waiter brings them more chips.
After having an awkward dinner filled with uncomfortable silence due to Josh's speech he heads home. He knew he shouldn't have brought up Mary but he just wanted to be honest with Maya.
He opened his front door tossing his keys on the counter when his phone buzzes. He pulls it out his pocket smiling when he sees what it says.
Maya-Someday
He was just about to text her back when the sound of the doorbell goes off. Thinking it was her he rushes to the door swinging it open. "Hello son." Josh widens his eyes as he looks at the two in front of him.
"Hi...mom dad."
Maya laid on the floor of her art studio staring at the ceiling fan as it went round and round. She had been staring at it spin since she got up that morning. At six no less. Something she hadn't done since she was sixteen and Riley went through a phase were she needed to watch the sunrise every morning.
She stared at it not really seeing the blades anymore. No what she saw were the words I like you and someday spinning around and around taunting her. Much like they had been since Josh first said them to her the night before. And she agreed to them.
She shook her head closing her eyes hoping if she kept them closed long enough the words would disappear. She takes a deep breath slowly opening her eyes only to close them again. The words were still going round and round except this time they were dancing and she knew it wasn't possible but were sticking their tongues out singing someday and I like you over and over.
She shook her head as she sat up sighing it's official she thought. I'm completely losing my mind. And there was really only one person to blame. Josh Matthews. Why did she even agree to his deal? You live your life and I live mine? What did that even mean? Was she allowed to date other people was he?
Plus there was the whole him still having feelings of some sort for Mary. Yes he said it was a lingering one but he also liked her. She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. He liked her. Josh Matthews her long time crush liked her.
Hearing him say it to her at dinner the night before was still playing in her head. Ever since she was six and he let Riley and her play in his tree house with him.
Granted she had to kick him in the shin to get him to let them when he claimed all girls including nieces and their friends had cooties.
Maya sighed as she got up pouring herself another cup of coffee. She was getting a headache from all the thinking she was doing at the moment. She placed her hand on her chest as she felt like her heart had one too.
Maya didn't like this feeling. This was to much change for her. Maybe she should back out of the deal even though a huge part of her didn't want that. She tapped her cup as she set it down going towards the bedroom kneeling next to the bed.
She looked around shaking her head as she realized she was alone and lifted the floorboard under the bed.
She pulled out the rolled up paper and blew the dust off as she rolled it out on the floor. Maya stared at it chewing at her cheek. She let it roll back up as she took it out towards the living room tacking it to her easel. Maya picked up her pencil she kept on her easel as she stood back as looking at her best kept secret.
A secret Riley didn't even know about. Only because Maya thought it was just about the girliest thing she had ever done in her life. She had documented all the little and few moments she ever had with Josh.
She stared at the paper tapping the pencil to her lips before she turned on her phone letting the music and pencil lead the way. She was so lost in her art she hadn't heard the sound of her door opening or the person who was walking towards her.
"I knew it!" Maya jumped flinging her pencil as she put her hand to her heart. "Riley! My gosh are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Maya ask glaring at her. She was so consumed with trying to slow her heartbeat she hadn't noticed where Riley was looking.
"Peaches?" Riley calls her name with an all to knowing teasing tone. "Yes?" Maya ask as she turns around trying to cover up the easel when she realizes what Riley was looking at.
"Maya Penelope Hunter you have..." Riley begins as Maya covers her mouth mov no her back. "I have nothing. See?" Maya tells her snatching the paper off the easel and rolling it up again. "Maya." Riley gives her a look as Maya groans.
"Fine." She says stomping her foot handing her the paper as Riley laughs. Riley looks at her a minute before looking at the paper handing it back to her. "You aren't going to look at it?" She asked as Riley shook her head no. "I have an inkling of what it is but I'm going to respect your privacy."
Maya looked at her weirdly as Riley smiles. "Okay who are you and what did you do with my best friend?" Riley laughed as she handed her a bag from the bakery. "I'm still me peaches but I know what the subject of uncle Josh does to you and seeing as you got up pretty early I'm assuming dinner was?..."
Maya set the bag down as she unrolls the paper showing Riley telling her what happened at dinner and their deal. "So this is.." Riley points at the paper as Maya sighs. "My second dungeon of sadness." She says as she leans her head on Riley's shoulder.
"Oh peaches." Riley hugs her as Maya stares at the paper. "What should I do Riles? My head and my heart are both all loopy and I don't like it." Maya pouts laying her head on her lap as Riley laughs.
"Maya I can't give you the answer maybe listen to your loopy head and heart and have some hope that everything will turn out alright." Riley tells her as she plays with her hair.
"Riles you know how I feel about hope."
After leaving Maya who claimed to be okay even though Riley knew she wasn't she headed to the bakery. She wanted to stay and help her but she knew Maya needed to make her decision on her own.
Even though she was secretly hoping to officially call Maya aunt one day.
Riley thanked the waitress as she sat in a booth sipping her smoothie as she dug into her sandwich. "Hungry?" Riley looked up seeing Lucas who held his own smoothie as he slides into the booth across from her.
"It's only a smoothie and sandwich." She said turning red as the waitress brings her another along with a piece of cake. "Fine. But I'm not just eating for myself here." She said smacking Lucas hand when he tries to take a chip off her plate.
"Speaking of that when is your next doctor appointment?" He asked as he pulls out his phone. "In two weeks. Did you want to come with?" She asked setting her sandwich down. "Yeah if that's okay with you?" He asked looking at her weirdly when she begins to laugh.
"Did you think I would tell you no or something? Is this what you wanted to talk to me about at dinner?" She asked as he widened his eyes rubbing at his neck. "Well..yes and no." He tells her as Riley tilts her head in confusion.
"What did you want to talk about then?" She asked as he continued rubbing his neck. "I was just wondering if I would have to hire personal bodyguards in case your dad shows up." He laughed at his own joke as Riley could see that he still seemed nervous and had more to say but doesn't mention it.
"He won't be there. I plan to keep him in the dark for a least another couple weeks. He already wants to meet your pregnant fictitious sister." He looked at her weirdly before it dawned on him making her laugh.
"So I should find a fake pregnant sister?" He asked as Riley nodded her head. "Yeah because I'm pretty sure my dad will hunt you down just to confirm your story." Riley laughed louder at the look on his face when he thought she was kidding.
"So you find a place yet?" Riley asked as she munched on a cookie from the bakery. "Sort of." Lucas tells her grabbing one of her cookies. "What does that mean?" She asked smacking his hand. "Well I have a couple of places I'm looking at just nothing is calling to me yet."
"Why do you think that is?" She asked as he looked at her. "I guess I'm waiting for you." He tells her as Riley stops choking slightly on her cookie. "What?!" He looks at her with a smile opening up her water as she sips it. "Yeah you said you would give me some input on it." He tells her as she knew he was messing with her.
She was about to say something when her phone goes off.
Maya-911
Oh boy Riley thought as she put her phone away narrowing her eyes at Lucas. "I have to go but we'll discuss this." She said gesturing between them. "Later." She walks away shaking her head smiling as Lucas shouts he couldn't wait.
Once she arrives back at Maya's studio she finds her chewing at her lip and pacing furiously back and forth. "Okay what happened?" She asked as Maya shows her her phone. "Parents in town family dinner to discuss marriage. Josh." Riley widened her eyes as she looks at Maya.
She could see the sheer panic in Maya's eyes and came up with a plan. "Here." She says opening her purse and pulling out fingerless gloves. Maya looks at them weirdly before looking at her. "I know you don't want to hear this but my grandparents probably don't know it's you uncle Josh married so to keep them in the dark a little longer I made these. Months ago."
Maya nodded as she put them sighing in relief that it covered her ring. "Thanks Riles and I thought you mastered the fingertips part?" Riley smiled as she held up a baggie containing the pieces. "The knitting gods were against me that day. You ready to go?"
On the way to her parents place Riley watched Maya as she continued nervously staring at her gloved hands. Riley grabbed them giving them a squeeze as Maya smiled at her.
"There they are!" Riley's grandma cheered rushing towards them and pulling them into a hug. "Hi grandma, Amy." Riley and Maya said together. She looked at both them looking down at Maya's hand. "These are new?" She said as Riley felt her tense up.
"Yup I made them." Riley smiles taking off her bag. "I thought maybe if teaching doesn't pan out I can fall back on knitting." Her grandma looked at her weirdly as Maya mouths a thank you to her. She greets her grandpa who was shooting daggers at Josh who walked in with her dad.
"Well let's eat hmm." Her mom said as they all sat down. Riley made sure to sit next to Maya and kick josh who kept staring at her. They all begin to eat as everyone was quiet not saying a word although Riley could feel the obvious tension in the air.
"So Josh. Where's the wife?" His mom ask making Auggie and Cory choke on their food. "Mom maybe we could discuss this after dinner?" Cory asked as she gives him a look. "No we cannot. My baby gets married and doesn't tell me or his father. I thought I raised you better?" She asked as Josh keeps his head down.
"What do you have to say for yourself Joshua Gabriel?" She asked as he looks at her. "Cory knew and he got arrested!" Josh says pointing his finger at Cory who gasps. "Also he use to sneak me into R-rated movies." Riley laughed along with Maya and Auggie as Cory and Josh went back and forth spilling ridiculous secrets. "Well Josh went to Vegas with Maya and got drunk and they aren't even sure if they are married!" Cory shouts as everyone looks at him. "Sorry." He says looking at maya who grabs Riley's hand.
"Is this true?" His parents ask together as Josh sighs softly nodding his head. Riley winces along with Maya as her grandma starts yelling about how unbelievably childish her kids are and how not knowing if you're married is incredibly irresponsible and reckless.
All the while she is ranting Riley could feel Maya slipping into her dungeon of sadness and she had made a vow never to let that happen. She squeezes her hand giving her a smile as Maya looks at her weirdly.
Riley takes a deep breath and stands up. "I'm pregnant." Everyone looks at her with wide eyes before looking towards Cory who points at her before falling out his chair.
I know Riley's part seemed like it was less about her and more about Maya but I wanted to put the whole dinner with the grandparents from her point of view since she would make the ultimate sacrifice for Maya.