Pluto chpt. 3

Disclaimer: I wander if I left this out would the police come? Seems like a good reason to go to jail. What did you guys do? Drugs, drugs, murder, didn't put a disclaimer.

Summery: Pluto isn't a planet anymore and all it took for Riley to realize is a late night encounter.

GMW

"They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for." - Todd Bodett

GMW

Hope is for suckers.

It was a lesson hard learned but something Maya knew very well.

She had learned long ago that it only lead to disappointment. She stopped hoping that her father would come home. Stopped wishing that her mother could find time for her. And most of all, she stopped believing life would bring her love.

Maya wasn't usually so pessimistic. Normally, she was happy. She loved her life and cherished her friends but more importantly she valued one friendship above the rest. It was days like today, when the loneliness and desperation became too much to bear that Maya could turn to the one constant in her life, Riley.

Just thinking of that loveable goofball brought a twitch at the corner of her lip cracking her otherwise permanent scowl.

Riley Matthews.

Blue eyes glanced over scanning across the hump in Riley's mattress. Feeling a little playful Maya's smirk turned full grin as she slowly crouched toward the sleeping girl.

Stopping just over top, the blonde peered down noticing how disleved the other girl really was. Mouth agap, hair a mess even her limbs were widely sprawled about in an undignified tangle. When observing her friends sleeping face she even detected the slightest hint of drool. It was cute.

Riley had always been a heavy sleeper.

"Riley," Maya cooed, her voice soft and teasing. "It's time too wake up."

The brunette's reply was nothing short of a grumbled out string of words that mostly amounted to 'No", then she tugged her covers over herself causing Maya to blink. "Why Maya?" She heard Riley mumble.

Believing nothing to be out of the ordinary, the blonde merely shrugged off her confusion. With a gentle shake she tried to raise the sleeping girl. "Come on Riley, you don't want your dad to wake you. Remember how well that turned out last time?"

Maya could still picture that horrifying hilarious day as Cory had burst into the room trying to wake the two sleeping girls with little success and being someone who handled defeat with grace and modesty had promptly poured a bucket of water across the two. Cold water. The shriek of pure rage Riley released still fresh on her mind as she watched amused as the girl had chased her father across their home.

It was still one of Maya's fondest memories. That was, until Maya returned to the cold lonely loft of her apartment.

"I'm up!" Riley declared. Promptly tossing aside her blanket the previously sleeping girl jumped to her feet. The knee jerk reaction a hard habit to break. Unfortunately, Riley failed to realize how close they were, her springing limbs becoming entangled with Maya's.

Being thrown back Maya landed with a puff of air. Blinking she opened her eyes meeting a pair of brown only a touch away. They were so close she could feel the other girl's suddenly erratic breath beating across her face.

She smiled. "Hey there pumpkin."

Riley did not smile back. Normally the other girl would instantly react to her teasing. A smile here, a blush there, or just the shy comment of her adorable nickname 'peaches'. Not this time though, she just stared down at her with an intensity Maya had never seen. Her eyes narrowed just a bit taking in the light blush staining Riley's features.

"Maya?" She sounded breathless. Her voice had came out just above a whisper forcing the blonde to strain to hear it. It seemd Riley was still working over her sleep fatigue.

Without much thought Maya brought a hand up to the girls cheek. Fingers lightly tracing her best friends delicate features. She smiled tucking a stray lock back behind her ear. She'd never liked it when Riley was upset. Maya was fiercely protective over this girl and the obvious emotional stress was written all over her face. It ignited something inside her.

"I'm here." She promised.

Riley opened her mouth to speak, before abruptly closing it. A loud noise echoed throughout causing both girls to look over at Riley's door.

Like usual, members of the Matthews family ignored social standing a knock on the door unheard of, in coming Cory Matthews Riley and Maya's teacher a bucket of water in hand.

"Riley, Maya, here comes daddy-" The monarch of the family stopped, his eyes widened comically at the scene before him. It must have seemed quite a sight really, both girls were mere inches apart with Riley hovering over Maya straddling her waist.

Seeing the look of surprised anger flash across his only daughters face, Cory looked the part of a deer caught in headlights. "D-dad!" Riley sputtered. "Privacy!"

Slowly setting down the bucket Cory gave a light cough as if to clear his throat. He took a look at the two opening his mouth to speak then, ran out the room.

And just like that the spell was broken. Laughing lightly to herself Maya looked up amused at Riley's horrified face. "We should really get a lock on that door." The sullen girl mumbled.

Maya tried not to smile at the 'we' comment. Forcing her grin back the blonde moved. With a quick twist she turned the tables on her best friend earning a squeak. Before Riley knew what was happening Maya flipped the poor girl onto her back. Maya towering over her.

A mane of blonde hair fell around them. Cascading down into a curtain around the two the blonde didn't try to hide her smirk. It was like their own little world.

Maya took an unusual amount of pleasure in the flushed look the brunette gave spluttering about. "M-Maya?"

"Relax." She soothed.

Bending down just an inch, Maya noticed with increasing amusement as Riley grew redder and redder the closer she got. It was strange though, to see Riley shy away from intimacy. The girl beneath was the touchy feely type often force feeding hugs down people's throats. It had come across as strange in the past, even earning several curious eyebrows from passing on lookers but Maya never paid it any mind. It was just Riley expressing herself, it wasn't hurting anyone and Maya liked knowing that her best friend felt so comfortable in her presence.

With both hands Maya pushed aside the brown locks that were clinging to the taller girls face. Parting the wild hair down the middle until her favorite person came to view.

"There's that pretty face." She said.

Her hands lingered just a moment longer than most would consider acceptable. Oh so gently the blonde pushed all the hair back were it belonged.

Riley watched her like a silent spectator. Her always emotional eyes a hail storm of activity. Maya raised a brow in silent question. She prided herself on being able to read this girl so well yet, she couldn't discern what she was thinking.

Bitting her lower lip Riley tentivaly reached forward to push a strain of Maya's own blonde hair behind her head. "T-there." She managed. "Is your beautiful one."

She tried not to glow under the compliment. Maya had always known she was attractive, more than most if Farkle was to believed but too hear Riley say it... Well, that made it real to her.

"Better get up cupcake." Maya teased as she began the agonizing process of fixing her tangled hair. With a final look Maya felt her eyes being caught by the strange look crossing Riley.

She nudged the girl. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Riley hesitated. It was just a moment but the blonde saw. With a small shake of her head a smile surfaced. Despite herself Maya couldn't help but feel it looked forced.

"Come on." Reaching out and taking her friends hand Maya tugged her along. "We've got a teacher to skin."

AN: Reviews are a show of patriotism. Your not a communist are you? -RRR