Pluto chpt. 8

Disclaimer: Do I own GMW? I dreamt I did. Which is weird bc my dreams usually involve a lot more strippers.

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

GMW

"I know you think I'm crazy. Maybe that's because I am. About life, about this moment, about you." - Crystal Woods, Write like no one is reading

GMW

With a goofy grin, Riley Matthews tried to suppress the squeal of excitement that threatened to escape. Both her parents gave the girl long questioning looks but Riley couldn't contain herself.

"Y-y-y-y-y-yahhhhhhh!"

Literally hoping up and down in her corner of the Matthews breakfast table there was a long period of awkward silence.

Her father looked at her as if she had a second head. Not that she could really blame him, the last couple days she had hardly been acting normal.

Cory Matthews looked at his only daughter, mouth agape, cereal even spilling. Then the family monarch turned to his wife.

"Did you have anything to with THIS?" He motioned with a wave of his spoon. Topanga shook her head. "None I swear."

"Hmmm," Cory hummed thoughfully rubbing his chin. Openly examing her, Cory asked, "Thoughts?"

Riley frowned, not that it would show, her state still ecstatic. They were talking as if she weren't there. All they had to do was ask-

Her mother narrowed her eyes. "Drugs?" She asked, causing Riley to quickly shake her head.

"Drinking?"

"No."

"Drugs?"

"What? No!"

Just as Riley was about to become offended a knowing smile spread over her mothers face. "You made up with Maya!"

"Yep!" She squeaked.

Both mother and daughter jumped up, embracing in a hug off excitement of cheers and unintelligible squeals. In the chaos she noticed Auggie shield his ears giving Cory a questioning look. "What's happening?"

"I don't know!" Cory yelled back over the noise.

Riley couldn't take it anymore. Hugging her mother close she turned to the table and yell out, "We kissed!" She froze. Oops.

Distantly she noticed her mother stiffen in her arms but was more or less concerned with the drool of cereal leaving her father's half risen spoon. Cautiously pulling back to examine her mothers reaction. Peering up at her, the shorter woman was looking at her wth an odd expression.

"You what?"

"M-Maya kissed me?" Riley cringed at how her sudden nervous voice made it out to be a question.

Topanga blinked. "She what? When? Where?" With wide eyes Riley's mother looked back and forth between her and her father firing off questions at rapid pace. It was then that brown eyes noticed her father was suddenly looking very anxious.

"Yesterday. And well, the other day too. Though that was more of an accident. But. . . we talked about THAT in class. I thought dad would have told you."

It was then that Riley realized with a shake of her head. Her father hadn't said a word of what had happened. While she was so grateful it didn't bode well for the man. Sputtering on the spot Cory gave his wife a quick motion of hand gestures that mostly amounted to 'Who me?' Topanga leveled him a harsh glare.

"You knew and didn't think to mention this?" She accused.

Gaping, Riley thought her father really looked the part of a fish out of water.

"Topanga." He tried.

"Cory!" She cut across.

"I didn't think-"

"You didn't think?" She rounded on him. "You didn't think it prudent to mention a very pivotal part of your daughters life?"

The man sighed. Defeated Cory shrugged. "I didn't think it was my right to tell. It was their problem to fix. Their moment, not ours."

Topanga huffed. Looking split between knowing her husband was right and still wanting to scold him she settled for giving Riley a look. "You. Tell."

So she did.

GMW

With a quickened pace one Riley Matthews was racing toward school. That thought nearly floored her with irony. It was enough to stall her shaky stride but not enough for her to stop. She still needed to find a certain someone. And she found her.

Seating alone across the courtyard in almost an exact mirror of last night was Maya in the schools aging swing set.

Her elbows were tucked in tight to her sides, hand curled around freezing metal chains. Riley idly wandered how she managed to such a thing considering the temperature. She was freezing herself, shivering pathetically, teeth chattering together.

The air was bitter cold. Each breath causing large puffs lofting through the air. It was almost a crime to disturb the blonde. Her nose turned down, eyes half lidded she looked so peaceful gently swaying on the ice covered swing. It was a huge change from last night.

"Hey," She managed, her voice was soft and airy containing an obvious hint of shyness.

While bold in some aspects of her life Riley had never quite managed to capture that fierceness when dealing with. . . relationships? The brunette's head cocked at the stray thought. Was that what they would call this? The sudden change in the two best friends dynamic, a relationship?

Head tilting back at the sound, Maya looked up. A smile graced her features noticing Riley standing over her.

Riley felt her breath hitch. It was like seeing Maya in a brand new light. The small quark at the corner of her lip, the tiny arch of her brow. It filled the girl with a nervous energy of anxiety and glittering nerves that didn't have anything with the cold.

"Hey." The blonde said back.

Reaching out Maya grip left the chains offering her hand. Riley quickly took the outstretched limb their fingers molding together. A perfect fit.

"I missed you this morning." She found herself saying. She hand't meant to voice the stray thought. The words seemingly having a mind of their own, just slipping past her lips. Hearing them aloud made her feel clingy.

History had shown that Riley Matthews wasn't always the best at containing her emotions and often time it caused her too take things too far. With her brief history with Lucas the girl had been rash one day and borderline frantic the next. She didn't want that with Maya.

Maya nodded. Her hand squeezed Riley's showing how she understood. It would have been easy for the blonde to roll her eyes at her best friend's strange behavior or even bring up the fact that it was on Riley's on insistence that they not continue their string of bus rides together. Maya had originally offered for Riley to stay over at her house but they mutually decided against it.

It just hadn't felt right. With the sudden twists and turns their friendship was taking Riley wasn't sure she could handle being in the same bed as Maya. Well, not yet anyways. No, they needed space, if only for a little while. Just a nights sleep to adjust to this new change.

"I missed you too." Maya confided softly. THe blonde opened her mouth to speak again but stopped glancing over. Following her gaze Riley caught the back end of Lucas walking away. Maya sighed, "What are we doing Riles?"

"I don't know." She responded still looking off to where Lucas had been.

"You still like him." The blonde said breaking her from her thoughts. Whipping back to face Maya, Riley was caught by the sudden look flashing across. She looked lost.

"Maya I-"

"You don't have to deny it." Maya hastily cut across. "It's not that I was expecting anything, It's just I . . ."

Riley stopped her the only way she knew how, she kissed her.

There was a slight gasp of surprise but it quickly faded. Wrapping an arm behind the blonde, Riley's other was stationed in her hair, keeping them close. Pulling back just enough that their lips were but moments away, Riley whispered, "Stop that."

Her voice was light but held a small scolding tone. She didn't like it when Maya made assumptions like that. When she belittled and put herself down, Riley wouldn't accept it.

"I won't lie to you, I still care for Lucas. BUT," She said feeling the blonde flinch back. "Only as a friend. Lucas is kind and sweet but he's like my brother. It was you that made me realize what's real and what isn't."

"And is this?" Maya questioned breathless.

Riley tilted her head. Peering down at the shorter girl she asked, "Is this what?"

Opening her eyes Maya pierced her with a look that could only be described as longing. "Is this real?"

"Yes." She answered without hesitation. Riley might not have known what exactly THIS was but she was certain it was real. "I know it is."

Maya chuckled. A painful reddish hew appearing across her cheeks the blonde ducked her head away before looking back up. There was a confident gleam followed by the tell tail signs of mischief. It always made Riley nervous.

"Geez Matthews, You sure know how to make a girl blush." The statement had the immediate effect bringing Riley's nerves back, the brunette laughing awkwardly. Then, her own blush appeared as Maya grew very close her voice turning sultry. "You know what else?" Riley shook her head dumbly. "We put on a pretty good show for the fans, hm?"

With a nod Maya motioned behind them. Much to her horror, half the school body was in the school yard watching them with wide eyes. Quickly disentangling herself from Maya the girl became rigid in obvious discomfort at the attention. The blonde just laughed fondly finally rising from her swing.

"See, there's the old Riley." She laughed again pulling an arm around her shoulder.

Riley scowled at her friend before sighing in defeat. Sullenly sagging her head. "Guess things are back to normal now."

"Yep!" Maya replied cheerfully. "Your back to your lovable, easily embarrassed self and I'm your coool confident body guard. Now, let's see if this still works."

With a well placed glare the students collected scattered like the red sea.

Riley silently maverled how Maya could be so feirce being so small. Then again, Riley had neveer really had to deal with a truly angry Maya. The blonde did have a habit of getting violent when pushed.

It brought a smile to the blondes face as she took Maya's hand in her own. This was HER Maya. She liked the sound of that.

A/N; Reviews make me happy. Which is great but if you don't... I might do something crazy. like shia labeouf crazy. YOU CAN DO IT!