Welcome back! Thanks for the kind words and wanting more. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter :)
I don't own GMW, just a bunch of BMW DVDs and a broken Shawngela heart.
Not even the nervous and chatty tourists bother Maya on her train ride home. She's glad to be standing and out of a cramped seat. Hour one of her 13 hour bus ride home, she feels confident. She has a fully charged phone, snacks, her sketchpad, and textbooks-because break wasn't going to be a true break after all.
The $90 she spends on a round ticket from Chicago back home seems too good to be true, because it is. A flight around this time of year is out of the question, so when she finds the deal on Greyhound, she takes it. She knows sitting on a bus for that amount of time won't be enjoyable. Only she doesn't foresee the gross children getting sick, or the guy sitting next to her with a clogged up nose who snores like a bear. And she can't forget the Upstate brats who sit behind her and fight about whose family has more money.
So the cramped fit on the A train heading Downtown is not annoying, as it would be any other day before going away. Instead, it's a relief for Maya. It's a beautiful welcome home.
It's 1pm now and since school's out, kids roam the streets. They're soaking up the sunshine, despite the cold, before the sun escapes them. She hasn't been gone that long, but she's still a little surprised when some of them recognize her and wave. Maya takes her steps carefully, taking in every beat of her gait. Her go-to bodegas haven't been knocked down, the random alleys painted with her favorite murals are still there. It's not home that's different, just Maya, and she isn't sure if she's relieved or worried she won't belong here after while.
Unlocking the front door to her apartment, as mundane as it is, even shakes Maya up a bit. Am I really tearing up about this?
It's dark, as expected. Her mother won't be home until 6pm when her shift ends. And Shawn will be back just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
Thinking of dinner, Maya realizes she hasn't eaten in hours and then remembers her mother's glorious text about a tuna melt waiting for her upon her arrival. It's not the fanciest of cuisines, but it reminds Maya of what she left behind.
"Surprise!"
Lights illuminate the kitchen once she crosses the threshold, and holy shit, she's almost certain she's having a heart attack.
As she takes in the scene upon her, Maya can't believe how Suburban White it looks. Her mother and Shawn have schemed and not only are there three tuna melts for each of them, but a cake, streamers, and a frickin' banner with Maya's name on it.
Welcome Home, Maya!
It's immediately too much, but she doesn't have time to react. A flash of blonde runs towards her and she's encapsulated in a hug that transcends time. Who knows how long she's standing there hugging her mother and Shawn.
"Oh, Baby Girl," croons a weepy Katy Hart in Maya's ear.
"I want to hear every detail of every minute-"
"Ma, we talk everyday," Maya smiles.
"You know better than that," Shawn retorts.
Her parents, which continues to be a weird concept even 4 years after Katy's wedding to Shawn, keep her hostage as long as she'll stay. The sun is setting when Maya finally leaves-her mother seriously wanted more stories than she had to offer. It takes Maya longer to get where she's heading on account of her need to look everywhere. Eventually, she's climbing the familiar fire escape and stands waiting outside of Riley's window. She feels as creepy as she looks but it's the price she pays to be sneaky.
Her brunette best friend jumps at her swift knock and after a terrified scream comes a joyful one.
Riley's practically pulling her inside, "you minx!" She screams again.
"I know, but I had to."
Maya tells Riley just a few hours ago she won't be home until Tuesday instead of Sunday like they'd originally planned.
"Peaches," Riley draws out while squeezing Maya into the 100th embrace she's had that day.
Before they make any moves, they settle into the Bay Window and sit in the warm silence. Maya's taking in Riley's room-and just like hers at home-it hasn't changed. Her gaze eventually meets her best friend's again and they're grinning like idiots. Idiots that haven't seen one another in months. Soon they'll get to talking. The kind that lasts all night and ends with the both of them having sore throats in the morning. Until then, Maya rests in this moment.
"Is that a duffel bag?" Riley's eyes almost pop out of her head when she notices the baggage Maya carried with her through the window.
"I've been given permission by the Hart-Hunter parental units to stay the night if you'll have me?"
Riley's mouth drops incredulously and Maya can only laugh because there's no need in asking and that's what most beautiful about being at Riley's.
After more hugs from Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, Auggie, and even little Ava from down the hall, Maya and Riley escape back to her room with ice cream, popcorn, and no interest in anything but talking.
"What's a Greek Sing?"
Maya is so entertained by Riley's involvement on campus, but it's so much that she has to ask a follow-up question almost every minute.
"It's this insane competition of song and dance between the sororities and fraternities. It's not until April, but we're already planning." Riley is giddy and refreshingly herself. It slips Maya's mind that there was even a problem she was set out to fix. Reunited, Riley and Maya fit comfortably together. Their time away from each other could easily have been a long weekend.
"But I'm shutting up now because I need to know how my Georgia O'Keefe Peach is doing."
Maya is always a little embarrassed with how passionate she gets about her studies now. She's not a Stanford nerd by any means but she holds her own quite well, thank you very much. She's come a long way from falling asleep during Biology and completely zoning out in History. Maya sits in classes that make her want to engage and taking the tests aren't that horrible. She leaves nothing to the imagination for Riley regarding classes and she even tells her about Dr. Thompson.
"She sounds like the perfect match for you Maya," Riley says.
"Ugh, you sound like Lucas." Maya rolls her eyes remembering how cautiously cheeky Lucas had been when she described her advisor to him on night. She still wouldn't tell anyone she'd cried or how long it lasted either.
"Speaking of, wow, how is my girlfriend's boyfriend? When we talk online it's so different, you know? This is why I'm so excited about this break. Cuddling and talking and just being around each other," Riley says, resting her head atop Maya's.
Maya knows what she means and is hopeful that Riley may feel similar about their group. She's hesitant to talk about Lucas because even though he's Riley friend too, Maya is faithful to Lucas and his secret.
"Lucas is good, as always. And I think we are too."
She slips it into the conversation but it's no match for Riley who shifts onto her side. She's eyeing Maya, who chews on her lip and avoids eye contact.
"Think? Oh, come on, because I won't drag it out of you."
"What happened to personal space with relationships?" Maya sings.
"What happened to remembering I have no concept of personal space?" Riley sings back. She's batting her eyelashes impatiently up at Maya until the girl is forced to face her best friend.
"Fine."
They both lay on their sides now, but Maya can't materialize the words. There's only so much she can say. If she says what's truly on her mind, will speaking it to existence cause more problems?
"So with you," she says breaking their silence. "I know that we're solid. And we always have been. Reuniting just reiterates what we've always known."
"Which is?" Riley's teasing for her own benefit now, her brown eyes dancing.
"That you and I are 100% in it for the long game," Maya complies with a smirk.
"But I fear that distance is bigger than we all expected it to be. When I see Lucas in a couple of days, is it going to be the same? Is it going to be the same with all of us?"
Lucas and Zay are in Texas for the beginning of their Thanksgiving breaks. He's called her since landing, yesterday, but she doesn't want to invade the time he has visiting family. The girl that lay across from her tenderly links fingers with Maya and she feels almost silly. Riley doesn't have to say anything yet, but her wariness fades almost instantly.
"Not only is it going to be the same, but it's going to be better! Maya, no one is letting anyone go here. And I'm pretty sure when we are group chatting, Lucas only listens to you. I've told him what sorority I've pledged 20 times and he still doesn't know."
Riley plants a kiss on their entangled fingers and looks eagerly at Maya for her to continue speaking.
"And that's all you get right now because there are boundaries we should probably establish."
Her best friend is appalled at the thought, but eventually lets it go. Maya takes advantage of this, even though she's well aware Riley will bring it up casually and then forcefully, tomorrow. Hours pass before they're drifting off to sleep, Riley being the little spoon this time around. Faint snores from the taller girl give Maya the signal to finally cut the lights. She doesn't let herself completely go before she thanks the universe that she has a few places waiting here in New York to call home.
A/N: How're you liking the story? I wanted to focus on Maya coming home this chapter. I've seen a few discussions online where Maya's neighorbood actually is, but I didn't want to declare anything specific just yet. Leave me a review! The next part we'll see everyone come home and reunite-specifically Lucaya!