Girl meets Maya's secret chapter 4
"Happy 17th birthday Maya!" Riley was excited to wish her friend a happy birthday as soon as she opened her eyes that morning.
"Thanks Sunshine." Maya was still waking up but she was well aware the brunette had probably been waiting to tell her that for at least an hour. Even though Riley usually slept in she had planned a very exciting day which gave her the motivation to get up early.
"Anything interesting about being 17 yet?" The brunette asked.
"Not really, although I can't believe I've been wearing this ring for three years." Maya admired her friendship ring that Riley gave her on her 14th birthday.
"I feel like it's been longer." Riley added.
"Remember those couple days in August that you thought you lost yours and you avoided me like the plague." Maya laughed at the memory.
"I was scared you would be mad."
"If I would've known I probably would've been." Maya joked.
"I promise I will try my best to never actually lose it as long as I live."
"Me too Riles." They locked pinkies to symbolize the promise.
"Anyway, I let you sleep in but we have a birthday extravaganza schedule to keep." Riley had a minute by minute plan for everything she wanted to do with Maya today. She was going to do anything possible to make this a day to remember.
"I know you're not going to tell me what we are doing but can you at least tell me what to wear?"
"I already have your outfit laid out on the window seat."
"You really went all into this birthday planning thing didn't you." Maya said impressed.
"Did you expect anything less?"
"Well for my 14th you did have Lucas tie me up and leave me trapped in your room for hours." Maya said factually.
"True."
The girls got off the subway and Riley led Maya to an art studio. The chalkboard sign read Pottery Classes Saturday 10 am. Sure enough it was Saturday morning and the best friends were going to get artsy.
Maya was very gifted in art and the more creative activities while Riley was not. Riley tried but could not match anywhere near Maya's talent.
"Aw Riles, we're going to a pottery class that's so fun." Maya smiled at her friend.
"Yes, I'm doing this for you peaches."
They walked into the studio and took their seats at two of the pottery wheels.
The teacher seemed like a hippie, she had her long hair in two braids and a long dress.
"Be the clay and then you will know what you want to become." The woman instructed.
Riley couldn't understand anything the lady was saying. How could she be the clay?
After fifteen minutes Maya's vase looked beautiful and symmetrical.
Riley looked down at her pile of clay with a hopeless sigh.
"I ruin everything I touch."
"It's not that bad." Maya couldn't keep a straight face as she chuckled at Riley's inability to create art.
"Could you stop laughing at me and help me out?"
"I'm not going to do it for you Riley."
"Guide me?" She used her puppy dog eyes to guilt Maya into helping her out.
Maya smiled and dragged her bar stool to the other side of Riley's pottery wheel. Facing her she placed her hands on top of the brunette girls and started to help her shape her vase.
"Why are you so much better than me at everything." Riley laughed.
"I try darling." Maya smiled.
As Maya held her best friends hands she felt at peace. Everything was good in that moment.
They finished their pottery and left the studio.
Riley was watching Maya walk down the sidewalk. Her blonde curly hair blowing in the wind.
"What are you looking at."
"You."
"Well do you like what you see?" She replied cheekily.
"Yes."
Maya blushed, turned around and kept walking.
"Are you having a good birthday Maya?" Riley asked.
"The best."
Riley smiled and grabbed Maya's hand to guide her to their next stop.
"I thought we could just take a stroll through Central Park for oh fifty seven minutes or so?" Riley suggested.
"Sounds good." Maya said laughing at Riley's keeping to the schedule.
They walked hand in hand through the beautiful heart of Manhattan. Maya glanced at her best friend thinking about how sweet she was to plan the whole day for her.
She thought about how she felt for the brunette. She was her everything and all she ever wanted she just didn't know how Riley felt about her, of course she loved Maya but in what way. Maya felt like they always blurred the line of best friends or more with how they were always flirty and cuddly and how they had deep meaningful conversations all the time. To Riley though maybe all she thought of it was regular friendship.
Riley interrupted her thoughts with a gasp.
"Maya!"
"What?"
"We need to go on the carousel like we used to when we were little. Wouldn't that just be so fun?"
"Of course, let's go." Maya melted at Riley's enthusiasm.
They walked up the path to the attraction. There were about a hundred people in line but it was a large carousel so it wouldn't be more than two rounds the girls would have to wait.
The girls were obviously the oldest people in line besides parents with their kids. Riley didn't care though.
While waiting in line Riley gently took Maya's hand and began to trace the lines on her palm. Maya smiled and looked up at the girl.
"What did you see a palm reading article on buzzfeed or something?" Maya laughed but Riley didn't let go of her hand, she just closed her eyes pretending to know how to read Maya's palm.
"You will have the most amazing birthday yet."
That's optimistic. Maya thought.
"Today's already been amazing because of you."
"I'm really glad." Riley replied.
"We're almost up!" A little boy standing behind them rejoiced.
"Maya we're almost up!" Riley cheered.
"You're so embarrassing."
"But you love me."
"I do. I love you more than you know Riley." Maya whispered the last part but Riley still heard it. She smiled and squeezed the blondes hand as they entered the carousel.
"I'm gonna name my horse peaches."
"In that case, I'll name mine honey."
"We're such dorks."
"I know but I wouldn't have it any other way."
After a few more hours of birthday fun they made it to Riley's grand finale. Ice skating. Maya loved to ice skate ever since she and Riley went for the first time at age seven. Maya was graceful and Riley was her usual uncoordinated self, but on ice so worse. Riley knew part of why maya liked ice skating was because Riley was so awkward doing it and it was fun to watch.
Maya wasn't insensitive though, she had years of practice skating backwards to hold Riley's hands and keep her up. She was actually better at skating backwards because of this. They didn't really need to do that anymore but it was a tradition so they continued.
They reminisced of childhood days when everything was simple and it was always just Riley and Maya. They had enough memories to last their entire lives at age 16 and 17. Maya thought how fortunate she was to have this girl in front of her.
"I love everything about today Riles."
"You sounded like me right there." She laughed.
"I know I did. How did I get so lucky to have a friendship like this."
"I don't know if any more than 5% of our friendship was luck; most of it's just what we've put into it. A friendship like ours was developed by effort and love, plus a little bit of luck."
"You're so insightful Riley. I love that about you."
" I love you Maya. Happy Birthday."
A/n: hey guys I know it's been a while but every review I get gives me motivation to continue this story. I love all your feedback.