Scene 26

INT. Shawn's Apartment

(Maya Yawns)

Maya: What time is it?

Josh: 2am and we've still got the desk to build.

Katy: I for one say we worry about finishing this in the morning and all go get some sleep I mean we have the bed the nightstands and the dresser in. I'd say that's enough for one night.

Josh: Hey Shawn you mind if I crash here the dorms lock us out if we're not back by midnight and I'd hate to wake Cory and Topanga up if I don't have to.

Shawn: no problem. As long as you stay on that couch.

Josh: what kind of guy do you take me for.

Shawn: A teenage boy whose interested in my daughter That kind of guy.

Josh: Fair enough.

Katy: so, you really like her?

Josh: yeah why wouldn't I? she's gorgeous and talented

(Maya Blushes.)

Katy: And only fourteen years old!

Shawn: oh what did you say to me this morning. It's just a crush. I think it's cute.

Katy: well I did find Maya having a crush on Josh cute, but now that I know he likes her back. That's a whole other story.

Maya: Mom relax three years is not that big a deal besides we've only kissed like twice.

Katy: You've kissed her?

Josh: In my defense, Maya kissed me first.

(Maya yawns again.)

Maya: Guilty. Now can we please go to bed?

Shawn: Josh don't forget I have dirt on you and I know exactly what your capable of so if you think you can pull something over on me you've got another thing coming to you.

Maya: ooh what kind of dirt?

Josh: I thought you were tired?

Maya: Not too tired for this spill.

Josh: let's just say I wasn't the most well-behaved teenager

Shawn: well-behaved? Mr. Feeny wrote you the recommendation letter for NYU because he wanted you out of his life not because he thought you were qualified.

Josh: Hey I was both unwanted and qualified. Give me some credit.

Maya: That bad huh? Must be something good?

Katy: And you're alright with Maya dating him? Knowing all that.

Maya: Dating no one said anything about dating.

Josh: So, if I asked you; you wouldn't go out with me?

Maya: I never said that, but then again you never asked.

(Shawn Punches Josh's shoulder.)

Josh: Hey what was that for.

Shawn: Kissing my daughter without asking her out first.

Josh: so, can I?

Shawn: Can you what?

Josh: Ask her out.

Shawn: seriously she's standing right there. How am I supposed to say no?

Josh: You're not.

Shawn: You hurt her I'll kill you.

Josh: Oh, please I'm a Mathew's like you'd ever kill me.

Maya: I'd run upstairs while you still can?

Josh: seriously?

(Shawn looks annoyed.)

Katy: Look Shawn I may not be thrilled with the idea of them dating, but you don't have to frighten the poor boy.

Shawn: 1…2…

(Josh runs out of the apartment.)

Scene 27

INT. Cory's Apartment

(Josh Knocks on Cory's door.)

Josh: Cory, Cory!

Cory: I'm coming. It's 2 in the morning, Josh, what are you doing here.

Josh: I was downstairs helping Shawn Put together Marie's room, and then he found out that Maya and I kissed and threatened me, so I ran up here.

Cory: You kissed her?

Josh: really how is a simple kiss this big a deal it's not like we…

(Cory cuts Josh off)

Cory: don't you dare finish that sentence.

Josh: got it. So now what do I do?

Cory: well I doubt Shawn's actually that upset. He was probably just trying to scare you is all.

(Topanga walks in the room.)

Topanga: Shawn might not be all that upset, but I am I have work in four hours, and you had the nerve to come over here and wake me up!

Cory: I got this honey just try and go back to sleep.

Topanga: no if I go back to sleep now I'll never make it work on time so a measly four hours of sleep will have to do.

(Topanga sits on the couch with Josh and Cory.)

Topanga: So, did Shawn kick you out?

Josh: Why would you say that?

Topanga: for the one you're here at 2am for two I've seen the googly eyes you make at Maya.

Josh: Is it that obvious I like her?

Cory: Not to me I really thought Maya's feelings for you were one-sided.

Topanga: well you always were the last to notice things.

Cory: Please I knew I was in love with you long before you knew you loved me.

Topanga: excuse me. Don't you forget who kissed who first?

Cory: Oh because practically assaulting me at my locker was you making the first move?

Topanga: It worked didn't it?

Cory: I don't know; kiss me again.

(Topanga leans over Josh to kiss Cory.)

Josh: guys I'm still here.

Topanga: Need I remind you-you're the one who showed up unannounced at 2 in the morning.

Josh: Topanga what do I do about Maya I really like her, but I care about my relationship with Shawn and Riley.

Cory: You're afraid if things don't work out between you to you'll lose more than just a girlfriend?

Topanga: Girlfriend. So, you two are actually dating?

Josh: Yes, Cory and nothing's official yet but we did kiss.

Topanga: You understand that till she turns eighteen, it's illegal for you to sleep with her even if your dating and that's four years away. We were teenagers once too you know, and I know how hard waiting that long can be are you sure you're ok with that?

Cory: Oh, you know how hard it can be. You kept me waiting for five years woman five whole years.

Topanga: So are you saying it wasn't worth it.

Cory: Well, of course, it was worth it.

Topanga: then quit complaining, but you see my point.

(Topanga says while gesturing to Cory.)

Josh: Look guys I can see you're concerned, but I've thought about that, and I really don't think it'll be that big of a deal. What I'm more concerned about is getting Shawn to be ok with me dating Maya.

Cory: Shawn's pretty reasonable I'm sure he'll come around.

Josh: thanks, core he's just like a brother to me, and I'd hate to lose that relationship if something were to happen with Maya and me.

Topanga: I don't know Josh Shawn is really protective of Maya I think if you're going to date Maya you'll have to consider that risk and whether its worth it to you to risk your relationships with Shawn and Riley for the chance to date Maya.

Josh: I know Topanga honestly that's my only real reason for not asking her out sooner.

Topanga: You know Josh I may give you a hard time, but you really are a good kid, and I know whatever the right decision is you'll make it.

(Josh yawns.)

Josh: Thanks Topanga. You've always been more like a second mother to me than a sister-in-law.

Cory: Speaking of mom and dad do they know about you and Maya?

Josh: Come on Core we're not even officially dating yet, and you expect me to tell mom and dad?

Cory: Nah I'm just giving you a hard time besides you know mom would go crazy if she knew.

Josh: You're not going to tell her are you?

Cory: Now what kind of brother would I be if I did that?

(Josh Yawns again.)

Topanga: Maybe we should let Josh get some sleep it's been a long day.

Josh: Thanks Topanga. I'll just sleep in Riley's room since she's downstairs at Maya's.

(Knock at the door)

Shawn: Josh is you there.

(Topanga answers the door, and Shawn walks over to Josh.)

Topanga: Come in it's only 2:30 in the morning.

Shawn: Sorry guys I'll only be a minute. Look, Josh, I'm really not mad at you. I'm not thrilled that you like Maya, but I'm not blind either I see how happy you make her.

Shawn: so, if you want to date her go for it.

(Shawn goes to leave.)

Josh: wait for Shawn.

Shawn: Yeah.

Josh: I don't want to lose you.

Shawn: what do you mean lose me.

Josh: Come on your like a brother to me. Helping me pull pranks on Feeny teaching me to ride a motorcycle. Even took me to get my first tattoo. I'm scared that if things don't work out with Maya and me. I won't just lose her, but all of you.

Shawn: Look Josh I'm marrying Katy, and for all intensive purposes am Maya's dad, so I have to put her first, but that doesn't mean we'll stop being friends forever. Besides, if things work out, I'll be your father in law, and then you'll really never get rid of me.

(Josh laughs, and yawns)

Shawn: I better let you all get back to sleep.

Josh: wait for Shawn. Thanks for being so cool about things, and although the odds are slim, I really do hope things work out for Maya and me.

Shawn: Normally I'd never in a million years think two teenagers could really end up together, but then there's Cory and Topanga, so anything is possible.

Topanga: Goodnight Shawn.

(door shuts in Shawn's face.)

Topanga: Now you two get to bed already.

Cory and Josh: Yes Topanga.

Scene 28

INT. Riley's Room

(Maya comes in through the window, and Josh looks over lazily from Riley's bed.)

Josh: Come on I was just starting to fall asleep.

Maya: well I couldn't sleep

Josh: and why not?

Maya: Because I couldn't help wondering what you did that was so bad.

Josh: Look Maya I care about you a lot, and I promise to tell you one day but not tonight.

Maya: come on you know whatever I'm going to imagine is like a million times worse than what happened, so you ought to just tell me the truth.

Josh: alright I spiked the punch at my junior prom.

Maya: so, that's a standard prank.

Josh: Yeah it turns out I wasn't the only one with that Idea by the end of the night the equivalent of two bottles of vodka were in there.

Maya: so what's the big deal?

Josh: My best friend Jason got drunk and drove home that night killing himself and two other people in a drunk driving accident. I blamed myself for their deaths. I mean if it weren't for me Jason wouldn't have been drunk in the first place.

Maya: but you didn't really kill them you know, that right? Why did you spike the punch anyway?

Josh: I was the typical class clown always playing pranks on Feeny. Took the screws out of his chair so it collapsed when he sat down stole the electric clicker on his car keys so I could lock and unlock the door and make the alarm go off at random then snuck it back on his keyring without him noticing. The worst one was the time I painted his fence lime green and hid the paint and stuff at Shawn's Feeny tried to blame me but had no proof and dad made him apologize to me, and I got him to pay me to fix the fence that I destroyed.

(Josh is laughing Maya looks shocked.)

Maya: you really did drive Feeny mad.

Josh: yeah, so when it came to prom my friends pressured me into thinking it was my job to spike the punch, and so I did. I stole a bottle of Vodka from my parent's liquor cabinet, and the rest is history.

Maya: I'm sorry, but none of that is really all that bad.

Josh: If you played any part in Riley's death wouldn't you blame yourself?

Maya: Of course, I would, but that still doesn't make it your fault.

Josh: I couldn't go back to school after that, so I got my GED, took the SAT, and applied at NYU. I couldn't go there for another year without Jason. It just wouldn't have felt right.

Maya: So is that why you came to NYU?

Josh: I wanted to start my whole life over, new city, new school, new me.

Maya: So how do I fit into this whole new you exactly?

Josh: I didn't really know until that night at NYU when you snuck into my dorm and told me why you liked me, because the reasons you loved me where why I liked myself. You saw me for the man I wanted to be and not the boy I was.

(Maya Kisses Josh on Riley's bed.)

Josh: Slow down Maya it's late, and you're not even supposed to be in this room let alone making out with me.

Maya: We weren't making out.

Josh: Oh, trust me will be.

(Josh leans over and deepens his kiss with Maya they kiss for a few minutes till they must stop for air.)

Maya: I should go back to bed.

(Josh leans back on the headboard out of breath.)

Josh: Yeah, I should too.

(Maya starts to climb out onto the fire escape and whispers to herself.)

Maya: We've all got a past Josh.

(Maya is gone, and Josh is now alone in Riley's bedroom.)

Josh: Maybe waiting four years won't be as easy as I thought.

(Josh goes to take a shower.)