Maya's POV

Shawn and I sat on stools at the island that is our kitchen counter. He was typing on his laptop and nursing another cup of coffee. I sat across from him with my sketchbook.

"How's the writing going?" I asked him.

"It's going somewhere. How's the drawing going?" He asked me.

"Good," I said.

"Let me guess, it's another Riley?" He teased. Wait, how does he know about my sketchbook?

"You heard about that, huh?" I asked.

"About your sketchbook full of Riley? Yeah, your mom might have mentioned it," he answered.

"No, not this time. This time, it's you." I turned my sketchbook around and showed him my drawing of him writing at the counter. His face lit up. He took the sketchbook from my hands for a closer look.

"Wow, Maya. This is really good," he said, impressed. I smiled and he smiled back at me.

"Keep it." I said, as I walked around to his side of the counter. I tore the page out of the book and presented the drawing to him.

"I will. Thanks, Maya," he accepted the drawing, he was smiling ear to ear. "But while I'm here, is it okay if I hang it on the fridge?"

Now it was my face that lit up. "Sure."

I grew up watching Mr. Matthews hang Riley and Auggie's drawings on their fridge. But this has never happened to me before. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a big hug. He hugged me back and put my drawing on the refrigerator with a magnet.

My phone rang. It was Riley. I answered the call.

"Peaches?"

"Hi, honey."

I grabbed my sketchbook and went to my room to take the call.

"How ya doin?" she asked me.

"I'm great, Riles. My mom and I talked. We're okay now."

"Yay!" she cheered through the phone.

"And Shawn is here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's staying here while he's in town writing a story. He actually helped my mom and I work things out," I explained.

"That's great!" Riley exclaimed.

"Yeah." I agreed

"Can I come over?" she asked.

"Sure, I bet Shawn would love to see you."

"I'll be there soon," she said.

Riley's POV

Maya welcomed me at the door with a hug. Shawn looked up from his computer.

"Uncle Shawn!" I greeted him.

He came over for a hug as well.

"Riley! So tell me, has Maya been treating you right?" He asked.

"Like a Princess," I assured him.

"Good."

"Does my dad know you're here?" I asked.

"Not yet, I was going to swing by later tonight, after I get some writing done."

"We will leave you to it, then," I said.

I took Maya by the hand and lead her into her room, and closed the door.

"I need to talk to you." I started.

"What is it, Riles?" she asked.

I looked into her eyes. "Maya, I feel terrible for what I said to you earlier."

She looked away. "It's okay, Riley," she said.

"It's not okay. I know your dad is a sensitive subject and I just threw it in your face like that. I'm really sorry," I apologized.

Maya wrapped her arms around me. "Riley, you didn't say anything wrong. You were right, and you said exactly what I needed to hear. If you didn't say what you said, I wouldn't have come home and I wouldn't be having this awesome day that I'm having." She leaned in and kissed me.

She continued, "I don't know how you do it Riles, but somehow you always know exactly what I need," she said, smiling. I smiled back at her. She must really be having a great day, because I don't think I've ever seen her eyes this blue. "Stay for dinner?" she asked me.

"You and me having dinner with Katie and Shawn?" I asked. She nodded, still smiling.

"Sounds like a double date," I said.

Maya's POV

Somebody pinch me. Is this real? I looked at my beautiful girlfriend next to me, and my mom and Shawn sitting across from us. Me, Riley, my mom and Shawn having a Sunday dinner together, like a family. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe hope isn't for suckers after all.

Shawn and my mom talked about their date. Riley gushed about the painting I made for her. My mom and Riley both told Shawn all about the talent show. Riley and I talked about our date at the park.

"Aww, Maya. Who knew you were such a sap?" Shawn teased.

"Oh, shut up." I threw a tater tot at him.

Riley looked at me. "You are, Peaches, and I love it."

I blushed. She leaned in and kissed me.

"Aww, you guys are so cute," Shawn commented.

Riley just kissed me, right in front of my parents, and it was totally okay. Wait, did I just subconsciously call Shawn my parent? I'm getting ahead of myself. This has been the best weekend I've ever had. I don't care if things are complicated, or if my life is going to be a struggle, because this day, this moment, makes it all worth it.

"So what's next for Maya and Riley? Are you two going to prom together?" Shawn asked.

Riley dropped her fork. Shawn, why did you have to remind us that eighth grade prom is coming up? Riley looked at me with a combination of shock and fear.

"I completely forgot about prom," she said.

I looked back at Shawn. "Yeah, we haven't talked about prom yet."

"But you are going right? It's like a right of passage," he said.

"Uncle Shawn," Riley started. He looked at her.

"My parents don't know about my relationship with Maya. They think we're still just the same best friends as we've always been," she explained.

"If you're worried about me telling your dad, I won't. But Riley, I've known both of your parents for a very long time. I really don't think you have any reason to be afraid of telling them the truth," Shawn said.

"I think they have some kind of expectation or some kind of idea in their heads about who they want me to be, and I don't want to let them down," Riley admitted.

"You're not, Riley," my mom chimed in. "You're not letting anyone down by being who you are."

"And then how will I explain it to Auggie?" Riley wondered.

I looked at her. "I actually think Auggie will be the easiest person to explain it to," I supposed.

"Really?" she looked at me.

I nodded. "Yeah, he already thinks we're gonna marry each other."