Hey fam,

I have an apology to make right off the bat. I am so sorry that this update is ridiculously late, it's just been a hell of a week with school and I didn't want to post anything that wasn't at the quality standard that I aim for in my writing. I decided to split this chapter into two parts for chapter length consistency, and also so that I could post what I had as soon as possible (Pt 2 of this chapter still has to be written). I need to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart, your reviews make me ecstatic and having this story as an escape when life becomes stressful is amazing and most of that joy can be attributed to all of you lovely people. Thank you for taking the time to read and review, it is greatly appreciated. The next chapter will be up either before or by next Wednesday (depending on how hard school kicks my ass).

I love you guys so much :)

- SleepingStarlight

As the light began to maneuver its way around the curtains the next morning, Maya couldn't help but groan in exasperation. Sure, it was better than Riley jumping and wrestling her out of bed (a regular occurrence since their trip to Philly), but after everything that happened last night, she wished the next day hadn't arrived yet. Not only for her poor best friend who was likely groaning in pain while struggling to get food after her wild adventures the night before, but because with a new rotation of sunrises and sunsets, she was forced to face what she had done last night. It should have been easy to brush off. It was one kiss on the cheek and people didn't freak out over that because there was no obvious reason to freak out over that. Unless, that is, you were Maya and Josh, because in that case, a full-fledged panic-attack was justified (if not necessary). Years of unresolved emotions, useless promises, and small talks about the big picture without any results made it so that anything vaguely romantic between the two of them caused red flags to immediately be raised, because suddenly everything felt like it was at stake. There was no such thing as casual with her and Josh. Casual dating was dangerous, it could tear apart the family dynamic they both belonged to. Alliances would be made, wars would be fought, and grudges would forever be held if the two of them took their relationship lightly and screwed everything up. So instead of the typical university student post-party alcohol-induced hangover, Maya had a pounding in her head from a different kind of need, almost a different kind of vice altogether. One that she hadn't been able to shake all her life, one that was just as dangerous in different (yet exciting) ways, and lastly one that took form in an adorable beany-clad, blue eyed university student that she kissed on the cheek last night for the first time in her life. And the absolute worst part was that she couldn't find an ounce of regret.

So with an absent-minded groan, Maya pulled her blankets off and padded over to Riley's room sullenly, not in the mood for anything too cheerful at the moment, and low-key relieved when she saw that Riley was going to be kind of dull today. She always paid a high price for her wild nights, yet that never seemed to stop her.

"Hey Riles, rise and shine!" Maya called while heading over to the window and hastily opening the blinds to let sunlight through. "You can't stay in your dark room forever!" she said with a smile as she looked out to see all the trees changing colour outside. If she could get Riley out of bed, she knew that the brunette would be ecstatic with the fall colours, likely picking out outfits for the both of them and demanding they take a photo shoot while heading to Starbucks. And while it pained Maya to admit her best friend was pretty basic, it was the truth (and she loved it). Besides, her Instagram feed never looked better than when Riley was involved- a fact she had to grudgingly admit. However, all her attention was immediately redirected to her best friend, who at the moment, was groggily lifting her torso off the bed and raising her hand dramatically to point at the window before collapsing once again.

"Are we on the SUN Maya?! Close the damn blinds," she muttered while stuffing her face back into the pillow. "And you're tooooo loud, ju-just close your head hole."

"It's called a mouth, Honey," Maya cooed while sitting on the bed and turning Riley to face her. "Take an aspirin, okay? You'll feel better and then I'll take you for coffee and croissants!" Maya said with faked enthusiasm, Riley would eat it all up anyways. "You like croissants don't you Riles? With great big chunks of chocolate that are all gooey and delicious! You get them all over your face and then you ask for three more because who on earth would only eat one croissant?!"

"I know!" Riley said in exasperation, still refusing to open her eyes.

"So come on Honey. Why don't you get up, throw on a pair of pants and I'll take you down to the cafe. I think we've got some things to talk about."

"Why do we always have things to talk about?!" Riley complained while flipping onto her other side away from Maya. "We don't even have the bay window anymore, why does our life feel like a trashy soap opera?"

"Speak for yourself," Maya grumbled. She didn't really need this kind of life advice from her best friend at the moment.

"Oh come on Maya, it's you more than anyone." Riley said, her head beginning to clear a little as she reached for the water and downed an aspirin. "You and my uncle, you're both so dramatic. I like you. You're too young for me. Please love me. I hate you. I like you (again). Get a grip!"

"Well someone isn't getting any croissants this morning," Maya huffed while heading for the door. She didn't need to be told that she had a majorly dysfunctional semi-relationship with her best friend's uncle, believe her, she had known that piece of information for years. Whether or not she ever did anything to change their situation was a different story altogether, but frankly, some things had to be let go. One kiss on the cheek wouldn't change everything if she thought about it rationally. She didn't even have to tell anyone- and she was sure as hell that he wouldn't.

So as she grabbed a pair of boots for the trek to the nearest cafe to drown her sorrows in coffee, Maya stuck her head back in Riley's door frame. "Don't keep me waiting, Riles," she quipped before stepping back out into the hallway, laughing as she heard her best friend scramble to get ready while managing to hit several pieces of furniture in the process (or so it sounded at least). One could never be sure.

Maya grinned as she sat across from her best friend in their booth at Starbucks. After a hard walk from their dorm in the crisp September weather, Riley's cheeks were flushed a bright pink, and her eyes sparkled again with their non-hungover vigour. They had constantly stopped along the way, Maya using her phone to capture pictures of the brunette sitting in piles of bright leaves, her subject using the time to throw fallen acorns at squirrels and giggling madly as they jumped away in surprise. It had been peaceful, and Maya could almost stop obsessing over her actions the night before, so it surprised her when Riley reached across the table and light cradled her cheek.

"What's wrong, Peaches?" Riley asked, confusion muddling her features. "You've been off all morning. I just made a joke about Lucas's Pappy Joe and you didn't say a thing."

Maya looked up, met the gaze of her best friend, and her resolve immediately crumbled. In all honesty she was a bit surprised that she had even lasted this long. Living with each other had been a dream come true to them. Despite the innumerable sleep overs and impromptu vacations with one another, the two could never claim to be inseparable, in large part because they still slept under different roofs every night. So planning their university life together, choosing a residence, and living the life they had always wanted was not taken for granted. And despite the brief annoyance Maya felt, (knowing that her best friend could read her like an open book could be a bit trying at times), she still loved this situation more than any alternative. So with a clear conscience (and a part of her sighing in relief) she blurted out what had been plaguing her all morning.

"I kissed Josh last night," she burst.

"WHAT?!" Riley shouted, jumping out of her seat. How could she not have figured something that big out by now?

"It was on the cheek! It was on the cheek," Maya hastily reassured, hoping that it would lessen the blow and mentally cursing herself for not mentioning it sooner.

"Oh," Riley said softly as she sat back down, reaching across the table for her blonde counterpart's hand and clasping it gently. "That's not that big of a deal, is it?" she asked hesitantly. "It's not like you slept together or something," she shrugged. "But," she asked seriously, trying to discern Maya's feelings, "was this a big deal for you? I just figured that you must have done it at some point before with all the long game nonsense you two concocted."

"Trust me," Maya sighed, "I've wanted to. One time he literally ran away from me when we were caught under the mistletoe. Granted, I did come on a bit strongly for a ten year old."

Riley smiled. She could still remember the pint sized blonde looking at the ornamented ceiling above her, smiling mischievously, then yanking her thirteen year old uncle away from a conversation with Cory and attempting to bring his lips to hers. However, before the fatal moment could occur and with a grace that even he couldn't explain, Josh managed to squeeze out of her tight grip and run in the other direction- ridiculously flustered that he had almost had his first kiss stolen by a ten year old. So much so that on the first day back at school after the break, he sought out Daisy Ternes and kissed her before she could get a word in edgewise. She had been in love with him for two years at that point, and Josh did not want to have to worry about his first kiss for any longer.

So Riley laughed as she got caught in a tangled web of memories. Those two had been playing this game for far too long.

"Riley!" Maya cried out, "this isn't funny! He probably thinks I'm insane or something."

"Well, I guess that's the question isn't it," Riley said pensively, attempting to sober up despite the hilarity in the situation. "What is he thinking?"

"Yeah, that." Maya said with a resigned sigh. "I have no idea. Sometimes I feel like he may be reciprocating, other times he's drawing back so fast that I'm not even sure what happened. To be entirely honest, I don't enjoy being toyed with. I love him, but this is starting to feel a bit old. I'm four years older, but I feel like nothing has changed. At what point does this all become a bit excessive?"

Riley rested her head on her elbow carefully. Things were never easy with those two, and odds were they never would be. She loved her uncle, but in all honesty, she didn't really spend that much time with him anymore. She was growing up, she moved out, and she saw him on occasion whenever the time arose. A few texts here and there, a call the other day, and a few minutes in person ensured that they weren't strangers, but they weren't particularly close anymore. And since she was no longer on both ends of the conversation, she couldn't offer any consolation for her best friend at the moment, and that stressed her out. So she reverted to what little information she did know.

"Well, you can interrogate him tonight if you want. We're supposed to head over to my parents for dinner and help Auggie with math, although you won't really be much use for that," Riley joked while rolling her eyes. It still irked her that Maya had never been able to master simple math from sheer lack of trying. "We're picking Josh up from his apartment on the way there too so…" Riley tapered off as she registered the incredulous look Maya was shooting her.

"How about NO?" Maya whisper-shouted from across the booth, "Did you not just hear anything I said? I do not want to see him, of all people, right now." How could she possibly have thought that this was a good idea?!

"Calm down, Honey!" Riley soothed, reaching to grasp her hand again and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We'll just find you an excuse, it's no big deal. Besides, I don't know if everyone wants to deal with both you and Josh," she gestured wildly towards Maya, "and whatever it is that you two have, around the dinner table. It's a bit of a downer."

"Yeah, okay," Maya sighed.

"But," Riley interjected, thinking through her previous statements carefully, "it might be a bigger statement to him if you are there, like all super nonchalant and everything."

"Make up your mind Riles!" Maya groaned, burying her face into the crook of her elbow. Why did things always have to be so fucking confusing with that boy.

"I CHANGED MY MIND. I'M ALLOWED TO DO THAT," Riley shouted from across the table, raising a few eyebrows from other customers in the process.

"Well what do I do then?!" Maya questioned with exasperation, beginning to feel a little ticked at all this back and forth.

"I've changed my mind," Riley said with her chin up, expecting an attack from her best friend at any moment, "I think you should come. This is your family too, you shouldn't let him scare you away from what you love. Besides, I know this is a big deal for you, but try to remember that is was just a kiss on the cheek. It's practically irrelevant. Just forget about it."

"Fine Riles." Maya said, secretly happy with the brunette's conclusion, "I guess I was kind of hoping that you'd say that."

"Wait, then why did you make me think through all of that?!" Riley said accusingly.

"Well, I needed to be sure," Maya said with a coquettish grin.

"I hate you," Riley glowered.

"No you don't!" Maya sang while reaching for her cup and heading for the door, "You love me!"

"Damn it you're right," Riley cursed, before grabbing her coat and following.

"Maya wait up!" Riley called, huffing as she trailed behind her best friend from a distance. Uncharacteristically, the blonde had begun to break into a run half way through their walk, leaving a usually athletic Riley huffing as she tried to catch up.

"But I don't WANT TO," Maya squealed from ahead, a earsplitting smile spreading over her face. Riley couldn't help but return it despite her current exhaustion, there was something about a happy Maya that nothing could compare to. And seeing it right after everything that had happened the night before spoke volumes to Riley. She had always had a vague concern for her best friend's romantic affiliation with her uncle, but there was something about the two, that even when they drove each other off cliffs from stress, even when they played whatever long game they had decided on years ago, they were still confusingly happy around each other. Yes, Maya was stressed. How could she not be? Yet, at the same time, there was a glow on her face that Riley could only associate with the blonde's interactions last night, no matter how disastrous the consequences seemed.

"Maya I need to talk to you!" Riley shouted, happy for her best friend, but a few questions still plaguing her.

Maya stopped suddenly and turned back to look at the brunette, before skipping back to her side easily, the smile still dominating the majority of her face. Because despite how confusing everything with Josh seemed at the moment, there was no going back anymore. They were at a precipice and a resolution couldn't be avoided for any longer. The finality of it all was what had Maya smiling like a lunatic. She'd been playing the long game for so long at this point that she would live with whatever outcome came from it. Even though the negative one seemed pretty unlikely what with the way they constantly interacted- she had high hopes yet, and what was done, was done. She had to live with it.

"Peaches!" Riley cried, enveloping Maya's head in a soothing hug. "You came back to me!"

"I was just over there! What is it Honey?" Maya asked, her voice muffled through the fabric of Riley's coat.

"I kinda wanted to ask you something," Riley said sheepishly, pulling away and avoiding eye contact.

Maya grabbed her elbows and turned her around hastily, it wasn't like Riley to avoid conversations. "What is it?" Maya repeated, this time more seriously as she forced Riley to look her in the eye.

"Um, it's just the guy at the party last night kinda said some stuff that resonated a little bit."

Maya groaned, having Riley be the collateral damage of some drunk guy had been a fear since they first started living on campus. "Oh god, what did he say?"

"Well, he came up to me so we could dance together, and I thought he wanted to like actually dance," Maya began to groan internally, it was just so Riley to assume that all college frat guys would be noble and chivalrous.

"I started dancing with him, a-and he started complaining a lot, saying that he wasn't getting any from it. So I tried grinding on him, and I think he liked it, but then he pushed me away saying that he shouldn't have expected anything better from a- from a," Riley began to choke a little. Not distraught, but still appalled from what had happened.

"Riles, hey," Maya soothed, pulling the brunette back into a hug. "It's okay. It's just one guy, and he's an idiot."

"But I don't think it is," Riley said in a resigned tone. "I know the guy's a jerk, and if I weren't so drunk I would have stomped on him or something, but I don't think he's the only one who thinks of me like that. I'm not sexy. It feels stupid to say it, but it's true. I had to go sit on the couch after, it was so embarrassing."

Maya grabbed her hand, dragging her over to a nearby bench. She felt like this was about more than just one guy at a frat party. "Riles, you're beautiful. You should have seen some of the girls eyeing your legs last night. Honestly, if looks could kill, you would have been dead five years ago when you hit your glo-up. Are you sure this is just about the guy last night?" Maya asked, anticipating where this was really coming from. Riley could have a fragile concept of herself at times, but it seemed unlikely that a drunk dude from a frat party would have her this torn up.

"I just can't help but wonder if Lucas left me because of it. I know it's unlikely," Riley began, lifting her hands in the air to show that it didn't necessarily make sense, "but it bugs me anyways."

"Hey, listen to me," Maya said carefully, "Lucas left because he needed to. He had a scholarship for Vet School in Texas, and he only went because you said that he shouldn't give things up for you. That guy loved you, and trust me, he found you very sexy," Maya said with a twinkle in her eye.

Riley rested her head on her knees. She knew that Lucas had to leave, but the fact that he did so so easily left her questioning everything. He never fought for them, never seemed outwardly upset when she said that they had to break up. In all honesty, she only did so because she felt that he would be suggesting it at any moment then anyways. But when he never argued and just nodded solemnly, giving her a kiss on the cheek then leaving, she spent the rest of the week crying in bed at the end of her four year relationship. It hit home to say the least. And since then, Maya noticed that she had begun to try and attribute the blame on herself, subconsciously looking for reasons behind their break up in an effort to make sense of the inexplainable, unable to comprehend that sometimes things just didn't work out.

"Maybe he did, but he still left," Riley said, grimacing slightly as a tear fell down her cheek, before laughing without humour at the bitterness of life at times. Maya would have done anything to make it go away. She never thought that out of the two of them, it would be Riley who dealt with disappointment in relationships. She had just figured that tragic relationships were genetic, and that her's was just around the corner- not her best friend's. Riley was supposed to happy, she was always meant to be.

"You have to stop this Riles," Maya whispered, kissing the top of the brunette's head. "There was nothing you could do. He left, that's all on him."

"I don't know why it still hurts though," Riley said, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to return to normalcy.

Maya sighed, wrapping her arms tighter around Riley as the wind blew a little harder, "It was four years of your life Riles, that kind of stuff doesn't just go away in a heartbeat."

"I guess." Riley said, laying her head on the blonde's shoulder. For some reason, sitting on the park bench with her best friend and feeling the warmth along her right side from the proximity, she felt a sense of peace. Things hurt less- as they were meant to.

There was a large focus on the Riley/Maya relationship in this chapter, and I chose for it to be this way because the central theme of the show is their friendship- the one thing intended to last forever. I thought it was important to appreciate how wonderfully complex and rich their relationship is before we continue to establish any romantic interests. But to those who are missing Josh, (I myself miss writing about him), no worries because he will be in the next chapter, a lot! We'll see how dinner goes. Until next time!