"Riley you can't force me to sta-" Maya begged as she got up and walked over to the closed door. Riley immediately shot up and pushed her hand past Maya's face hitting the door. Maya jumped at the action, and hit her back against the door as Riley practically squished her up against it. Riley again bore her gaze into Maya's, Maya avoiding it. Riley moved her hand and turned the lock on the door.
"This is hard on both of us! What is it going to take for you to see that!?"
Riley calmly reached to start lovingly stroking Maya's forearms and attempted to hold her hand.
Maya painfully turned her back to Riley. Riley took a step back to calculate her words.
"I'll never stop Maya. I love you. No matter what we do or say, it's you and me. Forever."
Coming back to Maya, who stared into the floor, Riley tugged at the jacket Maya was wearing. Maya was completely terrified of being hurt, she couldn't take much more. Riley slowly took off Maya's jacket, uncovering a familiar black band t-shirt with red print on it. Maya stood, soft sobs rocking her body. Riley saw this and ran her hands down Maya's arms, and traced along her spine, sending chills through Maya's body. The rain started to pound against the window. Maya was torn between two feelings, caution and surprise. Riley pulled herself close to Maya, and moved the blonde hair back, exposing her left shoulder and neck. She rested her face there, taking the feel in. Riley then reached her arms over Maya's shoulders and wrapped them around Maya, then met her hands together at Maya's collar bone. Maya without thinking reached up and held onto Riley's hands. Their hands together brought some sort of peace, with a slight sting. They had shared a bed, held hands, hugged, and touched in so many ways, but this had weight; it was different. It felt new. They stayed like that for quite a while, and remained in absolute quiet. Maya took a sharp breath in as she ever so slowly turned her face from facing the door toward Riley. Seeing this, Riley focused to be intune with Maya's movement. Maya felt Riley's lips on her cheek, creeping slowly towards her own. Maya's grip tightened on Riley's hands and arm, just as thunder suddenly boomed outside. Maya could only see Riley, her brown eyes watching her, her soft cheeks, and closed her eyes for a moment, feeling Riley's lips resting, and almost waiting. Maya had no words, she felt herself close the gap, and a flash of lightning filled the room. Once their lips met again, Maya allowed herself to accept it, wanting to open herself to what this could be. Neither dared move at first, this kiss was earth shattering, and both girls held it, letting it fill them. Maya reached and placed a hand on Riley's jaw, cherishing this ocean deep feeling. Riley started kissing her back, so sweetly, and Maya pulled away and fully turned to face Riley. Maya was now back against the door, and they hugged each other, then resting their cheeks together.
"Riley," She said, pausing,
"...is this real? Is this actually happening?" Maya whispered.
To answer, Riley set her hands on each side of Maya's face and neck, locking eyes with Maya.
"Is this okay?" Riley asked, which Maya silently nodded back. Maya's hands moved, one to hold Riley's shoulder, the other finding Riley's waist. In the same motion, Riley's hand reached around to hold Maya's face. This time, they kiss again, each wanting and coming together at the same time. They kiss gently, curiously, and slowly, hands moving occasionally to explore the other. At one point the two separate for a moment, Maya bites her lip, and smiles at Riley, who responds by kissing her smile. Needing a moment to breathe, they stayed close together, and held each other's hands at their sides, and Riley started to lead Maya over to the bay window. Once there, Maya put her arms around Riley and set her head over Riley's heart, listening to it beating so loudly. Again, the room fell silent, and Maya began to feel Riley let out heavy breath, realizing Riley was getting upset. Maya sat up and positioned herself to be facing Riley,
"Riles I got you. I'm sorry…" She said trailing off, holding Riley's face and resting the other in her long brown hair, moving and somewhat toying with it. Seeing Riley become upset ruffled something up in Maya, who in turn felt rushed with emotion, and braced her into a tight hug.
Both get a bit choked up,
"I didn't think you would kiss me back." Riley said, a bit shy. Now looking at each other again, Maya bares all to Riley.
"Why did you kiss me?"
Riley immediately shoots back,
"Why did you kiss me?"
Both girls sit in silence for a moment while each thinks on the answer.
"I couldn't come up with another way to show you how I felt. How much I care. That I love you. That I am going to miss you."
"You will always have me, even in a new place. Riley I can't get my hopes up for something with you that just can't be."
Riley, without fully grasping Maya's words, asks another question,
"Maya, how do you know you're in love with someone?"
"You tell me you love me. I tell you I love you. I think loving someone and being in love with them are different things."
"And yet you kissed me back Maya." Maya fell silent,
"I don't know what these feelings are Maya, but the only two words in my brain are in love."
"Riley, please don't. You are getting on that plane and moving 3,459 miles away. I know what's coming, and I'm trying so hard not to completely fall apart."
Riley continues, again avoiding acknowledging Maya's remarks about moving.
"Growth is followed by feelings. I think we've grown together, and feelings follow growth Maya." Riley said, moving in and coming close to Maya again, their noses touching.
"I know this feels intense, and not like anything I've ever felt before. I know you feel it too."
Maya shuddered as Riley kissed her cheek. Maya was content not to avoid it as anxious butterflies moved in her, and she set a hand on Riley's arm.
"I think you are in love with me too Maya."
Maya could not answer, hearing it clicked everything into place. With that, tears came. Not sorrowful, not angry, but bittersweet. Maybe it was true. And oh, how it was going to hurt to watch her go.