"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.

For a few moments, only silence remained. More moments passed, Maya not moving, Riley not moving. Riley held there, cheek against Maya, both breathing with the intensity of this moment. Riley rested her hand on Maya's upper leg, both girls looking slightly to it, their eyes hanging there, Maya's eyes coming back up to Riley. She closed her eyes just sinking in this feeling that almost made her feel a pit in her stomach, like it hungered for something, and was tossing like a raging sea. Riley's eyes searched Maya's face.

"Riley, I love you," Maya said, softly breaking, her desperation bursting out,

"...I don't want you to go, "

"..." Riley opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Riley bitter sweetly shed a tear, and walked away, turning her back and holding one hand to her elbow, and the other to her chin, deep in her thoughts. Maya watched that hand on her thigh leave, watching Riley move, catching her eyes. Maya followed, and sat down on the bed, and reached out her hand to Riley's arm, pulling her to join her. Sitting, Riley says in a way Riley has never heard, almost pleading,

"Maya."

They locked eyes, and Riley scooted back on her elbows, pushing herself to the bed frame. Maya at the same time follows, staying close, faces teasingly mingling. Maya was leading this time, and inside was stuck between a calm curiosity, and an unsettled anxiety. She had never really been kissed before, and never initiated it, but somewhere inside she knew how to move, where to go, like it was inside her the whole time. Maya hung over Riley, both acknowledging what the intent was. Eyes fluttered and looks were exchanged, from face, to lips, and the quiet realization that they were studying each other. Seeing for the first time the others lips, that spoke an eternity of I love you's and sweet promises between them. Had this truly been there this whole time? Untapped oil underneath them, a gem amongst dirt waiting to be unearthed? This felt impossible, and yet like how every moment of the future should feel like. Riley was impressed to see Maya take charge of their interaction, and was taking note of every move, not sure what would follow from second to second. Maya was cautious, yet bold, neither wanting to overwhelm the other, this being so new. Maya looked down on Riley, and in a sweeping movement, set her leg between Riley's, and one of her arms underneath her, putting her head on Riley's chest, bringing her body on top of her, trailing her other hand around Riley's waist. Riley instantly grabbed tightly, and they lied together, wishing to never move. Riley tucked some blonde locks behind Maya's ear, and nestled herself to Maya, both girls gripping the other tightly.

Maya again whispering, almost to herself,

"Don't go…."

There was no longer room to speak of the departure, of the devastation that awaited them, Riley could not take herself out of this feeling.

Riley sat up, bringing Maya to meet her gaze, hand holding Maya's chin,

"Dance with me." Riley said, going to get her phone. Riley thought what that song was, Maya had been listening to it for a few weeks straight for the last month, and she knew it was perfect for this moment. She got up and picked up her phone on a stray coffee table. The room wasn't entirely the same, only the bare bones of her room were left, everything else packed up in boxes. Yet the barren room was filled with moon light and Maya. The thought shot through her mind, What is happening… It feels right, this feels right, she feels, she feels…." her mind drifting off to a dreamy spellbound place.

Maya took off her shoes, tossing them haphazardly. She remembered all the adventures she had with Riley in those shoes; no place she would go wearing them would ever be exhilarating without her girl in tow. Sitting on the bed, she gripped herself tightly, noticing the speckles of rain hit her beloved bay window. Maya covered her mouth as a moment of disbelief jolted through her, surprising herself, examining her hands, still being able to feel Riley's softness under her fingers. She could feel the faint beginnings of a migraine coming on as her brain exhaustively tried to permanently remember every detail of this encounter. She breathed through her mouth and grabbed a tissue, blowing her nose. She wadded it into a ball and threw it to the floor. She stared at it, realizing that would be her without Riley. A meaningless crumbled mess whose been used and discarded. Maya sat, watching the shadow of rain that covered the tissue, the motion of rain falling becoming empty and systematic.

Riley picked up the phone and sighed looking at the reminder her mom set about the flight departure time. Out of frustration she angrily put it face down on the dresser. She took a breath, mustered the courage to pick it back up and ignored the reminder. Upon unlocking it, she stood staring for a bit at her back round. A picture of the two of course. She had taken the picture when Maya came back from her "vacation" from Riley. Maya was hugging her from behind, with her head rested on Riley's left shoulder, looking up at the camera. She could see that humorous, wild and unpredictable free spirit Maya had that few got to see in those ocean blue eyes. Riley glanced away for a moment over to Maya who was fidgeting her fingers and nervously running hands through her hair. Maya was far from that care-free spirit captured in the photo, Maya was different now, the opposite. Riley fought the voice in her head saying it's her fault, she couldn't handle the pain and guilt that belief promised.

"Riley…?" Maya weakly muttered.

Focus, Riley said to herself, Music, right.