Girl Meets Ryan Matthews

48.

While watching the movie, Maya's phone went off a dozen times, so she had to leave the theater to a few aggressive moviegoers.

"Oh, you be quiet! I'm leaving!"

She came back a few minutes later and dropped back into her seat, crossing her arms and glaring at the screen.

"What's wrong? Who's calling?" Ryan whispered. Maya rolled her eyes and whispered back, "Riley. She's mad I'm not still tied up. And kinda mad I trashed her room."

Ryan laughed. The people in front of him shushed him.

"I will kick your seat!" Maya threatened. The people glared and turned back around.

"That sucks. She'll get over it."

Maya laughed and one of the people in front of them turned around again. "Will you shut up?"

Maya stood up aggressively and growled at her. Ryan quickly jumped up and gathered his and Maya's things, "No, you know what, we'll just go."

He pushed Maya out of the vicinity of the irritated moviegoers and turned back around, quickly dumping their popcorn on their heads.

They ran out amidst angry yelling and groans, giggling all the way.

--

Maya called Riley back and they talked about what she was trying to do today over the phone while Ryan held two cupcakes.

He was thinking about what Maya had said earlier. Did he still like Farkle?

He bit into the cupcake and Maya handed him a napkin.

Well, when Farkle told him he didn't like Riley or Maya, was he happy or just shocked? Shocked definitely. But, he guessed, he didn't really feel happy about it, did he?

He had just found out he had been lied to and the foundation of his world was built on lies, more like.

So, no, he didn't like Farkle anymore.

Huh.

Maya ended the call and grabbed the cupcake from his other hand. He crammed the rest of his cupcake into his mouth and dusted off his hands. "Wha' did 'iley wan'?" He tried to say.

Maya snorted, rolling her eyes. "She told me what her 'big plan' was," She said, putting air quotes around the words, "apparently, this whole thing was so that she could get Shawn to get my mom to come to celebrate my birthday with all of us."

Ryan nodded, "But you didn't want that?"

Maya huffed. "No!" she said, gesturing now with her cupcake. "I wish she would just leave my relationship with my mom alone. I get that she can't be where I want her to be sometimes, and yes I get upset about it. But I can't change that! She's working to put food on our table, a roof over our heads, and clothes on my back. I'm allowed to be upset, but I don't need Riley sticking her head where it doesn't need to be."

Ryan nodded again and laughed. "So Shawn's at the apartment with your mom right now?"

Maya let a small smile pull at her face, peeling the cupcake wrapper. "Yup."

"So," Maya said, taking a bit of the cupcake, "What were you thinking so hard about?"

Ryan sighed, shoving his hands into his front pockets, "What you said earlier."

"Wha'd I 'ay," She asked around a mouth full of cupcake.

Ryan laughed before answering. "Just about Farkle."

"And?"

"And you were right. I don't like him anymore." He sighed. "Well. Romantically, at least. He's still my best friend."