Love is for Suckers (Joshaya)

Chapter 5

Maya always assumed the stereotypical family dinners where everyone sits around and talks about their day and joke around and laugh was only seen in tv. 

Until she met the matthews family 

 She loved having dinner at Riley's home. She loved sitting and hearing mr and mrs Matthews discuss their  day and watching Auggie and Riley  tease eachother and fight over the last piece of desert.  Any day she would  be happy to be at Riley's home for dinner.

But not tonight 

She tried to avoid making eye contact with the older boy sitting across from her. She tried to pretend she didn't notice when the older guy would take quick glances at her. 

"So josh how's college treating you?" Cory asks his younger brother

"It's good, a lot more work though" josh jokes

"And med school will just get worse" Topanga adds

"Don't remind me " josh chuckles

"I can't believe my baby is almost a doctor" grandma matthews says proudly 

"Mother please " josh whines 

Maya finds it kind of funny how josh is embarrassed by his mother she accidentally lets out a small chuckle

Josh looks up and smiles at her but Maya quickly looks down avoiding his eyes.

"What about you girls are you enjoying your senior year?" Grandpa Matthews asks

"Yea but I'm kind of not ready for it to be over, it makes me nervous sometimes" riley tells them

He smiles and turns to his granddaughter's friend

"What about you maya, you nervous too?" He asks

"Uh a little I guess" maya says . Truth was she was  terrified. The thought of finishing high school and heading out into the real world is something she felt she wasn't ready for.

"I was too, don't worry it's not as scary as you think" josh assures her

Maya looks at him and the two just stare at each other for a moment 

"Who wants pie?" Topanga announces

"Me" almost everyone announces 

Later that evening

Everyone had moved to the living room to continue talking. Maya looked at the time and she stood up

"I should get going"

"at this hour, it's not safe to walk these streets at night" grandma Matthews says with concern

Maya smiles "it's fine I do it all the time"

"Maybe someone should go with you" grandpa Matthews suggests

"No it's fi.....

"I'll be happy to walk you home" josh interrupts her before she can finish 

"No. I'm...."

"That's a great idea josh" grandma Matthews says 

"I agree" riley buts in with a bright smile

Maya sends a glare at her best friend who pretends not to notice

"You really don't have to" she tells josh

"I really don't  mind, plus there's a lot of psychos out there" he jokes remembering their conversation on the subway

Maya is hesitant but knows she has no choice

"Okay thanks" she goes to grab her coat

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"You know you really didn't have to offer to walk me"  maya tells him as they make their way off the subway and begin to make their walk to Maya's apartment

"I really don't mind maya plus my moms right it's  not safe for you to be walking by yourself at night"

"I do it all the time"  maya tells him

"Doesn't mean you should" josh fires back

Maya is not used to  people caring about her and worrying about her and her safety. She tried to remind herself that josh was probably only doing this because she was his nieces best friend not because he actually cared about her. Why would he?  he just met her.

" so your parents just let you go off on your own late at night?" Josh asks her

" well it's just my mom and no she really doesnt  notice, she works late" maya explains

" oh " is all that  Josh can think of 

Maya tries not to roll her eyes she doesn't need pity from anyone

She simply shrugs "no big deal"

They walk in silence for a bit till josh tries to break the silence 

"So uh where's your dad....if I may ask?"

"I'd rather not talk about that" she answers immediately

"Okay, that's fine you don't have to talk about it"

They arrive to Maya's apartment 

"This is my stop, thanks for walking me" she begins to make her way to the door

"Maya?" Josh calls out

She turns to look at him

"if you ever wanna talk I'm a  pretty good listener" 

"Thanks but I'm more of "the suffer in silence type" (a/n twilight lol)

"Well in case you ever change your mind, I'll be around, goodnight maya" he smiles and turns to make his way back to the subway.

"Night josh" 

She watches him until he disappears.

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Back  at the matthews home

Josh walks through the door and sees his niece on the couch watching tv

"Hey where is everyone" he asks looking around for the rest of his family

"They all went to bed" 

He just nods and sits down next to riley 

" so did you get Maya home safely" she asks her uncle

"Yes I did" josh says not taking his eyes off the tv

"So what did you think of Maya" riley asks 

Josh smiled "she seems nice" 

Truth was the pretty blonde had been on  his mind ever since he saved her on the subway. But he wouldn't let his niece know that.

"Just nice" riley asks with her eyebrows raised 

Josh just shrugs

Another truth was he found her very interesting he could tell she was a very reserved person who didn't quite open up to people easily but Josh very much wanted to get to know her.

Riley simply rolls her eyes "okay uncle josh, goodnight" she gets up and heads to her room

Josh heads off to auggie's room where he's staying and tries to get some sleep the whole time thinking about a certain blonde girl with pretty blue eyes.