fools [rilaya] - short story

f o u r

hi! I feel so shitty about the last chapter bc it was so short. hopefully this is a little bit better plot-wise! ty so much for reading ! ily. -sierra

MAYA'S POV - past tense

                          As I walked into the cold hospital lobby, I finally exhaled a sigh of relief when I saw familiar faces. Cory and Topanga stood with apologetic smiles, they said no words aloud but their embrace with me said it all: we're sorry.  My tears flowed little by little then all at once. Reluctantly pulling away to face reality, I struggled to put on a brave face. Topanga knew I was trying to be a fierce Amazon warrior, and saw that my strength in this hard time was faltering. There was no use in pretending. I finally asked.

                         "How did he..." I was going to say die, but my voice broke on the words. I shook my head and looked at the ground at the plain white tiles, not wanting to see the sympathetic looks on their faces. It was weird. Shawn is--well, was--Cory's best friend, Topanga's as well. Why did they look like it was more of my loss? Must've gotten all the tears out before I came. Wow, time didn't erase the bravery I knew the Matthews had. Even Auggie, sitting in a blue armchair in the far corner of the lobby still had no tears since I walked in. Something about this family, and yet I left.

                       I looked up, where Cory had motioned for me to sit down. I nodded and did so. And so he and Topanga told me. The way Shawn had been struggling with colon cancer for the past few months, and how he came into the remission stage. They all thought he was done for good, until...

                     "Until what?" I asked, grasping onto Topanga's hand tightly, not wanting to let go until I heard the answer. Cory looked over at Topanga, and she nodded slowly. He sighed with exasperation and what seemed like reluctance as well. I raised my eyebrows, asking "well?"

                        "Until this morning. When he had been admitted to the emergency room because of symptoms of relapse. Before the medication could be administered, his...well, the heart rate monitor said it all, really. The pain of the relapse hit, and it hit hard. Shawn really couldn't take the pain anymore." Cory's words blurred together to make some sort of sense, the main point coming through. While I was trashing the office, Shawn was dying. I was being a rebellious teenager. I was trying to live, and he was struggling to survive.

                    "Oh, um...well, thanks. For letting me know, I mean. It means a lot." I stood up and turned around to leave when I caught sight of Riley, drenched from the downpour of rain from outside that now pattered the glass doors, hard. Regardless of the words Riley had said earlier that day, about family, I fell for the brunette's innocent look and puffy, teary eyes. I knew I would have to confront her about what she said, and yet I made the impulsive decision to express affection to her right then and there. So, I ran up to her and hugged her for the second time that day. God, it had felt good to be in her arms. I was home in her arms, no matter how lost the death of Shawn had made me feel.

                  RILEY'S POV - past tense

                Without thinking, I had kissed Maya Hart.

                 A light peck on her sweet lips had done wonders for the butterflies in my stomach, only increasing the amount of love and infatuation I felt towards her. It didn't help the fact that she was so vulnerable right now, or that this day was supposed to be about me, or whatever. It was my birthday, but Shawn had passed, but I was also madly in love with my ex-girlfriend who hadn't spoken to me for two years until today. Did any of this mean it was a risk? Being with her? I could tell the shock on her face for a split second had occurred and then the awkward smile as she pulled away from our embrace. I reached for her hand and she grabbed mine, thankfully. I loved the blonde standing beside me, and I would make sure that love was expressed, piece by piece until she figured it all out. That was the whole plan. At least, that's what it was supposed to be.

              From behind Maya, I saw the fresh-from-crying faces of both of my parents, as well as my brave and strong little brother, Auggie. Who would have thought? I spent my 17th birthday crying, celebrating, and falling in love with the rebellious blonde all over again. (Note: not necessarily in that order).

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                 Two days later...

            The Wednesday morning light had struck her golden hair in a perfect, almost flawless way. Maya had donned a floral skater dress along with a brown leather jacket and stylish boots, fashionably advanced and much different than the middle school Maya with her punk rock look. The way I fell in love with Maya meant acknowledging mistakes, both mine and hers. Understanding the different upbringing we both had, the different financial situations and the different personalities, one could have argued why we wouldn't be perfect for each other. But I could've just described the way our eyes met and our souls intertwined with this feeling that Lucas simply couldn't give me. That was our love, and that's what my mind wandered after as I sat next to Maya on the hallway bench, right where she had stood proudly two days ago. She closed her sketchbook and looked up, giving me a half smile. Good enough, I thought, knowing how closed off she was.

           "Listen, we haven't talked much since Monday and I wanted to see how you're holding up." I stated simply, thinking of reaching for her hand but thought better of it and wanted to listen to her first. Flirtation was going to have to wait until after grief had safely made its way through Maya Hart.

           "I know, uh..." The bell rang, cutting Maya off before she could get a word out. Damn it. I nodded, lightly touching her hand before I left to go to Math. She was left sitting on the bench, alone with her thoughts. It was going to take a lot more than school hallway talk to get back together with Maya Hart.