The Path Less Traveled

Chapter Three

Fortunately for Maya, Lucas was not at school today like he said. Unfortunately for Maya, he was in two of her classes, and one of those classes was one she had with Riley. Maya also realized that she still had Lucas' schedule in her hand when she walked into her homeroom class and Riley asked what it was. She lied and said it was just some notes to herself because she had a few things she needed to do today after school.

"So Maya. You said we could go out on our date tonight if we both had the time for it. Well I didn't get homework because it is the first day of school, and my parents said they are okay with me staying out tonight. So what about you?" Riley's voice pulled Maya out of her thoughts.

"Oh, well I don't have homework either, but I do have a few things I have to get done tonight. Remember the paper you asked me about this morning? Well, I want to clean up my apartment because my mom has been working a lot more lately and I figured I'd help her out with the apartment. But, I guess that one doesn't have to be done tonight. But, I do have to put the trash out tonight because the garbage truck comes tomorrow morning. And I have to talk to someone for my mom. I just have a few things I need to do." Maya's plan of having homework back fired on her because it was the first day of school after all.

"So is that a no, or just a 'I will see how late it is after I finish everything'?" Maya didn't know what to say and she wasn't sure if she should tell Riley about Lucas kissing her and her kissing him back or not.

Do I tell her or just pretend it didn't happen?

If I do tell her what will she say? No, I can't tell here because then she will say to go after him and to forget about them being more than friends. And then she will not be happy, and Riley has to stay happy. It is who she is.

But what if I don't tell her? Then maybe she will start talking to Lucas and he might say something to her. Then she will not only want to call off this thing she thinks we have, but our friendship too because I lied to her, or withheld the truth.

So I don't tell her, and I tell Lucas not to mention it and to never let it happen again because I am taken.

"That's a yes, Riley. We are going to go out right after I go home and drop my backpack off and change." She smiled wide and jumped up.

"Let me go change." She ran into her walk in closet and shut the door. After school Maya and Riley took the subway back to Riley's apartment and were just hanging out in Riley's room like they always do, both of them on their phones. Maya opened messages on her crappy LG Optimus smartphone that actually was not smart at all.

To Mom: hey i am going out with riley and idk when well get back. Ill keep u updated.

She slid her phone in her back pocket and walked downstairs.

"Hey Mrs. Matthews. I know you know the situation at hand because Riley tells you everything. You know I would never hurt her, right?" Maya awkwardly sat down at the kitchen table and looked at Topanga.

"Yeah I do know that, which is why I was okay with her asking you out because I knew you would find a way to let her down easy. What is going on, Maya?" Topanga knew that Maya had thought about Riley in a romantic way before and that she knew she didn't like her, she never told Riley because in her heart she knew Riley liked Maya, she could see it in the way she looked at her.

"I hear her coming down the stairs, I'll explain later. Okay?" Topanga gave her a 'you better or I'll hunt you down myself' look and went back to working on the files and paperwork in front for her for her next case.