Let's Play The Short Game {Joshaya}

"Never Be Like You"

Josh

I wake up to see Maya laying next to me. "Maya." She looks at me. "Josh." She looks at me with those big blue eyes.

"You have school. Get up. Let's go." She stands up with ease. Maybe her back hurts less. "Do you need my help today?" She shakes her head.

"Just pick me and Riles up after school." I nod. She walks out the door. She pokes her head back through. "Uh I need a ride to school." She laughs. Her laugh makes me happy. Even when she snorts.

"Coming goofball." I grab my  keys and run after Maya.

"So boing I don't think you can pick Riley up after school." I look at her because I'm confused. "Why not?" Maya looks at her feet. "She can't talk to me until her grounding is over. I feel really bad. Maybe if I didn't yell so loud when I got hit she wouldn't be grounded and I could say I fell or something." I look at her.

"Maya it's okay. I mean what she and Lucas were doing was wrong. Don't beat your self up." She looks up with a more positive facial expression.

"Your right Josh I can't beat myself up over this." She gets out of the car. She starts to walk towards the door. I run after her not wanting her to leave.

"Maya are you sure you'll be fine?" She looks at me. "One day your going to have to let me be independent." I teasingly whine. "But Maya I don't want you to be independent. I want to be by your side forever."

She hugs me. "And one day you will be. But now you gotta let me go." She pulls away from my hug and walks inside the school.

"Hey Joshie. Let's go somewhere. Like maybe dinner." I push Janet off me. "Stop Janet. I'm not going out with you. Ever. So stop trying." She folds her arms and steps back. "Maybe I'll tell my jock of a boyfriend that you were hitting on me again."

"What's your proof?" She pulls out her phone. She shows me what seems to be a collage of pictures. All of them have Maya's hair and body, but Janet's face.

"Janet this isn't you. This is someone else." She nods. "So I will show this to my boyfriend and you will get beat. And if you tell him it isn't me then I will tell all of campus you are dating a freshman in high school. Got it Joshie?"

"Janet what is your purpose for all of this?" She circles me. "Your great grand father promised my father his company when he died. But he gave it to his nuisances partner instead. I am seeking revenge. When Kaleb sees you have been hitting on me he will hurt you for lying. Then I'll break his heart and he'll have no other desire then to kill you."

"Fine Janet do your damage but you won't get away with this." She smirks at me. "Oh yes I will." She walks away and snaps her fingers. I'm in for a ride.

I pull up to the McDonalds window. I got myself and Maya twenty nuggets to eat when she gets out of school. I take the cokes and the bag and put it in Maya's seat.

I pull up to the school. Maya doesn't walk out for a solid twenty minutes. I text her.

Maya where are you?

Sorry I'm taking a few things out of my locker because it's a mess

Ok just come out soon. I got McDonald's

Yes josh👏🏻 I'll be out soon

I wait another twenty minutes I walk inside. I walk in to see another guy pinning Maya to the lockers and pressing his lips against hers. She pushes him off.

"Maya..." She looks at me with surprised look.

"Josh I-" I don't feel like letting her finish.

"Just get in the car. I'm taking you back to your real house." She grabs her backpack and walks out behind me.

"Josh it meant nothing. Charlie is always harassing me or Riley I pushed him off for crying out loud!" I ignore her. We're walking down the street because my car broke down. I hear thunder.

"Maya it obviously meant something or you would've stopped him!" She clenches her fists. "It didn't Josh! Would you stop thinking about it Charlie is nothing to me. You know who is important to me? You! It's you Joshua Matthews! Now if you could stop beating your self up over this we could get home!"

"It's fine Maya. I'll never be like him." She stops. I see her eyes glass over. She starts to shake her head. "You have it all wrong Josh. He'll never be like YOU. I'm done. You can forget me. Maybe I'll consider Charlie."

She runs off like how she did at the carnival. I look in plenty of alleys. No Maya. Four bakeries. No Maya. I fine her walking slowly next to a drug store. I run towards her. I pin her against the wall. She looks at me. "What do you want." She asks me with anger in her voice. Not hard to tell.

"I want to know this Maya." I smash my lips against hers. She stands there a second before kissing me back. I pull away just as she begins to deepen it.

"Does he make you feel like that Maya? Does your supposed boyfriend make you feel the Sparks?" She grabs my shirt.

"I don't have a boyfriend now shut up and kiss me you idiot." She kisses me once again.

After what seems like forever she pulls away.

"I don't want to play the long game Josh."

"I don't want to either Maya but what else do we do?" It starts to pour. She kisses me again. She pulls away from and her lips brush against mine. Her breathing is heavy like mine.

"Well let's play the short game."