GIRLS - rilaya

of girls and changes

chapter one
riley

~

"You and Lucas."

The ocean eyes of my best friend Maya Hart pour into mine as we sit in our window. I recall the moment back at the ski lodge when Lucas told me that he had chose me.

I nod with a smile on my face. "We're going to try."

I figure I should say something else. "My first boyfriend," I confirm. "Because you made sure it was okay."

"You would do the same for me," she says confidently. I don't know how she has so much confidence in me.

"I hope I would," I admit.

She frowns. "Riles. You stepped back the moment you thought I had feelings for him. You were ready to give him up for me no matter what you felt."

"I would do anything for you," I thought to myself.

"I know," she responds, and then I realize that I had said it out loud.

"So... You and Josh?"

She pauses for a bit. "Someday."

I can't quite figure out if her response is what I wanted to hear. Then again, I can't quite figure out most things in life yet.

"Who knows," she adds. "Who knows anything?" Her gaze makes its way back to me and just for a moment, I think that maybe, they linger to another spot on my face that aren't my eyes.

"I do," I say, and she blinks. "I know that if you're lucky in this life, you get an extraordinary relationship. My mother and my father... met each other very early-"

Her facial expression changes. Like a wave of disappointment washing away the distinct look of hope.

"-and stayed together for the rest of their lives. Our first boyfriends Maya," I say, and saying it out loud is like I'm hearing it for the first time. It feels different.

"Who knows how long that's going to last? We're going to meet new people all of the time."

I look down at her again and her face hasn't changed. I choose my next words carefully because it's been too long - at least a minute - since I last saw her smile. I turn closer towards her. "But... if there's one thing I know for sure in my life, it's that... you are my extraordinary relationship, Maya."

She smiles. I would feel relieved but it doesn't reach her eyes. Did I not say enough? Did I not say what she wanted to hear? I think of something else to say.

"Thunder," I grin, holding up my hand with our ring on it.

She scrunches her nose and smiles. "Lightning."

She grabs onto my hand. "Forever," we say together, and my heart skips a beat.

"Girls!" I hear Mom call us from the kitchen. We let go and give each other one last smile before settling down at the table.

"What a trip, huh?" my father asks to no one in particular; how his questions usually are perceived.

"Things are changing," Maya says with a nod, making me look at her. But she doesn't look back. I brush it off and put some food on my plate.