It's About Time (GMW - Joshaya)

Chapter 56

Maya's POV

"Thanks for that Zay," I smiled at him. 

All he did was smile back. The two of us laid in bed, not saying a word. I think at this point Zay fell back asleep, but I was laying there trying to listen to what was going on on the other side of the now closed bedroom door.

The voices were muffled, and I couldn't understand the hushed tones over Farkle's snoring. The air mattress that him and Smackle were laying on was   on the floor near my bed. 

I threw a pillow at him in an attempt to make it stop. 

"Hey! What was that for?" he perked up and looked at me, the source of the pillow.

"You're staying?!" Riley's voice echoed from the hall.

Both of us looked at each other in an attempt to decode what she meant. Then, it hit us. As he was about to get up and join the excitement, I leaped onto the air mattress to cover Farkle's mouth so that he didn't draw attention to my bedroom. By doing so, I sent Smackle flying off the air mattress as she caught a little air underneath her. She landed with a quiet thud as I leaned over to cover her mouth too. 

"Both of you...Shhhh..." I held a finger to my mouth. I tried to listen to the door, but their voices got even quieter.

"Holy shit. I can't believe him. He is staying," I spoke mostly to myself.

"Wh--" Smackle began to yell but I covered her mouth again. 

"Jeez, for someone who was so good at school you're not good at following directions," I joked.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Farkle studied my face.

"Uhh--yea I guess. His family is gonna be so happy that he is home," I said carefully, trying not to reveal myself.

"And you?" Farkle pressed.

"I, uhh--it's cool for him," I started to answer.

Smackle remained quiet, unsure of how to help me in this situation.

"That's not what I asked you Maya," Farkle reiterated.

"Someone is cranky when they wake up," I crinkled my nose.

I hear the door of the apartment close.

"I knew it!" Farkle said a little too loud.

I heard someone approach the door. I closed my eyes and prayed that it was Riley or Lucas. I was to paralyzed from shock to move.

"No one say anything about this right now," I pleaded.

The door opened.

"Hey! I thought I heard you guys up. Zay is still out cold?" Riley asked.

"Yea, I'm a little tired too. I might go back to sleep for a while. The couch wasn't comfy--hence why I ended up in here," I scrambled for words. 

"Cool. Well, I was about to leave you guys a note. Me, Lucas, and Josh are doing some wedding stuff. Maybe we can meet up later?" she suggested.

"Yea sure, maybe. My heads a little stuffy. I think I might be coming down with something," I faked a cough.

I gotta admit my acting was pretty convincing.

"Okay, well I'll text you guys later. I better go before they leave me here," Riley said, shutting the door behind her.

"Okay. Go ahead and elaborate," Farkle looked at me.

"What do you mean?" I played dumb.

"You clearly have feelings for Josh. I'm not blind. Well, without my glasses or contacts, maybe but, I'm not blind. And my hearing is impeccable. So what happened? Or shall I say what's happening?," Farkle yawned.

I gave Farkle the run down from college move in, to his graduation, to Disney World, to the other night, up until now.

"Ya know, I've always had a feeling that those feelings of yours didn't just go away. They seemed like they were a little more than just a crush, but I kind of shrugged it off. Especially around the time of Disney because I knew Zay liked you and I thought maybe it would be good for you to have a guy like Zay," Farkle began. "I like Josh. I think he is a good guy, so don't get me wrong on that. I just think that with real intimate feelings, the stakes are higher. It's not as easy to be vulnerable, and when you are, it makes getting hurt that much harder. You're a strong girl Maya, but it definitely scared me because I know how much a relationship with Josh could affect you. It wouldn't be just a crack, it would be a shatter."

"Are you saying that without Josh, I'm shattered beyond repair?" I questioned his words.

"No, I think that a love that deep has the ability to shatter anyone, but I never realized how it is repairable. Just like fixing shatter iPhone, you can fix a broken heart. I'm sorry for pushing Zay on you. It just seemed safer for you. I just wanted the best. As a scientist, I should have known that the bigger the risk means the bigger the reward," Farkle looked at me apologetically.

"That also means the bigger the fallout if it doesn't workout," I pointed out.

"Sure, but you'll experiment until you find a risk that pays off in a reward someday," Smackle jumped in.

"Maybe it's Josh, Zay, hell it could be Ryan, or even some stranger," Farkle listed off some names.

"What do you think?" I asked him.

"Well, my hypothesis says that there is still some unfinished business there, but I'm not quite sure yet what that business is," Farkle vaguely responded.

"I just can't believe he didn't tell me he was moving back. I'm so fucking pissed," I looked down and twiddled my thumbs. "Like he knew that was one of my biggest reservations and that he made me feel l just a fling while he was home. I don't get why he didn't tell me?"

"Maybe there is more to the puzzle Maya," Smackle stood up.

"Maybe you need to handle that unfinished business instead of sweeping it under the rug," Farkle stood up.

"I guess you're right. And Farkle?" I stood up.

"Yea?" 

"Don't tell Riley yet, she doesn't know. I'm gonna tell her, but I just don't know when," I begged him.

"What?! Maya, she deserves to know. You gotta tell her. I can't keep a secret like this from her," he looked at me firmly.

"Not before the wedding," I reasoned. "It's not fair to Cory and Topanga."

"Fine. I get that, but please tell her soon. I don't wanna end up being the one who spills the news to her," Farkle compromised.

"Thanks."

"Wanna go jump on Zay and wake him up?" Smackle looked at us devilishly.

"1" Farkle counted.

"2" I continued.

"3" Smackle finished.

And the three of us jumped on the bed, startling Zay.