The Long Game (Joshaya)

We All Are

Song of the Chapter: The Beach by The Neighbourhood

*Maya's POV*

Josh's words keep repeating in my head. 

"We should get married up there like your parents did."

Ok, I admit that's pretty much my childhood dream: becoming Mrs Joshua Matthews, but hearing those words come out of his mouth actually scared me. He sees us going somewhere. Not just an innocent childhood relationship, but a serious one.

We don't say a word to each other as we ascend the rest of the stairs to the roof. When we arrive, Auggie and Riley are already eating pizza while Shawn, Topanga, and Cory congratulate each other on our successes. A few minutes later, Farkle, Smackle, and Zay join us.

But no Lucas.

"Riles, where's Lucas?" I ask her. Why would he be left out of this?

"Maya, I really think he needs some space right now."

"But it doesn't feel right with everyone else here. We've always done everything together."

"Actually," Zay replies. "He went down to Texas for the weekend. He wanted to see everyone before he gets all busy with college ball."

"If this was planned, he would've told us about it a while ago, don't you think?" I ask Zay. I know the truth will come out of him sooner or later.

"Yeah...," he replies. "Wanna hear a great Lucas story?" He smirks at all of us.

We all nod our heads.

"He really just left to get away from---all this," Zay says, waving his hands around.

"You just gestured to all of us," Riley replies, scrunching her eyebrows.

"Exactly!"

"Maybe from all of you," Smackle adds. "But I'm sure he's still thinking of me."

"Smackle!" Farkle exclaims.

We all laugh as Lucas' unannounced departure turns into lighthearted joking amongst friends. We're still us. I can always rely on them to be 100% themselves around me, and I around them.

Riley says nothing and just walks away with a blank stare. Zay's gaze follows her, then looks at me.

"Too soon?" he asks.

"Don't worry, Zay," I reply. "I'll talk to her."

I walk over to Riley, who's sitting on the bench we sat on during New Years. With Lucas.

"Hey," I begin as I sit next to her.

She lets out a quick breath of air. "Hey."

"He'll be back, Riley," I assure her, draping my arm over her shoulders. "He just wants to get his last square dance in."

She scoffs at my attempt to make her laugh. "It's not even that," she says.

"What do you mean?"

"After...everything we've been through together as friends, he just runs away. He's probably thinking how we're all just gonna grow apart after high school so might as well start now."

"Woah, wait---do you even hear the words coming out of your mouth?"

With her elbows rested on her knees, she looks over at me with a frown on her face.

"I'm serious, Maya. He's literally going to be on the other side of the country."

"That's why they invented video chat."