Thunder & Lightning: A Collection of Rilaya One Shots

The End?

Maya's POV

"You look so uncomfortable" I giggle, looking up at Josh from my spot on his bed. He was fully clad in his graduation robe and cap and while he looked very smart and accomplished he also looked itchy and just generally uncomfortable. 

"Yea well you'll have your turn in one of these soon enough" he replies teasingly as he turns around to look at me. "Speaking of your promotion to a junior in this wonderful institution, did you get your final grades for Calculus?" he asks worriedly. I had been struggling in the class all year and despite the fact that I was an art major if I didn't pass my core classes then I wouldn't be able to move on in the program. Luckily, I had passed by the skin of my teeth. 

"I got a B-" I report back to him. It wasn't the best grade but it was passing. "And enough about me. Today is your day, remember?"

"How could I forget?" he asks as his phone rings on his nightstand. He reaches to grab it and a smile instantly pulls at his lips, the smile he had only when speaking to his family. "Yea, I'll see you guys after the ceremony" he says as I tune back into the conversation. "Love you guys" he adds before hanging up and I smile. 

"You're so cheesy."

"Yea well most girls like that about me" he taunts and I roll my eyes, climbing off his bed. 

"Yes well most girls that you interact with are sexually attracted to you" I reply, slipping on my flats. I had opted out of dressing up completely and instead had chosen a simple white, lace dress that fell a generous few inches above the knee and I had paired it with a pair of black flats. 

I didn't have anyone to impress and even so, I didn't look too hideous.

"Yea, yea. You're into girls. I've heard it all before" he teases and I chuckle, following him out of his dorm towards the quad. NYU was much too large to even think about having graduation off campus so instead they just shut everything down once a year to celebrate the graduate's successes. "You should find my family. You remember Cory and Pangers, right?" he asks and I nod. I had met them all in passing once or twice. "Great. See you afterwards Hunter" he smiles, kissing my cheek before rushing off to meet up with everyone. 

I take a deep breath, righting myself in the large crowd as I set off to find Josh's family while wishing mine were here. 

Finally, I notice Josh's nephew Auggie sitting anxiously in his seat and I slowly walk towards them, taking a program that's offered out to me as I reach their row. "Um hi" I begin, earning Cory's attention. 

He looks up and immediately a smile spreads across his lips. "Maya" he exclaims and the declaration of my name earns the attention of a beautiful brunette sitting besides Topanga and my heart stops when her eyes lock on mine. "I was hoping we'd see you" he says, wrestling my attention  away from the brunette. 

"Yea well I wouldn't miss such a big day" I reply, smiling brightly. "Josh said that I could uh sit with all of you if you don't mind."

"Of course not" Topanga interjects. "But are you sure you don't want to sit up front with his parents. I understand you two are quite close" she says almost suggestively and I immediately shake my head. 

"Just friends. He's not really my type" I reply dismissively. 

"Right" Cory smiles. "Well, you can sit beside Riley" he says motioning to the brunette and my heart somersaults as I nod and make my way towards her. I take my seat and glance over at her, offering her a gentle smile. 

"I'm Maya" I introduce myself and a blush rises on her cheeks. 

"Riley. I'm Josh's niece."

"Right. I think I remember you. You came to visit during homecoming. You hooked up with a gi-." Riley puts her hand over my mouth and my eyes widen in surprise. Perhaps I shouldn't be talking about her hooking up around her parents. 

"I did visit and I met a very nice guy. His name is Charlie and we're very happy together" she says pointedly and I quirk an eyebrow at her as she removes her hand. In reality she had hooked up with a girl named Charlotte who lived down the hall from me. 

"Mhm" I hum. "So you've been together a while then?"

"Yep" she says dismissively and I bite my lip, deciding not to press or get involved. My life was complicated enough without adding my best friend's niece, a seemingly closeted lesbian or at least a closeted bisexual. 

The ceremony starts and I allow myself to be in the moment, clapping for my best friend proudly until it ends and Cory and Topanga excuse themselves to go congratulate Josh personally with an excited Auggie in tow. 

"I'm sorry" Riley says once we're alone. "I haven't exactly told my family-."

"Told them what?" I ask and she sighs, fidgeting her hands in her lap. It seemed that this conversation had her more than a little wound up. It made me wonder if her parents would really care or if she were just struggling with the normal fear that we all dealt with when it came to coming out. 

"You know what. Don't make me say it" she pleads, confirming my thoughts without saying it bluntly and I couldn't blame her for that. She still needed time and I wasn't going to be the one to pressure her. 

"Okay" I concede. "Everyone deserves to come to terms with things in their own time" I add honestly. I would never force someone out of the closet. "But Josh has my number if you ever feel like opening that closet door" I tell her, standing up and heading off towards my best friend while potentially leaving the girl of my dreams behind. 

A/N: I think I might do a sequel to this one....tell me what you all think