Love at a Price (re-write?) - a GMW Joshaya fic

Six

We are officially back at school. Gone are the days of spending hours writing songs or drawing in the middle of the night simply because I can. Gone are the days hanging around with my friends doing absolutely nothing and loving it, followed by nights texting Josh and just wanting to be around him.

The only thing I look forward to when at school is art, which hasn't ever changed. I will admit, I do kind of like Spanish, mainly because I do well. It's also comforting to be back in the routine of going to the Matthews' in the morning and heading to school with Riley. There have been mornings where she just refuses to get out of bed, complaining about being super tired or feeling sick. I feel bad for her, sure, but her parents don't let her stay home so I do my best to pry her up before we start running late. I mean, with this it isn't surprising that Riley has been practically falling asleep in class and at lunch.

As the weeks have gone by, I've heard from Josh less and less. I don't know if it's due to his workload getting heavier, or if he's got more girls to choose from now or what, but it stings, to say the least. It takes him ages to respond to a single text now, so I've stopped trying so hard. I just don't want him to get sick of me. I like him, and it sucks because I have no idea what he's thinking. Now his birthday is coming up and I really want to spend time with him this year. Josh lives so nearby, it wouldn't take much to just show up or to maybe ask him to Topanga's and we can chat for a while. I just wouldn't know where to go from there.

I relay all of this to Riley after school, flopping onto her shoulder in the bay window as she rubs my back, thinking up ways to help me out. "You just need to let yourself be happy, Maya. You overthink things, you prepare for the worst so you miss out on the best."

I straighten up, brushing my hair behind my ears. "Okay, enough wallowing in self-pity. What do you wanna do, Riles?"

Riley grabs her laptop from her desk across the room and then curls up beside me again, typing quickly. I already know what she's doing and I immediately perk up. "Out here in space~" we sing along to the opening of episode one of Red Planet Diaries, ready for another marathon – hopefully without rebellion and groundings this time around.

Three episodes in, Riley suddenly turns to me. "You know, it is a little weird that you might actually end up with my uncle."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." We sigh in sync and turn back to the screen.

"Ladies," Farkle sings, poking his head through the window, nearly crawling into my lap.

"Farkle," we laugh, pausing the episode just as the theme song finishes. "You just had to interrupt," I quip, standing up to let him in.

He nods, leaning over to greet Riley with a kiss.

"Well, that's my cue to leave," I groan dramatically, heading for her bedroom door. I'm stopped short as Riley's door swings open without warning. "Hey, Matthews," I glance over my shoulder, and Farkle darts away from Riley's face quickly.

"Maya. Riley, dinner. Farkle?" Cory gets distracted so easily when it comes to his daughter and boys – it would be overbearing if it weren't comical. "When did you get here?"

"Uh – just now, sir. I just wanted to give Riley back her, um..." his voice had been slowly dropping into a near-silent mutter, and he was slowly backing out the way he came.

Riley's eyes dart around from me, to Farkle, to Cory. "Yeah, thanks for bringing the textbook back, Farkle. I would've been lost without it." She laughs uncertainly, smiling as he rushes off. "So... dinner? Are you staying, Maya."

I shake my head, "I told Mom that I'd be home tonight." Riley and I walk out to her kitchen together, and I don't bother to resist the temptation as I steal a bit from a plate in Topanga's hand. "Thanks, Ma," I giggle, scooting down to the front door.