Afterwards (Completed)

Chapter 4

It was late the next morning and Riley was still fast asleep.
She rolled over and her eyes opened up.
She stretched her arms and then sat up.
She looks over to Maya's bed tk find her not in it which was surprisingly.
She walked over to the closet to get changed as she realized all Maya's clothes were gone.
She didn't wonder for too long what is going on.
She quickly changed and ran in front.

"She's gone!"
"Riley what are you talking about?" Topanga asked.
"Maya. She... She's gone. All her stuff it's..."
"Okay calm down. Lucas go find out from Lauren if she saw something. She couldn't have gotten far," Cory said.
"Dad," Riley said and burst into tears then Josh came out.

"What's going on?" Josh asked.
"It looks like Maya ran away. We're not sure but that is what it..."
"She's gone. Lauren said she saw her with her backpack walking outside at around six," Lucas said and Josh pulled out his phone.
"Call the police. Now Cornelius! She is in danger. Shawn it's Josh. By any chance have you heard from Maya? No she ran off. She isn't here. Yes. He is contacting them now. I'll keep you updated. Please let me know if she pops up in NYC. Thank you. Nothing," Josh said.
"How can she possibly just run... You. You argued with her," Riley said.
"I said stuff that could have stayed, yeah. But we can talk about that later. I'm going to ask if anyone else heard or saw Maya," Josh said and was gone.
"Lucas what if she..."
"Don't think about that," Lucas said and pulled Riley close.
"She'll be okay. She always is," Lucas said.

It was a few hours later and new everyone knew about Maya.
Even the people in New York City and it didn't help that 89% of the roads were closed.
Josh wandered around the lodge trying to figure out why she would run away.
But he gave her more than enough reason.

"What did you tell her?" Riley asked and Josh looked at his niece.

She had finally stopped crying but her eyes were bloodshot red.
He didn't know how to handle everything but one thing he knew and that is he isn't going to tell Riley what he said.

"Something really bad. Like... Like terrible bad. Something I should never have said. If I tell you, you are going to break down. It's that bad. It's better that you don't know. Just know it's really bad," Josh said.
"I wanna know," Riley said.
"Rather not. It's not safe for you. Focus on finding Maya and keep your phone with you at all cost. Don't let it out of your sight for a minute. Maybe she'll try and contact you," Josh said.
"Okay what is going to happen if we don't find her?" Riley asked.
"Don't think about that. We'll find her I promise you that. Let me go find out if your dad has heard something. Try calling her. Maybe that will help," Josh said and was gone.

"Cory please tell me we have some news?" Josh asked.
"Nothing. Was Riley right? Did you guys fight?" Cory asked.
"Yes but I don't want to talk about that now. I don't even want to think about it," Josh said.
"If that is going to help us then we can try it," Cory said.
"Cornelius please. I don't want to talk about it. End of discussion. I'm going to call Shawn to find out if he knows anything," Josh said and disappeared.

~

It was late the night and everybody was asleep.
Riley calmed down and she finally could get some rest after a wild day.
Josh on the other hand was wide awake.
He was sitting in the window where he and Maya bonded just two days ago.
Tuesday, 8 November couldn't be worse and it could actually get worse.
Josh pulled out his phone and scrolled down till he found a picture of long ago.

Why does everything happen in a eye wink?
Can't it ever change without hurting someone?
Shallow tears were building up in his eyes and be had to stop himself from going insane.

Josh's pov

I messed up.
No wait.
I screwed up.
The one girl I could always be positive about and talk to is gone.
Maybe forever.
If I had just said something else last night it would have been so much different.
Why did I say someone like her?
What is wrong with her in the first place?
Josh Matthews what are you feeling?
It can't be, can it?
Oh no, I developed feelings for the young blonde without even knowing it.
I like Maya Hart?
I do.