Someday: A Collection of Joshaya One Shots

Making Excuses

Josh's POV

The thing that was messy about someday was that we were apart and we said that we were allowed to find someone else....but perhaps we didn't actually mean it, that much was obvious when Stella showed up with me at the airport. 

Maya had been eighteen for months now...and I'd been avoiding her for just as long. I just didn't know how to tell her that I was with someone else so, I didn't. I ducked out of family outings every time her name came up and I had blocked her number. Probably not the most mature course of action but really, I was protecting her from the anger and resentment that she's feeling now as she stares at my girlfriend. 

"Wha-?" She opens her mouth to ask me a question, probably along the lines of, "what the actual hell is going on?" But that's when Topanga makes her way over to the us, our small group of four. Riley was beside Maya, clutching her hand tightly which was probably good for me otherwise Maya probably would've already punched me. And I'd deserve it. 

"Our flight is just about ready to board" she announces, clapping her hands in excitement as she looks between the four of us. I wish I could feel even an ounce of the happiness I had felt before; before I found out that Maya was even coming on this damn trip. The family never mentioned her name when they told me about the vacation to Hawaii; they'd insisted it was going to be a sort of family honeymoon, going back to the place that my brother and his wife honeymooned once upon a time. And not to be rude but...Maya wasn't technically family. 

Maya doesn't spare me another second, taking Riley and dragging her towards the terminal while Stella stands beside me, confused as to what just went down. "That girl seemed a little...upset" she falters when thinking of the correct word to use. Upset was an understatement though. Maya had trust issues as it was and I was supposed to treat her better yet I hadn't. I had gone off to college and found someone else without telling her. I'd betrayed her and she had every right to hate me. "Are the two of you friends or something?" She continues to question, looking up at me. 

"Or something" I mutter under my breath as we too head towards the terminal. Our tickets get checked and of course, we end up in the seats behind the girls. 

"Why didn't you tell me he was coming?" Maya hisses, just a tad too loudly. Luckily, I don't think that my girlfriend has noticed...but I have and now I can't stop wondering if bringing Stella was a mistake. What could've happened had she not come on this trip? Was Maya still playing? Was someday still an option? My head hurts. 

Soon enough though we're taking off and everyone is doing their own thing, turning on movies, taking naps or exchanging casual conversation. Stella had opted for the nap option, insisting that early mornings weren't really her thing which left me alone with my thoughts. 

A moment later the seat in front of me squeaks and I notice that Maya is getting up and no doubt heading for the bathroom. I watch her go, pretending not to notice but as soon as she's cleared my row, I'm up and following her. 

Her blonde hair whips around, her blue eyes glaring back at me. "Something you need, Joshua?"

I stop dead in my tracks, unable to form a coherent thought. It's the first time she's said something to me since we saw each other and honestly, it wasn't as vicious as I thought...or deserved. 

"To talk" I reply lamely. She scoffs, turning and looking at the passengers around us. They were all either asleep or the sound was up too high in their AirPods to hear or care about our conversation. 

"The time for talking was months ago. You know, when you blocked my number?" In hindsight I should've realized that she would notice I'd blocked her but I wasn't expecting it to backfire on me so epically. 

"Maya-."

"You could've just told me that you had a girlfriend" she mutters, glancing down at her shoes. "It was a part of our deal."

I sigh, stepping towards her. "I know. I know. But i just couldn't-."

"Why?" She demands, her eyes turning to ice. "Why couldn't you tell me? You were the one person who was supposed to never lie to me."

"I-I just couldn't." I can't admit that the real reason I couldn't tell her was because I knew that she had the power to come between my relationship. One look at her, one conversation with her and I was back in this full force. And for some reason, I wasn't ready for that yet. I didn't think we were ready yet. 

"Josh. Please just be honest with me" she pleads, closing the distance between us. "What did I do?"

I can't help myself. I hate that she's convinced herself that she's done something wrong. I reach out and caress her cheek watching as her chest caves in on itself, her breath hitching in her throat. "You didn't do anything. It's just complicated."

"What is?" She asks desperately. "Because if you were having second thoughts about us you could've just told me. I would've understood."

I stare deeply into her endless ocean eyes and lose myself. This is why I couldn't do this yet. Because she was still close but too far from my reach. And Stella was a distraction. "You're still in high school. I'm in one place and you're in another. The distance in between us literally and metaphorically is just too much right now. I wish things were different but-."

"I got into NYU" she breathes out, the words jumbling together. My eyes widen in shock. "I-I mean, yes, I'm still in high school but only for another few months. And then I'll be with you. At NYU."

I'm speechless. I hadn't even known that she'd applied. I don't know what to say, my argument becoming moot. "So, you gonna break my heart or not?" She asks, removing my hand from her cheek and placing it on her hip. "Because it's only ever been yours to break."

I have no other excuse lined up. I had figured that she'd graduate and maybe travel; I didn't know. I thought she'd want to go see masterpieces around the globe, not settle for me. "You're staying in New York?" I'm dumbfounded and speaking nonsense which doesn't fail to make her laugh. 

"Did I ever suggest otherwise?"

"W-well no."

"Mhm" she hums, chuckling softly. "Josh, you've been really good at making up excuses since the day I made my feelings clear so are you finally going to man up and do something about what's between us or are you going to let me go?"

One thing was for sure, she was a spitfire. And I couldn't let her go if I tried. "E-even if I wanted to be with you. I have a girlfriend" I mutter, thinking of the girl asleep in her seat, clueless to what's happening while her eyes are closed. 

Maya purses her lips, stepping back from me finally. "I don't think that'll be an issue for long." 

And while I'm confused for a moment, everything becomes clear when I hear, "Josh, what's going on here?" From behind me and slowly, I turn to face the wrath of the girl that I've led on for far too long.