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Josh

Riley and Maya entered the apartment just as the family was getting ready to eat dinner.

"How was visiting your grandmother, Maya?" Topanga asked.

Riley froze at the question. Maya looked at their expectant faces and quickly thought up something to say.

"Great, she's the same wonderful Gammy Hart that I remember" Maya gave Riley a warning glare. "I'm starving. Can we eat now?"

"Of course, Maya."

"Wait, what about Auggie?" Riley asked.

"He's playing xbox with your uncle Josh. Boys!" she called to them.

They heard a door shut and Auggie ran into the kitchen. Shortly after him, a brown-haired boy entered the room.

Maya immediately took notice of him. 

"Boing," Maya pointed at him.

"That's my uncle, Maya."

"Sweet, I would be your aunt," she said as if in a trance.

All throughout dinner, Maya would glance up at Josh, he'd occasionally smile at her to which she would blush. She laughed at all his stories, and he would laugh back at hers.

The family seemed oblivious to the rising tension between the two. That tension only continued to grow when Riley, Maya, and Josh were on the couch watching a movie.

Auggie had long since gone to bed. Her grandparents had left for their hotel, and her parents had decided it was time for them to go to bed.

As they ate from the popcorn bowl, Maya and Josh's hands brushed against each other. They met each others' eyes and smiled. 

Maya quickly flashed back to reality and glanced to see if Riley had noticed, which she of course hadn't.

The three continued watching until Maya felt Riley fall asleep next to her.

"Riley," she whispered. "You should go to bed."

"Huh? No, I wanna see the end of the movie," she yawned and barely opened her eyes.

"That massive yawn just proved my point."

"Alright," Riley slowly got up. "Goodnight everyone."

It was just Maya and Josh left.

"You're really pretty, Maya."

She felt the heat in her cheeks and turned away.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable," he apologized. "I just thought I should let you know."

"No, I'm not uncomfortable," she assured him. "Just a little flustered. I didn't really expect you to say that."

"Why? It's the truth. Maya, you are absolutely gorgeous."

"Shh, you'll wake up Cory and Topanga," she giggled.

"Alright, alright, we'll go back to watching the movie," he put his arm across her shoulders.

Maya jumped at the contact he made with the bruise on her shoulder.

"Woah, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Did I hurt you or something? I'm really sorry."

 "No, you did nothing. I'm  just tired. I should probably get going to bed," she stood up.

"Maya, wait. I thought you liked me. Can you at least talk to me?"

"You're right, I think you're a nice guy," she admitted. "But nothing can ever happen between us."

"I just want to be able to spend time with you and get to know you. You seemed into it before."

 "I was into it, but then it got too real and everything caught up to me," she sighed.

"What caught up to you?"

"Everything I touch, I destroy," she told him bluntly. "I don't want to destroy you, Josh."

"That might be a little dramatic, Maya."

"No, I've been burned before by past relationships. If we date and break up, I can guarantee that I won't be me getting hurt this time."

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