Girl Meets Collection of Stories

Midnight

"He's not going to make it," Maya sighed as she put her phone down in her lap.

"There's still time," Riley argued trying to remain optimistic and not wanting her best friend to spend another holiday alone.

"His flight was supposed to get in at 10 and it's nearly 12," Maya explained, "I'm sure he'll get in sometime tomorrow but he's not going to make it tonight."

Maya stood amongst the group as the people on TV started counting down the final minute of the year. Riley and Lucas were all over each other and she couldn't help but be jealous. She would have given anything to share this with Josh.

Maya kept looking to the closed front door, wishing he would just appear there. If maybe she just hoped he would make it, he would.

As the group counted down to 45 seconds, she looked to the door one more time, expecting she'd be disappointed yet again. Instead what she saw caught her stomach in her throat. Josh was standing there searching for her. Snowflakes dusted his hair and his shoulders.

Tears started to fill Mayas eyes, happy tears this time, as she waited for him to see her. She couldn't move for a few seconds. And then he saw her.

He started walking toward her and she tried to move herself toward him. He could see the tears in her eyes as they got closer to one another. When Maya finally reached him, she buried her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Maya, it's okay," Josh whispered, resting his chin on top of her head after lightly kissing it, "I'm home."

After a moment, Maya finally looked up at him, wiping her puffy, bloodshot eyes. Josh caught a glimpse of the bracelet he gave her on her wrist. "So you like it?" he asked her as he took her face in his hands and wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"I love it. It's beautiful," Maya answered after taking a second to realize what he was talking about, "But I much prefer being in your arms."

"I much prefer holding you in my arms," Josh agreed, as everyone countdown the last ten seconds of the year. They joined in counting the last few seconds until the New Year, still unable to see anything but each other.

"3, 2, 1," they said in unison as Josh pulled her face to his and whispered, "Happy New Year, Maya."

"Happy New Year, Josh," Maya whispered back, before his lips touched hers. He kissed her deeply and passionately as though it had been too long since the last time because it had been. She had missed the taste of his kiss so much she could have never stopped.

They were surrounded by other couples kissing, including Riley and Lucas, but they didn't even notice. She could literally feel him smiling through the kiss and it was contagious. They were both so happy to be together again.

Riley and Lucas, on the other hand couldn't help but notice the affection of the reunited couple. They pulled back from their own kiss to smile at them.

"He made it back in time," Riley said with a smile to her boyfriend, as they began swaying along as Auld Lang Syne played in the background.

"I'm really happy for Maya. She's been really missing him lately," Lucas agreed looking from his girlfriend to them and back again.

"I was a little worried, but seeing her this happy now..." Riley trailed off, so genuinely happy for her best friend.

"I know," Lucas responded knowing what she was thinking about. He lightly kissed her forehead as she happily gazed at them.

"Happy New Year, Lucas," Riley added as they danced slowly to the music.

"Happy New Year, Riley," Lucas agreed grinning happily at her, "It's going to be the best one yet."

When Maya came up for air, she just kept looking at him really hoping she wasn't imagining this moment.

"How did you make it back? I thought you weren't going to get back until tomorrow?" Maya asked still a little baffled he was actually standing before her.

"I was on standby and I managed to get the last seat on the last possible flight that would make it. Someone didn't show up for the flight," Josh answered, deliriously happy to be telling the story.

"I still can't believe you are here," Maya sighed, wrapping her arms around his waist, never wanting to let him go.

"So, I have some good news," Josh announced, excitedly, as Maya looked up at him eager to hear it.

"Oh yeah?" Maya asked, her heart racing so hard in her chest she thought it might burst, "What is it?"

"I'm not going back to Chicago," Josh began, the biggest smile on his face, "I told my boss that I really like working for him, but my life is here. You're here. So he told me there was a position open in Brooklyn and I took it."

"You're not going back?" Maya asked, still a little in shock by the news. She tried not to get emotional but it was very hard for her. She was so happy but so overwhelmed at the same time.

"I'm not going back," Josh echoed, as Maya smiled really big, the good news actually hitting her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him again as he lifted her feet off the floor.

"Good," Maya told him when she pulled back, "Because I'm never letting you go again."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Josh agree, still incandescently happy to be with Maya again.

"By the way, I have something for you," Maya admitted as she grabbed a flat package from the window seat. "I had a lot of time on my hands while you were gone, so I made this," Maya explained as she handed it to him.

He unwrapped his present to find a framed painting of the two of them of one of his favorite moments. Riley had snuck the picture of them when he and Maya were with Riley and Lucas. It was a candid moment; he was kissing Maya, but something was making her giggle. Her smile was so prominent in the picture that he could almost hear her laughing.

"This is amazing, Maya," Josh beamed as he took in all the details of the painting, "I love it."

"Thanks. I have had that picture framed on my desk since you left and I've been looking at it all the time. I just hand to paint it. Then after I got your gift, I couldn't think of anything more perfect to give you," Maya explained as his focus changed from the painting to her and they soaked each other in as the night turned into morning.