The Only Exception // Rilaya

.1. {Maya POV}

I watched the bunny on the wall above me grow and shrink as my mind wandered. The day passed through my mind like a movie. Each scene seemed too perfect for me to believe. I had arrived early to my best friend Riley Matthew's house so I could eat breakfast with her and her family. Then walked her to school like I had done for the past ten years. We linked arms as we laughed and discussed the lesson we thought her father would be teaching us in history later that day. 

At school we whizzed through our classes together and finally our favorite class of the day came. History! As much as I pretended to hate it, Mr. Matthew's class had to be one of my favorite places on earth. He did his best to make us better people and teach us the meaning of life. 

Today he taught us the value of a good friend. I wont go into the details but it made me realize just how lucky I am to have a best friend as great as Riley Matthews. She linked arms with me as we left the classroom and refused to let me go for the rest of the day. I didn't mind though.

After school we went back to her house and immediately sat together at the bay window. 

"Maya, I need your permission for something." Riley asked cautiously. 

"Whatever you want." I said with a smile. 

"Aw, ever since we were little you always said whatever I wanted even before you knew what it was." Riley reminisced.

"Well you've got a good thing going here sister, don't mess it up." I joked. 

"You can't just say yes this time Maya." Riley said a bit more serious. 

"Whatever you want." I added. 

"I want to completely redo the bay window" Riley gushed. 

My heart stopped! Redo the bay window? How could we? It was my only safe place. It was the only thing that hadn't changed over the years. I was against the change from the moment she suggested it. However Riley has a power over me. Something I can't explain. She sat me down and explained everything. She told me why she wanted to change the bay window and why it would be good for us. So after hours of convincing I finally agreed to do it. The bay window was just a place. My safe place was not the structure of cloth and wood. My real safe place was Riley. 

I wasn't ready to give her up. Not even for the day. 

"Riley it's been a while since you spent the night at my house. Why don't you come over?" I asked as we finished hanging the new curtains. 

"Sure." Riley sighed and took my hand before gesturing me out the window. 

The two of us walked back to my place and spent the day hanging out just the two of us. We haven't done anything alone in forever. Our friends Farkle and Lucas were usually not too far off. And that's all fine and dandy. But I missed the days where it was just me and my girl. Riley's bay window was the only place that comes close to giving me the feeling of the old days. And now that too was gone.  

"Maya?" A small voice whispered beside me. 

I smiled at the lump under the covers that was my Riley. 

"Yeah Sunshine?" I asked.

She pulled the covers down just enough to free her eyes. 

"I'm still frightened." My friend said with genuine fear in her eyes. She'd always had a healthy fear of the neighborhood I lived in. I admired how she didn't say no every time I asked even when she knew she'd be frightened out of her whits. 

She was so adorable huddled under the covers like that. "I'm sorry. What would make you less scared?" I asked. 

"Cuddles?" She asked in a soft, innocent voice. 

I laughed at her and opened my arms for her to scoot closer to me. She latched onto me and snuggled into my side. I nestled my forehead into her soft brown waves. 

"Good night Peaches." Riley sighed. 

"Goodnight Riles." I smiled and soon fell asleep.