Girl Meets Second Chances

Four

Maya hurries down the steps that lead to the entrance of Topanga's. She had asked her friends to meet her here because it was time she come clean about what has been going on with her lately. Keeping this secret about her father is killing her and she just wants it to be out in the open already.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm la—"

Maya stops in front of the spot where her friends normally would be, but nobody is here. She pulls out her phone and a bunch of messages overwhelm her screen.

Honey: Stuck in a student council meeting :( Be there soon

Huckleberry: Practice ran late but me and Zay are on our way

Babs: What Lucas said. Don't start without us Blondie

Farkley: Smackle and I should be at Topanga's at in approximately 14 minutes

Maya returns her phone to her back pocket and takes a seat on one of the orange chairs. She is actually a little relieved that her friends aren't here yet. She isn't exactly ready to face them, knowing that they won't be happy about her keeping this from them for so long. She sighs, turning her attention to the familiar bustle of Topanga's. Something about the chatter of people and the clink of coffee mugs calm her. Her eyes move over the little shop; a few people from school sit at a table in the back and NYU students are scattered about, either with their noses in books or hovering over laptops. That's when she sees him. Josh, sitting at a table across from a pretty brunette. She immediately feels a sinking feeling in her stomach. No it's okay. Maybe she's just a friend? Maybe they're just studying? Maybe... All of her maybes disappear when Josh reaches over and takes the girl's hand in his. At that moment, she loses all control of her limbs and before she can stop herself, she's up, walking right over to them.

"Hey Josh," she says, her voice coming out stronger than she expects it to. Josh turns and his face pales at the sight of her.

"Oh, hey Maya," he says, rising from his seat. He seems calm, cool, and collected but she can see the uncertainty on his face. Her eyes move past him and back to the girl. She is definitely pretty and has an edginess that Maya can't help but respect.

"Nice boots," she says, nodding in the girl's direction.

"Oh thanks," the girl says sweetly, giving her a wide smile. "I'm Zoe by the way."

Maya smiles back in spite of herself.

"I'm Maya."

Zoe nods. "Cool, so you're one of Josh's friends?"

Maya hesitates, not sure how to answer. Yes, would've been the simplest choice but are her and Josh even friends?

"Well—"

"She's my niece's best friend," Josh says, before Maya can get another word out. Her head whips in his direction at his quick reply but Josh's eyes are on Zoe. Zoe's eyes are on her.

"Well it was nice to meet you Maya," Zoe says, giving her another smile before getting up from her seat and turning to Josh. "We might wanna get going if we're going to make that movie." Josh nods.

"Yeah sure. Why don't you start walking and I'll catch up. I wanted to talk to Maya about something."

"Sure," Zoe says, kissing him on the cheek and heading out the door. Josh runs his hand down the back of his neck, still avoiding Maya's eyes.

"Your niece's best friend? So that's what I am to you?"

"No I didn't mean it like that it's just..."

"Zoe?"

He shrugs in response.

"I do care about you Maya, but Zay was right. We shouldn't be so worried about someday that we miss out on now. I don't want that for either one of us. And that doesn't have to change anything between us. I'm still playing the long game if you are."

This time it's her turn to shrug. Is this really what playing the long game means? Josh going on dates while she waits around for him like some lovesick idiot?

"It's okay if you're not sure," he says, looking her in the eye for the first time. "Because I am and I still believe in someday."

He doesn't seem so sure to her but before she can say anything else he's walking away from her and out the door without so much as a second glance her way. She watches him leave and her mind goes back to their conversation at the Ski Lodge. She let Josh draw her in with nice words and now she isn't sure what any of it means anymore or if it means anything at all. That's why words aren't enough and she is beginning to see that apparently neither is she. Maya goes back to the chairs and grabs her things. She no longer has it in her to tell her friends about her father situation and she certainly doesn't have it in her to pretend like what just happened didn't happen. On her way out she sends a quick text to her friends saying that she something had come up and she isn't going to make it to Topanga's after all but that she'll see them tomorrow at school. Hopefully by then she'll have all of this sorted out.