Girl Meets Second Chances

Twelve

The next morning, Maya rises before the sun, sneaking from the couch she shared with Riley to sit out on the porch steps and watch the sunrise. A chill still lingers in the air from the night before and she's glad that she grabbed Lucas' sweatshirt on her way out. She zips it up and pulls it over her knees, her feet the only thing not covered. After the kind of night she had, watching the darkness fade into a new day is comforting, especially when it's done so beautifully. She can't imagine any piece of art ever comparing to the way the sun paints the sky in different shades of pink and gold. It feels like a moment created especially for her; a moment where the whole world belongs only to her.

It's a feeling that she wants to hang on to but soon after the sun comes up there is movement in the guys' tent. She braces herself for the company, expecting to see Zay or Farkle or even Lucas, but instead it is Josh who makes his way over to her. The closer he gets the more she can feel herself shrinking into Lucas' sweatshirt and there is no calming the butterflies that flutter in her stomach, no matter how hard she wishes them away. Despite everything that happened, he still has an effect on her; her body responding way before her brain has a chance to. Her only clear thoughts are of the brief conversation they had yesterday. She's been thinking about it a lot actually. Like what Josh meant when he said he'd been wrong about a lot lately? Or the way he had looked at her after he said it. It's how she has always wanted him to look at her. It's how he's looking at her right now.

"Morning Hart," he says, his voice raspy, his smile easy.

"Boing," she says casually, nodding her head in his direction. His smile widens at the nickname.

"You're up pretty early," he says, sitting down next to her. "I figured everyone would still be asleep."

"What can I say? I'm a sucker for a sunrise."

He nods, turning away from her briefly to look out into the sky.

"You know I never really saw what was so great about watching the sunrise," he says, turning back to her. "Not that I've actually seen one."

"What," she asks, a little surprised. "How have you never seen a sunrise?"

"Never had the chance to," he says, shrugging. "College keeps me pretty busy but it's definitely on my bucket list. Hey how about we catch the next one together? You could show me what I've been missing."

She raises an eyebrow at him.

"Uh...sure."

"No I'm serious. So what do ya say?" He holds his pinky out to her. "Next sunrise, you and me?"

She hesitates but eventually gives in, linking her pinky with his. It feels weird that Josh seems so interested in spending time with her all of a sudden. She tries to tell herself that he's just being nice but there is something else in his voice and in his eyes as he stares at her. She can't help but wonder how Zoe would feel if she could see the two of them now. She frees her pinky from his at the thought.

"I hope you know I'm holding you to that pinky promise," he says, getting up from his spot on the steps. "So no backing out."

She smiles, looking up at him as he moves toward the door.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," she says. "To me there's nothing more sacred than a pinky promise, well, you know besides ring power "

His brows knitted together in amused confusion.

"Ring power?"

"Um yeah," she says, flashing him her ring like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "It's a... me and Riley...we..."