Risking the Long Game ✅

45. Celebration and Secrets

Josh's POV

The worst part about my birthday is that it's on a holiday that you still have to go to school on. I guess I wouldn't really like having my birthday on Christmas either but maybe Thanksgiving. Food and the day off, yeah that sounds good. "Josh" Topanga peeks her head inside my room.

"Hey Pangers" I smile, turning to face her. "What's up?"

"Nothing much" she shrugs, "I was just making sure you were up" she adds as she leans against my open doorway. "Happy birthday" she smiles brightly.

"Thanks" I reply politely.

"Breakfast is downstairs waiting for you" she adds before disappearing. I smile as my phone rings, my girlfriend's name lighting up the screen.

"Happy birthday" she shouts making me chuckle.

"Thank you baby" I reply sweetly as I grab my backpack off the floor and sling it over my shoulder. "Are you almost here?" I ask curiously as I walk out of my room and head downstairs for breakfast.

"Something like that" she replies making me furrow my eyebrows in confusion until I reach the landing and see her sitting at the kitchen table with the rest of my family. "Surprise" she exclaims making a smile pull at my lips as I hang up my phone. She jumps out of her seat and rushes towards me, throwing her arms around me.

"You're the best girlfriend ever" I whisper as I hug her against me.

"Oh stop it" she giggles as she pulls away from me. "I came over for breakfast even before we started dating" she adds making me laugh as she sits back down beside Riley. I sit on the other side of her.

"That's right" Riley exclaims as she throws her arm around Maya. "She was mine first."

"I'm well aware" I laugh, "but she's mine now" I add as I place my hand on her thigh. Her face turns red and she takes her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Okay" she laughs uncomfortably, wiggling out of Riley's grip and moving my hand off her thigh. "That's enough. There's enough of me to go around."

"So" Cory says conversationally. "What are you planning on doing tonight?" he asks me curiously.

"Nothing" I shrug. "I don't have anything planned until this weekend" I add, shooting my girlfriend a smile.

"This weekend?" Maya asks confused. "You didn't tell me you were going out of town."

"I'm not, we are. I already cleared it with Shawn" I shrug as I grab a piece of toast from the middle of the table and spread butter across it.

"You cleared a trip that we're taking alone with my father?" she asks, disbelief tinging her voice.

"Mhm" I smirk. I may have embellished a little bit on the details. Such as telling Shawn we'd be in separate rooms when in reality we weren't even going to be in separate beds. Oh and telling him we wouldn't be alone. He thought Riley, Lucas, Zay, Smackle, Farkle, and even Bridget were joining us. He had no reason to think anything would happen between Maya and I this weekend. Even though I had planned on this weekend being very special. "He thinks it's a great idea" I add making her eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"Okay" she says, her voice unsure. We finish off our breakfast and we say our goodbyes before leaving the loft and heading out to the car. When we climb in Maya turns to me expectantly. "What did you really tell my dad?" she questions. "Because I know that he's starting to accept this, us" she motions between us, "but I also know that the thought of you and I alone together isn't something he enjoys."