Thunder Meets Lightning ⛈ rilaya ⛈

0.1 - Wedding

"Riles," Maya panted as she threw her heels into the room before climbing through the window. "I don't think I can do this."

"Maya, of course you can do it. The past year or so, all you've been talking about is this day!" Riley said, placing her hands on Maya's shoulders. "About how perfect it needed to be. What the colors should be, what flowers there are, what flavor cake, what song should be used for the first dance, and most of all who you marry."

"That's just it, Riley. It isn't perfect." Maya said, leaning her head on the brunette girl's shoulder.

"Oh no," Riley almost started to panic. "What's wrong? Did we pick the wrong flowers? The colors are awful? The song isn't-"

"The answer is in the questions you're asking, Riley." Maya said, letting out a little laugh. "We."

"We what?" Riley questioned.

Maya always thought it was cute how clueless Riley could be sometimes-- and this was no exception. The cute little clueless girl she always knew and loved was still the same. And she hoped that she would never change.

"Riley, we picked everything out together. You and I did. Not me and my fiancé." Maya said, standing up and starting to pace back and forth. "I wanted it to be perfect, so I got help from you because I knew that anything you would choose would be perfect."

"So.." Riley paused before slowly standing up. "What's wrong, exactly?"

"I'm marrying the wrong person." Maya blurted out, placing her hand on Riley's arm. "There's no way I could possibly marry this guy."

"Oh.." Riley bit her lip slightly. "Is it because he's my uncle? I know it might be weird to actually be a part of my family, but, we've always considered you family anyway, so it'll be okay, Maya, don't wor-"

"I can't marry Josh because I'd be marrying the wrong person in the family." Maya said and Riley stopped breathing for about a millisecond.

".. In the family?" Riley said as soon as she caught her breath, blinking her eyes a few times. "Who in this family could you possibly love other than-"

"You, Riley." Maya said, obviously starting to get a little frustrated. "God, how could you be so clueless?"

"I.." Riley was practically frozen still at this point, until she finally gained her composure. "Then.. maybe we should get married."

"What?" Maya said, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. "What are you-"

"Let's get married. Me and you." Riley said with a big smile.

"Today?" Maya said and Riley just nodded a little. "But what about Josh?"

"Oh, he'll understand. I think deep down he knows that the two of us were bound to get married eventually anyway." Riley said and Maya raised her eyebrow. Since when was her innocent little Riley that daring? "And I think deep down you've known that as well."

"And what about you?" Maya asked.

"I've been waiting for you to realize that we're meant to be, Peaches." Riley said and Maya sniffed a little, trying to not let any tears fall. She finally felt the happiness she knew she was supposed to feel on her wedding day.

"... You're right." Maya said, quickly wiping some tears away. "Let's get married."

"Right here." Riley said with a smile. "Right now."

"Riley, you deserve your perfect wedding. In front of a bunch of friends, wearing a pretty white dress and holding a bouquet of flowers. With all the-"

"My perfect wedding is marrying you. I don't need all the fancy wedding things like a dress and cake, okay? As long as we get to be together forever, I'm fine."

The two stood in silence for a few moments before Maya finally spoke up. "Give me like just thirty minutes, yeah?"

Riley raised her eyebrow a little. "Um, Maya, I-" Before she could stop her, Maya had run out the door, and Riley plopped onto her bed.

Not even ten minutes had passed before Riley's mom came into her room holding something.

"Mom?" Riley asked. "What's in the bag?"

Without even saying anything, Topanga unzipped the garment bag, revealing a wedding gown-- the one that Riley had tried on while she was helping Maya pick her wedding dress. She had only tried it on because Maya had seen her staring at it, and knew that it was Riley's dream dress, so Maya had told her to try it on.. and she did. And it was perfect.

"Mom.." Riley said, not meaning for it to come out more as a whisper than anything. "Wh.. How.. What?"

"Maya convinced me to buy it for you. She said to keep it for when your special day comes around, that it fits you perfectly and that you look absolutely beautiful in it." Topanga said with a slight smile.

"When did that happen?" Riley asked.

"The day after Maya bought her dress. She came over while you were in class and told me about it."

"This is.. unreal." Riley said with a little laugh- not a laugh out of humor, but a laugh of delight. "I'm speechless.."

Topanga stayed silent as she helped Riley out of her bridesmaid dress and into her wedding dress. She, herself, didn't know what to say at the moment.

"Mommy," Riley said as she let out a deep breath. She hadn't called her mother 'mommy' since she was 15, but yet, it just felt like the right moment to say it. "Are you okay with this? With me marrying Maya?"

"Honey, everybody knew this would eventually happen. One way or another. We all need to accept it whether we like it or not." Topanga said, kissing her daughter's cheek. "As for me, I am thrilled. You couldn't have picked anyone better to marry. Now, are you ready?"

Riley took one long look in the mirror. She could see her old bed in the background, and best of all, the infamous bay window. She had missed having a bay window- her college dorm didn't have one, and it just didn't feel right to her.

"Riley?" Topanga said, snapping Riley out of her thoughts.

"Yeah," Riley said, sitting up a little straighter. "I'm ready."