The Long Game--Joshaya

Chapter 22

I felt like a different person. No, not a different person. I felt like a weight was lifted off me. I felt like I needed to cry and I did it. I felt like things could change. I wasn't forcing myself to change anymore. I wanted to change, more than ever before.

It has taken me a long time but I felt like I could actually do this.

And then the thrill was gone. This weight was lifted but what do I do now. It was only when I started thinking about myself and my own life that I realized I didn't know what to do anymore. I was living this life for a little over a year now. What was my life like before? How was I so free?

"Maya, you're over thinking it." Farkles voice piped up from behind me.

"How did you get in?" I blinked at him. Really, how did he get in?

"I let us in" Riley came striding in with a bag of bagels and some coffees. Riley had her own key to my place.

"Oh thanks guys.." Riley passed me an everything bagel, which are the best bagels by the way.

"Anyways," Riley started, "Farkle's right. We start easy. Let's have a small hangout with jus tour friend group how about that. We could go ice skating"

"Maybe to the arcade" Farkle chimed in.

"I don't know guys. I-"

"BOWLING" They both chimed so excitedly.

I couldn't help but laugh and feel your energy.

"If this could possibly help, I'm all for it. I just need a push to return to my old life." I smile at them.

They both had large grins on their faces. This was going to be fun, I hope.
-----

"Are you sure you can play Riley? Didn't you sit out last time?" I questioned her.

"Don't worry peaches! I've been practicing!!" She looked so proud of herself.

The thing is that our group of friends loved to go bowling. I'm not sure why, but we all loved to play. Well, Riley loved to play but she usually sat out for the safety of everyone else...and because the people working there eventually had to stop her before she hurt anyone.

"If you say so" I grin. "Oh! Smackle and Farkle cannot be on the same team"

"Whaaat" Farkle complained.

"You're analyzing brains are too good for us. You'll just destroy the other team" Zay piped up.

We were getting our shoes and setting up for the game now.

" Yea, our teams need to be even" I stated.

I looked over to Josh, "I guess we'll be on different teams then boing."

He gave me a small smile, "get ready to lose ferret."

I stuck my tongue out at him and went over to my team.

My team consisted of me, Lucas, and Farkle. That meant that Zay, Smackle , Josh, and Riley were on the other team.

"Alright so we're gonna win this right?" I give out a big grin to my team. There's a miniscule of a pause from Lucas as Farkle agreed with me.

"Let's beat them!!"

---

"Riley when did you get so good?!" I exclaim at her.

She wasn't playing as good as we were but she was much better than before. We didn't need to shield ourselves anymore. She was good enough to cause a problem for our team.

"I've been practicing !!" She laughed at how shocked we were by her skills.

I rolled my eyes at her. "I'm going to get a snack."

"I'll go with you" Lucas said from behind me. I jumped at the sudden voice.

Calm down. You're safe. Its just Lucas.

"Sure" I smile at him as we walk to the snackbar.

"How was Texas?" I ask him. I haven't talked to Lucas in a while since..yea.

"It was good. I got to see my family. ...I just needed some time to think and clear NY head. It's all cleared up now though."

"That's good" The conversation was short and there was silence. It was awkward. We haven't really experienced silence like this since middle school.

"How've you been Maya? We haven't spoken a lot lately but you seem a lot happier"

"I am a lot happier, I think" I begin to tell him. "I used to be so afraid, but now I think I've gotten over some of it. It really was thanks to Riley, Josh, and Farkle though. They helped me."

Lucas looked down at me. His eyes looked a bit sad. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you that much.."

"Don't apologize! I was the one who didn't want help. I was screaming and screaming for it, but I was also pushing it away. You staying my friend is good enough" I smile up at him.

"YESS!!" We hear a scream as we approach our bowling area again. It was Farkle. "JUST NEED ANOTHER ONE FOR A TURKEY. DONT WORRY GUYS I GOT YOU."

Lucas and I look at each other and start to laugh.

----

"If only Farkle didn't get that turkey then our team would have won!" Riley exclaimed in frustration.

"Thank you thank you, I am an expert bowler after all." Farkle takes a bow before putting his arms around Smackle.

"We wouldn't have won though if Lucas and Maya didn't get those strikes though!!" Farkle lifted his free hand to give us a high five. I hesitated for a second but in the end returned the high five.

"We did awesome" I said with a wide grin.

"You really did" Farkle grinned back.

We placed our shoes onto the counter. I reached to grab my phone from my pocket, but nothing was there.

"Oh! I left my phone over there. You guys go ahead I'll meet you guys at the car!"

"I'll go with you" Josh said as he followed me back to where we were playing.

I smiled at him and we entangled our hands.

"Did you enjoy today?" Josh asked me.

"Yea I really did! It was fun. I'm glad Riley and Farkle set this up." I was truly so happy. My smile was wider than ever.

"I'm so glad. Next time let's go on a date here."

"I'm game!" We grab my phone and start to head back.

"I truly think I'm getting better Josh. I was able to talk to Lucas by myself and I gave Farkle a high five! Isn't that great progress? Oh I'm talking about myself too much. How about you? Did you have fun? And how's school? I haven't asked you that in a while" I looked up at him.

"I haven't heard you talk this much in a while! That's a lot of words for one breathe" Josh laughed. "Yea today was good! School is- oh watch out." But I didn't process his words fast enough and bumped into a man heading the other direction from us.

The air was being sucked out of the room and the man was a dark figure.

"I'm so sorry" I hear the man say. "Are you okay?" His voice was being overthrown by the buzzing in my ears.

"She's fine, don't worry about it" I barely hear Josh say. I feel the man start to walk away and the air starts to come back.

"Maya?" I hear Josh ask, but my mind doesn't process it. My breathing is still heavy.

After minutes of silence and my heavy breathing, I finally manage to say,

"Maybe I'm not as okay as I thought I was after all."