Variables | Joshaya ✔︎

Memories

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Surprisingly, Josh calls a friend because of how much stuff we had, with them coming minutes after he called for help. After what feels like an eternity riding and being embarrassed on the subway, we finally reach my stop and I turn to them as the doors open.

"This is mine," I say, "Come on."

They all smile and nod, following me off the train and out of the subway station, walking merely a few blocks to my apartment building. Thank god my mom got the apartment for its location, and how close it is to the subway. We all walk into the building and up the stairs a few floors to my floor and down the hall, coming in front of my door. I try to grab my key from my pocket, but fail, dropping the box I was holding. It's not bad, it's just toys, at least I didn't drop... Dillon. He bursts out crying at the sudden sound of the box. I quickly lean down to pick up the box, but someone else is faster.

Take a guess.

Just a wild shot in the dark.

You got it.

It's Josh.

"I'll take this, just open your apartment so he can be calmed down," Josh whispers, and I nod in thanks, giving him a smile. He returns the gesture as I stand back up and open the apartment, walking in with Dillon and moving to the side to allow them all to come in.

I'm immediately embarrassed as I look around, noticing how unorganized and messy the place is. This place is a hot mess. I start to sink into my thoughts of all the memories I've had in this place; running around with my sad, my mom yelling at us from the kitchen to stop because we'll hurt ourselves. I broke my arm that day.

Just then, I'm snapped back into reality by someone tapping me on my shoulder and I feel more weight on the basket. I instinctly tighten my grip on it then feel a hand on the one on the basket, causing me to look down at the crying infant, and then following the hand to see Mrs. Matthews.

"It's just me Maya; I just want to help, I can see that you need a break," she says softly, making me smile and loosen my grip on the basket, allowing her to take Dillon into my room and put him to bed in the fold out bassinet. I then feel the tap on my shoulder again, and my head snaps towards them, and see Josh. I then notice that his friend left.

"Where's your friend? I wanted to thank him for his help," I say, still looking around to see if I missed them from when I first checked the apartment.

"Sorry, he had to go the second that we got here, so he just put the box down and left," he says, but then clearly notices something, "Maya, are you okay?"

Oh god, he noticed. I then realize that there was a tear falling down my face, "Yeah, I'm fine," I brush him off as I swiftly wipe the tear away, plastering on a smile.

"I know I don't know you that well Maya, but I can tell something's up," he presses, "I'm a Matthews, I'm good at reading people. If you don't want to tell me, I get that, but at least tell Pangers."

"Pangers?" I ask.

"Topanga?" he clarifies, "Sorry, Eric and Shawn would always call her that when she came over, so it just stuck."

I nod in understanding.

"Still, do you want to talk about what's bothering you? Or tell Topanga?" he restates, going back to the other topic.

"She knows," I murmur, but it wasn't soft enough, cause I quickly realize that Josh heard what I said.

"Okay.... but do you wanna talk about it?" he asks, and I can see the concern etched throughout his entire face. With the Matthews power to read people, comes my ability to read all Matthews', since all of their emotions are alike, and with that, they're easy to distinguish.

Okay, back on topic here.

Do I want to tell Josh, who is practically a stranger, what happened in my past?

"Maybe?" I reply truthfully, knowing that I should probably open up to someone, and right now, that someone is Joshua Matthews.

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Word Count: 731