Chapter Text
"Dare." Maya answered easily, not wanting to let Riley out-do her. Plus, she was never afraid of a challenge. Ever.
"I dare you to make a prank call." Josh told her, retrieving his cell phone from his pocket and holding it out to her.
"Fine." She responded confidently with a slight shrug of her shoulders then reached for his cell.
Josh pulled his phone back over his shoulder and out of Maya's reach as he added, "And when the caller answers you have to use a cheesy pick-up line on them.
"O-okay." Maya replied, a little less confident than she was a moment ago. She wasn't that good at the whole flirting thing, but then again, the whole point of this dare was to flirt badly so...
Maya held her hand out for the phone, just as Riley sat down on the couch.
"So, what is the dare?" Riley asked, hearing only part of the conversation from the kitchen.
"You'll see." Lucas answered, nodding his head toward Maya and Josh who sat on the other end of the couch nearest the dining area.
Josh quickly dialed a number, clicked on speaker phone, and handed his phone over to the blonde on his left. Maya listened to the ringer sound through the phone. It rang, and rang, and rang, and rang...until finally, the line clicked and the sound of a male voice flowed through.
"Hello?" He greeted, nonchalantly.
"Hello." Maya answered, then waited a moment.
"Who is this?" The voice queried. Then, all of a sudden, a realization hit Maya. This wasn't some random voice. She had heard it before...in a dorm room in NYU. It was Josh's friend, Andrew. She was sure of it; Maya had a knack for remembering faces and voices. She just had no idea why Josh had called him and not someone random. Maya flicked her eyes to look at her friends. Riley clearly didn't recognize the voice and Josh and Lucas just sat there indifferently, waiting to see what was going to happen next, so she shrugged it off and decided to have a little fun with Andrew.
"Don't you recognize my voice?" Maya asked innocently.
"Um... no." Andrew admitted. "Have we met before?"
Maya smiled like The Cheshire Cat as he fell right into her trap, then retorted, "Just in your dreams."
The gang snickered quietly at Maya's cheesy pick-up line as they waited for a response from the guy on the other end of the line.
"Oh, so you're my dream girl?" Andrew flirted back.
"It would seem so." Maya purred.
"Tell me something, dream girl." He started. "What are you wearing?"
Maya gave herself a quick once-over, taking in her blue jacket, black abstract-patterned shirt, ripped jeans, and ankle boots. She wasn't so sure how to answer his question, until her boots caught her eye. She cracked a small smile, crossed one leg securely over the other, and responded, "Leather. Black leather." It wasn't technically a lie, just an embellishment of the truth. One that would no doubt get a rise out of Andrew.
Riley and Lucas' eyes widened in shock as they pressed their lips together tightly to keep from laughing. Maya didn't notice though; she was too busy trying to decipher the look on Josh's face. If she didn't know any better, she would say he looked angry. Though she couldn't fathom why he would be.
"You ARE my dream girl." He tossed back after a brief pause. "Please tell me that you have long, black hair."
"It's blonde actually." Maya informed him.
"Oh." Andrew said simply. "Well, do you at least like to sing or play the guitar? Because my dream girl is a musical gem with the voice of an angel."
"I'm more of the artsy type." Maya replied. "I like to draw and paint and stuff like that."
"Does that mean you're a tortured soul who's covered in tattoos?" He joked.
"Hardly." She retorted dryly.
"No, wait. I bet you just have one that no one knows about, safely hidden where no one can see." He tried again.
"Nope." Maya said with a slight hesitation. She liked to draw temporary tats in sharpie on random spots on her body. Always somewhere hidden from public view. Right now, she had the silhouette of two small birds in flight near her hip bone, representing her and her mom making their way in the world. That's what she would do-what she would want- in real life, if she ever did get a tattoo...something small, meaningful, and hidden.
"Liar." Andrew called her bluff. "I so nailed it."
"Bite me." She tossed back.
"Oh, feisty." He laughed.
"Whatever." She shrugged him off.
"Okay, wait." Andrew continued. "Let me see if I got this right...you are a sweet, leather-wearing, blonde artist with a fiery attitude."
"Sounds about right." Maya relented.
"Huh." He uttered, clearly amused by something.
"What?" She wondered aloud.
"Well, sadly, you aren't my dream girl, but you fit the bill for a friend a mine." He explained.
"Oh, really?" Maya inquired.
"Yeah, he actually just described his type to me the other day and you fit it exactly." He went on. "It's almost kind of creepy."
"Now you're the liar." She retorted.
"No, really." Andrew tried to convince her. "You can even look up my friend online if you don't believe me. His name's J--" Andrew was suddenly cut off by Josh ripping the phone from Maya's hand and hitting the end button.
"Okay, dare over." He told Maya, as he avoided her eyes. He had purposely dialed Andrew's number (after blocking his own) as a safe guard for Maya. That way, if she said something stupid or that she regretted, she wouldn't end up being too embarrassed. Plus, Josh knew Andrew wouldn't hold it against her, he would just think it was funny and play along. However, what he didn't count on was Andrew flirting back. Josh was so going to kick his ass next time they hung out for that "what are you wearing?" comment. He was also a bit annoyed that his friend would so easily spill the beans on a private conversation they had to some seemingly random girl.
As surprised as Josh was at Andrew's remarks, what really got him was Maya's. Where the hell did that leather comment come from? It, no doubt, put inappropriate ideas inside of Andrew's head. Josh knew because those ideas were swimming around his head now too. He quickly shook the thoughts away as best he could and tried to look guilty.
Maya just gave him a look. Why was he acting so weird? One minute he was glaring at her, the next he was avoiding eye contact, then suddenly he was blushing and looking at her like a boy who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Is it possible? Could Josh be jealous?" Maya thought to herself. "Or was he just embarrassed...what if it was his name that Andrew was about to say?" Now Maya really wanted Josh to take his turn in this revealing game of Truth or Dare.
"All right-y then." Maya began, ignoring Josh's weird reaction from a moment ago. "Time for the asker to become the ask-ee...truth or dare, Josh?" Maya asked calmly, folding her hands on top of her knee.
"Truth." Josh answered, a little afraid of what Maya might make him do if he picked dare.
Maya swallowed, wiping her sweaty palms on her jean-clad thighs. This was it. The moment of truth.
"Do you have feelings for me?" Maya asked, then held her breath as she waited for a response. The room was eerily quiet as all eyes fell on Josh who sat there like a statue, moving only his lips, opening and closing his mouth periodically as he searched for the right words.
Josh settled on his go to phrase and replied, "I'm too old for you, Maya."
"That's not what I asked, Josh." Maya tossed back, slightly irritated. "Do you have feelings for me?" She restated her question, this time a bit slower.
"This game is lame. Let's play something else." Josh deflected.
"Dang it, Josh! Answer the question!" Maya all but yelled her command as she flung herself off the couch in outrage and into a standing position where she proceeded to ball her fists tightly at her sides and give Josh a death glare.
"Uh...a little help here guys?" Josh begged, throwing a helpless look toward Riley and Lucas as he tugged at the collar of his shirt nervously.
"Gee, would you look at the time?" Lucas drawled, glancing at an invisible watch on his wrist. "I should probably head home now."
"I'll walk you out." Riley replied quickly, eager to get away from the tense situation.
Simultaneously, Riley and Lucas stood and exited through the front door as fast as they could. It was now just Maya and Josh alone in the living room. The tension in the air was palpable.
"Now, would you answer me already?" Maya asked, crossing her arms in frustration.
"It's... not that simple." Josh tried to explain as he stood and ran a hand through his dark brown locks, clearly uncomfortable with the topic at hand.
"It's a yes or no question." She argued, attempting to disprove his statement. "You can't get much simpler than that."
"You know what I mean." Josh tried again. "The age difference--"
"Yeah, yeah, you're older than me, I get it." Maya rolled her eyes before continuing. "But what if you weren't... what if we were the same age? How would you feel about me then?"
Josh just stared at her a moment, gazing into her sapphire blue eyes that were full of hope and wonder. He decided right then that he needed to answer her question open and honestly. He decided right then to let himself feel...for once.
"Would you--” Maya began to ask her question for a third time, but Josh cut her off.
"Yes,” He smiled shyly, grabbing her smooth, warm hand, savoring how perfect it felt and fit into his own. "I would like you...I do like you...a lot." He clarified, tucking a blonde curl behind her ear with his other hand and letting it linger a moment on her cheek. Maya grinned back, thoroughly enjoying yet trying to ignore the tingling sensation left by his touch.
"But..." Josh began to add, reluctantly pulling back from Maya. "I can't act on it, no matter how much I want to....because the reality is I am too old for you, Maya." He finished, giving her hand a squeeze before letting it go.
"I know, you're right." Maya sighed, taking a seat back on the couch, feeling completely deflated. Whoever said that the truth hurts wasn't kidding.
"But..." Josh said again, joining her on the couch. "Who knows? Maybe in a few years, after you graduate high school, our timing will be better and things will be different... and we can actually give us a shot."
A small smile formed on Maya's lips as she stared at the amazingly sweet, wonderful, and beautiful boy sitting next to her.
"Thank you." She said quietly.
Josh quirked a brow in confusion. "For giving you an answer?"
"For giving me hope." Maya corrected and Josh just smiled in response. They sat smiling at each other for a long moment before Maya finally spoke. "You're a good guy, Joshua Matthews."
Before she could chicken out, Maya used the rest of her courage to plant a soft kiss on Josh's cheek. After she pulled back, she noticed Josh was smirking as his cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. Her own smile just grew bigger, seeing the effect she had on him.
Suddenly, it was like they were caught in a trance. Their heads began gravitating toward each other for another kiss. A real kiss...on the lips.
"Everything okay in here?" Riley called out, poking her head through the front door. Josh and Maya pulled back quickly and feigned innocence.
"Yep. All good." Maya assured, stifling a giggle as she watched Josh blush again, then brushed some hair behind her ears.
"What she said." Josh stated awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck. So much for not acting on his feelings. It was a good thing Riley came back when she did...or was it?
"Well, I'm glad." Riley beamed, coming all the way inside and closing the door behind her. "So, who's up for a movie?" She asked.
"I'm in." Josh said, eager for a change of subject.
"Me too, but we should probably change first." Maya agreed.
"Yay!" Riley happy-clapped. She had been dying to watch the latest supernatural rom-com.
Maya got up and followed Riley back to her room, but not before tossing a smile over her shoulder at Josh who just shook his head, not even bothering to hide his boyish grin. Yes, he definitely had feelings for this girl.
*******
"Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to, Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you!" Cory sang as he and Topanga made their way down the hall to their apartment. Topanga just smiled and shook her head as she dug the key from her purse and unlocked the door. "Waterloo-ugh!" Cory finished with a groan as Topanga whacked him in the stomach and told him to be quiet. He nodded and they took in the adorable sight in front of them.
The three teenagers were sprawled out on the couch sound asleep with their feet propped up on the coffee table. Josh was in the middle with both his arms extended over the top of the couch and somewhat around the girls. Riley was on his right, on the side closest to the kitchen, tucked into the corner of the couch as she used the arm of the couch as her pillow. Maya was on his other side, turned in a bit towards Josh, using his shoulder as a pillow. Josh seemed to be reciprocating her position, being slightly turned into her as well as he rested his cheek atop her head.
"Aw,” Topanga cooed. "Look at them."
Cory smiled as he stared down at his little brother snuggling the blonde.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Topanga inquired, noticing the pleased look on his face.
"I was just thinking about the day we left for New York." Cory said. "I told Josh that someday he'd meet his "Topanga."
"I remember." Topanga said, threading her arm through her husband's.
"Well, I am just now realizing that that day has already come." Cory explained.
"You think?" She asked seriously.
"I do. I know true love when I see it." He assured his wife as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.
"Well, they still have a few hurdles in front of them." Topanga noted. "The biggest being age and time."
"Yeah, but they'll get through it...and, one day, they'll finally face their Waterloo." Cory winked, referencing the song he had just been singing, his favorite from the musical.
"The history book on the shelf is always repeating itself." Topanga quoted back to him, referencing the same song. "Maybe it's time for another Matthews boy to play the long game." She added with a smirk. "I just hope he wins."
"Oh, he will." Cory guaranteed. "Us Matthews boys always do."
The couple shared a smile and then a quick kiss before parting ways. Topanga headed to check on her youngest child, while Cory locked the door and turned off the TV. He gave the kids on the couch one last adoring look, then sauntered back to his bedroom, singing softly the whole time, "Waterloo - Couldn't escape if I wanted to, Waterloo - Knowing my fate is to be with you, Waterloo - Finally facing my Waterloo."