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They tried to disguise their growing love as a platonic friendship, but neither Josh nor Maya was particularly gifted in pretending to be something they were not. Especially not regarding the warm and fuzzy feeling both got whenever being in each other's presence.
Traces of Maya's newfound happiness were left in her art and improved grades, and while they were welcomed, they were still frowned upon. Riley made up the explanation of her finally being a good influence on Maya. While people agreed because it was the simplest thing to do, no one truly believed that lie except for Riley herself. She may have always been a ray of sunshine in Maya's otherwise bleak life, but even Riley couldn't get Maya to concentrate on anything (besides art) long enough to improve. Old habits die hard (Hart - as Maya would have said).
Farkle attempted a more logically driven road to identify the catalyst. Subtle questions sprinkled into casual conversation were supposed to bring the answer, but the only thing Farkle got were raised eyebrows from Maya. Isadora informed him later that it probably didn't work because he wasn't as good at seamlessly changing the topic as he thought.
"You could have just asked me, you know?" Maya's mellow voice didn't betray any disappointment she might have felt at her best friend's intentions. On the contrary, her eyes fleetingly seemed to spark as they darted back and forth between his. An apology rested on the tip of his tongue, but Farkle knew he couldn't repair the damage he had done with a few kind words. About a day later, Farkle had reached out via text, offering a detailed explanation to express his true intentions and asking for forgiveness. The morning after, Maya had walked straight into the class and hugged Farkle before the first bell rang.
No one dared to ask where the sudden display of affection came from. They were used to Maya's sudden change of moods and experts at accidentally triggering the blonde's anger. Farkle had just been happy that Maya accepted his apology and swore never to try to investigate her life like that ever again.
Lucas was a different story. He had some trouble keeping his eyes off Maya. Due to his criminal past, Lucas had always been attracted to the rebellious side of Maya, but he found himself drawn to her softer side almost as much. Riley got angry at him, not out of jealousy, but because after their mutual break-up a few months prior, Lucas promised he never once was smitten with her best friend. The apparent lie now stood out more than ever between Lucas's fond smiles and lovesick stares directed at Maya. However, Maya feigned ignorance, hoping he would give up upon realizing she didn't see him that way. One day, Lucas stopped looking at her, and both were able to fall back into an easy friendship after he started dating a cheerleader he shared a chemistry class with.
Zay simply enjoyed seeing Maya genuinely happy. He refused to participate in his friends' antics to find the source responsible for Maya's constant high spirits. Zay only hoped things would continue going well for her.
"You only deserve what's best, Maya." She had almost teared up at Zay's words at her birthday party. Everyone wanted to hold a speech about why they enjoyed Maya's presence in their lives, and afterward, Maya told Zay (in absolute secret, of course) that his speech was one of the best given that day.
Unfortunately, Josh couldn't join her party at the Matthews' apartment. His internship stole time like there was no tomorrow, and the office had Josh allowed to work with some of their most respected and well-known architects. This information had Maya spinning around his apartment in his T-Shirt, loudly celebrating his achievement by covering the song 'On Top Of The World' by Imagine Dragons. Josh laughed at the dance Maya made up during preparations for their breakfast and promised not to decline the company's offer to celebrate her birthday instead. After all, she did threaten jokingly to end their relationship if he so much as considered declining a chance like that as an option.
"You think I'm kidding, Boing?" Despite the teasing in her voice and the mirth in her eyes, Josh had decided to take her seriously (He didn't want to risk anything and, regardless of knowing Maya for so damn long already, sometimes she still managed to surprise him somehow).
A perfect example would be Maya's birthday party as she had sneaked out without anyone realizing to slip into Josh's apartment after he got home from his internship late at night. A well-thought-out plan (and some help on Zay's part) brought Josh and Maya just enough time for Josh to hold his birthday speech (ten whole minutes!), a few tears for Maya to shed (and for Josh to wipe them away), and to take a photo to remember that night. Their parting kiss (that turned into a full-blown make-out session) might have lasted a little longer than Maya originally planned, but at least one spontaneous change in plans was guaranteed.
In spite of the secrecy and tight schedule, Maya deemed it her favorite birthday yet.
"I'll make sure every one of your birthdays is amazing, honey." Josh's whispered promise at the end of January got stuck inside Maya's heart.
"Although I don't know what to wish for since my biggest wishes were already granted?"
Originally, it had been Shawn to suggest a surprise party for Josh, whose birthday got closer with every tick of the clock Maya spent on his gift. Her visits to his apartment became fewer. In return, they sent text messages almost every hour. Josh updated Maya on his work daily, sending selfies with empty coffee cups and dark circles around his eyes. Maya responded with selfies of her smiling enthusiastically or pictures of sketches that she drew. Maya's friends joined the selfies sometimes when they hung out during school breaks.
Maya always assumed she made it easy for the secret of her and Josh to get out. The background image of her phone was a selfie she took with Josh the night of her birthday party he couldn't attend. Maya stole hoodies that belonged to Josh. She wore them constantly to school or when she met with her friends. It had been surprising, to say the least, that Riley never noticed. Cory might have, but Maya assumed he tried to ignore every sign of them growing older - including any hint of Maya being together with Josh to avoid the confrontation. Accidentally talking about hanging out with Josh never seemed to concern anyone. Riley was thrilled whenever Maya mentioned his name, but she never directly asked about it.
On the 14th of February, Shawn and Maya drove to Josh's apartment before everyone else arrived to drop off decorations and snacks. Shawn pretended to rearrange the position of each bowl to dodge his questioning of why Maya knew her way around Josh's apartment so well. He knew he should ask her about these things as her stepfather, but Katy's advice on letting Maya come to him if she needed to talk shouldn't be ignored.
"You know you can always talk to me, sweety. Right? About anything you want. And about anyone you want." Maya turned from where she stood in the living room, looking at Shawn with a questioning gaze. "I just wanted to remind you."
"Thanks, Dad," Maya said, confusion apparent in her voice. "I'll remember that when something comes up."
At the party, Maya swayed with her friends to Josh's favorite music (which just happened to be Maya's as well). She even shared a dance with Josh after Topanga joked about Maya's dress looking like it was meant for a wedding. Katy laughed while Shawn sipped his beer quietly, glaring at Josh throughout the whole dance (of course, there was no malice in Shawn's stare. He just thought it was funny and was suspicious of how nervous Josh suddenly got). Josh and Maya parted ways with a kiss on the cheek, earning them some whistles from their mutual friends. Then, Maya went to Katy and Shawn, giving them a quick hug.
"Just so you know, if I don't talk to you about something, it doesn't mean I don't want to," Maya told Shawn. "Sometimes I just don't know how to."
Shortly after, Maya was gone again. Katy gave her husband a pleased smile at the proud look he wore before Topanga dragged her onto the dance floor (three steps ahead between the couch and the kitchen). Josh and Maya kissed in the dark after running into each other at the bathroom door. Numerous pictures were taken that night, most of Josh and Maya because somehow they always ended up in each other's embrace (purely accidental if someone asked).
Andrew said, "Why don't you just get your own cup?" after seeing Maya sipping on Josh's drink for the fifth time (yes, Andrew counted).
"Wait, this is too cute!" Jasmine exclaimed as Maya casually sat down on Josh's lap, and he slipped an arm around her waist (yes, Jasmine took multiple pictures).
"I think we successfully identified the catalyst," Farkle remarked as he, Lucas, and Zay watched Maya resting her head on Josh's shoulder while saying goodbye to some friends.
Maya and Josh grew more comfortable with people knowing about their relationship. They casually mentioned each other's names when questions about their whereabouts came up. Josh hung Maya's birthday drawing up in his living room for visitors to admire and comment on. Maya always sat next to him when both were present for a game night at the Matthews'. Holding hands at the park, sharing a milkshake at Topanga's, and being each other's date to parties always came naturally to Maya and Josh. Now there was just a lot more kissing in between.
Within the blink of an eye, everything started to make sense, and Maya Hunter wasn't afraid to admit the source of her happiness was Joshua Matthews.