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This was the story – Mr. and Mrs. Matthews had been fighting. I knew this because Riley had called me up around 9:00, and I managed to make out a few words from her blubbering.
“My mom – blubber – dad – blubber – argue – don’t understand – blubber – all night – ”
“Riles. Riles!” I said across the phone line. “Just hold on honey, I’ll be right there.”
Considering I wasn’t even a part of the Matthews family, I knew enough about them to be an honorary member, and from what I knew, this fight was no big deal – Mr. and Mrs. Matthews would work out whatever the problem was by morning. Cory and Topanga Matthews’ relationship could only be described as true and irrevocable love. They were like, freaking legends. They had had fights before, many I’m sure, and always worked it out, somehow more in love than they were before.
I quickly manoeuvred myself up the familiar fire escape and slid through the open window. Riley sat on the other side of the bay window seat, her eyes red, and her lips in a sad pout. A small whimper escaped her lips and I automatically slid over, wrapping my arms around her body. She nudged her head into the crook of my shoulder, and I just sat there holding her for a few minutes.
“Talk to me, Riley,” I leaned back so I could lift her chin a little, and I felt a pang in my chest when she looked at me with her huge, brown eyes.
“What if this is serious, Maya? What is this is the beginning of the end of Cory and Topanga? What if this is the end of my life? What if this is the end of the world –” Her words began to speed up, along with her breathing.
“Riley. Riley. Riley, look at me.” I moved my hand from her chin to her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You’re blowing this out of proportion. Everything will be fine, I promise you.” I could see my words weren’t getting through to her though. Of course they weren’t; my Riley had the perfect family, and a Corpanga fight would seem like the end of the world to her.
I knew everything would work out, but she didn’t. Her pain, although unnecessary, caused me pain, and my heart ached to comfort her. I slowly reached my other hand out – the one not holding her hand – and rested it on her cheek. She looked up, all weepy eyed, looking unbearably sad and adorable, and unthinkingly, I leaned in and gently placed my lips on hers. My brain screamed at me to stop, stop, stop but it felt like an invisible force was pushing our lips together even further. I sense confusion emanating from Riley, but then, hesitantly, she began...kissing me back. Our lips moved in synchronicity, and it was like nothing I’d ever felt before. A warm feeling like sunshine flooded through my stomach and I sighed further into the kiss. We carried on like that for a few more moments, and then I felt myself regretfully pulling away, the warm feeling still lingering in my stomach.
I smiled to myself, my brain full of rainbows and butterflies and Riley, my Riley, my beautiful best friend who had somehow always been more than my best friend without me even realizing it. And then. And then the cotton candy clouds fogging up my brain dissipated and I gasped at the sudden realization of what I had just done. I stared at Riley in horror, thinking about what this would do to our friendship, and just barely heard her whisper, “Peaches?” before I bolted out the open window and down the fire escape.
What had I just done? I could’ve just ruined everything. I couldn’t control myself though, I...I couldn’t help it. The need I had felt back on that bay window seat,that need for Riley was more than I had ever experienced in my life. And it was terrifying, because I knew that kiss had meant something more to me, and I didn’t know if it meant something more to her.
I continued down the street on the way back to my apartment, and thought to myself. When did Riley become something more to me? I don’t know. I’d like to think she was always something more to me, but I just didn’t realize it at first, that this was inevitable.
That night in my bed, I decided to try something. I had never thought too much of religion, but if there was a God up there, I was asking for His help tonight.
“I’ve never had too much in my life, just the essentials, and sometimes, not even that. The one thing, the only thing I ask for, is this: Please, please let it be something more for her too.”