Topanga announces that she’s decided not to take the job in London, and Maya feels the tension drain from her shoulders so fast she falls limply to the side.
Riley catches her, and when Maya looks over, her best friend is smiling, even as she hastily wipes the tears away from her eyes.
“You’re staying,” Maya says, so softly that it’s barely above a whisper. “You’re staying here.” And if her voice is laced with wonder and amazement, then, well, you can’t really blame her.
“I’m staying,” Riley confirms, “I’m staying right here with you.”
Maya looks up and realizes that Topanga, Cory and Auggie have silently left the room, leaving them to their emotions. She’s quietly grateful, if only because she knows she’s not done crying yet.
It’s silent for a beat, and then Riley nudges her gently. “Hey, peaches.”
“Yeah?”
“I, uh, I broke up with Lucas.”
It’s not unexpected, Riley had thought she’d be in London by the end of the year, and Maya isn’t surprised that she’d decided to break things off with him. The stupid love triangle that they’d found themselves in seems pretty insignificant, now that she’s looking back on it. Riley and Lucas had seemed like the perfect high school couple, but that was it. Maya thinks Riley knows that they wouldn’t have lasted into college, no matter how much she hoped.
Still, she reaches out to pull Riley into a hug, because being in love with your best friend doesn’t mean you get to stop being there for them in their pursuit of relationships with other people. “Are you okay?” Maya asks, still soft, because the moment feels fragile, something that can be broken, and, just maybe, because she’s afraid that if she speaks any louder, her voice will start to shake.
“Yeah, I think I am. I liked him, but it didn’t feel like a forever thing, you know?”
Maya nods, even though she’s never really felt something like that before. She may put up a tough exterior, but when she loves someone, she loves with all her heart, so she doesn’t know how it feels to like someone even though you know it isn’t forever, but she nods anyway, because Riley needs her support right now, if nothing else.
“So, what now?”
“Now, we have the rest of our lives.” Riley pulls away, but just a little, just enough so that she can take Maya’s hand and tangle their fingers together. “Do you remember when we started middle school? And I said that, if this is my world now, the first person I want in it is you?”
“Of course.”
“I still mean it, we’ve got stuff to figure out, and it’s a big world, but I want you here with me, always.”
Maya nods, letting her eyes fall shut. “I know, honey, and I’ll be here, as long as you want me.”
“Peaches?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“No, I mean.” Riley leans back so she can look Maya in the eyes, and her expression is determined, if not a little scared. “I love you.” She takes a deep breath, grounding herself before continuing on. “It’s funny, because you’ve been with me my entire life. I know we haven’t always known each other, but I cannot remember ever living without you, and I think, at some point, I just accepted that we’d be together forever, you know?”
Maya nods, because she can tell Riley needs the space to speak her mind right now.
“I spent so long pining after Lucas, because it just felt like I had to. If I had the chance to go back, I don’t know that I would do the same thing, because all that time we spent fighting over him could’ve been time spent doing other things together, and I regret that we had to fight at all.”
Riley isn’t meeting her gaze anymore, instead staring down at her fingers, tangled with Maya’s own. “I’ve been thinking about this ever since we got back from the ski lodge, and I meant what I said back then. Maya, you are my extraordinary relationship, you always will be, and I don’t know why it took me so long to realize that. I guess I kept trying to go further, you know? I kept trying to go beyond myself, with Lucas, and with Charlie, I spent so long trying to go further, and I just forgot that sometimes all I need is right here.”
Maya doesn’t really know what to think, and there’s a voice in the back of her head that’s yelling at her to say something, but she has no idea what would be right, so she decides to keep quiet for a while longer, because Riley doesn’t seem like she’s done talking, anyway.
“When we tried to do the surprise sweet sixteen, my dad told us to think about our futures, and it was instinctive for me to know that you and I would still be the best of friends, but all I had for Lucas and I was hope. I’ve been trying to figure out why I’m so sure of us, and nothing else, and I think I’ve finally gotten it. I should’ve gotten it a long time ago, but I guess I just didn’t think it was an option? This whole London thing helped to put the puzzle pieces together, and, well, now I know, even though it’s been happening probably my entire life, now I know.”
“What do you know, Riles?”
“That I love you. I think I’ve loved you for such a long time that I didn’t stop to think about how, but when I did it all fell into place for me. Maya, I look at you and I know that we’re forever, no matter what happens, no matter how far I have to go, I’ve never doubted that we would be forever. So, I’m sorry it took me such a long time, but I love you, I’m in love with you, and that’s what I know.”
Truth be told, Maya had not been expecting this. Sure, she knew Riley was going somewhere with all that, but she hadn’t expected them to end up here, and she really, truly, has no idea what to say. She should be happy, euphoric even, but right now all she’s feeling is this overwhelming sense of relief, as if her entire life has led up to this moment and now she’s finally here.
“Well, I don’t have a big speech for you,” Maya says, laughing when Riley shoves at her but immediately pulls her back in, “but I love you, too, and I think you already knew that, didn’t you?”
“Maybe? I’m not sure, but I’m very glad you feel the same way.”
“I’m glad you’re staying here.” Maya snuggles back in for another hug, smiling when Riley shifts so that they’re both seated comfortably on the tiny chair.
“Me too.”