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Chapter Three

"This is going to be a thing now, isn't it?"

Riley gestured towards their connected hands as she questioned them from her spot at the counter when Josh and Maya walked into Topanga's. The two no longer hiding their affection for each other.

"Oh yeah, it's a thing now," Maya confirmed, holding their hands up.

"So get use to it, niece," Josh added, smiling down at the blonde as she beamed back up at him.

"Please don't be nauseating."

"We'll try," Maya playfully shrugged, causing Riley to groan and roll her eyes. "But no promises," she smirked, teasingly, as her and Josh grabbed their usual seats.

Riley playfully glared in their direction before continuing to clean up while stealing glances at the new couple.

"Did she steal him away from you?"

Riley jumped at the new voice behind her and looked over her shoulder to see Carson who was taking in the scene.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Carson apologized, giving her a small smile and feeling bad he startled her.

"It's okay," Riley smiled, resting her hand on her heart before turning to face her co-worker. "I didn't know you were still here. I thought your shift ended? And steal him away?" she questioned.

"It did. I was just finishing some things up in the back," he answered. "And yeah, steal him away," he nodded his head in the direction of Maya and Josh.

It was then Riley caught on to what he was implying causing her to burst out laughing and a very confused look to come over Carson's face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh in your face but it's more like my uncle is going to steal my best friend away from me."

The confused look didn't leave Carson's face as he looked over in the direction of his blonde co-worker sitting next to a guy who couldn't be no older than a couple of years than him back to his brunette co-worker, "Uncle?"

"Yeah," Riley laughed. "The guy over there next to Maya is my uncle, Josh, and I guess you can call him her boyfriend."

Carson raised an eyebrow. "That's your uncle?"

Riley nodded. "Yeah, Josh is my uncle who is three years older than me and those two just started dating so my best friend is dating my uncle."

Carson looked back over at the two. "Wow."

"Yeah, tell me about it, but they are cute, and they make each other happy so who am I to stand in their way?"

It was Carson turn to nod as he walked over to lean against the counter next to Riley. "So, what about you? If Maya is dating your uncle...are you...?"

Riley smiled, feeling her cheeks start to turn red being asked about her love life by a guy, "I'm not dating anyone."

Carson returned her smile, nodding. "Good to know," he said, staring in to her eyes. "So, how about I wait around until after your shift, and we can grab some coffee?"

Riley was sure her cheeks were as red as a tomato by now, and she felt her heart start to beat faster but decided to decline. "I'm actually meeting my parents for dinner afterwards."

"Then, I guess, I'll have to wait around for another time."

Riley blushed deeper if it was possible at the flirtation in his voice, biting her lip as she watched him walk to the back. She knew her heart still wasn't over Lucas but maybe it was time to start moving on. After all, it was Lucas who was the one to end their relationship. He wanted to be free with a fresh start for college. He was the one who wanted to go out in the world and see what else was out there, and if they were right for each other they would find their way back to each other. Maybe it was time for her to see what the fresh start held for her too.

XOXOJOSHAYAXOXO

"I really don't want to go back to Philly. It's been a blast here the past two weeks and I can see why you love it up here."

Maya smiled at a pouting Robbie. He had joined the two for a quick coffee before his journey back to Philadelphia. She enjoyed trying to get to know the guy who meant a lot to Josh back at home.

"Then don't," Josh said, surprising both Maya and Robbie.

Maya raised an eyebrow as Robbie frowned and leaned in closer, "Don't?"

"Yeah, you can stay with me in my extra bedroom," Josh shrugged wrapping his arm around Maya's shoulder.

"I don't know. I don't want to intrude-"

"You're not intruding," Josh cut him off, laughing. "I'm offering."

Robbie glanced over at Maya before looking back at his best friend. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I won't be around as much due to work and classes starting back up but you are more than welcome to stay. We can work out details later."

Robbie remained quiet for a moment before a huge smile came to his face, and he nodded, "Alright, I'll stay," he agreed before the two best friends cheered and hug.

A small smile came to Maya's face as she watched the two until something else caught her attention. She saw a painful looking Lucas standing still in the entrance, staring straight ahead with a look of regret on his face. Almost as if he had been punched in the gut. She followed his eyes to see a smiling and laughing Riley and Carson before she looked back over in Lucas's direction to see the back of his head as he walked out.

"Blondie, I hope you don't mind."

At the sound of Robbie's voice, Maya forced herself to look from Lucas to both Robbie and Josh's waiting eyes. She forced a smile, shaking her head, "Why would I mind?" she asked, confused.

"Well, you are going to be seeing a lot of me."

"I'm sure I'll manage."

Robbie laughed, taking the last gulp of his coffee. "I should get on the road."

"Yeah, I gotta walk this one home," Josh nodded his towards the blonde next to him as the three stood up to say their goodbyes.

"I'll be back up in couple days?"

"Sounds like a plan," Josh agreed.

Maya watched the two do their secret handshake and say bye before she gave a small wave and smile to Robbie as he left.

XOXOJOSHAYAXOXO

"And here is your stop," Josh said, as the two stopped in front of her door.

The walk to her place was way too short for Maya's liking. She wasn't ready to say bye just yet as the two stopped in front of her door. She held his hand, pouting her lip out causing Josh to chuckled, "I'm not ready to say goodnight."

"Same."

"Good," Maya smirked, pulling him closer to her as she leaned back against the wall across from her apartment.

Josh returned her smile. He took a quick glance at the door before looking back down at the gorgeous blonde standing in front of him. "I really want to kiss you right now."

Maya's smile grew wider as she stared up in to his deep blue eyes, "No one is stopping you," she told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Josh grinned before bending down to capture her lips with his.

The sound of her apartment door opening pulled the couple apart.

Maya pouted at the sight of her step-father standing in the doorway with a raised eyebrow and his arms folded across his chest.

"Thanks for walking her home."

"Hmm, yeah, it was no problem," Josh said, nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

The three stood in the hallway silently for a moment before Shawn cleared his throat.

"Goodnight little tiny baby boy Matthews."

XOXOJOSHAYAXOXO

"Shawn is never going to trust me."

Maya smiled at Josh's voice as she laid on her bed, sketching. She placed her phone on speakerphone and laid it next to her on her bed as she continued to sketch. "Don't worry he has taken some notes from Cory, but he'll let them go. Shawn loves you."

"I wouldn't count on it, especially after tonight. If looks could kill I would be dead."

"Then it is a good thing looks can't kill because I would miss you."

"Would you?"

Maya smiled, "Yeah I would," she admitted.

"Good to know."

Maya laughed, "Yeah, I guess it is."

She smiled at the creaking outside of her window, "And speaking of missing. Are you outside of window on my fire escape trying to surprise me because you missed me that much? You should be more quiet, you know? It ruins the surprised when your not quiet enough."

"What? I'm not outside of your window. I'm unlocking my front door as we speak."

The smile wiped off of Maya's face as she dropped her pencil. Her heart started pounding in her chest as she heard another creak. She swallowed, staring in the direction of her window.

"Is someone outside of your window?"

Maya heard Josh's question, but she remained quiet as she tried to listen for any noise.

"Maya! If someone is outside of your window get out of your room and call the cops."

She slowly got up off of her bed and started to walk towards her window, ignoring Josh's voice. She closed her eyes for a quick moment saying a little prayer before lifting back her curtain and sighed in relief. "No one is at my window," she told him, opening her window and peeking out to see if anyone was on her fire escape before shutting and locking it. "I think it's just my anxiety in overdrive right now, making me have crazy thoughts and hearing things that aren't there."

She heard Josh let out his own breath of relief.

"It's understandable. You're about to take a huge step in life."

"Yeah," Maya agreed, quietly, as she tried to shrug off the fear she felt moments before and enjoy her conversation with Josh.

XOXOJOSHAYAXOXO

Maya lied in her bed, staring up at the ceiling a short time later. She kept taking glances over at her window, still creep out from a little earlier. She rolled over to face her wall. She knew she was being silly. No one was out there. She closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep when she heard it again.

She snapped up, staring at her window. She grabbed her phone as she heard the tapping on her window. She swallowed before jumping at her phone vibrating in her hands. She glanced down reading the notification from Josh before closing her eyes in relief. She quietly made her way over to her window opening.

"Josh! What are you-"

"Shhh," Josh held his pointer finger of his lips, silencing her.

Maya stepped back so Josh could climb through her window.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," he told her, softly. "I know you were freaked out earlier."

Maya couldn't help the smile on her face as she felt her heart going from terrified moments ago to melting and the warm feeling rushing through her body. She took the couple of steps to wrap her arms around his neck. Her smile grew as she felt him wrap his arms around her and knowing she would never feel safer anywhere else than his arms.

Please leave me a review with your thoughts! Thank you! Be sure to check out "Taking On The World" and "Backsliding". "Backsliding" has one of my favorite Joshaya chapters I have ever written so please go check it out. The chapter is called "I Get To Love You" and it is more of a one shot so I believe you don't have to read "Backsliding" to read it.