Disclaimer: I Don't Own GMW

A/N: Thanks to all of those who alerted, followed, and reviewed. It means so much! So this fic really connects with my One Shot Advice. So those of you kind of hoping for more from that, this is kind of a way of continuing that story. I hope you guys enjoy! Let me know what you think.

Living with Maya was….great. The first day was OK. She went right back into her life going back to school and

getting on with her life. That was good he was proud of her living her life and not letting that jerk face to stop her from living her life. The hard part came in the mornings when he had to get ready for work and when at the same time Maya and Riley had to get ready for school. Sharing a bathroom with two girls was a difficulty that never occurred to him. It did not help when he was getting ready to take a shower Maya just hopped out of the shower wearing nothing but a red towel. Well, that did not help his situation at all. It also didn't help when she came home bringing her easel in the middle of the living room. She had put a plastic sheet on the floor so the paint wouldn't get on the carpet, but she sat there painting tattered clothes and paint smearing her hands and some smudges on her arm. She would get lost in her painting and go into a completely different world with that thought provoking look on her face. He could just sit and stare at her while she painted, but he wouldn't because that is creepy. So he locked himself in his room and wrote his frustrations down. He wrote about the details of her in his journal. He tried focusing on some articles he was working on for the magazine he was working for, it was a little difficult with her there. He was able to fight through it, well for the most part.

He began to tap his fingers on his desk getting restless. He was beginning to realize what a bad idea this was. Having Maya here, in the same apartment with him, everyday-was going to be torture. He tried to distract himself by going through his papers on his desk. Then he went through his journals, maybe he was looking for an idea of something to write about but instead he found some old journals from years ago. He went through it and he realized it was when Maya was starting to date Zay, for real. Zay claimed that he was being a good friend and being there and sitting by her when they went the movies so she wouldn't feel left out, which was admirable, but at the time it still twisted his stomach in knots. He was jealous of Zay plain and simple, but it could not be their Someday yet and he didn't want Maya to be so focused on someday that she missed out on the "right now".

He remembered when he bumped into her and Zay at the movies when he went there with a girl he had just started to date. He had seen them in the dark theatre room, Zay had his arm around her and he was whispering in her ear while Maya was laughing at whatever he was saying. He burned up with jealousy in that moment, there was no other word for it. His date seemed to be trying to quietly say something to him but he had no idea what she said. All he saw was Maya laughing at someone else's joke and be close to another guy. All he saw was Maya being on a date with another guy. There was no Riley and Lucas in the theatre they were on a date by themselves. He could not take the anger that rushed into his face. He clenched his fist. He knew he had no right to feel that way or get angry but he was. He could not take this so he rushed out of the theatre he didn't say a word to his date. He kicked the air feeling entirely ridiculous. Then he leaned against the wall, feeling like he was suffocating. He had to be OK with this. He knew he had to be. He had listened to Shawn, he told him maybe it was better for him to not pop in all of the time and check on her. It would be hard for him to see her dating other guys and being romantic with other guys. He could not get in her way in living her life for "right now". That is why Shawn told him to keep his distance and to put himself out there and try dating again. So that is what he did. That's why he asked Christine or was it Kristen or Kelly out. She was nice and he knew he needed to start to forge a life of his own with girls his own age. She breathed out heavily trying to recompose himself so he could go back there on his date and try to live his life for "right now" like Maya was doing. It looked like it was so easy for her.

Then suddenly Maya came out of the theatre.

He got off of the wall.

"Maya."

"Josh."

They stood there silent for a while and then she asked, "So are you stalking us or….?"

"It was coincidence."

"Ah. That happens a lot, with us. Huh?" Maya said with a knowing smile on her face.

"Yeah."

"So? Why are you out here and not in there watching Spies beat the crap out of each other?"

Josh sighed and said, "I needed some air."

"Air? Huh. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Wouldn't Zay mind?"

"He knows you're out here. I told him I just needed to talk to you." Maya said.

"Wow, Zay seems like a really well adjusted mature guy." Josh said not caring to hide the bitterness in his voice.

Maya's eyes widened brightly and asked, "My, my Boing are you jealous?"

"Whaaaaaat? Me? Jealous. Why would I be …..? So are you on a date?" Josh gave up and asked.

"Yes."

"Is he your boyfriend?" Josh asked.

"I'm not sure yet. We're trying it out. See if it fits." Maya said simply as she shoved her hands in her ripped jeans pockets.

Josh was not exactly thrilled with her answer.

"Green looks good on you Boing."

Josh huffed and he said, "Maya. I want to be happy for you. I don't want to interfere with your "right now"."

"I know you don't. It's the kind of guy you are. I am sorry its bothering you Josh, I really am."

"Even though you are enjoying it."

"I am sorry about that too. May I remind you this whole "Someday" thing was your idea. I was all for boyfriend and girlfriend right now plan." Maya pointed out to him.

"Would you still be up for it "right now"?" Josh asked with baited breath.

Maya looked at him surprised, "Are you asking me? Seriously?"

"Well, you are not technically going out with Zay yet. Are you?" Josh asked hopeful.

"No. But…" Maya began to say.

"But what? What are we waiting for? I don't want to keep on seeing you with other guys. I want to go to the movies with you and have you laugh at my jokes and for you to hold my hand and…"

Maya smiled up at him and said, "Josh it is going to be OK. We will get our "Someday". It will come. At least I hope it will come."

"I thought hope was for suckers?"

"I am starting to believe in it, bit by bit. And I believe we will make it one day "Someday". I am still in it for the Long Game."

"The Long Game is hard." Josh said.

"But 'Someday' it will make it worth it." Maya said encouraging with the brightest warmest smile he had ever seen.

Josh put down his journal not pleased with reliving the memory. He did not know at what moment he should have fought harder for Maya to be with him. He understood it wasn't the right time then. It hurt just thinking about it though. At points she actually had high hopes for him. He-Joshua Mathews- got Maya Hart-Hunter to hope. It didn't last though, at some point she must have lost hope in them. They waited too long and now she is living with him as her friend. He thought about all of his regrets in the past and how he looked back wishing somehow he could change all of this and how everything happened but he couldn't. He couldn't tell her how he felt now. She was heart broken and vulnerable and he could not help but fear that she moved on from him a long time ago.

He stood up. He needed to stop sulking. Maya was living here now. Now she needed a friend. If that is what Maya needs right now and then that is what he will be for her.

He finally left the room and Maya was standing in front of his canvas inspecting her painting.

"It's beautiful Maya." Josh said.

"Thanks. There is something off about it. I have been so off lately." Maya said staring at her painting thoughtfully.

"I can't really tell." Josh said as he folded his arms inspecting it himself.

"Of course you can't." Maya said a bit smugly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Josh asked offended.

"It means you are not an artist you do not have the eye of an artist." Maya said like she was sure of what she was saying.

"Art snob. I am a keen observer." Josh protested.

"Yeah, you see people, and places, and things, you do not have the artistic eye when it comes paint and drawing. You have the eye when it comes to your writing. So have you written anything lately?" Maya asked.

"I have my articles I am working on for the magazine." Josh told her.

"That is for your work. What about for yourself? You haven't wrote any of your short stories lately?"

"Nah. I've been busy." Josh said starting to get uncomfortable. It actually did bother him that he hasn't wrote anything lately. He loved to write. He couldn't really count writing his messed up frustrated feeling for Maya as great creative writing.

"You should Josh. You are a great writer I would hate for you to lose it."

"Yeah, I guess if you aren't immersed in things enough you lose that spark." Josh said feeling sad just saying it.

"But sometimes that spark is still there buried deep you just need to ignite it." Maya said.

Josh stared at her wondering if she was still just talking about his writing and her art. She couldn't be possibly talking about them. Could she? Was he reading too much into it?

Josh gulped as he looked down into her eyes, he always got lost into those eyes. He moved closer to see if maybe there was more to what she saying. Maybe that was an invitation? She looked up at him and he leaned down this was it he was going to kiss her finally after all of these…

Then the door swung open. Riley ran through it.

"Code Red! I repeat Code Red!"

Josh and Maya immediately separated and Josh tried to compose himself and tried to focus on what Riley said.

"Code Red? Oh no."

"Code Red. What is a Code Red guys? Please don't tell me you have top secret roommate speak that you did not let me in on." Maya asked taken off guard.

"Sorry, Maya. Code Red means that our parents are on our way and we have to parent proof the apartment." Josh explained.

Maya laughed.

"What can you two possibly have to hide from your parents?" Maya asked amused.

"Hey, we are wild and dangerous people!" Riley said while she threw her arms up overdramatically.

Maya still laughed as she patted Riley on the back, "Of course you are sweetie."

"Well, we do have to hide you." Josh said.

Maya's face fell at that.

"Me?"

"I have not told Cory or my parents that you moved in with me. I'm thinking they wouldn't approve."

"What was wrong with that? Didn't their son room with a girl when he went to college?" Maya asked.

Josh shrugged and said, "Have you told your parents that you moved in with me … and Riley?"

"No. They don't even know that me and Billy broke up. You know I am not ready for that." Maya said to him with hands on her hips.

"Are you ready to explain why you moved in here?" Josh asked her looking at her seriously.

"No. I am not." Maya said looking down.

"Hey, it is OK. I am here for you. And I am not ashamed of you. I am glad you are here. OK. It is just I don't think either of us are ready to tell our parents you live here yet."

"Yeah, and if one set of our parents find out, they all know." Maya said.

"Exactly."

"OK. No more lollygagging we have to hide Maya and evidence of Maya before Corey and Shawn get her." Riley said.

"Shawn is coming? What are we waiting for? Chop-chop Boing help a girl hide her stuff. Pronto." Maya said snapping her fingers at him.

"Let's do this thing." Josh said as he helped Maya with her easel and mentally prepared himself to deal with Corey and Shawn. He hasn't talked to them since Maya moved in. He needed to be ready.