one by one.

-eleven-

"Maya," is all the brunette is able to let out.

A single tear drop falls out of her blue eyes, as she mumbles, not being able to make her voice any louder, "I'm so sorry, Riles."

The blonde raises the gun up and pulls the trigger.

"Maya no!" Riley shouts as the blonde falls to the ground. She kneels down and gently lifts her best friend's head up from the ground. "Please don't leave me, Peaches. Wake up. I need you, Maya." A tear makes it down Riley's rose colored cheeks, waiting just a second before dropping down onto Maya's pale, cold skin. "Please wake up," Riley utters, as she wipes her own tear off of the other girl's face. "I love you."

Riley continues staring at the blonde in hopes of her miraculously waking up, but she never does. She holds her best friends lifeless body long enough to allow herself to regain some composure. Her best friend was gone and she couldn't help but believe it was her fault.

Eventually Riley gets up and rips up every single flower in sight from the ground. She sits herself down back next to Maya and begins to make a bouquet and flower crown for her best friend. This stirs up old memories she has had together with Maya. Despite these now sad memories running through her head, there was no way Riley was going to leave Maya without a proper goodbye.

Finally, once she finishes making her arrangements, Riley picks up the blonde bridal style and starts out into the forest. Riley heads straight for the place that Maya had tackled her to the ground when they first met after the experiment began. It wasn't the bay window, but it's the best she had out here. Plus that was the place where Riley had first began to feel different about Maya

Gently, she sets Maya down on ground, her hand lingering slightly longer on the back the girl's neck. Riley fixes the flower crown on top of the blonde's messy hair, as she mentally prepares for what was about to come.

Riley knew she was about to say goodbye to her best friend forever. This was the last time she would ever see her, hold her hand, speak to her, do anything with her, ever.

She picks up Maya's hand. It is cold, yet still as soft as she remembers it always being. Then the silver friendship ring Riley had given Maya a couple of years ago catches her eye.

"Thunder," Riley smiles, though tears begin to well up in her eyes.

"Lightning," Riley hears Maya's voice hum in through her thoughts, as her thumb runs over the ring.

"How did this happen, Peaches?" Riley softly cries, as she buries her face into the crook of Maya's neck. Their last hug.

Riley continues to quietly embrace Maya for several minutes, the only sound coming from her was her faint cries. Before letting go Riley whispers, "you taught me how to unfold my hands. I'm not going to play by their rules anymore. I hope I make you proud, Peaches."

Riley gets up and puts the bouquet on flowers in the blonde's hand. She bends down and kisses Maya on the forehead before saying one last time, "I love you."

[At 1b1 headquarters. In Maya's room.]

Tears fall down Maya's face as the video of her own funeral that Riley gave her stops playing. By that time Lucas had quietly reentered the room.

"So touching," Lucas sarcastically remarks.

"Where is she now?" Maya spats.