Maya was eating a slice of pizza and could feel Riley's eyes boring into her side. "Riley." Maya said, still looking at the screen. "Mm?" "Please stop staring at me." "Sorry." Riley apologised, but she didn't look away. Maya groaned and looked over at her. "Come on, it's creeping me out." "Maya I'm just worried." "Don't be." Maya said simply. "Are you kidding me? You just tried to kill yourself only a couple hours ago. Of course I'm going to worry about you. It would be nuts if I didn't." Maya bit her bottom lip and sighed, putting down her last pizza crust and moving her plate onto the floor.
"I know. I'm sorry." Riley turned her chin to the side so they were looking at each other. "Promise me you won't do that again. That you'll come to me if you ever feel like doing it." Maya looked into her best friend's eyes. "I can't lose you Maya." Riley croaked, feeling like crying. Maya stroked the hair out of Riley's face. "I promise Riles." She said sincerely. "I swear I'll come to you. You won't lose me. We're forever." "Thunder?" Riley whispered, holding out her hand. Maya smiled and grabbed it tightly with her own. "Lightning." Riley took a deep breath and laid her head on Maya's shoulder. "I love you." "I love you too honey." Maya rested her head on her best friend's.
"What are we gonna do about Lucas?" Maya closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, willing herself not to cry again. She was sick of crying. "I don't know." "We have to do something." "Can we just..can we please not talk about him anymore tonight?" Maya pleaded. "Yeah, I'm sorry." Riley said and grabbed her friend's hand, stroking her thumb over it. "Thank you." "Yeah." Riley whispered to herself.
She closed her eyes, imagining all the ways she could kill the boy. Anyone who knew Riley knew she wasn't even a verbally confrontational person, let alone a violent one. But what her now definitely ex-friend did to her best friend made her feel absolutely sick to her stomach. He should pay for what he did to Maya. Something needed to be done. But not until Maya was ready.
Riley wouldn't press the issue anymore, she wouldn't discuss it any further until Maya was ready, or she brought it up herself. Her best friend needed her more than ever, and she wasn't going to let her down when she needed her most. They were Riley and Maya. It was them against the world. She wouldn't let this, let him break Maya. Riley brought her back before, she didn't want Maya to lose herself again, especially over Puke-as. She smirked at the nickname, Maya would be proud of it, and under any other circumstance she might even laugh at it. But right now, Maya wasn't even truly smiling let alone laughing.
"What are you thinking about?" Maya asked, sensing her friend was deep in thought, she hadn't answered her the first time. Murdering Lucas. Riley only smiled simply and replied with a plain "Nothing important." Maya eyed the girl suspiciously before shrugging. "I'm tired. I'm gonna go brush my teeth before we go to sleep." Riley nodded and got up to follow her and brush her own teeth.
When the pair got back into Riley's bedroom they settled into bed and turned out the light. "Riles? Will you cuddle me?" Maya asked her in a soft, hesitant voice. Riley felt her heart ache and pulled the girl into her arms. "Get some sleep peaches. It's been a long day." Maya nodded and closed her eyes. "Goodnight Riley." "Goodnight Maya."
Morning came around and Riley woke up first, she looked over at Maya and moved her hair to kiss her cheek. Maya took in a deep breath as she arose from her slumber. "Hey." Riley said gently. "Hey." Maya mumbled, stretching out, making her body hurt. "How did you sleep?" "Okay, I think. I don't remember my dream." Maya said, sitting up. "What about you?" "Oh I slept good. Let's go get some breakfast." Riley said. "I think I'll go home, see if I can catch my Mom and Shawn before they go to work." Riley looked at the girl curiously. "Are you going to tell them about Lucas?" Maya fought the urge to roll her eyes. As if. "No, I just haven't seen them for longer than 5 minutes in the morning lately." "You should tell them." "Riley." Maya warned. "Maya I'm serious, they need to know. It's a huge thing that happened to you." "I'm not ready. So in due time, alright?" Maya said. "Alright. So I'll see you in a bit then?" "Yeah I'll pick you up." Maya said, climbing out of Riley's window.
Maya opened her door and saw Katy and Shawn at the table. "Maya!" Shawn smiled. "Hey Dad." Maya smiled back weakly. "Did you sleep over at Riley's place last night?" Her mother asked. "Yeah, I'm sorry I forgot to text you." Maya sat down at the table and Katy got up and kissed her head. "Want some breakfast sweetie?" Maya nodded. "Yes please Mom."
"Hey Maya I was thinking maybe we could go out bowling later." Shawn said. "Uh yeah, that sounds cool." Maya said as her Mom placed a plate of toast and jam in front of her. "Good. I'll meet you at the subway after school and we can go from there?" "You know I walk Riley home everyday after school." Maya said as she took a bite of her toast. "Well Riley can come too if she wants to, I'm sure Cory won't mind." Maya nodded. "Sounds good."
"Honey I have to go now which means you need to start getting ready." Katy said as she looked at her watch. Maya shoved the remainder of her second slice of toast into her mouth and held a thumbs up, downing her orange juice Shawn had given her. "I'm going." Maya went over to her Mom and kissed her cheek. "Have a good day at work." "You have a good day at school, and have fun bowling with Shawn and Riley." Maya nodded and went to her room.
She threw her phone on the bed and peeled off her sweater she wore to bed, handily disguising her bruises. Just as she was nearly done getting dressed, changing into her jeans she heard her phone chime. She picked it up and read the message.
Riley: hurry up Maya, we're gonna be late
Maya: calm down, I'm nearly ready
Maya rolled her eyes at the girl and smiled. Late? Yeah right. They still had ten minutes. Riley just liked to be early. Maya brushed her hair and teeth and pulled on her leather jacket to hide her injuries and nodded to herself in the mirror, picking up her backpack as she did. She looked good to go. "Bye Dad!" She called out to Shawn from her doorway.
It was still a little odd being Maya Hunter now, as opposed to Maya Hart, but she loved that Shawn was her father officially.
"Bye kiddo!" He called back at her and she opened her window and climbed down the fire escape to Riley's. "You ready?" Maya asked, peeping her head into her room. "Finally." Riley huffed and picked her bag up from her bed where she was sat waiting for her best friend. "Sorry I'm a little late for being early." Maya teased. "Shut up. Let's go." Riley rolled her eyes and they started the walk to the subway.
"Shawn's taking us both bowling after school." Maya smiled. "Oh cool. That'll be fun." Riley replied as she shifted her bag up her shoulder. She could see Maya wanted things to be normal. But they weren't, and both of them knew that. They would see Lucas pretty soon. Maya wasn't prepared to see his face, and Riley wanted to punch him, at least.
Riley took hold of Maya's hand and smiled reassuringly at her. "It'll be fine." She said vaguely. "Yeah." Maya mumbled distractedly. "Hey ladies!" Farkle was at the bottom of the subway stairs the two girls suddenly noticed as they descended. "Hello Farkle." Riley smiled. "Maya, what's wrong?" Farkle noticed her unusual demeanour and lack of response. "Riley what's wrong with Maya?" He asked the brunette.
Riley looked at Maya, she didn't know what to say to him. "There's nothing wrong Farkle. I'm all good." Maya lied. Farkle looked at Riley suspiciously but shrugged it off. He didn't believe her, but knew not to push the blonde. "Okay."
