"Maya, Riley? Are you girls hungry?" Shawn knocked on the door and Maya peeked up from under the covers. "I'm good." Maya mumbled. "I should get home for breakfast and get ready for school. I'll see you later Maya." Riley gave the girl a smile, but didn't receive one in return sadly.
Maya clearly felt pretty bad today. But then it's not like it would be surprising. "Bye Riley." "Bye Uncle Shawn." "Bye Riley, have a good day." Shawn sat on Maya's bed. "What's going on Maya?" Maya stared up at him. "I told you, I'm sick." Maya said plainly.
"You forget how well I know you kiddo, we're the same." Maya avoided his eyes. "I'm tired. Can I go back to sleep now please?" Shawn watched the girl for a moment. "You'd tell me if something was wrong right?" Maya swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yeah, of course." "Okay. Get some rest, I'll check in on you later." Maya smiled slightly and nodded, burying herself into the covers again and breathed a sigh of relief.
It became evident Shawn was getting suspicious. She needed to be more careful. Maya got up an hour or so later and greeted Shawn in the living room. "Hey." "Hey, how're you feeling?" "Not bad, I'm a little hungry though.." Maya batted her eyelashes persuasively. "What do you want?" He asked reluctantly. "Hmmm, chicken pasta?" "Alright." He got up and headed to the kitchen.
"If you're feeling better after lunch you can go in for the afternoon." Shawn was cut off with a groan of disapproval from the blonde. "Hey, you don't want to miss any more school Maya." Maya huffed. He had a point. She didn't want to get too behind.
"Fine." Maya wanted to eat her food slowly, but it was so good she ate it faster than she intended.
"Go change and get to school. I'll drop you to the subway." "What, you think I'll just leave and ditch?" Maya raised an eyebrow, Shawn simply mimicked her facial expression. "You know me too well." Maya huffed. "Yeah well, I'm a Hunter, Maya, and so are you." Maya beamed. "Yeah, yeah I am."
When Maya finally got into school she realised she would be about halfway into History class with Mr Matthews. She opened the door and all eyes turned to her. "Maya!" Riley beamed. "Ah Maya, how are you feeling today? Any better?" Mr Matthews asked. "Yeah, thanks." Maya said and slid into her seat next to Riley, in front of Lucas.
She looked at Riley nervously who gave the girl a reassuring smile. Maya then looked at Farkle who smiled reassuringly too. Zay didn't know what the heck was going on, but he kept it to himself. He'd find out sooner or later. "So, the American war..."
Class was over pretty fast, but that could just be because Maya was in her own world. She was taking notes, but she didn't remember, evidently, because she was shocked when there were words in her notebook that were related to history. She'd look over them properly later. "Maya?" Maya felt Lucas' hand on her shoulder and shrieked, jumping up from her chair, hiding behind Cory. He was basically her second father.
"Lucas what happened?" The teacher asked, looking back at Maya who looked like a scared puppy. "I don't know Mr Matthews, I didn't do anything." "Yes you did Lucas." Riley hissed.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Cory said. "Yeah I'd like to know too." Zay butted in. "Noth-" Maya tried to say but Farkle went up to Mr Matthews and looked at Maya. "I'm sorry Maya." He said before meeting his teacher's eyes. "Lucas raped Maya, Mr Matthews."
Zay shot to look at Lucas in disbelief. "Nah, nah man that's not right. Lucas wouldn't do that, not even Texas Lucas." "He did it Zay." Riley told him seriously.
Cory sat on his desk and blinked in shock before coming to his senses. "Shut the door Farkle." "Yes sir." Farkle shut the door, leaving himself, Riley, Lucas, Zay, Maya and Cory in the room.
"Maya, is what Farkle said true?" Maya met his eyes slowly and held in a sob. "Did Lucas..hurt, you?" Maya nodded slowly. "Yes." She croaked.
"Daddy what do we do?" Riley asked. "Go get the principal for me honey. Lucas, don't move a muscle young man, you better sit down and you better stay down." Lucas sat in his chair as he watched Riley leave the room, but he still protested. lIt didn't happen Mr Matthews!"
"Yeah I don't buy it. I'm sorry Maya but I know my boy Lucas. He could never do such a thing." Zay said, patting his friend's shoulder. "Thanks Zay." Lucas said. "Boys I've known Maya since she was a little girl. I know her like the back of my hand. And I know she's telling the truth."
"What's going on Mr Matthews?" The principal asked, shutting the door behind him. "Maya has told me Mr Friar has sexually assaulted her." "I see." "It's not true sir!" Lucas huffed. "Maya wouldn't lie." Riley said simply, putting an arm around her best friend.
"We need to take some sort of action." Mr Matthews spoke to his boss. "Oh I agree. But did it happen on school property, Ms Hunter?" "No, it didn't happen here." Maya whispered. "Then I'm afraid I can't help you." "Well we have to at least inform the police, and her parents." Mr Matthews said. "I'll leave that to you Mr Matthews. I know you're close with Maya and her family. However, we certainly do have a duty of care to our other students, so Lucas, you're suspended until further notice." "What?!" "Nah man that's not cool." Zay yelled. "Isaiah do you want a suspension too?" The principal warned the boy. Zay looked at Lucas and sighed. "No sir." "I thought not. Go to your next class Isaiah. Mr Friar, you come with me."
"Mr Matthews, you're dismissed for the day to deal with Ms Hunter." Cory nodded in understanding. "What about me?" Riley asked her father. "You go to your last lesson, I'll see you at home." Cory said. "But Dad." Cory gestured his head to the principal and Riley cleared her throat. "Mr Matthews. What about Maya?" Cory smiled reassuringly and held Maya's shoulders protectively. "I'll look after her Riley."
Maya gave her best friend a small smile. "It's okay honey..Matthews will take care of me. He always does." Maya looked up at the man with soft eyes and he smiled down at her. "Come on Maya, we have to speak to Katy and Shawn." Maya's face dropped. "Together. We'll do it together." He promised her. "Okay." The blonde whispered.
"I'll be back as soon as I can be Maya, I promise. Thunder." Riley held her hand out. Maya looked down at her own hand and raised it to hold Riley's. "Lightning."
