"maya."
she was focused on the girl that'd just entered the cafeteria instead of riley, who was calling for her.
"maya." riley repeats, poking her on the arm.
"yeah, yeah." maya swatted her hand away.
"maya!" riley exclaimed, turning her head back from where maya was looking at.
"what, yes?" maya finally turned her attention to riley.
"what's the matter?" riley asks, "why were you staring at...wait, ooh, who's that?"
"yep." maya crosses her arms in front of her chest, "never seen her before in my life." "and...?" riley asks curiously. "and nothing." maya answered bluntly, "just wondering who she is. never seen her before, y'know."
"we should go make friends with her."
maya gulped, taking a deep breath and said, "okay."
"yay! what...?" riley cheered then got confused by maya agreeing, "never mind, yay!"
"are you gonna invite her to sit down with us?"
"yeah. with us." riley motioned to the rest of the gang that was making their way to the table from the lunch line, "she's alone. c'mon, maya. quick."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"hi." riley approached the new girl, maya following closely behind, "i'm riley. this is-"
"hey, i'm maya." maya interrupts her friend.
"hi, i'm paige." the new girl smiled shyly, taken aback by the fact that she suddenly got approached by people.
"you wanna sit with us?" riley offered.
"oh, i uh- i probably shouldn't."
"it's okay, you're welcome to join us. and our friends." riley insisted. paige agreed hesitantly, following the two best friends to their table. truth be told, she had nowhere to sit and was about to just stand there and eat.
"guys, this is paige. she's gonna join us for lunch." riley introduced her to the group. paige puts down her tray and waved, smiling softly. after riley told her who's who, they began to eat. maya's already been eating since she got to the table, her mind wandering as she gazed at the person sitting opposite her.
"so, paige. how's your day been?" riley asked. maya slowly snapping out of her daze upon hearing a name.
"i uh- i had to miss the first half of the day because i had an appointment. so, it already feels weird."
"what's your next class?" maya asked before riley or anyone else could respond to what paige had said. "history."
"which room?"
"218."
"oh, cool! us too." maya smiled, but quickly bit her lip to stop. lucas noticed, though, shooting the rest of the table a look. riley shrugged, "i'm sure you're going to have a great time." "her dad's the teacher." zay told paige.
"oh." paige glances at him, "really?"
"he's a great teacher. but his assignments are sometimes...unconventional." lucas chimed in.
"but they're still assignments." farkle shrugged, "so, yay." this earned an eye-roll from maya while smackle, zay, lucas and riley chuckled.
"they teach us about the world, but also, history." riley nods, "it's fun."
"great. i can't wait."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
after lunch, paige went to history class with the gang. "matthews." maya gave a quick wave, "this is paige, your new student."
"oh, i know. ms. greene- i see you've made some friends already." cory replied, "please, take a seat anywhere." paige looks around quickly, there was an empty desk beside riley, and another one beside maya. riley looked at her excitedly, but after a moment, she walked to the desk beside maya's. "heeey." maya lets out a giggle, a nervous giggle. cory whipped his head at the sound, chalk in his hand as his face scrunched up in confusion. the rest of the class did too, but the blonde couldn't care less. or so she thought.
after school, maya went home with riley as usual. riley did not hesitate to ask her about it. "what was going on with you today?"
"what?"
"you know." riley gave her a look, "paige."
"what about her?"
"you were being..." riley was nervous to bring it up, but she could not help it- riley being riley, she'd always ask questions.
"what is it, man?" maya sighed exaggeratedly.
"you were being nice...like when we-"
"nah." maya instantly disagreed.
"you're lying..." riley said in a singsongy voice.
"no!" maya gasps, "why would i lie, to you?" 'yes. i'm lying.' maya thought to herself, 'i just- i don't know what's happening, riles.'
"oh, maya." riley regrets pushing her for an answer, "i'm sorry."
"it's fine. i don't know why i'm like that. must be a bad day." maya shrugs, "hey, can we go to the bakery? we don't have any homework today."
"sure." riley smiled in relief.
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"hi, baby girl." katy greeted, "hi, riley."
"hi, mom." maya forced a smile.
"hi, mrs. hunter." riley responded, waving at the lady.
meanwhile, maya noticed a certain someone in the bakery, in the gang's usual seat. "hey, you."
"oh, maya. hi." paige sipped her hot chocolate.
"you alone?"
"yeah. just thought it'd be nice to take a walk and explore the area."
"can i join you?"
"of course, yeah."
maya unknowingly smiled, "riley! paige is here."
"ooh, hi, paige!" riley walks over to them, a plate of baked goods in hand.
riley was seriously interested in chatting with the new girl, hoping to get to know her better. paige wasn't someone of many words though. maya on the other hand, saw how paige was gnawing on her lower lip and the sweat beading on her forehead before she finally excused herself to go to the restroom.
"i talked too much, didn't i?" riley purses her lips together.
"no, i'm sure she's fine. just not used to...everything." maya answered as she got up to go after paige.
entering the bathroom, she saw one cubicle with the door locked. 'oh, god.' maya thought, 'why am i caring so much?'
exhaling, she knocks, "paige?"
"paige, it's maya. are you feeling okay?"
all maya could hear was her hyperventilating. "hey. hey, paige, it's okay. deep breaths— follow me." she coaxed, "in, out." after awhile, it quietens down. "can you open the door, paige? please?"
'i can't believe what i'm doing.' maya was mentally slapping herself for this. she wasn't used to this.
at this moment, the latch unlocks, and the cubicle's door open.
paige walks past the blonde, heading straight for the sink. "i'm fine, maya. sorry."
"i'm just glad you're okay. why are you sorry?" 'geez, maya. stop.' "because you had to see me like this? freaking out over-" paige swallows thickly, "over talking to people?"
"you're fine." maya said back nonchalantly.
"no, i'm not. you don't know me, and i don't know you."
maya kept a straight face despite how harsh paige's tone suddenly became. 'ouch.'
"you're right. yet, here i am. checking on you. while riley, the caring one, is still outside." maya scoffs, "paige, i wanna be your friend if you'd let me."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
published: tuesday, 19 april 2022
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
EDITED: Thursday, 19 May 2022