'it's not going to be okay with them for you to like a girl, maya.'
'forget those feelings.'
maya's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a string of loud knocks coming from the front door. that was followed by the front door opening. she also heard talking, but she couldn't make out what was being said. next, someone was knocking on her bedroom door, "maya." "come in, dad." she sits up, running a hand through her hair. "paige is here to hang out for awhile." shawn opens the door wider, letting nola walk in. "you sure you don't need anything, kiddo?" shawn asked. "yeah, thanks." paige confirmed.
maya found it strange that paige was here- because, they'd agreed to meet tomorrow, at riley's. to work on their project. she didn't ask- she just knew she had her own reasons, but she most definitely wouldn't complain about having more alone time with paige. the reason for her visit was made even clearer when the blonde saw the glossy and bloodshot eyes of the girl in front of her.
"sit down, paige. it's okay," maya talked to her in a quiet voice, trying not to startle her even more.
once she sat down, the waterworks began. she crumbled in maya's embrace just as maya put her arms around her.
'oh, shit.'
'i don't know what to do. i don't know what to do. why did i hug her?'
maya screws her eyes tightly shut, getting rid of those thoughts. once again, trying to get rid of those thoughts running through her head that were less than helpful.
'face it, maya. always be yourself.'
'always. always be yourself.'
few minutes later, the crying calms down. maya hands her a piece of tissue to wipe the tears away, "oh, honey, you head's going to hurt."
"after what happened in school? it's already hurting. i'm sorry, i don't know why i just lost it."
"you don't have to keep apologising, paige." maya promised, "i know you're going through a lot. you're honestly keeping it together better than i would if i were to be in your shoes."
then maya looked closer and saw the forming bruise on her forearm.
"paige...who did t-" paige quickly pulled away before maya could even finish speaking, covering her arms back up with her sleeves.
"did your mom do this to you?" maya asked boldly.
"no, no, no, no. she's not even home."
"did you fall, and hurt yourself?" maya was growing more concerned by the second, "or...oh." her dad.
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"my dad." paige admitted, "he came by. just barged in an grabbed me, wrecked the place and he left after i said i would call the cops. i just ran out of there."
"you did what you needed to do. that's over now." maya assured, "stay here as long as you need to."
"maya?" paige sniffled.
"yep?"
"why are you being nice to me?"
maya's breathing hitched, "you seem nice, y'know?" paige was avoiding eye contact as usual. "hey, look at me. i suck at this- getting to know new people and just properly interacting. but with you, it feels right. as much as it still feels strange to me, because the truth is, i don't understand very well why i am being 'nicer' to you than i do with others in the group."
"i don't understand what i'm feeling, i can't explain it." maya continued, "but i read your journal. what i'm feeling- when i'm with you, i get these butterflies in my stomach. i see that you're smiling, and i do the same."
"you actually read the whole thing?"
"i did, you told me it was hard to tell me. so you gave the journal to read, and i did. now i just feel like i've gotten to know you better already. but...i would like to continue getting to know every little thing about you. you freaking amaze me, paige. you're so strong."
"no, i'm not. the medications mess me up when others have no issues with it. i'm in pain and i'm complaining when others have it worst. i'm literally damaged goods, maya."
"damaged goods?" maya was in disbelief. she tilts paige's chin up so that she was looking at her. "i didn't have an actual family till about a year ago. my dad walked out on me and my mom when i was five. if you want to put yourself that way, yeah- i'm damaged goods too."
paige was fully looking at maya now. she doesn't know what came over to her, but she just got this courage to look at the blonde right in her eyes ever since maya lifted her chin- she did not look away.
paige finds herself subconsciously getting lost in maya's ocean blue eyes, soon enough tuning out the noise of her surroundings.
maya finds herself leaning closer, and closer the longer she gazes at the face in front of her. those curly locks and hazel eyes...they just made her lips curl into a smile.
and then, their lips met. just ever so lightly, however the sensation lingers on each of their lips even after they pull away, barely a few seconds later. with grins on their faces that they were both trying to hide, but failed.
"i really like you."
"i really like you."
'there it is, there's the moment.'
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
katy went to wake maya up for breakfast to see maya and paige both snuggled closely together. which made sense, because technically the bed was meant for one person. and paige didn't even plan on staying over- she just fell asleep. but katy was a bit confused to see paige there because she forgot that paige'd spent the night.
"girls? breakfast." katy knocked on the door. maya stirred in her sleep, eyes the. fluttering open.
"kay, mom. be right there." maya mumbles. looking to her side as katy walks away, "paige, wake up." "no..." she grumbled, "m tired..."
"we gotta get over to riley's for our project soon, paige. you gotta get up." maya shocked herself by waking up first, "man, we're lucky we have the day off."
"paige..." maya poked her, speaking in a singsongy voice, "you better get up or i'll kiss you again."
maya leans down, paige senses that because she felt her breath close to her face. "no, stop."
"that's not what happened yesterday, was it?" maya teased.
"i'm dizzy." paige finally opens her eyes, "sorry, just give me a sec. side effect."
"okay, take it easy. i'm gonna go change and get ready first, alright?" maya quite literally snapped out of her teasing moose once she heard that. the side effects were no joke- now was definitely not the time to be playing around.
"can i borrow your clothes?" paige pushes herself up from the bed. "anything you want." maya gestures to her closet. "you sure?"
"yeah. why, are you worried the gang's gonna see you wearing my clothes?"
"well..."
"for real?" maya asks, "don't worry about that, wear whatever you want. if they say anything, i'm there."
maya nudged, "go ahead. i'm gonna go change in the bathroom. you can change in here- just lock the door."
"is this okay?"
"of course." maya nods, "i'll be right back."
maya wore her david bowie ringer t-shirt, jean jacket and black skinny jeans. paige borrowed another one of maya's t-shirts and jeans.
"thanks." paige thanked her when she returned to her room after changing.
"no problem." maya spoke while adjusting her jacket, looking up to see nola in her outfit, "woah." "huh- what? what's wrong?" paige was shocked, almost instantly self conscious. "nothing. you look good."
"no..." paige looked at herself, "you do,"
"that's your opinion. and mine's that you do, you look great." maya shrugged.
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"you wanna grab your meds before we head over to riley's?"
"no, it's fine. i'd better not step in there."
"does your mom know where you are?"
"i told i was at yours yesterday afternoon."
"okay. let's go then." before they could even leave, paige's front door swung open, making them jump up in surprise. "mom."
"you're going to riley's?"
"yeah."
"okay, take your meds with you- just in case."
"mom, i don't-"
"just have them with you, alright? i know you might not need them, but i'm gonna be worried if you don't have them."
"okay, mom."
"hi, jodie." maya greeted once the existing conversation was done.
"hi...maya. thanks for letting her stay with you last night. the apartment was a mess."
"don't worry about it. anytime." maya gave a quick smile.
"paige, i'll see you later okay? bye, baby girl." jodie presses a kiss on the crown of her head, hugged her, and left first.
paige shoves the pill bottles into her backpack before they could leave too. "does that still hurt?"
paige could only shrug. maya decided to leave her be. but then, once they arrived at riley, more trouble came. riley gasped so loud when she noticed the bruise on paige's arm. which, honestly made sense because no one knew how it came about except paige herself, and maya.
maya shushed her quickly, "she doesn't wanna talk about it, riles. just leave it."
"but-"
"riley." maya warned her best friend.
"she-"
"riley, drop it." maya seethed. she sees lucas and zay walking closer, so she removes her jacket and gave it to paige. she took it, quickly faced the other way and put it on. "hi, huckleberry." maya grins.
"hi." paige softly replied.
"hi, guys." lucas smiled at the pair, but showed some annoyance when maya called him by the unwanted nickname.
"hey, paige." zay said next.
"what are you guys gonna make?" farkle asked.
"uh, i think we decided on chocolate slice- right, paige?"
"hm?" paige asks.
"we decided to make chocolate slice for the assignment, right?" maya tried to hide her concern, but it seems whoever was there had picked up on that. and something else.
"wait a minute...that's maya's jacket." zay pointed out.
"zay! what are you doing here?" maya crosses her arms, "why'd you only say hi to her, why?"
"i dunno." zay shrugged, walking away.
"that's not an outfit paige would wear." smackle commented.
"okaaaay, guys. seriously, is everyone here? riley, you only said that lucas was gonna be here with you." maya yelled, "stop it- okay? no questions other than those related to the assignment."
"what's the big deal, maya? i'm sure they're just curious." riley questioned.
"the big deal is that literally no one knew how to read a room and let things be. let her be- she doesn't need all the questions, and neither do i."
riley gulped- something was wrong, "bay window. bay window, right now."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
published: monday, 25 april 2022
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
1st edit: Thursday, 19 May 2022
2nd edit: Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Last updated: Saturday, 8 October 2022 (Song change)