'we've had a pretty great few days. but like i have always said- hope is for suckers. we can't hope for the best everyday, so i only hope for one thing. that one thing now? that me and nola can stick together through thick and thin. because i know that being openly gay isn't going to be easy. there'll be looks, there'll be names called, there'll be a lot of unkind words said.'
my alarm clock had just went off. turning it off, i sleepily got out of bed to get washed up and changed- black t-shirt and black skinny jeans with a red flannel. i wore my heeled boots too.
"good morning." shawn and katy said together.
"morning." maya gave them a sleepy smile, covering a yawn with her hand as she sits down at the dining table.
"paige joining us this morning?" katy asks as she sets the table.
"yeah. riiight about now." momentarily, someone knocks on the front door. "come on in, paige!" shawn exclaimed.
"good morning."
"morning, hun." katy gives her a smile.
"hi, paige." shawn greets her too.
maya was trying her absolute hardest to fight the urge to grab ahold of paige's hand. katy didn't know yet, and shawn? he might have been getting suspicious.
"remember the tupperware for your history project."
"tupperware and history project?" shawn found it hilarious, "matthews' class?"
"yep." maya laughed, "mixed home ec right in there. you got the file for the report, b-" maya wanted to slap herself- she almost called paige 'babe' in front of her parents. she awkwardly clears her throat, "the folder?"
"yeah, it's in my bag."
"cool, cool. good, that's- great."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"you're not cold?" maya took a look at what paige was wearing. "no." paige replied quickly. "how are you not cold? it's winter and you're in a freaking t-shirt." maya was baffled, to say the least. "i'm really not." paige assured. "okay, i'll stop messing with you." maya snakes an arm around her waist without thinking. paige swears she froze for a second, but lets it happen anyway. "you didn't tell them yet?" paige asks quietly as she looked around. "no." maya shakes her head, "i don't really know how to go about it- even with riley and most of the gang, it only happened because something else forced it, y'know?"
"i haven't told my mom either." paige glances at the blonde, "my mom would hate that. like even my name? when i told her i didn't want to go by my first name anymore, she didn't listen. she continued calling me that for almost six months. it took an argument for it to stick."
"i'm sorry. that sucks." maya squeezes her shoulder, "but hey, can i ask you a question?"
"sure."
"did you actually like your first name?"
"i grew up hating it. in kindergarten, i could not remember how to spell it. kids made fun of me for it...made me feel stupid and everything. there was a brief period where i began to like it. but then, the same thing happened- the kids got to me again. but also, my dad called me 'gwyneth' and i just don't want to be reminded of him."
"ah." maya sucks in a breath, "i ask the worst questions."
"no, it's fine. i just i'm glad life's not worse than it already is for me." paige admits, "you and the gang are the best thing to have happened to me in forever."
"aww."
"especially you."
"there are those butterflies again. geez, i could listen to you talk all day." maya replies, making paige smile. "hi, you guys." riley and lucas were waiting for them outside riley's apartment building. "hi!" riley gave them both hugs. "hey."
"i love your outfit." riley commented, "again."
"thanks, riley. that's really sweet of you."
"she dresses kinda like you, so- makes sense." maya jokes.
"no, well...just sometimes, maybe." riley disagrees, "where do you shop?"
"riley." maya warns.
"thrift store." paige answered simply, leaning her head on maya's shoulder for a second.
"aren't you glad i wore heels today?" maya teased.
"wow. you guys are close."
"and what about it, huckleberry?" maya turned to look at him.
"i'm not used to seeing you being all lovey-dovey with someone, alright?" lucas admits. "aren't we all." maya stuck her tongue out at him, "least she won't get a smoothie to her head like you did."
"what?" paige gasped.
"see, i tried to go out on one date with this guy right here and i poured a smoothie on his head."
"yeah."
"i wasn't really myself at that point." maya sighs, "i've finally found myself and it's staying that way."
"it better." lucas warned, "i don't want anymore smoothies on people's heads or ice creams in people's faces."
"oh, yeah." riley recalled.
"oh, my god. maya?!"
"no, no, no. that was fair, because- i ice creamed her first." riley explained.
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"why this dessert, or snack?" cory asks.
"we decided to make petticoat tails shortbread because my mom's side of the family is scottish, and it's something i knew how to make well enough."
"also it was really easy to find the ingredients." maya chimed in, "even i helped her make a batch."
"oh." cory was impressed.
"you try it first." maya handed her the whole tupperware.
"oookay."
"i swear, it's good." lucas mentioned.
"you tried this?"
"riley too." paige pointed out.
"alright." now, cory confidently took a piece and bit into it, "oh, it's good!"
"of course, matthews." maya scoffs, "i wanna pass this assignment."
"okay, next. riley and lucas." cory said. as lucas and riley were making their way up to the front of the class, they hear the sound of something being thrown to the floor and the sound of feet stomping on the ground.
"zay!" smackle screamed, "what the heck? that was absolutely uncalled for." a bunch of kids in class yelled at him.
"mr. babineaux." cory warned, "you've been warned." he scoffs, getting up angrily and stormed out of there. "class dismissed." cory announced, "i will be going to deal with mr. babineaux. remaining presentations will be done tomorrow- sorry, students." while majority of the students left the classroom, the gang stayed behind. paige was first to make a move, grabbing her stuff angrily, "i'm leaving." "paige." maya grabbed her wrist, "hang on."
"for what?" she snapped. maya saw that bite on the lower lip. "bun." maya stood up, "it's okay. screw him."
"i just-" paige choked on a sob, "it sucks. i'm sorry." "you're gonna make us all cry again, babe." maya sniffles, trying not to let the tears flow. "i know it sucks. but it's gonna be okay, i promise." the rest of the gang surrounded the pair in a group hug.
"we got your back." farkle spoke up first.
"we love you both and are with you a hundred percent." riley sighed, "forever."
"forever." they chorused.
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"take the meds, bunny." maya couldn't care less that the gang was with them at lunch. "you have the meds for nausea with you. we're all here to help if you need anything."
"it's lunch now, you have enough time for the meds to kick in." farkle tells her.
"if teachers call on me. i'm gonna be so weird."
"i gotchu. you're having pain now, and it's getting worse. so it'll help with that. just take it, please." maya insisted.
maya hands her the bottle of water. she takes it swiftly- honestly, she just didn't want to take medications so often. that's why she was reluctant.
"there ya go." maya smiled in relief. "now, eat a bit more."
"geez." paige jokingly complains. this interaction makes the gang laugh. "yo, only i laugh at her." maya warns.
"fine." lucas mocks in a similar tone, "you want some of these? we're gonna make a new batch for the presentation anyway." while the gang was seriously not used to maya being all nice and sweet to someone, riley knew her well enough to know that maya had this side to her and riley loved it.
suddenly, paige's phone rang.
"hello? mom?"
"yeah, so, your dad just left the apartment. and yelled about going to look for you at school."
"what do you expect me to do? i have class, i can't just hide somewhere."
"i'm gonna call the cops on him- he's not supposed be near you anyway."
"yeah, i gotta go, bye."
maya shot her a knowing look, concerned as well. particularly because of the tone- she's never been this way with her mom from what she can remember.
"i-it's fine. nothing new."
maya knows not to push her too much, but riley? she was gonna ask. and if it wasn't for maya giving her a warning glare, the question would've flew out from her mouth.
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"leave me alone. you aren't supposed to be here." the anger maya saw and heard was nothing like she'd ever seen.
"i'm sor-"
"no, leave. you're not supposed to be here." paige repeats herself, "mom told me what you did to her and to the apartment- do you really think you deserve the forgiveness?"
"i'll talk to you later, okay?" paige promised.
"of course." maya smiled, giving her a quick hug and comforting rub on the back.
paige braced herself for a mess in the apartment that was yet to be cleaned up since her mom was supposed to be at work at the time of the call. but, quite unexpectedly, it was neat and tidy. and, her mom was in her room.
"mom?"
"hi, honey. you're back. how was your day?"
"other than the call that freaked me out for a bit, same old, same old. are you okay?"
"couple bruises. but, i'm okay. did he hurt you?"
"no, he didn't even do anything. came by with an apology, i threw it back into his face." paige scoffs, "he was lucky i didn't flip him off."
"he won't bother us again because he violated the restraining order." jodie said, though she was a bit taken aback when she heard 'flip him off'. just then, someone was at the door, knocking.
"maya! what're you doing here?"
"heya, can we hang out?"
"sure- uh, mom, can i hang out for a bit?"
"at topanga's?" maya continued.
"sure, sure. stay safe." jodie reminded, "look out for cars."
"i know, mom. you're off this afternoon?"
"mhm." jodie nodded.
"take a rest, mom. you need it."
"i will, honey. have fun."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
"thought you said you wanted to sleep."
"i did." maya chuckles, "but i wanted to see you more, so here i am."
"aww, aren't you sweet."
"woah, sarcasm? ms. greene, well done." "you are sweet- to certain people. you just don't like to admit it." nola says. "see, if you weren't you, i wouldn't be this calm." maya takes a deep breath.
"oh, i know." paige nodded, "where are we going?"
"you'll see." maya smirked. "hey, come on. maya. don't give me that look."
"i'm sure you'll love it." maya gave her a quick smile.
"what'd i tell ya?" maya asks as they walk out from the store. "that i would love it." paige bit back a chuckle.
"and do you?"
"yes."
"happy birthday." maya smiled brightly, putting an arm around her shoulder, "i'm glad you loved it."
"thank you, maya."
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
published: sunday, 1 may 2022
.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙ ✩ *̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .
EDITED: Thursday, 19 May 2022
2nd edit: Wednesday, 20 July 2022