"Why do you think Lucas didn't belive your dad cares for you?" Riley asked. We were laying on her bed talking before school.
"Maybe because my dad hasn't been in my life for however long, and he doesn't care about me."
"Maya that's not true. You're dad seemed to really want to get to know you." Riley sat up but kept eye contact with me.
Obviously she was a little distracted by her conversation with Farkle yesterday because she didn't see him grab my arm.
"Riley I know you think there's at least a little good in everyone, but there's not. Not everyone is a good person."
"Maya I saw the way your dad looked at you... He really loves you." Riley stood up and put her shoes on.
"Can we just go to school?" I sighed getting off of her bed.
"As you wish." Riley sighed.
We climbed out of her window and walked to the subway, which dropped us off about a block away from our school.
We got to Mr. Matthews' class and he wasn't there yet. Must be running late.
"So if the teacher is allowed to be late, why can't I be late?" I sighed turning to look Riley, Farkle and Lucas in their faces.
"Because you need to be on time to school." Lucas replied.
"I'm sure my father has a good reason as to why he's late." Riley chirped, folding her hands on the desk infront of her.
"Belgium eighteen thirty-one." Mr. Matthews said as soon as he entered the room.
"Please be the day, please be the day, please be the day." I heard Farkle chant softly.
"In Belgium eighteen thirty-one," He started.
"The Belgium R-"
"Mr. Matthews, Your wife called the front office asking for you. She says it's an emergency." A faculty member popped her head into the door of the classroom and then left.
"I'll be back class. Please behave." He said making eye contact with me.
"Why, little ol' me? I'm as good as they come." I smiled.
"Riley, watch her." Matthews said before leaving the class.
I stood up and walked behind Mr. Matthews' desk and leaned on the chalk board.
"I'm Mr.Mattews." I said in a low voice.
"Today I'm going to be teaching Belgium eighteen thirty-one."
"Lies!" Farkle screamed.
"Shut it Minkus!" I said back, still trying to talk like our teacher.
I saw Riley laugh out of the corner of my eye as I scanned the classroom, looking from Yogi to Sarah.
I saw Lucas raise his hand and I walked to the front of the desk and sat on it.
"Yes Mr. Huckleberry?" I said.
"Maya what are you doing?"
"I'm Mr. Matthews, Ranger Rick, and I'd appreciate it if you did not refer to me by my daughter's, best friend's name."
Keeping up the low voice was starting to hurt my throat so I sat back down at my desk.
"You done?" Riley asked.
"Yeah. Being your dad is weird." I laughed.
A loud beep rang through the classroom as the intercom from the front office came through.
"Mr. Matthews we need Maya Hart to the front office to go home."
Then off.
"Your mom's off work?" Lucas asked.
"No?" I replied grabbing my bag slowly.
"Maya who's picking you up?" Riley asked.
"I don't know." I said. I left the room and headed towards the front office.
"Hi, Maya."
"Hi, Dad..." I said stopping at his words.
"Let's go." He said, motioning for me to follow him out the front door of the school.
"No." I said, not moving. "My mom doesn't want me to be alone with you."
"You've got it a bit mixed up, Maya. Your mother called me and asked me to pick you up from school so we could get to know eachother better."
I stayed still, not moving away from the front office ladies.
"Is everything alright?"One of them asked.
"Yes-"
"No ma'am." I quickly cut him off. "I can't leave with him."
"Maya-"
"Sir, if she says she can't leave with you then there's obviously something she senses is wrong. Please leave our campus."
He hesitated, but left. I could tell he was very frustrated.
I started walking back to class, but upon checking the time, I noticed I was supposed to be in art class right now.
I headed for the art room and took a deep breath before opening the door.
"Maya I thought-"
"It was my dad." I said softly, so only Riley could hear. I took my seat next to her and grabbed my pencil and began to draw.
"Riley I don't get it. I know he doesn't care about me but... What if he might?" I asked. "What if he is actually trying to get to know me?"
"I told you, Maya." She smiled, rubbing my arm.
"Maya I thought you left?" Zay said, followed by a very distraught looking Lucas.
"They called the wrong person." I chuckled.
"No they d-" I kicked Riley under the table to get her to stop talking.
"That's just messed up." Zay said.
"So do you guys want to come over to my house after school?" Riley asked, looking at Lucas, Farkle, Zay and I.
"I cant. I have to work on that stupid English project." I sighed, but really I just wanted to be alone.
"Yeah, I still have a good bit of my part of the project left too." Lucas said. He looked slightly irritated but his tone of voice almost convinced me otherwise.
"Zay, Farkle?" Riley asked looking at the two with a bright, cheerful smile.
"I'll be there." Farkle chirped.
"Count me in." Zay added with a smile.
We continued our drawings and paintings with little interruptions.
By the end of the day I still hadn't forgotten about my dad trying to take me out of school. Why would he do that? If he doesn't care about me why was he trying to spend time with me?
I was walking home after I got off the subway and Riley and I went our separate ways. My phone was vibrating in my pocket and pulled it out. Huckleberry? Why's he calling me.
"Hello?" I answered. My confusion showed in my voice, I'm sure.
"Maya what happened today?"
"What do you mean? I told you and Zay that they called the wrong person up to the office." I laughed as I turned the corner into my part of town.
"You expect me to believe that load of crap, Maya?" He half shouted. I pulled my phone away from my ear a bit until he finished yelling.
"I do." I said nodding into the phone. I was looking at the ground and as soon as I looked up I ran into someone.
"Holy shit watch where you're going!" A man's voice yelled.
"I'm so sorry!" I said, catching my balance.
"W-...Dad?" I said in shock.
"Maya." He smiled when he noticed it was me.
"Uh, Lucas?" I said into the phone. "I gotta go."
"Maya I swear if you hang up this phone I-"
"Dad what are you doing here?" I asked in disbelief.
"I'm here for the week, Maya. I came to get to know my daughter."
"Don't you have like two other daughters?" I sneered, pushing last him.
He chuckled before, again, grabbing my arm, causing me to spin around.
"I have one." He chuckled. "Your sister to be exact."
"I'm don't have a sister okay? I have my mom and me. That's it! Thanks to you!"
My father clenched his jaw and took a step towards me, causing me to step back a few steps.
"I don't know how your fucked up mother raised you child, but you should have enough sense not to speak to an adult that way."
"Doesn't matter who you are." I squinted at him. "You treat me with respect, I'll treat you with respect. You've been the furthest from respectful to me!" My eyes started to burn again, but I was more mad and frustrated than anything.
"Excuse me miss," A man stopped next to us and looked at me. "is this man bothering you?"
"Uh, no sir. I'm fine. Thank you though." I smiled, waving him off.
"I gotta go." I said bitterly before turning around.
"Maya Penelope Hart get back here right now!" My dad yelled. For a third time he grabbed my upper arm. I didn't turn around to look at him, but his grip on my arm was really tight.
"Let her go you ass hole!"