Part 1: I'm not who I think I am
Maya Penelope Hart was happy, at 16 she was a senior in high school, had the best of friends, her mom had married a guy she knew loved them both as much as they love him, and now, they were about to move in with him. She and Riley were getting all her belongings in boxes.
-I still can't believe it - Maya said
-What, Peaches?
-That I'm going to have a complete family…
The brunette hugged her.
-You deserve to be happy. And you will be.
As she was taking more things, some of them from the time when Maya was a little girl, Riley was surprised to find a plush toy in the form of a harlequin doll, her clothes were black and red, and her face was white with colored makeup.
-What is this? - Riley asked
Maya stared at the doll.
-Mom said it was my favorite when I was little. I didn't think I still had it.
The blonde girl took the toy and hugged it, she didn't remember the exact reasons but there was something special about that doll. After a few moments of reminiscence, they continued packing.
In another place, a blonde woman, dressed in standard prison orange overalls glared at the sky outside her cell. A question hovering in her mind.
-I wonder where she is now? Will I see her again?
Meanwhile, Maya walked into what used to be her room, now completely empty.
-So… this is it, huh?
She felt an arm around her shoulder.
-Guess so, Peaches.
Suddenly, Katy appeared at the door.
-Girls, can you help me with some boxes? - the older blonde said
Both girls followed the woman and she directed them to a few boxes that were atop her closet. Riley, being the tallest of the two, decided to bring the boxes down whilst Maya was taking them to the car outside. Riley was about to announce that they were done when she realized there was one more box in the far back, in her effort to reach it, she stood on the table under where the box was, to her misfortune, the pressure she applied on said table was enough to break it and the aforementioned teenager, and box, both fell to the floor. Maya and Katy ran as they heard the scream and subsequent impact on the floor.
-RILEY! Sweetie, are you okay? - Maya said while tending to her.
-I… I think so…
-Don't move, I'll call 911, stay there - Katy said, panicked
-It's okay Mrs. Hart… it wasn't a big deal. - the brunette said
After a few minutes, they returned their attention to the box, all the contents were scattered on the floor, mostly papers and old magazines.
-I'm sorry for scaring you and your mom - Riley said
-Don't worry. By the way, mom ordered pizza.
-YAAY!
It was no secret that Riley loved pizza over anything in the world, Maya smiled as she began to pick up the papers and placed them in a new box until something caught her eye, it was a folder that on its cover read "Office of Children and Family Services: Adoption procedures". Shocked, she took the two other folders that had the same seal, and without Riley noticing, placed them in her backpack.
-Girls, pizza's here, get it whilst it's still hot!
As she ate, she couldn't stop thinking about those folders, she knew for a fact that her mother had never worked for the government, and that she never had any other sibling. That night, after making sure Riley was sound asleep in her sleeping bag, she sat on her bed and placed the three folders before her, her hands trembling.
-Maybe there's nothing… but what if… no… mom… mom couldn't…
Slowly, she opened the first folder, it contained the paperwork needed for a background check, a requisite for adopting a child. Maya's fears began to grow as she saw her mother's… or whom she believed was her mother, in all of them.
-no… no, no…
She felt tears run down her cheeks as she opened the second folder, there, looking at her was a younger version of herself, she had two pigtails and was holding the harlequin doll she'd only just seen earlier that evening. As she removed the picture, she saw a document that made her gasp, a smaller picture of her was on the corner, and personal information was there.
-L… Lucy Quinzel… given up for adoption… by her mother Harleen Quinzel… this has to be a joke…
In desperation, she opened the third folder, it was the last piece of the puzzle, there was, before her, another set of documents with her picture which showed that her name was changed from Lucy Quinzel to Maya Penelope Hart a few days after Katy had adopted her.
-Please… this can't be real… I can't have been living on a lie…
With her heart broken and tears flooding her eyes, she placed the folders in her backpack and tried to sleep.
The following morning she bathed and dressed slowly, the memories of what she had discovered hammering her head and fueling a fire inside of her, a desire to understand and know the reality of her life, as she walked into the kitchen she saw Riley and… the woman she called "Mom" for most of her life having breakfast.
-MAYA! Come sit with us, breakfast is ready - Riley said
Her eyes glassed over, she gazed through her best friend.
-You mean me? I think you got it wrong, I'm not Maya… I'm Lucy. Lucy… Quinzel.
Katy dropped the glass that she had previously been pouring juice into, Riley stared at both, her face filled with confusion.
-w… what… what is going on?
-Tell her "mom", tell her who I really am…
Katy saw her daughter's eyes overflowed with tears.
-Maya, what are you talking about?
-DON'T LIE! I FOUND THE PAPERS! I KNOW MY NAME IS LUCY QUINZEL! THERE WAS NEVER A MAYA HART! EVER!
-what? - Riley got up from her chair and ran to her best friend
-Maya, you don't understand
-DON'T CALL ME MAYA!
-Peaches… please calm down… there has to b
-THERE'S NO OTHER EXPLANATION! I HAVE BEEN LIVING A LIE!
To be continued…