"You're going to save me, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." I say, grabbing Maya's hand. Before I knew it, I was hauling her off of the subway train, and onto the platform. In my Dad's world, I'm the only one he worries about. In his world, Maya is no longer my friend, and I'm a perfect little Angel. I do all of my homework, and keep EVERYTHING nice and tidy! Well, I guess it's too bad that it's time for me to make a world. In my world, me and Maya are the best of any friends. She will be there to make trouble…and I will be there to fix it. Hey, maybe I can say that to my dad! He'll take it so much easier.

We reach the stairwell leading to the streets above, when she speaks up. "Riley…RILEY!" Maya shouts into my ear. I stopped with such force, and I think I might have elbowed Maya right in the gut. "W…what?" I say, panting my head off. I guess I must have been running faster than I thought. Before she could reply, I was toppling over onto the stairs. I landed on my left arm, and instant pain shot into it. I grunted, but didn't yell. I had been running too fast, there's too much blood in my system.

"Riley!" Maya gasps with shock. I think she had bent down to aid me, but I couldn't see. "I…I'm fine." I say to Maya. She knew this was an obvious lie. "Riley…this is crazy!" I hear her say. Her voice echoed into the world around me. My new world, the one I wanted to live in. Not my father's.

"Wha…what's crazy?" I ask silently. I spoke so low, I barely heard MYSELF say it. "THIS!" she says, flailing her arms around my body. "You're dad is NEVER going to accept me in your life! It's HIS world right now, and I'm not a part of it." Maya says, her voice going from loud to somber. Or maybe that was an effect from my fall. I turned my head as quickly as I could, and I caught a glimpse of Maya sitting next to me. I felt a hand enter mine. Her hand. "I'm sorry…I don't think this is going to work." Maya says to me.

It HAS to work! Maya's been my best friend for a long time! I'm not throwing away 7 years of friendship, just because my father won't let me have my own world! "Maya…I don't care WHAT my daddy thinks…" I grunt out, the world still spinning. I wasn't even sure if I was still sitting down. "…you are going to be my best friend, Maya. You've…you've ALWAYS been my friend. From that day in…in the orange-and-white park. When I was on those swings…and I hit you by accident. You…you ran in front of them…" I say to her. I hear Maya giggling when I finished. I begin to laugh too. That was a special and hilarious day. "…and even NOW, you're STILL my best friend. And you always will be…in my world." I finished. Maya's hands went over the center of her chest, and her eyes lit up with passion. Her eyes had been brown when I met her. Now, they're a nifty shade a blue.

"Oh, Riles!" Maya squeals. She wraps her arms around my stunned body, and tightens greatly. Most of my body is screaming for me to shove her off of me, but I hug her back. Like I said (or at least tried too), Best Friends Forever! "But…I know you're dad is going to throw me out of your door Riley." Maya begins. "So…I think I should give you some advice….you know, moves to get Lucas to go for ya." Maya says, with a flirtatious wink.

Lucas? I wanted him more than any guy in the world. I thought I had screwed up with him in class…and on the train, but I wasn't sure of the future with him. Wait, why is Maya just bringing this up all of a sudden?

"Why do you want to help me with that?" I ask Maya. My vision is beginning to clear up very much now; I can actually see her face clearly know. "We're Best Friends Forever, right?" she asks me. "I just want to help you with the thing you want most…before we're split up." Maya adds. I can't believe it; she's ACTUALLY going to help me! But, how? "H-how could you help me?" I ask her quickly. I hope I didn't sound too desperate. "Well…I could show you some moves? Maybe one of them could turn him on…and get him craving for you." Maya playfully growls. Show me some moves? I don't have any of my own…maybe this could be my ticket to Lucas.

"Yes…yes please!" I say. Did I just beg my best friend for flirting advice? I dismissed the question, and began to give Maya my "puppy-dog face". I never see myself doing the face, but everyone says that it's the saddest thing they've ever seen. My face seems to be working, because Maya is cringing. "Okay…but we can't do it here." Maya whispers. "Follow me…I know a place." Maya says.

What kind of place? Before I could think about it, she's dragging me up the stairs, and into the street. Oh, I hope we're not going too far.