6:50 AM. She was late. Maya fumbled in the dark, her hands passing over dirty clothes and soda bottles before finding it. She held the lighter close to her chest, as if the cheap piece of plastic would protect her from all the horrors in her life. Tracing her thumb over the smooth piece of metal at the top, she tried to muster the strength to get out of bed. She hadn't fallen asleep until, when 3? She had stopped shaking around 2:30. Maybe she could just take today off. Hadn't she given enough? But then she thought of Riley's disappointed face if Maya blew her off. The soulful puppy dog eyes.
"Damnit Riles, why'd you gotta ruin my sleep like that." Throwing back the covers, Maya rolled out of bed with a grimace. Breakfast. Flicking the lighter between her fingers like a drumstick, she crept by her passed-out mother in the living room as she made her way to the kitchen.
"Let's see, we've got empty cereal box, warm beer, box of wine, can of chicken noodle…aha!" Maya pulled out a partially disintegrated box of pop tarts. Reaching inside, she pulled out two loose cigarettes. She then turned around, and upon opening the fridge found a single-serve orange juice bottle.
"The breakfast of champions right here." Scanning the trash littering the apartment floor, Maya noticed her backpack tucked under her mother's recliner.
"Sorry Mr. Matthews, but not today." The apartment door didn't even swing shut before Maya lit the first cigarette, the nicotine calming her almost instantly. She exhaled, and in her mind, all her anxiety and sadness left with each breath
Buzz
"Hey loser, it's me!"
"Maya!" Riley flung open the door with a smile a mile wide across her face. Maya laughed a little.
"What, Riles, miss me or something? It's only been three days." Riley grabbed Maya's hand in reply and dragged her over to the kitchen table.
"Yes but we never don't see each other on the weekends. It was dreadful." Cory is struck with an indignant look on his face.
"Hey!" he interrupted, "Riley Matthews, spending a weekend with your grandparents is not dreadful. Family is important. Right Topanga?" Topanga turns from preparing breakfast.
"Yes, dear your parents are wonderful…" Topanga's monotone sarcasm was so obvert that even Auggie giggled. "So, Maya, would you like some eggs and toast?" Maya shook her head quickly in reply.
"No it's alright, thank you Mrs. Matthews. I had a big breakfast. My mom brought home a coffee cake from the diner." Topanga stared Maya down for a moment before being forced to accept it. Riley scarfed down her breakfast as Maya bounced her nails rhythmically on the table.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Topanga ran her arm over Cory's shoulder as he stared hard at the front door.
"I think she's smoking" he said quietly, so that Auggie wouldn't pick up on it.
"Are you sure? Is it the smell? I noticed too, but I assumed Katy-"
"It's not just the smell. It's her demeanor, her hand motions. I don't know exactly, but she looked like a carbon copy of Shawn when he was doing it."
"I don't remember Shawn ever smoking."
"Shawn did a lot of things he wasn't proud of."
END CHAPTER ONE