Little do you know how I'm breaking whilst you fall asleep
It's a New York night. Something she knew nothing of. It's funny, she acts the rebel, but in the end, she's only as daring as her best friend.
14 years in this city, only now she sees it clearly.
She's not the only one out tonight. Drunks' eyes flicker meaninglessly over streetlamps glazed in their eyes. Club bouncers' shoulders sag, for one second showing their softness that cannot be seen. Workers with late shifts. Food markets. Warehouses.
Waitresses.
She mind can't reside on that thought for too long. That's a different time. A different life. A different girl.
She can't avoid the looks she receives from the strangers. After all, how could any person ignore the beauty of the vulnerable blonde girl who walks the 3AM streets alone. No one offers her help though. The world is an unforgiving place.
Of all girls, she knows this.
That fucking Texan. Why? Why couldn't she have held off him. He's a bad kid, Riles. They both knew it. But Riley. Oh, how she hated it. How could you say that, Maya? It wasn't the Texan that Riley hated now.
She keeps moving. Her only company, a pair of headphones, offers little consolation. Music that she once loved just reminds her of the girl she left. The family she left. She turns left instead of right.
If this is my world now, the first person I want in it is you. That's what you said Riles. That's what you said when you were going to save me. Why can't we do that now? Why can't you save me again?
Oh , isn't that ironic isn't it. Why don't I rephrase that for you, Peaches; If this is my world, the last person I want in it is you.
Her face is adorned with marks. A cut lip here. A black eye there. The hand shaped red marks on her face only resemble one person. The one person who held her darling girl by the hips on the subway. The one who person who she trusted to look after her girl. Her only hope.
But hope is for suckers.
Little do you know I'm still haunted by the memories
7 weeks she put up with it. She could just about handle the Texan taking that adorable piece of work off her hands. Gave her time for herself and her habits. But to do this. To Riley, of all people.
I'm stronger than a horse. I don't have to work at it; I just am.
Maya could handle the cuts he's given her. Hell, she could handle the cuts on her wrists.
But not Riley. Never Riley. This time the little shit had gone too far. How does he think the girl would handle this? He's forced out her best friend, hit her, sorry, beat her, takes her home to Mr Matthews, saying she got mugged and he managed to protect her.
That's not what a trusting person does. Light compared to what he do to Maya though:
"Am I getting stares because of a pretty face or a pretty face that's been left out to rot?" she mutters to herself.
She stops on a bench and takes an inventory ("Bet you're proud of me and my vocabulary now, Mr Matthews"). Headphones in working order, currently blasting Stones hits. Phone, 56% left. She presses the wake button to see her notifications. 4 texts from Riley:
Maya, I've not seen you in 36 hours. Please come back. The bay window's open. Like always.
She's lying.
Please, Peaches. Come home, we need to talk.
Don't believe her.
TO HELL WITH THIS IM CALLING YOU
Why would she do that, it's not like she cares about you.
PICK UP THE GODDAMN PHONE
Unlocking the phone, she goes to her missed calls. 34 missed calls. God. 1 voicemail.
Shaking hands. Her fingers take control as she dials for the voicemail, holding the cold phone to her ear.
Maya... hey. So, I talked to Lucas. Turns out you were the one who was right. He is a bad kid. Maybe he should be sent back home, I don't know. Anyway, here's what happened; after you left, I went straight to his house. The door was unlocked, and I went straight in. It was really quiet.
No.
Little do you know I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece
I went into his bedroom and there he was, in all his glory. With some other girl. I don't know who she was, it's not important, but when he saw me, he just stared. Then, in front of me, he kissed the girl. Hard. And when she protested, he slapped her. And when I shouted for him to stop, he just wouldn't. He kept on kissing her and hitting her. Maya, she was crying so much... Her face was cut everywhere from that ring he wears on his right hand. After he was done, he just looked at me and told me to leave.
She can hear tears in Riley's voice now as she goes on.
Maya, I had an option in that moment. I could have helped that girl, taken her with me and risked Lucas hurting me. But I didn't, I just ran. I'm a fucking coward Maya. The one chance I had to unfold my hands, and instead I ran. What sort of person does that make me?
What sort of people are we Maya?
Broken and Insecure. She's known from the day of the black marker. But they have each other. Don't they.
Maya, for the first time in my life, I was truly without you. Not like when you were sick or when my father was trying to teach us a stupid lesson. For the first time since I can remember, I was alone. And so are you. So please come home. I need you to be here. You need to be here. For both of us. Because I love you, that's the only thing I'm left to be certain of. Now, that being said, I've finally figured out why you really had to leave, and I know it's because to you, this is something more than platonic. I have no idea. I don't know my way round my own head. But you're my best friend. You've helped me figure out things since Day One, so if you want to be my best friend, I'll always be on the other end of the deal.
The bay window's always open. I'll be there. Whether you are or not. Always. So don't let me down, alright Hart?
Little do you know I need a little more time
The salt from the girl's tears stings the cuts on her face. Se slips her headphones back on. She knows what she has to do.