Maya was doing okay. She had a rough past, but as of now, things were changing for the better. Her mother was around a lot more, Shawn was in the picture, Riley was still Riley, Farkle still a boy genius, Lucas still a Huckleberry, Zay was still making her laugh, Smackle still reminding everyone of their humanity, and the Matthews still as wonderful as always. Maya's life was falling into place, and she was doing okay in school, Shawn proposed for god's sake. But she was starting to see a pattern. She was starting to see her future flash before her eyes.
Katy marries Shawn, they move in together with Maya under wing, that's an actual family. Maya Hart might not even stay Maya Hart. Part of what made Maya Hart, Maya Hart, was her lack of rules, and an absentee mother with no time to tell her to eat her vegetables and be home by 11. Maya didn't want rules like that, she wasn't Riley, she couldn't be submissive in that way. There has never been a strong parental figure when she got home before, why now? She was going to be caught in the spiderweb of rules and expectations. Maya loved Shawn, and she knew he wanted the best of and for her, but having a whole extra person pushing on her is too much.
That's too much change, and she didn't like being told what to do.
So Maya intended to leave.
It was a Tuesday when she had decided, and everyone noticed something was off about the blonde.
"Maya, what's going on. You're not being Maya, you're being quiet." Riley said dramatically, the six friends were seated, waiting for history class to begin.
"Yeah, I don't think that's ever happened before." Zay chimed in.
"What are you guys talking about, what do you want me to say?"
"I don't know, you always have something to say."
"Sorry to disappoint."
"She's right Maya." Farkle leans in, close to Maya's face and squints. "You're acting strange."
"You people need to get hobbies." Maya mumbles, turning away from Farkle to face the front of the room.
Lucas just watched, with a hard look on his face. She hadn't called him a name yet today, and god knows he presented her with the opportunity. Something was bothering Maya, and he needed to know what it was.
Once school was over, the group headed to Topanga's.
"You've barely said anything Maya-like today. Not even when Daddy called you a name! Lucas said yeehaw! And nothin." Riley frumps onto a chair as Farkle and Smackle go to order everyone's usual post school snack.
"Maybe I just want to be a supporting character today."
"But Peaches-"
"Aaaaaaaah." Maya groans, falling onto the floor dramatically. She clutches her heart. "Your nosiness." She groans again. "It's killing me." She then begins to roll around.
"I'm not being nosey." Riley replies in a hurt voice. "I just want to know if there's something wrong."
"Whatever it is, I can fix it without any outside help this time, okay?"
"Maya, I get you're trying to make a point, but that floor has got to be nasty." Zay says, pointing down at the rug.
"Ah, we're the only people who walk on it." Maya replies, standing up and dusting herself off. "The only person we really have to worry about is Lucas, with his horse poo boots."
"There she is." Riley says beaming, and opening her arms for Maya to give her a hug.
Maya narrows her eyes, then her hand flies to her chest.
"Don't do it." Riley says, locking eyes with her best friend.
With a fierce look on her face, Maya falls to the ground again.
At that moment, Farkle and Smackle return, taking their seats.
"Why she doing dat?" Farkle asks.
"Horse poop." Zays calls down to her.
Maya shoots up immediately.
"Okay, how bout we talk about someone else's problems." The blonde says, crossing her legs on her chair and resting her head on her hands. "Zay," She turns to him. "How about that inner turmoil that you cover up with comedy?"
"Well you see," Zay starts off, looking into the distance dramatically. "It all started when I was about five, and Benjy Davis stole my lunch money for the first time,"
"Here you all are." Katy says, bringing the kids their food and drinks. Zay shoots her an exasperated and offended look she doesn't see.
Everyone thanks Maya's mom, and begins to slowly munch on what they ordered.
"What are we doing tomorrow?" Riley asks. "We could go see a movie, there's a rom com playing I think everyone will like."
Zay snaps his head towards her. "Will I need tissues?"
Riley giggles. "Comedy, Zay."
"You never know." He shakes his head. "Sometimes they sneak in moments that could cause some serious waterworks."
The group lets out a laugh, but not Lucas. He's watching Maya, normally she would have protested to seeing a romantic movie and opted for an action or horror one instead. She was avoiding eye contact with everyone and sipping on her lemonade.
"What do you think, Maya?" Lucas speaks up.
Zay pouts. "I thought we were on me now."
"I can't make the movie tomorrow."
That caught Riley's attention. "Why not?"
"I've got other stuff to do." Maya takes a deep drink out of her lemonade.
"What other stuff?"
"Some art stuff. I'm gonna work on some art stuff."
"Oh." Riley frowns. "You want us to reschedule?"
"No, that's okay. I actually have to go now anyway, I've got to pick up some supplies for tomorrow." Maya replies, standing up, and walking over to Riley open armed.
"Alright." Riley says, and stands to hug her. They stay there longer than they normally would have on any other day, Lucas and Farkle both notice, Maya's the one to hang on.
"Goodbye."
"I'll go with you." Lucas volunteers. "You shouldn't be walking around the city alone."
"I can handle myself, Heehaw."
Lucas almost smiles. "I'm serious, it might be home to you, but you shouldn't go wandering alone."
"No offense Huckleberry, but I've been wandering alone in this city since I was a kid, so if you'll excuse me." She gives everyone a last wave and heads out the door.
"That was weird." Farkle states.
"She would never bring up her past as an excuse." Riley frowns.
"What is going on with her?" Lucas crosses his arms on his chest.
"I think we should give her some space." Zay volunteers. "We've kind of been suffocating her."
Everyone sat back down, finishing their after school snack in silence.
Maya was, in fact, supply shopping for tomorrow.
She was in a small store, picking out several bottles of water and some beef jerky.
"Maya?" The blonde cursed, whipping her head around.
"Josh? What are you doing here?"
The tall, dark, and oh-so handsome boy chuckled, holding up several boxes of macaroni and cheese. "Grocery shopping."
Maya gives him a tight smile. "You're such a boing."
"Still don't know what that means." He pauses for a second. "What are you doing here?" He cocks his head at her quizzically.
"Same thing." She says, showing him the supplies she had in her basket. It was quiet for a moment.
"How's high school treating you?" He asked her awkwardly.
"You don't have to force conversation, I need to be going, anyway."
She quickly checks out and exits the store, bewildering Josh Matthews even further. He knew something was up. Her normally crystal clear blue eyes were clouded, and she had never skipped an opportunity to flirt with him in her life, not to mention deny conversation altogether. He quickly purchased his things and began his walk back to the bus stop, making a phone call.
"Josh?" Came the confused voice of Riley through his speaker.
"Hey Riles, I just ran into Maya. She seemed kind of weird. Is there something up with her?"
He quickly pulls the phone away from his ear at the sound of his niece letting out a screech he thought a pterodactyl might make giving birth.
"I think so." It sounded like she was gritting her teeth in frustration. "BUT I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO PROD. STOP GRILLING ME OKAY?" Then the line went dead.
"Weird." Josh mumbles to himself, and sits down on a bench, waiting for a bus to take him back to NYU.
Maya was packing her bag, shoving clothes, food, water, notebooks, and pens into it.
"Just a little break." She mumbled to herself as she did it. "Just a little break from everything."
All of her friends were texting and calling her, and she finally shut off her phone, leaving it placed neatly on her bed as she climbed out of her window and into the night. This was it. There was no one to give her rules out here.