Day one.
Her day couldn't be worse. In the morning she slept through the alarm, and was almost to late for the metro.
Then she spilled hot coffee over herself and Lucas, not to very romantic, and then she got a C in Spanish, one of her favorite classes.
But it was going to be worse.
During recess the gang was sitting together like always, and they were discussing colleges.
"NO!', Zay yelled, causing Maya to yet again spilling her drink, but this time just on the table.
"What no?', Farkle said. "Colombia University is a really good one. And great for your resume!"
"Yeah, but Farkle, not all of us are solid A students."
"I am', Farkle said.
"I am', Riley copied.
"Shut up', Lucas complained. "And Maya, sweety, stop spilling drinks."
"Sorry', she said laughing, trying to clean it up.
"Maya, are you okay? You look a little pale."
"Yeah, I'm just really tired. And I haven't eaten this morning."
"And now! You barley touched your lunch', Farkle said. "Maybe that's a good thing, because I could have swear that my lasagna contained a fair layer of mold." He signed at the very white pile of gross looking pasta.
"Oh god, Maya, your not like dieting or something"
"Please, you know how much I love food Riles. Dieting isn't something for me. I think I'm just catching the flu or something. Better not kiss me anymore, Ranger Rick.', she said, while the bell rang.
He stood up, quickly planted a little kiss on her lips, and said "To late!", before running away. "I'm going to my locker. See you guys in English!"
He followed Farkle and Zay, who were going to do the same, Maya guessed.
"So, you and Farkle, still awkward?', she asked her best friend, while trowing away her spilled lunch.
"Yeah. We didn't had the chance to talk about the date. Oh, Maya, we were both so nervous! What if our hole friendship is ruined?"
"Relax, Riles, you and Farkle were crushing all over each other ever since 9th grade. It'll be fine."
Together they quickly walked to their English class, for they were almost to late.
They took their places, and chatted a little bit before the bell rang and their friends came sprinted into the class.
"Miss Slangs, it wasn't our fault', Zay yelled. "We-hey, were is the teacher?"
"Late, as usual', Maya answered, turning backwards to her friends. "Why are you guys late?"
Farkle looked very bitterly at Lucas. "Well, mister Lucas couldn't find his books-"
"-because they were already in his bag', Zay finished.
"Cute when you finish each other sentences', Riley laughed, but it quickly stopped when she looked at her best friend. "God, Maya, you nose!"
"Shit!" she didn't realized her bleeding nose until she and her new shirt were covered in blood.
Lucas quickly handed her a tissue, but her bleeding nose was getting worse.
"Guess it's not you lucky day, hm"
"Not really no. This feels just like when Harry got his bloody nose in part six."
"Geek', Zay declared. She laughed.
"Hi Mom! Hi Shawn!', she yelled, dropping her bag (it was light when you don't actually take books home) and crushed on the couch.
Her mom came in, with her little baby sister, Hazel, on her arms.
"Hey baby girl, Shawn is not home. Can you hold you sis- is that blood on your new shirt?"
Maya grabbed her sister. "Yes, I got really heavy nosebleed at school. It wouldn't stop for a half hour."
"Again? That is the second time this week. Maybe we should call the doctor.', she said, while cleaning up some things.
"No,no, mom! Honestly, I'm fine."
Her mother stopped, looked at her daughter, studied her.
"Are you sure? I mean, you never got a nosebleed. Never!"
"I'm. Fine."
"If you get another nosebleed, I'm calling him."
She put Hazel in her crib. "I'm gonna take a shower."
She walked to the bathroom. Minutes later, she was standing in back in the living room, standing in her towel.
"Mom, have you seen my razor?"
"Yes, I put it in the cabinet under the sink, sweetheart."
Maya turned to walk back to the bathroom. "Stop."
"What', Maya asked.
Her mother walked towards her. "Your back is all bruised."
We heard the front door of our apartment open and close, and Shawn yelling "Hey!"
"We are in the hallway', mom yelled back.
Shawn came is, babbling to Hazel, who he hoped was starting to babble back.
Hazel is two now, and she wasn't said a single thing. Not even babbling. So Shawn en mom were getting scared that something was wrong with her.
"Shawn, take a look at this."
"Wow, Maya, who did this? Is someone hurting you?"
"No', she simply answered.
"Maya..."
"No, really! I don't know how I got these bruises."
"I am calling the doctor.', mom said, walking away. "Final straw."
"Mom, no, you know how much I hate doctors."
Yeah, like that argument was stopping her mom.
The next day her mom told her that Maya didn't had to go to school in the morning that day.
When Maya was eating breakfast with the Matthews, and she told them that she wasn't going to school until 12 o'clock.
"Why not', her very concerned friend asked.
"Nothing you-" Maya poked her nose "-need to worry about. It's probably just anemia. I get some pills, they tell me to eat a lot of spinach and syrup and I'm back to normal."
Maya looked at her phone. "Oops, I have to go. Thanks for the breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Matthews. See ya in school, Riles. Bye, Auggie!"
And gone was she.
It was almost 2 o'clock, and no word from Maya, so Riley was getting really concerned.
"What if something happened?', she asked her friends.
"Relax, Riley, Maya is probably just sitting at home, to tired to go to school', Lucas said calmly.
"Yeah', Farkle agreed. "You know Maya, she hates school. She is probably taking advantage of the situation. Maya is going to be fine."
But then they all got a text from Maya.
Meet me at Topanga's after school.
They were all sitting at Topanga's, in silence. Nobody knew what to say.
Maya just took a deep breath.
Lucas put his head in his hands.
Riley was doing her best not to cry.
"So... Leukemia."