A/N: So...this just kind of happened. This story is inspired by a song called "No Shame" by Moriah Peters. I hope you all enjoy!

SPOILERS WARNING: SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED "GIRL MEETS FORGIVENESS" YET! But seriously, if you haven't, where have you been?

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the computer I am typing on. Someone please help me...

Lucas, Farkle, and Zay walked in on Maya's hug with Mr. Matthews after receiving an emergency text from Riley. The text stated that their mutual shortstack friend needed help standing tall, and like dogs responding to their master, they came as quickly as they could.

When Maya was finally able to pull away from Cory, Riley motioned her over to be supported by her friends. She sniffed the mucus and the tears back and brushed away the salty water that had found its way down her cheek. She sat herself to the right of Riley, then it was Lucas, Farkle, and Zay on the end.

"What did he say?" Riley asked hesitantly. Maya took a while to do - anything. She felt a little numb, honestly. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to."

But all eyes were on her. Watching, waiting for her next move.

She bit her lips and fluttered her eyes, still processing everything.

"I'm glad you're okay." She finally spoke up.

"What?" Riley questioned.

"That's what he said. 'I'm glad you're okay'. I didn't want to tell him, I couldn't, that I'm not. I'm not "okay" because of what he did. I grew up so angry. I can't hope. I can't let myself be disappointed. I can't let myself love. Because he left. Because he still chose his new family over coming back to me." She let out a shaky breath. "Maybe I should have. Maybe then he would know how much I still need him."

"Would you really take him back, though? I mean, you have some really good things going for you right now. Do you really need him?"

Maya pondered Riley's challenge. "He's my dad." She said simply.

Lucas watched as Maya tried to choke back more tears. He wished she would let him comfort her. He wished she understood that he knows her name. That he likes her very much. That he knows every tear stained letter she's ever written, every time she's cried. He wished she knew that he understood the pain, in his own way. He wished she knew that he also feels the weight of blame. He wished she knew that she didn't have to be ashamed.

But then again, he doesn't have any room to speak. As he himself is too ashamed to tell his friends that he feels the weight of the blame. That he disappoints his father from being around the house often. That his not following in his father's footsteps makes his father angry. That that causes him he cries. And that he wasn't brave enough to make that his forgiveness project.

He wished he could tell her that a while ago her world was shattered and torn in two, but it is something she simply can't undo. It is something she doesn't deny and something she can't forget, but she can take power in the situation and move on. That beautiful, amazing things are coming her way. That these things would make her father problems seem irrelevant.

But he couldn't. Because of all the things Lucas was, he wasn't a hippopotamus, as Auggie would say. At least, he didn't want to be. And, admittedly, he wasn't as strong as Maya. So, instead he just sat and listened, and occasionally patted her on the shoulder. As much as he wanted to pull her into a tighter embrace than Cory did, he just wasn't bold enough.

But maybe one day he would.

Thanks for reading, even though it was short! Please feel free to comment, criticise (gently), and/or share some imaginary cookies.