This was worse than yelling. The sounds of their voices were passive-aggressive and hard, all to keep professional. Maya thought she'd rather be yelled at then reprimanded like a child but Farkle and Katy were handling it. It sounded that way, anyway.

Just two days after Maya got sick at MTV and found out about her unplanned pregnancy, her label called her in for an emergency meeting. TMZ was all over the story. Internet trolls and devoted fans were arguing about her alleged drug use and eating disorder underneath her videos. To put the icing on the cake, she was sidelined as everyone in the big room made choices about her future. Her and her child's future. Amidst all the firm talk, the only thing Maya could think about was the baby inside of her. An actual tiny being, just growing and growing and growing. It was surreal. It was incredible. It was terrifying but most of all, it was her's. And Josh's.

She hasn't spoken to him in months, since Arizona. How could she? Maya left him jilted in a hotel room after trying to connect over their dead fathers. What was she supposed to do? Call him and say, "Hey, congratulations on the baby!" And he'd say, "What?" She'd say, "You're having a baby! With me! Kudos!"

Or she could text him.

hey, how's life? sorry about leaving you in arizona but i'm preggers! text me back, babyzaddy!

Although, he probably blocked her. Maybe she didn't have to tell him at all. Katy got pregnant with Maya at 17. She knew that Kermit was a fuck-up but because they were so young and without options, she knew it was better to have him around - someone around - then not at all. Or that's what she thought at the time. At first, everything was sweet. Ne'er-do-well but, Kermit's intentions were always good like when he and Maya had a sugar-fest and he'd be crashed out on the couch, leaving Katy with their hyperactive child. Or when, instead of groceries, he bought Maya her paints, after she was caught drawing on walls. Still, he drank. It didn't become so troubling until his Maya became privy to his drunkenness. Katy told him to get help or leave because she could do bad all by herself. Three weeks later, he died.

Would it be so bad? Raising a kid by herself? And she really wouldn't be by herself; she'd have Farkle. And Katy and Zay but most importantly, Farkle. Deep down, however, Maya knew thinking this way was selfish. Growing up without a father was the most exquisite pain and she'd rather lose her voice forever than make her child go through that. There was one more option, though.

To not go through with it.

AN: Hello! And we're back. Sort of. I officially got a promotion at work and by fall, with school, I'll be around very seldom. But, I just wanted to give ya'll a taste and let you know that I'm still around and I intend to stick around to finish all my stories (ALL OF THEM). To do that and give more routine updates, though, the chapters won't be as meaty each time. So this story in particular will have more chapters but less words, as you can see by this short intro. I think that's all I've got to say right now, so TTFN! (Ta-ta for now!)

Thanks for reading and reviewing.