This is a Maya Hart and Josh Matthews story. I was given this prompt from a fanfiction username name ABEDFANisRobbieShapiro. This draft is a redo of the one shot. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy it.
Original date posted: November 4, 2016.
Rewritten on Dec 12, 2018
Scratch Scratch. The number two pencil goes as my pale white right-hand drafts out a new concept.
You are worthless like trash, Maya Hart.
Constantly, this information replays in consciousness as a new set of tears start to dawdle down my cheeks from my light blue-green eyes.
I let out a cry before sinking my five-feet body into the purple color bed sheets of my twin size bed. For a second, I then close my eyes while I start to remember about the previous events... Earlier today, Riley Mathews, Lucas Friar, Farkle Minkus and I were sitting in one of the two center tables of Ben's Pizzeria.
Farkle was explaining to us about his latest plan on taking down Isadora Smackle on the next debate. Riley was listening in to his tale about losing to Smackle. Lucas was staring at Riely's direction from across the table booth in awe as he tried to avoid getting caught by her. As for me, a small teasing smile kept on growing bigger upon my thin lips as I watched them with entertainment from their adorableness.
Each moment Lucas would get caught, he would deliver Riley a small tender smile and she would reciprocate his affection with a bashful smile upon her beef-red face before looking down at her lap from the embracement. As they continue on their adorable ping-pong interaction, I soon found their responses amusing, and yet, bothersome at the same time.
Riley and Lucas's relationship is within being more than just friends and being lovers but they never cross the borderline. Overall, these two lovers have a tendency of starting their conversations with an atmosphere of being in love with one another before realizing their actions and decide to change the subject into a friend zone topic as their way of avoiding being teased. Lucas is so oblivious about Riley ever wanting to be his girlfriend meanwhile Riley makes up some ridiculous reason for not shifting into the "couple" platform.
To demonstrate the situation, I will give you a recent circumstance which happened last week. After seeing everyone spending valentines day with their special someone, Riley informed me that she has chosen to label her relationship with Lucas as "just friends when I could see he wanted to be more with her. Which makes me irritated because Riley can explain to everyone that she is "just friends" Lucas when everyone, including Riley's protecting father, can see that there was more behind their relationship. The problem with them getting together is that Riley is actually scared of losing her best friend. Guh, that girl is going to be the death of me with all of her excuses.
Anyways, the entire evening was running remarkably fine until it was time to pay for our food. My friends took one glance at the bill from the tip tray before they push my white skin tone hand away from the front pocket of my dark blue Levi jeans. Riley then retains a good hold of my hand as the boys pay the rest of the bill.
"Don't worry about the bill, Peaches. We will worry about the bill today." she declares to me with a bubbly smile on her expression.
Again, they are treating me like some worthless piece of trash. The slice of pizza is just five dollars. If they keep these claims up: I am going to believe I am not worth being around.
A frown forms across my face from being treated in this behavior plus before I could respond, Lucas chooses to enter our conversation.
"Yeah Maya, let us pay for your meal." He states in an easygoing tone.
Great, you too huckleberry!
I turn to give him a false smile from his commentary until Farkle decides to fix the situation by putting his own belief on the matter with an awkward smile.
"I agree with Riley and Lucas. Plus, we still owe you for making up that excuse, yesterday, about us not hearing the lunch bell when we entered Mr. Matthews' classroom late. Man, Riles, your father can give one scary glare when he needs too."
What a laughable excuse Farkle. I may be poor but I am not dumb.
Riley nods in agreement with Farkle's remark while Lucas peers at me with an innocent smile on his face.
I cannot believe you, all. I am not a charity case. I can pay for my meal. I don't need any help with that problem. Besides, none of you seem to notice that these actions make me feel worthless.
Another fake smile falls of my lips as Riley, Lucas, and Farkle watched me with concern in their eyes. Each one is hoping to not offended me while their smiles turn into begging pouts.
Great, they aren't going to change their mind.
I blow a puff of defeat from their feedback before feeling myself become a piece of trash around my friends. As they continued to surround me with their oh-so-friendly smiles from my defeat. My mouth them opens up to make a sassy comment before choosing to close it again. I know I could tell them to forget the reason for not paying but I knew better than to show them know how I felt.
If I did to say something back, Riley would plausibly take this problem upon her own hands by creating some sort of scheme that could help me fix the feelings, but like Demi Lovato always sing in my favorite song, "You never really can fix a broken heart.". Furthermore, I keep quiet as I waited for them to take back what they told me. They never did.
Rather, Riley gives me a relief smile from my silence while the boys pick a new the topic to talk about. As the boy begins to talk about the newest game they like, I could see my brunette friend observing me from afar, but I don't acknowledge her stare. Instead, I've decided to tease Farkle on losing to Lucas on his favorite game. Formerly, Riley notices my reaction, and she decides to watch Lucas with a dopey smile on her. Once I am sure everyone occupied, I pretend to listen in to their conversation as I push their reaction towards the back of my mind.
Another tear descends from my face as I reach out for the white plastic eraser. Once I get a good hold of the dried up eraser, I begin erasing the picture until the images dissolve into nothing. A few bits of eraser ends scatter over the paper, and I brush it off with my fingers with anger. As I wipe away the particles from my work, some of my lines smear upon the clean printing paper and I begin to get frustrated again.
The ruin sketch from my artbook is the next option I decide to take. I tear off from the black eight by eleven bounded book, and for some odd reason, a part of me felt relief from releasing some of my frustration the book. My hands were about to rip the image into small pieces of confetti while a different memory comes across my mind.
It was the day that Riley called me a bully.
During our interaction, I knew she wasn't herself that day, and I felt worthless because I could help her. I pushed all of my negative feelings towards the back of my mind as I tried to find a way for her to tell me what was wrong. Ever since we were little, I have considered Riley my sister, and it never came across to my mind that her life wasn't as perfect until that night.
My concentration on this memories comes to a stop as a "bing" sound comes from my black smartphone. My eyes automatically move across my bedroom before seeing the phone's screen light up from one of my homemade wooden selves. Confusion forms upon my teary-eye face as I move across my purple bed covers. The name "Uncle Boing" flashes back at me and a surprise expression comes across my face from seeing his name.
Why on earth would Josh Matthews be calling me at eleven o'clock at night?
Hesitantly, I pick up the phone while goosebumps raise over my arms. My right hand slowly places the phone in front of me while my left-hand lies on top of my blue Chinese leopard pajamas set.
Gently, I look over his text and my eyes see the words... "Look outside your window."
I take a huge gulp of air as I re-read the text message. I am a bit confused as to why he would send me this text, and yet, I feel like there is hope for us.
Josh Matthew is Riley's uncle. He is so amazing and I do have feelings for him. Sadly, Josh would always remind me of the three years gap difference between us by saying, "You know I am too old for you Maya.". My responses are always different, but my message is always the same, I would wait for him. On the other hand, Josh only sees my response as child's play, and I wish he could see me as something more, but you never know if he will change his mind. Oh, who am I kidding! Josh is just probably texting me on Riley's behalf.
Another bing music comes from my phone again, and I see that he had sent me a new text.
Please, Maya! Trust me. It will be worth it.
Josh's begging text captivates the attention of my curious side, and within the following five seconds, I get up from my bed and text him back with excitement on my face.
"Alright, Uncle Boing! I am checking. '
After sending my text, I walk towards my window, and I see a bunch of art supplies on the emergency stairway. A tiny scowl forms across my face as I push open the apartment window's frame. Within my sight, there are four sets of expensive H, 2B, 6B, 7B, and 8B pencils, another set of color pencils, an Alvin and Co. mini drafters brush, kneaded eraser, and a brand new proart hardbound sketchbook. From seeing these gifts, I start thinking of them being charity gifts from the Matthews, and soon I feel myself being worthless again.
At that moment I was going to leave them out there when I caught sight of a letter place inside the Hardbound sketchbook. I then grab the gifts from their location, and I place them on top of my twin bed. My shaky hands pull out the letter from within the close book while I use the red neon sign from the restaurant across the street to read the letter.
Dear Maya.
Last night, l witnessed your reaction when your friends didn't approve of you paying for your dinner. They may have been fooled by your fake smiles, except I knew they hurt your feelings. Right now, you are probably feeling worthless because they, like many others, are treating you like a charity case. In your mind, they see you as a poor who lives with your grandmother and your mother is never around, when you really want them to see you as an equal. Trust me, the situation will get better; if you speak up
After reading my recent prediction, you are probably thinking that I couldn't understand what you're going through because I have family support and siblings. Well, you are far from the truth. I may have older siblings but there are times when we get along. In fact, if you look more closely into my family life, you can see that I live my life like the only child in the family and it sucks.
Whenever my siblings come over... they treat me like I am a kid when they all know I am in college now. Over time, the excuses became hard to handle, especially when it comes to family dinners, Cory and Morgan are always giving me the same excuses you probably hear from Riley and your friends. Oh don't worry about it, save your money for another time, and so on. My feeling about the situation got worse until I told my sibling how I felt.
Right now, you think that my advice won't help you but trust me when I say this Maya, Riley and the boy will understand and they will be willing to make changes.
Now that I got my advice out of the way, I want to talk to you about your perspectives on gifts. Riley has told me that you don't like accepting gifts and I know that they symbolize as pity gifts. I want you to know that not gifts are given because someone feels pity about you being poor. Gifts are given to people because the other person loves them. Which explains why I am giving you these gifts. Maya, I want to un-bottle all of those feelings, you have inside, and express yourself in any way you find content. Last night, Riley told me that my brother has brought you a twelve set of Derwent Academy Colored Pencils, and I didn't know much about his gift until I showed her what my friend advice me to get you as a cheer-up-present. Nevertheless, I hope you still use them.
I additionally want to tell you something which I obviously can't say to you in person.
Maya, you have no idea how amazing your artwork is. Whenever I come over to visit Cory's family, Riley always shows me your latest artwork and I would be in awe with the depth and detail you put on each piece you make.
Maya, you can take one idea, sketch the lines perfectly and show concrete ideal in each brush. With your works of arts on display, you gave everyone in the world an opportunity to see how you are feeling, and I feel like I am the only one who could see behind the message behind your dark drawings. Don't ever change drop your talent, Maya.
The last thing I want to write to is that we all are here for Maya. If you ever want to talk to someone about anything, you can always text me, just don't expect a message back until nine.
Alright? Well, that is all I got to say. l will talk to you soon.
Sincerely,
Josh Matthews.
A smile comes across my face from Josh's letter while I think towards myself, he is right! Only I can change my life around.
After reading his letter for the second time that night, I found inspiration to create my next greatest masterpiece., The very next day, I showed my friends a picture of myself in a trashcan. Farkle and Lucas couldn't understand why I was showing them this picture but Riley explained to me how I felt and she apologized
Just like Josh would say they would, Riley and the two boys decided to take into consideration my feelings, and they allowed me to pay my proportion of the pizza on Friday. Within the following week, Riley, Lucas, and Farkle are changing their perspective of my situation, and it started with a set of Color Pencils and a Smart Phone.