So this chapter tells what happens the day after the events of the first chapter. Enjoy.

Oh, and if you can spot the really big reference to my favourite web series (and the only one I know, to be honest), you get a big fat kudos.

~ 9:30 AM ~

Art class was one of the very few classes Riley liked in school. One, because its art, her very favourite subject ever; Two, because Ms. Hollis was a very kind lady, and her girlfriend Carmilla was nice enough on her 'good days', too; And three, because it was one of the very few classes she shared with Maya.

"Ms. Hart," Ms. Hollis, the art teacher, called out. "Why were you absent yesterday?"

"Oh! Um, uh, family thing," Maya said. Riley raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "Gramps came back from Santiago, but he was confined to the hospital for a sudden fit."

"Well, then, please make sure you have an excuse letter next time," Ms. Hollis said. "Now get back to your seats, the two of you. And, sorry about your grandfather, Maya."

"Its cool." Maya said as she and Riley went to their seats.

"I thought your Gramps was in Texas until next summer," Riley frowned.

"He is." Maya said.

"Then why did you say- oh, you know what? Never mind," They both sank in their seats, taking out a notebook and a pen. As she watched Ms. Hollis teach, Riley noticed a silver ring on her middle finger. "An engagement ring?"

"What?"

"On Ms. Hollis; Look," Riley whispered.

"Hmm. No surprise for me there." She said, going back on her doodling. Riley gaped at her.

"No surprise? What do you mean? This is amazing! And romantic!"

"Yeah, but I figured it out ages ago, pumpkin."

"Who do you think it is, then?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Maya smirked. At Riley's confused look, Maya sighed. "Riles, who do you know is A, broody and dark and beautiful, and B, always clings to Ms. Hollis like a second skin when she's out of school?"

"Carmilla?" Riley said. "I didn't know two girls can marry."

"Some places allow it," Maya said. "Dunno if they do here, but if they don't, well, they can always elope or something."

"Elope?"

"Excuse me, Ms. Hart, Ms. Matthews," Ms. Hollis called out. "Do you two have something to say?"

"Ahh, n-no, Ma'am," Riley stuttered, blushing. She'd been caught talking in class! How embarrassing, she thought.

"Actually, we do," Riley gave Maya a what the heck are you doing? look but Maya brushed it off. "Congrats on the ring, Ms. Hollis," She smirked.

Ms. Hollis blushed before continuing the lesson on the colour wheel.

~ 12:10 AM ~

"What are you gonna do once you see Brianna?"

"I'll beat her to a pulp," Maya firmly said.

"What! Maya, violence isn't always the answer!"

"Yeah, but sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire, especially if your enemy is a five-foot jerk."

"Don't let Brianna catch you saying that."

"And if she does catch me saying that about her, what's she gonna do? Shove me into a stack of books? I can't be easily pushed around, Riley, you know that."

Riley blushed. "Don't rub it in."

"What? Not my fault if I find it a bit funny," Maya said. "Actually, it is kinda hilarious, y'know, that a big book was the one that finally got li'l ol' you." She grinned.

Riley groaned. "You're insufferable."

"Yeah, but you love it."

"Don't rub it in."

~ 3:30 AM ~

Riley and Maya were leaning their backs to the trunk of a tree on the school lawn, enjoying the cool shade and watching other kids interact. School was finished, but Maya and Riley decided to hang out under their tree before heading home. Riley was enjoying the extra peanut butter and jelly sandwich her Mom packed for her while Maya doodled. It was a peaceful and relaxing routine; to Riley, this was the only thing that kept her sane in the madness that was school. She was sure it was the same for Maya.

"Something on my face, Riley?" Maya asked. Riley blushed, not realising she was staring.

"No," She said. She looked away, a particular someone catching her attention. She stiffened, hoping that person wouldn't notice her.

"Riley!" She groaned. Looks like the person did.

Beside her, Maya frowned. "Who's that?"

"Hi, Riley!" Laura giggled, bouncing on the heels of her feet. "What's up?"

Riley groaned again. Maya, however, was scowling at Laura. "Riley, if this pint-sized runt is the one that shoved you into a bookcase, I swear to God I'm-"

"God, no," Riley said. Maya really could be dumb sometimes. "She's just…"

"A friend!" Laura said, eyes twinkling.

"A friend?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "Riles, why didn't you tell me this? What's your name, peewee?"

"Laura," Laura said. "And you're - ?"

"Riley's best friend," Maya scowled, putting emphasis on the words best friend. Laura didn't seem to flinch at the scowl, though, and Riley thought either she was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Maybe both, she mused. "What's your business here?"

"Well, I just wanted to see if Riley wanted me to paint her nails like I did to her yesterday."

"What?!" Maya snapped. "Riley, we've known each other since kindergarten, and you've known this- this schmo- "

"Hey!"

"-far much shorter than we've known each other, and you already let her paint your nails? Riley, you wouldn't even let me do yours," Maya had a betrayed, disbelieving look on her face that had Riley feeling guilty.

"Nothing personal, Maya," Riley said. "Laura here offered to give me a makeover and I just decided to, y'know, humour her, or something."

"Well, go and humour her now, why don't you," Maya said sarcastically.

"What is wrong with you?" Riley exploded.

"I could ask you the same, Riley," Maya retorted. "You get bullied and take a while to open up to me about what happened, then suddenly someone comes and acts like you two are best buddies! Without my knowledge!"

"I can have other best friends too, you know!"

"But not without my permission!"

"What?! Do you hear how ridiculous you sound right now, Maya? You sound like a freaking parent! You're not the boss of me! Stop being overprotective!"

"I'm not being overprotective! I'm just looking out for my best friend!"

"You are being overprotective! You can't make me go five feet without you breathing behind my back, sending death glares to every person who just so much looks at me!"

"I just want to protect you!"

"You can do that without going hung ho on everybody who interacts with me! I also need space, Maya! And sometimes I do that with other friends!"

Maya froze. Then, stiffly, she said, "Of course. I shouldn't have been too much, Riley. I should have given you space; now you can have all the space you want. You can hang out with other people like her-" She gestured to Laura. "and I'm not going to be a bother anymore. You won't have to worry about me breathing down your back or fending off the jerks who annoy you. You can have all the other adventures you want, with other friends, without me." She stood up, closing her sketchpad and gathering her pencils. "Goodbye, Riley," She said, and started to walk away.

Riley didn't realize the gravity of what she said until Maya was at the foot of the school's entryway. "Maya! No! Wait!"

"Good luck, Riley," Maya called out. Then she was gone.

"Maya! Come back!" Riley ran back into the school. She fought her way through the crowd of middle schoolers, trying to catch a sight of long, curly blonde hair, but it was seemingly everywhere. Why did most people have to be blondes?

There! She caught sight of Maya's hair and her tweed jacket.

"Maya!" Following the brown tweed jacket into the parking lot, Riley slowed down and looked around but wasn't able to see Maya. She simply vanished!

"Maya," Riley choked, holding back tears. "Maya, Maya, oh God, I'm so so sorry." She sobbed.

But Maya didn't come back.