***I am so sad that it has taken me this long to update… I apologize profusely: I am so sorry! I've brought shame on my town, my community, my house, my family, my PETS,and etc.! Dramatic enough? Hah! But, I, truly, am sorry for anyone who has waited for an update! I hope this is up to expectations! Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy, Please Review if you have a mont, give me some feedback if you'd like! Thanks again!***
Maya had her license, had even passed the test on her first try- but actually prefered taking the subway or walking. She didn't live too far from her school, and getting to school didn't take nearly as long when she wasn't going out of her way to meet up with Riley at the Matthews. Thinking of her best friend- because that's what Maya still considered her, regardless of putting a wedge in their friendship- gave her a sharp pain in the chest. The pain was familiar, one she'd felt since her father left when she was little, but had grown considerably the last three months. She missed Riles… She missed all the Matthews actually, along with Farkle and Lucas…
Another face popped into her mind, one she had barely even thought of in the past months. Her musings were interrupted by a loud honk. Resurfacing from her mind, she took a moment to take in her surroundings. Brushing back a lock of hair that the wind persistently pushed into her face, Maya realized she'd been slowly walking through a crosswalk that had turned red. Another honk sounded, and after a crude gesture toward the driver the blonde continued on her way. Following another drawn out honk from the vehicle, the car took off, narrowly missing Maya as she passed. Dick. Spotting her school maybe a mile away, the young woman considered skipping, deciding against it when she remembered that she had to work tonight- meaning a required attendance to school that day, a demand from her boss- and continued down the path.
About 10 minutes later Maya was walking through the front doors of John Quincy High, turning down the left to her first class of the day, English Lit. Yay. Receiving a new detention slip as soon as her foot passes the threshold.
" New pink slips Dehlia? Way cooler than the drab blue ones."
"It's Mrs. Cole, Miss Hart, and could you actually try to get to my class on time, it'd be a pleasant change to my day." Maya chuckles, used to the lecture from the woman.
" But calling you Mrs. Cole seems so impersonal Dehlia, after all these lovely colored detention slips you give me. Careful, I might start to think I'm your favorite." With that Maya makes her way to her desk, taking a seat. Mrs. Cole rubs the bridge of her nose in exasperation, before continuing with her class, teaching the importance of literature while more than half the class zones out.
***TIME SKIP To Maya's Last Class Of The Day***
Maya was sooo relieved! She just had to make it through Gym class, which took up her last hour of the day. On days she didn't work the blonde would usually skip, especially seeing as this was the one class that Farkle, Lucas and his friend Isaiah all attended. Just one hour. No big deal. Making her way out of the Women's locker room after changing into the horribly unflattering gym uniform of a red and gold John Quincy High t-shirt and workout pants- luckily the students choice- of volleyball shorts, basketball shorts, yoga or sweatpants. Today she'd chosen yoga pants. Turns out she'd made a good choice as the teacher leads the class outside to walk/jog/run the track. While the track athletes full-out ran the track, the rest of us mostly jogged.
Glancing back at the guys who were going a bit slower for Farkle's sake who still wasn't much of an athlete, I noticed they seemed to be looking at me too. Not so weird seeing as we were friends not too long ago, but they had all sort of avoided me since the incident out of respect for Riley and Lucas I suspect. Which was fine with me. But what of the sudden interest then…? Thinking through the rumors that had been recently spread, not coming up with anything more noteworthy than usual. Well, whatever….
*** Isaiah's/ Third Person POV***
Gym class started the same as usual, with Lucas and Isaiah rushing to get ready and head in for a few free minutes to toss the ball around before the rest of the class joined. About five minutes to Farkle joins them. Kinda. Lucas continues to try and get his friend to join them in a game, but the slighter boy rarely does. Which Isaiah was more than a little guilty of being thankful for, seeing as the last time Farkle joined them he'd gotten a ball to the back of the head. Safe to say it'd be a couple weeks still before Farkle participated again.
The girls start to filter in from their locker room as the bell rings. Maya enters, one of the last girls to come in, something he, and a few other guys, quickly notice. Lucas and Farkle shortly notice too, an embarrassed look coming over his friends face, while Farkle seemed happy to see her attending class.
Unlike most of the guys in class, Isaiah didn't feel anything toward Maya. Not in that way, anyhow. Okay, so she was totally hot, beautiful even, and he had a slight crush on her when they first met, but the feelings turned into camaraderie pretty quickly as he got to know her. So, yeah, he understood why guys stared at her, with her long curly blonde hair, currently in a high pony, and her striking blue eyes. Compared to him though, most of them barely knew her other than from the rumors they all heard. Those damn rumors. He knew that's what most, if not all of them, were. He remembered, before the incident, a time when she confided that she had pretty high morals, hell, the girl found condoms in his backpack once, turned bright red and covered it with anger. The girl wasn't a prude really, she just didn't think that 'kids' should be having sex at our age. He chuckles to himself, remembering when she had also pointed out that he was about as mature as a first grader at that time. A lot had changed since the months following the incident, but he believed that she hadn't changed nearly as much as everyone believed.
Besides, while he saw all the superficial changes like her clothes and makeup, he also saw things he thinks others didn't notice. Like how she was constantly wearing scarves, the only place she couldn't was here, in gym class, and every time he saw her without one,hickies lined her neck. Which with the rumors would seem normal, but -besides the fact he didn't believe them- many of the bites looked painful. He'd seen her wince more than once when something would accidentally brush against them. Like now as she tightened her ponytail, wincing, as the coach leads the group out to the track.
It's as his group starts jogging, following behind Maya, a couple of classmates and the over-achievers, that he notices the girl in questions arm.
"Hey guys." Isaiah interrupts Lucas and Farkles conversation- which he had no clue they were even having, he tended to zone out sometimes.
"What's up 'Saiah?" His bud asks, both he and their friend giving him their full attention.
" I'm not sure, so don't overreact dude, but do you see a mark on Maya's arm? I think I see something peeking out from under her sleeve, but maybe it's just a shadow…?" He and Luc' share a look of understanding at the tension in Isaiah's voice, and Lucas' jaw clenches at the thought, because they both know the real reason Isaiah moved to New York. That logic being the sole reason that Lucas instantly trusted his buds' instincts.
"I can't see her from here, that big guys blocking my view, whats up guys?" Farkles voice barely registers to either of his companions as their sights zero in on Maya, something she obviously notices, but chooses to ignore. Lucas searches her arms, looking for the mark his friend observed, when he thinks he spots it. Isaiah was right, the bruise could easily be dismissed as a shadow from the blondes sleeve, but as she walks the sleeve shifts just enough to confirm his friends' suspicions. The two young men can, for a few moments, clearly see the bruise, all purples and reds, with faint yellowing in spots.
"I see it, and it looks rough, but she probably just knocked it on something." At his answer Isaiah instantly shakes his head.
" Sorry dude, but that bruise goes all the way around her arm. I only know of one way that happens... Someone grabbed her arm, hard, and judging by the width of the bruise it was a guy. WHOA! Lucas, calm down, if I guys been hurting her, I doubt another guy who looks ready to tear something apart coming toward her- even a friend- won't just scare her!" Isaiah tries to grapple at Lucas who looks ready to charge over to Maya, probably to demand what happened to her arm. Farkle grabs onto Lucas too now, still not fully understanding what's going on.
" Besides man, we don't have all the facts, hell, she might've been grabbed as a way to keep her from accidentally falling or something, and we'll just look like overprotective morons! Think this through Luc'. Believe me, if we find out something bad happened, I'll follow you into battle, heh, but we just gotta consider all the possibilities." Still holding onto the now seemingly calm Friars shoulder, he waves off Farkle, letting him know that Isaiah could handle Lucas. Farkle let's go, but stays with them, as they start walking, continuing down the track for the last 10 minutes of class. It takes about five of those minutes before someone finally talks, and surprisingly enough it's Lucas who talks first.
" I saw the hickies too. This doesn't look good man. We need to find out what happened, like right fuckin' now. The image is burned into my mind, and I don't know how long I can handle not knowing what happened to make those kinds of marks… " Running his hand through his hair in frustration, his eyes search for Maya, finding the blonde heading toward the exit from the track along with the rest of their class. The guys had apparently paused long enough to create a noticeable distance. Isaiah shakes his head, directing them to the exit.
" Luc', look, I get it, but you have to tone it down. We'll figure out what's going on, but it'll take some time. Believe me though dude, If I see another bruise like that, I'll happily send ya to find out. A man treating a lady like that is never ok, and seeing as its Maya it's so much worse right now."
" I'm still not entirely sure whats going on, but I think I can guess. And I'll help you guys find out what's going on. It might be best anyhow, seeing as I'm pretty non threatening, and have known Maya the longest… I've noticed she's been acting weird, I think we all have but we've been subconsciously trying to ignore it…" Looking back, each man remember noticing the hickies, maybe even a bruise here or there, none of them mentioning it to the others… Something was almost definitely going on, but what?
***Another Intense chapter right?! I thought so anyhow. And we got to see a little more of the characters personalities that I'm trying to portray. Hopefully no one minded the change in Point Of Views in this chapter, but if you don't like it let me know, and if I have enough people agree, then I won't do it again. Now, Obviously I changed Isaiah quite a bit, and I accidentally sort of edged out Farkle in this chapter until the very end, but now I'm scared to alter anything! Haha, so I hoped you liked it! Next Chapter we'll be back with Maya, and anyone who's been paying attention knows what that means! Maya will be going to work at her after school job! Can anyone guess what it is? Hint: It's not something that Maya seems to have any experience with in GMW, so it really is a guessing game! If someone guesses correctly, I will happily right a one-shot story just for you if you give me a plot! So best of luck! Also, I haven't decided if I'll reveal what her job is yet even in the next chapter. Maybe just some more hints! We'll see I suppose! Thanks so much for reading, and Review and give me a guess at Maya's job if you have a moment! Until Next time!***
