He could tell she was pissed- nobody messed with her friends, but her. Farkle's bully didn't know what he had coming to him- it was one of his favorite things about her, how fiercely protective she was of the two more naive members of their little group- the only thing was, she had a tendency to be a little rash in her actions. Maya could be very vindictive and violent, when so inclined, so right now, she was as inclined as he's ever seen her.
So, he did what seemed natural, in the moment, and prayed it wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass later- when she headed to the hallway, he grabbed her and returned her to the janitors closet.
It wasn't a hard feat by any means, she was the tiniest of their friends, one of the smallest girls in the grade, and barely weighed more one of his little cousins, and he was used to lugging them around.
She seems surprised when it happened, or embarrassed, he couldn't tell, but she was thankfully too much so to be mad.
When they headed into the hallway moments later, though, he realized the moment hadn't escaped her altogether.
"Don't do that again," she demanded, in a quite, almost menacing way he couldn't say he'd ever heard before, "I can handle myself."
"I-I didn't mean anything by it," he said by way of apology. He'd always thought she was messing with him- could it be she genuinely disliked him? Nobody disliked him!
"I know you didn't," she said, more calmly, as though she realized how irrational she sounded, "I just don't like being- touched."
She said it with a shudder, as thought it were a joke, but it made him wonder if maybe there was something more to it. Who gets that upset over being touched?

When he joined her and Riley in the brunette girl's bedroom later than day, he couldn't forget that moment, even over the teasing glances they shared while Riley grew flustered and blushed over him. He was made doubly confused when she said he'd "take care of" Farkle's bully. Like she trusted him too look out for their friend. Like she maybe didn't need to take on the world on her own.
He felt bad shooting her down like he did, but she had know he wouldn't resort to violence. If there was one thing he'd learned in life it was that violence was never the answer. He wished he'd had longer to talk to them- to her, but Mr. Matthews had pretty much ended the conversation when he'd chased him out the window. He knew Mr. Matthews only disliked him because he thought he was after his daughter, but he didn't think the fact that he was really into Maya- there, he said it, he was obsessively interested in the beautiful little vixen that lived to terrorize him- would make their relationship any better. In fact, it probably only make things worse. Mr. Matthews was too professional to let his disliking effect his grading, but still...

Finding out Billy was the bully and subsequently going after him reminded him of all the things he didn't want to be. It reminded him of the way things had been back home. Perfect people leading perfect lives weren't all they were cracked up to be. That's why he'd been so surprised when Maya stopped him from doing exactly what she'd asked him too.
He cornered the girl as she was leaving the locker room after gym class, "Why'd you stop me back there?"
"You're welcome, Ranger Rick," she shot back.
"Fine," he answered, "Thank you. Now why?"
"That's not who you want to be," she shrugged, "You just needed a reminded."
"I thought it was what you wanted," he repeated his earlier statement, in a low voice, not much above a whisper.
"Ya well, you were right- as usual," she rolled her eyes, "You're better than that. And tell anyone I said that and I will-"
"Jack me up, I know," he interrupted, holding his hands up in surrender, "Even though apparently you don't like touching people."
"I don't like being touched," she reminded him, before smiling wickedly, "But I can do all the touching I want."

Maya Hart will be the death of me, he thought as he groaned, I already know it.