A/N: Requested by Flaring Friendly Lover: Could you do one where Maya gets bullied and Riley has her back or gets upset and in turn people know they shouldn't mess with Maya either?
T/W: Bullying
The first time it happens, Riley brushes it off as a one time thing. That Maya would make that guy sorry for insulting her. No one gets away with calling Maya Hart names without a new injury. So when Riley sees Maya in the hallway, talking to a gang of girls led by Missy Bradford, she knows something is up.
Riley shoves her books into her locker, the school day being over. With a purpose in her steps, the brunette walks over to the cluster of girls. As she nears, Riley begins to hear parts of their conversation. A look of anger crosses over her face as she continues to listen to Missy's gang.
"-Look, don't take it personal. It's not your fault that your mom has the looks of a horse. I mean, mother like daughter, right?" Missy sneers.
Another one of the girls, a tall redhead, smirks at Maya, "Look, Little Miss Rebel is going to cry! I guess Shortstack here isn't as tough as she makes herself sound."
Riley grows closer to the girls, steam practically coming out of her ears. Her cheeks are rosy, and the brunette's blood is boiling. She finally sees one of the girls notice her, and she nudges Missy. Missy looks up at Riley and smirks as the brunette stands beside Maya. Riley grabs Maya's hand, squeezing it in assurance. She notes quickly that the blonde's hand is trembling.
"Look, the chump is here! Come here to help your 'wittle fwiend'? Aw, how cute!" Missy says in a demeaning voice.
Riley glares at the girl so coldly that Missy takes a little step back in surprise, "I'm sorry, but are you looking in the mirror because the only chump here is you. Obviously, you need to go back to preschool because, seriously, bullying is something a four year old does. So how about you go home and reevaluate what age you are, mmkay?"
Missy is stunned for a moment before her cheeks become tinted red in anger, "How dare you! What gives you the right to speak to me like that?!"
Riley squeezes Maya's hand again, the blonde being silent the whole time. She lets go afterwards and takes a step towards Missy, her height becoming intimidating. She glares at the girl again.
"What gives you the right to talk to Maya like that? Oh, is it because you're better than everyone? Because news flash, you aren't the center of the universe, Missy. So how about you step away from my Peaches, Bulldozer?" Riley says in an even tone.
Missy crosses her arms over chest, trying to act like this didn't affect her. Her reddening ears said different, though. Riley was verbally taking the girl down a peg in front of her friends. She looks at Riley angrily before pointing at Maya who was currently burying her hands in her pockets, her face covered by hair as the blonde looked at the floor.
"See? Shortstack has to get the giant here to fight her battles for her. I knew that she was a fake. You're nothing, Maya!" Missy lashes at the blonde.
Maya flinches from her words, and Riley only gets angrier. The brunette looks Missy square in the eyes, speaking in a low and threatening voice. Riley's fist clench, the urge to punch the girl in the face becoming harder to resist.
"Really? Maya is the nothing here? Says the girl who is picking on a girl who already has a hard life at home. If anyone's a nothing it's you. I am giving you until the count of five to leave the school. If you don't I will make sure that you and your friends won't be coming to school for at least a week."
Missy watches as Riley holds up her hand, starting the countdown. The brunette slumps her shoulders in defeat, irritation written all over her face. She flips her hair over her shoulder, turning to her friends with a scoff.
"Ugh, whatever. Come on, girls. We should get going anyways," Missy says.
The gang of girls leave, leaving Maya and Riley behind. Riley crouches on the ground, looking up at Maya. The blonde has tears trailing down her face, and her lip is quivering. Riley tucks her friend's hair behind her ear, and Maya continues to tremble.
"Oh, Peaches, come here," Riley says softly, opening her arms.
Maya quickly latches onto Riley, burying her face into the crook of the brunette's neck. She grabs fists of Riley's shirt, her sobs being muffled by Riley. Riley just wraps her arms around Maya, rubbing soothing circles into her back.
"How long?" Riley asks softly.
Maya sniffles, her voice shaking, "S-Since the dance..."
Riley strokes the blonde's hair, "Oh, Peaches... I'm so sorry... I should've been there. If I had known-"
Maya shakes her head and looks at Riley with tears still streaming down her face, "No. You are here now, and that's all that matters."
The brunette nods, and Maya hugs Riley again. Riley puts her chin on Maya's head, humming soothingly. Slowly, Maya's shoulders stop shaking, and all that surrounds them is the shaking breaths of the blonde. Riley looks down at her friend.
"Are you okay?" Riley asks.
Maya interlaces their fingers and looks at Riley with a small, watery smile, "I am now."
A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates, my family had an emergency. So, thanks for the suggestion Flaring Friendly Lover! :3 So if you guys have a suggestion for a chapter, write it down in the reviews! Please leave a follow/favorite, and I will see ya next time, bye!
~rsbaird
