Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THE GOSSIP GIRL OR GOSSIP GIRL PARTY CHARACTERS! ALL RIGHTFULLY TO THEIR OWNERS
Summary (extended): Maritza Voss is 16 years old and is wanting to declare emancipation along with her best friend, Yakov Hamilton, from the foster care system. The last thing she needs to collect in order to confront the judge is the signature of her biological father. Her mother has been declared deceased ever since leaving Maritza at the orphanage when she was 6 months old, never being found ever since. The problem? Nathaniel Archibald, CEO and sole owner of the successful magazine, The Spectator, is Maritza's biological father. How will Nate react when he finds out about Maritza's existence and the fact that Majida never told him about her pregnancy 16 years ago? How will his children, Ronald and Alexa, react about their half-sister's existence? How will the rest of the gang react to the news? What happened between Nate and Majida 16 years ago? How did it all start? Why did Majida keep her pregnancy a secret and never told Nate? Why did she abandoned her 6 month old daughter and disappeared? How will Maritza fit with the next generation of Gossip Girl?
Chapter 8: Victimization and Toxicity
Narrator's POV
It was Monday morning and Maritza hasn't dared to speak to Yakov ever since she found out how bad the discussion with her boss, Joe, had gotten to. She felt very angry and disappointed at how Yakow has been acting lately and didn't feel like dealing with him now, deciding to avoid him overall. She walks out of her room, grabbing her book bag and her phone. She leaves Sunnydale, looking up at the sky and sighs, thinking how crazy her life has become since finding out she was the daughter of Nathaniel Archibald. She understood as to why Mr. Archibald needed to keep it a secret for the time being, but sometimes Maritza wondered if he was embarrassed to admit that she was an illegitimate child.
She waits for the bus as she plugs in her earphones and listens to some music on her phone. She feels someone getting close to her, but decides to ignore it as she hums to the song, Toxic that was covered by Melanie Martinez. The bus stops as she gets in and sees an open seat. She sits down, placing her book bag next to her and takes out her pink bullet journal and decides to organize her pictures. She writes down the description under the pictures she has taken and glued on her journal as she smiles looking at one picture she took a few months back. She sighs, touching it as she begins to write down what she remembered that day.
Maritza had her camera with her as she was taking pictures of many things surrounding the park. A certain fountain captured her interest as she then took the picture. She smiled at the aim and how good the picture came out on her camera. She looks up at the sky, wondering about her family past. Who were her parents and how come they left her abandoned at the orphanage?
She proceeds to sit down on a bench, looking at the fountain and how the water coming out just entertains her. She tilts her head sideways, wondering why does a simple fountain makes her feel at peace. A peace she never learned until now. The sound of the water hitting the surface as the sun radiated her face. The wind caressing her face as she closed her eyes, breathing in peace.
The fountain became Maritza's favorite hiding spot when it came to conflicts in her life or when she needed to be alone and away from society. Not many people walk by and she would sit under a tree, just drawing, writing, or taking pictures of something interesting and glue it to her journal.
The bus stopped and Maritza walked out, looking at her high school. Many people were walking out and even spotted some running. Maritza tilted her head sideways, looking confused at the sight in front of her. She noticed Megan, a girl from her English class looking panicked. Maritza walked up to her and asked,
"What's going on?"
Megan looked at Maritza as she composed herself.
"There was a gang fight. The usual. This time guns and fire were involved in the cafeteria. That's all I saw, but some say two were harmed in the fight."
Maritza nods, thanking Megan and proceeds to call Yakov. Even though she was still angry at his latest actions, she wanted to know he was fine. Sadly, the call wen to voice mail. She left a voice mail and decided to text him.
Yakov:
Yak, are you okay? I'm right now in the school property. There was a gang fight that involved guns and fire. Don't know if school will open for today.
Maritza sighs as she looks over at the news crews already covering the scene unfolding this morning. Maritza rolls her eyes at the scene unfolding in front of her. People were talking and murmuring at how two people were shot during the fight. She felt a vibration coming from her phone. She sighed in relief to know it was Yakov who was calling her. She proceeds to answer it:
"Hey, yeah, I haven't made it out from the Sunny yet. Know who the victims are or something?"
"Nope. The bus dropped me off at the usual stop, but saw that people were walking or running out of the building. I talked to Megan, the girl from my English class, and told me that there was a gang fight that involved guns and fire in the cafeteria. I've heard people passing that two people were injured, but there has not been any deaths or people detained from this incident."
"Damn. That sounds horrible. Do you know if classes are being cancelled for the time being?"
"There hasn't been word about it as of right now. Who knows. This may be something normal for us, but it's still some scary shit."
"I can agree on that. By the way, thanks."
"For?"
"Worrying about my well – being. I've been a dick to you as of lately and I want to apologize, but in person. I miss you."
Maritza sighs and closes her eyes. She still felt angry about his attitude, but she also knew that he was the only the person she could truly count on. Yakov was her only family. Even though she found her real family, she couldn't count on them because she still felt that they could still turn a blind eye and forget about her existence.
"I miss you too. You know you're my only family. I forgive you, but I need you to apologize to Joe. I want to be there when that happens. And of course we need to talk!"
Yakov chuckles.
"Alright Ritz, get your ass back to Sunny. My social worker just came in and told me that school has been cancelled for the week. I wanna hug you tightly and hang out with you."
Maritza laughs at his comment before saying bye. She looks at the scene unfolding and shakes her head, wondering if Yakov and herself would be able to leave alive from this side of New York one day.
Nate looked at the television with his brows furrowed. At first, he wasn't too worried when he had heard a school was closed due to fire and a gang fight involving guns, but when they mentioned Maritza's school, he stormed into his office and turned on the TV, watching the news unfold. There were reports of two people injured due to a gang fight that involved guns and fire. The school would be closed for the week due to investigation and repairs in the cafeteria. Nate sighs and calls Janet. At the third ring, she answers:
"Hi this is Janet!"
"Janet, this is Nathaniel Archibald, Maritza's father."
"Ah, Mr. Archibald! What can I do for you this morning?"
"Well, I heard the news about the school Maritza currently attends. Is she okay?"
There was a pause.
"Yes. She seems to be fine. She got in contact with her friend Yakov. She's currently making her way back here is what I'm being informed right now."
Nate feels relieved at the news.
"Thank goodness. I'm still very worried Janet. I've been wondering if I could transfer her to another school?"
Janet sighs and there was a long pause.
"I understand your concern. I am as well, but this is Maritza's decision on whether she wants to move schools or not. I've explained how transferring her right now wouldn't be the best idea since she's still digesting the idea of finding her real father and family. I get that seeing her every weekend and her staying this past weekend with the family was a big step, but you must understand that – "
Nate cuts her off immediately. He felt frustrated at her response.
"Janet. She's going to be legally mine and under my protection. In a few more weeks, she'll be leaving Sunnydale and will be staying with me and her real family. You must understand that once word comes out that she's my daughter, she must be in a safe environment. This includes school. You're not dealing with a normal family. You're dealing with me, Nathaniel Archibald."
"Alright Mr. Archibald. It will be your choice. I don't normally do this, but because she's a special case involving her safety, I will agree to this. I hope you know the consequences. When will you tell her?"
Nate scratches the back of his head, feeling a little angry at this conversation.
"Today. She will be enrolled as Maritza Voss. For right now, this is my decision. She will be transferring to Constance and finish her high school there. She will understand that this will be for her well – being."
"Understood. I shall begin with the transfer right after this phone call. Was there anything else you've been needing help with Mr. Archibald?"
"I'd like for you to update me once she's made it back to the orphanage safe. I want to speak to her, so please, if you would ask her to call me as soon as possible. Any hour would be fine by me."
"Understood Mr. Archibald."
"Thank you, Janet. For everything you've done. I'm truly sorry if I sounded very harsh in the beginning. I'm worried about her safety and well-being."
"Mr. Archibald, it's okay. I understand. I'm also concerned. I must commend you for taking responsibility right away for your daughter. Not many people do."
"Thank you, Janet. I hope you have a nice day and I'll be waiting on your phone call as hers also. I'll be passing by today."
Both say their goodbyes as Nate puts his phone on his desk and calls his secretary over.
"Please, call Constance. Tell them that they're having a new student attend the school and to enroll her with the needed classes. Documents will be sent by her social worker, Janet. Add that I want everything fixed by Friday morning. Also, ask them to update me on her enrollment. It shouldn't be a problem since her records are squeaky clean and her grades along with her grade point average are at a good standing point. Oh, and I want copies of her enrollment in Constance and the high school she is in right now."
"Of course, Sir. Here are the documents you asked me earlier for this morning's meeting."
"About the meeting, please apologize and tell them something has come up. Reschedule it for Friday morning. Don't schedule any meetings for at least three weeks. Family business has come up and need to be dealt with."
"Of course, Sir. Anything else?" The secretary writes everything down on her notepad, looking up at her boss.
"That'll be it for now. Thank you, Pam."
Pam leaves the office. Nate sighs looking at his phone and wonders if he's doing things right. He doesn't know how will Maritza react to the sudden change, but he knew it was coming. Whether it was today, tomorrow, or six months from now, she had to say goodbye to her old life and hello to this one. He's afraid of her reaction, but he's more afraid to lose her.
Lunch was in session at Constance/St. Jude's and Ronald was sitting down on his favorite place with Henry and Leon outside. Henry was sitting on top of the table while Leon and Ronald where sitting down on the chair. All three were chatting until Lily waltzes her way and sits down next to Henry, whom smiles at her and kisses her forehead. Ronald and Leon make gag noises as Lily sticks her tongue out at both her friends. She then pouts at Henry as he kisses her on the lips. She smiles warmly as she then remembers why she came over.
"So, our Ronald boy made news over the weekend. Care to talk a little bit more about mystery girl?" Ronald rolls his eyes as Henry looks at him smugly and Leon snickers at the news.
"She's just a family friend. I haven't seen her in years. That's all. I've told this to Henry over the phone Saturday night." Lily just huffs and rolls her eyes. She crosses her arms looking at Ronald indignantly.
"Liar. You are such a liar! She has to be an interest for you!" Ronald chuckles at the word 'interest.' He wishes to tell his friends the reality of the situation, but remembers how his father has prohibited him to speak of it for now. He shakes his head, hoping they believe him. If they knew the truth, it'll blow up like a nuke and make things harder for Maritza's transition in her daily life. It was Leon who came to his defense.
"Alright guys, if he doesn't want to speak of it, then we shouldn't pressure the man. Plus, if she's just a family friend, she's just a family friend. I believe him." Lily rolls her eyes at Leon's support as Ronald sends him a mental thank you while Henry hugs and controls Lily. They all knew she wouldn't be too happy at the response, but it was Ronald who decided whether not to share or not.
"I should get back to the minions. You guys are boring." All three laugh at her little outburst as she stomps away annoyed while all three look at each other.
"She'll get over it. Like always." All three laugh again when they notice their phones chiming in. People started to whisper about the latest news update on Gossip Girl.
Guess who's joining us little kids? A newby. Word has it newby will be attending class next week. A new victim to pry on? Guess we'll have to play the wait and see game.
-xoxo GG
"New student? Around this time of the year?" It was Leon who looked surprised at the news. Henry and Ronald just shrugged it off, but wondering who could the new student be. Well, new victim of Gossip Girl.
"I wonder if it's a guy or girl." Henry says, looking around.
"So much mystery…" Ronald sighs. The bell rings as people start leaving the cafeteria. All three of them say their goodbyes. Ronald walks to the hallway, bumping into Izaac. Izaac looks annoyed while Ronald mumbles an apology. It was then that Izaac opened his mouth.
"Mystery girl, eh? Didn't know Ronald Archibald had it in him. I suggest picking someone in our economic status." This made Ronald turn around and face him. This made his mind in alert and wonder what Izaac saw. He narrowed his eyes in annoyance at Izaac.
"What are you talking about?" Izaac rolled his eyes at his attempt to deflect the conversation.
"We saw you with the girl from the café. We're not stupid here. Just next time, be better at sneaking out." Izaac pats Ronald's back and leaves. As Ronald's eyes widened.
"Who else saw." This made Izaac chuckle.
"How about we meet after school. Front stairs. We can talk from there." Ronald nods and leaves Izaac behind. Izaac's eyes narrowed, wondering why Ronald cared, when in the past, he wouldn't care nor listen to explanations. Something deep was going on and was curious enough to find out.
Maritza had called her father and spoke to him. He was coming over as soon as he finished some business at his office, which made her suspicious. Were the adoptions papers already processed and approved that fast? She couldn't understand or grasp what was going on, but right now, she was sitting down with Yakov with her legs crossed on the sofa. She wanted to understand what was Yakov going through that made him change his attitude drastically. She looks at him, signaling for him to speak.
"So, I owe you an apology. I've been a jerk to you since you discovered your father. Maritza, do you realize how lucky you are to have found your father?" She nods, looking at her best friend carefully. She wondered if his words were sincere or not because she knows him well enough. He's a good liar when it comes to escaping sticky situations, such as this one. He can be calculating and play his cards well enough to sway his way through without any further problems. As for Yakov, he did mean the apology, but his excuse would be the shitty type. He would attribute it to stress and the fear of losing her, when in reality, he just couldn't accept that she would be the one leaving the facility first. When she had told him about finding her real father, he had debated to whether encourage her or bring her down. In the end, he let her choose, hoping that the outcome wouldn't stomp his current plans.
Yakov knew that losing Maritza meant losing his partner in crime. She's cunning and smart to the point that she knows how to plot and execute when needed. She is someone very vital in his life that he would use her to his advantage without her noticing. He knew her weakest point just like her strongest and toy with her psychologically until she's under his wing, making him feel like the hero and her older big brother. This way, Maritza wouldn't be able to object and just obey. He truly cares for her, but he likes having the upper hand on various situations.
Going back to the conversation, Maritza sighs, crossing her arms.
"Yak, it was just luck. Remember what was my punishment for stealing documents? I washed dishes and cleaned the kitchen for weeks after. What if my father was deceased? Anything in this life can happen. You and I know that well." Yakov nods, agreeing with her thinking process, but he couldn't help feeling that his plans were crumbling little by little as the days went by. Once Maritza leaves, she'll be out of his sight, living the life she was supposed to live in the first place.
"I get that, but I'm just afraid to lose you. You're from a rich family, you'll probably switch schools, leaving me behind. How can I feel secure that you'll be by my side like you promised me years ago? We're a team. You and I against the world. Remember that?" Yakov looks at Maritza with sadness in his eyes as she looks down, frowning at his thought process.
"How could you think that? You're my family. Remember that? What I told you over the phone just hours ago? Even when I'm not here with you, I still worry about you. Even when I don't agree with your actions, I stick by your side. Is it something that I've done that's making you doubt my loyalty towards you?" At this point, Yakov looked at her journal on her hand. He sighs and scratches his head, feeling irritated.
"You don't understand. You've been hanging out with your new family more than with me. Don't you know how pissed I was when I wanted to pass by your job this past Saturday? I was devastated and I needed my friend. No, I needed my sister to console me and hear my troubles. Yet, I come to find out that she left with her real brother who she just found out not too long ago to hang out and bond. Don't you care about me and my emotions Maritza?" Yakov hisses through his gritted teeth and stands up, pacing around the living room, casting his eyes down. Maritza looks down, feeling guilty. She shakes it off and stands up, looking angry at him. She couldn't take it any longer.
"Oh yeah? Then why the fuck have you been distant? You've been avoiding me since I told you about my father's existence! I thought you were happy, but it seems that you weren't. Don't you think I'm that much of an idiot Yakov. You've been skipping school with Joshua's gang and we both damn well know what reputation that gang has." Yakov was taken back by Maritza's response. He couldn't help but laugh.
"Two can play this game Maritza. They've been helping me ever since you decided to hang out with those people. Have you not learned your lesson when it comes to them? How many families have promised happiness, but instead given you suffering? Don't you remember what happened with the Rodriguez? Hm?" Maritza blinks, as she shakes her head, not wanting to remember that part of her life. She casts her eyes down and starts to fidget with her hands, feeling uncomfortable. At this point, Yakov knew very well that she was under his command once again and had the upper hand and manipulation on the conversation. He continued.
"That's what I thought. You should be careful on who to trust. You and I know that we should only trust each other. Don't you remember the plan? Emancipate and leave the garbage of a city? Start our new lives elsewhere? Why do you think you got the job in the first place? I'm hanging out with Joshua's gang to get more money. Remember all that?" Maritza nods, not wanting to let tears fall on her cheeks. Yakov hugs her tightly and kisses her forehead.
"Hey, I had to be harsh so you could see that getting near your real family could be a repeat of last time. Who was there to pick up the pieces? I was. I was there when your life became a hellhole and saved you from it. I'll apologize to Joe tomorrow. Promise." Maritza nods as she breathes in and out slowly, counting down slowly and trying to control her anxiety. She buries her face on Yakov's chest as he hugs her tightly.
Footsteps could be heard walking closer to the living room as Maritza leaves Yakov's embrace. She slaps both her cheeks and massages her neck. Yakov couldn't help but feel bad, but he also knew that if she were to leave, he wouldn't be able to control her as much as he had the past few years. She was his brain, but also the only family he had.
Janet walks in unexpectedly, looking at the scene in front of her. She looked at Maritza with worry while turning her gaze to Yakov with suspicion.
"Yakov, please go back to your room. I need to talk to Maritza about something." Yakov sighs and nods, leaving the room. Janet couldn't help but feel tension around the room.
"Maritza, sit down. You don't seem well. We can reschedule your father's appointment for another day." Maritza shakes her head, as she smiles at her social worker weakly. She sits down on the sofa and closes her eyes, wondering what would her father say. Not only the recent argument had plagued her mind, but her father's sudden meeting was making her feel curious and anxious.
Janet nods at her decision. She grabs Maritza's hands, looking at her.
"Maritza, your father will be coming here with some news involving your well-being. Please, take this as calmly as you can. Can you promise me that?" Maritza raises one of her eyebrows, questioning Janet's comment.
Finally! Chapter done and done! Please, tell me how I can better the story by leaving comments! It will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I must warn that I might not update as much since I'll be working and attending classes and it'll be hectic with it being my last year in college. But, I will try to organize myself!
Chapter Recap:
1) Nate decides to start paperwork for Maritza's transfer to Constance for her safety.
2) Yakov has ulterior motives and manipulates Maritza through an argument.
3) Something happened with the Rodriguez that gives Maritza some sort of an anxiety attack, making Yakov to somehow use it to is benefit.
4) Yakov seems to be involved in Joshua's gang.
5) Izaac and Ronald's little exchange after lunch, which involves explanations on what Izaac saw that Saturday.
-AskEliz
