Disclaimer: I still own nothing of Degrassi but DVDs! :)
Maya picked at the fluffy, purple blanket lying on the foot of her bed, every so often glancing at her silent phone, which hasn't buzzed with one single text all afternoon. Sighing in disappointment, Maya flipped the phone over and snuck a glimpse at the bright, red polka dot clock sitting on her white nightstand. 7 o'clock. Her eyes lingered on the framed photo booth pictures that she and Cam took on their first date, before turning around completely to refocus her attention on the blanket. She had been sitting like this for almost an hour since she left the dinner table after successfully dodging her parent's questions about Cam's first day back. Even though they had sort of made up in the cafeteria, she couldn't let go of the feeling of awkwardness between them, especially after she told him that her and Zig were hanging out again. With everything going on, the drama surrounding that situation is the last thing they both need.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on her door, followed by her sister's muffled voice, "Maya? Can I come in?" Katie had now opened the door half way and was looking at Maya for permission to completely enter the room. Maya wasn't surprised by Katie's presence at all—she could feel her sister stare at her the whole car ride home, almost like she knew about what happened between her and Cam.
"Yeah," she uttered quietly, giving Katie a sad smile, which dropped once her gaze returned to the blanket and a tiny Hoot who had been by her side ever since she got home from school. She placed the stuffed owl into her arms and hugged it, while Katie made herself comfortable on the bed.
"So," she started off the sentence with hesitation, not really sure if asking her little sister about her day would be a good idea. But, she had to know what was bothering her. "What happened?" Her eyes, showing both concern and pity, remained on Maya's slouched form.
Not really knowing where to begin, Maya settled on one word, "Cam." After taking off her glasses to wipe a stray tear that fell down her cheek, she kept going. "He's going back to the team."
Katie released a shaky breath, disappointed by her sister's words. It was no secret that she detested the Ice Hounds. "Why? I mean I thought Cam didn't like being on the team." She scoffed, disgust overtaking her as she thought about the team's irritating presence at Degrassi. "Cam doesn't deserve what he has to deal with on a daily basis from them. They are vile and so unlike him." She glanced over at Maya once she noticed the small blonde hug Hoot tighter. Instantly, Katie regretted her words. "I'm sorry, Maya. You already know all of this." She scooted closer and put her hand on her shoulder, "What was his reason for going back to the team?" She watched as her little sister huffed and shook her head angrily. "This stupid guy on the team, Trent Easton. He had been giving Cam a hard time every since he came to Degrassi, and Cam didn't want to let him take his spot. He feels like it would make Trent think that he'd won or something. Like, Cam's worth depends on one loser." She forced the last word out with so much bitterness that shocked Katie. Maya never became hostile; she was usually so calm.
"Alright," consoled Katie, "Calm down, May. Trent Easton is not worth your time. And especially not Cam's. Whatever his reasons are, it seems like Cam has made up his mind. There's not too much that you can do at this point but be supportive of his decision." Her voice became stern with her next words, "Maybe you should try to take some time to focus on yourself. Taking on Cam's issues will drain you. It's not healthy."
Maya felt a sudden spike in her chest, her heart's reaction to Katie's words. "Katie, Cam is my boyfriend. No, more than that…he's one of my best friends, I just can't completely turn away from his problems, especially now that he needs me the most. He almost killed himself. He…" Her throat closed as a feeling of panic arose within her, halting her words.
She felt her sister's hands on her cheeks, "Maya, listen to me. Breathe, Maya please." Despite hearing Katie's pleas loud and clear, Maya couldn't follow her instructions, because it seemed like all of the air was being drawn out of her, leaving her panting desperately. Turning her frightened gaze towards her sister, Maya silently pleaded with Katie to help her.
"Maya," Katie spoke slower, her hands still on Maya's cheeks comfortingly, "Please, take a deep breathe in and out." Katie demonstrated for her and was relieved to see Maya cautiously following her. After a couple of minutes of breathing, Maya released one final sob before laying her head on Katie's lap and closing her eyes in exhaustion. Feeling tears gather in her own eyes, Katie continued to whisper soothing words. "You are okay, Maya. You should get some sleep."
A loud ringing noise filled the room, alerting both girls to a small cell phone that still lay face down on Maya's bed. Reaching over to grab it, Katie turned it over and discovered Cam's name flashing across the screen.
Maya spoke, her voice hoarse from crying. "If it's Cam, please answer it. Tell him that I'm sleeping or playing the cello. Just not the truth, please."
The desperation in her little sister's voice broke her heart, convincing her to quickly answer the call. "Hey, Cam," she greeted pleasantly, transitioning from her previous afflicted tone to a more light-hearted one.
Cam froze when he heard Katie's voice instead of Maya's, immediately thinking the worst. "Hey, Katie. Is Maya okay?"
"Yes," reassured Katie, "Believe it or not she decided to turn in early. She practiced really hard today. But don't worry, you'll see her in school tomorrow, okay?" Katie shut her eyes, hoping that Cam will believe her.
Slowly sitting on his bed, Cam mentally processed Katie words and tried not to jump to conclusions. Maya could really be exhausted. Or mentally drained because of you. Pushing the negative thought from his mind, he tried to mask his apprehension. "Yeah, of course. I hope her practice went well. I better go, don't want to bother you." He was about to end the call, but Katie stopped him.
"Wait, Cam." Her voice took on a more gentle tone, "I wanted to let you know that if you ever need anything- even to talk, I'm here. Since you're Maya's boyfriend, I guess by default you can considered a sort of step brother in law," She laughed at the extreme connection she was trying to make. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm here. You and Maya don't have to hesitate to talk to me about anything. Okay?" she smiled at Maya nervously, who to her pleasant surprise, was smiling herself despite the tears that adorned her cheeks.
"Thanks, Katie." Cam broke into a small smile of his own, even if his brother was hundreds of miles away at least he could have some model of an older sibling around. He felt extreme gratitude for the entire Matlin family, like he could never owe them for all that they have done.
"No need to say thanks. Have a good night. Maya will see you tomorrow." After Cam's good-bye, Katie hung up the phone and directed her attention to a still smiling but slightly dozing Maya. "C'mon, May. Let's get you into bed."
With barely open eyes, Maya followed her sister's lead and stood up, quickly crawling into the covers Katie had folded out for her. She could hear a faint buzzing sound, feel Hoot being tucked under her arm, and see Katie put her phone on the end table. Once she allowed her eyes to close, Katie placed a quick kiss on her forehead and tip toed out of the room. Despite the darkness that enveloped the room, the urge to check her phone kept her from completely drifting off, pushing her to grab the phone off the night stand and check the message. Her heart skipped when she saw the familiar name and opened the text. I love you -Cam. Not wanting to expose Katie's lie on her behalf, she resisted the temptation to respond, instead clutching the phone against her chest right above her heart. Finally, she could sleep.
A/N: Originally, this chapter was going to be much longer, but I figured why make you all wait! Thank you so much to those who leave reviews and let me know what you think! :) I hope everyone likes this one!