Warning: The following story is dealing with serious issues like depression, bullying, self harm, suicide, anorexia and child neglect. If anything from these trigger you then please don't read this story.
Also there are many pairings such as: Riley/Lucas, Missy/Maya, Maya/Josh, even a hint of Riley/Maya BUT the ENDGAME is LUCAS/MAYA.
Summary: "You were right; I don't love you, you don't love me. We're just two lonely people trying to hate ourselves a little less. Maybe that's all we've ever going to be. Maybe that's all we ever were."
You were born broken, that's your birthright. There's no cure for that
: In which Maya falls too many times before she learns to pick herself up
Maya doesn't want to name it; putting on a label would make it real.
Maya had not been a smiley child, according to her mother; Katy had spent months and months trying every weird, goofy expression she could come up with just to get a little grin out of her.
She always failed.
Her father, however, didn't.
Kermit knew a spot – a light touch under her left foot – that would always get him a giggle out of her.
And it's because of that, her mother has succeeded in having few baby pictures of her smiling.
In the future, Maya thinks it's hella ironic how the man who made her laugh is the same who bitters her the most.
The first fight she remembers is when she's in kindergarten.
Her teacher, Miss Stewarts, has them drawing their family in class. Maya runs to grab as many colours as she can because despite Miss Steward's rule to always share no one actually does that. Once you get the crayons, they're yours for the whole day. It's a rule
She grabs a bunch of dark colours because everyone had already taken the bright ones.
Miss Stewart's is very happy with her drawing and secretly whispers in her ear it's the best in class. Maya pinkie swears not to tell the other as not to feel bad. She gives her a reward – a chocolate bar and a Sponge Bob sticker – and at home, Maya presents her drawing proudly to her mum who gives her a kiss and promises to glue it on the freezer so she can look at it every day!
Her father comes home from work an hour later and the first thing she tells him is about her drawing. Her father seems happy at first until he actually takes a look at it. His face twist in a familiar grimace.
"What the hell?"
Her mum glares at him for cursing aloud but the bomb has already been dropped.
"Katy, have you seen this?"
Something funny settles in her stomach, Maya feels anxious and wishes she hadn't said a thing
"Yeah…" her mom joins his side and looks at her drawing again with a smile. "It's us"
Her father rolls his eyes and slams the paper hard over the table, "Of course it's fucking us!"
"Kermit!" Her mom looks at her wide-eyed and tells her to go upstairs.
She obeys and rushing upstairs but at last, she chooses to sit at the top step to hear.
"I thought we agreed to no cursing!"
"How can you not see the problem, Katy?"
"It's just a drawing!
"She sees home as a prison!"
"I'm sure that's not true" Her mom's soothing tone brings tears in her eyes because she knows what is to follow.
"This is your entire fault Katherine! If you actually stayed home like a decent woman-"
"I'm working, Kermit!" Her voice becomes angrier but her dad is still louder than the both combined.
"At a theatre!"Her dad makes a sound similar to snort and she feels her heart beating faster. "Tell me, Julie Andrews, what's the latest production?"
"Fuck you, Kermit. At least I bring money home! When was the last time you took a pay check?!"
Maya brings her knees to her chest and hugs herself tightly. Rocking back and forth, she wonders which of the two will join her tonight.
Despite all the reassurance from her mom and Gammy, she's certain that their next fight is entirely her fault.
Really, if she hadn't bragged about learning the first notes of her dad's favourite song then her mother wouldn't have found out that instead of paying the bills her dad had bought himself a new guitar.
"Who is going to pay the water now?!" Her mom screeches; face red still with makeup and her latest costume from theatre.
"I'll get money by the end of the month" Her dad replies unbothered to look up.
Maya looks between them, wondering whether she should go.
"Ker-"
"I was spending some bonding time with my daughter if you don't mind." His tone sharpens and her mom looks at her startle, as if she hadn't realised she was even there.
"This isn't over."
"Sure, sure." He waves his hand and jumps at the loud bang her door makes when her mom shuts it loudly. "Good riddance, bitch" He murmurs under his breath and Maya wonders whether she should tell him it's a bad thing to call other names.
Their lessons continue and her mother gets into her first big production.
They also end up not having water for a month. Thus, they all stay at Gammy's for a while.
Her dad hates it
Riley Matthews is the weirdest girl she has ever seen.
Maya is walking outside to avoid another round of her parents fighting because going upstairs just doesn't work anymore. That's when she hears a loud voice singing
She looks up intrigued where a window is; the voice isn't very pretty but Maya is bored and lonely so despite knowing she should not spy on people she climbs up and sees a girl in a pretty dress seating near the window.
She looks up surprised, but not startled.
Maya jumps in and seats comfortably next to her. "What's up?"
"Are you a stranger?"
She gives her a weird look but nods. "Yeah!"
"Are you a stranger who climbed through my window?"
"Yep"
"And you're real?"
Maya wonders whether she's one of those people who had something wrong in their head.
"Real as pie."
"In this case…" She opens her mouth and lets out a loud scream which Maya covers quickly with her palm.
"Please don't scream. I ran away from home"
The girl mumbles something in her palm and she drops her hand. "Why?"
"My mom and dad are always fighting"
"Why?"
Maya shrugs, "Many thing; bills, mom's work, my homework… Grandma says they don't love each other anymore"
"That's silly," the girl, tells her with captaincy. "My parents love each other. When people get married, they make a promise to stay together forever, and you can't just break a promise"
Maya nods, thinking the other girl was right.
"I'm Maya by the way. Maya Penelope Hart" she corrects herself, remembering how her dad reminds her she should tell her full name.
"I'm Riley, do you wanna be friends?"
"Sure!" She looks around the room; it was prettier and much bigger than hers was. "What do you do here?"
"I sit here, and I hope... for someone to come in and sit with me"
Maya frowns at the weird girl; Riley, she reminds herself.
"Have you thought of going outside?"
Instead of replying, she shrugs and a male voice is suddenly heard.
"Riley, are you okay? Who are you speaking to?"
Maya leans forward and exclaims in a high tone, "I was talking to myself daddy!"
"Oh, okay! Umm, have fun!"
From beside her Riley giggles, "That was fun! But now I feel bad. We should tell him you're here."
Maya grabs her hand and sits her back down. "Easy Riles, I'm sure he'll come to check you out eventually."
"Riles?"
"Friends give each other nicknames, right?"
Riley beams and it seems easier to smile around her.
"I should give you one too! From this day you shall be known as…" Riley taps her chin thoughtfully, struggling to come up with something clever.
Maya glances around, her eyes settle at a table behind Riley, and at last, she dares to grab one fruit from the bowl.
"Peaches!" Riley exclaims excitedly, clapping her hands together.
"Original" She comments, with her mouth full of peach
Maya is a 'grumpy child' according to her Grammy but Riley is excellent at making her laugh
For her seventh birthday, her mom transfers her in Riley's school and despite missing Renee and Carla; Maya wouldn't change it for the world.
Her mom appears on tv commercial about dishes and despite claiming that 'theatre is her heart' her mom seems very proud.
Her dad also starts spending less time at home. She misses him but they don't fight so maybe it's good.
Overall, her year in 1rst grade is by far the best.
Maya is scared about her friendship with Riley.
She never admits this aloud but she's scared one day Riley will find a better friend. Someone who can get her good presents and join her at school trips, who has money to do every crazy thing she wants.
She doesn't know where those insecurities are coming from. She never felt that way about Carla or Renee. Somehow, however, Riley is still glued by her side.
By the end of the year, a kid who constantly wears turtlenecks joins her and Riley.
He invites them to his birthday party where Maya tries some sweet moves with his skateboard because back then, she thought she could be cool and beloved by all like Riley.
She hurts herself, earning a scar for the rest of her life and for the first time, she cries in front of people.
She tries not to but it's hard, not only because of the pain but because none of her parents is coming to pick her up.
Riley sits by her side despite being grossed out by blood and the birthday boy, Farkle wipes her tears and holds her hand.
"I'm so sorry, Maya"
She doesn't know why he even apologies when she's the one who was stupid enough to try to do a kick-flip off the park bench. But he stays there until Riley's mom picks them up and takes her to the hospital.
From then on, they become a trio and their group is complete.
Over the beginning of summer, Maya learns how to play Love me do by The Beatles. She can tell Riley doesn't really like it but she still claps excitedly. Farkle is impressed and call her Melpomene who was one of the muses in Greek Mythology. In 10th grade she finds out she was Melpomene is the protector of the tragedies. However, right now, Maya only rolls her eyes at his cheekiness
Inside her head, their screams seem like echoes. She wraps her freckled arms around her pale knees, pulls herself in until she can just pretend it's only a television show that she hears playing in the background, that the harsh words reverberating in her mind and tearing her apart don't come from her mother and her father.
Of course her parents don't notice their eight year old daughter disappearing through her cracked window.
And in New York nobody cares that there's a little girl who roams around the big scary city all by herself.
She doesn't go at Riley's because it's 3am and everyone is probably sleeping, And now with the new baby they don't need an extra burden anymore.
She pulls out her latest drawing of a woman with shiny hair and a great big smile on her lips with man and a small child in her arms. There's a certain sadness, longing maybe, forming a pit in her stomach the longer she stares at it.
She rips it apart angrily, throwing on the ground before deciding to wait on the bus stop.
Her eyes strings but she tries not to cry.
There's a distant memory, one from when she was just starting to pick up on everything around her, when her mother and father were happy or at least, when Maya thought they were. When she still had a family and a home.
A white arm appears in her view and she screams
A bird fly away and a boy joins her bench. "Easy kitty, I won't hurt you."
Maya is already on her feet and tries to make an escape but the boy who is freakishly tall catches her by the arms and holds her tightly.
"Let me go!"
"I'm just trying to help you, blonde"
She doesn't believe him and tries to kick him where Mr Matthews had taught her and Riley but the boy dodges easily.
"Look why don't we just call your parents and I'll be out of here."
Her body stops trashing around and she looks at him hesitantly. "I don't have a phone"
"I do." He frees her one arm and takes a mobile out of his pocket. "But I need you not to run away, okay? There are dangerous people on the streets"
She looks behind him when group of grownups drink around small fire they just lit up, and she nods.
"Now kitty, what's your mom's phone number?"
She shrugs as she goes back to the seat. "She doesn't have a phone"
He raises an eyebrow at that but he accepts her answer. "Your dad's?"
"I don't know it."
He sighs. "Do you know any number we could call?"
"I know Mrs Matthews"
"Okay… who is Mrs Mathews?"
"Riley's mom"
"And Riley is?"
"My best friend"
"Okay…" He rubs his eyes and give the phone to type the number.
Maya has to deal it three times when nobody answers.
"Who is this?"
Mr Mathews voice is heard, low and tired from the sleep.
"It's me, Maya."
"Maya?" He suddenly sounds more awake. "Where are you calling from? Whose number is this?"
"Umm..." She picked from beside her and whispers to the boy. "What's your name?"
Amusements dances in his dark eyes. "Leonard"
"Leonard!"
"Who the heck is Leonard?"
"A guy from the streets-" Leonard makes an indicate to give him the phone and she can hear Mr. Matthew screaming from the other line; are you okay? Has he hurt you? Can you get away from him?
Leonard explains how he found her on the bus stop alone and is waiting for someone to pick her up. He gives his directions and he shuts his phone with a thud.
"He says he'll be here in ten minutes"
"Okay"
They sit quietly for a while; the only sounds are the men's laughter and the cats who are looking for food and are fighting each other over it.
Bored she asks Leonard the reason he was outside and he confesses that he ran away from home. Maya admits she did the same because her parents' words hurt her head and heart.
Leonard opens up about his little sister who recently died from alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma she forgets the word as soon as it comes but Leo explains that it's a type of cancer that was in her arms, her legs and her chest.
Maya tells him she's sorry because that's what you're supposed to say and Leo nods and says he won't return home.
"Can I stay with you?" She can't imagine he will be happy alone. Perhaps they could make a happy home together.
Leo gives her a sad smile and tells her the world isn't strong enough to handle to two thunderstorms now, but he'll be hanging out in the alleys near the subway so she can always come and see him.
Mr Matthews arrives and she barely has time to get up before he rushes towards her. He picks her from the ground and hugs her tightly, kissing the crown of her head.
Maya shuts her eyes and leans her head to his shoulder, wishing one more time for Mr Matthews to be her dad.
Her parents pick her up the next morning from Riley's. Her mom is crying and her dad yanks her ear for being so stupid to sit with a stranger.
Her mom yells at him and she feels embarrassed that the Matthews have to see her parents fighting.
Riley looks at her startled from where she's hidden and they both gasp when Mr Mathews gives her dad a punch in the eye.
(her dad give him a split lip and it's Auggie's screams and Mrs Matthews yelling that breaks the fight)
That summer the Matthews visit England for the first time. And Farkle goes to Bahamas.
Maya is invited to both but she goes to neither.
Her father left and she waits for him to come back home
The thing is, her father leaving is nothing new.
For the past few months he always left and returned few days afterwards.
He needs his walks. Her mother reassures her
The difference this time is he took his guitar with him.
She build up the courage one day to ask her mom the dreading question. "When will he come back?"
Her mom shrugs, her eyes are red and her lips red from drinking so much the whole week.
"I don't know"
(never, is what she meant)
That summer is her worst.
Maya turns 9 quietly and alone
Her granny, Riley and Farkle are the only ones who call her.
She doesn't tell them anything
Unknowingly, there has been a long transformation/transition between her and that man; daddy becomes dad, and dad become father, and father becomes Kermit.
And her heart grows colder
A week later, he calls.
He asks for divorce papers when she answers them and doesn't ask about her.
Maya wonders when she'll see him but he hangs up.
When the papers arrive in her doorstep, her mother signs them angrily and drowns in her whisky.
It's July when she joins Carla and Renee once again. They both assume she's back to her old ways of mischief and mayhem. Renee has gotten more aggressive with breaking and now owns a bat with the letter R carved in bold ink, while Carla is still horrible at graffiti
Maya teaches her how to be steadier with the paint can and together they write few walls and run from the people who end up chasing them.
It's nothing like spending her time with Farkle and Riley but all she cares right now is forgetting the mess she has at home.
Unsurprisingly her mother gets fired and Maya learns how to pickpocket.
In her drunken haze, her mom yells at her; calling her a failure and a waste of air. She wishes she didn't exist to ruin her life.
She told Maya once that sometimes she mistakes her for her younger self and everything she says goes for herself, not Maya.
She believes her but the words still stings.
In the beginning of August, her granny returns from the vocations and everything turns upside down again.
Maya is glad her Gammy is willing to stay with them to help them but she honestly doesn't understand her methods.
The first thing she does is kick her mom out of the house to think with a better head.
During those days, Maya feels the most scared; as if her mother will disappear as quickly as her father did.
Gammy forbids her from seeing Renee and Carla again, claiming they're bad influence. And when her mother finally returns home with tears and wishes of forgiveness Gammy hugs her and tells her how stupid she has been for not telling her sooner.
"I'm a failure, Angela" she sniffs as they're hugging
Her Gammy steps back and looks at her mother straight in the eyes. "Katy, you are not a failure. You were hurt and alone with a child. We'll fix this. We don't need my good-for-nothing son," she says, squishing her shoulders
Her mother turns her head to look at her and Maya feels awkward under her gaze. She walks around and knees in front of her, taking her hand into hers. "I'm so sorry, my love."
"Is Gammy angry with me?" she asks in a small voice
"No, she's angry with me. I should have been better than let my feelings get the better of me."
"Mom…" she looks down guiltily "I know it's wrong to take things from people, but I only wanted to help you, to be less of a burden."
"You are never a burden, Maya" She places a finger under her chin and forces her to look at her. "I'll be better from now on" She promises, leaning over, giving her a kiss on her forehead with a whisper. "I love you, to the moon and back-"
"To infinity and beyond forever and ever" She finishes with a grin and her mom presses another kiss to the side of her blonde hair before getting up.
They all head to the kitchen where they throw away every bottle of alcohol in their possession
Hope floods her lungs and maybe they'll be okay
Her mom gets a job at a dinner and Gammy sells her home to move in with them. She says it's to help them with the bills but Maya knows it's to also keep a better eye on her mom who isn't really as alright as she pretends to be.
Somewhere between the start of 5th grade, her mom dates…a lot
There's Frank, John, Steve, Billie, Ed, and many more but Maya can only remember the top 5.
Steve was shocked when he first met her – probably because her mother had forgotten to mention her existence, but after their meetings he would always try to bribe her with something; food, dresses, shoes, money – as if Maya was a threat that needed to be bought.
Her mother's relationships never lasted long. She had a way of pushing men away, she thinks. But she thinks Steve was Maya's favourite. His last gift was tickets to Six Flags where Maya, Riley and Farkle went during the spring. It birthed new tradition to their little group, which included riding roller coasters, eating as much junk food as they could find and puking it afterwards before they went home.
Yes, Steve was her favourite despite his short term
Billie was an asshole and one of Maya's least favourite (on her list he's number 2, behind John but in front of Ed; he always ricked off bear and pressured her mother to be less uptight. She was in his words a 'cool kid' and he got her a candy bar once which she flossed in the toilet.
Despite his short stay (19 days) there's a war between her mom and Gammy where Maya gets the role of the messenger.
Her mother starts drinking again, Billie almost moves in with them, her Gammy is constantly angry at everyone and Maya can only wonder in what kind of house her father lives in.
During the 'Billie time' stayes mostly at Riley's and very rarely at Farkles when baby Auggie is fusing too much.
Farkle's house is huge; everyone is up very early in the morning. Mrs Farkles drinks a cup of coffee and allows Maya her first taste of the many coffees she'll be bound to have and every time they're about to leave Mr Farkle gives his wife a peak on her cheek and Maya can only wonder why she's the only one with a broken family.
The next and absolutely worst to this day is John. Or as he insists, Dr Jonathan Myers.
A handsome, young doctor (still without his office) who transforms her and her mother into a test subjects – literally, he even has files of them!
He makes her mom give up alcohol so quickly that it offends her how he - a stranger accomplishes what her and Gammy could not.
("It's Jonathan, Maya" Her mom reminds her firmly)
("That's alright, Katherine. Maya Penelope will learn")
He irks her
But he does his job. Her mother become's alcohol free, has a personal psychiatric to open her hear to, an extra help with bills because Dr Jonathan is traditionalists and believes it's a man's duty to help the weaker sex, he's polite to Gammy who gives him the approval and tries to be his most helpful with her.
John sticks around the longest and perhaps that's why she ends up hating him the most; he gives her hope, a glimpse of something in the future. Yes, he's uptight, strict and sexists, and hates her art because it's 'a waste of energy' in his eyes, but he makes her mother laugh like when Kermit was around and he's always there to help her with her homework.
She makes new drawings and stupidly plays around with the words Katy Myers, Maya Myers…
She feels ridiculous when she tells everything to Riley who hugs her and comforts her with a pat on her head and sweet words in her ear, "It's never bad to have hope, peaches"
But it is, because Dr. Jonathan Myers leaves them the moment he gets a new job opportunity in San Francisco. He leaves a letter and a file with 'their progress' and recommendation of family therapists.
She travels back in time when her mom would lock herself inside her room and just stare blankly on the ceiling when her tears had run dry and there would be nothing but silence in the house. Her mom doesn't drink but something is broken inside her.
Maya learns two things; all men are assholes, and hope is for suckers.
Ed appears very late when she has completed the 5th grade.
Riley wants to spend their summer together in California and Maya for once is seriously considering going, given how much she wants to capture the beaches in her paintings.
Excitedly, they make plans of spending a day in Disneyland, admiring the Golden Gate Bridge and visiting Alcatraz Island.
But then her mother finds Ed, and after what happened with John Maya wants to watch him like a hawk.
Riley, sweet, kind, understanding, Riley nods sadly with a half smile. "Maybe next year"
"Whenever you want" Maya promises with a smile that belongs to Riley and Riley alone.
Their following year they spend their entire summer on Riley obsessing over Lucas Friar, but that's another story.
Ed is an artist.
Maya wonders whether her mother specifically searched for someone like him.
One would think they'd get along given their common interest, instead Ed is very… competitive. He asks her questions about artists, paintings, specific brushes, as if their dinner together is an exam to prove her worth rather than spending time with her mother.
Gammy says he's insecure, neurotic little twat
(Grammy is rarely wrong)
One day her mom decides it would be a great to show one another their latest work.
Maya feels uncomfortable with the thought of sharing her creation (she barely shows them to Riley) but she does her mom the favour and they exchange their pieces.
Maya gives him painting him of how she envisioned the beaches in California, with a girl (Riley) dancing in the sand, her hair in the air, hands spread open, eyes closed with a smile on her lips.
Ed gave her a painting of their street during autumn; he used pencils and went for a realistic style. It was like looking at a photograph instead of a painting. While it does make her intrigue about realism in art, the drawing doesn't give her any feelings, it doesn't move her.
Ed looks at her painting with an odd look on his face before he snaps, using his knee to break it.
Her mother looks at him in shocked as he storms of their house while Maya picks up her pieces.
Thankfully, that relationship was only 6 days so her mom doesn't look heartbroken. She hugs her – rare occurrence – and tells her how beautiful her art is, how one day she'll be someone great.
She feels her heart hurt in a good way because she can't remember the last time her mom complimented her about anything.
On the phone, Farkle suggests that Ed was jealous because he saw something in her art that he lacked off. Maya dismisses this theory because Ed is supposed to be a grown man, and her art really is barely above average.
"I wish you were less blind when it comes to your talents"
There's a pause and Maya breaks it by asking him how France is.
Frank doesn't even really deserve to be on the list due to how short his stay was, but he had some potential.
He came in the Dinner in the end of July when Maya was waiting for her mother to finish her shift.
He's not the most handsome fella but he's the most at ease, he asks permission from her to take out her mom, which Maya finds a nice change, and when he picks her up he gives her mom a bouquet Tulips and a single rose to her which Maya later gives it to Gammy.
Her mom comes home happy and during their 'courtship' as Gammy likes to refer it, everything is fine; no tension or trouble.
After 4 days however, her mom mentions casually to her and Gammy while they're eating that they broke up.
Immediately, her Gammy takes action and gives her mom a hug, and words of comfort.
"There are plenty fish in the sea and there's no rush, Katy"
Her mom waves her hand dismissively, "I had enough fishing to last a lifetime, Angela"
Maya looks at her mom for a long time to determine whether she was being honest with herself.
She looks… fine. Not elated but satisfied
She doesn't know what is about her mother that drives men away but perhaps it's good that she broke up with Frank before he could leave her as well.
So, there they were;
Steven, the donor
Billie the loser
John, the asshole,
Ed the insecure
And Frank with a question mark because he didn't last long enough to earn a title.
Five men have already passed through their home, broke her mother's heart, each teaching both of them a lesson…
(love isn't real, hope is for suckers, men are assholes, better be alone than having to answer to anybody)
…and yet, her mom still murmurs her father's name in her sleep.
Riley and Farkle come back in August and they spend their entire month before middle school outdoors.
They go swimming in the community pool on weekends (where Maya and Riley teach Farkle how to swim without his armbands), and ride their bikes to the park after eating so much ice cream their stomachs ache. They end up lying in the grass with Riley's head in her lap and her back against Farkle's while they try to discover new shapes within the clouds.
Maya finds mostly geometrical shapes, Riley sees dogs, shopping bags and dolphins within the clouds, while Farkle's attempts to explain that it's not possible for the clouds to have the shapes Riley claims.
It makes her laugh when Riley starts planning their year at school before it has even started; her voice is getting low and deep as she starts daydreaming about school clubs and cheerleading and double dates with imaginary boyfriends. Maya doesn't bother telling her that Mr. Matthews won't let that happen.
She thinks she's ridiculous and beautiful and Maya thinks she'll never know someone like Riley in her entire life.
After the sun sets, they usually go back to Riley's house with sweat-slicked skin, wrinkles clothes and dirty shoes. Riley steals her first kiss and explains to her panicky self there's no better practice than with a friend.
It puzzles her because the Riley who dreams of unicorns and princesses would rather give kisses after her perfect first date to her perfect prince, and not to her best friend whose mouth still smells of the cheese sandwiches they ate earlier.
Riley begs he with wide eyes and a pout and Maya feels her heart ready to burst. Feels the danger coming.
(bad idea, bad idea, bad idea)
"Why not Farkle? He's a boy"
Riley looks at her as if she had just said the dumpiest thing in the world.
"Maya, it's Farkle" is all she says and it makes sense
It's so simple, being with her, letting kiss her until it becomes less awkward, less clumsy.
She'd stay over at her place some nights when Gammy would play cards with her buddies and her mom would return late at home, and the house felt too small, too cold.
Hot august is spent giggling under Riley's sheets late at night as they try to perfect their kissing skills
It's easy to allow Riley to be her escape from everything ugly in her life.
She's being used – unintentionally because Riley is an angel, and no matter how Maya tells herself that it will only last till the end of summer, her heart still beats like a hummingbird every time Riley's lips touch her.
There's life before Lucas Friar and after Lucas Friar. Thing is Maya doesn't realise how much of a problem he will be.
She spots him immediately; lonely, pretty, in the furthest seat he could possible find. He seems determine to avoid looking at anyone but the book on his lap.
She sees him first
Maya thinks he'd make a great painting.
"I wanna be exactly like you"
Maya frowns because she is herself and she doesn't like it, doesn't like her. Riley was perfect the way she was, she didn't need any changes.
She decides to teach Riley a lesson about boys, (in spite of not needing them because Maya will worship her like no other boy can)
She braces herself and walks confidently over him with a big smile.
"Hi, I'm Maya. You are really cute-"
And a game begins