Disclaimer: I do not own BMW, GMW, nor any of their characters or likeness. This story is for entertainment purposes only. Please forgive my choppy writing.

Author's Notes: As promised here's Chapter 2. Thank you all who encouraged the story and shot me some ideas. I appreciate any insight. Please remember you can leave a review or send me a PM at any time if you so wish. Enjoy.

It was quiet, neither girl wanted to speak. Things happened so fast, one minute everything was happy go lucky like it always had been, the next a friendship was seemingly torn apart. Maya and Riley sat together at the bay window staring depressingly into space. Almost involuntarily Maya muttered. "I can't believe the first day of high school could go so badly."

There was no immediate reaction from Riley, she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. She shivered slightly and almost like a whisper responded "I can't believe Lucas yelled at me."

Suddenly Maya furrowed her brow, and a twinge of annoyance and disbelief entered her voice. "I can't believe they all left."

It was at this that Riley finally looked over at her friend. "You didn't."

Maya also looked over, and a gentle grin grew across her face. "Of course I didn't. Whether right or wrong, I'll always stick by you." And almost like Maya hit a switch, Riley's arms went open which Maya graciously leaned in and let herself be enveloped by them.

"Maya what do we do from here" Riley said into Maya's ear before releasing the hug.

"Whatever we can I guess." Maya sounded unsure of what she should say, and yet she was still able to come up with the words. "For now we just keep our heads low and stay in the hole."

Riley let go and major signs of guilt were etched on her face. "You don't want to do that do you?"

A soft sigh expelled from Maya as she continued to stare at Riley. "You know everything in my head tells me that those upperclassmen are just putting us down." As Maya spoke worry began to enter Riley's eyes, and she immediately took notice of it. So in response she reached out and took ahold of Riley's hand and said "But you have faith in them, so I do to." She hoped this was enough to reassure her friend.

However, that was not the case as Riley began to appear frantic. "Are you sure it's not because I'm too trusting, I have made mistakes in the past."

Maya simply squeezed tighter on Riley's hand, and gave her a calming smile. "Not on this one sweetie. I believe in you, and also that we are going to get through this."

Alas, despite Maya's best efforts, Riley still did not seem to ease. "What about our friends? Maya they left us without a second thought. What if they never come back? I don't want to lose them for good."

Maya went blank as she stared uncertainly into Riley's eyes. "I don't have an answer for that."

"I might." A voice called out from the bedroom doorway. The girls both turned to see Corey standing in amidst the entrance. "You girls had a pretty hard go of it today didn't you?"

"I guess you could say that." Once again Maya let out a breathe of relief as she saw, what she considered to be, the walking embodiment of life lessons.

Riley on the other hand stood up and walked over to him with the same broken expression. "Dad is the rest of high school going to be like this, all of the things we've built in our lives get taken away or torn down?"

Corey gave a subtle shrug of the shoulders "Yes and no."

"Not the answer she wants to hear right now Mathews" Maya quipped still sitting at the bay window.

"This is for you to Maya" He responded with his signature even tone. "As you two grow older you'll find that a lot of things in your lives are going to change. Sometimes things that are important to us go away, while other times they continue to stay the same. The most important part to realize is that you can't always control whether something changes or not. All you can do is hope that the choice you make creates the life you want."

At that point Maya also got up from her seat and moved next to Riley. "So you're saying that everyone walking out on us was out of our control?"

"What I'm saying is that you made a decision that shows which direction you want to lead your lives, just like the rest of your friends chose their's."

"But how do we know if it was the right decision or not" Riley asked.

Corey then lowered his head and a gentle smirk grew as he was about to give his lesson. "Patience. You'll find it's easy to determine whether something is right or wrong if you take the time to truly examine it."

At last a small smile returned to Riley's dad as she reached out and hugged him. "Thanks dad I think we understand what your saying."

Corey hugged his daughter back and said "Good I'm glad I could help, and I'll be available anytime you need me."

Slowly raising her hand juvenilely Maya spoke up to get his attention. "Ugh , do you care if I stay over here for the night? It's a bit dark, and I don't feel comfortable walking home this late at night."

Letting go of Riley Corey looked down at the girl puzzled. "But Maya you always walk home this late." Without saying a word Riley shot her father a pleasing glare, which made him realize what was actually going on. "Sure, of course you can. I'll call your mother and let her know." With that Corey exited the room leaving me he two girls alone with each other once again.

Riley glanced over at Maya and gave a half hearted grin. "Alright I guess we better get ready for bed."

As Riley began to walk towards the bed Maya tightly grasped onto her arm and pulled her back. "Wait Riles, I'm not sure we're really done talking about this."

Riley stared at her confused. "But my da..."

"I know what your dad said! But that doesn't stop it from hurting." Maya's voice became louder than she intended. Riley slightly shuttered, not only from the outburst but also the fact that there were several beads of liquid hanging from the edge of Maya's eyes that threatened fall at any moment. "He was supposed to be one of if not the most morally right ones of us all. But he left, and with that everyone else followed. Because of him we were left alone and afraid in a land we don't understand." Surprisingly Maya let out a light chuckle, but there was obvious pain to it. "It's kind of funny, despite all the teasing I did to him, I never thought he'd actually walk away."

Riley found herself in an almost complete role reversal from minutes prior where she is is now the one issuing comfort. She took the hand that was clasped around her arm, and intertwined her finger so that she could carpingly hold her friend's hand. "Maya he didn't do it because of us. He did it because he's also afraid. He's unsure of what to make of high school just like us, this is just how he thought he should approach it." The gentle grin still worn firmly on her face Riley continued. "I'm sure he'll be back. I'm sure they'll all be back."

"Yea sure." Maya didn't truly believe what her friend was saying, at least not fully, but the one the one thing that Riley has taught her is that there is always hope. Besides this was a night where they needed to cheer one another up. So in response Maya wrapped arms around Riley and said "But until then, you and me will stand together."

And like that Riley proceeds to wail with tears into Maya's shoulder. "Oh peaches."

"Dang it, you were doing so well" Maya complained. "Now you burst open like the Hoover Dam." She wasn't upset, but she hated the thought that what she says was the straw that broke the Camel's back.

"You're my best friend" Riley whispered into Maya's ear still holding on tight.

Maya's frustration broke as she smiled wide. Hearing those words filled a warm comfort that Maya was only able to feel when she was around Riley. "And you're mine. Nothing is ever going to tear us apart." She then leaned back to let go of Riley and raised the hand that wore her friendship ring. "Thunder."

Riley smiled also, brought up her own fingered hand interlocked her fingers with Maya's "Lightning." The two stared into each other eyes, both gleaming in the light of Riley's warmly lit room. They had done this demonstration of friendship so often so often, yet it felt a little different. A change in the air possibly, maybe it was that they were so drained from their, but something about this moment made Riley begin to lean forward and close her eyes.

"It happened so often Maya didn't expect it she was only locked in on Riley, until all of a sudden she felt the more sensation of her friend's lips touching hers once again. Unlike before it didn't last long, Maya pulled away, but her face was still about an inch away from Riley's "We can't do this Riles." There was a strong weight to Maya's voice, almost like she was fighting something.

"Why not" The young girl pleaded, also breathing heavily. "Didn't you like it the first time."

"I did, but that was different. That was just one kiss. If we go any further than that, then we would be entering a whole other world we don't understand."

"But what if I want this?"

"Do you really, or are your emotions just really messed because of Lucas." Riley went quiet because she didn't know how to answer that question. "I love you Riley, but we have to stay only friends."

"You're right, I'm just getting in my own head." Riley then looked over across the room. "Can we still sleep in the same bed?"

Maya gave a gentle smirk. "We always have before." Without saying another word to one another, Maya and Riley climbed into bed, and slowly drifted off to sleep; both uncertain but ready for the future.