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.

"Where you going Mathews?" Riley felt a slight shove into one of the restroom stall doors as three other girls step in front of the exit.

The young brunette looked back and forth at them confused. "Well I was gonna go to my locker, but you're kind of blocking me from doing that."

The girl in the center got nose to nose with Riley and started mockingly flick her hair. "Why you in such a hurry, you trying to see someone."

"If you must know I'm going to see my friend Maya right now." Riley attempted to squeeze past, but the center girl just moved in front of her again.

"Oh really?" The girl to the far left quipped. "Well word around school is that you two are a lot more than friends."

Riley glances over at her nervously. "Where'd you hear that?"

The third girl circled behind Riley while saying "You know how it is Mathews. People talk, patterns get noticed." She then leaned in and whispered into Riley's ear "Longing looks are remembered."

At this moment Riley's nerves were at their pinnacle, and she involuntarily started to giggle to herself. "Okay you caught me she is not just my friend, she is my best friend, and right now I really want to see her." Once again she tried to force herself past the girls, but like before she was shoved once again back further into the restroom.

All three girls had a deep devilish smirk on their face as they slowly started to encircle her. "You can protest all you want" one of them called our. "Doesn't change the fact that you're a freak."

Tears were beginning to build up at the corners of Riley's eyes. "Listen I don't want any trouble from you guys. Just let me go to class."

The one girl right in front of her menacingly punched the inside of her palm. "No, I don't think we will. Our chat was just getting started." And with a swift motion her fist flew straight into the center of Riley's gut.

A few hallways down Corey had just entered the classroom with books in hand. "Alright class lets get started."

"Wait, where's Riley?" Maya questioned while peering just outside the room to see if she was a few feet behind her father. "She never misses class, I'm the one who's supposed to play hooky."

Corey pointed at her with a smirk on his face. "I feel like I should be mad, but I can't help feeling a sense of pride seeing you be the good natured student for once."

Lucas leaned in and tried to reassure her. "Don't worry Maya she probably got held up in a prior class or is just taking a little while in the bathroom."

At that very moment the classroom phone that hung on the wall began to ring. Puzzled by the fact that he hardly ever got a call from the office unless Maya was involved he cautiously answered. "Mr. Mathews World History Class." The look of uncertainty in his eyes instantly turned to horror. "What?" The class all of sudden became dead silent to try to listen in. "I'll be right there." He quickly hung up the phone and grabbed the coat from the back of his class. "You guys now have free period. Maya you need to come with me."

They hurried to outside the school building where an ambulance was just then loading Riley into the back on a a stretcher. "Oh my gosh, Riley." Tears bursted out of Maya as soon she caught sight of her girlfriend. Corey attempted to give her a reassuring hug, but she pulled away from his grasp. "Let me see her." She called out to the as she tried to climb in the back. However, one of EMTs to her. "I'm sorry kid we can't let you ride, only family."

"She is family" Corey responded while placing a hand on the young blonde girl's shoulder.

The EMT gave a quick nod. "Fine, but we need to go." Maya did as she was told and didn't waste a second getting in and taking a seat next to Riley with Corey following suite right behind her."

No sooner than the door closing did the vehicle take off in what felt like a mad dash. "What happened" Maya frantically asked the EMT who sat across from her.

"She's suffered multiple lacerations across the entirety of the body, most focused areas seem to be the face, upper torso, and lower abdomen. There appears to be labored breathing, so the possibility of fractured ribs." the EMT noticed this was only making Maya cry more so he quickly added. "She'll be alright kid, we're gonna get her taken care of."

"Did someone do this to you?" Maya asked through tears staring down at her long time friend

"We'll figure it out Maya." Cory said placing a hand in her shoulder. He then quickly dialed a number on his cell with a near immediate response. "Topanga, something's happened."

The sound slowly faded around her as Maya focused in more and more on Riley's beaten and bruised face. Everything that happened around her seemed like a blur, and her body felt as if it was mostly on autopilot. Getting out of the ambulance, checking her into the hospital, watching the doctors administer x-rays and IVs seemed to only elicit the occasional nod and movement from Maya. It wasn't until she was sitting alone with her in a hospital room that Maya was able to mutter the words. "Riley be okay." Tears constantly had been off and on flowing all afternoon, and at this point Maya was at her near limit of remaining water droplets. Maya lightly grabbed ahold Riley's hand. "I need you to be okay" she pleaded. "You're my best friend. I can't lose you, not after everything." The emotion built up in the pit of her stomach, and she squeezed a little tighter on the hand. "Why did it have to be you? I was gonna take the lumps, I was the one ready for the abuse. You don't deserve any of this." There was no response from Riley, she simply laid there, eyes closed, with the rhythmic beat of the heart monitor in the background. Maya let go of her hand and quickly stood up. "I swear I'm gonna to find out who did this and I'm gonna make them pay."

Balling up both her fists she stormed out of the room and made her way half down hall before hearing a stern voice call behind her. "Maya stop." She slowly turned around, even though she already knew who it would be. Striding directly to her was Corey. "I know what's going on in your head, but you can't go off doing something rash."

"How could you say that!" Her voice loud, and there was slight echo traveled further down the hall. "That's your daughter in there." Maya furiously raised a finger to point back into the room she just exited. "Why aren't you mad, why aren't you upset?"

Corey leaned down to be face to face with her. "You think I don't want to be, you think I don't want to tear through the world to find who hurt my little girl?" As those words came out he instinctively stepped forward kicked a nearby trash can. It became apparent that he was breathing heavy and his fists were balled up as well. However, he took a deep breathe and turned back to Maya. "But that's not what Riley needs right now, that's not what Riley would want."

Maya raised a hand up to the center her chest and began to grip tightly onto the fabric of her shirt. "I can't just do nothing." At this pointe school word was pained and forceful.

Corey could see this, so he gripped onto both sides of her shoulders and whispered "You're not. Maya you are here supporting your best friend in her time of need. That's what you do when your in a relationship. Although it may feel great to fight for her honor, or in this case avenge it, what she really needs is assurance that the people she cares about is here when she wakes up."

Her face was melting and crumpling into utter pain and sorrow, as she allows herself to wrap her arms around Corey's waist. "It hurts so much. She's innocent, she cares about everyone, she wouldn't raise a hand to anyone. She's in there because of me. I was selfish, I put her in this position, and now she has to suffer for it."

Maya was bawling profusely into his shirt, but Corey didn't mind. He simply stroked back of her and held her close. "Riley wanted this just as much as you did. She knew the risks, and she decided that you were worth them. And just so you know, you are worth it Maya. I'd be willing to take a couple of lumps for you."

With what little strength she had left Maya looked up at him and asked. "Why are you letting me get away with this?"

Corey smiled down at her. "Because you didn't do that to my daughter, you're only crime was loving her." Eyes wide she continued to stare at him. "Maya whether you realize it or not you are the greatest gift Riley could ever recieve in this life, and she will treasure you always." He then glanced over at the window looking into the room where Riley laid in recovery. "We're going to figure this out in time, I promise."

Author's Notes: The story has now taken a turn. Where will it lead next. I will try try to have the next chapter out in a reasonable amount of time, but I will not make promises. Please feel free to leave a review or pm any questions you have.