"Don't worry princess, she's not going anywhere."

"She'll be right here, safe with me."

"Go on princess. don't be afraid. Get in the car I'll take you out for ice cream."

"Ok. Maya. This needs to stop. You've never been this quiet before and I don't like it." Riley finally spoke up.

The two girls along with Lucas, Farkle and Zay were all in the library doing homework together. There they meet up whenever they can especially if they aren't busy after school.

"What's got you so quiet? Did we make you mad? Are you mad at any of us?" Riley took her hand and looked at her with a hurt expression.

Maya almost felt guilty. Almost. Maybe she's being selfish being like this around her friends knowing that they want to enjoy each other's company. She doesn't mean to put a damper on things but after everything two months ago, she hasn't been the same. Those horrific images cloud her mind and she won't admit it but it's killing her. Sure she's tried to put up a front for her Peaches but slowly she's been... falling apart.

"Sorry, Riles. I'm not mad at any of you guys." She reassured looking around at all of them. Her eyes lingering on Lucas' but briefly breaking contact and averting her gaze back to Riley's.

"I've just got a lot on my mind." Maya hoped that that answer was good enough for them. The last thing she wanted was for them to press for more questions. She doubts they'll leave the questions to themselves for long and when the time comes. Jesus, if you are out there, not that I really believe but please be a fence. She sighed.

"Ok, but don't forget that we're all here for you, you know?" Riley's eyebrows furrowed as she looked at her best friend with care.

"I don't want you hiding behind those walls you build up, knowing you can talk to us" she said lastly. Farkle, Lucas and Zay watched the two intently.

That's the thing, Maya thought. None of them will understand if she talked to them. If she'd tell Riley, her parents will get involved and maybe the police. The thought alone of having to talk with the police makes her uneasy. Lucas doesn't think before his actions. Nobody would be able to control him in case he got out of hand. Farkle?, No, she could never talk to Farkle about it. He's Farkle, there's just no other way to put it. And Zay?, they had an agreement to never tell anyone and to never speak about it ever again. It's not like Zay doesn't text Maya every morning and night before she goes to bed to check on her. She appreciates him for that.

"Can we please just go back to our research, I don't like all the attention on me." Maya said truthfully.

It's been a few days since Maya and Lucas' one on one in hallway. It seems like he didn't say anything, which, she's very glad about. For sure somebody would've asked or if he was bold enough he definitely would say something right now.

"Ok, Peaches." Riley said before going back to doing her research. Lucas, Farkle and Zay doing so as well.

After a few more hours in the library, they decided it was getting late and packed their things. Maya got her bags and was about to head out when-

"Maya would you like me to walk you home?" Lucas asked.

Maya knew what he was trying to do. It's not like it wasn't obvious. He probably wanted a chance to talk to her alone again. Lucas sure knows how to be annoying, she rolled her eyes.

"No it's fine Lucas, I can walk home by myself." She wasn't actually going home, Well her home anyway. The others don't know that she doesn't even live in her old house anymore.

"Are you sure?, It's pretty dark outside and your neighborhood isn't exactly safe at ni-"

"I said It's fine, Lucas." She spoke through grit teeth.

Lucas looked at her worried like he did days ago when she nearly cried in front of him. Riley stared at them with a concerned look on her face. Farkle and Zay standing awkwardly around the three.

"Maya come on, don't be ridiculous. Lucas is right, it's dark and late out-"

"Riley." Maya said, voice stern and final. The brunette frowned as she watched Maya exit the library in a rush.

"Don't worry about her guys, she's just having a rough day. She'll come around." Zay said. But he honestly wasn't so sure about that himself. She needs to speak up! He sighed. He put his hand on Lucas' shoulder, lightly patting it before walking out the library as well.

"Farkle, something's going on. Something happened that Maya isn't telling us." Riley turned to look at him.

"I know." Was all he could say.

Farkle wasn't one who knew how to handle situations like this. He was trying to process this himself but he couldn't quite piece things and he thought he was a genius. He couldn't understand any of this.

"I don't know what's going on with Maya, but Zay knows something and we need to figure this out." Lucas said angrily, fisting his hand. He gritted his teeth and his eyes flared in a pretty intimidating way.

"Lucas, calm down. There's no reason to get mad if we don't even know what there is to be mad about." Farkle said reasonably.

"Yeah, Lucas you know Maya doesn't like to be pushed." Riley agreed. "We'll just wait till she's ready to talk. How do you know Zay even knows something?"

"I just do. It's Zay, he knows everything." He said trying to control his anger.

"Well if we ask Zay I doubt he'll say anything. We should just do what Riley says and wait till Maya's ready to talk." Farkle chipped in.

"What if she's never gonna be ready, huh?!" Lucas smacked his hand on the table they were near. Riley and Farkle jumped at his sudden outburst.

"Shhhh" The librarian had glared at the three. Lucas ignored her.

"How can you guys be so calm about this! Maya isn't acting like herself and she's probably going to fall apart more if we don't help her! Farkle you're the genius, how didn't you notice this before."

"I- I don't know" Farkle had stumbled over his words. He really didn't know. How stupid can he be for not noticing his own friend acting so differently. Was he really so oblivious?

"Guys we can't sit here and talk about this. This isn't the right place for it." Riley looked at the two.

"Let's all go home, we can talk about this tomorrow."

The dark. Maya wasn't afraid of the dark but she didn't particularly like it now because of what happened. She walked down the shady alley, Street lights blinking in and out.

"well lookie here" A man with broad shoulders came circling around her, getting in her personal space. He started touching her in ways that made Maya's blood boil. If he didn't stop...

"Whassa a short lil blondie like you doin' walkin' round here in the dark" His breath smelled of strong liquor. She cringed, her nose wrinkling from the smell. Another drunkie. Maya didn't respond and tried to keep walking. She's been through this before and she really didn't have time for the man's bullshit. The drunkie grabbed her arm and yanked her towards him.

"I'm talkin' to ya Missy, if ya co-coop- cooperate I wouldn't have to hurt ya" He snickered.

Maya tried to pull her hand out, but he had a strong grip. Shit! she thought. Turning around she faced him, smiling innocently.

"Finally stopped resisting? Good." He sneered until Maya decked him in the nose.

"Agh, you bitch!" He loosened his grip to hold his nose with his hand before using his other to hit Maya upside the head with the beer bottle. She ducked just in time for the bottle to hit the brick wall instead. Maya quickly kicked him in his crotch to get away

"You lil slut. The next time I see you, I won't miss." he shouted, wincing as he tried to hold his nose and crotch simultaneously.

Maya had stopped running when she finally reached where she was trying to go in the first place. Her breathing was heavy from trying to get as far away as possible and running off. She wasn't as in shape as she thought. Opening the door to the bakery, her aunt greeted her.

"There you are, Sweetie. I was worried for awhile there." Aunt May gave Maya a tight hug Before noticing tiny glass shards and dried blood in her hair.

She gasped "oh, sweetie you're head."

Maya shrugged. "I'm ok. Just some old drunkie causing me trouble, I'll wash it out."

"Ok…" Aunt May watched her niece carefully. It looked to her as if Maya wasn't gonna say anything else so she dismissed it. "If you say so. When you're done make sure you come downstairs for dinner" May cleaned up the last table.

"I made a new desert that I think you might like"

"Alright, Aunt May" Maya headed upstairs to the bathroom.

She washed the blood out and carefully took the glass shards out her head.

"Fuck!"

She didn't notice the big glass piece in her hair when a small gash appeared on the palm of her hand. So much for being careful, she thought. The blood was flowing faster. Maya's heart rate started to pick up as sudden flashes of then had flooded her mind.

"Stop! Stop! You're hurting her!" Maya cried jumping on the man in attempt to get him to stop.

"Get off me you little shit." He grabbed her off of his back and threw her down.

"Maya, baby, go upstairs it isn't safe for you to be down here." Katy tried to convince her but she wouldn't budge.

"Get away from her!" Maya stood her ground.

"You should listen to your mother, you bitch!" He grabbed her by the neck.

Maya was struggling to breathe. He took her and hit her against the wall. Thankfully not hard enough to knock her out.

Blood.

Some of it slightly flowing down her head.

"Maya! Let go of her you bastard!" Katy rushed up to him.

"Don't you move, Katy. I ain't done with you." He let Maya go and went back to deal with the older blonde.

Maya was losing herself. Blood from the gash was still coming out of her hand. She lost balance as she recklessly tried and failed to hold onto something to keep her from falling.

"Maya, are you ok? I heard a lot of noise." May came bursting into the room. Her face grew worried. As she saw Maya halfway in the tub. Hands covered in blood, eyes panicked and face pale.

"Honey, calm down. I'm going to get the bandages." She helped her back on her feet and sat her down on the toilet seat.

"Take the cloth and wrap it around your hand to stop the bleeding." May rushed downstairs to get the bandages.

She was staring at her bleeding hand. Her mind almost going hazy. She leaned back and closed her eyes. Taking slow breaths and finally calmed down. She grabbed the towel and was about to wrap it around her hand when May came in with the supplies to clean her hand and the bandage to wrap around it.

"This'll stop the bleeding." She reassured. May cleaned the blood before wrapping the bandage around her hand. She looked at the now dried up blood on the carpet.

"It doesn't look like you lost too much blood but I will bring you to the doctors tomorrow. They'll stitch you right up." May smiled softly, patting her bandaged hand. May discarded of the big glass that had cut Maya's hand and put it in the trash. She checked in her hair to make sure there weren't any other stray pieces as well.

"It looks like your hair is free of the glass. Please be more careful when you come back home. Or if anything call me, you know I'll always answer the phone and I'll come pick you up." She held Maya's head in her hands, looking at her in concern.

"Okay?"

"Okay." Maya said quietly.

"Good." May Smiled and pressed a small kiss against her forehead. "Now wash that hair of yours, I'm still seeing some red." She joked. Maya bugged her shoulder before turning around to turn on the faucet of the shower.

"I'll be downstairs with your dinner, alright Sweetie?" May said as she left the bathroom. Maya sighed.

"Fuck my life" and she began cleaning her hair.