Maya sat in shock. She didn't know what to say, Riley didn't look like an excited Mother to be. She looked terrified, perhaps even devastated and Maya wasn't sure if she should offer congratulations or tell her friend she was sorry. In the end she didn't have to decide because Riley spoke first; "when I found out I was really excited. I always wanted to be somebody's mum, to have a family." Riley's eyes filled with tears as she continued, "and then I realised that Farkle doesn't want to be somebody's dad, he's just not ready." Maya nodded as she began to understand what Riley was trying to say.
"You're scared it will be too much for him?" she asked gently, holding her best friends hand across the table. "You're worried he'll leave you?"
Riley nodded and no longer able to hold back her pain she fell to pieces in Maya's safe arms.

Maya was angry. Angrier than she could remember being in a long time. When her and Lucas had dated, briefly but intensely, he had sparked an anger in her which sent her crazy. She had fought for him and he for her but somehow they were never on the same team. Josh didn't make her feel like that, he was stable and good. They went out together every Friday night and sometimes he brought her breakfast in bed on Sundays. Josh opened doors for her and promised to support her in whatever she decided but somewhere along the way they had both lost who they were. Hearing that Farkle had not only failed to protect Riley but been the very thing she needed protecting from made Maya remember how exciting it was to love someone so fiercely. Perhaps she was miserable because she needed to love a man in the same way she loved Riley. But right now wasn't about her and her empty life, it was about Riley's very not empty stomach and the fact that Farkle was doing nothing about it. After dropping Riley home and into bed for a nap Maya headed straight to the hospital where Farkle worked. She had no idea what she was going to do but she knew she had to do something.

With an unusual stroke of luck Farkle was on a break when Maya arrived and they found a spot in the cafeteria. "Riley's pregnant." Maya demanded as soon as they sat down. Farkle dropped his head and nodded slightly, "she told you." He sounded defeated.
"Of course she told me," Maya was almost shouting, "I'm her best friend and she needs someone since you're not there for her anymore. What happened Farkle? Why aren't you supporting her instead of rushing her into this wedding? You want to look like you have it together right? Well you don't because she's devastated and she thinks you don't want her or your baby."
Farkle stared at her now, straight in the eyes. "You're her best friend?" he nearly laughed and Maya felt a fresh wave of anger, "Where have you been? Where were you when she couldn't find the motivation to go back to school? Were you here when she almost lost it when Lucas was thinking about leaving? We all stayed. Besides she wanted this wedding, not me. I'm not forcing Riley into anything."
"Oh." Maya thought about it and soon realised he was right, she hadn't even known Lucas had considered leaving. As far as she'd known Riley had always been happy and well. It also made sense for it to be Riley who was pushing for a wedding, her naïve best friend would believe that a ring would prevent Farkle from leaving. Maya wished she didn't know how wrong this idea was. She stayed with Farkle until the end of his break and the two quickly patched things up, they had been friends a very long time and as far as Farkle was concerned Maya was here now and that was what counted.

Maya decided to walk back to Riley's instead of taking the subway. Today had highlighted some big issues to her and she was more determined than ever to return to New York. She just had a lot of things to think about first. Maya had often walked home alone as a teenager, it had given her a chance to reflect on the day and her life. Sometimes she had even dreamed about her future, her hopes were all of things that she now had. Josh had been a fantasy to her at fourteen, at sixteen he had told her someday and now someday had come. Art had always been her passion, she saw beauty in things that to others were ordinary and then when Shawn had taught her about photography she had come to love that too. Now she was a success, she had her own gallery and plenty of wonderful people who wanted to work with her. She hadn't need college, she had talent and her success had proved it. She had a house with huge open windows that let in the perfect light, there was a beach on her doorstep and she had even made a couple of friends, it was everything she had dreamed of and yet it wasn't.

"Hey blondie." Maya swung around as a familiar voice interrupted her internal conflicts.
She growled in reply, "what do you want Huckleberry? You really should stop following me." Lucas laughed a little, "Farkle called me, he said you'd been to see him. He's worried about you and so here I am, the only person in the entire world who can contain Maya Hart."
Maya narrowed her eyes at him, "Josh contains me just fine, Ranger Rick, I don't need you."
She expected him to appear hurt but he just carried on smiling, "Not this you, Maya." Lucas sighed, "He contains the you that falls at his feet desperate to be accepted not this you. Not my you."
Maya began to walk faster, "First of all I am not desperate, just in love. You should try it some time. Second there is no me that belongs to you, not anymore." Her heart hurt at the memory but she pushed all of them away.
"Okay Maya, okay. At least let me walk you home."