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Disclaimer: I do not own GMW otherwise Maya would be kicking asses for real.
BANG!
Maya loaded the rifle again, setting it against the banister of the balcony patio. She had one eye closed and her gaze trained on the bottles set up on the rocks many feet away. She leaned down, tongue just peeking out of the corner of her lips and concentrated on the target.
"Two points for the win, Auggie boy." She cackled menacingly, "Then you're buying me a new dime novel."
Auggie sighed exasperatedly and crossed his arms across his chest, "No fair! You're older."
"Doesn't make a difference. We both learned from the same person."
"Yeah, but you've had more time with Mama than I have!"
She lined up the shot, aiming a little below her intended target just as she had been taught. Of course, she didn't need to take all the precautions. She could make the shots in her sleep. She was naturally gifted as a shooter after all. But she felt like prolonging and extending the suspense if only for her entertainment.
She took the shot and didn't have to watch to know the bullet whizzed straight into the glass bottle, knocking it over with a resounding crash of smashed glass.
Maya blew off imaginary steam at the end of the barrel and flipped her blonde locks over her shoulder, smiling widely.
"And that's game." Maya sassed, cocking her hip with a raised brow, "That's three dime novels now, Auggie. Quit before this gets really sad? Or rematch, winner takes all?"
The nine year old threw his rifle on the ground, pouting. "I don't want to play with you anymore! You always win!"
Maya turned around and patted his curly head consolingly, "I'm only winning right now because I have more experience. Wait a few more years or so, and you'll be very good at it too."
Auggie nodded sullenly, picking back up the dropped rifle and setting it against the banister with a sniffle. Maya sighed, feeling bad. She had only wanted someone to shoot with, and now that Auggie had gotten much better, she felt he could pose somewhat of a shooting companion. Maybe she'd give it a few more years. She stooped so she was eye level with her younger brother, placing her hands on his shoulders.
"Hey. Tell you what. Let's play cops and robbers. I'll even be the robber so you can tie me up."
Auggie grinned widely, his green eyes lighting up in excitement. "Really?! Can I throw you into the outhouse?"
"Let's not get crazy kid." Maya drawled, but stood and hitched up her dress, ready to start running away.
"Maya, are you shooting guns off with Auggie?" Riley asked, as she walked out of the house and onto the back porch. She gasped when she saw the state of Maya's dress, "And you're wearing your nice dress? What if Papa sees?"
"It's not like it's going to get dirty or anything," Maya commented, while dusting off the purple Calico monstrosity, "Besides, Papa's not home."
"He will be soon." Riley chastised, helping to straighten out Maya's rumpled dress, "And he's bringing company. That Zachariah fellow who works in the next town over."
Maya's face curled in disgust, "Are you talking about that buck toothed misogynistic idiot?"
Riley shook her head, though she looked like she was trying to hide a smile, "It's not nice to call people names."
Maya groaned and dropped her head back in annoyance. "When will Papa realize I'm not getting married?! I have my whole life ahead of me. I don't need a husband."
"Maya, don't be silly. You need a life of your own. You can't stay living in this house forever."
"If I have to get married, I should be allowed to choose who I want to marry myself."
Riley sighed, finally giving up on rearranging Maya's dress. It had been pressed earlier that morning but now had lost its appearance due to Maya's rough handling. She released the folds of the bottom of the dress and tilted her head, giving Maya an exasperated look.
"It's just one more night. Just be nice. And then turn him down gently."
"Easy for you to say, Riley. Papa isn't trying to force you to marry."
"Because I'm not of age yet. But unlike you, I can't wait to get married! Then I can go see the world and experience all life has to offer." She said, an excited twinkle in her eyes.
Maya stared at her incredulously. Riley couldn't possibly be more of an opposite from Maya. Everything about them, from their looks to their personalities and outlooks on life, was completely different. It was a wonder how they were the absolute best of friends.
Maya shook her head and wrapped an arm around the brunette's shoulders. "Oh you poor, naïve younger sister of mine. When you get married, your life won't be spent enjoying all the world has to offer. You'll be trapped at home raising your husband's kid while your vitality withers away in front of you."
"Says you, Maya. I can't wait to have children." Riley pinched Auggie's cheeks tenderly, "Especially if they turn out as cute a little boy as you Auggie."
"Riley! I'm not a cute little boy!" he whined, struggling against his sister's fingers, "I'm a grown man!"
"I'm sorry. That you are." She turned to Maya again, "Mama is looking for you by the way. She's in the kitchen."
Maya nodded and went back into the house, grumping about having to deal with this ridiculousness. Maya sighed as she walked into the kitchen, slumping on the stool near the stove. Topanga Matthews was looking over the chicken simmering in the pot, muttering under her breath about a lack of salt.
"I thought you said you were going to talk to Papa about the suitors."
Topanga glanced briefly at Maya, stirring the pot slowly. "Honey, I have. He's just not going to let this go."
"Why is he trying so hard to get me married off?"
"You're nineteen. Most girls your age have already had their first children by now."
"…Or maybe he's trying to get rid of me." Maya muttered, picking at a loose thread of lace on the skirt of her hideous dress.
Topanga moved the pot off of the stove and cast Maya a fond look of exasperation, "Now you know Papa is not trying to do anything of the sort. He loves you."
"Are you sure about that?" she said lowly, "How can he love someone who isn't even his daughter?"
Topanga turned around and faced Maya, a frown on her features. "Not this again. I've told you multiple times that you are our daughter. Stop this nonsense."
"Look, with all due respect, I could accept that if I didn't look completely different from you all."
"Maya. Not all children resemble their parents. You're our eldest. You just happened to inherit certain traits from our prior ancestry that your siblings did not. Now enough of that talk. If Papa hears you bring that up again, he'll be very upset." She said sternly.
"Yes ma'am." Maya said, sighing.
She still didn't believe it. The other four Matthews had green or brown eyes, but Maya's were a clear blue, almost gray. And they all had brown hair, but Maya's was blonde. As a child, she never really paid attention to the fact that she looked nothing like her siblings or the parents who birthed her, but as she aged, her suspicions slowly grew. It just didn't make any sense. Her appearance wasn't the only issue as well. Maya just didn't resemble any of them. Topanga and Cory had spent so much time trying to explain to her that she just looked different, but Maya couldn't help but feel a sneaking suspicion that she wasn't truly a member of this family.
She loved them all. She really did, but as an adult now, she felt a shade removed. Like she was in the wrong family or something.
"Papa should be here soon. Go freshen up, Maya."
"Alright. But I make no promises to be nice though."
Topanga kissed her forehead lightly, brushing back a wild lock of blonde hair, "Please don't send him off running like you did the last one."
"Again, no promises." Maya stated simply as she hopped off the stool and went to her room to try to tame her hair a little bit. But nothing more. She had no intention of actually impressing this idiot. Or being charming and ladylike. That was Riley's game. Maya much preferred being outside running through the mud. And tonight, she would make sure that side showed.
~.~.~
"So Zachariah," Cory asked politely after a bite of chicken, "How is your father? How is the ranch holding up?"
Maya fought the urge to roll her eyes. Here it was. The beginning of her father's subtle interrogation to figure out if a suitor was worthy to take Maya's hand. Worthy enough to provide for her.
"Well, sir. The ranch is holdin' up just fine. And father is still ill. He keeps bringing up wanting some grandchildren before he passes." Zachariah laughed like he had just told the greatest joke in the world.
Maya chewed slowly, diligently keeping her eyes on her plate because she could feel his eyes subtly watching her. How nauseating. The entire evening, he had done nothing but share his outdated opinions on men in the work field until Cory had intervened. Honestly, he wasn't doing himself any favors. He wasn't going to last long if he kept this up.
"That's good to hear. Give my regards to Ezra if you will."
"I will, sir."
The table fell into comfortable silence once again. Maya tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for this to end so she could go back upstairs and get to reading the novel she left on her table. She slumped a little in her chair, and Topanga shot her a berating look. Maya sat up straighter again, but unfortunately caught the eye of Zachariah.
He took that as an invitation to speak to her.
"So Miss Maya. If I may ask, what do you like to do in your spare time?"
Maya's expression turned sly, "Well, Zachariah. I enjoy shooting rifles in my spare time. Especially moving targets."
Cory shot Maya a warning look while Riley bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"But, you like to read books, don't you Maya?" Cory amended.
"Yes I do father dearest." Maya responded, smiling sweetly. Zachariah scoffed and everyone's gaze turned to him, wondering why the incredulous sound had escaped his mouth.
"Women reading books? What a joke."
"What?" Maya growled, her icy blue gaze trained on their dinner guest in disgust.
He shrugged, smiling sheepishly. "I never saw a point. It's better for them to sit at home. Take care of the tots, you know what I mean? That's all they're good for anyway."
Maya turned fully to him, eyes narrowed, "So tell me. If you married, you'd subject your wife to taking care of the kids day in and day out?"
"Yeah, and pleasuring me." he added smugly.
A shocked silence fell over the table at his words. Riley shook her head in disdain. Auggie moved his thumb across his neck with a wince. Topanga glared at Cory, clearly telling him to get rid of this man. Maya watched them in triumph, glad that she hadn't even had to exert much effort to get the pig kicked out.
No. He'd done that all on his own.
At least one great thing about her father was that he would never let her court or marry anyone who he deemed unworthy.
Maya smiled and set her napkin on the table. "Well. This dinner is officially over." She turned to her father, "Papa, permission to leave the table?"
He nodded, as he glowered at Zachariah. "Permission granted."
"It's been nice seeing you Zachariah. Always a pleasure." Maya grinned as she stood, smoothing down her hair and skirts. "Have a nice life."
Once in her shared room with Riley, Maya near tore the dress off her body, throwing it onto her bed in frustration. She was finally out of that constricting, hot mess of a garment. She then removed her underdress and the long stockings she was forced to wear to ensure all aspects of her legs were covered. Breathing hard, in her underpants, she stared at the lump of clothes on the bed, debating whether or not she should take fire to the offending clothing and rid herself of it forever.
God she needed a drink…
Her father kept his liquor tightly under lock and key in the pantry since Maya had grown old enough to know what alcohol was, and she'd rarely been able to sneak some recently. She couldn't very well head down there now and try to get some. It was too risky with everyone sitting in the general area.
Making up her mind, Maya pulled a small storage chest out from under her bed. She opened it and yanked out the books she had stored on the top. Then she pulled out the crumpled baby blanket from her childhood. And finally, underneath a few more novels, were Maya's treasured cowboy boots, slacks and shirt with her jacket, her prized Colt pistol (stolen from a drunk passed out in an alley), and the brown leather cowboy hat she had purchased a long time ago.
She pulled them out and made quick work of dressing herself, making sure her chest was properly held down so as not to give away her identity. She hooked her holster onto her pants and positioned her pistol into it. Finally, she braided her hair and pinned it up around her head before stuffing her hat over her head. Grabbing the hand mirror on Riley's dresser, she turned to and fro to make sure she had properly disguised herself into Micah, her male disguise.
It was near perfect. She looked like a young cowboy. As long as the hat hooded her eyes and most of her face, she wouldn't get caught.
Satisfied with her disguise, Maya opened the window and carefully climbed onto the sloped "roof", taking small steps to the large tree nearby. She climbed down painstakingly slowly, watching the front door like a hawk to make sure no one exited and saw her making her escape.
Once safely on the ground, Maya ran to the stables where her beautiful horse Clutterbucket, a Mustang with a lustrous onyx coat as dark as midnight, waited. He had been a rather feral horse when they first discovered him on their cattle ranch the night Maya had turned thirteen. Cory had wanted to contact the Minkus horse ranch to remove him, but Maya had raced over to it with a carrot in the evening and somehow, had managed to quiet the horse.
By the next evening, she could ride it and by the end of the week, the horse answered only to her. Maya didn't know how her prepubescent mind came up with the name Clutterbucket, but it stuck. She and Clutterbucket were kindred spirits. Feisty, ambitious, wild. Different from everyone around them. She supposed that might have been the reason why they understood each other so well and could relate.
"Hey boy…" she cooed, stroking the nose of her horse affectionately. He whinnied restlessly, stamping his feet impatiently, "You want to go out to town too? Let's go for a ride."
She rearranged her saddle and mounted the horse, pulling the reins to get Clutterbucket out of the stables. He started on a soft gallop, away from the Matthews' cattle ranch and towards the main part of town where all the saloons and shops resided.
Maya wasn't particularly worried about being found missing. After all, her family would assume she was upset about the whole Zachariah situation and needed space. That was just about enough time for her to run to the saloon, get some whisky and then head back home.
Yes, it was somewhat embarrassing to see her old schoolmates married and settled down, but Maya still preferred her freedom to being tied down. There were no men in this world who wanted to marry a woman and allow her to live her life as she pleased. Therefore, she would not marry. It was as simple as that.
She dug her heels further into Clutterbucket, upping her speed to town.