-Riley did something happened that night?
-N… no… we… we just fell asleep…
-Riley, keeping secrets
-NOTHING HAPPENED OK? nothing...
Topanga saw the tears running down her daughter's face and decided not to keep questioning her. Back in the living room she brought Maya some tea.
-You OK?
Maya nodded, tears still running down her face.
-If you want to talk about something… you can trust me… - Topanga said
Finally, after the tea, Maya was able to sleep for a few hours before getting up for school. One of the things that Lucas, more than anyone, noticed was that Maya started to get missing in school, sometimes after or before lunch, he knew for a fact that something had happened to his friend and he couldn't understand why Riley hadn't noticed, he decided to find out.
-Hi Lucas
-Riley can we talk for a second? - asked taking Riley apart in the cafeteria
-Yeah - she said with a smile
A smile that fade away as the conversation move to what was happening to Maya.
-Riley, do you know what happened to her?
-no…
-Riley
-NO! I DON'T KNOW!
-RILEY MAYA IS NOT OK!
-LEAVE ME ALONE!
To his bad luck, as Riley tried to run away she tripped on her own feet and fell to the ground hitting her nose in the process, as she got up, the girl noticed the droplets of blood falling from her face, at that same moment that Maya was coming out, the blonde came to the wrong conclusion.
-You hit her…
-WHAT?
-You coward… YOU COWARD SON OF A BITCH!
Lucas didn't had time to reply as he found himself on the floor covering his face as Maya began to hit him, but what impressed him the most where the words uttered by a crying Maya.
-STOP IT! LET ME GO! DON'T HURT ME!
Suddenly it all stopped as Maya was pulled off him by Cory while Farkle took Riley to the infirmary.
-Mr. Mathews look I
-I don't care Mr. Friar, I'll see you in the Principal's office in five minutes, Maya you're coming with me.
But that was not the only thing he had noticed, while Maya was on top of him she saw marks on her forearms. Marks he didn't liked, as he was lost in thoughts he saw Farkle coming.
-Farkle how is Riley?
-She'll be fine, nurse said her nose it's not broken.
With a relief sigh he was about to go on his way when a memory came up.
-Farkle wait.
-Yes?
-How long is it since Maya started to behave like this?
-About three weeks, I remember because it was the day I took Riley's gym bag.
-And they always take the subway home right?
-Yes.
-You father… owns a security firm right?
-Among others, yes.
-Can you ask him if he knows who controls the cameras on the subway?
-We can go ask him after school - Farkle proposed.
Later that afternoon both Farkle and Lucas entered the office of Stewart Minkus, Farkle's Dad.
-Mr. Minkus, I wanted to ask for your help. I believe something happened to one of our friends and I thought that maybe we could find out by checking the subway CCTV footage.
-Come, I think i can help.
Mr. Minks led them to a room where they saw several video screens. Mr. Minkus led them to a side one and asked for the date and hour they looked for, as the footage began, the unmistakable red uniforms appeared on the screen.
-IT'S THEM!
For several minutes they checked the footage until the train stopped in a station that looked dirty, Lucas felt unease as he saw the figures going in.
-Can we see inside? - he asked
-No, but we can try and zoom in - Mr. Minkus said
As the footage focused on one of the windows Lucas clenched his fists as he saw Maya being pulled up and subsequently undressed and then knocked to the floor as the first of them took his turn.
-STOP IT! STOP THE VIDEO. - he demanded.
-I'm sorry you had to see that. I guess it'll be better if I turn it to the authorities and
-No Mr Minkus please, at least not yet, let me… let me talk to Maya. - Lucas pleaded.
The following day Lucas decided, for one, to find out where Maya kept going and then to talk to her about his discovery, a discovery that had hurt him deeply. Making sure she didn't saw him he follow her through the halls of John Quincy Adams middle school until she reached a storage room and went in. The blonde girl sat on a box and extracted a blade from one of her pockets, she was about to make another cut in her arm when a hand stopped her, she turned to see the last person she expected.
-LET ME GO. - she demanded
-Maya I need to talk to you.
-I already said I was sorry for the other day, now go.
-May
-LEAVE ME ALONE!
Lucas held Maya's shoulders as he looked at her.
-Maya I know.
He could feel the girl start to tremble.
-w… what?
-The subway. I know what happened.
Maya's eyes opened as wide as they could as she tried to get free.
-Maya please, listen to me
-LET ME GO! YOU KNOW NOTHING!
-MAYA I KNOW WHAT THEY DID! AND IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT!
-You know nothing… I… had… to… protect… Riley…
Lucas could not utter one more word, Maya collapsed against him as he realized that she was breathing extremely fast.
-MAYA? MAYA WAKE UP!
To be continued...