After a long, silent, and awkward meal, between Shawn, Auggie, Riley, Maya and at Chilli's, each of them filed out of the restaurant and climbed into the car.
Shawn shifted into the driver's seat quietly, with his head down, thinking to himself about what he said, and how noiseless everybody in the car was acting. He hoped that he hadn't said anything too convincing, that gave away his nerves or hesitation.
As Shawn slowly buckled in his seatbelt and started up the engine, he glanced over his shoulder at the three, surprisingly silent kids, who were all squished into the back of the car with blank and puzzled expression's across their tired faces.
He furrowed his eyebrows and slightly shook his head, "Okay kiddos, what's up?" Shawn wondered, speaking with a confused and desperate tone of voice, completely turning himself around to face Riley, Maya, and Auggie.
Maya immediately spoke up, pulling herself upwards in her seat and heavily huffing, raising her eyebrows. "Well congratulations on being the first person to break an hour of silence!" she exclaimed in response, evidentially being sarcastic. Riley peeked over at Maya, surprised by her rude attitude towards Shawn. She decided that Maya was just having a bad day, or maybe she didn't get that much sleep the night before, which wasn't anything unusual.
Auggie leaned his head against the car door, tiredly, closing his eyes and sighing heavily, intentionally avoiding the tense commotion between everybody.
Shawn's eyes widened slightly, for he was shocked that Maya had spoken to him with a sarcastic tone, and in a disrespectful way. He wasn't too offended or surprised, though; he knew that Maya was an extremely bold girl who believed in the opinions she had, and was willing to speak her mind without hesitation.
He mindlessly brushed away Maya's choice of words and briefly nodded his head, "Okay Maya, Listen, did I say something that upset you?"
Maya stared at him with an annoyed expression for a few seconds, then leaned her head back stressfully and rolled her eyes, not responding to his "idiotic" question. Riley turned her head the other way around and sadly gazed out her window, inhaling deeply, overwhelmed by all of the recent troubles between all of the people she was close too.
Shawn reluctantly realized that Maya wasn't planning to reply to his question at the moment, so he noticeably sighed and swiveled back around in his seat, beginning to drive the white car out of the Chilli's parking lot.
The brief car-ride contained the exact same sort-of silence as their meal had been: dwelling, forced, and awkward quietness. Shawn stopped his fast car in front of the apartment building that Riley and Auggie Matthews lived in, exhaling heavily and opening his light car-door, preparing to generously walk Riley and Auggie up to their giant apartment.
Riley gently placed her hand on Auggie's arm, shaking him lightly to wake him from his short, unscheduled nap in the back of Shawn's car. His brown eyes carefully fluttered open, as he stared up at Riley unclearly.
"Aug, we're home," she explained to him, with her voice dry. She was hesitant to go back inside the house and risk getting even more worked up by her parent's argument. She desperately needed Auggie to be by her side and awake during a tough time like this.
Auggie slowly unstrapped his seatbelt, stretching his arms up into the air and mumbling, "Okay, Riley," in a groggily tone. Riley frowned slightly and grabbed his hand softly, helping him to stand upwards and slip out of his car seat.
Riley stepped backwards onto the pavement, and out of the car, feeling the strong breeze of fresh air that suddenly hit her, while she exited. Shawn closed his car door, watching her helpfully lift Auggie out of the back of the car, and onto the rough road, standing side-by-side with him.
Shawn leaned over and peeked inside the car, examining a stubborn Maya, with her arms folded across her chest, and a scow planted on her face.
"You coming?" he questioned her, lifting an eyebrow as a wondering gesture. Riley bunched her hands together eagerly, suddenly anxious for Maya to join them, and come home with her and Auggie.
Maya didn't bother to even glance over at Shawn, avoiding eye-contact as she simply shook her head in response. He pursed his lips concernedly and hopelessly pushed the car door shut, immediately starting to stroll away from the car, along with a disappointed Riley and a dead-tired August.
As the three of them entered the warm apartment-building, Shawn glanced towards Riley and said, "Hey, Riley," catching her attention quickly, "Do you know why Maya's upset?"
Riley tensed up nervously and bit her lower lip, considering her response for a brief second. In the restroom, Maya hadn't really made the sincere reason she was angry clear to Riley, only dropping a few hints and puzzled mumbles.
Riley shook her head sadly and gritted her teeth, muttering, "She wouldn't tell me," in a defeated tone of voice, now looking down at her feet.
Shawn compressed his lips unhappily and nodded his head, with his eyes ahead of himself again. "Yeah, that's fine," he replied knowingly, approaching their brown front-door.
Shawn dug his hand in his pocket, searching for the house-key that Cory had goofily given to him about two, long years ago. Feeling the cold, bumpy metal texture immediately, he lifted out the house-key and unlocked the front door, quietly shoving it open, careful not to make any noise.
Riley scurried in nervously, slowly leading in Auggie, who was trailing behind with his head hung down. She paused and slumped her hands to her side, noticing that nobody was in the living room, as well as the kitchen. Possibly, Cory and Topanga had never even noticed that Riley and Auggie had been out with Shawn and Maya for the past two hours.
Shawn noticed the emptiness of the room as well, then tilted his head downwards in a guilty sort of way, and made his way back over to the doorway.
He glanced back up at his niece, Riley, and unintentionally sighed, "Hey, call me if you need anything," he thoughtfully reminded her, half-smiling and nodding his head goodbye.
"I will...thank you, Uncle Shawn," Riley replied loudly, hopelessly staring at him, with an empty smile and a repetitive nod.
Shawn placed his hand on the cold, outer doorknob and lightly pulled the door closed. Suddenly, he began to swiftly walk out of the apartment building, faster than he had been strolling before. He was anxious to figure out what was bothering Maya so much, knowing that it had something to do with his earlier responses.
Shawn shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he nervously stepped up to the car, regaining his casual and calm impression, while normally opening the driver's seat door.
Right away, he turned his head back towards Maya Hart, who was still silently sitting motionless and stubborn, staring out the window, ignoring Shawn's presence.
"Maya," he spoke up carefully, not yet gaining her unfocused attention.
He shifted in his small seat and took a deep breath, then repeated, "Maya," but in a slightly louder and more demanding tone of voice. He wasn't the one to purposely boss her around, but he didn't want her to have trouble, cluelessly trying to fall asleep, worrying about something she had no control over.
Maya swiftly jerked her head towards him, tensing her shoulders and blankly staring at him. Now that she had forcefully made eye contact, Shawn sadly noticed a more guilty and disappointed look in her blue eyes.
He looked at back at her for a while, hesitating to hopelessly speak to her, "Maya, what's bothering you? Please talk to me."