Spanking of minors. Don't like. Don't read.
Season 1 Episode 1 Part 3
Just because it's laying the groundwork chapter, it is a bit long. Sorry for that. The next ones will be shorter.
She woke up to Topanga trying to wake up Riley. Noticing she was awake, she smiled and said, "Good morning! I'd go steal the bathroom while I can, if I were you." Maya laughed and grabbed some clothes before dashing off to the bathroom. Riley kept her makeup in her room so Maya was out in ten minutes and she passed a grumpy looking Riley in the hallway. After a few minutes, Riley came in looking more herself, and the girls spent the next twenty minutes on their hair and makeup.
"Breakfast in ten, girls." Cory said, coming into the room. Maya was surprised with how everything in the early mornings ran so much like they did on the weekends or afternoons. Maya got ready quietly at her apartment and left as soon as possible so that she didn't wake her mom up. Here everyone was cheerful, and still orbiting in each other's spheres. Auggie ran in and out of Rileys room as they all got ready.
Riley looked at her phone, "Why so early?"
"I want Maya to be able to ask her teachers before school starts, so they have time to print out what they need." Cory told them.
"Oh good, he didn't forget." Maya said, setting down the curling iron.
Riley just rolled her eyes at her friend, as if her parents would ever forget a command they had issued. Ten minutes later everyone sat at the table, and was digging into eggs, bacon and toast.
"Maya, what is your job today?" Topanga asked her.
"To ask all of my teachers for a print out of my grades, and any missing assignments I have." She said dutifully.
"It probably wouldn't hurt for you to apologize to the principal again." Cory told her.
Maya was about to say she had apologized yesterday but one look at the adults faces told her to just agree. "Yes sir."
"Thank you," Cory told her, smiling. "I also expect all three of you to turn in your homework, am I understood?" He was meet with a chorus of yeses.
Topanga handed the girl a stack of envelopes. "I want you to give each of your teachers one of these as well, and the principal." Maya looked suspiciously at the envelopes.
"What does it say?" Maya asked.
"It's letting them know that Cory and I are stepping in with more of a hands on approach and if they need to they can speak to him, or reach out to me with any issues or concerns they may have. And that if they had any behavior issues they wanted us to be aware of, the could write them on the progress report. It has my phone number and email." Topanga told her casually. Cory just nodded at his wife's behavior. He watched to see how Maya would react.
"Why do they need your email?" Maya asked annoyed, as she pushed her plate away. And crossed her arms.
Topanga raised one eyebrow, "I want to know what's going on with you at school outside of Cory's class too Maya. Riley and Auggie's teachers Email me progress and behavior reports at least once a month." Maya looked over at her friend, who was blushing, but nodded that it was true. "Now, is there going to be a problem?"
As Maya opened her mouth, Riley turned quickly to her. "Do you know what school is Maya? Six long hours of sitting, followed by an hour of sitting in detention for you today."
Maya looked back over to Topanga, "No problem at all."
"Good, now finish your breakfast, please."
Maya pulled the plate back towards herself and picked up her fork. "So...what's the game plan for when my mom doesn't show up tonight? I can't sleep in Riley's room forever."
"Yes you can." Riley told her.
"I feel like I do enough of your laundry every week to know that we can house you for at least a month without you wearing the same thing twice or borrowing clothes." Topanga teased.
"She will come tonight." Cory told her firmly. "Now finish up. I'm going to drive you two to school."
Maya stood up with her half eaten plate, both adults noted it, but didn't say anything about it. "But what if she doesnt?" Maya scraped her plate into the trash and put it in the sink. Riley took her last bite and put her plate in the sink too.
Cory stood up and put his plate in the sink before turning to the girls. "She will be here guys. And if something happens, then you will sleep here again."
"Nothing had better happen." Topanga said, both girls turned surprised at her anger.
Cory shot his wife a look, "Go get your backpacks girls." Both girls walked over to the door and grabbed their jackets and backpacks. Cory kissed Auggie and told him to have a good day, he walked over and kissed Topanga before whispering into her ear, "Not again, or you won't be meeting with Katy."
"Understood."
"Find some time to relax today, Honey." Cory told her.
Her body relaxed at his words, "I love you."
"Love you too." He said, walking over to the door and grabbing his own jacket and briefcase.
When the girls got to school, Cory turned to them. "I'm going into the principals office with you, but then I will leave you to it." Cory didn't trust the principal enough to send Maya in alone and think that things would go well.
Maya was not happy about that, but she knew better than to object. Riley waited in the hallway outside of the office for her friend.
Cory walked with her into the office, hand clasped tightly on her shoulder. "Hello, Mr. Yancy." Cory greeted before squeezing Maya's shoulder.
"Good morning Mr. Yancy." Maya said, smiling fakely.
"Good morning you two! How are you?" He asked from behind his desk.
"Doing okay. Yourself?" Truth be told, Cory didn't like the man, but it didn't hurt to have the girls on his good side.
"Well still a little out of sorts from the rain storm inside yesterday." He said pointedly.
Cory squeezed the girls shoulder again. "Uh, yes sir. That's what I came in for...I just wanted you to know that I'm very sorry. Mr. Matthew's has helped me to see the error of my ways, and nothing like this will ever, EVER, happen again."
Yancy hadn't missed the small squeezes and was intrigued. "And how did he do that young lady?"
Maya looked up at Cory, unsure of what to say and hoping that she wouldn't have to tell this man she had been spanked. "Give him the letter, Maya." Maya reached into her bag and handed over a letter. Yancy opened it in front of them and read the letter. He nodded and looked over at them.
"This is highly unusal, you know. If i didnt know you two were so close, i wouldnt be able to let you be a gaurdian for her without Ms. Harts sign off. But this is good, Mr. Matthews, you and your wife taking this girl under your wings is exactly what this girl needs." Yancy said. He looked directly at Maya. "If only it were the good old days when you could still keep kids in line with the paddle." Maya took a step back and somewhat behind Cory.
"Well," Cory said reaching out his hand, "feel free to reach out to Topanga or I if you need to. And we can have Katy come by and sign anything she needs to."
Yancy shook his hand. "I don't think that will be nessacary here, if any of her teachers have questions, they can ask me, but I doubt they will. I'll be watching you, young lady."
"Yes sir. I'm sorry again." Maya said.
Cory let Maya walk out ahead of him. "Sorry that was so rough, Maya, that's why I wanted to go with you."
"Yes sir." Maya said, looking down.
Cory sighed, "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked the blonde head. She shook it no. "Okay, I will see you two in class."
Maya and Riley went to each of her classes and asked for the print outs and handed over the letters before the bell rang. They walked to homeroom, together. Maya stopped at Cory's desk, "Do I need to ask you for...?" Cory handed her three sheets of paper stapled together. As well as several worksheets.
"Thank you." Maya said.
"Anytime, kid." Cory said.
Maya's teachers all had a positive response to Topangas letter and handed over her progress reports and missing assignments as well as what felt like overwhelming stacks of papers to her. They each applauded her fixing her mistakes and told her that they would give her full credit if she could get it in by the end of the quarter in five weeks. Maya felt more and more anxious for detention as she recieved her reports throughout the day.
Cory's obviously didn't have a behavior note, because they talked about stuff as it came up.
She did have a C minus, 3 missing essays and 6 missing worksheets in his class though.
Math was next, and Maya had an F in that class. As well as 17 missing assignments. Her teacher wrote a note that aside from turning in homework, Maya needed to improve on her attitude in class.
In English, Maya was missing 7 essays and 19 worksheets. Her Grade wad a solid D- in that class. Her teacher had written that she needed to try staying awake in class.
Science had an astounding 28 missing assignments, and she was also failing it. Her science teacher wrote that he thought Maya had a lot of potential, but she refused to do anything in class, and instead relied on her lab partner for all of their work.
PE had no assignments to be missing, but she still only had a B. Her teacher noted that she didn't participate in anything that she didn't want to do.
Art, she had 3 missing assignments, all art history related, but still an A. Her teacher noted that she was a joy in class, and one of her favorite students.
Each report noted that the assignments could be made up.
Riley was looking over her panicked friends grades. "They knew that there were issues..." Riley tried.
Maya gave her friend a look. No way were they not going to kill her. Riley hugged her friend, and then left to go hang out with Farkel and Lucas. Maya walked into detention, and went to sit down. There were 3 other kids in the class, and she took the seat farthest from anyone. Cory walked in a few moments later. He told the kids they could work on homework, or stare at the ceiling but no phones and no talking to each other. He then walked over to Maya and crouched down by the forlorn girl. "Can I see your progress reports?" He asked in a whisper, so the others wouldnt hear.
Tears came to Maya's eyes, "I'm sorry." She whispered.
"It can't be that bad,"Cory tried to encourage.
"It's worse than that bad." Maya told him.
Cory didn't know what to tell the girl, so he just held his hand out for the papers. Maya reached into her backpack and pulled out the folders for all of her classes and handed them to him. Corey handed her back one of her English worksheets to work on, and went to the front of the class to look over the damage.
Maya tried hard to not look up from her worksheet, but it was hard for her to focus. Cory got more and more angry as he looked through her papers. The missing assignments were one thing. The failing grades a whole other issue, but he was furious about her teachers reports on her behavior. He knew Maya was a line walker, but it was clear that she had crossed the line in several of these classes. He walked over and bent down by her desk, "do you have notebook paper?"
"Yes sir." Maya said, not looking at him.
"I want you to write and apology note to each of your teachers, and you need to stress how this behavior will never happen again. Am I understood?"
"Yes sir." Maya said again. She took out some paper and started writing, tears dripped on to her paper, as she thought about how much trouble she was in. By the end of detention Maya had wrote an apology note to each teacher, including Cory, and a thank you note to her art teacher. Maya heard Cory release the students and listened as they shuffled out. She listened as Cory walked over and set her folders down on her desk.
"How'd it go?" Cory asked, trying to keep his voice neutral. Maya handed him the letters, without looking up at him. Cory read through each heartfelt letter, including his own. "Look at me Maya," he ordered. She looked up at his face, "This is a good start, if you mean it."
"I do! I promise Mr. Matthews! Please believe me!" Maya told him.
"I do belive you, Maya. I texted the damage to Topanga already, so she had some time to calm down." Maya nodded. "I'm gonna drop you off at the apartment on my way to go get Auggie."
Maya put each note in its coresponding folder and her folders in her bag. She stood up and quietly followed Cory to his car. Cory's heart went out to the young girl next to him, as the drove in silence, but he needed her to learn from this. He pulled in front of his building. "Can I trust you to make it upstairs without me?" Cory asked.
"Do you?" Maya asked him.
"No." Cory told her honestly. "But I'm giving you the chance to prove me wrong so that Topanga and I can build that trust in you."
Maya considered that before getting out of the car. She watched as Cory drove away and thought for a moment that she could totally just head home. She looked up at the building and then down the street. She shook her head before heading upstairs. The front door was unlocked and she let herself in. Topangas eyes zeroed in on her as she came through the door.
Maya expected to be greeted with anger, but instead Topanga smiled at her. "You made it up!"
Maya smiled shyly at that. Topanga opened her arms and Maya dropped her backpack by the door and walked over and sat on her lap. Topanga gave the girl a squeeze. "So I heard that things are a little bleaker than we first thought."
Maya started crying. "I wrote them all apology notes."
"That's a good start." Topanga told her. She kissed Maya's temple and braced herself for what was next. "I've got some bad news, Lovely."
"Are you going to spank me for this?" Maya asked.
Topanga squeezed the little girl and rocked side to side with her, thinking. "Those notes from your teachers weren't great, Lovely." Maya's tears increased. "Go get me your folders."
Maya obeyed, and brought the folders over. Topanga moved to the floor and pulled Maya down next to her before going through each folder and reading the note from the teachers followed by Maya's apology. "Are you really ready to make these changes?"
"Yes ma'am." Maya told her.
"Okay, then I'm going to ask for you to show that to us. Just like you did when you came upstairs today." Topanga told her.
"How?" Maya asked.
Cory came through the door with Auggie, who came over and hugged his mom and Maya before rushing back to his room to play. Cory kissed his wife and sat on the couch behind Maya. "You made it!" Cory said, kissing the top of Maya's head. "How's it going in here?"
"Your wife was just about to tell me how dead I am."
Topanga sat on the coffee table and pulled Maya into her lap. Maya leaned back into her, and Topanga was touched by how much the girls trust had grown in her in the last 24 hours, she felt badly that she was about to test that trust. Cory watched his wife battle with herself. "Maya, you are grounded for the next two and a half weeks. No TV, no phone, no friends, besides Riley obviously and no going out." Topanga felt the girl stiffen, but she needed to just rip the bandaid off, "This week, you will come straight here after school and get started on your homework. You can take a break for chores and dinner, then straight back to the books until your mom comes. On Friday and Saturday you will be doing chores or school work, and you will keep your 930 bed time. Next week and the week after, you will stay with Cory until he comes home. On the last Friday of the month, we will take inventory of where you are at with your assignments and ask for updated progress reports. If you are being sincere in these letters, then your grades and behavior reports will have improved. And we can reassess on that day." Topanga told her.
Cory was surprised by the harshness of his wife's sentence, but knew that drastic measures were required here.
"If your grades and or your behavior doesn't change, then you will get a spanking and the grounding will last another 2 weeks." Topanga finished. When Maya still hadn't said anything after a minute, Topanga turned Maya so she could see her face. "What are you thinking Lovely?"
"I want you to be able to trust me." Maya said shakily.
"We want to trust you too Maya." Topanga told her.
Cory nodded, "That means you have a good attitude about this Maya, we will write your chores on the chore board, and I don't want to have to nag you to do them. I don't want an argument about you handing over your phone in the morning. And I need you to be honest about not using your phone or watching TV after you leave with your mom, and go to bed on time and do your work for her Sunday and Monday."
"I understand Mr. Matthews." Maya assured him.
"Okay, then why don't you give me your phone, and you can get started on your homework either here at the coffee table or at the kitchen table. You have an hour and a half before you need to stop for chores." Cory told her.
"Are you going to keep working on the couch?" Maya asked Topanga.
"Yes."
"I will stay here then." She sat on the floor and pulled the coffee table closer so she could lean against Topangas legs. Auggie came out with some toys and started playing next to them on the floor. Maya decided to start with her art homework first and went to grab the book from her bag. By the time Riley came home, Maya had completed all 3 assignments for art and had finished 1 math assignment, as well as her math homework for that night.
Maya and Auggie cleaned up after themselves and all three kids started on their chores. Mayas were vacuuming, a different area each day, taking the trash out, and setting and clearing the table with Riley for dinner. After setting the table they had 10 minutes until dinner was ready. Maya went back to the coffee table where she had stacked her stuff and started on another math assignment.
Everyone ate dinner, and chatted about their days. Maya was mostly quiet, but she didn't seem to be sulking so after unsuccessfully trying to get her to engage, the adults let her be.
After they cleared the table, the kids brought their homework out and started working. Since Mayas back was to the tv, Cory and Topanga allowed the kids to turn it on after their homework was done. At 830 Topanga came back into the living room and watched Maya shake her hand out. "How's it coming?" She asked as she played with the girls hair.
"I did my homework for tomorrow, all my art history work done, and four and a half math pages." Maya told her.
"Okay, pack your books up, and grab your backpack and a blanket."
"You kicking me out, Matthews?" Maya asked.
"Never." Topanga told her, she grabbed her own blanket and told Riley to turn the TV off and grab a blanket too. "When Katy comes for Maya, tell her that we are on the roof."
"Oh the confidence you have in her." Maya said.
Topanga swatted her lightly, "respect, Maya."
Maya nodded and followed the other 2 to the roof. They watched the stars and talked for 15 minutes, and at 850, Katy appeared. "Hey Baby girl," she said nervously.
Topanga stood up and hugged Maya. She handed back the girls phone. "Remember Maya, no phone or TV, in bed by 930, and do not give your mother grief."
"Yes ma'am." Maya told her as she hugged Riley goodbye.
Maya grabbed her backpack and followed her mom. "Katy," Topanga called, "don't forget 1030 tomorrow."
"I wont," Katy promised.
With that the two left and Topanga and Riley went downstairs to look start getting ready for bed.
"Do you want to stop by the diner for a slice of cake before we go home?" Katy asked her daughter as they got in the car.
Maya's eyes flashed to the dashboard. "I wont be in bed on time if we do."
"Eh, you've never needed a bed time before." Katy told her.
"Maybe some other time, Mom, I'm in enough hot water as it is." Maya told her.
"Okay baby." They drove the rest of the way in silence. When they got back to their apartment, Maya grabbed some PJs and went to shower. She put her phone on the charger and went out into the livingroom to wish her mom goodnight.
"Are you sure you don't want to watch TV with me?" Katy asked.
"You heard Topanga, I need to be in bed by 930 and no TV."
"So we won't tell." Katy told her smiling.
Maya hesitated. "I'm pretty tired."
"Come on, I haven't seen you in days, baby girl."
"Whose fault is that?" Maya snapped.
"Maya..." Katy started.
Maya shook her head, "Save it, im going to bed." She stormed off to her room and slammed the door. She paced in front of her bed for a minute, but then took a deep breath and checked her phone for the time. It was 945 and she needed to get to bed. She crawled into bed and stated at the ceiling, wishing she was at Rileys, where people tucked her in.