Piece by Piece

I travelled fifteen hundred miles

Piece by Piece

I travelled fifteen hundred miles

"I traveled fifteen hundred miles to see you

I begged you to want me, but you didn't want to"

"Thanks again, Farkle. I really owe you one," Maya told her friend.

"No problem, Maya," he assured. "So, you're really gonna do it then, huh? You're really gonna write to your father after eight years?"

"I guess, I am," Maya said evasively. She was suddenly really glad that her and Farkle were only talking on the phone, instead of talking face to face. The boy knew her too well; he would immediately have seen that something was bothering her. "At least, I have the option to do it know. How did you manage to find his address anyway?"

"Oh, I don't really want to bore you with the details. Also, if I told you, I'd probably have to kill you." Maya laughed out loud at that. "Let's just say, I spent a lot of time on my laptop. Me being a genius has to come in handy some of the time."

"It comes in handy most of the time," Maya told her friend sincerely. She didn't give away complimets lightly – especially to Farkle – but the guy had really helped her out here. "Anyway, as I said: Farkle, you're the best."

"The best ... what? Future husband?"

"No!"

"Boyfriend?"

"No!"

"Date?"

"No!"

"Crush?"

"No!"

"Okay, I get it." Farkle laughed. "Can I at least get a hug when you come back to school?" He hesitated for a moment. "And ... you know, once you're no longer contagious."

"That, my friend, I can do." Maya grinned into the phone.

"Ha! That's all I wanted. You just got played by Farkle."

"Whatever you say, Farkle." Maya chuckled at her friend's antics.

"Anyway, I'll leave you to it now. I hope you're feeling better soon, Maya. Get some rest."

"Thank you, Farkle. I'll talk to you later!"

"Later!" Farkle agreed.

Maya hung up the phone and tried to push away the guilty feeling that was spreading in her stomach. Because contrary to her friend's belief, she wasn't home sick with the flu. And contrary to her Mom's belief, she also wasn't at school. She would be in so much trouble when everyone found out just what she was up to at the moment, but she didn't care. She was on a mission; thirteen-year-old Maya Hart was currently on a train. More precisely she was on a train heading from New York to Philadelphia.

Because, as coincidence would have it, Maya's deadbeat dad was living in the same city that her "adopted" parents had called home a long time ago. And if that hadn't been enough, he even lived in the same neighborhood where the elder Matthews and their youngest son still lived – Cedar Heights, Philadelphia.

________________________________________________________________________________

The blonde teenager stood in front of a big townhouse, nervously shiften her weight from one foot to the other. This was it - the address Farkle had given her. Apparently, this was where her father now lived. It seemed like a nice house, perfect for a family with a garden out back and a porch swing out front.