“Maya?” Lucas asked.
“I need to know who I am before I know what I like,” she decided.
“Hey!” Maya’s mom said, inserting herself in the conversation. “You wanna know what’s up with me?”
“Not really,” Sarah said, causing me and Evan to snicker.
“The cash register is short $100,” she stated, turning to Lucas. “So, what’s up with you? That’s great? You know what’s up with me? Who took my $100?” She put her hands on her hips and stared at the Drama Squad.
Oh, shoot, I thought, someone’s about to jump to conclusions.
And right on cue, Riley said, “Just do it.”
Maya looked at her and said, “I didn’t take the money.
“Yes, you did,” Riley insisted. “Maya, you took the money! She took the money, everybody! Yeah! She’s a cat burglar!”
“I didn’t do it,” Maya said lowly.
“Yes, you did,” Riley said, before turning to everyone else. “This is all over.”
“If no one took my $100,” Maya’s mom started, walking over to the cash register in question, “then what happened? Huh? Somebody just put two 50s under the drawer and forgot all about it?” She then lifted the drawer, grabbed two 50s, and held them up sheepishly. “Somebody did just that. Stay in school, kids.”
Sarah and Evan burst into laughter. “This is better than a soap opera!” Sarah managed to say.
Maya turned to us, saw the other two laughing, and walked over to the door. “Riley, I don’t want my role with us to be someone you think takes money and sets off fire alarms.” She looked back at her friends, before adding, “You think you know what I’m capable of? You have no idea what I’m capable of. You guys want the Maya back, the Maya I really am? Well, you got her.”
She then walked out the door, leaving her three friends to question what just happened. But before I knew it, I found myself standing and following her to the door. A passing glance at Lucas showed that he was torn between following Maya and comforting Riley, who looked incredibly distraught.
I nodded to him on the way out, trying to reassure him, and myself, that I could handle Maya.
—---Maya’s POV—---
My mind on autopilot, I walked over to the nearest subway station, intending on heading home to think things over. If they wanted the old Maya back, oh boy were they going to get her.
While waiting for the subway, I felt someone grab my shoulder. “Hart,” They said.
I turned to see Jason Anderson staring at me. He tilted his head and asked, “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I responded, shrugging his hand off my shoulder. As the subway doors opened, I stepped on and found a seat on the far wall. Unfortunately for me, he sat down next to me, still trying to make eye contact.
“You sure? I know I wouldn’t be okay in your shoes.”
“Yeah, I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be fine? It’s not like they expected anything different from me. They want the old Maya back, and that’s what they’re gonna get.”
“This isn’t something the old Maya would do at all,” he countered.
“And who are you to tell me who I’m supposed to be?” I shot back.
He paused, before rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s fair. I can’t tell you who to be or what to do. But I do want to tell you a story.”
“Sure, why not, Dancing Queen.”
YOU ARE READING
Girl Meets Closet
FanfictionAll Jason Anderson wanted was to get through history class. His life was hard enough as is. But when Mr. Matthews calls on him to share some thoughts, his life will change. For better or worse, he needs to be ready to take on the world.
