Maya was now staying with the Matthews. She had to take everything from her room because her mom wasn't paying rent. The Matthews had a tiny extra storage room, which they cleaned out, even though Maya said that she would be fine without a room. It wasn't really a room but Maya still loved it. They put a cot in for her and she put her knitted blanket on it, along with her pillow. The bed was right against the wall and there was just enough space to stand up next to it. At the end of the bed was a chest where she stored her clothes and art, as well as about anything else she owned. Right next to her door were her canvas's. She put up another string with close pins holding drawings and pictures to feel more like home. She had to keep the door open, though. She thanked them profusely and Every time they said that it was easy and absolutely not trouble. The trouble was getting her to eat more then 300 calories a day. She sat at the table hours after dinner like a child who refused to eat their vegetables. Only, she kept herself there. She would fall asleep sitting there and Cory would carry her back to her room. The next weekend, he woke in morning he found her sitting at the table, holding a hard boiled egg, unable to eat it.
"Nice to see that you're trying."
"I haven't even eaten yet and I can't eat a seventy eight calorie egg. What's wrong with me?"
"You can eat it. Take a deep breath and don't think too hard about it." She pealed off a piece of the white and took a breath before forcing it into her mouth and swallowing it. "Good." She continued like that until Riley woke up and ate an egg as Maya finished. Meanwhile, over the next week, the bullying only continued to increase, despite Lucas's attempts to help her end it or at least reduce it. He watched as notes would be placed on her desks and as she would recycle them without opening them and when her phone would go off over and over again put she only shut the volume off. That made him fear, for he knew that it was enivedable that she was going to see them when she opened up her phone, usually when she was alone. He came over right after practice. He would stay there until late at night when Cory would practically kick him out. They would normally sit next to each other, saying nothing and staring at the wall. Sometimes he would watch Maya try and pick up as many jacks as she could and occasionally played with her. Other times, Maya would play with the bouncy ball, bouncing it in a rhythm as they sat on the floor. It was the most confusing thing to the Matthews. They would walk by just to see them sitting, doing nothing interesting at all. But they understood it and it was evident that they did. The silence was not a bit tense. More incredible.
