Hold her (gmw/Lucaya

Ch.25

"No. Don't move your hand." Said Maya, sitting in his lap on the couch, tying his fingers with a shoe lace.
"Are you trying to make it so I can never move my fingers again?"
"I'll untie it."
"You better." She began to pull apart the knots around his fingers. There was a knock on the door.
"Who is it."
"Police. Open up, immediately." Cory opened and Maya grabbed onto Lucas's arm. Two officers walked over to Maya.
"Ms.Hart?"
"I'm not going."
"You have to."
"And why?" Asked Cory. "Her dad would let her stay."
"Ms.Hart. Please come." He repeated.
"She doesn't want to." Said Riley.
"If you don't want to come then we will have to bring you." Each officer grabbed one of Maya's arms and stood her up.
"I'm not going." Lucas stood up to grab her but another officer grabbed his arms. They began to drag Maya towards the door.
"Do you not see her bruises?" Yelled Topanga. Maya was in tears as Lucas broke free and grabbed her. She clung to him tight. The other officers pulled her away and dragged her out of the room. Lucas let out a loud grunt.
"They're supposed to protect people."
"They were doing what was supposed to be right."
"Ya. Send her back to be f*cking raped."
"They had no evidence and a crappy lawyer. Maybe they can get a better one." Said Riley, turning to her mom.
"Please."
"I will try my best."
--
Maya began showing up to school with bruises on her face and often with a limp. Her teachers found it difficult to look at the girl sitting in the back of the room with her head in a textbook or a sketchbook, rarely ever looking up. No matter how much they reported it, they only said that they couldn't do anything. Maya only cared that Charlotte and Aria were okay so she never fought. One day, after the last bell rang, Maya began to put away her stuff as the other kids left.
"May I ask what happened to your forehead?" Said Ms.Laker, aware of the trial over a month before. Maya looked up. Melissa Laker had never seen the child's eyes, for she had never lifted them up quite enough. She saw what as an english teacher, she would describe as 'a dying soul unaware if the tiniest bit of hope left in her.'
"I fell." She said, Quietly.
"Oh, did you?" Asked Melissa, sitting in the chair in front of her and facing her.
Maya nodded. "And why don't your clothes fit?" She asked. Maya would wear a shirt that would fall off of one shoulder. To cover in up, she put a sweater on that fell off the other, so her shoulders were always covered. "Haven't had an appetite?"
"Not really." She said, attempting to pull up her sweater to cover the one with her shirt as well.
"And why's that?" No answer. "I know you didn't lie about your brother."
"You know about that?"
"Word gets around. So does the newspaper."
"Right. So, you really believe me?"
"Of course. So many people do. You're a strong girl, Maya."
"Thanks but It doesn't feel that way."
"It will. I promise. You can come and talk to me any time you would like."
"Thanks, Ms.Laker." She said, with a slight smile, before walking out of the room.