In Our Hearts

2nd alternate ending

The second one (🙌).
*****

It has been three years since Maya's death and a year since I passed the counselling programme, be friends again with Farkle, Zay and Lucas, and it has been a year since I started dating one of my best friends, Farkle. A lot of things happened in that one year like the four of us finally stepped into high school. I really wished Maya was there for me to take the first step into that building but, the guys managed to support me. And I realised, high school wasn't so bad after all.

We tried to get our old names back. Zay impressed the seniors with his hilarious traits, so he was known as the class clown again. Lucas the nice guy who'd always help anyone in trouble, Farkle was ranked as the school's best student and as for me - the girl with Rileytown. Other than that, we started volunteering in helping some programmes and clubs to be active again, and put Maya's name in the credits. Always. I went on a date with Charlie Gardner once before I realised that I was falling for Farkle. And Lucas got into that bull riding contest again and won the first prize, just to be reminded of Maya and to prove her that he's alright. And we respected him with that thought. Soon, the four of us became close with most kids there. We ruled the place, it was our kingdom even if we knew that it won't ever be the same without Maya.

Outside school, Aunt Katy and Uncle Shawn finally got married and now she's pregnant for eight months which is so close to being delivered to a new baby. She also gave me some of Maya's stuffs like the album she made, or some of her clothes, her books and her diary. I didn't open it yet though. I wanted to wait. Auggie and I had been really close since Maya passed away. But it wasn't because I didn't have a playmate anymore, it was because I thought that Auggie needs to be protected, just like how Maya thinks of Farkle. Mom and dad were just mom and dad. And I wanted it to be that way forever. Me and Aunt Katy were going to make Maya's songs into a hit now that she could afford it and we had to find the perfect girl who could sing Maya's songs and play her guitar which will start after Aunt Katy gives birth to her baby. We made a rule to make it a compulsary for them to use Maya's guitar. It wasn't going to be easy but we'll find the girl.

"Hey guys." I met up with my friends by my locker. We always gather there before class starts. I was glad that we have at least History together, along with my father as the teacher. And Science and English too.

"Riley." Farkle blushed. Even if we've been dating for a year, Farkle was still the same awkward, genius boy and still is. And I never wanted him to change even if we were boyfriend and girlfriend.

"You're early today," Lucas teased. I was known as the latest one out of the four of us. Without Maya appearing at my window and walk me to school, I couldn't really manage my time. But I was trying.

So what?" I said casually before straightening my jeans. I quickly thrashed my books from the locker into my dark green bag. The stuffs in my locker - journals, extra clothes, stationaries, files and others were all in a mess and has been that way ever since. Somehow, I still had the time to decorate it with pictures and stickers.

The bell rang when I'm halfway done. And I didn't even get that much time to chat with my friends. Other people were scattering around, looking for their classes when I was still packing my bag.

"So what? That's what." Lucas lifted his direction finger, pointing it to the cieling but figuratively speaking, he was pointing at the sound. A smirk was plastered on his face.

"See you later kid." Zay rubbed his knuckles on my head like everytime and walked away with the others after they said their goodbyes.

"Every single time," I whispered under my breath and finnished packing.

As soon as I turned around, I bumped into a girl that reminded me a lot of something I couldn't quite make out.

Our heads bumped into each other and we went falling into opposite ways from the impact of momentum and sent our stuffs flying. I fell flat on the hard tiles as I tried to process for what just happened as I closed my eyes which calms me down a lot. My head was spinning and that tingling, magical sensation I once had at Maya's grave was back again in my chest. I could feel that something was up. But I didn't know what.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" The girl crawled beside me, making sure if I was okay. She had a voice which was really familiar to me. Then there came the scent, Musk Blossom. And finally I had the guts to open my eyes and face this girl.

The light from the cieling came entering my sight, hitting the retina of my eyes as the iris adjusted the size of my pupil. I squinted and looked at the girl with the long blonde hair above my face. She had a worried look.

It was Maya. I've been hallucinating again but this time, it felt real. In a different way. Like an angel from heaven or like a godmother who was summoned to come here and see me. Like a friend visiting a friend from the dead.

"Maya," I cried. I got up into a sitting position and hugged her tightly. I didn't want her to go just yet. I didn't want God to take her back so quickly. I mean, she didn't even get to see her problems vanish so I had to tell her. She needed to know.

She didn't hug me back but she seemed surprised by the sudden warm embrace. She hesitated at first but what she said next surprised me. It snapped me back into reality. It felt like I was listening to a good, calm music and then all of a sudden, loud black metal. My peace had been violated. I wasn't imagining. I wasn't dreaming nor hallucinating. It was real. It was all real.

"Uhh.. who?" She said.