Before I Leave

I Did a Bad Thing

"Guess who's back!" Maya yelled as she stuck her head through the Bay Window.

Riley's face lit up immediately, "Peaches!"

She climbed the rest of the way into the room and took her spot next to Riley at the window. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Maya."

Maya smiled wide as she leaned in to kiss Riley but was stopped by a hand at her chest, not allowing her to move closer.

"Wait. We need to talk first. It's important," Riley said hesitantly, her hand still on Maya's chest.

"Ok?" Maya leaned back, her face full of confusion.

Riley turned to face forward, away from Maya. She placed both her hands in her lap and looked down, ashamed of what she was about to admit, "I did a bad thing."

"You're Riley Matthews. What could you possibly have done that was so bad? Did you eat another of Zay's cookies?" Maya laughed slightly at the suggestion.

"I lied to my best friend."

Maya froze, "Riles?"

"...at the airport."

"Riley...?" Maya couldn't think, she struggled to breathe. She felt tears forming in her eyes.

Riley closed her eyelids, trying to find the courage to tell Maya what she needed to, "I shouldn't have said what I did then."

"Why?" There was no holding the tears back any longer. They were hot with hurt and anger as they cascaded down Maya's face.

"You were crying when I found you, and I thought..."

"That was out of...pity?" Maya spat the word out like poison.

"No! Peaches, of course not!" Riley turned back to face Maya; her eyes pleading her to calm down.

"Then why exactly did you do it? For fun? To lead me on? To make me feel worse? Tell me why!" The words came out in hysterics, a mixture of screams and sobs. Maya felt like she was yelling incoherently, desperately trying to express just how crushed she was.

"Because I love you and want you to be happy! I didn't know what I wanted. I was confused. Please listen to me, Maya!"

"Don't, Riley.... Just... don't," she turned to leave.

"Wait! Please don't leave. I have to tell you..." Riley placed her hand on Maya's shoulder, trying to convince the blonde to let her finish.

Maya pushed Riley's hand away forcefully. "I don't want to hear anything else you have to say!" She screamed over her shoulder before climbing through the Bay Window, Riley yelling after her.

"Maya stop!" Tears were now pouring from Riley's face now as well. "I'm sorry, Peaches! Come back!" She screamed out the window, watching Maya climb down the fire escape. "I messed up! I know what I want now, Maya! Please come back!"

Maya reached the street below and walked off away towards the subway.

"Maya Hart, stop right there!" Riley started to climb down the steps after her.

"Just leave me alone, Riley," Maya said, refusing to turn around.

"No! I can't leave you alone. I... I love you, Maya," Riley called down from the balcony of the fire escape. "I know what I want! Please come back up here, and talk to me!"

Maya did not move. She did not turn around. She did not make another step towards the subway. Her feet stood planted in place as she sobbed in the alley behind the Matthews' apartment.

"I wan't you! I'm in love with you too!"