Maya Meets the Real World

Cereal

note: *this story is set when Riley and Maya are in 8th grade. Katie and Shawn were not married yet.*

Riley's POV

I finish curling my hair for school and walk into the kitchen. It's 7:40 am and I leave for school in 10 minutes. Maya should be getting here any minute. She usually comes right on time for breakfast. I grab a cereal bowl and pour a bowl of cereal. My mom walks in dressed for work.

"Hey Hun! How are you this fine morning?" Topanga says.

"Great Mom! Want me to get you a bowl of cereal?"

"No thanks Riles. I'm late for work. I have to leave right now!"

"Okay. Bye Mom. Have a good day!"

She waves and says "oh! And don't forget your lunch! I packed one for Maya too!"

Just as Topanga leaves I hear Maya come through the bay window.

"Hey Maya! I poured you some cereal. Come here!"

No answer.
"Maya!!!!" I yell "come here!!"
Still no answer.

I decide to walk in there and see Maya lying on my bed.
"Maya! Really? How much sleep did you get last night?"

I grab her arms attempt to pull her up. She didn't budge. I then try to take off the blankets. She tugs back hard and makes it almost impossible to pull them off, but luckily I am strong. I uncover her and see her tired face. She quickly buries it into my pillow.

"Maya, get up! Why are you so tired? We have to leave in 10 minutes!"
I grab her shoulder and try to turn her around, but then I feel shaking.
"Maya? Are you okay?"
Then I hear a faint crying coming from Maya.
"Oh my gosh. What do I do?" I think to myself.
"Bay window. Bay window now Maya."

I mange to pull her up and bring her to the window as she leans on me for support. I gently let her down onto the bench. She leans on my shoulder, still crying. I've never seen her this upset. I put my arm around her shoulder, giving her a half-hug. I look into her eyes, but she looks away.
"You can tell me anything, Maya. You know that. What's going on?"

"Nothing Riles. Don't worry about it." She says while wiping tears from her eyes.

I embrace her in a big hug. If she doesn't want to tell me right now, I won't force it out of her.

I wish I could stay and help her, but we have to go to school.

"Maya, do you want to go to school today? Or you can stay home?"

All of a sudden she looks frightened. "No I don't want to go home. I'll come to school."

I look her in the eyes, trying to find answers, but she turns away.

"I'm fine." She whispers, tucking her hair behind her ears. Maya walks out of my bedroom.

I stay for a few seconds, thinking through what just happened. Why doesn't she want to stay home? I follow her into the hallway. Shes in the kitchen, eating her now soggy bowl of cereal. Her tears are all gone, and there's no sign that she was just crying her heart out.

Maya puts her finished bowl in the sink and looks at me. 

"Ready for school?" She says with a smile.

"Um y-yeah..?" I say, confused on how she changed her mood so quickly.

We grab the lunches Topanga made and walk out the door.

"I'll race you to the school bus!" Maya says to me. "Whoever wins get a dollar!"

I glance at her, but respond "okay!"

We race to the bus, making it just in time before the bus left.  Maya wins by a split second.

"Aw man," I say. "You always win!"

"And yet you still agree to race me every single time!" She says back.