Deeper • Rilaya

11: Alone Time

Riley's POV:

I can't even begin to explain how happy I am.

Maya.

My Maya is home. She's ok.

And I'm hugging her right now. The feeling of her arms around me, holding me tightly is unbeatable. Her smell is just as I remembered it to be. Sweet and rough. Strawberries and the outdoors. It fills all my senses. The warmth of her hug wrapping me in a blanket of comfort. I pull back from her just enough so I can see her face and I'm more than certain that I'm not dreaming and if I am then this would be one cruel ass dream.

Her crystal blue eyes are staring right back into mine with tears filling them up. I'm close enough to see her faint freckles and her gorgeous cheek bones and jawline are still as cunning as I remember. Her long blond hair still apparent and that all too familiar grin is making my heart melt. I place my hands on her cheeks gently and close my eyes, taking in that moment as I lean my forehead on hers.

"Oh my god I can't believe this." I whisper almost to myself but I know she can hear me because she follows up with. "Believe it Honey." I smile and hug her again.

"Well ain't this just a blessing."

Maya pulls back from me which I get a little mad at but she keeps her arms around me. "Zay I'm still gonna kill you." I hear her say and look down at her.

"Shut up and give me a hug." He says and I whimper when she lets go of me. She squeezes my hand and then goes over to Zay and gives him a huge hug, but then she punches him in the chest.

"OWW!" He yells holding his chest.

"Maya what the hell?!" I hear Lucas exclaim and she doesn't even acknowledge him. Instead she keeps talking to Zay. "That's for pulling this on me." She hits him again and he cries out again. "That's for making me believe Angela was in trouble." and then she slaps him. "And that's for Mikey knocking me out and bringing me here." She says and we all gasp.

"Zay you told me you knew how to get her here. You never said anything about knocking her out." I hear my mom yell.

"You had Maya knocked out?" I hear Farkle ask slightly angered.

"Who's Mikey?" Smackle ask.

"Wait a minute. Zay you brung Maya here?" I ask and now everyone's gaze is on him. He doesn't say anything but I already know. "You knew where Maya was?" I ask.

He doesn't say anything but then I see him look over at Maya and she nods and then he looks at all of us. "Yeah..."

"How did you find her?" I ask shocked but then I hear my my dad clear his throat.

"Zay I think it's time you tell them." He says and then I turn back to Zay who's looking at the ground. What's going on?

"What is he talking about Zay?" I ask and all I see is a guilty look on his face. It's scaring me. He looks to Maya and she places her hand on his shoulder and nods. He takes a deep breath. "I've been keeping something from you guys for a long time. I thought I was doing something good but I soon realized that it was selfish and downright wrong."

"Just spit it out Zay." Farkle says, arms crossed.

Zay looks one more time at Maya and then speaks. "I knew where Maya was...for a year."

"YOU KNEW!" I yell and soon I see Farkle run at him and then he's being held back by Smackle and Lucas. He's kicking and punching, trying to fight his way out of their grips but then Smackle and Shawn join in on holding him back, yet his rage is still going full speed.

Zay knew. He knew she was alive. He knew she was alive and never bothered to tell anyone?! Not even once. All those times I vented to him. All those times Farkle would shut down whenever someone muttered Maya's name. All those times we overheard Maya's mom cry because she didn't know where her daughter was or even if she was still alive. He knew for a year! A fucking year!