Girl meets the sick|| GMW

Prologue

Winter Parks held onto the warm metal poke, attempting to stand still in the moving train. She was slowly regretting her choice of transportation, but it was slightly safer than walking the blocks of New York. However, in New York there was no real safe way to get around. Though the hunger eating away at her stomach, outweighed the fear of getting kidnapped. With her hand in her pocket, the sudden realization it was too light dawned on her. She huffed, taking note that she had left her keys in her room. The sudden jolt of the train, signaling a stop, ended in her stumbling back hitting someone.

"Ow."

She snapped her head, finding another blonde girl staring at her. "Sorry." She muttered.

"You aren't from around here, are you?" The girl asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What gave it away?"

"New Yorkers don't say sorry." She explained, moving to hold the same pole Winter was. "I'm Maya."

"Winter." She muttered, glancing around the subway vigilantly. New York was a new place. Filled with new chances and threats. New York was a new life. A forced one at that.

"As in the Season?"

"You know another Winter?"

"No."

"Then, as in the season."

"Cool." After a couple of minutes of silence Maya spoke up. "So where are you headed?"

"That's confidential." She muttered, eyeing the girl suspiciously.

"What are you, secret service?"

"Could be."

"You look a little too young."

"Yeah?" She turned her full face towards Maya. "How old do you think I am?"

"I think you're the same age as me."

"How old are you?"

"12."

"I'm older than you." The sudden confession of her age, caused a look of confusion to wash over her features. "What's a twelve year old doing on the Subway?"

"None of your business."

"Hey, you started asking me questions first." She pointed out. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"I'll walk you."

Maya laughed, "You're a stranger, and you expect me to just agree."

"No, but I'm not going to let a twelve year old go home by herself in New York. That's how you end up on Fox 4 news."

"I've been doing it for a while. Besides, what are you going to do? How old are you?"

"Two years older than you, and armed with pepper spray." She pulled out the spray bottle. "And this whistle my godfather gave me." She could see the girl thinking about her offer. "I'll sleep better knowing you got home safe."

"Fine. But this is a one time thing."

"As long as I don't see you on the subway anymore, it will be." Together, the two blondes walked to an apartment in silence. With the younger one staring at the older one, majority of the time. "Can I help you?"

"Can I have your number?" Maya quietly questioned.

Winter looked at her. She would be her first friend she would make in New York, and the offer was tempting. "Okay." Winter placed her phone into Maya's hands, allowing the girl to type her number in. "I'll shoot you a text later." She instructed, beginning to walk back towards the subway. "Be safe, Maya. I'd hate to see you on the News."

She took the train towards her original destination, a donut shop. She ordered two chocolate ones before leaving. The train ride back was long, and silent. Her thoughts lingered on the young girl, and she suddenly realized she missed her presence. Perhaps she wouldn't have felt so lonely if she had stuck around longer. With great hesitation, she sent Maya a smiley face. It was not much, but it was a start.

The night felt long as she stared up at her ceiling. She listened to the yells outside her window and cars going by. Her anxiety was overwhelming her senses, so she ran her fingers along the blanket in a rhythmic motion. She counted backwards from 100, taking deep breaths along the way until she felt her eyes grow heavy, and she drifted into sleep.

—

The morning was slow, she got up sluggish and got dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. She took the subway to her new school, John Quincy Adams middle school. First day of school, and despite being 14, her first day jitters overwhelmed her. It was going to be hard being the oldest in the class, but she had no intention of telling that to anyone. She hoped for a quiet year, making no waves. 7th grade again, hopefully it would be easier this time around. She took a seat in the back, watching the other students file in. She was suddenly taken aback seeing the girl from the train walk in.

Maya seemed to have noticed her too by the way she looked at her. "It's you, train girl."

"No, it's me, bus girl." Winter responded. "Hello, Maya."

"You remembered?" Maya grinned, before turning to the girl next to her. "Riles, this is Winter. The girl I told you about on the train. She's not from here."

"Hi, I'm Riley!" The peppy girl introduced, holding out her hand. Winter shook it, eyeing the girl cautiously. "Maya has told me so much about you."

"Really, we talked for like five minutes."

Riley paused, "Maya told me everything she knows about you."

"So just my name?"

"Yeah."

Winter hummed, turning her gaze back to Maya. "Didn't think I'd see you here."

"Neither did I, you said you were two years older than me."

"I am."

"Then why are you in this class?"

"Cause I can. Why? Are you the keeper of this class?"

"No."

"Then, I don't see the problem here."

"I like you." Maya told her, sounding happy.

"Thanks?"

"I like you too." Riley added with a sugary tone.

"Hm, I bet you do, cupcake."

"Did you hear that? She called me cupcake."

"I did hear."

A boy then came up behind the girls, taking a sniff of them. Winter stood up, ready to pummel the little perv until the girls turned to talk to him like norm. From what she could guess, they were all very close. The teacher came in, seconds after, leading to everyone quitting down. It was five minutes into the class when Winter realized the teacher was related to Riley. And it was only after class that Winter realized her plan of keeping on the low was no longer plausible with Riley Matthews, Maya Hart and Farkle Minkues around. It was going to be a longer year, she could tell. Though the biggest question on her mind at that moment was, who the hell names their kid Farkle Minkus?