Fire Escape Visits

Living Arrangements

Maya's POV

We pulled up to my apartment building an hour later.

"So what, you're not gonna talk to me?" I asked as she sat silently with her hands still on the wheel.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Come on, Riley. Don't be like that," I begged her.

"Don't be like what? Mad at the person who got me grounded for the rest of my life?"

"If you were that mad then why did you even come get me?" I asked.

"Because I was concerned for you," she said exasperated. "Clearly more than you were."

"I'm sorry I'm not sitting around pitying myself when crappy things happen to me. I'm sorry you got grounded, but I will not beg for your forgiveness after you made the choice to drink with me," I angrily told her before slamming the car door shut and storming into my apartment building.

I walked into my apartment and was met with my mom with her arms folded in front of her chest.

"I'm not in the mood right now," I walked past her to my room.

"Your father called me," she followed me and stopped me before I reached my room. "He told me he caught you drinking last night and that you ran off."

"Anything else?" I rolled my eyes.

"And how did you get that bruise?" she motioned to my face.

He didn't tell her, she doesn't know.

"Did you get into a fight?"

I rushed to the bathroom to see for myself. I looked and the mirror and there was indeed a bruise forming on my cheek.

"No, I walked into a door jamb," I lied. "Drunks have poor coordination," I added to make it seem more believable.

"Maya, I don't buy that for a second," my mom said.

"Fine, I got into a fight with a stranger at a gas station," I lied again, which she for some reason bought.

"Maya Penelope H–"

"I know, mom," I pushed past her to my room.

"And no more hanging around that Riley Matthews girl," she yelled down the hallway.

No worries, I bet she won't even talk to me after this anyway I thought to myself.

Shortly after, the front door opened and my mom was calling for me again.

"Maya, your father's here," she calls to me hesitantly. "We need to talk to you."

"Are you two just going to yell at me like last time?" I walked out into the hall.

My mom's standing with the front door open, but the person standing in the doorway isn't Shawn, it's Kermit.

"What's he doing here?" I asked with venom in my voice.

"I invited him," my mom said.

"Why would you invite him here?"

"We thought it'd be best if you spent some time with him," she said.

"What, like visitation?" I asked confused.

"No, like you living with him."

"You can't be serious!"

"He's changed, babygirl."

"Is this about the drinking?" I asked. "Please, mom. I'll quit drinking for good, just let me stay here."

"Shawn and I aren't at a good point in our marriage and we can't keep a proper eye on you. Your father and his wife have agreed to take care of you for us."

"Liz would love to meet you, so would your little sister," Kermit interjected.

"No, I won't go," I protested.

My mom took my hands in hers. "You're going, Maya. Go pack your things, you leave in an hour."

I ran to my room and slammed the door shut.

"I' m not going!" I yelled, pulling down artwork from my walls in tears.

After a couple of minutes, I calmed down to the point where I wasn't crying anymore.

I went out onto my fire escape and took a breath of the cold air.

"If mom and Shawn want me gone, then I'll go," I said looking out and leaning over the railing.

Riley's POV

"Maya, get back from there!" I yelled when  I saw her about to go over the edge.

"Riley?" She asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize. I was on my way home but realized I was wrong and turned around," I said wrapping my arms around her and pulling her to safety. "We"re both to blame for what happened. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"It's freezing, what are you doing out here?" I asked pulling her back into the warmth of her room.

"I came to get some fresh air," she said. "Escape reality."

I looked around the room and saw the torn art and scattered clothing all over.

"What's going on, is everything okay?"

"I'm packing," she said dryly. "For North Carolina or whatever fucking state it is."

"Are you going on vacation or something?" I asked confused.

"My mom and Shawn are sending me away."

"Boarding school?"

"Worse, to live with Kermit."

"Your father," I said.

"I'm not sure that's the right word for what he is but whatever. You should go, I'm leaving soon and need to pack," she said grabbing clothes and stuffing them into a duffel bag.

"Is it safe, you living with him?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "My mom said he's changed, but I could smell the booze on both their breaths and the fake smiles they had plastered on."

"Come live with me," I said without thinking.

She stopped packing. "Really? Won't your parents flip if I'm even 100 feet within range of you?"

"It'll take some convincing, but I think they'll understand. They're good people."

She sighed. "Beats living with Kermit in the middle of fucking nowhere," she said throwing the duffel bag over her shoulder.

"You're not going to tell them?" I asked her.

"No, it's better this way."

I pushed the call button and held it up to my ear. 

"Hey, mom," I said nervously. "I have a favor to ask..."

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