Hope's For Suckers Completed

Girl Meets Mastermind

People were around Maya on the day but it didn't feel like her birthday at all.
All she actually did want to do was to be with her father.
Years later and she still can't get over his death no matter how long ago it actually was.
It was now nearly eleven years later and today Maya was supposed to go to his grave which she of course did but it did hurt her being there on her own.
For years now her mother had avoided her and all she actually wanted was for her mother to be there.

It was a Friday afternoon late and all Maya's friend old and new were there at the Matthews.
She sigh seeing all the people as she heard the door bell and Cory ran over to it.

"Yeah?"
"We're here," Maya heard Josh saying over the buzzer.
"Buzzing you up," Cory said and Maya looked at him.
"Is that Josh?" Maya asked.
"Yeah, he and my parents came through. Nice having a friend like that," Cory said as Josh came through the door with his parents.

"Is this a birthday party? It's so quiet then," Alan said.
"Well, I don't like a huge fuss on my birthday," Maya said.
"Happy birthday," Amy said giving her a hug followed by Alan.
"Thanks, guys. Looks like I'm gonna have to get used to seeing you here," Maya said.
"Indeed. Happy birthday," Josh said giving Maya a hug.
"Thank you," Maya said.

~

"So, how does fourteen feel?" Josh asked when he and Maya were alone.
"Hard. Definitely hard. I went to my father's grave today," Maya said.
"Maya. Maybe that was the last thing to do on your birthday," Josh said.
"He's officially eleven years dead. It's hard. It's very hard knowing it's your birthday but your father's dead and your mother doesn't even bother to attend stuff," Maya said.