Glitter Force: After Story

21 - Burnt Out

"Maya! Are you dressed?" Mr Aida shouts from downstairs. Regina gets off of Maya and sits on the bed. Maya grabbed some socks and gets ready.

"Alright Regina... you're gonna have to get ready too." Mr Aida looks to her daughter's girlfriend.
"Alright, Mr Aida.."
Regina gets dressed and Maya gets into the car.
"So is Maya seeing a therapist?"
Regina looks to Mr Aida and raises an eyebrow.
"Yes. We need you with her because for starters she finds comfort just being around you.. plus you know about her condition better than we do."

Regina gets into the car and turns to her girlfriend.
"Where are we going, babe..?"
"We're going to a therapist... don't worry I'll be there with you." Regina grabs Maya's right hand and squeezes it.
"Oh... will you stay with me while we're there...?"
Regina nods and kisses Maya.

Regina could tell Maya's anxiety was getting to her as she was breathing quite heavily and fidgeting in her seat. She picks Maya up and places her on her lap. Maya rests her head on her shoulder and starts to calm down.
"Love you, Regina..."
"I love you too Maya..."

Five minutes later, the doors open and a therapist walks through.
"Miss Maya Aida?"
Maya slowly stands up and Regina follows.
"Is your guardian not coming with you?" The therapist glances to Mr Aida.
"I'm her guardian.." Regina smiles slightly and gently wraps her arm around Maya.
"Don't worry I know the story better than anybody.. and Maya will probably be more comfortable talking about this if I stayed with her."

The three make their way to a room and sit down in some chairs.
"Alright... first off let's start with names.. I'm Doctor Bryce but you can just call me Celine. You're Maya Aida and you are..?" Celine turns to Regina.
"I'm Regina... Maya's girlfriend."
Celine's eyes widen for a split second, I don't think 'lesbian' was on Maya's record.

"Glad to meet you both.. so.. Maya. Two weeks ago your father called about you.. saying how you wouldn't eat or anything of the sort. Do you want to explain why..?"
Maya breathes in deeply. Regina gently rubs Maya's leg and nods.
"W-well... at the time... Regina had broken up with me... and... it broke me... I just ran away from her before she could properly explain herself... I ran to my room and locked the door..."

Celine nods to signal her to carry on.
"I'll... explain the rest... I can tell Maya really doesn't want to talk about what she did.."
Regina gently holds Maya's hand. She grips her hand tightly.
"So what did Maya do next..?"
Regina takes a deep breath.
"After she ran home... I called our best friend.. Rachel Hishikawa. We talked and she said she was going to see Maya. I went home to my sister's place to stay.. an hour later Rachel calls.. tells me the state Maya was in... I'm glad I didn't see her like that... it would have completely broken me... Rachel said she was on the floor curled up into a ball.. with clumps of her hair around her. Her bandages and cast had been removed too... she was.... cutting.... cutting because of me..."

Celine only nods and smiles reassuringly.
"Maya..? How long have you been self harming exactly? Could you tell me why?"
Maya nods her head slightly. She looks to her lover. She had removed her bow and was running her fingers through her hair.
"When we were in Kyoto... believe me on this... I was snatched into an alternate reality where everyone hated me... I saw Regina with somebody else and it broke me... I ran to the park and I saw a piece of glass... I just... then Regina found me and saved me... she cleaned my cuts and bandaged them..."
Celine nods and smiles at Regina.

"A week before I did what I did... I was hospitalised as a group of people tried to kill me and our friends.. Maya started to get incredibly defensive.. the following day Rachel told me Maya had gotten into a fight.. and that she was at the hospital due to a broken wrist. After that I just started thinking... am I the problem in Maya's life..? I felt like her grades started to dip because of me and she started to get into fights..." Regina looks down slowly, thinking about the last few weeks brought her great emotional pain. Maya stands up and sits in her lap. Just feeling her warmth comforted her..

"Regina was never the problem however... my grades simply started to slip because I was working too hard on some other projects at school..."
Celine nods again and smiles.
"So.. after your breakup.. what happened?"
"Well... we didn't talk for three days.. I was walking to school and turned round to see Maya shouting at Kippie... her pixie partner... Maya spotted me and that... cold... emotionless glare tore me to pieces... even in lesson our maths teacher, Mr Kittridge was shook to his core upon seeing Maya's glare..."
Maya looks to Regina guiltily and nuzzles her head into her neck.
"I tried to speak to her at lunch and then she.... slapped me... I knew then that wasn't Maya..."

Celine nods and looks at Maya. She could tell Maya was gentle at heart.
"Alright... that's it for today... do you have anything else to say..?"
Regina shakes her head. She looks to Maya and notices she had fallen asleep.
"One more thing.. are you the Glitter Force..?"
Regina nods and Celine smiles.
"Alright... I'll be in touch... do you need help with your friend..?"
They both chuckle and Regina shakes her head. She picks Maya up and leaves the room.

Mr Aida smiles.
"That's Maya for you..."
Regina chuckles.
"Yup... I'm gonna take her to bed... I don't think she got enough sleep last night.."

The following day, Regina notices Maya was trying not to fall asleep at school.
"Regina! Since you aren't paying attention, I'd like you to answer this next question."
Regina looks towards Mr Kittridge. She nods and stands up. Some of the class giggled amongst themselves. Regina walks to the front of the class and takes the chalk from Kittridge's hand and writes down the answer.
"Very good Regina, well done."
Regina rushes back to her seat.

Mr Kittridge looks around the class.
"Daniel, perhaps you can answer this next question?"
Daniel walks to the front of the class and answers the question.
Some people talk amongst themselves.
"Detention for everyone."
"Correct Daniel. Well done."

Kittridge's eyes land on Maya. She was clearly asleep.
Regina notices the bags under Maya's eyes.
"Maya!"
Maya wakes up and looks towards the front of the classroom.
"Answer this next question for me."
Regina puts her hand up.
"Sir, I think Maya should sit out.."
Mr Kittridge looks to Regina with a stern expression.
"I think Maya can answer this question just fine. Maya, answer this equation."

Maya slowly stands up. Her vision slowly fades. She begins to feel dizzy. She leans against her desk to regain her composure, but it only gets worse. She takes one step forward, and collapses.
"Maya?!"
Rachel stands up and kneels by Maya's side, careful of her wrist. She checks her pulse and sighs in relief when she feels a weak pulse.

"I told you to let Maya sit out...!" Regina looks to Mr Kittridge angrily.
"I didn't know this would happen..."
"Take her to the infirmary..." Rachel looks to Kittridge. He nods and gently lifts Maya up.

Regina holds Maya's hand.
'Oh you idiot...'
Miss Shuri enters.
"Maya will be okay... she just has a high fever due to exerting herself too much.."
Regina nods.
"Maya did say she had to plan for the school festival... oh Maya you idiot... you should've let me help..."
"Will a kiss make you forgive me...?"
Regina looks down to Maya, who was now awake.
"You're an idiot...! But yes.. a kiss will make me forgive you..."
"What about something else..?" Regina winks and giggles.
"Not here you spoon!"
Maya kisses Regina gently and holds her close.

"Alright... you're off school for the next few days babe... catch up on some sleep.. leave the preparations to me.." Regina smiles to her girlfriend.
"Alright... at least I've got the comfy bed... it'd be a shame if you were to suddenly treat me..."
Regina turns around to Maya, who was grinning and had her top two buttons of her shirt undone.
"Sleep first..."
Maya pouts. Regina cuddles her and kisses her until she fells asleep.