Endgame AU

Chapter 8

Riley

"Lucas." I say trying to get up but he doesn't allow me to. He has forced me to sit in detention with him. "Lucas." I say more sternly and he laughs.

"What? You want to ditch me to go and hang out with Maya?" Im shocked by his words. "How could you say something like that! She- you hurt her emotionally today and you say something like that!" I try to keep my voice down but I really want to scream.

He reaches his hand over and places it on top of mine.

"Babe." I wince at his choice of word. "She will only bring you down. See. All you can think about is her. I don't want you falling into depression because of what is going on in her life." He says. I can hear the sincerity in his voice and I can see it in his eyes. He might be a jerk, and a little jealous but I can tell her cares.

And he's right. All I can think about is how much she's been through and it makes me sad. I cried myself to sleep last night. I nod and made a promise to myself. I turn to him. "I promise I won't get attached to her. She is only someone who I am helping. Once she's better we can go back to how things used to be, yeah?" I smile and he beams and kisses me on the cheek.

When his detention is over we head out to Cafe, my mom's cafe shop. We walk in and to my surprise Maya, Farkle, Smakle and Zay are already sitting and enjoying goods. I was about to walk over to Maya to ask her how she's doing but am stopped. I can't get attached. I smile instead.

I immediately regret my actions as she sighs and drops her head. I watch as a tear rolls down her cheeks. I am about to walk over and talk to her when Lucas pulls me towards the counter to order something to eat.

Maya

"When I was little they always called me crybaby, crybaby but I honestly didn't care." Smakle says. Emphasizing the 'crybaby' with a high pitched voice. We were talking about nicknames we were given when we were smaller. I smile as I remember how my mom used to call me goldilocks. Just then Lucas and Riley walk through the cafe doors.

I think back to what the other Maya had said in my hallucination about how Riley is only my friend because she feels bad for me. I'm just some charity benefit. I was really starting to hate the term. I shook my head. Maybe she actually cares for me. She smiles and continues to walk. Gosh that smile. I drop my head remembering what the other Maya had said. I don't matter to Riley.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. "Hey." I look up and Smakle wipes the tear off of my cheek. We both blush. Oh god. No. I can't- My thought are interrupted. "Don't cry..." She pauses. "What's wrong?" I sigh. "I don't even know." I am way too confused right now to think. Smakle's touch made me blush. WHAT!?

She lifts up my chin and we just stare into each other's eyes. She has beautiful brown eyes with a tone of gray to them. Both our cheeks flare up and she drops her hand and her head. I shift awkwardly. Luckily, Farkle and Zay were too distracted having a conversation to notice what had happened.

"Hey guys!" Riley chirps as she slumps down in the couch opposite to Smakle and I. "Hey." We all said in unison. "How are you Maya?" She asks looking at me. My eyes widen at her question. "Good. I'm fine. I-" I can barely form my words for I am too flustered by Smakle's touch and confused as to why Riley cares. I can hear Lucas scoff.

"Good. I was so scared when I saw you in the street. I was really worried that something had happened to you." Riley goes on rambling about how worried she was about me and I just melt into her voice.

*Time skip*

I sit on Riley's bed as we both finish up Algebra homework. I'm really good at it but she struggles a bit. I'm really glad that I can help her with something because I feel a little guilty that she has to take care of me. She gets up and sits in her bay window. She pats the seat next to her. She looks very hesitant and it makes me feel nervous.

"I- uh I umm..." Her voice trails off as she plays with her hands. I stay quiet and wait for her to collect herself. "I never bring people to my bay window unless they are my real friend and I care about them and trust them with my secrets." She says looking up at me quickly before going back to play with her hands.

I can't help but be surprised.

She trusts me?

She cares for me?

Real friend?

Tears start to fall like rain and I can't hold them back. She pulls me into a soft hug which only makes me cry harder. She knows I cut and that I have wounds and she doesn't want to hurt me. I melt into her arms. She wipes the tears off my cheeks and I blush at her touch. I blush even more when I notice she's blushing and biting her lip.

She places her head into the crook of my neck. And we drift off to sleep.

*Hey guys. 

200 reads! That's honestly amazing. Thank you so much for taking your time to read this story. More chapters to come. *