The Age Of Seventeen

Chapter 35

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M A Y A

I knock on Riley's bay window and she stirs in bed, then opens the window for me to step in. I do so, and at first we kinda just sit there in silence until Riley speaks.

"What happened to you last night, Maya?" She asks, the tone in her voice a worried one, and her usually knitted brow plastered on her face.

"I-I...I don't know. I thought I was mad at my mom, then I'm sitting in my room realizing I'm mad at myself." I begin, adding a nervous laugh at the end. This is all beginning to sound crazy.

"Why? What does this have to do with you? Did you poke wholes in Shawn's-" I cover her mouth, and she's just looking at me with wide eyes.

"No!" I immediately yell. "I guess I feel guilty. I'm supposed to be an example to my big sister and I've already messed up. The kid has a big sister who's a teen mom." 

"Maya, Evie is your daughter— she's not a mistake. Your sister or brother will love Evie as much as we all do." Riley assures, giving my hand a comforting squeeze.

"I just feel like I'm supposed to be this great role model." I shrug, not knowing how else to put it.

"And you are, Maya. You have so much advice to offer, not only to your bother or sister, but to all of those around you— mainly girls like you and me. The fact that you're a teen mom doesn't change anything. You're awesome." She gives me a toothless smile, and I nod bringing her in for a hug. I desperately needed to hear this, and I knew Riley would know what to say to me. She always does.

"So did you or did you not?" She asks raising an eyebrow. I frown at her then she says: "You know...the Shawn thing—"

"Riley!" I scold, and she purses her lip and gives me puppy eyes for scolding her. Moments later we look at each other and laugh.

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"Hey," I say to mom and Shawn as I step into our apartment. Then I turn around and see they had company.

Zay.

I remain frozen in my tracks because by the folded arms and scolds my parents are giving me I know Zay probably said something he wasn't supposed to. Maybe a little something regarding Farkle Minkus.

"Zay?" I ask as I step over to him slowly and he tries to back up on the couch.

"Maya, why are we the last to know Farkle is back and he came to see you? And supposedly you two are back together? What's going on?" My mom bombards. I turn my gaze from Zay to my mom.

"I was going to tell you guys. He came back yesterday, and we might be back together. I don't know yet, we have things to figure out." Then I turn back to Zay. "And as for you.."

Before I can say anything else I grab him by his arm and drag him out of my house. Before I shut the door in his face I say: "do yourself a favor and mind your own business from now on, or else."

My hands formed fists at my sides which made my knuckles white as snow. Zay's eyes bulged out at my threat, and he went as fast as he came. I watched him disappear and smiled to myself for putting a stop to all of this.

"You still have some explaining to do, Maya." Shawn says, and I sigh as I turn to face my confused and angry parents.

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F A R K L E

"This is perfect!" I say as I look from the glass windows of the loft I was planning to buy for Maya, Everly, and I. The scenery in front of me was breathtaking, the dawn coming upon New York City and all of the lights flowed everywhere. I smiled happily, feeling satisfied with the apartment and turn to say: "I'll take it!"