Chapter Text
Before crossing the large green courtyard Maya clicked the button to lock her beat up old bug. Once she heard the beep, she stuffed her keys in her book bag and pulled out her camera. The school year had started just a few weeks ago and it was senior year, Maya wanted to capture every moment.
And it wasn’t because she was feeling bittersweet nostalgia. During her high school year Maya took up graphic design. Anything with a computer or tablet she was talented at, of course she still loved her paints, pencils, and canvas but Maya saw graphic design was where the money was at and could support a lifestyle for herself while she kept painting, what she really loved, as a side passion. She could do it when she wanted, how she wanted, whenever she wanted it was all her, but graphic design she did for others.
That’s how Maya ended up as the editor for the yearbooks Student Life page. Her job was to take and find the pictures, create a memorable page for her and her classmates in her last year of high school and submit it for her college portfolio.
Maya was already in talks with a college after her teacher sent a lot of work she did for the school and local businesses, for the most part she had it in the bag it was just doing the formal application process.
So here Maya was setting up her camera and looking for the perfect photo.
Once she reached the fountain in the courtyard, she scanned the grassy location.
Of course, the beautiful and popular were at the fountain like the first shot of any high school film and Riley Matthews was at the center of it all as president of the student council. They were doing a back-to-school fundraiser for all the lavish activities they had planned for the year. Right now, it was “Breakfast by the Fountain”, pay $3 dollars for your pick of a breakfast bowl and enjoy it by the fountain.
Maya headed over and Riley caught sight of her.
“Peaches!”
“Hi honey,” Maya smiled back and motioned to her camera. Riley lifted a warm breakfast bowl and had that big sunshine smile on her face. Maya's camera clicked and Riley handed the bowl to her.
“Of course, we appreciate everything you do for our yearbook and the amazing photos of the student council that you get an honorary bowl! "And just because I love you,” Riley beamed.
Maya smiled. “Thank you Riles.”
Riley didn’t see though; it was bit of a forced smile.
“Oh! I can’t make it Friday! Kelly and I are going to the shelter to help pass out doggie bedtime treats and then meet up with the rest of the council later, I’m sorry!”
“It’s okay, I have to work on my layout for the yearbook anyway, get some ideas going.”
This wasn’t new to Maya. Since Riley gained some confidence, she's had her own life in high school that Maya had been put on the backburner for. Maya loved watching her little baby bird spread her wings at first, then she got sad, but now it was just the new normal.
She and Maya make plans, but Riley backs out for the council and whatever activities they have planned.
And Lucas.
Maya shakes that lost thought away.
“I knew you would understand peaches!” Riley threw her arms around Maya and gave her a tight squeeze.
Maya hugged her back. She remembered when Riley's hugs were her safe place but now, they just feel foreign, and that thought does leave a bittersweet taste in Maya’s mouth.
“Is my biscuits and gravy breakfast bowel ready to go?”
Maya stiffened but Riley didn’t notice, and she broke from the hug.
“Of course, it is, and I it made with love,” Riley said to Lucas.
She thought the devil into existence.
Lucas stared at Maya, and she stared back at him and for a split second everything stopped.
A backseat, a sky full of stars, strong arms, and a maybe.
Riley leaned in for a kiss from Lucas which he responded too, and Maya tried to make a getaway.
“Aww Maya they are so cute! You have to take a picture for the couple's page!”
Maya glared at Denise.
“Oh, please Maya!” Riley pleaded. “The sun is hitting the water just right and it would be so magical!”
Maya gave a small smile. “Anything for you Riley.”
“Yay! Okay come here Lucas, I going to stand at the end of the fountain to lean down and kiss you and you just hold me and kiss back,” Riley said as she began to position her and Lucas. He just smiled as he let Riley guide him, but Maya swore, she saw him take a quick peek at her.
It didn’t matter though.
Lucas held Riley up as she leaned down to kiss him and even though her heart was in her stomach Maya was an artist and had to do it right. She looked through her camera lens, she found the perfect angle, focused the camera and just like Riley said, it was magical.
“Got it,” Maya said.
Riley jumped into Lucas’s arms, and he held her to his chest.
“Oh, Maya I can't wait to see it!”
“As soon as its developed, Riley.”
Riley squealed and threw her arms around Lucas’s neck as she kissed him, and Maya took the opportunity to run away but as she put her breakfast bowl in her bag, she caught the glares from Kelly and Denise.
Maya just left not looking back at the happy couple.
“Well, that hurts to watch,” a voice said.
Maya looked over to see Kendra walk in step next to her. Her pink and red curly hair bouncing on her shoulders. Kendra was an artist like Maya, both graphic and on canvas but Kendra preferred the graphic. They really had become close since the end of freshmen year, that was when the separation had started, and Kendra was there.
It hurt Maya to say but Kendra was her new best friend. When everyone fell in the stigma of high school cliques Kendra was the first friend Maya made and has stayed by her side since. Sleepovers, partners in class, even getting suspended together fighting with some girls after school. Kendra was just like Maya, which sometimes could be a bad thing because Kendra knew what was going on inside Maya’s head.
Maya would always love Riley, but Kendra was the other half of Maya, it was good to have Riley as her opposite to help her grow and evolve and be loved but Kendra was Maya. Maya could take risks and not feel judged, she could say what was really on her mind, she loved Maya for her flaws.
“Good morning to you too but please shut up,” Maya told her.
Kendra chuckled as she handed Maya a bottle of water. Which Maya took.
“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, it’s not fair.”
“It’s not supposed to be fair,” Maya said. They reached Kendra's locker and Maya twisted to the correct numbers. She had first period gym and Kendra’s locker was closer.
Maya put her stuff inside and then grabbed her gym clothes and put a fresh pair in for the next day.
“Maya you’re just hiding and holding it in, for YEARS it’s not fixing anything. Since little baby teeny boppers, you’ve held onto it, it's not fair.”
“Okay maybe it's not but it's too late now.”
“Not really I mean not since the start of summer which was just a few months ago and you're still not even sure if that was a mis-”
“Enough,” Maya told her grabbing her by the shoulders. Maya didn’t want to remember any of that ever again.
Even though it played in her mind repeatedly and haunted her dreams.
“You’ll crack one day Hart and I'm going to be right there with you through it all,” Kendra told her earnestly looking Maya in the eyes. Maya just looked back at her and gave her friend a hug.
Maya knew Kendra hated this situation enough for the both of them. Maya was happy now she didn’t have to carry that burden alone.
“No more about this for the rest of the week because we have to finish your entry for the newspaper logo. Friday night? I’ll bring the bottles,” Maya said giving her mischievous smirk.
Kendra laughed. “I thought Shawn hid the bottles from you?”
Maya closed Kendra’s locker. “Please, Shawn’s motto is ‘if you're going to do it, do it in the house’ and gives me what's leftover of his. I’ve got two.”
“Then it’s a date, our best work is drunk together anyway.”
Maya and Kendra laughed before parting ways to their classes.
A young Texan watched as Maya opened the gym doors.