"Aren't you gonna answer it?" The all-too familiar voice awoke Maya from her gaze, as she jumped in fright.
"And you said that you're not scared of me anymore." He chuckled.
Maya sighed in relief when she saw his face, and clicked 'Decline'. "Uhh- N-No, no. It's nobody."
Lucas nodded before he continued to speak. "Why did you run off earlier? I wasn't done talking to you."
"Well I was." She faked a smile, beginning to take off again.
"Oh, no you don't." He gently grabbed her wrist. "You can't keep running away."
Maya took a gulp and inhaled deeply, speaking quietly and weakly. "W-What are you talking about?"
"You can't do this. You have to face the truth some time." Lucas sternly told her.
"I-I don't know what you're saying..." Her eyes widened.
"Maya, you can't run away forever." He took a step closer, her heartbreaking increasing rapidly.
"Yes, I can." She spoke up.
"You need to talk to me." Lucas insisted.
"No." Maya shrugged him off.
"Please?" He stared deep into her eyes.
"No, I don't need to tell you anything. This has nothing to do with you. They found a home for you. I had to stay there, alone, for five years after you left. Yes, I hated you, but you were my only friend. I was alone and sad. What else was I supposed to do?" Maya had finally cracked.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, "What are you talking about, Blondie?"
"What are you talking about?" She hesitantly spoke, realising that she must have got the wrong end of the stick.
Lucas frowned at her, and slowly spoke. "I haven't seen you for like six, seven years, you can't just run off when I'm trying to catch up with you."
Maya let it sink in, then smiled. Her secret was still safe.
"Oh! Yeah, yeah. I knew that's what you were talking about." Her voice went high as she nodded her head vigorously.
"What were you talking-" He unwarily spoke, suspicious of his long-lost friend.
"No, no. I mean, yeah that's what I was talking about too!" She spoke quickly and continuously giggled. "Sorry for running away... from you. What do you want to know, old pal, buddy, chum,-"
Her rambling grinded to a halt as Lucas cut her off.
"Whoa, whoa, slow down there, Blondie." He chuckled, and then smiled, "If I take you to your class will you stop talking?"
"Oh, right. Yeah." Maya bit her lip, beginning to walk with him.
"Wait, I'll take you to class if you answer my questions." He stopped walking.
"What kind of questions?" She turned around to look at him.
"Just a few questions to catch up with you." Lucas smiled. "Don't worry you don't have to answer the ones that make you feel uncomfortable."
Maya thought about it for a second, before nodding. "Deal."
As they walked to class, the conversation was friendly. They reminisced their childhood, and joked about their memories together, good and bad. This wasn't so bad. Maybe Lucas Friar had changed.
"Remember when we snuck out into the streets after dark together, and the police were crawling the streets of Philadelphia looking for us?" Lucas laughed, remembering the good times.
"Mrs White nearly had a nervous breakdown!" Maya burst out in laughter.
"When we came back all the other kids cheered for us." He shook his head in disbelief and laughter.
"Lucas and Maya. Partners in crime." She let out a laugh.
"The dream team." The signature smirk grew upon his face.
"Yeah." Maya laughed. "How big is this school? Have we taken the long way around?"
"Actually, we've walked around the school three times." He innocently shrugged his shoulders.
Her jaw dropped, "What? You weren't planning on taking me to class were you?"
"I guess I got caught up in the moment." Lucas scratched his head. "I'll take you now."
Before they could begin to walk, the bell rang.
"Please don't tell me that bell means the end of period." She sighed.
"Oops?" He bit his lip, acting cute.
"You mean to tell me that I skipped a whole period, on my first day?" Maya groaned, running a hand through her hair.
He nodded, and then smugly grinned, "I guess time flies when you're having fun."
"Lucas Friar..." She slowly spoke, glaring at him and walking closer to him.
"Relax, I'll cover for you." He chuckled, beginning to walk away.
Maya paused before she realised that he was leaving her. "Wait, where are you going?"
"Last period, duh." As he called, Maya caught up with him.
Finally, it was almost the end of Maya's first day at her new school.
All she had to do was survive gym class, which was pretty easy. Maya had always exceeded in gym, as she was extremely fit and sporty.
She was already a little late, so when she went into the locker room, it was empty.
Quickly, she changed into her shorts, t-shirt, and mint green sneakers. She tied her long hair in a high ponytail. She hid her locket in her shoe. The locket was the only thing that truly belonged to Maya. 'Maya Fox' was carved on the outside of the locket, and on the inside was a picture of her father, her mother, and baby Maya. This was the only thing that was left for her by her family.
Maya confidently strut into the hall, to be welcomed with every single head looking at her. It was almost as if a spotlight had shone above her.
"You're so lucky!" One girl sighed at her, covering her heart with a hand.
"You go girl!" Another girl gave her an approving nod, however most of the girls' faces were filled with dark glares and jealousy.
As she walked closer to Riley and Farkle, she was puzzled.
"What did I do?" Maya raised an eyebrow, and let out a little laugh.
Riley, however had her arms crossed. "That's what I'd like to know."
"What?" She laughed.
"We heard that you and Lucas Friar skipped last period together..." Riley pouted, looking down at her friend.
"Didn't we warn you about him?" Farkle shrieked. "He's dangerous!"
"What?" Maya raised an eyebrow, and shook her head. "He's not dangerous. I-"
"He's got a girlfriend, you know. Missy Bradford." The brunette sternly spoke.
"Wait, really?" She turned around to glance at Lucas. "Oh... Yeah, of course I knew that. But anyway, that doesn't mean that I can't-"
"Yes, it does!" Riley gasped.
"We were talking, and I guess we got caught up in the moment-" Maya scrunched her brow, looking over at Lucas and his friends, who seemed to be telling him the same thing, except that they seemed to be congratulating him someway or another, messing his hair up and playfully punching his arms. He glanced at her with a smirk, before Maya quickly turned away.
"Oh!" Farkle spoke loudly. "Is that what you kids call it these days, 'talking'?"
Maya let out a confused laugh. "What are you talking about? What's the big deal? I didn't think that it would be a problem..."
"Well, you thought wrong." Riley sighed. "Maya, I don't know where you come from, but around here, you can't just go around and... You know..."
"No, I don't know! What are you talking about? I didn't do anything! I discovered that Lucas and I were childhood friends, and I was catching up with him. I haven't seen him for like seven years!" Maya shrieked, still confused.
"Wait...-" Riley began to speak, realising that her friend was telling the truth.
"Lucas Friar... Maya Fox, please report to the principal's office immediately."
The entire class looked at them, and a few obnoxious kids began to yell: "Oooh!"
"Maya..." Riley whimpered, fearing that her friend would get in trouble.
She hesitated, before she laughed. "Riles, all I did was skip class. I've done it plenty of times. How much trouble could I be in?"
Riley looked a little dumbfounded before she spoke up. "Uhh... Maya, wait."
"Relax, I'll be fine. I can handle this." Maya raised an eyebrow, before confidently walking out of the gym.
Lucas had a smug look on his handsome face, as he followed her out