Girl Meets Maya's World: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Rumors vs. The Truth

I decided to take Crazy Hat's advice. It seems like the right thing to do for now, anyways. So, I decided to head home and make myself some more hot cocoa. I got into my Christmas pyjamas, since it was like 2 weeks 'til Christmas. I was watching the Christmas Movie Marathon, thinking. "I need a Christmas miracle" I thought. That boy in the movie, really got those bandits bad, the kids pretty smart, I thought. "Too bad I'm not that smart, than I would know what to do" I thought. I was over half way through the movie, when my mom came rushing down the stairs. "Maya, turn it to the local news" she said sitting on the other chair. "Ugh, why?" I asked "I'm kinda watching something" I added.

"Just hurry, I want you to see this" she said. I flipped the channel to Channel 7, the news. The time was 10:07pm on the clock. "Breaking News, earlier this evening at around 9pm, there was a brutal assault at a local house in downtown New York City. A young 12-year-old girl was brutally beaten and sexually assaulted by 6 teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19. The neighbours to one of the teens heard screaming and crying and saw a blood stain in their window and immediately called the police. When the house was surrounded by police, the teenagers all managed to escape and left the young girl beaten inside the house. Police still look for the teens, the parents were not home at the time and it is unknown who they are. If you have any information, than please call the abuse hotline immediately. We will talk more on this story later tonight. Now, grocery stores and going bankrupt in Seattle...." the News Casting lady said. "So, grocery stores go bankrupt all the time, especially in Seattle" I said disappointedly to my mom. "No, Maya. I mean the story about the little girl, she was your age you know" she said. "Well, things like that happen all the time, it has nothing to do with me" I replied. "It was right here in New York, hun. It could've been some girl in your school even, you never know" My mom explained. "Come on, mom, really?" I said with disbelief. "You never know" she said getting up and making her way back upstairs. "Huh" I thought.

The next morning, I found myself passed out on the couch, full with cups and cups of hot cocoa and Christmas chocolate. School was still in for another week or so. The time on the clock was 5:52am. I had like 8 minutes to sleep, I'd better get a head start on the morning anyway. I stood up and wobbled on my feet. "Whoa, way to much cocoa" I said finding my balance. "I almost feel sick" I thought. I did my every morning routine, getting ready for school. Then at 7:00pm, I made my way to Riley's house. "Maya" I buzzed in. Nobody buzzed back. "Maya" I buzzed in again, still nothing, not even Mr. Matthews. "Hello!?" I buzzed in again. The man running the lobby looked at me. "What number are you trying to get to?" he asked. "26" I responded. "26? The Matthews?" he asked. "Yes, sir" I responded. "They are not home, they haven't been all night" he said and returned to behind his desk. "Hmm" I thought confused. "Hopefully, she hasn't turned into a Harajuku girl again" I thought, leaving the building.

I got on the subway and made my ride to school. The subway was quiet, I wasn't used to riding it alone every morning, Riley's usually with me. But it was weird, everyone on the subway was quiet, like someone they loved just died or something. It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach, like I just wanted to get off. Finally, it reached my stop and I got myself off as soon as I could. I felt much better as I made my way to class. "Hey Maya!" Farkle called in the hallways. "Hey, Farkle" I said in a disappointed tone. "What's wrong? Did you hear what happened last night?" he asked me. "You mean the girl on the news?" I asked. He nodded his head. "Yeah, do you know who it was?" I asked, thinking maybe my mom was right about her going to JQA. "Nobody does, they didn't reveal her identity. Rumors have it that it is someone in our grade, at our school" Farkle said. "Huh" I replied. "Well, we'd better get to class" he said, walking into Mr. Matthews' history class. Lucas was already in class as well. The bell went seconds later and I forced myself to class, once again.

I took my seat in front of Lucas, when I felt someone tap my back. I turned around and saw Lucas lookin' all Lucas, but concerned. "What?" I asked. "Did you hear the--" "Yes, I heard the story!" I inturrupted and faced front again. Then a teacher came into the classroom, a teacher who was not Mr. Matthews. "Good morning, class. I'm Ms. Fernfelt and I will be your substitute teacher for today" she said. Ms. Fernfelt was old. Like 60 or 70 or somethin'. Her name was "Ms Fernfelt, not Mrs. which means she was not married. She was probably unattractive as a mid-aged adult. And on a substitute teacher sallary, she must've lived in Central Park in a cardboard box or something, I assumed. "So, today Mr. Matthews told me to give you this sheet to fill out and you must fill it all out by the end of class, or else it's homework" she said. I looked over at Farkle, going straight to work and then at Lucas who was doing the same. I looked over at Riley's seat, which was empty. No sight, no smell, nothing. "She's gone, Mr. Matthews is gone and they weren't home this morning. Must be some kinda family thing" I thought.

I didn't get much work done that class, I had homework, which I obviously wasn't doing, especially with so much on my mind. The bell wrang and the day went by super fast. Usually, it would go by slower, with so much on my mind, but it went faster. At the end of the day, Farkle approached me. "Maya, do you know where Riley was today?" he asked. "No, not a clue. Nobody was at their apartment this morning" I explained to him. "Oh, weird. Isn't it such a coincadence?" Farkle asked. "What do you mean?" I asked, slamming my locker and facing him. "Well, I did get some information from Lucas, but that's not the point. he said. "Than what is?" I asked. "That Riley was absent and the bruise she had on her arm and then that 12-year-old girl got attacked in New York and everyone says it was someone in our school and she was the only one absent today?" Farkle asked.