Prompt where Maya gets fed up over everyone pushing her feelings to the side and she explodes on everyone and they all realize that she's been feeling like she's less than important in their lives (inspired by the recent GMNY trailer)
“Riley still likes Lucas,” Farkle announces to the universe as the count down begins and you freeze. Not because you didn’t know that, because you did. That why you haven’t really agreed to do anything with Lucas. Not because you’re scared of the fact that now Lucas, your oblivious Huckleberry, knows now what you’ve known for weeks. But the fact that everyone knows and they are looking at the two of you with so much concern. The perfect brunette with great grades and her broken blonde friend. The main character and her side character.
“Riley, is that true?” Lucas’ voice sounds so surprised you want to hit him over the head with a brick. “You still like me?” He steps away from you and towards the girl he was always meant to be with. “Why didn’t tell me?”
“Because…” she stumbles over her words as she looks from you to Lucas, “because Maya liked you. And I stepped back. It was the right thing to do.”
“But Riley, what about your feelings?” Lucas is getting farther and farther from you. “Don’t they matter?”
And you want to scream because everyone is looking at Riley with such painful looks on their faces, like they can’t believe how brave she’s been to push aside her feelings for her best friend.
Not like you haven been doing that since you and Riley met Lucas.
“Maya?” Lucas turns to you and, even though it doesn’t feel like it, he looks angry. Not the kind of angry you’ve seen when he stands up to bullies. No, this is the kind of angry that stems from disappointment. Like he’s sad that you’ve let yourself be happy instead of letting her best friend have the spotlight, as usual.
“What?” you snap, tears stinging at the corner of your eyes. Taking a few steps forward, you snarl,”What do you want me to say? That I took Riley for granted? That I did this to hurt her?” When no one says anything, you turn from the group. “Fine. Well, I’m not sorry for trying to be happy for once.” You sneer and turn your back. “Oh, poor Maya. She hates school and studying and isn’t smart. She’s got nothing going for her but her art, which doesn’t get anyone anywhere, ever. Maya is the selfish one, putting her feelings before her prefect best friend’s. She’s mean to Lucas and doesn’t care about Farkle and she always does what’s best for only her. Because that’s who Maya is. A selfish, broken soul with no sense of anyone else.” Your friends are frozen, all either pale or wide eyed. “But you’ve never thought of that, have you?” You spin around and storm off.
You get to the door to got back downstairs, tears in your eyes and a crack in your soul, when Cory comes up the stairs. You run into him and, unfortunately, he stops you with his hands on your shoulder. “Maya, what’s going–?”
“Don’t worry, Matthews,” you shrug him off, “Huckleberry and Riley are getting back together. I can’t be here anymore.” He opens his mouth to say something, but you stop him. “It’s okay, Matthews.” But your voice wavers when you see Topanga giving you a sad smile. You know all of your friends are standing behind you, listening to what you have to say. “I’ve realized that hope is for suckers and there’s no one up there watching out for me. You all have a good New Years and I’ll see you at school next week.”
You start down the stairs into Topanga’s and settle on the familiar seat where you sat with Lucas on your “first” date. The tears are there, but you refuse to let them fall. Riley and Lucas will be happy together, Farkle is with Smackle, and even Charlie seemed to be having fun.
But you. You have always been alone. The lone wolf that circled the sun instead of the moon. And you’ve just been thrown out of your pack by the ones you were loyal to. You stand up and, with a whole in your heart, you leave the cafe and the ones you thought were your friends. Those that believed in you and built you up, instead they just knocked you down and push you to be your worst because that’s all they believe you can be.
So, as the clock chimes midnight and the fireworks go off, you leave your old life to strike out on your own. The lone wolf.