The Divines Above

It had been two weeks since the group of divine friends visited their 'deceased' friend, two weeks since they encountered the next reincarnation, two weeks since they found Maya sleeping on her art room floor and two weeks since a ray of hope shone through the grey clouds of Maya's mind.

Maya and Farkle and Lucas had a shift at their friend's coffee shop, 'Topanga's'. The shop had been very popular for a while due to its 'homey' feel and great beverages. The service is also quite decent if you just ignore the current laughing and whispers somewhere behind the counter, most probably from the break room.

The three friends had been humoring themselves in the art of 'observing' people at a distance, so far they have seen a break up happen at the left side of the cafe, pretty harsh one too and hilarious, guy dumped a milkshake on the girl's head. A group of people were chatting about theories about what the gods or goddesses looked like if they existed, the god friends were having a hard time not to burst at that one. The last one was a guy who got scared by his friends and he had accidentally spilled his coffee on one of them, Lucas felt so sorry that he gave him another one for free and gave the one in pain, tissues.

The day was rather decent for them, they had afternoon shift and the rush hour is now long gone. Now Lucas mans the cashier, Farkle and Maya man the beverage making part, Topanga, the manager and owner of the place was somewhere in the back, probably busy with papers.

The interior of the cafe was quite warm and not chilly and breezy like the outside. They were occupied with their own thing, so they did not notice the bell chiming above the door, they assumed that it was only the wind messing with them again. The weather was a bit windy, it is currently October so it has happened a couple of times and whenever it occurred they looked up and they never saw anyone entering.

This time though they ignored the chime and continued to do what they were doing. however their assumption was wrong.

"Lucas?"

The boy gazed up quickly and so did his friends, they knew that voice. "Riley?"

"Yep! That's me." She chirped. "Didn't expect you guys to work here." The brunette said while glancing towards Maya whose mouth was slightly agape.

"Uh...yeah...we work here," He gestured to himself and the others. "So... We haven't seen you here before." He stated, they have actually never seen her anywhere before, even the others when he doesn't have the same shift as them, has never mentioned Riley entering here after they had met her.

"Actually my friend here," She pointed to the blonde girl beside her. "Darby here is one of my new friends, she pointed to this cafe here, because she said that it was all cozy and stuff." She explained, letting out a giggle at the same time. "And I'm all for cozy stuff!"

The brunette glanced at the far end of the counter, she then spotted Maya who was smiling at her. She waved back with a shy smile and a slight blush on her cheeks, the blonde's eyes widened at the response then shyly waved back then retreated.

"Riley here, wants some good hot choco with marshmallows and whip cream," Darby interrupted, Riley glared at the blonde. "I'll get some cinnamon mocha."

The duo paid for the beverages and headed towards the couch near the counter, Riley glancing to it every now and then, hoping that she would catch a certain blonde's eye. Darby beside her kept ranting about...something.

The two of them were expecting another friend of Darby's to arrive here at the cafe, the brunette hoped that the friend's arrival would divert Darby's attention away from her. It's not that Riley doesn't like her or anything, it's just that she's been dealing with so much stuff lately, but she appreciates how Darby has been trying to cheer her up though.

"Hot Coco! Cinnamon Mocha!"

Riley gazed up at the counter, she recognised the boy, Frackle? Frekle?...Farkle! that's it. He yelled out the orders with a slight glare at the blonde, Darby stood up to get the drinks from Farkle, mumbling with a 'be right back'.

The scene that Riley was staring at was a bit unusual, Darby and Farkle were in an argument? whispering fiercely at each other. Both were subtly glancing back at the brunette as they spoke to each other.

The door opened and Riley whipped around to inspect the newcomer, she became instantly confused, did Maya have a sister? The mentioned blonde was working behind the counter, maybe making some drink. Riley, with a shocked look, whipped her head back and forth. From Maya to the brunette girl, from Maya to the brunette girl.

Probably sensing someone staring at her, Maya looked up to see Riley whipping her head back and forth, the blonde stiffled a laugh as she watched the brunette get confused even further. Maya knows the newcomer of course, Sarah was one of the humans who knows the existence of the divines, and no, they are NOT sisters. She's been asked that far too many times.

Luckily for Riley, Darby had given her the hot coco and had beckoned Sarah to come over. The distracted brunette is now too busy savoring the sweet taste of the hot coco within her hands to even care about the similarities of the brunette -which Riley recalls Darby saying that her name was Sarah- and Maya. Riley doesn't even remember shaking hands with Sarah once she sat down on the couch, the sweet coco was too good to miss up on.

While Darby and Sarah were chatting up about something, Riley had moved to the opposite couch and sipped on the coco. When she felt the spot next to her dip, she peeked at her left and squeaked. She immediately darted her eyes to the right and felt her cheeks heat up. Riley peeked through her hair curtain and her blush deepened as she confirmed that it really was Maya sitting next to her.

They sat there in a surprisingly comfortable silence, not that Riley was complaining, the brunette sipping her coco, while the blonde tapped her pale fingers on her lap.

"Uhm...A-are on a break Maya?" Riley stuttered, the blonde nodded in response. The brunette placed her cup on the coffee table in front of them then placed her hand beside her. Riley, for some reason she doesn't even know, begins to slighty shake, her fist clenching tighter beside her. Her nails were biting into her hand, she was hardly noticing the pain though, it was as if she was in a trance.

Familiar warmth then started to register into her mind, she blinked, she eyed at the hand that was laying on top hers. She trails up the arm and it lands on a breathtaking face that is Maya. Riley's breath hitches at the sight of the hypnotising blue cerulean orbs, it was filled with concern.

There was something else in those orbs that Riley couldn't point out, it looked like it was there for some time. The brunette tried to scan the blue orbs, trying to find anything, a clue or something that was hidden in those blue depths.

A squeeze on her hand interrupts her train of thoughts. She smiles at Maya, hoping that it would silently reassure the blonde that she was 'okay'. Riley could see the small sigh escaping Maya's lips as she smiled. Maya smiled back.

A loud forced cough broke their trance, the blonde glares at Sarah who was still forcing a very loud cough out from her mouth, beside her was Darby, attempting -and failing- to stop her laughter from escaping. Maya is still glaring murderously at the duo for disturbing their time.

Meanwhile, Riley sighs disappointedly at the current circumstances. She wished that her friends didn't interrupt such a beautiful moment and she also wished that she could spend more time with Maya, it was silly really, she has work right now, she really shouldn't be bothering Maya. That's what she thinks she is, a bother, to everyone.

Before Riley could head towards the giggling duo, Maya grabbed at Riley's wrist again, and dear god, the burning spark never lost its heat.

"Hey...if y'know, you want to hangout sometime, just uh...gimme a call." Maya was handing out her phone number at Riley. The brunette blinked, she examined the paper in front of her and she hesitantly took it. She didn't expect the blonde to hangout with someone like...her. She was stupid, reckless, boring and...useless.

She forced back her tears of happiness at such a simple gesture and grabbed at the paper. If she had looked up, she would have seen Maya's face light up like Christmas lights. Riley turned away from the blonde and headed towards her open-jawed friends, if she had gazed back at the counter, Riley would have also seen the open jaws and the disbelief look on the faces of Lucas and Farkle.

Maybe her day isn't so bad after all.

Okay, maybe the day is bad for Riley so far. After she was dropped off at her dorm room in NYU by her friends, she just wants to collapse on her soft bed. She was just thinking of going to Central Park and take a picture at some sceneries there, but no, the world decided to let rain fall thus ruining her plans to take some pictures.

Riley laid in her bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking back on how Maya felt. She feels like a safe place, she feels warm... she feels like home. She hugged the purple cat against her, all her homework's been finished so she has nothing to do. Just as her eyes were beginning to close, there was pounding at the door. It sounded like...

"RILEY!"

Her eyes widened in fear, her heart began to pound against her chest, her whole body started to shake. It's him, he found her again, she doesn't know how he found out where she stayed, but she doesn't want an encounter with him. His thundering voice makes her shiver even more.

"RILEY! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE. LET ME IN!"

She hastily stood up, quickly grabbed her bag, stuffed in the essentials and her purple cat. She also snatched a few of her school stuff inside the bag, seized hold of her raincoat at a nearby coat rack and started to gather up the remaining items she needs. The pounding at the door began to grow louder and rougher, it was as if he was- 'shit' Riley thought, he really is ramming himself against the door. The pounding grows harsher and louder and Riley can't take it anymore.

She collected her packed bags and opened up the window nearby, 'Thank god for fire escapes.' She quickly slid the window open and stepped out of the room. she closed it once she was completely outside.

Riley climbed down the wet, metal stairs, hoping to the world that he doesn't figure it out. She hears him saying loudly, "Where's that bitch?" she winced at that, even through the rain and winds, it was audible. She wrapped her raincoat around her tighter.

Her feet stepped on the sidewalk, once that happened, Riley couldn't think of anything else but to run. To run away from him.

Riley Matthews allowed her own feet to carry her to somewhere safe, somewhere he won't know to find her. She ended up underneath a large apple tree somewhere in Central Park, she gasps and pants for breaths then she collapses against the tree.

Shaking hands zip open the bags that she carried, she needs to make sure that she has what she needs.

Wallet. Check. School Stuff. Check. Purple Cat. Check. Clothes just in case. Check. Camera. Check. Phone. Check.

Her sigh fogs against the cold temperature, it didn't matter though, she managed to avoid a nasty confrontation from Charles, she shivers in fear at the thought of him, what he could do to her.

She pulls out the phone from one of the pockets one of her bags, she unlocks it and scrolls through her contacts. She contemplates on calling Mrs. Spencer for help but decided against it, same goes for Darby. Riley's finger hovers over a name and she fights with herself.

'What if she's working? What if she doesn't want to be bothered?' Her mind screams at her and she listens, hesitantly returning the phone back into the pocket.

Her body becomes heavy, most probably from fatigue from running or from shock. She tries to fight the sleep coming to her, but she loses. Her eyes droop tiredly, the last thing she heard was a set of footsteps heading towards her.

"Shit... is that?"

"Oh Fuck, it is."

"Shut up you two! You idiots are going to wake her up."

"I'll carry her!"

"I'm stronger here I'll carry her!"

"Fuckin- you know what? I'll carry her since you two are busy fighting."

It's been some time Riley thinks, minutes? hours? She doesn't know, but a comforting soft voice makes her sleep peacefully.

"You're safe with me, no ones going to hurt you ever again."

Riley unconsciously snuggles closer.