The drive to school was quieter than usual. Her driver played tunes on the radio, but all of it felt like white music to her. Her father's words played a harsh symphony in her head and, despite her efforts, she couldn't silence the thoughts.

The early morning traffic was worse than usual. Every car stood bumper to bumper with each other as the rain thrashed against her window. Everything alluded to an accident nearby, but Maze couldn't care less what the cause was.

I don't wanna go to school. The thought echoed in the quiet of her thoughts.

They weren't far from Rosemary, but she'd be late because of the heavy traffic. Meaning everyone would already be there to ridicule her for her failed façade. Her weakness was now exposed; there was nothing left to hide.

I have no reason to attend, nor the energy to deal with Vander and the news club. Her thoughts had a calming quiet to them with her gaze stuck on the symphony of rain beating against her window.

I don't think I'm ready to face Bastien after what he did to me, and Tiffany... Her thoughts trailed as she grabbed at chest, trying to ease the ache she got when she thought of her best friend. She couldn't tell which hurt more. Bastien cheating, or the fact he did it with her best friend.

Why her? It could've been anyone else, but you chose her. A thought occurred to her that made her stomach churn. Would I have accepted it if it were someone else? She shook her head to eject the thought. I love Bastien, that's why it hurt... right? Maze buried her face in her hands, embarrassed to even be thinking such things.

"There's nothing left for me anymore." She said, hoping her driver didn't hear her.

Duncan is likely to side with Tiffany since he's known her longer. Outside of them... Her mind drifted to all the faces she had wronged in her path to get to where she was. It all made sense back then. Fighting for the favor of her fellow students no matter the cost, because no one wanted the position as much as her. The fact she stayed a tenure of 2 years proved that.

But still, after climbing the mountain of success built by the dead dreams of her opponents, she thought she'd at least enjoy the view with Tiffany by her side.

All of these thoughts in her head bore an empty feeling in her chest. A familiar feeling, that she couldn't identify the source of. She shifted on her seat towards the right door of the Maserati and palmed the handle.

I don't want to be here anymore.

"Ms. Mazekien?" She stepped out of the door, the driver calling her name in a mix of panic and confusion. The heavy winds pushed the rain hard against her face, it's chilling drops refreshing.

"Ms. Mazekien, please step back into the car. You're ruining your uniform!" The driver called hoping the young lady would listen.

I want to run away... to a land faraway. The thought felt more like a memory, but she struggled to point to its origin.

"Ms. Mazekien I beg of you. If you stay out here you'll catch a---" The driver could barely finish his sentence before she started bolting through the traffic on foot. He called out to her as he began his chase, but the sudden burst of speed left a considerable gap between them.

Her heart raced as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Weaving through the cars, with the voice of her driver still calling out. She didn't turn back. From a hard left into an alleyway and to a hard right out the other end, she took another right before disappearing into the city.

She couldn't hear her driver's footsteps anymore, but she didn't stop running. She wanted to scream, but her unathletic lungs weren't used to the exhaustion she brought on to herself. Her legs felt like jelly and eventually she fell into a puddle on the side of the road.

She picked herself up, gasping for air. Her knee was scraped, and she was too tired to continue running, but she got up and continued her escape. Walking wherever her legs would take her.

She had no one to turn to, and once law enforcement found her, she'd be either brought back home or deported to the South. Not the best decision she had made, but if she was honest with herself, she'd admit that she wasn't thinking at the moment.

"Where do you go when you've got nowhere to go?" She asked herself. The image of her late brother smiling played in her mind which tipped her off to the answer.

Her legs began running again as she caught her second wind. She was never the athletic type, always completing her fitness tests with a mark above 60%. But at that moment she enjoyed running more than anything else. All her stress, her worries and the emotional toll everything had on her seemed to go away. Her heart raced, but not with anxiety. For the first time it felt like her heart raced out of joy...

Standing in front of a maroon door with the golden number written 8400 above the doorbell, she pressed the button and waited for him to answer. Now that everything had begun to slow down, she realized just how wet she was. Everything from her blazer to her bra was completely soaked. And the pang of pain in her knee began to worsen.

This is embarrassing. She thought as the door swung open.

"Mazekien?" He asked with an obvious look of shock on his face. It didn't take long for him to step aside to let her in. She could immediately feel the difference in warmth when she entered and fell to her knees. A slow laugh began leaking from her mouth that slowly developed into a maniacal laugh with teers flowing down her cheeks

"Maze, are you okay?" It wasn't long before her hysterical laughter devolved into a breakdown as all her pent-up emotion boiled over. She let out a loud cry, a cry that felt long overdue as he held her in his arms.

"It's okay, let it out." He whispered, his soothing voice being just what she needed. She held tight to the man, capturing him with the intent to never let go. He was all she had left, her final oasis, and the one person she knew would never turn their back on her. A man after her own heart. Mr. Hunter Fry.

_______________________________________________________

"My deepest apologies Headmaster. I didn't expect my car to be acting up like this. It was driving perfectly the other day, so I'm just as surprised as you are."

If it's unavoidable then I'll allow it, but I expect you to be here by tomorrow. Am I clear Mr. Fry?

"No problem sir, you can count on me." Mr. Fry dropped the call and returned to aid the little bird that had wound up on his stoep. He allowed Mazekien to borrow his shower and gave her some of his ex-wife's old clothing. Now all that was left was to treat her wound.

"I'm sorry if I'm asking too much of you. It's just---"

"You don't need to say anything, I already know." Maze looked at him with a shocked expression.

"The video was sent to every teacher. I was able to put two and two together, but I didn't expect things to have gotten this bad so quick." Maze dropped her head in disappointment.

"You must not think too highly of me, now that everything is out." Mr. Fry scoffed.

"I never thought highly of you to begin with." Maze bit her lip as the comment stung.

"It doesn't matter what you achieve Maze, I'll always see you as that bratty little girl who interrupted my breaks in recess." Maze chuckled but she quickly slapped her hand over her mouth to stop it.

"Honestly, you Schmidt's are an annoying bunch. Your brother would always get on my nerves even after I stopped mentoring him. You're not even the first Schmidt to crash into my house out of nowhere." Maze couldn't help her chuckle from escaping, but she kept her hand over her mouth to try and stifle it. Her laughter was cut short by the sting of disinfectant on her leg, flinching at the sudden pain.

"Careful now, we don't want to worsen your injury. It looks like you got a torn ACL and a dislocated knee." He spoke in the dramatized voice of the actor she liked, an impression that always got her to laugh.

"Shut up you fake doctor, there's no way I fell that hard." Mr. Fry chuckled.

"What about infection, your leg could turn into a zombie!" He teased before pressing some more disinfectant on it. Maze winced in pain, before pretending to collapse.

"It might be too late for me you fake; If I turn than you'll be the first of my vitims." She exaggerated, holding the back of her hand to her forehead.

"Oh no, I better close this wound before it's too late. Spending eternity with you sounds like hell!" The two laughed as Mr. Fry wrapped her knee in gauze.

"You don't need to worry about asking too much, I'll always be here for you." Maze bit her lip, trying her hardest not to get emotional.

"Thank you." She whimpered out. Without warning Mr. Fry slid his hands under her knees and picked her up bridal style. Maze knew she had a steady diet, but she couldn't believe that she was that light to him.

"It's best for you to stay in bed, I don't want my best student to catch a cold." Maze chuckled.

"That's what you're worried about?" She asked, raising her brow as she searched for the deeper motive behind his words.

"Yeah, I don't think anything else should worry me right now, I'm already taking a big risk. I'm guessing you don't want your parents to know where you are?" Maze remained quiet which was enough of an answer for him.

"It's cool, I understand." She lightly punched him on the chest.

"And that's why you're my favorite teacher." The two chuckled before Mr. Fry turned into a free room.

It had a single bed with a few Rock inspired posters hung up. The room was relatively clean, but nothing compared to hers. Even when he lied her down, she couldn't help groaning in discomfort.

"It's not much, but a single room home is all I can afford with a teacher's salary."

"What about the money you got from my tutoring?" Mr. Fry scratched his head, chuckling out of embarrassment.

"That was all taken once the divorce was settled. It was enough to settle me out of paying child support every month. So big ups to that." Maze frowned, seeing nothing funny about it.

"What about your son, do you even get to see him?" Maze remembered how hard he worked for that money, even putting up with delinquents just to get extra pay.

"Wipe that look off your face. This is all just adult stuff, so you shouldn't worry yourself about it." He was about to leave but was pulled back and nearly fell on the girl. Supporting himself with just his arms.

"It's not okay, people like you don't deserve to struggle like this." An idea came to her. "What if a I become a lawyer? I'll help you settle a fair deal with your ex." A light smile came on his lips.

"I was a shitty husband, so you'd be fighting a losing battle." He chuckled, but Maze remained firm in her argument.

"I don't care, I want to pay you back!" The determination burning in her eyes was evident, but he couldn't help but laugh. His face falling right next to her ear.

"It's not that funny!" She shouted while trying to push him back.

Mr. Fry lifted himself off her, their faces only a few inches apart. "You're a good girl Maze." He kissed her on the forehead. "But stay out of it."

"Mr. Fry!" She called out in complaint as he got off the bed.

"You know my name, use it." Maze rolled her eyes.

"Hunter!" She called.

"Yes, my lovely lady." He teased just as he reached the door.

"I'm serious!" Hunter scoffed.

"So am I," He closed the door. "Now get some sleep!" He shouted from the other side.

He could hear her grumbling but ignored it as he went back to his living room. He turned on the TV trying to distract himself from his rapidly beating heart. He palmed his face as he wondered to himself.

Goddamn it Hunter, the fuck are you doing?