Maeve was sitting in her bedroom, while awkwardly tapping her fingers against her knees while Officer Rutherford and her mum talked downstairs in the Massey family home.

Until there was a soft knock and her bedroom door opened. "Figured you could do away with a distraction." Myles' voice spoke softly as he walked inside the room and closed the door behind himself, tossing a bag of goodies at Maeve.

The blonde perked up, curiosity getting the better of her and she looked inside the bag and pulled out a bag of Mars bars and a bottle of orange pop.

"Thanks, Mys." She smiled softly as she looked up at her older brother.

"Always, Mae." He says and sits down next to her while patting her knee.

Maeve smiled weakly at Myles and opened up one of the individually wrapped Mars Bars and took a small bite.

That was until Rose stormed upstairs. "You told me you quit." She snapped.

"Mum, relax. What are you on about?" Myles questioned.

"Maeve broke sobriety and only told that stupid officer man!" Rose spoke sharply and Myles looked at her wide eyed.

"You what?" Myles asks, shocked.

"He's not a stupid officer!" Maeve frowns as she looks at her mother. "His name is Sargent Mike Rutherford." She said. "And he hasn't done any wrong."

"Oh, he's done plenty wrong! He's got in your head that I'm some bad mother for disciplining my children! Well news flash, them child services fools don't think so, or else you wouldn't be here." Rose expresses.

"No, I have thought it long before he even came into the picture, I've just always been too scared to say anything because I knew you'd do something crazy." Maeve spoke, anger and calmness in her tone.

"You ungrateful, foolish, stupid, little brat. I raised you to be betta than this and this is how you repay me?" Rose scoffs.

"YOU did not raise me at all. Myles did. You raised fear and the need to drink in me because you couldn't control yourself without wanting to hurt me!" Maeve spoke and sniffled as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh, you inconsiderate brat! Do you know what a pain it was to raise a child who could never shut her mouth?! Always wandering off, talking to strangers, having to be the center of the world because you are a selfish, selfish girl!" Rose snaps and tries to grab Maeve by her arm when Myles jumps up from his spot on the bed and gets in between them.

"Alright, Mum, stop it. You've made your point, alright?" Myles spoke in clear annoyance.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Rose spat at Maeve who was just standing there with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh, now here come the crocodile tears!" Rose continues while scoffing and then pulls back from Myles before walking out the room.

Myles sighs in frustration and turns back to his younger sister and frowns.

"Maeve...?" Myles questions.

"Please... just get out... thank you, but I need to be alone right now." Maeve spoke shakily and looked up at Myles.

"But, Maeve–" Myles tried.

"Just... go." Maeve began. "Please." She pleaded and Myles frowns deeper but nods his head.

"Okay then..." He trails off and leaves the room.

Maeve instantly moves the candy bag and bottle of pop off of her bed and onto the nightstand while silently sobbing, before she gets into her bed, leans against her pillows, and brings her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms tightly around legs.

"Why does she hate me so much?"

Was what Maeve had thought to herself before she ended up crying herself to sleep.

—--------------------------------------------

A few days later, Maeve was walking to the school gates, still pretty upset about what happened with her mum until she noticed Danny standing by Samia.

Maeve gasps softly, her face lighting up. "Danny!" She expresses and rushes over to him.

With all the commotion going on at home, she had totally forgotten that Danny was coming in today for a talk about knife crimes.

"Hey, champ." Danny breathed out and ruffled Maeve's hair.

The blonde girl beams happily as she wraps her arms around his neck and holds him close to her. "I'm so happy to see you!" She spoke while still beaming and then she pulls Samia into the hug while standing up on her tiptoes.

Samia chuckles and she and Danny hug Maeve back and give her a good squeeze before pulling back.

"I'm happy to see you too, Mae." Danny smiles softly at her.

"Are ya nervous for today?" Maeve questions.

Danny shrugs. "A bit... yeah, but I'll be fine. I always am. And Mike's my chaperone, so maybe it'll be alright or whatever..." Danny spoke, softly, awkwardly.

"Well, look on the bright side! You've got Mike helping ya out for the day. He's one of the like... four trustworthy adults in this entire school!" Maeve beams. "For all we know, you could have been stuck with Mr. Guthrie." Maeve slightly jokes.

Danny scoffs softly and shakes his head before smiling gently at Maeve. "It's bad enough with everyone already staring at me."

"Get over yourself." Samia chuckles, softly. "No one cares about ya." Samia teases, playfully and takes Danny's hand as the trio giggles softly together.

"And let 'em stare." Maeve scoffs and lightly punches his arm. "You're gonna be fine. I promise." Maeve says and pats his elbow.

That's when Samia wraps her other arm around Maeve's arm and the trio walks towards the school together.

That was until they got into school and saw a couple of the kids staring at Danny.

"Boo! Don't you lot 'ave anythin' better to do or are ya lives really that miserable?" Maeve sassed, already stepping to one of the older girls who was making a disgusted face at Danny.

But Samia quickly grips Maeve's arm again, pulling her back as Danny reaches for Maeve's shoulder, also pulling her back.

"Alright, now, Mimi." Samia spoke and gave her a knowing look.

"But, she–" Maeve tried and Samia just held that look and Maeve groaned.

"Ugh, fineeeee!" The blonde pouts but nods her head.

"Thanks though, Mae." Danny smiled softly at her and she nodded her head.

"Always, Dan." Maeve responds and they just kept walking on.

—--------------------------------------------

During break, Maeve walked outside the school to look for Myles and once she found him sitting on a table, she headed over to him.

"Hey..." She says, smiling softly at him.

Myles looks up from his phone, scoffs, and looks back down.

"Bad day?" Maeve asks as she tosses her book bag onto the outdoor table and joins Myles, sitting on top of the table herself.

Myles scoffs again and rolls his eyes.

"What? What is it?" Maeve questions with furrowed brows.

"Oh my God..." Myles groans. "...it's you! Alright? Happy now?" He spoke with annoyance in his tone.

"Me?" Maeve questions, confusedly and points to herself.

"Yes, you." Myles started. "Ever since you left the house a few days back, mum's been aggy to me about you." He continues.

"Ya know honestly, Mae, mum was right. You do start all the problems." Myles says and looks away from her.

Maeve's jaw dropped and she was speechless for a few seconds before saying, "You know that isn't true, Mum lunged at me."

"Because of whatever you told that stupid fed." Myles whispered.

"He's not stupid!" Maeve whispered back and crossed her arms. "And he saved my life, mum and you should be grateful for Mike."

"Yeah?" Myles sassed. "Well, we're not."

He spoke and then went back to his phone while Maeve frowned deeply before getting her stuff, heading off the table and going back inside.

—--------------------------------------------

Maeve was leaned against the wall in the corner with her arms crossed just trying to take some deep breaths and she wiped down her face, trying not to cry.

That was until she noticed Mr. Casey looks beet red in embarrassment and she furrows her eyes when she notices his panicked face and the rip in the back his boxers and she jogs up to him.

"Uhm...Mr. Casey, your trousers are ripped in the back." Maeve spoke gently, not trying to alert anyone else who just happened to be near.

"Yes, I am very well aware–" Mr. Casey spoke a bit sharply until he noticed Maeve and then his face softened. "Sorry, Maeve."

The blonde shrugged. "It's alright, Mr. Casey."

"No, no..." He sighs. "It's not. Look, I am just a bit... stressed and I didn't mean to take it out on you." He said.

"Really, it's alright." Maeve says as her face softens. "And a key piece of advice? Maybe take your suit coat off and tie it around your trousers." Maeve says and pats his arm.

He chuckles softly and shakes his head subtly. "Why did I not think of that?"

Maeve giggles and shrugs. "Well, the more you know, sir." She smiles brightly and then waves and heads off.

—--------------------------------------------

Later on, during Lunch, Maeve was standing with Tonya in the lunch queue getting what looked like soup, which made Maeve happy since she loved soup.

But, it was mainly just a healthy option at lunch day to make the school look good in Ofsted's eyes.

When all of a sudden, Maeve heard a bunch of loud laughter and she noticed everyone laughing at Mr. Casey, who was now wearing some pastel yellow sweatpants and a salmon pink button up top and he looked very stressed.

Everyone was laughing, talking and pointing which made Maeve frown. "I think you look great, sir." She smiled softly at him before joining her and Tonya sat at the lunch table with Shola and Izzy and continued to watch the whole interaction go down.

Until Mr. Casey shouted, "All right, shut up!" and everyone went quiet.

"What, is this all just a joke to you, is it? You think you can just do whatever the hell you want, what, because I have a laugh with you, that you can just get away with it? Am– Am I just a joke? Eh?" Mr. Casey began.

That's when Maeve noticed Kelly-Jo turn to her and they both shared a look of concern before turning back to Mr. Casey.

"Right, well, today actually means something to the teachers who put the hours in, who fight your corner, despite all the crap that you throw at us. And all we ask is that you treat us with a shred of dignity and respect. That you treat us like bloody human beings!" He continued.

Maeve slowly got up, a worried look on her face as she watched Joe turn around and notice Ms. Chambers, Mr. King, and one of the Ofsted workers, Ms. Doubleday.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Mr. Casey apologized and then speed walked away.

"What was that about?" Dean asked Noel and another boy at their table and Maeve glared at them.

"Well, maybe, if you inconsiderate morons would've shut ya traps he wouldn't have had a nervous breakdown." Maeve spoke sharply.

"Alright, keep ya knickers on, we were just havin' a laugh." Noel said.

"You were bein' a dickhead and now Mr. Casey is upset, congratulations!" Maeve snapped and got up, rushing off, wanting to go after Mr. Casey.

Eventually, the blonde caught up to him and noticed other kids in the corridor laughing at him too.

"Oi, if you lot utter one more word about I will slam your heads into the lockers!" Maeve snapped at the kids who fell eerily silent after that and she noticed Joe staring at her, silently, before speed walking off again.

"Mr. Casey, wait! Please! It's okay!" She called, trying to fix it, wanting to fix it.

It was for Mr. Casey, one of the only teachers at this school who's ever done something out of their way for her. The least she could do is return the favor.

"Miss Massey!" The voice of the other deputy head, Lindon King calls out to Maeve and heads over to her.

"Which way?" He asks.

"This way, sir. Follow me..." Maeve trailed off and speed walked through more and more groups of students and headed outside with Mr. King to see Mr. Casey outside, trying to unlock his bike.

"OK, everybody inside! Go!" Mr. King said to the students who were outside as he and Maeve approached Mr. Casey.

"Mr. Casey." Mr. King tried. "Mr. Casey." Mr. King tried again. "Joe..."

"I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine." Mr. Casey spoke without even looking at the two people behind him.

"Why don't... we go talk elsewhere, somewhere more private..." Mr. King spoke up and Mr. Casey just nods and sighs deeply.

Mr. King turns to Maeve and nods subtly. "I've got this."

"You sure?" Maeve asks nervously as she looks up at Mr. King.

Mr. King nods which doesn't really give Maeve much hope, but she tries to be understanding and just nods her head and slowly walks over to Mr. Casey, pats his arm, softly, and says, "If you need anythin', I'm here for ya," before walking back inside.

—--------------------------------------------

Maeve was walking down the corridors, getting ready to leave the school building when she noticed Myles talking to Zayne and she furrowed her brows.

The blonde approached her brother after he walked away from Zayne, the younger boy looking like he had a lot on his mind.

She had not spoken to her brother since break time earlier that morning back when he blamed her for all of their family problems, but she was not gonna let him fill Zayne's head with anything negative.

Zayne did not deserve that and Maeve would protect him with all she could.

"What did you say to him?" Maeve asked, protectively.

"None of ya business." Myles spoke while he kept walking, not even bothering to look at her.

"Myles." Maeve tried to persist and he just rolled his eyes.

"Can you stop bein' so damn aggy?" Myles spoke sharply and turned to look at her.

"But I-" Maeve frowned.

"You don't need to always be in everyone's business." Myles added.

Maeve crossed her arms tightly against her chest. "That's funny, considering Dean tried to involve me in your drama with Kelly-Jo just two weeks ago because you couldn't keep a lid on it, for once." She sassed.

"It's not my fault Kelly-Jo's a whacko." Myles shrugged and glared at his sister.

"She is not! She just has ADHD!" Maeve spoke, sharply. "You are just being ignorant, Mys and quite frankly it is not a good look for you or me." Maeve said.

"Oh, me?!" Myles scoffed. "I think you're not the one who's not a good look. Hence why Dean was mumbling about how useless you were, aye?"

Maeve paused. "...He did...?"

"Yeah, and now I can see why even more than I have before." Myles spoke and limped off, purposefully shoulder checking Maeve as he walked by.

Maeve stood in the middle of the corridor while tears welled up in her eyes.

—--------------------------------------------

After the school day had ended, Maeve was hanging around outside, trying to read a book until she noticed Dean walking by with Noel and she just tossed her book right into her book bag and jogged over to them, grabbing Dean's wrist.

"Hey, can we talk?" She asks him, nervously.

"Uh, sure...?" He spoke, with a confused tone which made Maeve smile nervously and she pulled him off to the side.

"What's all this for?" He asks her as soon as they lean against the wall.

"Well, I... I just wanted to apologize." Maeve spoke.

"What for?" Dean furrowed his own brows.

"For not being able to help you get me brother under control-" Maeve began but Dean scoffed.

"What are you on about? I should not have asked ya anyway, you are not his keeper." Dean shrugged. "Water under the bridge."

"Is that why you think I'm useless?" Maeve questions.

Dean furrowed his brow again, but then the realization dawned on him. "Maeve... look, I'm sorry about that, I just... was mad about Kelly-Jo being so upset and nobody being there to help her out." He says.

Maeve nods her head understandingly. "It's quite alright-" Maeve begins and that's when Kelly-Jo skipped over.

"What's alright?" She asks Maeve.

"Dean was just apologizing for calling me a mean name a while back. But it's quite-" Maeve began but Kelly-Jo glared at her boyfriend.

"What did ya call her?" She asks him.

"I was just mad that no one was helpin' you-" Dean began but Kelly-Jo shook her head.

"Ohh, just tell me!" Kelly-Jo spoke up.

"I said she was useless." Dean spoke awkwardly.

"Oi, you muppet!" Kelly-Jo scolded and whacked his arm. "Why'd ya do that?"

"It was after Myles had been sayin' stuff about you." Dean tried to defend himself.

Kelly-Jo rolled her eyes. "Sometimes you can be a proper idiot." She says. "Even though I knew you meant well." She adds while looking at Dean and then she wraps an arm around Maeve.

"Come on, hon." She says and pulls Maeve away from Dean.

"I'm sorry-" Dean tried to say again but Maeve turned around and smiled softly at him, extending her hand out to him, waving him over.

"Maeve-" Kelly-Jo tried.

"Really, it's alright, worse has happened to me. He's fine." The blonde smiled and Dean jogs over with a gentle smile.

"Right, you sometimes fool, come on." Maeve giggled and linked one arm around Kelly-Jo's arm and the other around Dean's arm.

Dean's smile softens and they all head off together and join Noel, Shola, and Tonya.

"And you." Maeve points at Noel.

"I'm sorry I was rude earlier. Mr. Casey just means a lot to me a-" Maeve began.

"Don't sweat it, you." Noel laughs and ruffles Maeve's hair before wrapping an arm around her until Kelly-Jo gasped, grabbed Dean and Maeve's arms and insisted everyone follow her.

Maeve did, without a second thought as Kelly-Jo quickly rambled to her about the protest idea she had since she thought it was possible that Mr. Casey was getting fired after his outburst earlier and Maeve was very quickly down to help.

"Sir, one sec." Kelly-Jo said.

"Yeah, wait, please. Just hold on." Maeve added as Dean laid face down on the ground and Shola, Tonya, Maeve, and Kelly-Jo all followed suit, all sitting or lying on the ground in some capacity or other.

"Er, right, what?" Mr. Casey asks. "What are we doing?"

"Wait, wait, wait." Kelly-Jo began as Maeve laid down between Tonya and Shola, putting her bookbag under her head.

"I'm ready." Kelly-Jo smiled and then cleared her throat. "Ahem, so we are making a peaceful protest for you," she begins and points at Mr. Casey.

"...because we love you and we just don't really wanna see you go." Kelly-Jo said, and Maeve noticed Mike and Joe smiling.

"And there's no need to be all dramatic with it, because sir, I did like them pants." Noel, as he kneels down next to Dean, says to Mr. Casey as he motions towards his old pants that Mr. Casey had got back, now fixed and everyone giggles brightly, even Maeve and Joe.

"OK, I am not leaving." Mr. Casey began. "Right, so we can all get up off the ground."

"It worked!" Kelly-Jo beamed.

"Yeah, stop ruining your uniforms. Get up." Mr. Casey continued while trying not to laugh but still keeping a smile on his face.

"Come on, then!" Kelly-Jo beams as everyone sits up.

"He weren't even goin' you muppet." Tonya lightly scolds Kelly-Jo.

"Sir, you can't leave anyway before you see me finish, cos I'm like your pro-digy," Kelly-Jo began, butchering the word prodigy. "Prodigy, whatever." She laughed.

Maeve giggles happily as she grabs her bag and gets up.

"Protegee?" Mr. Casey asks.

"I don't know." Kelly-Jo shrugs and nudges Mr. Casey's arm. "I'm really happy to see you stay."

"Thank you." Mr. Casey says and everyone else walks off and Maeve beams happily and bounces on the balls of her feet.

Joe chuckles softly. "And thank you for all your help today, Maeve." Mr. Casey smiles at her.

"Always, sir. You mean a lot to me, so for that reason and more, I will always help you out." Maeve smiles and then waves and then skips off.

She heads over to Dwayne and Zayne when she sees them and stands across from the two kids who both look miserable.

"Oi, you lot. Why the long faces?" Maeve asks with a small twinge of worry growing a small pit in her stomach.

"Nothin', just leave it." Dwayne shrugged as he sat down on top of one of the outdoor tables.

"...Yeah..." Zayne frowned as he sat on the outdoor gardening crate.

Maeve's frown deepened and she patted Dwayne's shoulder gently and gave it a reassuring squeeze before she headed over to Zayne and hugged him and he hugged her back tightly.

That was when Joe and Mike walked over to them and Maeve moved over and she sat down next to him on the outdoor gardening crate.

"You alright, sausage? Yeah?" Joe asks Zayne as he leans slightly forward to make eye contact with him as Mike sat down on the bench of the outdoor table next to Dwayne.

Mr. Casey lets out a breath and then says, "Right, well, today has been a lot for everyone, so I think we need to go home, chill, and, when you're both ready, we can talk about how we move things forward with your mum."

Maeve rubbed her knees awkwardly and then got up. "Maybe I should go-"

"Is that it? You're just gonna give us back?" Zayne asked, which made Maeve pause.

"What are you on about?" Dwayne asked him.

"I'm sick of you bossing me about." Zayne says to his older brother. "I still want to get adopted. I don't wanna go back to my mum. You go; I'm staying with Joe and Mike." Zayne says and gets up, walks on the garden crate, hops off and walks away.

"Zayne?" Dwayne calls. "Zayne!" Mike adds, calling out to him.

"Should I–" Maeve began but Joe shook his head.

"It's alright, I'll go, I'll go, I'll go..." Joe trails off and rushes off after Zayne.

And all Maeve could do was stand there and think to herself...

"What on Earth just happened?"