(brylee's outfit for this part of the chapter)

It has been a few weeks since Brylee and Bennett started fake dating. They had confessed to their families they were fake dating after they had gotten home from their first fake date. Everyone had been surprised and had thought they were joking, but after they explained why they were fake dating they understood and supported them.

Brylee and Bennett had become pretty good friends during their fake relationship. They spent most of their time together and even hung out outside of their fake dates. They were starting to be more close whether they realized it or not. They had a strong friendship. They were comfortable around each other and enjoyed hanging out. They also enjoyed each others company.

Their fake relationship had been going pretty well. They were doing a great job at making it look real. Rhys had no idea that it was fake and so far he hadn't messed with Brylee for the past few weeks. It was for sure a breath of fresh air, not having to worry about Rhys messing with her.

"I can't believe your birthday is next week," Maya said with a smile as they walked to their apartment. "You're gonna be 18! Officially an adult."

 "Yay. I get to be old," Brylee replied, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm as she rolled her eyes.

"Shut up! It's fun being an adult," Maya laughed, nudging Brylee with her shoulder.

"Is it really?" Brylee raised an eyebrow, opening the door to their apartment and stepping inside.

"You can do anything you want," Maya insisted, following her in. "No curfew, no one can tell you what to do, no one can control your life, and you can legally live on your own."

"I guess," Brylee shrugged, kicking her shoes off and flopping down on the couch, her body sinking into the cushions with a resigned sigh.

"What are you going to do for your birthday?" Maya asked, sitting down beside her, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Nothing, probably. It's not that big of a deal. It's just another birthday. There's nothing special about it." Brylee replied, her tone dismissive as she shrugged.

"Uh, yes it is! You're eighteen. That's a big deal." Maya argued, crossing her arms and giving her friend an incredulous look.

"Nope, not a big deal. Just a normal birthday." Brylee insisted, fiddling with one of the bracelets she wore, her gaze drifting to the floor.

"You're impossible." Maya said, shaking her head and rolling her eyes dramatically. "So, no birthday party or anything?" She pressed, her curiosity piqued.

"No. No birthday parties." Brylee replied, her tone firm.

"What? But birthdays are so much fun! There's cake and presents and music and your family and friends." Maya exclaimed, her enthusiasm palpable.

"Maya, you know better than anyone, besides Mom, why I hate my birthday." Brylee pointed out, her voice thick with emotion.

"Look, I know you hate them because that's the day dad left us," Maya said gently, her expression softening. "But don't let that ruin them for you. It's your birthday. You should be celebrating and enjoying the day."

"I can't. I can't enjoy the day. All I think about is the fact that he left. He just left us. On my birthday to make it worse. I mean, what kind of father does that? It just makes me so mad that he's not here." Brylee frowned, her heart aching at the memory. 

"I know, it sucks. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up." Maya apologized, her voice filled with empathy.

"No, it's fine. You're right, I can't let him ruin my birthday. It's just..." She sighs. "It's hard not to think about it. It's just something that pops into my head. I try not to think about it, but sometimes it's hard not to. Especially on my birthday."

"I understand. But just try to enjoy your birthday, okay?" Maya encouraged, her voice reassuring.

"I'll try." Brylee replied, her resolve wavering as she considered her sister's words.

"And you should tell Bennett. He should know the reason you don't like birthdays. You guys are becoming really good friends. You should be able to trust him with something like that." Maya suggests, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Plus you are fake dating so he deserves to know this. He'll understand."

 "I know, I'll tell him." Brylee agreed, feeling a sense of relief at the prospect of opening up to Bennett.

"Good." Maya nodded, satisfied with her friend's response.

"Now, what do you say we order some pizza and watch a movie?" Brylee proposed, shifting gears to lighten the mood. 

 "Sounds good!" Maya grins, her eyes brightening. "Oh, and one more thing: I am not watching any of those cheesy chick flicks. I watch enough of those with Riley." she admitted with a playful grimace.

"Superhero movie then? Or Disney?" Brylee offered with a smile, eager to appease her sister.

"Disney!" Maya exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over.

"Knew you'd choose that, M." Brylee laughed, grabbing the remote and turning on the TV while reaching for her phone to order pizza. The comforting familiarity of their routine settled around them as they prepared for a cozy night in, excited to share some much-needed sister time.

****

(brylee's outfit for this part of the chapter)

(bennett's outfit for this part of the chapter)

The next day after school at Topanga's as Bennett worked, Brylee had told Bennett why she had hated her birthday which was going to be this weekend. Maya had been right. Bennett had been understanding and had comforted her when she needed him to.

"Hey, can we talk for a minute?" Brylee asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Sure." Bennett replied, wiping his hands on a towel before leaning against the counter. He had a knack for making her feel at ease, and she appreciated that more than she could express.

"I...I really hate my birthday." She began, taking a deep breath. "It's supposed to be a happy day, but all I think about is the day my dad left." Her voice quivered slightly as she spoke, and she felt the familiar sting of tears threatening to surface. "I know it sounds silly, but it's like this constant pain in my heart."

Bennett listens intently, his expression softening with empathy as he finished preparing a drink. He sits in front of her, his eyes locking onto hers. "I didn't order a drink." Brylee said, surprised.

"Figured you could use one. It's on the house." He assured with a warm smile, leaning closer as if inviting her to share more.

"Thanks." Brylee replied, her lips curving into a small smile as she took a sip. The drink was surprisingly refreshing, a perfect blend of sweetness that soothed her nerves.

"I know I can't fix what your dad did," Bennett said gently. "But I'm always here for you if you want to talk or just need someone to be there."

Brylee felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. "I know. Thank you, that really means a lot." She admitted, her heart swelling with appreciation for his support. Just then, a loud and exaggerated noise interrupted their conversation, and she furrowed her brows. "Why am I hearing a volcano exploding?"

Bennett chuckled and motioned toward a table nearby, where Farkle was enthusiastically mimicking the sounds of a volcanic eruption, complete with dramatic hand gestures. Riley sat beside him, laughter bubbling up as she watched her friend's antics.

"It's just Farkle." Bennett chuckled, looking past Brylee where his cousin and her friends were sitting. Brylee nodded in response and turned around, raising her eyebrows and smiled in amusement at what she saw.

Just like what she heard, Farkle was mimicking the sounds of a volcano exploding, adding hand movements and everything from his place besides Riley. "What are you doing?" Maya asked in confusion.

"Mount Farkleuvius has awoken in all its bubbling glory." Lucas chimed in, adopting a hilariously exaggerated British accent, which only fueled the laughter around them.

Farkle stops mid-imitation, looking genuinely perplexed. "What is that?"

"That's my fancy British guy Mortimer." Lucas replied and Brylee and Bennett shared an amused look as Riley laughed.

"Sounds like you're eating meatloaf." Farkle commented.

"Meatloaf." Lucas repeated in the same ridiculous accent which only made Farkle roll his eyes.

"Okay, thing number two hundred and eleven he can't do, accents." Farkle said, turning his gaze to Riley, who was still chuckling.

"Oh, but it's so charming when he can't do things." Riley smiled, looking at Lucas adoringly.

Farkle narrows his eyes at her. "He's a face! He's just a face! What's the matter with you?"

"Mount Farkleuvius sends two billion tons of burning lava straight into the air!" Lucas announced, resuming his act. Farkle mimicked him, his movements comically exaggerated.

"And right back down on his head!" Lucas finished, still in character.

Farkle paused, his brows knitting together. "Why?"

"Because you insulted Mortimer!" Lucas replied, throwing a mock glare in Farkle's direction.

"In his defense," Bennett interjects, leaning forward with amusement. "That's a bad British accent."

"Yeah, he's right." Brylee chimes in, taking another sip of her drink, which was starting to make her feel more at ease. "Amusing, but bad accent." 

"You see? I'm not the only one who thinks that." Farkle beamed.

"You still made fun of Mortimer!" Lucas continued, crossing his arms defiantly.

"What's his last name?" Farkle challenged.

"Twiggler-bottom-smythe." Lucas replied, and the table erupted with laughter once again, Brylee's worries momentarily forgotten.

Farkle chuckles, shaking his head. "Okay, fine, I'll do it." He dramatically pretended to be engulfed by lava, his exaggerated expressions bringing more laughter from the group.

"Maya, what's going on with you?" Lucas suddenly asked, gaining Brylee's attention. She glanced over at her younger sister, realizing Maya hadn't laughed or even smiled at all.

"It's like I don't have a role here anymore." Maya sighs, standing up. "Riley the Sweet," She points at Riley and then at Farkle. "Farkle the Genius," She then turns to point at Bennett behind the counter. "Bennett the Protector, Brylee the Writer, and Lucas the Good-"

"Ugh, I thought that was gone." Lucas groaned in annoyance.

"It's not gone. I'm gone. I'm the one that's gone." Maya argued, her voice rising with frustration.

"Maya, I've been down this road. Forget it." Lucas said, standing up to walk over to her. "I missed a whole year of school because I thought I had to be something. That doesn't get you anywhere."

"Yeah, and now you say 'please' and 'thank you', and what does that get you?" Maya shot back, crossing her arms defiantly. She moved toward the door but paused when Riley spoke

"It gets me to like him." Riley admits, standing up to stand by Lucas. She glances at Maya. "Do you still like him?'

"I don't know what I like anymore." Maya confessed, vulnerability creeping into her voice.

Farkle's eyes widen. "Woah."

Maya narrows her eyes at him, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulls him up from his seat. "No 'woah'. No 'woah' while I'm figuring things out." She demands, eyes widening when Farkle suddenly bent down to kiss her nose. "Woah."

"We're getting older. These are gonna be more unpredictable." Farkle voiced.

Maya lets go of his shirt with a glare. "I'm telling Smackle!"

Farkle smirks. "I'm telling Smackle!"

Maya stares at him in confusion as he sat back down. "Maya," Brylee speaks up, gazing at her sister in concern. "Why didn't you tell me you felt this way?"

"You have your birthday coming up. I didn't want to be a burden. You had enough going on." Maya muttered, her gaze dropping to the floor as if the weight of her unspoken feelings was too heavy to carry.

"But you are never a burden," Brylee insists, her voice firm but gentle. "We're sisters. We're supposed to tell each other everything. I'm sorry you felt like you couldn't tell me." She got up to head over to her to comfort her, placing a reassuring hand on Maya's shoulder, but she frowned when Maya shrugged her hand off.

"Don't worry about it." Maya murmured, still avoiding eye contact.

"I am worried about it, and you. You're my sister. I'm always gonna worry about you." Brylee replies, her tone laced with concern. She wanted nothing more than to ease the pain Maya was feeling, but she knew that she couldn't force her to open up. "If you ever wanna talk, I'm here. And we can talk about anything you want. No judgments. I promise."

Maya finally looks up at her, offering a weak smile. "I know. I'll keep that in mind."

Brylee nodded, sighing as she turned to sit back at the counter. She hoped that Maya would eventually trust her enough to share what was troubling her, but until then, all she could do was be there for her and offer support. She knew that Maya had a tendency to bottle up her emotions, and she was determined to help her work through whatever she was dealing with.

"Maya?" Lucas chimed in, looking at the short blonde with concern.  

"I need to know who I am before I know what I like." Maya admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. The weight of her uncertainty hung in the air, palpable and thick.

"Hey, you know what's up with me?" Katy asks, walking around the counter to the group. "The cash register is short a hundred dollars. So what's up with you?"

"Wait, really?" Bennett asks, raising his eyebrows. He didn't except that to happen suddenly. understand how that could have happened. "Are you sure you counted it right?"

 "Yep, I double-checked. Still not there," Katy replied with a forced smile, her eyes narrowing in mock accusation. "So, who took my hundred dollars?"

Riley turns to Maya, a playful grin on her face. "Just do it."

Maya rolls her eyes. "I didn't take the money."

"Yes, you did! Maya, you took the money! She took the money, everybody! Yeah! She's a cat burglar!" Riley proclaimed dramatically, earning laughter from the group.

"I didn't do it." Maya insisted, crossing her arms and raising her chin defiantly.

"Yes, you did." Riley counters, nodding with exaggerated conviction. "This is all over."

Bennett leans over the counter, whispering to Brylee, "She didn't do it, did she?"

Brylee caught Maya's gaze and could see the truth shining in her eyes. "Nope. Not a thief." She declared, her confidence in her sister unwavering.

"Well, if no one took my hundred dollars, then what happened?" Katy questions, walking over to the cash register. "Huh? Somebody just put two fifties under the whole drawer and forgot all about it?" She opens the cash register, picking up the whole drawer. She grimaces, pulling out two fifties. "Somebody just did that." She looks at the teens with a sheepish smile. "Stay in school, kids."

"I don't want my role with us to be someone you think takes money or sets off fire alarms." Maya admits. "You think you know what I'm capable of? You have no idea what I'm capable of. You guys want the Maya back? The Maya I really am? You got her." And with that she left Topanga's, causing Brylee to share a worried look with Bennett.

Later that night, Maya avoided Brylee and their mom. Brylee was worried about her. She knew something was wrong, but she didn't know what. She hoped that whatever was going on with Maya, she'd eventually tell her. She was worried about her little sister and wished there was something she could do.

****

(brylee's outfit for this part of the chapter)

The next day at school, Brylee had a free period and she was heading to the library to either read or write something. Then she caught Maya heading to the front doors of the school. "Maya!" She called out, following the girl. She knew Maya was supposed to be in class right now and she was worried her sister was ditching school.

"Not right now, Bry." Maya muttered, ignoring her and continuing to the door.

"Where are you going? It's the middle of the school day." Brylee said, stopping in front of Maya, blocking her path.

"None of your business." Maya replied, trying to step around her.

"I'm going with you." Brylee declared firmly, crossing her arms.

"You're not. You need to go back to class," Maya insists, her tone unyielding as she crossed her arms defiantly. "You don't belong where I'm going. Now move."

"If I don't belong wherever you're going, then neither do you," Brylee shot back, her voice steady as she placed her hands on Maya's shoulders, her expression earnest. "M, you're my little sister. I care about you a lot, okay? Please just tell me what's going on. I just want to help you."

Maya hesitated for a moment, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face, but then she shook her head and averted her gaze. "If you want to help, then let me go."

"Please just tell me where you're going. Are you ditching?" Brylee pressed, her voice laced with concern.

"It's none of your business. Now move." Maya demanded, sending Brylee a small glare.

"Fine, I'm going with you." Brylee shrugged defiantly, pulling away from Maya and turning back toward the front doors.

Maya groans, leaning her head back in frustration. "Why are you making this more difficult than it needs to be? Why can't you just let me go?"

"Because I'm worried about you. And you're not leaving my sight. I don't care what you have to say. If you're not going back to class, then I'm going with you and making sure you're safe. It's what big sisters do." Brylee stated, giving her sister a determined look.

Maya glares at her, clenching her jaw in annoyance. "Fine." She muttered, relenting as she turned to leave the school with Brylee following closely behind.

As they walked down the sidewalk, Brylee's anxiety began to swell. They soon found themselves in one of the rougher neighborhoods, a stark contrast to the familiar surroundings of their school. Brylee's nerves heightened. "Maya, where are we going?" She asks, her voice trembling slightly. "We shouldn't be here."

"You're the one who said you wanted to go with me to make sure I'm safe,' Maya reminds her, her tone dismissive. "I'll be fine. Just leave. I don't want you getting hurt." 

"I don't want you getting hurt either. M, we shouldn't be here." Brylee continued, shaking her head.

"It's the middle of the day. Nothing's gonna happen."  Maya reassured her, though the bravado in her voice did little to calm Brylee's fears.

"Then why did you say you didn't want me to get hurt?" Brylee questioned, narrowing her eyes as she sought clarity.

"Look, I'm meeting some other friends. I told you to stay at the school, but you decided to tag along and insist on coming with me. So just stay here, okay?" Maya answered, her impatience evident.

"What? No, I'm not a dog." Brylee glares at her, earning a heavy sigh from Maya. "I don't wanna be here but I definitely don't wanna be here alone." Brylee argued.

"Don't worry. I'll be right back. I'm just meeting some friends." Maya reassured her, walking away and turning the corner.

Brylee bit her lip nervously, glancing around the desolate street that felt more hostile than ever. She hated this place; it made her skin crawl. While she had been here a few times during her childhood, those memories felt like shadows of innocence long lost. Minutes ticked by, each one feeling heavier than the last, and Maya hadn't returned. Brylee's impatience morphed into a gnawing anxiety, and she was about to follow after her when a figure approached her from the shadows.

"Hey, you look a little lost. Need a guide?" He offered, a sly smile spreading across his face, causing Brylee's heart to race and her blood to run cold.

"I'm good, thanks though. Just waiting for someone." Brylee replied quickly, trying to muster an air of confidence, but her voice trembled slightly, betraying her unease.

"Oh, come on. Let me give you a tour. It'll be fun." He insisted, stepping closer, the grin on his face widening as he seemed to relish her discomfort.

"I said I'm good. I don't need a tour." Brylee argued, forcing the words out as panic began to seep in. Her heart raced, and her mind desperately wished for Maya to return.

"Come on. Let's have a little fun." He suggested, smirking as he reached out to grab her wrist. Instinctively, she stepped back, but he was quick, yanking her back toward him. Her heart pounded as she turned to run, but before she could escape, he seized her arm and shoved her hard against the wall, pinning her.

"That wasn't nice." He growled, raising his hand threateningly as if he was about to slap her. Brylee braced herself for the impact, closing her eyes, but the impact of the slap never came. She opened her eyes, them widening at hearing her sister's voice.

"Get off of her!" Maya shouted suddenly. She had appeared out of nowhere, rushing around the corner just in time to see the confrontation. In a flash, she leaped onto the guy's back, surprising him.

"What the—" He yelled, trying to shake her off, but Maya clung to him fiercely, clawing at his face with desperate ferocity. He let out a pained scream, releasing Brylee as he stumbled backward and crashed to the ground.

"Maya!" Brylee exclaimed, her heart racing as she regained her footing. Without waiting for another second, Maya grabbed Brylee's hand, and together they ran away from the scene.

They didn't stop until they reached the park, collapsing onto a bench to catch their breath, both girls shaken and panting. "Thank you." Brylee finally managed to say, her voice shaky as the adrenaline faded.

"I told you to stay put. You shouldn't have come with me." Maya scolded, the tension still evident in her tone. 

"Why did you even go there? Where did you even go?" Brylee asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"I don't want to talk about it." Maya mumbled, her eyes darting away.

"Maya, you can talk to me." Brylee urged gently, her worry deepening.

"I said I don't want to talk about it. Can't you just leave me alone and let me figure things out myself?" Maya glared, crossing her arms defensively.

"Because I care about you, Maya! You could have gotten yourself killed!" Brylee replies, her voice rising with exasperation. "Why didn't you just tell me what was going on?"

"Why is it your business?" Maya demanded, her voice sharp as she looked at Brylee with annoyance.

"Because I'm your big sister, and I love you, and I don't want to see you get hurt." Brylee replied, her tone softening.

"But I didn't," Maya insists, shaking her head, her expression hardening. "You almost did! If you just stayed at school and acted like the goody two shoes you normally are, then this wouldn't have happened."

Brylee felt a sting of hurt at the remark, knowing Maya didn't mean it, but it still pierced her heart. She wanted to argue back, to defend herself, but she didn't want to risk escalating Maya's anger. Instead, she took a deep breath and nodded, her frustration ebbing away.

"You're right. Fine. I'll go. And I don't expect you to come with me," She said quietly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "But just know that I love you, M. And I'm always going to be here for you."

"Bry-" Maya started, but Brylee shook her head, cutting her off.

"And I know that sometimes it feels like I'm not there for you. But I'm trying. I'm trying to be the best big sister I can be. I want you to know that I'm always here, and you can tell me anything. No matter what." She continued, her voice steady despite the weight of her words.

Maya bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the ground. Brylee's heart ached at the sight of her sister's struggle. After a moment of silence, Brylee gave Maya a sad look before turning and walking away, heading back toward the school, leaving Maya with her thoughts, hoping that one day her sister would open up to her.

****

(brylee's pjs)

(brylee's outfit she changes into)

That evening, Brylee was sitting on the couch in her room, reading a book. She was wearing her pajamas, consisting of a pair of red flannel pj bottoms and a plain red T-shirt. She hadn't seen Maya since earlier that day when she had followed Maya to that bad neighborhood. Sure, the neighborhood she and Maya lived in now wasn't the best, but it was better than the one they had went to. Brylee wished that Maya would just let her help her. She understood Maya needed to figure out who she is, but she wished that Maya would at least tell her what's going on. It hurt that Maya didn't want her help. She didn't want Maya to be alone.

Brylee sighs and puts a bookmark in her book. She had enough of this, she was going to find Maya. She got changed and then went to the neighborhood she and Maya had gone to earlier which probably wasn't the best idea since it was dark. But she had brought pepper spray just in case and her pocketknife she had.

Brylee headed toward the park, her heart racing as she navigated the familiar route. As she arrived, the park was eerily quiet, save for a few sketchy figures loitering in the shadows. She quickened her pace, moving toward the repair store they had visited earlier. The air felt thick with tension as she approached an area decorated with graffiti—colorful yet chaotic—near the store. Four statues stood sentinel in front of the shop, depicting two girls and two boys, but one of the girl statues had a broken head. As Brylee surveyed the scene, her eyes landed on Maya, who stood defiantly in front of the other two girls, Carla and Renee—trouble incarnate. Brylee's stomach twisted at the sight of them. She couldn't fathom why Maya would choose to associate with girls like this, but then it hit her: Maya was trying to protect her. It was painfully clear that she didn't want Brylee getting involved in anything dangerous.

"Maya?" Brylee called, her voice steady despite the anxiety bubbling inside her. Maya's head whipped around, her glare sharp enough to cut through the night.

"Why are you here?" Maya demanded, anger laced in her tone. 

"I wanted to make sure you were okay." Brylee replied softly, feeling the weight of her sister's tension.

"Why can't you just leave me alone? Huh?" Maya retorted, the frustration evident in her voice.

"Well, look who it is!" Carla chimes in, raising her eyebrows as she notices Brylee. "It's the older sister, the little miss goody two shoes. What are you doing here? This doesn't seem like the kind of place a prissy princess would go to."

Brylee clenches her jaw, glaring at Carla. She opens her mouth to speak, but then she closes it. "Oh, what's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Renee smirked.

"Don't talk to her." Maya orders. her protective instincts kicking in as she glared at Carla and Renee. "Go away, Bry. Now."

Carla laughs, a cruel sound that echoed in the empty space.  "Come on. Don't tell me you're hanging out with a wimp." She scoffs. "You know, just like Riley, she also makes you weak."

"Don't talk about Riley or my sister." Maya ordered, glaring at the two girls.

"Aw, is the little sis sticking up for the big sis?" Renee sneers, prompting a chuckle from Carla. "How cute."

"I think the big sis could use some toughening up. What do you say, Maya?" Carla grinned, her eyes glinting with malice as she grabbed a hammer from Renee and strutted toward Brylee. "You're already here so why not join us?" She smiled, throwing an arm around Brylee's shoulders, guiding her over to where Renae and Maya were at.

Brylee felt the weight of the hammer as it was thrust into her hands. "You know, I'd rather not. I'm not really good with a hammer. I'm not good with a lot of things, actually." She admitted, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yeah, that's a surprise. Figured someone like you would be good at everything." Renee retorted, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Oh, well, you know." Brylee chuckles awkwardly, trying to downplay her discomfort. "I'm not that great."

"Oh, shut up. You don't need to lie, Miss Perfect. You're just a little scared, aren't you? Come on. We won't hurt you." Carla's teasing tone cut through Brylee's nerves.

"Carla." Maya hissed out a warning, frustration creeping into her voice.

"Don't worry, we're just playing with her," Carla replies dismissively. "Besides, what are you gonna do, huh? You're soft now, right? Too scared to hurt a fly. You're no fun anymore. And now you're stuck with the perfect, wimpy older sister. Who, by the way, is a major pain in the butt. But that's okay, we can change that. It's time for her to toughen up, don't you agree, Maya?" Carla smirked, pushing Brylee forward.

Brylee hesitated, her heart racing as she glanced at Maya, who stood with a mix of concern and frustration etched on her face. Brylee felt the pressure of the moment—she was caught in a web of hostility spun by Carla and Renee, and the only thing that mattered was Maya. She would do anything to keep her safe, and if that meant putting herself in danger, then so be it.

"You can't even do it." Renee scoffed.

"She's not gonna do it. She's too much of a wimp. Look at her. She's a chicken." Carla added, her mocking tone spurring Brylee's frustration.

"No, I'm not." Brylee snapped, surprising herself with her own intensity. Raising the hammer above her head, she brought it crashing down onto the head of the statue with a resounding crack. The noise echoed through the night, and Brylee's eyes widened in shock at what she had done. She had struck one of the boy statues, shattering it, and the realization hit her like a wave of disbelief.

"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Carla cheers, her excitement palpable as she grabbed the hammer from the ground. "Now it's time for the rest." Brylee felt a rush of adrenaline course through her veins, a strange thrill from the destruction she had just caused. It was an unfamiliar feeling—one she didn't like.

"Now, don't be shy. Go on. Break 'em." Carla encourages. Brylee looked up at her, her hands still shaking. "It's not gonna break itself." Carla said, giving her a nudge.

Brylee glanced over at Maya again, noticing the way Maya was watching her. Maya wasn't happy with what she was doing. She wasn't happy with it either, but she didn't know what to do. Maya wanted to stop her, to stop Carla and Renae from forcing Brylee to do this, but she didn't have a choice. She couldn't risk doing anything because she didn't want Brylee getting hurt. She was already getting hurt enough.

"Just do it." Carla insisted.

Brylee looked back down at the hammer and took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she brought the hammer down onto the boy statue. It made a loud noise and Brylee cringed at the sound. Carla and Renae let out a cheer. Brylee looked back up, noticing the statue head was half off. She didn't like this, but for some reason, her mind told her to keep going. It told her to finish it.

"There, see. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Carla smiles. "Now, break the other ones."

Brylee looked at the other two boy statues and then at the girl. She was hesitant. She didn't want to break the girl, but it was almost like she was under a spell.

"Not so fast." Maya quickly moved forward, snatching the hammer from Brylee when she was distracted and glared at Carla and Renee.

"Whoa, hold on." Renee interjects, her voice dripping with incredulity. "What do you think you're doing, Maya?"

Maya stands firm, gripping the hammer tightly. "I'm stopping this. Brylee doesn't have to do your dirty work. You think this is funny? It's not." Her voice shook with anger, but it was clear that this was a protective anger, one directed at her sister's welfare rather than a desire for chaos.

"You don't want to get in the way, Maya." Carla warned.

"And you don't want to mess with me and my sister." Maya glares at them.

"Aw, how cute. Protecting your precious big sister. You know, if you continue to protect her, then it's gonna come back and bite you in the butt. Hard." Carla remarked.

"Maybe I'll take that risk." Maya replied.

"Are you sure?" Carla challenged.

"I don't need to put up with this." Maya throws her arm around Carla's neck, making her bend over a bit as Maya held her in a headlock. "Listen, I know exactly who I am. And yes I'm protecting my older sister because I love her and I care about her. You have no right to force her into something that she clearly doesn't want to do. And if you even think about bothering her or trying to do anything to her or myself or anyone else I care about, I swear you won't live to see another day." She hissed.

Carla struggled to escape, but Maya's grip was too tight. Maya pushed Carla away finally, causing Carla to stumble a bit and she looked surprise at Maya's sudden actions. "Come on, Bry. Let's go." Maya said, grabbing Brylee's hand.

Brylee nodded, following her younger sister. "See, she is weak." Renee chimes in. "Just like her whimpy older sister."

Maya suddenly pauses and she went back to her stuff, grabbing the hammer she had set down and a brick she had brought with her. She turns to face Carla and Renee. "What are you gonna do with those? Build a house?" Carla rolled her eyes.

Maya chuckles and glares at the two girls. "If you two don't leave you're gonna find out real soon." She threatened.

Carla and Renee looked a bit intimidated and they quickly ran off, leaving the area. Maya watches as they run away and then she drops the hammer and the brick on the bench, staring at her spray paint cans she brought. "Maya, come on. We gotta go." Brylee said nervously as she glanced around. 

"Not yet." Maya replied, glancing at the graffiti covered wall.

****

Brylee never thought she would be escorted somewhere by a police officer but here she was. She stood by her sister as they walked in the Matthews' apartment, the police officer following them. Cory, Topanga, Riley, Katy, and even Bennett were all there. Brylee was surprised to see him there.

"Girls, what did you do?" Katy asked softly, looking at her daughters with a frown and concern in her eyes.

"New York code 145." The police officer replied, earning surprised looks from everyone.

Topanga looks at the two girls in shock. "Vandalism?"

"What?" Cory asked in surprise.

"What?" Katy questioned, eyes widening.

"Really, Maya?" Bennett sighed.

"It wasn't just her." The police officer said. "The tall one did stuff too."

Bennett chuckles, not believing him that Brylee had done vandalism, but then he grew quiet and his eyes widen in shock. "Oh, wait, you're not kidding?"

"Why would I joke about this?" The officer asked.

"Oh, yeah, right. Of course." Bennett nodded, grimacing and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Brylee was stood by Maya, looking nervous and guilty as she fidgeted with her rings she wore while Maya looked annoyed and upset. Brylee didn't know why she felt weird. She was sad and ashamed of herself. She felt horrible. She felt like a failure. She didn't know why she did it. Sure, Carla and Renae were egging her on, but she could have stopped herself. She had a choice, she could have easily stopped herself and refused, but she knew a part of her liked it. A part of her wanted to do it. It was almost like something had taken over her. Like she was hypnotized or something. She didn't understand. She had always been so good, never once gotten in trouble or disobeyed her parents, or at least not to this extreme. She didn't know how to feel about it. She felt bad, but part of her felt a sense of freedom.

All her life she was known as Miss Perfect or a goody two shoes. She was always the good child and people always expected her to be the perfect one and her parents were always on her case about things. She was always doing the right thing, trying her best to please them. She knew they had high expectations of her and that was fine, but she was a person. And being the older sibling, she had always tried her best to be good, to be a good role model for her younger sister. But for once it felt kind of good to be bad. It felt like she was finally able to breathe. She didn't have to worry about pleasing her parents or anyone and doing everything right. It was actually kind of freeing.

But she still felt horrible for doing something bad. She was always the goody two shoes, she couldn't help it. She didn't want to disappoint her parents or anyone or upset them.

Riley frowns at Maya and Brylee. "Guys."

"You." Maya glares at her. "You did this. Put me in jail for the rest of my life and don't allow visitors or else she'll come and bring me a stupid lemon meringue pie!" She exclaimed, stepping towards Riley, but the officer stopped her.

"It's for you and all your jailbird friends." Riley replied.

"Your the girl whose head she put back on." The officer realized, pointing at Riley. Then he notices Bennett. "And you're the boy whose head the tall one put back on."

Bennett and Riley shares a confused look. "What?" Riley said in confusion.

"She's my best friend and she ruined me!" Maya spoke angrily.

"Well, she's my best friend and I love her." Riley voiced.

"We couldn't find them." Lucas announced, walking into the apartment with Farkle.

The two sisters turn around to glance at them along with the police officer. "Looks like somebody found them." Farkle observed.

"Guys, what did you do?" Lucas asked in confusion and surprise.

"They did a number on a public park. A park on my beat." The police officer explains, putting his hands on his hips as he stares at the two girls. "My park. I watch that park every day."

"We're sorry." Maya said quietly. Brylee didn't say anything as she stared at the ground, fidgeting with her rings.

"You all care about these girls?" The police officer questioned, glancing at everyone.

"We do." Cory replied.

"Well, we're gonna take a little field trip. I'm gonna show you all just what these girls did to my park. Let's go."

****

Back at Christopher Park, it is revealed that Brylee and Maya had spray painted the brick wall that had graffiti on it. Now it had bright colors on it with the word 'hope' painted on it, a red heart in the center of the 'o'. The other brick wall by the repair store was spray painted with bright colors as well.

"I had a brick in my hand." Maya admitted.

"Why?" Riley frowned.

Maya glances at the statue that Renae had hit. "Because somebody went after you."

"Who Maya?" Cory questioned.

"These two girls we used to know." Maya answers, referring to her and Brylee. "I could have been them. Riley, I would have been them." She said, looking at Riley with tears in her eyes. "But I'm not. Because they think a hammer and a brick makes you strong. And as much as I wanted to throw a brick through a window, I know that if I did that, that's what would make me weak. I'm strong...Because there's something inside me that stops me now. It knows how important you've been in my life and it'll never let me do any real damage as long as I live. That part inside me...I'm gonna call it Dorothy."

Riley smiles softly. "Call it whatever you want. I'm just glad that you didn't do anything bad."

"Guess it's time to confess that I'm weak, huh?" Brylee finally spoke up since she and Maya were brought back by the police officer, her eyes glassy from unshed tears.

"Weak?" Riley questioned, shaking her head and giving her a soft smile. "You're not weak."

"Bry, you're not weak. You're not." Maya told her.

"But I hit that statue. I didn't have to listen. I had a choice. I could have refused." Brylee pointed out, glancing at the broken statue.

"No, you were under the influence. It wasn't your fault." Riley insisted.

"But I still chose to do it." Brylee sniffles, her heart skipping a beat when Bennett wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Part of me liked doing it. That's why I did it. I felt some sort of rush. It's weird. I was scared and nervous, but then a part of me wanted to keep going. And I wanted to. It felt kind of good. I-I've always been known as the good kid, the one that does everything right. I've never gotten into trouble or disobeyed. I've always been a goody two shoes and part of me wanted to be bad." She lets out a small humorless chuckle. "That sounds stupid, doesn't it?"

"No, not at all." Bennett assures her.

"Brylee, there's nothing wrong with you." Maya said softly.

"But I still did something wrong and part of me liked it." Brylee frowned.

"But you didn't keep going." Maya pointed out. "You stopped yourself. You chose not to keep going."

"But-" Brylee began.

"There's nothing wrong with you. What happened with the statues, that's on Carla and Renae." Maya replies, glancing at the two vandalized walls. "What they made you do, that's on them. They forced you to do something you clearly didn't want to do. And Brylee, there's nothing wrong with having fun. Doing something you normally don't do, that's perfectly fine. Just because you did one bad thing, doesn't make you a bad person. You're the most kindest, caring, and selfless person I know. You're also a good person, Bry. Nothing's ever gonna change that."

Brylee smiled softly at her sister. Maya was right. What she did, it was on Carla and Renae. Sure, she could have refused or walked away, but they pushed her to do it. She still vandalized though, she still broke the law, and a part of her had liked it. But what Maya said, she was right. Just because she did one bad thing, that didn't mean she was a bad person.

"Thanks, Maya."

"Hey, question Matthews, how come I ain't bad?" Maya suddenly asked.

"The friends we choose can have the most profound influence in our entire lives, one way or the other." Cory explained.

"This way." Maya said, putting her hand on Riley's shoulder with a smile and Riley smiled back at her.

"I'm proud of you, Maya." Katy speaks up. "And Brylee," She said softly, causing Brylee to look up at her mom nervously. "I'm proud of you, too. You could have done more, but you didn't." Brylee smiled a little and nodded at her mom, thankful for her words.

"What happened to the girls?" Farkle inquired.

"Oh, well, I might have had a brick and a hammer, and I might have swung them over my head a little bit and ran, like, right towards em like I was-"

"Maya?" Lucas interrupts with a soft smile. "So, you're Maya again?"

Maya couldn't help the smile forming on her face. "Well, they seem to think so." She giggles. "They ran away so fast."

The officer steps forward, looking at her and Brylee. "My park. I watch this park every day."

"I'm sorry." Maya apologized quietly, putting her hands out, expecting handcuffs to be placed over them. Brylee left Bennett's side, standing by Maya.

"I'm sorry too." She admitted, doing the same with her hands out stretched.

The police officer is quiet as he holds onto Maya's wrists and Brylee's. "You know, I'm not gonna give up on that Carla and Renee." He then pulls his hands away and they lower their arms. "And I don't want either of you to be like them, okay?"

"I can't. Dorthy won't let me." Maya admitted.

"And I'll try not to." Brylee replied.

"New York code 145. Vandalism. I'm gonna write this one up. Then I'm gonna put it into a folder. Then I'm gonna misplace the folder. And if I never hear from you three little hoodlums ever again, that folder remains misplaced." The police officer said softly, glancing at the sisters and Riley.

Brylee is relieved at hearing this, sharing a soft smile with Maya and throwing her arm around Maya's shoulders to pull her close. Maya wraps her arm around Brylee's waist as Riley stood by them.

"I'm a hoodlum."

"Why are you giving us a break?" Maya asked the officer.

"Yeah, I-I mean, I destroyed something." Brylee stuttered, looking nervous.

"My park. I look at this park every day. I have hope for this park too. Thank you." The officer told them with a smile.

"Thank you." Topanga chimed in, smiling at the officer.

"Hey, sometimes the system works." The officer smiled and walked away.

Brylee pulls away from Maya as Riley stands by the statue that Maya had put the head back on. "Thanks for putting my head back on."

"Yeah. You too." Maya smiled, putting her hand over Riley's hand that was on the statue.

"So this is the statue that you broke?" Bennett asked curiously, standing beside Brylee as they stared at the statue of a boy and a girl holding hands.

"Yeah." Brylee said quietly, rubbing her arm nervously, avoiding eye contact with him.

Bennett nudges her, grabbing her hand and gently squeezing it. "Without you it sounds like I'd be headless." He jokes, making her smile and roll her eyes. "So thanks for putting my head back on."

"Someone has to keep you in check." Brylee giggled.

"I guess so." Bennett chuckled, giving her hand another squeeze. Brylee smiled softly, her heart fluttering as she looked at him. 

A/N i love brylee's & maya's sister bond so much also brylee & bennett are the cutest