Corey's POV
I stared at the papers in shock then looked at the girl before me, guilt-filled my being as I knew I was also responsible for what this girl has become.
"Does your mother know about this?" I questioned, Everest, sighed with her shoulders slumped, turning to the 2 unknown guests with her brow raised.
"I told you".
"Everest I don't think-" Riley started.
"I don't care what you think Matthews!" Everest yelled causing her eyes to widen in fright "Call them, go ahead, let's get this over with" she directed her statement to me. I pulled out my phone and called my wife and then Katy.
"Hey Corey, I'm busy at the moment," Katy said.
"Everest is here with a middle-aged man and a teenage girl" I heard plates smashing and pots clattering to the ground "Katy?".
"Corey whatever you don't let them leave," she said frantically "I'm on my way" she hung up and I turned to see Everest and her 2 guests looking at me.
"She'll be here in 15 minutes that'll give your wife enough time to arrive".
"Why are you doing this?" Maya stood and faced her sister.
"Because little sister it's time you learn that it's not only RileyTown or MayaVille in the world, I am tired of being the shield that keeps the big bad out but gets damaged in the end".
"I have a question?" the teen that came said stepping beside Everest "If she's protecting you, who's protecting her?" Maya's eyes widened and she turned to meet Riley and I's eyes before facing the girl "That's selfish, don't you think? She's been protecting you for years and doesn't even get anything in return".
"And who are you?" the girl smiled faintly.
"I'm her sister" that statement shocked us into silence.
The classroom door slammed open a couple of minutes later and in came, a panting Katy followed by my wife. Katy's eyes fell on Everest and then onto the man who moved to stand beside her.
"Looks like the party is here," Everest said.
"Maybe we should take this outside" I suggested causing Everest to turn to me with a raised brow.
"Why? You never cared for family matters or private matters being discussed in class why start now? Or does that only apply to your family and private matters?" her cold tone silenced me as it did so many times before.
"James" Katy identified the man.
"Hello Katy" James greeted.
"What are you doing here?"
"My daughter called me, she wanted my help"
"Daughter?" Maya asked confused "Mom what is he talking about?"
"You're my half-sister" Everest stated "Katy here was with my dad then she had me and left" Katy looked at Everest "She left my dad then found yours before he left her".
"Everest!" Katy yelled.
"What?!" Everest countered "It's the truth, dad didn't want you but he wanted me, you were selfish" she rose a brow at her mother "'If he didn't want me, he won't get what he wants either' that's what you thought, you see when I heard you last week I put the pieces together".
"Everest that's enough" Topanga interjects sternly "You are tearing your family apart".
"Oh please, you don't scare me and save that motherly tone for Maya and Riley cause you never cared for me either, you are a lawyer then I'll ask you this, your daughter runs out of school midday yesterday and hasn't been home for more than 5 hours what is your course of action?".
"Call the police and file a missing person report but that has nothing to-" her eyes widened and I was sure mine did too, we looked at Katy who diverted her attention to the ground.
"Katy you didn't call the police?" she bit her lip but that answered our question.
"Since you are the only one that has legal knowledge" James handed Topanga a file and she read through them.
"This should take months to go through, how?".
"I'm rich and it also helps when the victim gives a testimony, a very convincing testimony".
"What does it say?" I asked.
"As of today onwards, James West has complete custody of his daughter, Everest Hart now known as Everest West".
"What does that mean?".
"It means you have no say in anything I do, my legal guardian is my father," Everest said in a bored tone.
"But I'm your mother" she scoffed.
"You have never been my mother nor have you been Maya's, I was a better mother to Maya than you were until she found the Matthews then I was alone".
"Is this true? Have we been so caught up in MayaVille and RileyTown that we forgot about her?" Topanga asked me but I couldn't answer, no one could. Everest walked up to me and hand me the papers with a pen, silently I signed the only empty spaces on the sheets, I hand them back and she turned to leave.
"Everest, you can't leave" Maya went forward with tears in her eyes "You're my sister".
"Yeah, that doesn't work on me" we were again shocked at her reply "Don't look so surprised, you all caused this, thanks to the lot of you I hold no anger, sadness, or hate towards you" a chill went down my spine "I hold no emotion for any of you, I hope to never see you again" with that the trio left and Riley went to the still sobbing Maya.
"Dad" she looked at me as did the rest of the class, I faced them.
"Do you have a lesson for this Sir?" Lucas questioned, I looked at the board where today's topic was written. Books.
"Never judge a book by its cover, you might see a damaged exterior but if you open it and read, I bet you'll find a beautiful story" then I looked at the space where a ignored, illtreated and misunderstood girl had stood "There are those that have a glamourous exterior but hold the darkest stories and there are some whose exterior matches exactly what is on the inside" I faced my students again "Don't judge a book by its cover because you don't know if someone would want to read your stories if you don't want to read theirs".
YOU ARE READING
Take on the World
FanfictionWhen your family ignores you but you still did your best to support them only to find out they never cared about you at all, what do you do?. What if you get the chance to start fresh with a new family? Would you take it?. Everest was cast aside whe...
