The Leader

Maya Marie Hadler || 28 || Aquarius || Architect Graduate of Turing Academy || Project Architect for Populous & Advisor to the Head of Architecture @ Turing Academy

[abortiondelight]

[kelseychowdaily-blog]

[iamsapphosdaughter]

[1000-year-old-virgin]

Labrinth ft. Zendaya - The Feels

[headcanonsandmore]

Just leaning into the Tegan/Nyssa feels this evening. 😊😊

[maya-hadler]

There’s no occasion, except that Maya woke up in an extremely good mood this morning, and wanted to make breakfast for both herself and Jonas. They’re not living together yet, but have had discussions about it in the past. Maybe someday soon they will, but they’re content where they’re at now, going from one another’s place taking turns hosting. Today is Maya’s turn to host, and Jonas is still upstairs sleeping while she gets her breakfast supplies together. She really likes breakfast. Cooking it is easy, it tastes good, and it always involves fruit, meat, dairy, and starches, the four essential food groups. Maya starts with the bacon and sausage, since that will take the longest to cook, and sets them on low while she begins chopping green onions, shredding cheese, and preparing pancake mix. She only needs to add oat milk and an egg to the premade mix, and she’s good to go.

While she whisks that, Maya begins thinking about school, her degree, The Grid, Kishan, G.A.I.A., her dad, Jonas…a lot has happened in the last three or so years, that it’s not surprising Maya had to step back and take time away. She finishes the batter, and begins pouring the mix into a pan, making small circular pancakes. Yeah, some people would fault her for leaving, and call her a, ‘bad leader,’ but doesn’t it take a good leader to admit when they need a break, and step down? Maya flips the bacon and sausage. Now that she’s back involved with The Grid again, she wonders what people will think; what they’ll say. She flips the pancakes. Jack’s response was positive, but would everyone else’s be? Maya signs, and shrugs it off while she cracks a couple of eggs, sprinkling cut green onions, salt, pepper, and shredded cheese over the top. It doesn’t matter. She did what was best for her to get healthy after her father passed away, and if the group couldn’t understand that, then…maybe it wouldn’t be the group of her.

Just when she goes to put a few pancakes and pieces of sausage and bacon on plates, she hears stirring from behind. Probably Jonas coming down the stairs. “Hey,” she smiles when she feels him behind her, and she turns around to give him a quick kiss. “I, woke up in a good mood this morning and was feeling generous, so I made us breakfast. How are you feeling? Sleep well?”

@jonas-hartmann

[dorcasabi]

[blossombetty-deactivated2017051]

[kelsey-asbille-chow]

Kelsey Chow Polyvore Collection

[jesperfahey]

[mylifeasmiiguel]

Kelsey Chow as Sonya in Hayley Kiyoko’s “Girls Like Girls.”

[lizallans-deactivated20180419]

It’s fun to get away from myself for a while when I take on these roles that have very different personalities from my own. I get to say things I normally wouldn’t say or act in ways I normally wouldn’t act. After all, such roles are more challenging because you really have to immerse yourself in the character.

[coleysonya]

Sonya + Looking at Coley (Coley Version)

[kelsey-asbille-chow]

[jack-vargas]

Jack smiled and laughed as Maya nudged their shoulder playfully. They were still sometimes embarrassed to show friends their roles in tv shows or movies, but they were so glad their friends were so supportive. "Aw, thanks, you're making me blush," they joked as they pushed their hair back out of their eyes. "Good news is I still have some time to decide. And even if I do the PhD route, I can jump back into acting pretty easily. And if I do acting, there's no real time limit on when the PhD needs to be completed. I still need to do research too on the area that I want to work in," they said. They'd been weighing the pros and cons for a while now and they had to remind themselves to work on that list of potential careers if they wanted to go for their PhD in biochemistry. "If I go back to acting, I'll have to leave you guys again," they said quietly. It hurt enough when they had to leave the first time and even though they had a great time abroad and had so many fun experiences that they wouldn't change for the world, they did feel like they were missing something when they came back to Turing. There was a missing link. Everything was different. Everything was different now.

The wind picked up as their conversation switched to the Grid. It was as if the world shifted, knowing the topic they were about to get into. "No, don't. Don't apologize," Jack said, glancing away. They did hate that Maya dropped off the face of the earth, even though they also understood that Maya had good reasons to. She had to take the time for herself and get herself back on her feet. They all went to the Grid for a reason and for most of them, it was to get away from everything, but Maya needed her escape to be elsewhere. "But I do wish you had let us be there for you, because you know we all would have been there in a heartbeat. Even Sal would have I'm sure." Jack walked into the restaurant and sat down at the window booth across from Maya. "Well, long story short....GAIA is getting more powerful. Reyes said that GAIA has infected Kishan's program or something and that we need to delete him. The Geists are keeping us from moving ahead in the game. I just think June has mishandled things and put trust in the wrong guy. I don't think we should delete Kishan. It's the last thing we have left of him. Once he's deleted, he's gone for good. We need to hold onto him. No one else gets a second chance to hold onto their friend like this once they die. We can't lose him again." Jack leaned back in their seat, curious to know what Maya, their leader, had to say about it. They needed her. They all did. They needed someone to guide them. Someone with a clear head. They'd tried to get Bailey to fill in that role, but Bailey didn't seemed interested in stepping up, even if it was to save Kishan.

[maya-hadler]

Maya smiles and gestures to Jack with her right hand, “good, I’m trying to hype my friend up here!” It sounds like no matter what route Jack decides to go, they have options. “And who’s to say you can’t do both, you know? One now, the other later, like you said. I guess it’s just a matter of what you want right now, versus later on…the possibilities are endless,” she shrugs with a shake of her head. It’ll be interesting to see which option Jack decides on, and Maya will have their back either way. “Hey,” the architect pauses for a brief moment, hand going to her friend’s shoulder when they stop. “You gotta do what’s best for you either way. The Grid isn’t everything, y’know, we still have our real lives…and we all have FaceTime, and Zoom, we’re a click away. I know that’s not the same thing, but it’s something. And we can visit,” Maya reminds Jack with a small smile before they begin walking again. Yes, it’d be hard if that’s what Jack decided. But they've done it before, which means it can be done again.

Honestly, Maya would rather the topic have stayed on their own lives rather than The Grid. But…well, The Grid is a part of their lives. Heavily so. And Maya sort of tossed it, and all of them; excluding a few, away. It isn’t fair. But it’s also something Maya felt, and still feels she had to do. It’s what got her to where she is now. She is sorry though, which is why she says it. “I just…couldn’t. I know it’s hard to understand, but I just shut down. I couldn’t handle seeing anyone, let alone them seeing me like that. Jonas just, he…I don’t know. He pushed through the walls I put up and broke in somehow. He went through something similar,” Maya explains, or tries to as they sit down in a corner booth of Bamboo Sushi near a window. Nothing could really explain why she let Jonas show up at her door with soup, and no one else. But no one else really did get it like Jonas just does. The waiter comes by to drop off some waters and menus, which Maya takes but doesn’t have time to look over quite yet as Jack goes on to tell her about the situation with June, Reyes, Kishan, The Grid, and the rest of the gang. Boy…have things gone south while she’s been away. Maya scoffs, dropping the menu from her hands once Jack is finished. “I’ve suddenly lost my appetite…” Maya mutters under her breath; hands going to her temple to rub thin circles into them. This…is a lot. “So…he wants to delete, Kishan? Based on what evidence, exactly? And we're supposed to believe whatever he says— and June for that matter, because…what? Because they, “know computers?” Yeah, maybe it’s hypocritical of Maya to be saying that when she put faith in Jonas; a random outsider looking in, who once seemed very threatening to the group. She went to all of them and asked them to trust him because they trust her. Why can’t the same be done for June and Sebastian? Because they want to get rid of the only remaining reminisce of their very good friend. That’s why. That’s like killing him all over again. Not to mention, both parties in question are known from keeping the truth from the group in the past. “Kishan and I didn’t always get along, but even I think we can’t just discount what we have left of him based on one or two people’s opinion. We’re a group, we vote on things. We discuss. And this guy worked with Kishan on code for The Grid in the past. From what I remember about what people told me about the two of them? They’re pretty “friendly,” rivals. So who’s to say this isn’t just some big ploy to one up Kishan again? Even in death?” Maya points out, knowing very well the things said about, and to, both Sebastian Reyes and Kishan Ahjua regarding their relationship. Wes talked about it all the time when they were together.

“Wes used to talk about that guy… He and Kishan would talk crap about him when we were all hanging out, and they thought I wasn’t listening. I was third wheeling on their little friendship dates, obviously, those two nerds,” Maya chuckles with a shake of her head. “Basically though, all I’ve heard is that he’s trouble. Maybe that’s different now, but before, he liked to be one step ahead; the smartest guy in the room type. He could easily steer people into thinking and doing what he wants.” Yeah people can change. But can Sebastian really change everything about himself? Who he is? No. “I know I haven’t been as present as I should have in the past, so maybe I don’t have the right to a vote anymore…but you asked, so I’m saying it. I don’t fully trust him, and I don’t think we should delete Kishan either. I think we need more facts first.”

[bodybebangin]

[jack-vargas]

"Right! I remember that," Jack said, letting go of Maya. "That's amazing. Can't believe you went back to school for a completely different degree. Congratulations!" They were happy that Maya was able to figure out more of what she wanted to do. It was also nice to know that even though she studied something else in school, she could still learn something new and get a new degree or add onto what she had already built. Jack found themselves struggling now with what they wanted to really do for the rest of their life. They enjoyed the biology and chemistry courses and they looked forward to getting their degree, but they still couldn't completely quit acting. They knew they were still young enough to decide, but upon the anniversary of Kishan's death and the possibility of losing his program, they were having a bit of a crisis. They feared choosing the wrong thing and being unhappy and unfulfilled.

"Yeah! Let's go," they said with a smile. They turned around, following Maya in the direction of the sushi restaurant and then fell into step next to her. "I'm doing well. There's a lot more school work right now. Classes are getting harder. Doing more of my own research, which is great. I'm enjoying it. Completed a few film and tv projects. Trying to decide whether I want to go for a PhD or return to acting full time." Returning to acting full time meant leaving Boston for good and leaving their friends behind. Going for a PhD meant staying. "Grid wise, um...not so great. June and I aren't really on speaking terms at the moment. I don't know how much you heard..." They raised their eyebrows, trying to judge and see how much Maya knew about the situation.

[maya-hadler]

"Thank you! I mean, the business degree helps with the architecture degree overall, and I wanted to eventually expand and start my own company, so it made sense, y'know?" Maya has big goals, and aspirations. She always has, even as a little girl. Not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up. Maya has had the privilege of knowing exactly what she wants to be for most of her life. Five years old, is when she started drawing buildings, and structures around her. Her parents picked up on her abilities early on, putting a pen and paper in her hands the minute she showed interest. After her father died, Maya had to reinvigorate the love and drive she has for architecture. Jonas helped with that. Everyone in the group had been there for Maya when it happened too, but Jonas is pretty much the only one she didn't completely shut out, maybe aside from Riley and Javier.

As they fall into step with one another towards Bamboo Sushi, Maya adjusts the messenger bag she's got slung over her right shoulder, and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. It's impressive to hear all that Jack's got going on. She knew people in their group were multi-talented, but damn...sometimes she forgets just how much. "Wow Jack, that's...I'm impressed. I mean, either route you go, I know you'll kill it. I've always known you to be the type to go after and get whatever you want, like you're just the succeeding type," Maya chuckles, leaning over to give their shoulder a gentle nudge. She means it. Jack is brilliant, and very talented. Once, they invited the whole group to a screening of a movie they were working on at the time. Maya had been impressed by their ability to immerse themselves in a role. But when the subject switches to The Grid, Maya stiffens a bit, and looks down. Shit. Yeah, yeah she figured this would be a topic of discussion. It has to be, right? Maya sighs before she begins. "Yeah, I...Jonas sort of filled me in on the whole situation. Firstly, I just wanna say that I'm sorry for being a shitty leader, and going completely MIA on everyone. That wasn't cool, even if I was going through something, I...I feel like I should have just come to you guys, told you what was up, and stepped down, or something...I don't know. Anyway, I'm sorry you went at that alone. I don't exactly agree with how everything is being handled now, but I also don't really feel like it's my place to say, since I haven't been around..." Maya pauses in her speech, finally looking over at Jack. "But I wanted to hear from you first before I go on some tirade about my opinion, so, like...what is going on?" They were coming up on Bamboo Sushi now, so maybe they could discuss more inside...