"Why do we have to sneak out of the house if we're not doing anything wrong until we sneak onto the subway?" My best friend, Riley asked my older sister, Maya, and I for like the 10th time so far.
"You think you're ready to just walk by your parents?" Maya asked. "I think I'm ready." Riley reassured. I gave her an amused look. "Let us see your face as you walk by your parents." I instructed. Riley gave Maya and I, a scared expression. "Why are you making that face at us, Riley?" Maya asked, imitating Riley's parents. "Because I'm sneaking onto the subway." Riley said. I gave her one of my signature looks.
"Out the window." Riley said, pointing out of the window. I nodded. " Let's go." Maya and I said in sync. The three of us crawled out of Riley's bedroom window. A few moments after, we crawled back in. The three of us walked to Riley's bed and sat on the edge, as Mr. Cory Matthews, Riley's father, crawled in and walked over to give us some sort of lecture.
"Here's what I'm thinking." He said, beginning his lecture, "It's not your world yet. It's still my world. Because if it was your world, Maya and Dylan would have you on the subway already, thinking you put something over on me. But you didn't. Know how I know? Look at ya. You're right here."
"How long do I have to live in my father's world?" Riley asked. I chuckled. "Until you make it yours," Mr. Matthews told his daughter, while putting a hand on her shoulder. "Riley, do you know what I want more than anything? Go ahead, make it yours." Mr. Matthews told her.
"I will. And when I do will you still be there for me?" Riley asked. "Right here." A voice said. We all turned to see Riley's mom, Mrs. Topanga Matthews, leaning against the door frame. She walked over to Cory and linked arms with him. "We'll be right here." She reassured. Riley, Maya, and I gave each other a look. We all linked arms and skipped out of the door.
The three of us arrived at the subway and were greeted by the familiar subway vibes. The dead rat smells, people's footsteps as they come and go. I just love the subway! We were all greeted by a new sound. The three of us turned to a familiar person that Maya and I knew. He was drumming. Maya and I stepped forward and began to dance. The drumming stopped.
"Weasel!" Maya and I exclaimed. "Dylan! Maya!" Weasel greeted us, and then took noticed of Riley, "Who's the new chick?" "Chick! Down here I'm a chick." Riley said, leaning closer to Maya and I. "No wonder my parents don't want me on the subway." She whispered. We began walking to the subway train, as two girls walked pass us.
"You're slouching, Maya." A girl who I didn't know told Maya. "Thanks, Gretchen." Maya said. Maya stood straight, put her hands on her hips and started walked to the train with such good posture. Riley and I shared a look. I shrugged. Riley mimicked Maya and followed her to the train. I rolled my eyes and followed Riley and Maya normally.
I looked around the subway at all the other passengers. I glanced at Riley and saw something very peculiar. "Whoa, Riley." I said. Maya took notice of Riley and her eyes slightly widened in amusement. "You don't do lip gloss." Maya told her. I nodded.
"Oh, what I forgot to mention is that I'm completely reinventing myself. I ride the subway now, I have kiwi lips now and I'm just as cool as you two now." Riley said. I chuckled. "Yeah? Let's see how cool you can be when you look at him." Maya said, gesturing with her head, towards someone behind Riley. Riley and I followed Maya's gesture and saw a blond haired kid, about our age, reading a textbook. He looked up and smiled at us. Riley turned back to us with a big grin on her face.
I giggled. "Yeah, you're gonna need some lessons." I told her. "Okay, let me show you everything you need to know about boys and girls." Maya said, and walked over to the boy. Riley and I watched her.
"Hi, I'm Maya. You're really cute. We should hang out sometime," Maya said, sitting down next to the boy. "You make me happy. You don't pay enough attention to me. This isn't working out," Maya said, standing up. "It's you, not me. We can still be friends. Not really." Maya said, walking back to us without letting the boy say a word.
"He's available. We just broke up." Maya said. I giggled. "Are you okay?" I asked. "Do we need to talk about it?" Riley added. "You still want to be like me and Dylan?" Maya asked. "I want to be exactly like you two. I think too much and you guys don't think at all." Riley said. "See, you get us! So let's not think!" I cheered. I grabbed Riley's hand and pushed her off of the pole we were holding onto. Riley screamed. She landed on the kid's lap. I giggled and turned to my big sis.
"Hey, Maya?" I asked. "Yeah, Dyl?" Maya asked me. "Do you think mom will help us with tonight's homework?" I asked. Maya looked down sadly, and then looked back at me with sympathy in her eyes. She shook her head no. I looked back down at my black combat boots, and then back up when I heard Riley approach.
"That was great." Riley said in a dreamy voice. I put on a fake smile and made eye contact with my friend. "You're welcome." I told her. An expression of worriness and fear crossed Riley's face. "What if that was the best moment of my life? What if nothing ever happens for me again?" She asked. Maya and I shared a knowing look. We looked back at Riley with a smirk plastered on our faces. We both grabbed Riley's hand and pushed her off. She was sent tumbling back. She screamed and landed on a lady's lap. "It's for you." The lady said, picking Riley up and placing her on the kid's lap.
I slammed my locker closed when I had received my history textbooks. Riley and Maya mimicked me. "Did you have trouble with the homework?" Riley asked. I shrugged. "Piece of cake." Maya lied. "You didn't do it, did you?" Riley asked. "I don't even know where my books are." Maya admitted. "They're here and they're heavy." Riley said, taking out Maya's textbooks from her bag. The bell ringed. We all walked into our classroom, and walked over to our desks which were next to each other and at the front.
"You have to do the homework, Maya. This teacher's insane, a total nut job. I think there's something seriously wrong with him." Riley said. "Hi, honey." Mr. Matthews said, standing in front of Riley. "Hi, daddy." Riley greeted her father.
"You're late to your father's class." Mr. Matthews informed her. "Oh, don't worry, Mr. Matthews." Maya said. I smirked. "Yeah. You wrote her a note." I said, taking a piece of paper out of my back pocket. "I did?" Matthews and Riley asked as I did so. "He did." Maya and I answered in unison. "You did." Riley said, as I handed Matthews the note.
"Riley is late. Deal with it." He read from the note. He looked up at Maya and me. "Well, you two got my signature down pretty good this time." He complimented. "Oh, it was easy. You write like a girl." Maya said, taking her seat next to me. "Yeah, you do. I didn't think it was possible, but. You proved me wrong," I told him, taking my seat, which was in between Riley and Maya.
"Okay, let me get back to jamming some learning into your heads." Mr. Matthews said, beginning the class, "The civil war." "The civil bore." Maya said. "Thank you, future mini mart employee of the month." Mr. Matthews said. "Would she be making more money than you?" I asked. Mr. Matthews hesitated before continuing.
"The civil war! Anybody?" He said to us. "A war we fought against ourselves." Riley answered. I raised my eyebrows. "What, you actually studied it?" Mr. Matthews asked. "No, I'm actually living it." Riley said. She bumped her head on her desk as Matthews continued.
"People, people, are we here to learn or not?" Farkle, one of Riley, Maya, and mines closest friends. "What do you mean, Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asked. I turned to Farkle. Who was sitting behind Maya. "I've been in love with Riley since the first grade. But I'm also equally in love with Maya. And Dylan. Some might say the great mystery of the universe is who's gonna be the first Mrs. Farkle." Farkle said. Maya turned around and faced Farkle.
"You don't want this." Maya warned him. "Bring it on." Farkle said. We all looked forward again. "I always thought he'd wind up with back-of-the-class Brenda." Riley told us. We all turned around to Brenda. Who sorta resembled a female Farkle. I shuddered. "Ew, yuck!" Farkle exclaimed as we turned back in our seats.
"Actually, the great mystery of the universe is how you could love three women the same who couldn't possibly be more different." Mr. Matthews told Farkle. "We're not so different." Riley protested. "May I overstep my bounds, sir?" Farkle asked, raising his hand. "You always do." Mr. Matthews said. Farkle and him switched spots. Farkle flipped Cory's name plate so it showed his name.
Farkle slammed his hands on Riley's desk. "Riley is the sun, warm and bright and lights up my whole day." Farkle said, and then ran to Maya's desk. He slammed his hands on her desk. "Maya is the night, dark and mysterious. And the night has always been a mystery to me. Because I go to bed at 7:30." Farkle tols us. He ran over to my desk and slammed his hands on it. "Dylan is the sunrise. Mysterious, beautiful, and a true piece of beauty. Who is a complete mystery yet, an open book." Farkle said. He backed up.
"How could I love these three different women? How could I not? Thank you! I am Farkle!" He exclaimed, and walked back to his desk. Mr. Matthews walked back to his. He flipped his name tag around. "So we were indeed trying to find out who we were as a people. Who am I? What should I be? History shows that bad things happen when you don't know who you are." Matthews explained. The back door opened. The whole class turned to the door, to see the kid from the subway enter.
"Who are you? I don't know who you are." Matthews told the young boy as he walked over to our teacher. "Subway boy." Riley whispered to Maya and I. I smiled.
"I'm Lucas Friar from Austin, Texas." The boy introduced. "Oh, new student, Mr.
Friar?" Matthews asked. "Yes sir." Lucas answered. "Great, you're just in time for today's assignment. Have a seat." Matthews told him. Lucas nodded and walked over to the seat behind Riley. I noticed Riley was watching Lucas with her full attention.
"Okay, so we-" Mr. Matthews started, but stopped when he noticed his daughter wasn't paying attention. He turned her head around. "So I'd like you guys to open your books to page 48." Mr. Matthews instructed. I opened up my textbook and turned to page 48 with the rest if the class. "Now I'd like you to turn to page one." Matthews told us. I turned to page one like the rest of the class. "Now I'd like you to read from page one to 48." Matthews instructed. The entire class, including me, groaned. "Oh, too bad on you." Matthews told us. I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, so for tonight's assignment, I'd like you to write me a three-page essay on anything. Anything at all that you guys believe in so strongly you'd fight for it." Matthews explained.
"That! I'd fight for no homework! I come here every day. Why can't you teach me everything I need to know while I'm here?" Maya exclaimed. "Whoo!" Riley said, pumping her fist. She earned a glare from her father. "Not Whoo." Riley said. I rolled my eyes again. "He gets our days. Let's take back our nights." Riley said standing up. "No homework, more freedom. Who's with me?" Maya asked. The entire class began chanting "No homework, more freedom" over and over again. Maya leaned down closer to me and Riles. "This is it, kid. You want to be like me? Stand up," Maya told Riles before chanting again.
I smiled and stood up. I was obviously going to back my sister up. "No homework, more freedom." I chanted with the rest of the class. Riley eventually joined us. We all continued chanting, as we stormed out of the classroom.
I sat in my bedroom on my bed as I looked at my desk. My homework from history class sat on it. I continued to stare at it, as my door opened. I turned my attention to the door. In entered Maya. She was in her pajamas. Just like I was. "Hey, Dyl. What'cha doing?" Maya asked me. I shrugged.
"Nothing much." I answered, "Oh. Is mom home yet?" Maya shook her head no. I could see sadness in her eyes. I reached out for her hand and grasped it. I squeezed it tightly but gently. I could see Maya's eyes get cloudy with tears. But, Maya, being Maya didn't let them fall. She just shook her head and did the emotionless soldier act. "I should probably go to bed. School night," Maya said, standing up and walking to the door.
"Maya, wait!" I shouted before she stepped out of the door. She turned to me, and I could see the tears were going to fall any minute. "Love you sis," I told her. "I love you too, sis," Maya said and walked out of the door. I sighed. I stood up and walked over to my desk. I knew exactly what I was going to do for my essay. I know I'm part of the homework rebellion but. I got to get my feelings out somehow.
Dylan Hart
June 3rd 2015
What To Fight For?
What I believe is worth fighting for. What I would put everything on the line for. Is my relationship with my older sister. I know that I would not make it through a day without her. A day without her is like a year without smiling. Or laughing. We all need a light to male it through this crazy maze we call life. Maya is my light. That shines bright and high above everything else...
I sat at my usual spot with Maya and Riley the next day at school. I was playing with my ham sandwich. I didn't really feel like eating right now. I had finished my 3 page essay for Mr. Matthews class. I think it turned out well. And all of it is true.
As I was fiddling with my food, I didn't notice Riley and Maya talking about the new kid. That was until Maya nudged me. I looked up from my food and looked to where my sister was gesturing to.
"Aww, look at him looking for a place to fit in." Maya said. I gently smiled. "Do you think he'll sit with us?" Riley asked. I shrugged. Maya scotched over a seat so there was a empty seat in between her and Riley. As Lucas approached to take the seat, Farkle snatched it before he had a chance to sit down.
"Ladies." Farkle greeted. "Farkle!" Riley, Maya, and I all greeted. "Interesting lunch-line dilemma: Sloppy Joe or Chicken Pot Pie or a Ham Sandwich? Or Sloppy Joe? Or Chicken Pot Pie? Or a Ham Sandwich?" Farkle asked. "Is that all you got?" Maya asked. Farkle nodded. "That's it. Same time tomorrow." Farkle said, standing up and walking off to who knows where.
I noticed Lucas still looking around for somewhere to sit. I reached across from Maya and pushed Riley into the seat next to Maya.
"There he is. Invite him to sit down." I told her. "What do I say?" Riley asked. "Hey, Lucas, looking for somebody special?" Maya suggested. "I can't say that." Riley said. "Hey, Lucas, looking for somebody?" I suggested. "Too forward." Riley said. "Hey, Lucas." Maya suggested. "Like we're on a first-name basis?" Riley asked. "Hey." I suggested. "Hey." Riley repeated. "Hey, I'm back." Lucas said, sitting on the seat next to Riley.
Riley looked up at him with a weird terrified expression on her face. "Hi. You're sitting here." Riley said. I mentally face-palmed. "Is that okay?" Lucas asked. "Can you excuse me for just one sec?" Riley asked. She turned around to face me and Maya. The three of us squealed for three seconds and then went back to our lunches.
"How ya doing?" I heard a voice ask. I turned around to see the one and only Cory Matthews. I rolled my eyes, un-amused by this.
"Dad, you have a choice here. You can either understand that this is just a boy talking to me in the cafeteria," Riley began. "I'm gonna do whatever you say next." Cory told her, cutting his own daughter off. "But this is so innocent." Riley defended. "Honey, fathers don't see anything as innocent. We see it as. What's the opposite of innocent?" Cory asked. I pointed at Maya as she pointed at herself. "Right here!" We both shouted at the same time. Cory gave us a small wave.
"Please don't embarrass me." Riley pleaded. "I'm just going to talk to Mr.
Friar about geography." Mr. Matthews told us. He turned to Lucas. "You know, I've been to a lot of places. Never been to Texas though. What part of Texas is closest to Mexico?" He asked the poor boy. "That'd be El Paso, sir." Lucas answered. "Great. Let's go right now." Mr. Matthews said. He took Lucas chair and pulled him and the chair away. Lucas gave us a small wave. I rolled my eyes, and stood up along with my friends to put our lunch trays away.
"So did you do the homework?" Riley asked Maya. "No, I didn't do the homework. The question on everybody's kiwi lips is did you do the homework?" Maya asked. "No. I'm one of the founding members of the homework rebellion. You think I did my homework?" Riley defended. I gave her my look. "I think you did hers too. And probably mines," I told her.
"I did, I did and I really liked it." Riley said, happily. "Riley, don't save me." Maya said. Riley gave my older sister a confused look. "What?" Riley mumbled. "Let me be me." Maya said.
As Maya said that, Farkle walked over to us with three different cakes on his tray. "Oh, you got three desserts?" Riley asked, "Angel's food cake." "Red Velvet food cake," I said. "And Devil's food cake. Let me guess who's who." Maya said. "Hey, Farkle's just hungry. Not everything is about you." Farkle defended walked off with his cake.
"Well. Someone's got a sweet tooth." I said, earning a few giggles.
I took out my textbooks for history and turned to the page of the book we were at. As I was doing that, I heard a rapid sound of footsteps making a dash somewhere. I turned around in my seat and saw Mr. Matthews glaring at Lucas.
"Hi. Apparently you have a better sense of direction than I anticipated. You are a really good-looking guy." Mr. Matthews commented on and walked back to the front of the classroom.
"Okay, so today we're gonna find out. If anybody here believes in something so strongly they'd fight for it." Mr. Matthews said, walking over to Maya's desk, "Maya." "Yes sir." Maya replied. "Present your homework." "Can't do that, sir." "Why not?" "That's what I'm fighting against, sir." "Oh, this could go on for a while." Farkle said, breaking the conversation. He put his feet on his desk and put on a blue night thingy you put over your eyes. "Farkle Farkle Farkle Farkle." Farkle said, snoring.
"Dylan. Homework. Present. Now," Cory told me. "Sorry, Matthews. Even if I did do my homework, it is my own personal piece of writing. Can't present," I told him. He glared at me and turned to Riley.
"I didn't do my homework either." Riley told him. "Oh really?" Matthews asked. "Yeah. We're all the same now. I don't believe in homework." Riley replied. "Guess what, Riley? That doesn't make you the same as Maya or Dylan at all." Matthews informed her.
"I have something to say." Maya said, raising her hand. "Wow, I don't know what to do. I've never seen this before. The floor is yours, Ms. Hart." Mr. Matthews said, offering Maya the floor. Maya stood up and turned to Farkle.
"Get up, Farkle. You're gonna want to be awake for this." Maya told the boy. "Is it our honeymoon?" Farkle asked hopefully, standing up. I gave him a look. "No, you missed that. Now it's time to hand in our essays." Maya told him. "Oh, Farkle goes first! Farkle always goes first!" Farke shouted. He ran out of the classroom to his locker, I believe.
Maya stepped up to the front of the room. "All right, everybody who did their homework, put it on your desks." Maya instructed. "Careful there, Ms. Hart." Matthews warned her. I took my essay out of my bag and placed it on my desk. "Are you sure about this?" Riley asked my sister as Maya passed by. "I got this." Maya reassured and continued to collect the homework from the students.
I heard the backdoor open, so I turned around in my seat and saw Farkle walk in with a big diorama in his hands. "The burning of Atlanta led to the end of the civil war and to peace. I believe that peace is worth fighting for." Farkle said.
Maya walked up to Farkle with all the essays in her hands. She snatched one of the sparklers from Farkle's display. "Hey, that's a pivotal part of my diorama!" Farkle shouted. Maya snatched another sparkler from the project. "And there goes Virginia." Farkle mumbled.
Maya walked back to her desk and stood up on her chair. She held the sparklers and the essays in separate hands, with a little distance apart from each other. "The burning of the homework led to the end of the homework rebellion because there was no more homework." Maya said. She began to bring the sparklers down to the homework. I let out a little gasp. "All right, all right, that's far enough, Maya! I get it!" Cory shouted, running over to Maya and snatching the homework from Maya.
Maya held the sparklers up high. "No homework, more freedom!" Maya shouted. Just as she shouted, the sparklers' fire hit the fire sprinklers and ice cold water spurt down. The whole class begun to scream as an alarm began to ring. "Okay, so those work." Maya pointed up. Everyone began to flee from the classroom. The only people left in the room were Farkle, Maya, Riley, Lucas, Mr. Matthews, and me. We were getting soaked.
"Is this still part of your presentation or is this actually going on?" Farkle asked. Out of the corner of my eye , I saw Lucas put his jacket over him and Riley. I didn't hear there conversation though. I just stood there getting wet. Farkle made a dash for Mr. Matthews and begun ti climb on him.
"Ms. Hart, you have detention. The principal will determine if it goes further than that." Mr. Matthews told Maya. He turned to Riley and I. "Ms. Matthews, please leave. Ms. Hart. You stay as well," Cory told us. "I deserve detention too!" Riley protested. "No, you don't. You didn't do anything. And because you didn't do anything, both of your best friends are in very deep trouble." Mr. Matthews told her. I glared at him. Why was I getting detention?
Riley stormed out of the classroom. "All right, Farkle, you can get down now." Cory told the young boy. "Well, you're actually quite comfortable, sir." Farkle commented. "Thank you, Farkle. Get off!" Mr. Matthews shouted. "Farkle isn't going anywhere!" Farkle shouted.
I slammed my locker closed along with Riley and Maya. We were trying to clean ourselves up as best as we could. Which was hard. Mr. Matthews then ran into the deserted hallways. Farkle was still on his shoulders. He gave us a hard look. "Down, Farkle." He ordered. Farkle climbed down from the man. Mr. Matthews began to stare at us hardly.
"You're looking at us pretty hard there, Mr. Matthews." I told him. "I just want to stand by my girls. Even though one of them did nothing," Riley said. Maya, Riley, and I looked at each other.
"You missed the moment to stand by your girls. You were so busy trying to be them, Riley, you forgot the best thing you can do for them is be you." Mr. Matthews told Riley. I looked down. "Riley, take Farkle for a walk." Cory ordered his daughter. Riley and Farkle walked out. Maya and me stepped forward.
"Listen, for as long as I can remember, it's always been Riley, Maya, and Dylan. Now I always believed friends helps another friend out of trouble, not into it." Mr. Matthews told us. But mostly Maya.
"I'm sorry." Maya said, barely above a whisper. "Me too," I mumbled. "I am too. Because both of you go too far. Do you understand me?" Cory said. Maya nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand," Maya said, before walking out. Matthews turned to me.
"You. You're supposed to be the peacekeeper between them. To keep the other one under control. A friend isn't supposed to let a friend, go way too far, that it's unforgivable. Do you understand me?" Mr. Matthews told me. I nodded, and started to walk to the exit. But I stopped and turned around to face Mr. Matthews.
"You wanna know why Maya did what she did? She and I have nobody at home who helps us with our homework. She did this to forget about the pain of having to deal with it." With that, I walked out of the building and caught up with Maya and Riley outside. We walked to the subway.
I sat in a seat next to some lady. I think it was the lady who ruined Riley and Lucas' moment in the subway the other day. Maya and Riley were standing at a pole. I was playing with my still damp hair.
"Riles?" I heard Maya ask. I looked up at my two friends. "Yeah?" Riley asked. "If Dylan, you, and me can't hang out with each other as much anymore, don't worry about it." Maya told her. Riley looked at me. I nodded.
"Wait. Why wouldn't we-" Riley started. "He's going to make you end the friendship." I said, cutting her off. Riley's face fell. "He said that?" Riley asked. "He's really upset with us," Maya said. "He loves you two." Riley protested. I shook my head. "I don't think so anymore." I said, gloomily. "I just want you to know that I get it wouldn't be your fault." Maya said. I nodded.
The lady next to me laughed. I turned to her. "Beyootiful! You three little bumblebees got a sweet thing going. But where's your hunk?" The lady said, earning a look from me, "You ain't got no hunk, you ain't got no story!"
I turned back to Riley. "May and I haven't been your good friends." I said. "You guys are my best friends," Riley said.
"She's your best friend! Best friends are important. I got a best friend. I'm not talking to her right now." The lady said. I rolled my eyes. "We go too far." Maya said. "And I don't think that's gonna stop." I told her. "We're bad for you." Maya and I said in unison.
"Did he say that?" Riley asked. "He will." Maya said. The train stopped. I stood up. "This is your stop." I said, walking over to the two. "Don't be us." I said, taking her hand off the pole. "You don't go as far as us." Maya said. "No. No." Riley protested as Maya and I pushed her off of the train. The doors began to close. Maya and I walked back to our spots. Well. I took Riley's former spot.
"No! Do not push her off this train! You do not push your best friend off the train." The lady said. A few moments have passed. "That little girl pushed those doors open with the power of love!" The lady shouted. Maya and I whipped around and saw Riley walking over to us.
"You two are not allowed to abandon our friendship! I would never do that." Riley told us. "Riley, we're pushing you away because," I started. "Because we're not good for you anymore." Maya finished.
"Only I decide that! You know why?!" Riley shouted. "Why?" Maya and I asked. "Because if this is my world now, the first people I want in it is you two." Riley told us. I gently smiled. "You're gonna save us, aren't you?" Maya asked. "I am." Riley said. She grabbed Maya and mine's hands and we ran off to Riley's house.
"Where is he?!" Riley exclaimed, as we entered the Matthews's residence. Topanga and Auggie, Riley's little brother, pointed to Cory who was sitting across from them at the table. We walked up to him.
"There is no way I'm gonna let you break-up my friendship with Maya and Dylan!" Riley shouted. "Is that what you think I want, Riley?" Cory asked. "No. What you said you really want is for me to make the world my own. And you want me to do my homework. Well, I'm doing it right now. Here's what I think is worth fighting for," Riley said. She put her arms around me and Maya since she was in the middle.
"These are my best friends. Their gonna get me into trouble and I'm gonna get us out of it. And I did. Because here we are. Look at us, dad. We're right here. My civil war is over, dad. I won." Riley said. I smiled. There was a moment of silence.
"What happens now?" I asked.
I stood in the subway station with the Matthews, Maya, Lucas and Farkle. We were here for a reason unknown to me.
"Friends, family and all you other subterranean mole people. We're here today to celebrate Riley being Riley. Now some may call this a New York City subway pass. But you, Riley, can consider this a ticket to the world." Cory announced, holding up a subway pass. "You think I'm ready?" Riley asked, hopefully. "You showed us you are. Riley, I've already met the world. It's your turn." Cory told her.
Maya, Riley, and I walked farther away from the others. "So where do you wanna go?" Maya asked. "Don't know. Big world." Riley said. "Ours now?" I asked. "Yeah, but my dad did say I have to be home by 5:00." Riley told us. "Don't worry, he wrote you a note." Maya said, holding up a note. I giggled as we walked into the train.