Although it wasn't easy I made my way over to school bright and early so that there was next to no one else there. I printed out the thing that I'd been working on the previous day and after making a quick detour to deliver it I entered the library to work on a history assignment that my teacher had assigned me. Well it was highly unlikely that I'd ever be able to make a habit of it, but after seeing how much work I got done I realized just how easy it would have been to finish homework if I only managed to get up this early every day.
"How come you were gone when I woke up this morning Lucas?" I hadn't even seen Farkle enter the library because for once I'd actually been concentrated on my schoolwork.
"I had some stuff I needed to do, plus there are fewer distractions here than back at our apartment. Well, there used to be at least." I spared him a quick glance before turning my attention back to the task at hand.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." he reasoned, "just make sure you don't come late to class, I heard Riley's dad was going to be having today's lecture and you know he doesn't take kindly to anyone being late. Especially you."
"Don't remind me, why can't he understand that you're the one dating Riley, not me?" I remembered that back when I'd been crushing on Riley he'd made a point out of never letting me near his daughter if he could help it. Well I guess I couldn't really complain about it though, it made for some interesting scenarios even if by the end of it most of the stuff I did was just to spite him.
"I don't know, but let's just get to class already. You're not even doing anything productive at the moment."
"And whose fault is that?" I asked him as I stood up and started packing my stuff.
Exiting the library I noticed Riley and Maya standing by Riley's locker and we walked over to join them. It felt really awkward standing there right next to Maya when we hadn't even spoken to each other since the breakup. Luckily enough it didn't look like she was mad at me anymore, she simply seemed a bit out of it. I decided against saying anything to her and we ended up simply following Riley and Farkle in awkward silence.
"Hey, dad," Riley greeted her dad and took a seat on the front row. She let go of Farkle's hand so that he could sit behind her.
"Hi honey, hi Maya." He said back. Back when Riley still lived home Maya visited them all the time so he was almost as protective towards her as he was towards Riley. I just hoped he hadn't heard about how I screwed up with Maya.
"Hi." Maya mumbled and Mr. Matthews instantly knew that something was wrong. I could see him looking at Riley for some kind of explanation and she gestured towards me. A flash of realization ran across his face before his expression returned to normal.
"Ah, Friar and Minkus too of course," he turned his attention to me and Farkle. "The whole gang is still here just the same as when you graduated high school." We both nodded and I took my seat behind Maya just as I'd done back in high school. It was crazy how we'd gone two months into our first year of college and just when we'd finally gotten used to this school he reeled us back into our years in high school.
"Now for today's class I'm going to be talking about how a lot of wars could have ended differently if people had just learned to forgive. Every one of us makes mistakes and screws up, most of us do this on a daily basis with our friends and significant others." I risked a glance at Maya while Mr. Matthews continued his lecture. "The mistakes might hurt the people we care about, but in the end we all make mistakes and so we shouldn't fault people for just one screwup because it's just that; a screwup. These are the types of mistakes that you're used to and I hope that you're all able to forgive the people that make them. Forgiveness when it comes to war though now that is a different story. After world war one Germany had to pay up a debt to the nations on the winning side of the war, a debt that some people found so humiliating that they eventully started world war two. Of course it's not always clear to us which side is the one who should be asking for forgiveness and who should be forgiving, but it is clear to us that a lot of wars could have been avoided or could have ended differently if people had jut been bit more forgiving..."
"Now that sure was different than the lectures our regular teacher gives us." I said to Farkle after class.
"I hope that's not a bad thing Mr. Friar." Riley's dad walked out of the classroom. With a serious look on his face. Farkle mumbled some kind of excuse and walked away. Apparently Mr. Matthews had walked in on him and Riley in a heavy makeout session last week and he hadn't been too pleased.
"No sir, it was great, just like your old lectures. Sorry you missed your chance to yell at Farkle."
"It's okay, I can find him whenever I need to. Besides, it was you I wanted to talk to. How are things between you and Maya."
"Why are you asking me this sir?" it wasn't like most teachers to be asking abut these kinds of personal questions, but then again he wasn't like most teachers.
"Oh I don't mean to pry for gossip or anything, it's just that she seemed so distracted today and Riley hinted towards you. Did something happen?" the serious look on his face was mostly replaced by one of concern.
"Well we went out for about a month, but then I messed things up when this other girl kissed me at a school dance and I kissed her back. Neeless to say, Maya broke up with me."
"Yeah, she has a hard time dealing with emotional pain. Just make sure she really gets your apology and if it's meant to be then she will forgive you. I speak from experience."
"Thank you sir, both fr the incredible lecture and the advice." I said, before making a dash for my locker so that I could get the books for my next class.
Well that's one more chapter out, one or two chapters left until the story is officially finished.