An Angel Meets the World (Discontinued)

by Indian-Girl-1994

Instead of Girl Meets World being about Riley, what if it was about her second best friend, Jazzabelle? What if Jazzabelle was the one that fell for Lucas instead of Riley? This story is about Jazzabelle McCormick and her friend Riley, Maya, Farkle, and Lucas. Will Jazzabell get through life or will her home life kill her before she has a chance to meet the world in front of her.

10. Chapter 10

Season 1

Chapter 10

An Angel Meets 1961

A week had gone by since I met Austin and I wasn't as mad as I was before. After Lucas explained everything that had happened I understood why he waited to tell me. He didn't know how to tell me and he didn't really want to talk about that was going on in Texas, or that's what I got out of his explanation. Lucas explained to me that Austin was the youngest of the two, by how much I don't know, he never told me.

Anyway Lucas told me that the two of them had grown up together since they were born. So that meant to Lucas they were more like brothers then cousins, or so he tells me and I could understand that. I took a guess that Lucas would do anything to make sure that Austin was safe. Even if that meant going all the way back to Texas when his cousin needed him the most.

Austin was the 'Family Business' Lucas had to take care of when he was gone last month. The story goes that Lucas' uncle, had died a few months back. Since the death of his father Austin had be getting into a lot of trouble, with fights and shipping class, at school. I guess the last fight he had been in, someone had to go to the hospital and that was the last straw for his mother. She told Austin, he was going to live his Aunt and Uncle, along with his cousin, in New York. I think she thought he would calm down if he was in a different place. After hearing about Austin's father I felt bad for him but that didn't mean that I liked him.

Surprisingly, Mr. Matthews was happy to have Austin in class. I guess he was hopping that he'd have another Mr. Friar in his classroom and so far Austin was doing good. He really didn't talk in class but he looked to be paying attention. He still had that cocky attitude though and I didn't like it. Like I said before he reminded me of my old man and if I could stay away from him as much as possible I would. The only thing that put a kink in that plan was Lucas. Austin was always around his cousin and no matter how much I disliked Austin, I still wanted to be around Lucas.

I guess I'd have to figure out something, sooner or later, but now wasn't the time. Now we were all in class, watching Mr. Matthews get excited about history. 'The Times, They Are A-Changin' – Bob Dylan' was written on the board when we came to class so I was going to take a guess and say that we were going to learn about the sixties today. Yes I knew who Bob Dylan. Mr. Matthews talked around him from time to time. I didn't see a problem with learning about the sixties. They didn't sound so bad.

"The sixties man," Mr. Matthews said happily, "influential musicians like Bob Dylan and John Baez. Playin' guitars and singing like prophets. The times they were a-changin'."

No one seemed excited about what Mr. Matthews was talking about. If they were this bored at the beginning of the lesson, what made our teacher think that they were going to be any more excited at the end of it? Mr. Matthew had to learn to roll with the class, not the other way around. As if to prove my point I heard a thud coming from the back of the class. One of the students must have fallen asleep and hit their head on their desk.

"The class," Farkle noted, "they are a-sleepin'."

"It's not your fault dad," Riley comforted. "It's just the stuff your saying."

"Wha–" Mr. Matthews muttered. "I'm talking about the sixties man."

"I don't think anyone cares Mr. Matthews," I said gently.

He just looked at me as he put a hand to his chest, over his heart. My teacher was trying to tell me that I hurt his feelings but there was nothing that I could do about it when I was only telling him the truth. I looked over at Riley and Maya. They were looking back at me so we all shared a look. A look that said 'Can't this class just be over already?' The three of us looked back up to Mr. Matthews.

"Nobody cares about when you were our age," Riley explained to her dad.

Mr. Matthews and I both looked at her, with confused looks on our faces, not really understand where she was coming from. Did she really think that her dad was that old? If I had to take a guess at how old he was I would have to say that he was at least in his thirties. He had to be almost the same age as my old man… Right?

"Riley, it was over 50 years ago," Mr. Matthews informed her. "How old do you guys think I am?"

I heard someone take a breath behind me, but then I heard a smacking sound. I couldn't help but guess what the smacking sound was. You see since Austin had moved here the second row's seating arrangement had changed a little. Lucas was still behind me but instead of Farkle being behind Riley he was now behind Maya and Austin was behind Riley. How this came to be? I don't know but it seemed to work because Lucas always got his cousin out of trouble if need be. This seemed to be one of those times.

I turned around to see where the noise had come from behind me. When I was facing the second row, I saw Lucas with his hand covering Austin's mouth. My guess was that Austin was going to be a smart mouth to the question that Mr. Matthews asked us, but Lucas had stopped him. I put my hand over my own mouth the stop from laughing. Lucas looked over at me and winked, as he dropped his hand from his cousins' mouth, before looking back to Mr. Matthews to answer his questioned. I turned back around to face the front again.

"There's no right answer to this sir," Lucas stated.

Before Mr. Matthews could say anything else about the matter, Maya had to jump in. This was bound to end badly. Austin and Maya were neck and neck at being trouble makers in Mr. Matthews' class.

"You should teach us future class," Maya suggested. "You know, give us something we can use."

"Listen dad," Riley chimed in, "you're doing a wonderful job up there and we're very happy that you're all jazzed up."

"But history has nothing to do with us," Austin finished.

Mr. Matthews was quiet for a few seconds as he sat on his desk. He didn't look that happy with any of us. Which I didn't blame him. I enjoyed history myself, I really did. It was one of my favorite subjects and if we had to be interrupted every time someone didn't want to learn about it, I was going to explode.

"I'm gonna snap this chalk now," Mr. Matthews stated.

He held up the chalk that was in his hand.

"Uh-oh," Lucas groaned.

"Oh boy," I said.

Putting my elbow on my desk, I put my chin in the palm of my hand and I rolled my eyes. My class and I watched our teacher put some pressure on the chalk and it snapped in half.

"Snap," Mr. Matthews said.

He then threw it on his desk and clapped his hands together, to get the chalk off, as he stood up to walk around his classroom. Our teacher looked very upset and I was going to take a swing and say that there was nothing that we could do to make him feel better.

"What did you guys do yesterday?" Mr. Matthews asked us.

"I think I had grapes," Riley smiled brightly.

"Do you know what yesterday was?"

"Grapes day."

"It's history. Every decision you make every day."

Mr. Matthews was really hyped up about this. He started walking down the middle of Riley and Maya's rows, as he lectured, making sure he could see everyone and that everyone could see him.

"Every time you decided to turn left instead of right," he kept going, "you make history and you affect someone else's. And if you refuse to learn that, I guarantee you, guys will not become the best person you can be."

He turned around so he was walking back up the row. I didn't really notice until now how much this man used his hands to talk. I think I was paying more attention to this man's hand movements then what he was saying. He stopped when he got to Maya's desk and pointed to her as he spoke.

"Because history is all about missed opportunities," he continued. "'History has nothing to do with us,' wasn't it, Miss Hart?"

"I can't remember," Maya groaned, "it was like five minutes ago."

"Fine."

Mr. Matthews sounded sad when said this and he threw his hands up in defeat as he looked at the class. He walked back up to the front of the classroom as he started speaking again.

"I am not going to teach you guys about the sixties," Mr. Matthews informed us.

"Yay," the class said.

The only two that didn't say anything was Farkle and me. I had a feeling about what Mr. Matthews was going to do. He never gave up that easily when it came to teaching us kids something, unless he had a good reason to do so.

"We are," I muttered, under my breath.

"You are," Mr. Matthews said pointing at the class.

"Oooohhh," the class moaned.

"Knew it," I mumbled.

"Yay," Farkle said.

"History is alive," Mr. Matthews noted, "even if you weren't, but now you gonna be. You will visit the 1960's and give a report."

"Time Travel."

Throughout this whole thing I could practically see Farkle's bright eyes through the happiness in his voice. This boy was excited about anything that had to do with learning. I did too… sometimes but not all the time like this kid. I envied him in a way.

"How do we do that dad?" Riley asked. "We weren't there."

"You were," Mr. Matthews stated.

"How?"

"You all have grandparents, or great grandparents. Choose one who was around during that time. Learn all you can about them and report back. Then we'll see if history has nothing to do with us. Living history… Now I'm all jazzed up."

"Ooohh," the whole class muttered sadly.

"Great," I mumbled.

"Yay," Farkle sighed happily.

I turned around to look at him. As I looked at him I could see his dark blue eyes shining. I really didn't understand what was going on through this head in times like these. He was nuts but I guess if he was happy being nuts there was nothing that I could do to stop him.

~The Year of 1961 Past Flash Back~

The date was December 14th, 1961 and the place was Greenwich Village, New York. I just so happened to be stand in front of a small place called Café Hey. It was a small happening place, that was in the basement of an old building but I didn't mind that. To tell you the truth I liked small places. Yes, I know that New York, in general, wasn't a small place but that's why I took peace in the small places I could fine in this big area.

I was a poor little rich girl as some people would say, born and raised in New York, in one place or another. I had everything in the world I could possible want, but I still wasn't happy with my life. To me there was something or someone missing that I couldn't seem to find. So when I turned 18 years of age I took off on my own, not telling mamma or daddy where I was going. I knew they would try to get me to stay but there was no way I could tell them why I couldn't. The sad part was I couldn't tell them if I was ever coming back to them or not.

I had heard some things, in my travels, about a place called Café Hey. People had told me that it was small but it was one of the most popular places in Greenwich, New York. I was supposed to leave the next day on a bus that would take me all the way to Texas, but I knew that I had to see this place, for myself, before I left. Maybe it would be a reason for me to stay and then again maybe it wouldn't.

When I was inside Café Hey I noticed a small man standing behind the counter that sold refreshments. Considering I was a shy person, to me this man seemed nice enough. I walked up to him with my journal in hand and he smiled when he noticed me making my way over to him.

"What's happenin' pretty lady?" he asked me.

"Just coming to check out the place," I informed him. "I've heard a few things about it and I thought I might as well see if this was the place for me."

"If you're looking for a small place to hang, then it's the place for you."

I smiled a small smile at him and nodded my hand in thanks before stretching out my hand. I may be a shy person but my parents had always taught me how to be a lady.

"I'm Blanche Turner," I introduced myself.

The man took my hand, from the other side of the counter, and shook it a few times before letting it go. He was still smiling and he seemed like a happy guy. Not to happy, though, like all the people that I was around growing up.

"I'm Ginsburg," he stated.

"Nice to meet you," I said.

"Nice to meet you too. Would you like anything Blanche?"

"This might sound childish but I would like a hot chocolate. That is if you have any. I'm not a coffee person."

"Coming right up pretty lady."

I looked around the Café Hey as Ginsburg made my hot chocolate. It was a small place, like the people that I talking too, said it was. There were tables set everywhere facing the stage that was in the front, with the refreshment counter in the back. There were a lot of people dressed in black, unlike me. I was dressed in loose light tan pants and a loose fitting, flower printed shirt. My dark red hair was pulled up in a half pony tell with the curls flowing to past the middle of my back. I decided not to wear makeup today so my sky blue eyes were the only thing that stood out.

By the looks of the place, where I was standing and the people who were around me, this was a place that mamma and daddy wouldn't want me to be. This was a place where they wouldn't want their little princess to be at. To tell you the truth, I really didn't care right now. So far I liked it here. The people were nice, even though, they wore black and Café Hey was in a basement it was still a nice place.

I was brought out of my thoughts by Ginsburg putting my cup of hot chocolate in front of me. I looked up at his smiling face and smile back at him. He wasn't so bad. You couldn't help but like the guy.

"There you go pretty lady," Ginsburg said happily.

"Thank you very much Ginsburg," I acknowledged. "How much?"

"Don't worry about it. It's on the house."

"Are you sure."

"Yes I'm sure."

"Well, thank you."

Ginsburg looked me up and down once before turning his attention back to my face. The way he looked at me wasn't creepy, like I thought it would be. It was more like he was trying to figure me out. My daddy always said that he could never read me or my moods.

"You're not from around here are you?" Ginsburg stated.

"No," I mumbled. "How'd you guess? What's giving me away?"

I could feel the red forming in my cheeks. I didn't want to stand out that much. All I wanted to do was blend in, to see if I could belong here. I guess, with the close I was wearing, I wasn't doing a very good job of doing so.

"You're eyes," Ginsburg shrugged. "They're giving you away. I know I would remember a pair of eyes as blue as yours. Plus the way you talk. You talk like those rich folk that stay away from places like this."

I could feel the heat getting warmer in my cheeks. Why couldn't I have brought sunglasses? I don't know why I even thought that question. I know why I didn't buy sunglasses… because I wouldn't wear them inside the building that's why. Even if I did wear them inside, the way I talked would still give me away.

"Don't worry about it pretty lady," Ginsburg smiled. "No one else will notice. I'm very observant. I see thing others don't. You'll be fine."

I nodded to him in thanks. Turning around with my journal in one hand and my cup of hot chocolate in the other hand, I looked around for a place to sit. My eyes landed on a long waterfall of blonde hair sitting by itself at a table. It was a girl with a purple shirt and a long green skirt. In her hair was a flower crown. I remember making a lot of those when I was a child.

I took a big breath in and let it out, before I made my way over to the young girl. She looked up when she say me standing by her right side. When she saw it was another girl she smiled and I returned her smile.

"Hello," she welcomed softly.

"Hi," I greeted. "Is this seat taken?"

I pointed to the one I was standing by. She shook her head.

"No," she said. "You can sit down if you'd like."

The young blonde didn't talk the way I did, but she did seem to have manners. Putting my cup and journal down on the table, I took my seat beside her. We looked at each other for a few seconds before I stretched out my hand, like I did with Ginsburg.

"I'm Blanche Turner," I informed her.

She took my head and smiled again.

"I'm May Clutterbucket," she replied.

Her cheeks got red and her smile fell. I could tell that she was embarrassed by her last name, but I didn't really see a problem with it. My first name was weird too. I mean really, my name was Blanche after all.

"Nice to meet you May," I said.

I smiled a friendly smile at her trying to take the tension and the embarrassment away from her name. It seemed to work because the smile returned to her face.

"Nice to meet you too Blanche," she nodded.

Before anything else could be said I saw another girl approach the counter – where Ginsburg was – from the corner of my eye. I turned my attention to the back, as May started to look at everything but me. The young girl at the back was probably about my age and she dressed in black like almost everyone else in here. She was a brunette with her hair up in a ponytail and she too had, what looked like, a journal in the crocked of her arm. I let out an airy laugh because she looked more out of place than I did because she was trying too hard to blend in with everyone in here.

"You're a new face," Ginsburg told her.

"So are you," the young girl stated. "But everything's new to me. The people. The places. The whole happenin' scene, man."

Yea she was trying way too hard to blend in. I wouldn't even go as far as saying man.

"That's the first time you've ever said that isn't it?" Ginsburg stated.

The young brunette had looked away from Ginsburg, as she talked, but soon turned back to look at him with a big grin on her face.

"I practiced the whole way here," the young girl explained.

'Of course she did,' I thought. 'It's not that obvious at all.'

This girl was a little too peppy for my taste. I was around people like her all day when I was with my parents. They seemed to be way to happen until they had to complain about something, when was a lot. But as I took another look at the strange girl, I figured that I could like her, once I got to know her… If I got to know her.

"Let me get a vibe," Ginsburg told her.

He made his way around the counter so he could stand in front of her. Once he was there he took her by the shoulders and pulled her close enough so she could see into her eyes. I'm glad he didn't do that to me when I came in. I didn't like people being that close… or touching me, for that matter. After a few seconds of looking at the young brunette Ginsburg let her go and smiled.

"I dig you immediate-twy," her smiled.

I leaned my head over to the side with a confused looked on my face. What was that supposed to mean? I don't think I've ever heard that one before.

"What does that mean?" the brunette asked.

"I don't know," Ginsburg confessed. "I made it up."

"Well here's what I want you to make up here for me. A hot chocolate, with extra whipped cream because I am dangerous."

'Yea,' I thought. 'You're really dangerous with that one."

Ginsburg started walking back to his counter so he could make the peppy brunette a hot chocolate… with extra whipped cream, but soon turned around to look back at Rosie.

"You've got a name dangerous?" he asked her.

"Rosie," the young girl stated. "Rosie McGee. What's yours?"

"Ginsburg. Nice to meet you Rosie."

Ginsburg took out a camera and took Rosie's picture. She smiled for it.

"What's the picture for?" she asked.

"For the moment we first met," Ginsburg replied. "I'll get your hot chocolate McGee."

I couldn't help but be glad that he didn't take my picture. I didn't want it around just in case my parents decided to come looking for me. Hopefully I'd be long gone before they found my trail here. My thoughts were back on Rosie and Ginsburg before I could get too hyped up about mamma and daddy. I watched as Ginsburg turned to make her hot chocolate but Rosie stopped him.

"I know this is weird," she said, "but have we met before?"

Ginsburg smiled at her and shrugged.

"Haven't we all?" he asked.

He turned around to get started on the hot chocolate. I couldn't help but mull over Ginsburg's statement in my head. The more I thought it over the more I thought it to be true. Have we all met before?

~End of 1961 Flash back~

It took me awhile to find a relative to tell the class about. My old man never talked to me about anyone on his or my mother's side. I decided to go up to the attic to see what I could find. After a few hours of going to through box after box, I found my great grandmother's journal in some of my mother's old things. What made it easy to look for so long was he old man wasn't home, so I could go through the stuff in the attic in peace.

Once I started reading the journal, I had to admit the journal was pretty interesting. My great Grandmother Blanche, was a rich girl from New York, that wasn't happy with her life. She ran away when she turned 18 so she could find something that made her happy. After reading the first few pages, I was instantly hooked. The way she explained her life was amazing. She was going to do all she could to be happy, even if that meant leaving everything she knew and grew up with behind.

Considering I was hook to my great grandmother's story, I got ready for bed early after doing my homework, so I could read more. All I really wanted to do that night was sit in my bed and read. I wanted to know more about my great grandma Blanche Turner, and the people that she met on her journey. In the back of my mind I was hoping that I was a little bit like her. So far I felt the same. No, I was a poor little rich girl, but I felt like there was something missing in my life too and I knew sooner or later I was going to have to find it.

~The Year of 1961 Past Flash Back~

I watched as Ginsburg walked up to the front of the room, away from his refreshment counter, and got up on the stage. Everyone got quiet as he stood in front of the microphone. If this greeting was going to be anything like Ginsburg, it was bound to be fascinating.

"Welcome to Café Hey," Ginsburg greeted. "Pronounced heyh."

"Heyh," everyone in the room tried to mimic.

The only people that seemed to stay quiet was the young blonde girl I was sitting by and the young brunette who was still standing at the refreshment table writing in her journal. I really didn't writing in my journal when I was in public. Before bed is usually when I liked to sit down and poor out my thoughts on a page. It was relaxing to me. The reason why I took it around everywhere with me was so it could be in my site at all times.

I tuned back in as Ginsburg continued with his greeting type speech. He did talk weird I had to give him that, but at least he held your attention.

"You're getting better at that," the young man said to everyone. "Tonight's going to be legendary man. Let's just see what flows."

Ginsburg's hand flew up in the air as he turned his head to the side to look down at the ground. I leaned my head to the side not understanding what he was doing. He snapped his fingers and the lights went out, except for the one that was focused on him. His head flew back up to look at us and his eyes were wide as he began to speak.

Black

White

Green

Tan

No one listen…

To the man

Freedom…

Is the only plan

Free to be…

Who you…

Am

Can't you see…

That you…

Are…

Me?

Karma

The lights turned on when he was done and everyone snapped for him as he got off the stage. I didn't really understand this snapping things. Where I was from you clapped for someone when they were done speaking, or singing, or other things. No one snapped their fingers. I found this odd just like the poem Ginsburg just recited.

The small man made his way back over to his counter, where the brunette was still standing. As I looked around I overheard Ginsburg talking to the Rosie McGee. I didn't look at them this time. All I did was looked around the room as I listened to their conversation.

"What you writing?" Ginsburg ask Rosie.

"Oh," Rosie muttered, "just observations. You know thoughts about the people I meet."

Still not looking at them I had to guess that Rosie gave Ginsburg her journal so he could read. I would never do that. I really didn't understand why I was so protective over my journal I was just was. I always had a fit whenever some so much as looked at it, let alone touch it.

"These are deep man," I heard Ginsburg complement Rosie. "You're one deep chick."

"Chick," Rosie said happily. "Down here I'm a chick."

"Why'd you come here tonight Rosie?" Ginsburg questioned.

I heard Rosie sigh before she answered. At that time my eyes focused on the table. My neck was starting to hurt from looking around the room, trying to act like I wasn't eavesdropping.

"I came to make some new friends," Rosie confessed.

"You see," Ginsburg sighed, "there are two tables over there. The one on the left Bob and Joan. The table on the right a redheaded poor little rich girl and a blonde girl. They have never met before until this night and they've only spoken once to introduce themselves to one another. Neither of them knows what to say. They're new around here too. Go left or right. What to do? Karma."

That's when I looked up at him. He was walking away from Rosie and she was looking over at me and May. The blonde beside me turned around to look at the brunette before smiling at her and looking away. Rosie returned May's smile before turning to smile at me. I gave her a polite nodded as she made her away over to us.

Without even asking, after a small hesitation, Rosie too took the empty seat beside May, so she was sitting across from me. She laced her fingers together and put them in front of her. May turning to look at her. She smile at the young brunette again. Before I could ask any questions Rosie sighed.

"You two are really interesting looking," Rosie stated. "Are you as interesting as you look?"

"Sure," May smiled. "Are you as weird as you talk?"

"And are you as rude as you act?" I asked.

Rosie and May ignored my outburst. I, myself, was glad because I didn't understand where it was coming from. The best idea was to just drop it, because everyone else was ignoring it, and just hoped it never happened again.

"Oh my gosh," Rosie dropped her voice to a low tone. "Yea man. I'm the weirdest cat there is."

"Of course you are," I deadpanned.

"Really?" May asked. "Because you seem like a nice normal girl to me."

"Agreed."

"You two figured me out in five seconds," Rosie said in a normal voice, "and you've heard me."

"How can we make that up to you?" May asked.

Rosie sighed again and sat up straighter in her seat, with her fingers still laced on the table. She was actually quite interesting herself, once you talked to her.

"Could we be friends?" Rosie asked hopefully. "I would be a very good friend to you two."

Maya thought about it for a few seconds before smiling at the young brunette.

"Yea," May approved. "I couldn't use a weird friend."

I didn't say anything so the two girl turned their heads to face me. Rosie still looked hopeful and May just smiled as if knowing my answer even before I did.

"What about you?" Rosie asked smiling.

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. When I opened them again I smiled at the two girls in front of me.

"I don't see why not," I shrugged. "I guess I could use a weird friend too."

"Then you two should pick…" Rosie began.

May and I watched as she did this weird thing with her pointer fingers. I followed them as they pointed around the room and then finally landed back on her.

"Oh," Rosie shrugged, smiling big. "They both landed on me."

May and I smiled as I shook my head, letting out an airy laugh. I had no idea when I came here that I would be sitting with two people that I could now consider my friends. Maybe I did make a good decision by coming here. This would change my life forever.

~End of 1961 Flash back~

Austin, Lucas, Farkle, Maya, Riley, and I went to Svorski's Bakery after school the next day to study more about our relatives and to talk about what we'd found so far. I was trying so hard to pay attention to my great grandmother's journal but setting next to Lucas, that was close to impossible. It seemed like, the whole time we sat near each other, we'd find some way to touch one another. If we'd move one of us would gently touch hands with the other or Lucas would softly run his hand down the outside of my thigh or I'd brush my foot against his. Whenever he would touch me it would send shivers down my spine and there was no way I could make it stop.

When Riley started talking about her great grandmother it took all my self-control to pay attention to her. It didn't help that as she took in a breath to speak, Lucas ran his fingertips, softly down the part of my arm that was under the table. I think he was doing it on purpose.

"Alright," Riley chimed happily. "Status report. I've got a guitar that belonged to my great grandmother Rosie and her very weird journal."

"My dad is sending me something about my great grandfather," Lucas noted.

"And my mother is send some stuff about his brother," Austin confirmed. "We don't talk about either of them much."

"Their names were Merlin and Jemison."

Farkle looked at Lucas and Austin not really understand the names. I think what got his attention was Merlin, but Jemison was a really weird name too. It was a name that I had never heard of before. Though it did have a nice ring to it in my opinion. Merlin on the other hand, I couldn't remember where I had heard the name before. Was he some kind of lizard or something?

"Merlin," Farkle repeated. "Was he a wizard? Ha!"

'Wizard,' I thought myself. 'I was one letter off. That's not bad I guess.'

Lucas and Austin stared back at Farkle. Austin was kind of glaring at him while Lucas just shook his head at our little genius. I held my breath hoping that Austin didn't do anything to hurt Farkle.

"Okay Farkle Minkus," Lucas smile. "What was your great grandfather's name?"

Farkle didn't seem intimidated by Austin's glare. In fact he didn't seem to be paying attention to Lucas' cousin. Farkle just smiled as he thought about his great grandfather.

"Ginsburg," Farkle purred.

I froze when I heard Farkle say the name of his great grandfather. Did he just say want I thought he said? Everyone else ignored how frozen I was and I watched as Austin's glared turned into confusion. He squinted his eyes at Farkle, probably hoping he would say more. When Farkle didn't say anything Austin just shook his head.

"You make no since to me what's so ever little guy," Austin confessed.

Farkle shrugged at the confused boy and smiled as he looked down to paper in front of him. Austin was sitting beside me so Lucas leaned backwards, stretched his arm behind me, and patted his cousin on the back. His smiled widened as he spoke to Austin. Lucas was actually enjoying his cousin's confusion. If I had to be honest so was I.

"Trust me," Lucas stated. "It never gets any easier. But you can't help but like the little guy."

As the Farkle and Lucas smiled at Austin I turned my attention to Riley and Maya. Riley pointed down at the book Maya was reading. She had been quiet throughout most of this conversation and that was so unlike her. Usually she would have something to say about Lucas and Austin's great uncle and great grandfather. She was actually reading book, was the weirdest thing. A book that she seemed to be enjoying. Maya never enjoyed reading. In fact she only read when she was made by Riley or me.

"Whatcha looking at?" Riley asked.

"Art book," Maya smiled. "Mrs. Kossal gave it to me. It's got all the best artist and their best paintings. It's amazing… and depressing."

The small fell from Maya's face which turned to frown as she looked down at the book in front of her. Farkle looked over at it and read the page that Maya was on. He smiled and then looked back up at our blonde friend.

"She's trying to motivate you," Farkle noted.

"Ain't working," Maya muttered. "Look at these. I could never do anything near this. These people all have something to say."

"Well you only know that," Lucas chimed in, "because they went ahead and said it."

"You know, one day you're going to make somebody a wonderful fortune cookie."

It was now Austin's turn to stretched his arm behind me to slap his cousin on the back. I couldn't help but flinch. Sadly, it seemed no one notice.

"She got you good there cousin," Austin laughed.

There was a moment's pause before Farkle put his pencil down and started getting out of his seat. I looked up at him and he had his thinking face on. At least he was smiling. That was always a good sign… Well I take that back. Most of the time it was a good sign. At others it wasn't.

"Let me take a picture of everybody," he suggested.

Everyone else looked at him not understanding why all of a sudden Farkle wanted to take a picture of everybody. I had to admit I was quit curious myself.

"What for?" Riley questioned.

Farkle bent down and took a picture of us with his phone. I blinked really fast when the flash went off. I mean seriously come on. It was already bright enough in here, why did he need the flash on. I watched as Farkle stood up straight. He thought of his answer to Riley's question for a few seconds before answering her. Our friend looked around at all of us with a smile.

"I don't know," Farkle shrugged. "It's us. We may be important to someone someday."

"You guys are already important to me," Riley stated.

"How?" Austin asked.

"You teach me how to be friends."

There was a small silence as everyone looked at each other thinking about what Riley just said. Then we all smiled at one another.

"Awwwww," everyone cooed.

Then we all packed up our stuff and started heading out the door. Austin, Lucas, and Farkle were already gone when Riley and I didn't feel Maya fallowing us. We turned around to see her looking at her art book that was still on the table. She pushed her hair out of her face before she looked at us. Riley and I watched her as she turn around slightly, getting ready to follow us, leaving the book behind.

"Maya, aren't you bringing that?" Riley asked.

"Yea," I chimed in, "you were so interested in it not even five minutes ago."

"What?" Maya asked. "This book of 'Why bother trying, I'll never be as good as these guys?'"

"Yeow."

"That's a very discouraging title," Riley noted

"I love you two," Maya confessed, "but I'm leaving this here. It makes me feel bad and it's really heavy."

Maya walked toward us still leaving the book behind. As Maya started heading out the door Riley tried to go after the art book but Maya wouldn't let her. She grabbed the young brunette by the waist and started pulling her out the door. I stayed behind as Riley and Maya walked out the door. I couldn't help but look back at the book. What was Maya so afraid of that she left the only book, she found interesting, behind?

When I got home that night the old man still wasn't home. Considering I had the whole house to myself I couldn't help but get ready for bed early. I was going to read over what I had already read, in Blanche's journal, because I didn't remember most of it. I wanted to know more about her. I really wanted to know if Ginsburg was the same Ginsburg that Farkle had said was he great grandfather. She also mentioned a Merlin and Jemison Scoggins, I just couldn't remember where because I was very tired, when I started reading the other night, and I had fallen asleep.

As I read I just couldn't help but wonder… could my friend's relatives be the same people from my great Grandma Blanche's journal? Could it even be possible? I was really sure but I was determined to find out. So I started reading.

~The Year of 1961 Past Flash Back~

I don't know how Rosie and May started to fight over Rosie's journal but they were. The two of them were standing at the front of the room, May holding Rosie's journal out in front of her, while she trying to hold the little brunette back as she read.

"You're making me feel bad," Rosie stated.

"There's some pretty heavy stuff in here," May confessed. "The Girl with the Long Blonde Hair."

I got up out of my seat and walked over to the two girls. Taking Rosie's journal out of May's hand, I turned to the next paged and read the next title. A small smile spread across my face.

"The Girl with the Sky Blue Eyes," I read aloud. "Who are those about I wander?"

I closed the book and handed it out to Rosie. As she walked passed me, she took it out of her hands before walking back to our table.

"It's my first time here," the brunette confessed, "and I would like to remember everything. Maybe I'll write about it later."

Rosie sat down at the head of the table as May and I sat down on both sides of her. May had her body turned toward Rosie and she gave her a small smile.

"It's my first time in here too," May stated. "I'm on my way to California. My bus broke down. Bad luck. I don't know why these thing happen."

"Because if your bus doesn't break down," Rosie exclaims, "then we don't have become friends. If I go sit at that table, instead of this one then I'm not friends with…"

Rosie paused as she waited for us to tell her our names. May told the young brunette her name right away.

"May Clutterbucket…" May sighed.

Though it took me a couple seconds to do the same.

"Blanche Turner," I finally said.

"Yeow," Rosie breathed.

That was the last thing that was said about that. The two of them turned to look at me again.

"What about you Blanche?" May smiled. "Is this your first time here too?"

"Yea it's my first time here," I nodded. "I'm on my way to Texas."

"Oh really? What's in Texas?"

"I don't really know. This is the first time I've ever been on my own. I just want to see what's out there. Maybe I'll stay in Texas. Or maybe I'll move on. I'll just have to wait to see."

May nodded, she seemed to understand where I was coming from. Before we could say anything Rosie had some questions of her own.

"What's in California for you May…" Rosie began, "and I'm going to say Clutterbucket now, but just so you know, when I say it I'm not making fun of you."

"Well," May smiled, "there's a place where people are making art and playing music."

"Sounds cool," I said.

"Where is it?" Rosie asked.

"It's a place called Topanga Canyon," May informed us. "I'm sure I'll love it."

Rosie thought about what May had said for a second, before opening up her journal. She started to write stuff down and I leaned over to read it. She wrote down the name that May have told her. She also wrote down other things.

"Topanga," Rosie said as she wrote down the word. "What a beautiful name for something that you want to love. I'm gonna remember that."

May and I smiled at Rosie. She was actually quite nice… in a different sort of way but I didn't mind being friends with her. Rosie and May were the first real friends I had ever had. The others I have had in the past would stab you in the back as soon as they had the chance.

I was thinking of other things to talk about but never got the chance. The conversation was cut short because the show was about to continue.

"May," Ginsburg said over the intercom, "take the stage May. You're up."

May got out of her seat and grabbed the guitar that was sitting beside her. She turned around too look at Rosie. The young blonde smiled down at the both of us.

"What's your name," May asked, "new friend?"

"Rosie McGee," the young brunette said.

I know May didn't ask for my name because she already knew it, so it didn't bother me at all.

"Wish me luck, Rosie," May said. "Blanche."

"Wow," Rosie exclaimed, "you're going to sing?"

"I'm going to try."

"Good luck May," I encouraged.

May walked up to the stage as Rosie began to cheer. I couldn't help but roll my eyes as I clapped for my new blonde friend. The young brunette was the loudest in here… she really was a weird girl, but in a good way.

"Yay," Rosie called, "go get'em. And remember, you're beautiful, man."

Ignoring Rosie sitting beside me, I watched as May sat on the stool that was sitting on the stage and started to strum her guitar. After a few seconds of playing it, she began to sing.

Car drove off,

Airplane flew,

I stayed here missing you.

I grow old,

Never see that you were there missing me.

Are we now,

What were we then?

Will we look back and wonder when?

What could have been what isn't yet,

Will you remember or forget?

I couldn't believe my ears. That was the most beautiful music I had ever heard. May really had an amazing voice. I couldn't get over how great her song was, as I applauded with everyone in the small room. Looking over at Rosie who was supposed to be sitting beside me, I saw that she somehow stood up in the middle of May's performance. She was cheering the loudest out of all of us. I couldn't help but laugh as I looked up at her. She was really a big goofball but it didn't make me like her any less.

"Wow," Rosie cheered. "I'll remember because that was great. Let's hear it for May Clutterbucket."

She turned to look at the person she could have sat with. He looked to be laughing at Rosie's cheering. To tell you the truth I didn't blame him because I was laughing too.

"What are you laughing at Bob Dylan?" Rosie asked.

"I think he's laughing at you," I commented.

May had made her way back to our table and sat across from me. I was still looking up at Rosie, who was still looking over at the other table. After Rosie's little outburst she sat back down in her seat. When she was seated Ginsburg's voice came over the intercom again for the next performance.

"Merlin and Jemison," he announced. "Merlin and Jemison Scoggins. Take the stage cowboys."

Rosie and May looked behind me as two men walked behind them, making their way up to the stage. I really didn't care who was next as long as they were good. Thinking back, I did remember their names from somewhere, I just couldn't remember where from.

"Who the heck are they?" Rosie asked as they walked past.

May watched them as the two men walk up to the stage with their backs still turned away from the audience. They were both wearing black, with black cowboy hats and boots, and they both had guitars. From what I could see under the hats one had dirty blond hair and the other had brown. The blond was little bit taller than the other. I don't know why but what I wanted more than anything was to see the taller cowboys face. Sitting as still as possible, I couldn't help but wish that he would turn around.

"So that's them," May smiled. "I've heard about these two."

The two cowboys started playing a melody on they guitars before they started to sing… or speak or whatever you called what they were doing.

"Hello," the tall one greeted. "I'm Merlin."

"And I'm Jemison," the shorter one said.

Then the brothers turned around. I let out a gasp. The one named Jemison was cute but not as cute as Merlin – in my opinion anyway. I could see, even from where I was sitting, he had the greenest emerald eyes I had ever seen. There was something about him that had me wondering if I had seen this man before. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. All I knew was I couldn't look away from him, even if my life depended on it.

"And were the Scoggins Brother," Merlin and Jemison said together.

As the both of them started to sing, the one named Merlin, caught my eye as he was looking through the crowd. I could feel the heat rise up in my cheeks. I tried to look away but there was something holding my eyes to his.

~End of 1961 Flash back~

My mind was still spinning when I went to class the next morning. Great Grandma Blanche had mentioned a Ginsburg in her journal. It couldn't be a coincidence that Farkle's great grandpa was also named Ginsburg. I mean really, how many men or kids did I know that were named that? That's right none. It just really wasn't a popular name if you asked me.

I was brought out of my thoughts as I was standing up in the front of the classroom with Lucas, Austin, and Riley. Lucas and Austin's backs were facing away from the class as they started to give their status report… just like Merlin and Jemison.

"Hello," Lucas began. "I'm Lucas Friar."

"And I'm Austin Beason," Austin finished.

The two of them turned around after they were done saying their names. They smiled at the class as they said the last part but unlike the Merlin and Jemison they didn't have the same last names because they weren't brothers.

"And were the Friar Cousins," Lucas and Austin said together.

So they were going to go with Friar. I guess that was okay.

"Our great grandpa and great uncle used to do that," Lucas informed us. "Our great grandpa was a man named Merlin Scoggins."

"And his brother, our great uncle, was named Jemison Scoggins," Austin stated. "And this record right here was a big hit."

As I looked at the cousins it was in times like these that I could really see the similarities in them. The smile, the lips, and the shape of their cheek bones were similar even. In my opinion though Lucas was just a little bit cuter than his cousin.

"That's amazing Lucas," Mr. Matthews smiled, "Austin. Why didn't you tell us any of that?"

"I think you can answer that question for yourself Mr. Matthews," I mumbled.

I stretched my left arm over my head and pointed over to Maya who had a huge smile on her face. Ever since Austin had moved to the city, she had been in heaven, considering that there were now two boys from Texas as her friends. When it came to the teasing, Austin wasn't as cool as his older cousin. It got to him a lot faster than it did Lucas. Austin didn't understand that was the reason why Maya kept teasing him.

"Yea we're going to tell Maya that we have a country singing great grandpa and great uncle," Lucas explained to Mr. Matthews, "and we actually do come from cowboys. Yea because we need more nicknames to go with Hop Along, Sundance, and Ranger Rick."

"And don't forget Ranger Roy," Austin added. "I mean seriously Matthews. How stupid do you think we are?"

There's another thing that Maya did. Now that there were two boys from Texas, Lucas was Ranger Rick and Austin was Ranger Roy. I felt bad for the both of them, even though it was kind of funny watching Austin get red in the face sometimes. Maya thought of it as twice the fun with both boys in our lives.

"Nope I'm done with that," Maya exclaimed. "I'm so impressed with your rich Texas heritage that I'm officially throwing out all those old nicknames forever."

"Well thank you Maya," Lucas said looking pleased.

Austin put a hand on his cousin's shoulder to stop Lucas from saying anything else. He glared at Maya who was still smiling. Austin wasn't as forgiving as his cousin. Even though he had only been here for a little more than a week, he did figure out Maya the first time she made fun of him.

"Wait cousin," Austin glared. "I think it's a trap."

And oh how right he was.

"No problem," Maya smiled, "Bucky McBoing Boing."

"And how did I know that was coming," Austin sighed.

Before I got to school that morning I decided I wasn't going to tell my friends about my great grandma Blanche knowing their relatives. I was going to let them figure it out themselves and then I'd compare notes with them later.

It was my turn to report back to the class about the relative I had chosen. It came at the right time. So as if to defuse the tension, between the Friar Cousins and Maya, I held up Blanche's journal.

"This is my great grandmother's journal," I began. "She was from a rich family, but there was something missing from her life. So at the age of 18 she ran away from home, with just a few hundred dollars, and made her way to Texas. She wrote everything in her journal that she remembered. When I was looking for something about her I found a lot of journals that she had written in. This was the first one I picked up so I decided to read it."

"That's great Jazzabelle," Mr. Matthew said. "I can't wait to hear more about her but why don't you tell us her name?"

"Thank you Mr. Matthews," I acknowledged. "But I would like to wait till the very end to of our lessons to tell you her name. That is if that's alright with you."

"I don't see a problem with that. I kind of like the whole mystery of it all."

'Of course he would,' I thought to myself.

The last one to hear from today was Riley. I'd like to hear about what went through Rosie's mind. I watched as Riley held up her great grandma's journal.

"From what I could peace together," Riley started, "my great grandmother named Rosie McGee was a weird, little wide eyed, goofball who ever saw the best in everybody. Who's like that?"

I couldn't help but look at her with a confused look, as Maya just shook her head at our little goofball. She was so much like her great grandmother it wasn't even funny… okay maybe it was a little bit.

"Nobody," Maya said sarcastically.

"Really?" I asked Riley. "You're really going to be that dimwitted?"

Before Riley could say anything Lucas jumped in, holding up his great grandpa and great uncle's record. He once again he smiled at his audience.

"We'd like to play you our great grandfather and great uncle's song," Lucas said.

Lucas turned around to put the record on the record player with a smile in my direction. I remember telling him once that I liked to listen to country music. Maybe that was why he was smiling at me. Or maybe he just like to smile… at me… Either way I really didn't care as long as I was the one that he was smiling at. I gave him a small smile in return and turned my attention to his relatives' song. After listening to the first part of the sing I couldn't help but say that it was kind of catchy. If I had a record player I would probably get the recorded for myself.

"Hello," one of them said. "I'm Merlin."

"And I'm Jemison," another voice finished.

"And Were the Scoggins Brother," Merlin and Jemison said together.

We got no change in our pockets

But we see it on the streets.

There's been change on the faces of the people that we meet.

Hey, mister, brother, sister,

I couldn't help but watch Austin and Lucas lip sync to the song, their great grandpa and great uncle had once sang. It put a smile on my face as I knew that their music lived on even though they weren't here anymore.

~The Year of 1961 Past Flash Back~

I couldn't help but get into the song these two men were singing. I had never listened to this type of music before and I kind of liked it. My mother always made me listen to the classics. I may have grew up with the classics but they just really my cup of tea but this type of music I could get used to.

By the end of the song my foot was taping along with the music and I couldn't help but notice that Merlin's eyes never left mine. No man had ever looked at me for this long and I couldn't help but smile knowing that it was this man that was the first.

Could you spare two men some change?

Hey, mister, brother, sister,

Could you spare two men some change?

Merlin and Jemison walked off the stage and walked over to where Rosie, May, and I were sitting. The whole way over here, Merlin never took his eyes off of me. When he stopped by the chair beside me, he smiled and I couldn't help but to smile back at him.

"These seats taken?" Merlin asked me.

"By you two," Rosie jumped in.

She looked from May to me, as the two men sat down in the empty chairs, smiling her huge grin. The two of us just stared at her.

"See what I did there?" Rosie asked me.

I shook my head at the weird girl beside me, as the two men took their seats beside us. Sadly I was kind of upset with her at the moment. I was going to talk to the Merlin before she had jumped in.

"It was weird," I muttered to her.

"Yea you're not a normal girl at all," May said thoughtfully.

Our attention was turned back to the two men sitting at our table. Merlin was still staring at me so I looked over at his brother. He was looking at Rosie with a small smile on his face before he looked over at May.

"We liked your song ma'am," Jemison told her.

"I liked yours," May nodded.

Jemison looked back at Rosie, the smile on his face getting bigger.

"And what do you do?" Jemison asked her

"Nah," Rosie shook her head, still smiling, "who knows."

May looked over at Rosie then back at Jemison. I could tell that the wheels were turning in her head as she gave the man a small polite smile.

"She's an observer of humanity" May informed the two men.

"Well," Jemison nodded, "we need those."

I snuck a peek back at Merlin and he was still looking at me. When he saw me peeking up at him his smile got bigger. I could feel the heat spreading across my cheeks. The way I felt, was a weird to me, considering I had never felt this way before. Though it was a feeling that I think I could get use too.

"What about you darlin'?" Merlin asked. "What do you do?"

I looked around the room to make sure I was the one he was talking too. When I looked back at him I pointed to myself.

"Oh me?" I asked.

"Well yea darlin'," Merlin chuckled. "You're the only one here that hasn't said anything.

"Uhh… well. I guess I'm just a poor little rich girl that doesn't know what I want to do with my life. Or so I've been told."

"I see."

"Yep."

Merlin winked at me before looking over at Rosie. I left a small ping of sadness – welling up in my chest – that was soon taken over by rage. I wanted to be the only one he looked at… but why should I be. We just met and we were nothing to each other that could mean for me to get mad at my new little weird friend.

"Hey observer," Merlin called to Rosie.

She looked at Merlin with a confused look on her face.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Can I have a piece of paper," Merlin asked, "and can I borrow your pen?"

The confusion on Rosie's face turned into a big smile.

"Sure," she said. "Why not?"

Rosie opened up her journal and ripped out a page out of the back of it. She handed the piece of paper and her pin, to Merlin, over the table and he took it with a nodded of his head in thanks. He looked over at me and winked. I couldn't help but blushed and looked away from him, as he started writing. When he was done writing, I watched Merlin from the corner of my eye fold the piece of paper in half. As he was handing back Rosie's pin, Ginsburg walked over to us with his camera in hand.

"The observer," Ginsburg said, as he looked at us, "the singer, the mystery men…. and the poor little rich girl."

"See," I said.

I was talking to Merlin when I pointed out the 'poor little rich girl' part. He smiled at me and I turned away from him, to hide the blush again. As I looked back up at Ginsburg, he took a picture of all of us together. I blinked really fast as different colored spot sparked around my vison.

"That's got to be worth something to somebody someday," Ginsburg smiled

As Ginsburg walked off with his camera. I wanted to tell him to destroy the photo after it was developed but I thought about it for a few seconds. When I was done I didn't see any harm in letting this one photo go. If my parents did see it, if they followed my trail here, I would be long gone by the time they found it. So I decided to let it go.

After a few more minutes of the five of us sitting at the table Jemison cleared his throat. The rest of us turned our attention to him and he was looking at his brother. Before he started talking he looked back to the rest of us.

"Well thank you all for you kind words," Jemison said, "and uh we'll be on our way."

"Oh," Rosie exclaimed.

The four of us watched as Rosie put her elbow on the table and put her chin in the palm of her hand. She started batting her eyelashes really fast and there was a big smile of her face. I couldn't believe she was doing this. It started creeping me out.

"Do you have to go?" she asked.

"Yes," I muttered. "I'm sure they have some place to be."

"We try not to stay in any place too long," Merlin confessed, wide eyed. "Especially when people do that."

Jemison smiled at Rosie as he and his brother stood up from their seats to leave. Merlin moved a little closer to me and opened his mouth to say something but never got the chance.

"Stay here with this one to long," May smiled, looking up at the two men, "and she might change us for the better."

"Awwweee," Rosie chimed in.

The four of us all looked at her and smile. I even smiled at her. She was really entertaining… in a weird sort of way, but you could get used to her in a short amount of time. I was going to miss her when I left.

"Yea you keep writing down those observation," Jemison nodded.

Jemison pointed at Rosie as he spoke to her and Merlin looked at me. That smile was still on his face.

"You find whatever it is you are looking for," Merlin ordered me.

"I'll try," I muttered. "I guess."

Then the two brothers turned to look at May and they both pointed at her with a smile. I knew they were going to tell her something good and I just hoped that she would listen.

"And you," Merlin said.

"You keep playing," Jemison finished.

"What?" May asked. "My new song 'Why bother trying, I'll never be as good as you guys?'"

Rosie and I looked at May and she looked back at us. I blinked at her a few times, trying to figure out what was going through her head. Why didn't she think she couldn't be as good as Jemison and Merlin? She was great. I wish that she could see it.

"Yeow," I blinked.

"That's a very discouraging title," Rosie noted.

May looked back up at the two brothers, ignoring what Rosie and I said.

"You have something to say," she stated.

"Now you only know that," Merlin noted, "because I went ahead and said it."

The two men tipped their hats at Rosie and May. Jemison turned to leave but Merlin didn't fallow his brother though. He turned to me with that smile still on his face. He held his hand out to shake my hand. I took his hand without hesitation, just wanting to feel what that hand felt at least one time. But Merlin didn't shake my hand. When my hand met his, he turned my hand over so he could kiss my knuckles. I blushed as I stared at him, wide eyed.

"Read this after I'm gone," Merlin whispered.

He whispered so only I could hear and then he stood up and followed his brother out of the building. I moved my fingers around the palm of my hand. Right away I felt something in my hand that wasn't there before. I looked down and it was the piece of paper that Merlin had asked Rosie for. My head shot up and I watched him go up the stairs. After he was out of site I could feel eyes on me. I turned my head slowly to see that Rosie and May were looking at me with smiles on their faces.

"What?" I exclaimed.

"I think one of those cowboys fancies you," Rosie beamed.

"Yea I don't think so."

"Keep thinking that Blanche," May smiled.

The two of them dropped the subject and turned their attention back to the stage. I looked back down at my hands and unfolded the piece of paper that Merlin had gave to me. My heart started beating really fast as I read his words over and over again. For the next forty-five minutes my mind was spinning with the thoughts of the emerald eyed mystery man. I was brought out of my thoughts as May grabbed her guitar and handed it to Rosie.

"Here," May told us

"Why are you giving this me?" Rosie asked. "You were great."

May sighed and shook her head at us.

"No," she confessed. "I wasn't."

She looked at where the two cowboys had left fourth-five minutes before and then looked back at us smiling.

"They're going to change the world," May stated. "I'm not going to change a thing."

Rosie looked down at the guitar but I watched as May got up at her seat and started to walk away. When Rosie saw that May had left she looked up at the young blonde.

"Where you going?" Rosie asked.

May turned around and smiled at the both of us. The smile didn't reach her eyes though. I could also see the sadness behind those eyes. She really didn't think she could change the world. I had a feeling she could if she really wanted too.

"Don't you worry weirdo," May stated. "I'll be right back."

But I knew she wasn't coming back. There was no way she was coming back the way she felt. I knew I had to go too, but I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. Getting up out of my seat, I grabbed my journal off the table and I made my way toward the exit.

"Now where are you going?" Rosie asked.

I turned to look at her just like May looked at us before she left. There was confusion written all over her face. She didn't understand why both of her friends were leaving close to the same time. I gave her a small smile.

"I've got to get some fresh air," I told her. "Don't worry. I'll be back too."

Rosie thought about it for a few seconds and then she nodded her head. She gave me one of her big smiles, the ones that I were going to miss, telling me that she was alright with me leaving for a few minutes at least. I watched her begin writing in her journal before I turned around to leave. As I walked away I could feel a tear ran down my cheek. One of the first friends that I had ever had and I was going to leave her.

~End of 1961 Flash back~

During class the next day, Austin, Riley, Lucas, and I were back up at the front of our class, presenting what else we found out about our great relatives. It was Riley's turn to go first and we were all interested in what we were going to hear.

"My great grandmother never saw her friends again," Riley confessed. "The world has never heard of May Clutterbucket or Blanche Turner."

I watched Maya face as she recognized the name. I knew that look, it was the same look that I had when I realized that my great grandma knew the relatives of my friend. Before I knew it, it was my turn.

"My great grandmother left her friends behind," I confessed, "and made her way to Texas. That didn't mean that she didn't think of what could have been between the three of them. The reason she left was she didn't think she was good enough for them at the time. She didn't know what she wanted in life. She said once that she wish that she could go back in time and redo that day. She would have went back to her friends and she would have stayed in that small town."

I stepped back and looked to Lucas and Austin telling them that it was their turn to talk. They took their cue and stepped forward to tell us more about Merlin and Jemison.

"Our great grandfather," Lucas began, "and great uncle had one huge hit."

"People thought they were going to change the world," Austin picked up.

"But they didn't. After a small appearance in a small cafe in New York City they made some bad choices."

"Both of them went to jail for a little while. They went left instead of right."

I looked over at Mr. Matthews, thinking that he would have something to ask these two boys about their relatives going to jail.

"And why do you think that was Mr. Beason and Mr. Friar?" Mr. Matthew asked.

"Don't know," Austin shrugged.

"Maybe," Lucas jumped in, "they needed some better friends."

Austin, Lucas, and I walked back to our seats as Riley took her place back at the front of the class. She started talking again about Rosie McGee.

"Rosie liked observing things," Riley stated. "I'm going to read two things from her journal. The first one is called 'The Girl with the Sky Blue Eyes.'"

She looked down at her great grandmother's journal as she walked over to me. She stood in front of my desk as she started to read the first passage of the journal.

"'I've never seen such beautiful eyes before,'" Riley read. "'They spark like the bluest ocean in the world. People say that you can see a person's story through their eyes. This girl's story is the saddest I had ever seen. I hope maybe one day it won't be quit as sad. The Girl with the Sky Blue Eyes.'"

When she was done she looked around at the class.

"The next is called," she informed us, "'The Girl with the Long Blonde Hair."

She walked over to stand in front of Maya's desk next and started to read the next passage in the journal.

"'She said she'd be gone for a moment,'" Riley recited. "'I'm still waiting. We could have been friends. Maybe in some other life. The girl with the long blonde hair.'"

"Sounds like Rosie was a pretty good writer," Mr. Matthews observed, when his daughter was done reading.

"There's a little bit more."

Riley looked back down at the journal and continued to read.

"'If you quiet your voice,'" she said. "'If you stop because you think other people are better and you are not who I know you are. The girl with the long blonde hair.'"

I knew that wasn't part of the journal passage, I had seen it before. This was something that Riley had put in it… just for Maya. Riley and I looked at Maya to see what she was going to say.

"You wrote that," Maya muttered.

"I continued it," Riley corrected. "I am a continuation. That's what history is about. Right dad?"

I heard Mr. Matthews laughed and I looked over at him. He had a big smile on his face as if he was happy he figured out something.

"Oh now I get it," Mr. Matthews said happily.

Riley ignored her dad's happiness and continued on with her lesson. She made her way over to where her father sat, on the side of the classroom, and stood by him.

"Rosie had a daughter," she stated, "and her daughter had my mom. Rosie gave me my mom and she gave my dad his wife."

The brunette grabbed the guitar that was standing in the corner of the room, by Mr. Matthews. She walked back over to Maya and stood in front of her desk again.

"This had been in our family for over than 50 years," Riley told us, "but I feel like it belongs with you. So I hope whenever you see it, it will remind you even though one of Rosie friends gave up, you never should."

Maya took the guitar and held it in her lap. I watched as a smile spread across her face as she looked behind her at the two boys. The wheel were turning in her head and I knew that she was going to do. So did Austin and Lucas.

"Oh no," Lucas muttered.

"Please don't," Austin bugged.

"Oh boy," I smiled.

Maya turned her head back to the front of the classroom as she started to strum on the guitar and closed her eyes. After strumming for a few bars she started to sing.

Hello

I'm Bucky McBoing Boing and Huckleberry.

I got two great grandsons who's a Ranger Rick

And a Ranger Roy

And a Hope a Long

And a Sundance too

"Everybody," Maya said.

Everyone in the class started to sing along with Maya. Riley started to dance to the music and I couldn't help but laugh at her.

I got two great grandsons who's a Ranger Rick

And a Ranger Roy

And a Hope a Long

And a Sundance too

I turned around to look at Lucas and Austin and couldn't help but laugh at their faces. Austin had his arms on his desk as he covered his head with his hands and he wasn't watching Riley's dance. He seemed too embarrassed to look up. Lucas, on the other hand, was looking down at his desk still smiling as everyone joined in the song. This was just too good to forget. I was just wandering when someone would realize our great relatives knew each other.

I didn't have to wait that long for someone to figure it out because the next day, after the bell rang, Farkle came running into the classroom through the side door. He looked like he was in a hurry and excited about something. When he got to the front of the classroom he took the name plate on Mr. Matthews' desk and flipped it over so his name was showing.

Mr. Matthews looked at him and then at the class. When he looked back at Farkle he shrugged and let the young boy do what he wanted.

"Ya okay," Mr. Matthews muttered.

He walked over to where Farkle's desk and sat down, waiting for Farkle to start teaching. Farkle was beaming from head to toe. Whatever he found made him really happy.

"Oh boy," I said.

"Uh," I heard Austin muttered. "What's going on cousin?"

"Don't worry," Lucas said. "This happens all the time."

Farkle ignored the two boys and turned to look at me.

"Jazzabelle get up here," he ordered.

"Wait," I said. "Really?"

"Yes now hurry. You know what I'm going to talk about."

And surprisingly I did. I knew that he had figured out about our relatives. If he could figure out my secret that I had kept for so long, this right here couldn't be that hard to figure out for the little genius. I got out of my seat and walked up to the front of the classroom to stand beside Farkle.

"We're all part of a puzzle called history," Farkle began. "We're each a tiny piece of that puzzle that comes together and makes a picture. You're not going to believe the picture I just found. My great grandfather Ginsburg worked at a Greenwich Village café."

The young boy turned too looked at me. I looked back at him waiting for him to start asking the right questions. Unlike the last time he started asking me questions, I wouldn't hesitate to answer these ones.

"Jazzabelle," he said, "what year was your great grandmother in New York?"

"1961," I stated.

"Riley, Lucas, Austin what year did your great grandparents and your great uncle visit New York?"

"1961."

The three of them repeated what I had said in unison. When they all realized what they had said they all looked at each other before looking back up at me.

"Woah." Austin, Riley, and Lucas said in unison again.

"I knew it," Farkle exclaimed happily. "What month?"

"December."

Again the three of them said it in unison, but I joined them this time. I smiled at all of them.

"Say it again," Farkle said.

"Woah."

All of them said woah at the same time, except for me. There was no reason for me to say it. I already knew what was going on.

"And what was the name of the club?" Farkle asked.

"Café," Lucas and I said together.

"Hey," Riley and Austin finished together.

"That's where my great grandfather worked," Farkle stated. "Jazzabelle what was your great grandmother's name?"

Farkle turned back to look at me.

"Blanche Turner," I stated.

"No way!" Riley exclaimed. "You knew?"

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell any of me."

"I want to tell you guys at the right time and I knew Farkle would be the one to figure it out and make it the right time to tell you."

"Enough about you two," Farkle exclaimed.

Riley, Austin, Lucas, and I all smiled at each other. Like Farkle had said we we're all pieces of a puzzle and we were all coming together. There was only one piece missing and there was only one person that could put it together. Farkle walked over to Maya and put his hands on the edge of her desk.

"Maya," Farkle said, "what did you learn about your great grandmother?"

"Nothing," Maya lied, "my mom said to leave it alone. I don't know anything."

"I know you Maya. You're not a puzzle to me at all. You went behind her back and snooped around. Didn't you?"

"No."

"What did you find?"

"No."

I smiled and walked up to stand beside Farkle, looking down at Maya. She was being so stubborn and I couldn't understand why. Well I had an idea.

"Tell me her name," Farkle ordered.

"Say it," I told her, "or I will."

Maya hesitated, glaring at Farkle and I before her face relaxed to into a scared slash sad expression. She then turned her head to look at Lucas and Austin from the corner of her eye.

"May Clutterbucket," Maya whispered.

The whole class leaned in when they couldn't hear what the young blonde just said. The two who looked really interesting in what she had to say was, of course, Lucas and Austin. Once they understood what she said they weren't going to let her live it down, considering all of the times she teased them about being from Texas.

"What?" Farkle asked.

"I come from a long line of…" Maya said slowly, "Clutterbuckets."

I looked over at Lucas and Austin and I watched as the smiles spread across their faces. Their eyes brightened as Maya's words sunk in. They were very excited about what they've just learned.

"Thank god!" Austin exclaimed. "It's about time."

"Oh this is the greatest day of our lives," Lucas said happily.

The two boys looked up at the celling and lifted their hands up, as if they were praying. Farkle ignored the two boys and kept going to with his lesson.

"All of our relatives," he continued, "met each other on the same night."

Riley looked at me and then turned her head to look at Maya. Her usual smile was spread across her face. She was just as excited about our relatives being friends as Lucas and Austin were excited about Maya coming from a long line of Clutterbuckets.

"You're great grandmothers," Riley thought out loud, "were my great grandmother's friends."

"No they never became friends," Maya corrected. "Blanche and May walked out."

"Yea," I chimed in. "They left."

"And you didn't tell me?" Riley asked Maya.

"Tell you what?" Maya questioned. "That I come from people who give up? That I am a Clutterbucket?"

"Change history," Mr. Matthews stated.

Maya and I turned our heads to look over at Mr. Matthews. I didn't know about her but I really didn't understand what he was saying. Sometimes he wasn't clear on what he was talking about. Maya and I watched as Mr. Matthews got out of his seat and stood up so the whole class could see him.

"Excuse me?" Maya asked.

"Care to elaborate one that Mr. Matthews?" I probed.

"Your relatives didn't realize that they would have been better off being friends," Mr. Matthews clarified. "That was a missed opportunity. Don't let your history be one of missed opportunities. Learn from the past."

Maya looked down at her hands in her lap, as she thought this over for a few seconds. She put her hands in her desk, and brought out the book that she had left at the bakery. I watched as she put it on her desk and looked up at Riley and me.

"I don't wanna be a Clutterbucket," Maya told us.

"You're not," Riley said.

"You're all Hart," I finished.

Farkle brought a T.V. from the corner and brought it in the middle of the classroom, so it was sitting at the front of the room.

"On December 14th, 1961," Farkle began, "six pieces of a puzzle came together and our lives touched."

"How great is history now everybody?" Mr. Matthews laughed.

The whole class turned around and glared at him. For once we were all excited about learning stuff about history.

"Shhhhh," we all hissed.

Mr. Matthews looked around at all of us and backed away like he was scare. He had a right to be scared but he had to also be glad we were willing to learn.

"Great Grandfather Ginsburg was hard to research," Farkle continued, "because he was never in any of the pictures because he took them."

Farkle put his jump drive in the T.V. and then turned to look at his audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," he said. "I have achieved time travel. Thank you. I am Farkle."

He did his little bow thing before returning to his desk. Mr. Matthews turned on the T.V. with the remote and we all watched as it turned on. What showed up on the screen was four people sitting at a table in a small café. There was a girl with blonde hair, a girl with brown hair, and a girl with red hair and sky blue eyes. Also sitting there were two cowboys with guitars, one with brown hair and blue eyes, and the other had dirty blonde hair and emerald green eyes. In the merrier behind the two cowboys there was a man with a black French bray holding up his camera. Everyone you could see, including the man in the merrier, was smiling.

After a few minutes of watching the picture it changed into a different picture. This picture was the one that Farkle had took of us at the bakery a few days ago. We were in the same places as the people in the previous picture. Even Farkle was shown in the merrier behind Lucas and Austin.

Farkle, Riley, Austin, Maya, Lucas, and I looked at each other. It was cool that all of us had relatives that was in the same place at the same time. This was our past but at the same time it was also our future.

The next morning the six of us was sitting in the classroom when Mr. Matthews walked in. It was a good thirty minutes before the first bell would ring and we were the some of the few people in the whole school. Even Austin was sitting in his seat behind Riley. After everything that we had learned about we wanted to know more about the past.

Mr. Matthews didn't know that we were in his classroom at first. He walked over to his desk and put his bag on top of it. After rummaging around in it for a few seconds he just happened to look up. A smile spread across his face and he stood up straight.

"You're early," he stated.

"Where are we going today dad?" Riley asked.

"I thought you guess didn't care about any of that stuff."

"No that was yesterday. Yesterday is history."

"What do you have for us today Mr. Matthew?" Maya asked.

"Give us your best shot," I smiled.

"The year was 1963," Mr. Matthews began. "I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. Martin Luther King Jr. A lot of things happened in 1963. The sixties man."

By the end of his speech he was standing in front of all of us. We were all engaged in what he was teaching us. I was glad that I had a teacher that cared and wanted us to know things before we went out into the real world. He was one of the best things to ever happen to me and I don't know what I would do without him.

Bonus Scene

That afternoon the six of us went to the park to hangout. It was like this last time we were there – except this time we had Austin with us – Riley, Maya, Farkle, and now Austin were playing on the playground while Lucas and I sat on the swings watching them. Maya and Farkle were running around the playground playing tag as Riley and Austin stood on the bridge talking. I couldn't help but smile when I saw her blush, at whatever he said to her, and leaned her head down a so a curtain of hair was between them.

I could tell that Riley really did like him but I could tell if Austin felt the same way. I would have to keep an eye on him so he would hurt one of my best friends. He wouldn't be a live if he did. Lucas never really told me how Austin was with the ladies and I was hoping I wouldn't have to find out.

Just as Maya tagged Riley, Lucas took a deep breath. I turned to look at him, wondering if he was okay. He was still looking at our friends but he did have a smile on his face.

"So…" Lucas muttered. "Kind of interesting how all of our great relatives knew each other and we're all friends now… ain't it?"

When he was done talking he looked over at me, the smile still on his face. I smiled back at him, glad that he wasn't thinking of anything bad. I had to agree. It was kind of interesting.

"Yea," I nodded. "I'm going to have to agree with you on that one."

Lucas nodded at me, before he looked down at the journal I held in my hands. His smile faded as he pointed at it.

"Is there anything else," he began to ask, "in there about my great grandpa?"

I looked down at it too and opened it up to a random page. I had read a little bit of the journal to my classmate after Farkle told everyone the news of our great relatives. There was one part that I thought I would keep to myself. Something that Lucas would find interesting to know.

"Uh…" I stuttered. "Yea there is. Not much though."

"Will you read something to me?" Lucas asked. "You never said what happened before Merlin and Jemison left."

I looked back up at him and he had a small smirk on his face. I guess this was as good of a place as any to tell him about his great grandfather and my great grandmother.

"Sure," I nodded. "Where did I leave off?"

"The part where they got up and left," Lucas noted, "and where Merlin told May about her knowing something after he just said it."

"Now where have I heard that before?"

The two of us laughed at my joke because what Merlin said to May was kind of what Lucas had said to Maya a few days before. It was weird to think that we were so much like our relatives. I wondered if we could change history.

"Yea I know what you're thinking," Lucas said bring me out of my thoughts. "Now will you please read to me what you didn't read to the class?"

"Yea," I said.

I looked for the part that I cut out when I was reading to the class. It was marked with a piece of paper that my great Grandmother Blanche had put it so many years before. When I found it, I read it aloud to Lucas and he listened intently while leaning over to see what I was reading.

The two men tipped their hats at Rosie and May. Jemison turned to leave but Merlin didn't fallow his brother though. He turned to me with that smile still on his face. He held his hand out to shake my hand. I took his hand without hesitation, just wanting to fell what that hand felt at least one time. But Merlin didn't shake my hand. When my hand met his, he turned my hand over so he could kiss my knuckles. I blushed as I stared at him, wide eyed.

"Read this after I'm gone," Merlin whispered.

He whispered so only I could hear and then he stood up and followed his brother out of the building. I moved my fingers around the palm of my hand. Right away I felt something in my head that wasn't there before. I looked down and it was the piece of paper that Merlin had asked Rosie for. My head shot up and I watched him go up the stairs.

After he was out of site I could feel eyes on me. I turned my head slowly to see that Rosie and May were looking at me with smiles on their faces.

"What?" I exclaimed.

"I think one of those cowboys fancies you," Rosie beamed.

"Yea I don't think so."

"Keep thinking that Blanche," May smiled.

The two of them dropped the subject and turned their attention back to the stage. I looked back down at my hands and unfolded the piece of paper that Merlin had gave to me. My heart started beating really fast as I read his words over and over again. For the next forty-five minutes my mind was spinning with the thoughts of the emerald eyed mystery man.

When I was done reading from Blanche's journal I looked up at Lucas. He was looking at me again with a confused look on his face. I knew what he was going to ask before he could even think of the words to ask it.

"What did he write to her?" Lucas repeating my thoughts.

I picked the piece of folded paper – that was being used as a book mark – and held it up. Lucas watched as I opened it and read this a loud to him too. I had read this piece of paper a hundred times, mostly before I went to bed at night. It was the sweetest thing that I had ever read.

Hello darlin'

I noticed that you never said much, only when you were talked to. So I decided that I would ask you if you would like to talk to me somewhere where you'll be comfortable. Just me and you. I will be outside the door waiting on you for an hour. After that I can't stay, my brother and I have to be on our way. I hope you will take me up on my offer. I'd really like to get to know you before I go.

Hope to see you

Merlin

Lucas gently took the piece of paper and read it to himself a few time before looking back up at me. He was going to ask the same question that I had asked myself before reading the rest of my great grandmother's journal.

"Did she meet him?" Lucas asked.

"I think you already know the answer to that one Lucas," I informed him. "Would you like me to read more?"

Lucas just nodded his head without saying anything. I looked down at the journal finding the place where I had left off.

My heart was racing when I opened the door to the café. I didn't even know if I wanted to meet up with Merlin. My heart was telling me one thing while my brain was telling me another. In the end my heart had won the argument. When the door closed behind me I looked up and down the street. I was hoping that I wasn't too late, but sadly, I was too late. Luck just wasn't on my side.

When I didn't see anyone on the street I walked to both sides of the building to look down the alley ways. He wasn't there. I had missed the chance to get know the emerald green eyed mystery man. My heart sank and I knew that I would never see him again. I had my chance and I had lost it.

I couldn't help but wait for a few more minutes, hoping that he had just ran somewhere to get something, but I knew I was only lying to myself. Merlin and his brother were gone and I would never know if I could make him stay.

Walking back to my hotel room that night I keeping going through the 'what if's'. What if I left earlier? What if I had walked out with May? What if I had told him to stay with me before he left? No matter how many times I said 'what if' I knew I could never change what I had done. Merlin was never coming back and I could never see him, or the other four people that I had met tonight, again. That only gave me more reason to leave for Texas in the morning. Maybe in time I would be able to forget this night and how it was the happiest I had ever felt in my whole life.

I knew then that I had found what I was looking for all along, but I had just let it slip through my fingers.

After I was done reading, Lucas and I were quiet for a few minutes. Trying to process what could have been between our great grandparents. About five minutes after I was done reading I felt Lucas take my hand. I looked up at him and he was looking at me with a big smile on his face.

"Sad," I breathed, "isn't it?"

"Yea," he agreed, "but to be honesty, I'm glad she didn't make it in time."

I frowned and looked at him with a confused look on my face. I didn't understand why he felt that way. In my opinion it was the saddest thing that I could think of. If the guy that I loved told me to meet him somewhere and then I was too late I knew that I would feel nothing but pain for a long time.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I know how it sounds," Lucas exclaimed.

He turned his swing so he was facing me and he held up his hands in defense. There was a small smile pulling at his lips. I copied what he did with his swing, with mine, and tilted my head to the right side, trying to tell him that I still didn't understand.

"Explain," I said.

Lucas let out a sigh, closing his eyes, and took both of my hands in his. When he opened his eye to look at me his emerald orbs shown with an emotion that I couldn't explain. I couldn't take my eyes off of his. They were so intense it sent tings down my spine.

"What I mean is," Lucas began, "if they would have gotten together and stayed together then we would have been related. Or we wouldn't even be alive."

I had to meant admit, and I never thought of it that way. He had a point. If my great grandmother would have been on time then who knows that would have happened. Blanche and Merlin could have ended up staying together then there could have never been anything between Lucas and me… if there ever will be. Or like Lucas had said or we probably wouldn't even be alive. What my great grandmother didn't know was, her loss was my gain and I had never been so happy with someone's loss before.

Hands cupping my face brought me out of my thoughts. I hadn't known that I had been still for so long. When I looked back up into Lucas' emerald green eyes they were shinning bright. He was smiling down at me and I couldn't help but smile. I could feel the blush creeping up to my cheeks. I hadn't noticed that I had started zoned out.

"There you go again," Lucas chuckled. "Going to place where I can't fallow."

"I'll figure out a way to take you with me one day," I promised.

"I can't wait."

We sat like that for felt like only seconds and then we were brought out of our little world by Austin coming up and tagging his cousin.

"You're it," Austin stated.

"Come on cuz," Lucas whined. "Couldn't you see that we were talking?"

"It didn't look like talking to me, but you're it anyway."

Austin took off with a smile on his face. I watched as Lucas glared after him before turning to look at me. Soon a smile spread across his face and I could see the mischief shinning in his eyes. I knew what he was going to do and I left out a squeak before jumping off the swings to run away from him.

"I'm going to get you Angel," Lucas said from behind me.

"No you're not!" I called.

It ended up he could run faster than me and he caught up within a few seconds of me running away from him. The five of us staid at the park till the sun went down. I think leaning about our past had brought all of us closer together and I wouldn't change a thing.