Sorry it took thus chapter so long. I knew what I wanted to write, but I didn't know how to put my ideas into words. My fellow writers understand that, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, basically I had a less extreme case of writers block (so I had the ideas but wasn't sure what the best way to write and organize them was).
Disclaimer: I own nothing
WARNINGS: NONGRAPHIC SEXUAL ABUSE (IT'S NOT VERY GRAPHIC, BUT IT WILL BE ITALICIZED IF YOU WANT TO SKIP IT); PHYSICAL/MENTAL ABUSE; SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND SOMEWHAT OF AN ATTEMPT (YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN WHEN I READ IT); HOMOSEXUALITY (AFTER THIS CHAPTER, I WILL STOP PUTTING THIS AS A WARNING)
"Mother!" Farkle whispered.
"What?" His mother muttered from where she lay face down on the sofa with an empty bottle of vodka beside her.
"I'm going to the Matthews," he responded. "Here. I made you something to help with the hang over."
He handed her a bottle of blood red liquid with a stick of celery sprouting from the drink. His mother's ring clinked against the glass, causing a few drops to spill onto the carpet.
He froze.
"You little brat," she mumbled, going to smack him but missing him by at least a foot. "Clean that up and get out of my sight before I make you regret it."
Farkle nodded. "Yes, Mother."
Farkle hurriedly cleaned the spilled drops before a knock sounded at the door.
"Ugg!" His mother groaned, clutching her head. "It's six am. Go to the door and tell them to leave."
"It's actually almost ten, Mother," Farkle corrected, "and it's probably Maya. I'll see you later, Mother."
His mother drifted back off to sleep while Farkle opened the door, and Maya grinned at him.
"How are you, my little wei-" She began, loudly.
Farkle clamped a hand over her mouth.
"My mother's sleeping," he hissed before pulling his hand away in disgust. "Did you just lick me?"
She shrugged. "You could've just told me to shut up," she pointed out in a much quieter voice.
"Then, you would've beat me up," Farkle said, wiping his hand on his pants.
"True. Now, come on," she said.
Farkle glanced at his mother, still passed out on the couch, and Maya glanced over his shoulder. Farkle quickly shut the door, making sure to do it as quietly as possibly.
"Is your mom okay?" Maya asked, gesturing to the door.
Farkle nodded. "Yeah. She went partying with some of her friends last night, and... yeah."
Maya nodded. "Okay. Let's get to Riley's and figure out what today's life lesson is going to be."
"Maya, oatmeal," Mrs. Matthews called as Farkle and Maya entered the home of the Matthews family.
"No, thanks," Maya replied.
"I wasn't asking," Mrs. Matthews said in a sugary voice that actually told them she meant business. "You, too, Farkle."
"Oh, thanks. I'm starving," he responded.
His mother hadn't let him eat dinner the night before, and he hadn't eaten breakfast because he was afraid if he made too much noise in the kitchen, his mother would have his head.
Farkle sat at the table and began shoveling food into his mouth.
"Geesh," Mr. Matthews commented. "Do your parents feed you?"
"My mom hasn't done the grocery shopping," Farkle said, which was a lie. His mother had done the shopping (or more accurately, she had him do the shopping); she just didn't let him have any of the food.
Sometimes Farkle wished he could live at the Matthews' full time.
"Guess what, Auggie?" Mr. Matthews grinned. "It's Googly Time!"
"No TV at the table," Mrs. Matthews instructed.
"Right," Mr. Matthews said. "The table is a time to get caught up with each other's lives. Maya?"
She glanced at him, strangely. "I woke up, got bored, came here."
"Like every other morning," Mr. Matthews added. "Riley."
"I woke up; I love everything," she remarked.
"Farkle."
Farkle blinked. He wasn't used to people asking him about his day; his dad was rarely home, and his mother really didn't care about how his day went (Farkle still held onto hope that she cared for him at least a little).
"Dad left early for work; Mom fell asleep on the couch; I had nothing to do, so I called Maya and here we are!" He recalled, eating his oatmeal.
"Okay, all caught up," Mr. Matthews settled on. "Now, Googly Time!"
Mrs. Matthews sighed in defeat as Mr. Matthews turned on the tablet sitting on the counter, and music began playing, which the kids and Mr. Matthews sang along to.
Auggie stood up from his seat and hit the power button, turning off the tablet.
"Hey," Farkle, Maya, and Riley complained.
"I'm too old for Mr. Googly," Auggie said before heading into the living room to sit on the couch.
"What?" His mother squawked, following him and sitting beside him. She picked up his stuffed Googly friend, a big blue monster with bulging eyes. "Don't you remember? I'm your Foogly Googly friend."
"Can I tell you a secret?" Auggie asked the stuffed animal.
"Sure!" Mrs. Matthews chirped in a high pitched voice. "You can tell Mr. Googly all your secrets!"
"Okay," Auggie responded before hissing, "I have a new best friend now."
"And who is this new best friend?" Mrs. Matthews asked in the same high pitched voice.
"I don't want to tell you who she is," he muttered.
The teens and Riley's father gaped.
"She?" They drawled in unison.
He got a girlfriend before me? Farkle thought. How?
He knew how. He just didn't want to admit it. After all, how can you fall in love with a girl when you're hopelessly in love with a boy?
Farkle tried not to think about Lucas.
"I've said too much," he muttered. "I'm this many," he added, holding up five fingers. "I'm done with you now."
Auggie lifted the stuffed animal out of his mother's arms and placed him face down on the couch while Mrs. Matthews stared at him, horrified.
"They grow up so fast," Riley stated before the three of them turned back to their food while Mr. and Mrs. Matthews appeared to be having a crisis.
"Sneak attack," Mr. Matthews announced at school on Monday morning. "December 7, 1941."
He knew this!
"A date which will live in infamy!" He volunteered.
"Date," Riley muttered. "They're going on a date. In Italy?"
Farkle followed her forlorn gaze to see Lucas giggling with another classmate he'd never thought to learn the name of.
Farkle snapped his head away as the jealousy and the bad thoughts, as his mother called them, began to creep in.
"No, honey," Maya said with a sugary sweet smile. "You're in history."
"I'm history?" She murmured.
At least you were there to begin with, Farkle thought, staring at Lucas and the girl. I didn't even stand a chance.
"Here," Maya said, grabbing Riley's limp hand and sticking it in the air. "Put your hand up."
"Yes, Riley?" Mr. Matthews said, looking just as confused as most of the class. "You have an observation on the subject of the sneak attack?"
"May I be excused?" Maya suggested, quietly.
"May I see my shoes?" Riley said, almost slurring her words.
Mr. Matthews blinked and turned to Maya, who gestured to Lucas and the girl with her head.
Mr. Matthews' mouth formed an o shape as realization overcame him.
"Yes, Riley. You may be excused," he said.
"Forever?" Riley asked, hopefully.
"No, honey," he said. "You have to come back to class at some point. You just gotta."
She nodded and walked like a zombie towards... the chalk board?
She ran into the board, and Mr. Matthews gently shoved her shoulder. The momentum pushed her in the path of the door, and she exited the room.
Is this what heart break does to everyone? Farkle thought. If that's the case, I'm not even sure if I want to fall in love.
He tuned back into Mr. Matthews's lecture.
"It was another sunny day in paradise," he announced, "before the sneak attack that changed everything."
"Do you want to go to the movies?" The girl was asking Lucas. "It's dark at the movies."
Farkle happened to glance over the girl's shoulder, and his eyes widened as Riley appeared at the window, almost stalking Lucas, like a predator stalking its prey.
"You like scary movies?" Lucas asked.
"I get scared at scary movies, but you'll take care of me, right?" She asked.
Farkle blinked as Riley smashed her nose against the window to get a closer look.
"These people, who felt so safe and secure before, now had no security at all," Mr. Matthews continued, seemingly not noticing whatever was going on in his classroom.
"Just you and me, Missy?" Lucas said, looking a little uncomfortable.
"Just you and me, Lucas," Missy confirmed. "Boop," she added, popping Lucas on the nose with her finger.
Farkle watched as Riley had a mini meltdown in the hallway before returning to the room.
"Boop?" She demanded, stopping between the desks of Lucas and Missy. "Boop? You don't think I can do boop?"
"Please be cool, please be cool," Maya begged under her breath. "Farkle, how bad do you think this is going to be?"
"I think we should have faith in our Riley," he told her.
"I can do boop so much better than you!" She exclaimed. "Boop!"
"Never mind," Farkle murmured to Maya.
"Is anyone else seeing this?" Riley mumbled, staring at her finger stuck in Lucas's nose. Apparently, she'd missed the tip of Lucas's nose and instead, inserted her finger into his nostril.
"Everyone is seeing this," Maya replied.
Riley blinked.
"Take your finger out," Maya advised.
"Frozen," Riley responded through gritted teeth. "Can't move. Maya?"
"Honestly, I've never seen anything like this, so I don't know what's going to happen," Maya admitted.
"Farkle?" Riley squeaked.
"Farkle to the rescue!" He cheered before grabbing Riley's wrist and dragging her finger away from Lucas. "Maya?"
"On it," she said before placing her arms around Riley's midsection and dragging her from the room.
"The bombing of Pearl Harbor was our official entrance into a world at war," Mr. Matthews continued, "and nothing would ever be the same."
"Do you want me to bring you lunch?" Farkle asked.
"No. Food would only keep me alive," Riley muttered.
"Come on, little plant," Maya pouted. "Come back into the sun."
"I'm scared something bad will happen if I ever come out of here," Riley confessed.
Maya laughed. "Don't be ridiculous. Nothing can be worse than what just happened."
"Hello," Missy said as she arrived. "You're not mad at me or anything, are you? I didn't hear that you and Lucas were together or anything."
"We're not," Riley said, flatly.
"Then, you wouldn't mind if I asked him out?" Missy asked. "Because he is gorgeous."
Farkle narrowed his eyes.
"Back off, Miss Lady in Pink!" He sneered.
The girl frowned and turned to walk away.
"Geesh, Farkle," Maya chuckled. "Don't know you had a dark side."
"I get it from my mom."
The words slipped off of Farkle's tongue before the statement truly hit him.
His mom's dark side scared him. If Farkle had to choose one thing he didn't want to get from her, it would be that.
"I have to go," he mumbled, slowly walking away to go hide in the janitor's closet.
Maya stared after him for a moment in confusion before returning her concern to Riley.
The fight started at the dinner table.
The Minkus family didn't eat together often, but his father had called a family dinner because he had some big news.
Dinners in the Minkus house were always quiet, awkward, maybe even formal, and this one was no exception.
After ten minutes of a silence only broken by the clink of silverware against plates, his father rested his fork on the plate and turned to his son and wife.
"I have some news," he announced. "The company has a huge chance to expand. If we play our cards right, we could expand all the way to Asia!"
"That's fantastic!" Farkle's mother exclaimed.
"Great work, Dad," Farkle agreed.
"There is one catch," Stewart said, slowly. "I have to go on a business trip."
"For how long?" Farkle asked.
"A long time," Stewart answered, avoiding a specific answer.
"How long?" Jennifer demanded in a much sterner tone than Farkle.
"A year, give or take a few months," his father said.
"What?" His mother exploded. "While you go traveling around the world, you're leaving me to take care of our son without your help. Oh, well, I guess that isn't much different from normal!"
"Jennifer, it's a wonderful opportunity!" Stewart stressed.
"A wonderful opportunity? For you, yes! Now, I have to sit around the house with no additional help from you to raise the boy."
"He has a name, Jennifer!"
Jennifer ripped her wedding ring off her finger and threw it at Stewart incredibly hard. It hit his eye, which began to swell.
"I should never have married you," she sneered. "You're a business man, and you're going to leave me here alone!"
"You're not alone. Your son will still be here!"
"Like he counts!" Jennifer screeched before picking up a plate and throwing it at Stewart.
Stewart ducked and the plate shattered against the wall. Some shards showered down on Stewart, and others ricocheted off the wall and missed Farkle by milimeters.
"I'm going to Riley's!" He yelled.
"You do that!" Stewart agreed.
"Yeah, run away, just like your no good, cowardly father!" His mother snarled as Farkle opened the door and shut it behind him.
He ran out the front door and left the screaming match behind him. He could only hope he'd have a family and a home to return to, and not just two broken soldiers and a scarred battlefield.
Farkle took a deep breath and plastered on a smile before opening Riley's window and leaning over the sill, grinning at his two best friends.
"Hello, ladies!" He exclaimed, trying to act as normal as possible.
It's amazing what a smile can hide...
"You were out there?" Riley remarked.
Farkle shrugged. "I'm always out there."
It was true. If his parents' fighting or his mother's abuse became too unbearable, Farkle would sit outside Riley's window. He didn't always go in; it was just nice to be near her and her amazing family. Farkle wished he could be apart of the Matthews family sometimes, but he knew it was only a daydream that would never come true.
"Farkle, you're the biggest flirt in seventh grade," Riley pointed out.
"Why, thank you," Farkle said, tilting his head and wiggling his eyebrows flirtatiously as if to prove a point.
"Can you teach me how to flirt with Lucas?" She asked.
Farkle nodded. "Sure."
"I thought you liked her," Maya stated.
Farkle shrugged. "I like you both, and I want you to be happy. I'd do anything for you."
I love you enough to let you go, he thought. I wish my mother loved us enough to let us go, and I wish my father loved me enough to let her go.
Farkle loved his mother; he'd give up everything for her to be happy. But if he tried to make her happy, he'd end up hurting someone else-Riley, Maya, Mr. Matthews, his dad, maybe even Lucas.
Those people were the only reason Farkle hadn't obeyed his mother's constant commands to go kill himself.
When Farkle returned home, his father was gone. He'd left for his business trip without a goodbye call. Farkle didn't know why he'd expected differently.
Farkle sighed and crawled into bed without even bothering to change his clothes.
When Farkle woke up, he found someone lying beside him.
"Mom," he muttered, still half asleep. "What are you doing?"
"Shh," she whispered, and Farkle felt her fumbling with the zipper on his jeans.
"No," he murmured before the reality of the situation set in, and his voice rose in volume. "No! No!"
His mother clamped a hand over his mouth.
"Shut up," she hissed. "You will let me do what I want and do what I say without compliant. You will tell no one about this. Not your father, your teacher, your friends, no one. Failure to comply to these simple rules will mean me switching your school, and you can say goodbye to those friends you love so much. Got it?"
Farkle nodded.
"Good."
Her hand left his mouth and moved lower, and Farkle choked back the tears desperately trying to fight their way out of his eyes.
"It was another sunny day in paradise before the sneak attack that changed everything."
Farkle's life had never been sunny to begin with, but compared to his life now-the sexual abuse and the shame that came with it- his life had been paradise. He'd take beatings over molestation any day. At least he could escape the house and get away from the physical abuse. The sexual abuse was emotional turmoil, and Farkle couldn't distract himself from it, like he could when the abuse was just physical and mental.
"And nothing would ever be the same."
Farkle sat beside Maya and Riley the next day, and he twirled his fork in his food, not eating. Farkle was almost always hungry, but every time he tried to force himself to eat today, the memory of last night crept up on him, and he felt nauseous.
"Is there a seat with you guys?" Lucas asked as he stopped beside Riley.
Farkle didn't look up from his green beans.
They know, a tiny voice in the back of his head hissed. They're disgusted by you.
Farkle knew that was irrational. He hadn't told anyone. He'd bought some make up from the convenience store to cover the dark circles from lack of sleep and the blotchy skin from crying. He'd plastered on a fake smile, and after all these years, Farkle's mask of happiness and confidence was bullet proof. No one could see through it. No one could bring down the walls he'd constructed to hide his dark secrets. How could anyone possibly know?
"There's always room for you, buddy!" Riley exclaimed before turning to Maya. "I said buddy. I'm not helping myself, am I?"
Lucas had barely sat down when She walked over and grinned down at him, grabbing his arm and dragging him to his feet.
Farkle felt the ugly green monster rear up inside him, and he absent mindedly squashed his green beans with his plastic fork until they were a pile of green muck.
"Hey, Lucas," Missy said. "I thought if we're going to the movies together, I should know what kind of snacks you like, so I can buy some for you. I wouldn't want you to have to buy everything," she told him as she lead him to another table and pushed him into a chair.
"You're toast," Farkle stated.
"I know," Riley pouted.
"Are you saying she flirts better than you?" Maya asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, nobody's better than Farkle," Farkle said. "I just don't think my young protégé is ready for that monster."
"What are you going to do, genius?" Maya smiled.
"I think I'll just steal her from Lucas myself," Farkle settled on.
"You would do that for me?" Riley asked.
"Well, I'm certainly not doing it for me, toots," Farkle replied.
Yes, I am, Farkle mentally corrected. If I can't be with Lucas, I'd rather see him with Riley than that beast. At least I know I won't rip Riley's head off if she flirts with him.
"She's evil," he continued. "If I'm not back in two minutes, she ate me. How's my hair?"
"Hasn't changed in six years," Maya pointed out.
"She doesn't stand a chance," Farkle bragged, but as soon as he turned away, his smile dropped.
Smiling had never been so hard...
Still, he plastered on a grin as he stopped to stand beside Her.
"Hello, lady," he drawled.
Lucas grinned, even though Farkle was obviously flirting with his date to the movies. Farkle knew Lucas didn't want to hang out with Her!
"Why would you want to go to the movies with a boy," he asked, "when you can go with... a man?" He exclaimed, slamming his foot on the table, dramatically.
"Cute," She said. "You're next."
Farkle blinked and sat back down beside Maya.
"It worked!" He said. "I'm next!"
Riley sighed. "I don't want to see him with her," she stated before standing.
This could get interesting... Farkle thought.
"Lucas," Riley said, "I don't think you should hang out with this girl."
Lucas smiled, not the least bit offended.
"Why not?" He asked.
"I think if you hang out alone with her, it'll change things for all of us," Riley said, glancing at Farkle and Maya.
Got that right, Farkle thought.
"How can I get Lucas alone with you around?" She smirked, and Lucas frowned, but before he could say anything, She splashed a handful of potatoes in both her face and Lucas's. "Food fight."
"No food fight," Mr. Matthews said, storming over. "Detention, both of you."
She smirked.
And I thought this was ugly before, Farkle thought.
"So why do you want to go detention?" Maya asked.
They were standing outside Mr. Matthews's classroom, ready to run in, attack him, and get detention.
Farkle contemplated on how to put this.
The truth? He was afraid to go home. He didn't know if the sexual abuse was a one time thing or even just something that his mother did at night, but he wasn't taking any chances. He wanted to stay out of the house as much as possible in order to escape the fists pounding him and the hands that touched him where they shouldn't.
"I... don't want to go home," he settled on.
Maya stared at him, but she understood, so she didn't press the matter.
A small part of Farkle wished she did.
"Guest stars?" Mr. Matthews was saying, putting emphasis on the plural ending.
Maya raced in and leaped on his back, making him kneel on the ground.
Riley ran her fingers over his lips while Farkle pinched his nose and ear.
"Detention," Mr. Matthews said with a nasal tone. "Why do you want detention, Farkle?"
Farkle shrugged as the three friends released him.
"Does it matter?" He asked.
Mr. Matthews shrugged. "I guess not."
But the teacher still looked suspicious.
"How you doing?" Riley said with a smirk as Missy and Lucas arrived at detention.
"What are you doing here?" Missy snapped.
"I'm a bad girl," Riley bragged.
"You don't want to mess with this girl," Maya stated.
"What about you?" Lucas laughed, looking at Farkle.
Farkle shrugged. "I go wherever they go."
"What are these?" Missy questioned, picking up Riley's name tag- it was a neat, colorful tag with letter stickers that spelled her name. Lucas, Maya, and Farkle all had similar ones.
"Place tags," Riley answered. "You're over there," she added, pointing to a bland name tag placed on a desk in the back of the classroom. Instead of the colorful stickers that decorated Riley, Maya, Lucas, and Farkle's, Missy was spelled in sloppy, crooked handwriting with a Sharpie.
"Actually, I think this seat has my name on it," she corrected, sitting in the seat beside Lucas.
"Well, everyone," Mr. Matthews interrupted. "I like my detentions to have a bit of learning to it, so I thought we'd continue talking about Pearl Harbor and what happened after the sneak attack.
"Alliances were formed, and these Alliances were made stronger because of this. The US was put to one of its greatest tests when there was a threat to our way of life."
"Hey, Farkle, Riley, Maya," Lucas suddenly said. "Missy invited me to see a movie with her."
Farkle sighed. No need to make me- I mean Riley- feel worse by repeating that.
"I think she's aware of that, Lucas," Missy said. "No need to make her feel worse."
"I was wondering if you guys would like to come along," Lucas continued as though she hadn't spoken.
"You want us?" Riley asked.
"That wasn't the invitation," Missy said.
"Well, I'm sorry, Missy, I can't go," Lucas said.
"What?" Missy demanded. "No one's ever turned me down before. In my life," she added to prove her point.
"Missy, these guys are my friends, and I don't want to do anything without them. I appreciate you wanting me to take care of you during a scary movie and showing me your leg and all, but we're only in seventh grade. I think we'd have much more fun hanging out with our friends," Lucas pointed out. "Right, guys?"
Lucas's gaze shifted off of Missy and onto Maya. He turned to Riley, where his gaze lasted a bit longer, before his stare finally slid onto Farkle, where it stayed longer than it did for Riley. Farkle knew that because it stayed long enough for his heart to skip a beat. Twice.
Riley didn't seem to notice, but Maya raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Riley agreed.
Missy stood, grabbing her books, and walked to the front of the room.
"Grow up," Missy snapped.
"What's the rush in growing up?" Farkle called after her.
"Not yet," Riley agreed.
"Never!" Maya cheered.
"Hey," Riley said, turning to Lucas.
"Hey," he replied.
"You want to know what the most important part of having friends is?"
"What?" He asked.
"Sometimes you just have to trust them."
"After the war, the US enjoyed its greatest period of growth, prosperity, and happiness," Mr. Matthews announced. "Detention over."
Mr. Matthews approached the door, but the kids didn't move.
"You guys coming?" The adult asked.
"No," Riley responded. "We're good right here."
Mr. Matthews nodded and exited the classroom.
"Thanks for that," Farkle told Lucas.
Lucas smiled a strange smile. Farkle couldn't place what was so strange about it, but it was different than usual. Just as shining, just as amazing; it still made the butterflies in Farkle's stomach do flips and twists, but... it was different. Almost like Lucas felt something, too.
But Farkle knew that couldn't be, and just like that, the memory of last night crashed over him again.
He'd be lucky if anyone ever wanted him. It'd take a dozen miracles to get Lucas to even notice him in that way.
"Hey, huckleberry," Maya stated. "I need to talk to you."
Lucas frowned, but he stood and followed Maya out of the room.
"What was that all about?" Riley asked, confused.
Farkle shrugged. "I have no idea."
They waited five minutes.
"I'm going to make sure they didn't leave us here," Farkle finally said.
He approached the door, and he only opened it a crack before he heard their voices.
"Don't hurt them, Lucas. Promise me that," Maya was saying.
"I promise, Maya," Lucas replied.
Farkle shut the door and returned to his seat just as they reentered the room.
What had they been talking about?
Farkle closed the door as quietly as possible after he'd returned home after going to the movies with his friends.
"Where have you been?" His mother said, and a hand on his shoulder turned him around. His fearful eyes met his mother's gaze, drunken and filled with lust. A horrifying combination. The lust was bad enough. When his mother was drunk, who knew what she'd be like?
Farkle should've known he wouldn't be able to hide from this nightmare forever...
After it was over, Farkle stared at the ceiling, contemplating life and death.
His friends had kept him hanging on for years, but would they hate him once they knew what his mother had done to him? What he'd let her do to him?
What was the point in hanging on for one more day?
Farkle opened his desk drawer and threw a hand held pencil sharpener on the floor before stomping on it. The plastic cracked, and the blade lay in the shattered remains of the red exterior. He went to pick it up...
Ding. His phone dinged as a text message arrived, and Farkle picked up the cell phone.
It was from Lucas.
Had fun tonight. Want to do it again sometime?
Farkle was surprised. He'd thought Lucas would spend his time texting Riley, not Farkle.
Lucas had taken time out of his night to text Farkle. Only true friends do that, right?
Maybe Farkle did have something to live for. If nothing else, he wanted to see where his friendship with Lucas and even Riley and Maya went. Maybe he wouldn't be the third wheel anymore. Maybe things would be better.
That was a lot of maybes, but Farkle would take a maybe over definitely not.
Farkle picked up the blade and tossed it out his window, watching it flutter through the air before landing on the concrete several floors below. It glinted in the darkness of the night, and Farkle didn't regret throwing it out.
Farkle picked up his phone and typed a response:
Sure.
I just want to say: victims of abuse- sexual, physical, or verbal- should never blame themselves, but they often do. That needs to change. Farkle is blaming himself like so many victims do, but trust me, by the end of the story, it won't be that way because VICTIMS SHOULD NEVER BLAME THEMSELVES! If there is one thing I want you to take away from this story, it is that, so that you can help others who have been/are being abused or even yourself if you have been abused. Once abuse victims know that victims should never blame themselves, it brings them one step closer to healing and overcoming the trauma of abuse. Thank you for taking the time to read this message.
So many questions in the story: What were Maya and Lucas talking about? Does Maya have feelings for Lucas in this story like in the TV show? Stewart shows up throughout season 1, but he's on a business trip in this story. What am I going to do about that?
All questions will be answered in time.
Thanks for reading!