"Eyes, look your last. Arms, take your last embrace." Lucas said, as he walked towards the table that I lay on top off. We were doing a production of "Romeo and Juliet" and Lucas and I got the lead roles. "And, lips, oh, you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas continued, and leaned down, Oh man this is it. He's going to kiss me! "Back off!" Farkle shouted, jumping into the scene. So close. "What meanest thou? Spear carrier. Who havest no lines." Lucas said whilst trying to stay in role. "You tried to kiss my woman. This I cannot allow. Prepare to die!" Farkle shouted. "Farkle, what are you doing? It's "Romeo and Juliet." Lucas reminded the deluded boy. "Well, now it's "Romeo and Juliet and Farkle". I play Farkle." he answered. "Dude, I'm supposed to kiss the girl." YES YOU ARE! "Shakespeare said." Lucas told him. Shakespeare knows what he's talking about. "Who thinks the spear carrier should finally get to kiss Juliet?" Farkle asked the audience whilst holding up his spear. Not me! Maya and Riley stood up cheering and clapping "Yeah, you kiss that girl, you crazy spear carrier." they said in unison. Traitors. "Hark! You cometh uppeth here and getteth kissed too." He told them. Everyone clapped as they headed on stage, "Thank you, thank you." "You're too kind." Maya and Riley said, as they lay down on either side of me. "How you doing?" Maya asked me. "I just don't understand how we end up in situations like this." I told the pair as we giggled and the play continued.
**********
I walked with Lucas into the school hallway once the play had ended, and we were greeted by applause. I was a bit shocked but just smiled and accepted it. I stood next to Maya and Riley as we watched Farkle enter. Everyone went silent. Feeling bad, Riley and I started to clap, and everyone began to slowly follow our lead. "Thank you. Thank you, Farkle nation!" Farkle shouted. "Farkle, come here." I said. "Raven, don't." Riley warned me. "Okay. I will," Maya said, "Farkle." she stepped closer to Farkle, but Riley held her back. "Maya, no. He thinks he was good." Riley defended him as Maya and I shared a knowing look. We turned back to Riley. "Yeah, we're gonna fix that." Maya told her. "But you can't tell him the truth." Riley said, "You'll crush him." she told us "Oh, we can tell him the truth. It's you who can't tell him the truth because you're afraid." Maya pointed out and I nodded in agreement. "I'm not afraid. I'm nice." Riley corrected. My eyebrows raised. "You're saying we're not nice?" I asked slightly offended. "No, you are. Really nice! But I'm afraid to say that to Maya." Riley admitted. "Tell him the truth." Maya ordered. "Yeah. You know Farkle. You know what will happen if you don't." I added. "Farkle. You were so what are the best words?" Riley asked, as we walked up to Farkle. "He killed the play. Those are the words." Maya told her. "Those are the only words. You killed the play." she told Farkle, and then turned back to Riley. "Tell him." she ordered. "What? What do she mean?" Farkle asked Riley. "She means you killed it, Farkle. Killed it! Showbiz talk." Riley lied and I mentally face palmed. "I actually I thought I ruined the play. If you would've told me I ruined the play, I would have believed you. I would have been crushed, but I would've believed you." Farkle told Riley and she sighed. "How could I crush one of the best actors working in middle school today?" She asked Farkle. "I'm a good actor? What if I'm better than good? What if I'm great? What if I'm the greatest actor who ever lived, and I never knew it? That would be sad. Wah. It's okay, it's okay. I was acting." Farkle said, "Thanks, Riley, my public awaits. Hello, everybody!" He walked away. Maya and I turned to Riley. "You can't lie to him, Riley." Maya told her. "You're gonna break our little Farkle." I added. "Oh, I will not. I didn't do anything. This will all go away." Riley said just as jazz music began to play. Farkle appeared with a top hat and a cane and he began to do a tap routine. "And I think..." Maya began. "You broke him." I finished.
**********
I was taking a drink from the water fountain when someone tapped my shoulder. I stood up to see Lucas standing there, a nervous smile plastered on his handsome face. "Hey." He greeted with his hands behind his back, "Hey." I said with a smile, quite confused but happy none the less. "I... u-uh," he started before clearing his throat "I got you something." he told me before bringing his hands in front of him and holding out a bracelet. I took it from his hand, examining the small, silver origami bird. "I-uh." I stuttered speechless. "I was hanging out with Logan when I saw it in a store and it reminded me of you. If you don't like it, t-that's okay, I mea-" "No, no! I like it. I really like it... Love it actually. Thank you Lucas." I told him with a soft smile, he sighed in relief, "Oh, that's great. Good. I'm glad." he said before smiling at me, "Um, I can help you put it on if y-you want?" he asked biting his lip. His teeth are very lucky. I nodded "That would be great, thanks." I told him with a smile handing him the bracelet. Lucas picked my left hand up with his before gently placing the bracelet around my wrist and fastening the clasp. His hand lingered over mine as we looked into each others eyes. The bell rang knocking us out of the trance we were in as Lucas pulled his hand away, "C'mon Little Bird, don't want to be late to your dads class." he told me with a smile before grabbing my arm and pulling me with him down the hall.
**********
I was in my seat in history mindlessly playing with my new bracelet, "Nice locket Maya." Riley complimented her before turning to me. "Cute bracelet Rave." she told me. "You likey?" Maya asked as I said "Thanks Riles." "If history's about discovering the truth of what happened in the past, we spend some time finding out what truth is." dad said as he continued the lesson. "Where'd you get the nice jewellery?" Riley asked us. "Shh, I come here to learn." Maya said. Maya, Riley, and I looked at each other before bursting out laughing. "All through history, people have suffered consequences for telling the truth." dad continued. "Are they real gold and silver?" Riley asked. "Don't know." Maya started. "Doesn't matter." I finished whilst staring at the bracelet. "They all suffered dearly for having the courage to tell the truth." dad continued. "So sometimes it's better not to?" Riley asked. "But aren't there consequences for that too, sir?" Logan asked. "Yes, there are, Mr. Friar. But in my experience with the universe, no matter what you do, the truth always finds a way of coming out." dad answered. The bell rang, and the noise of the students gathering their things could be heard throughout the room. "So where'd you get the jewellery?" Riley asked again when we where the only three left in the room. "France." Maya answered for the both of us. "You two where in France?" Riley questioned. "Si, senor." Maya replied in Spanish. "You two didn't go to France because if you went to France, you guys would have brought me back a croissant." Riley said. "Bing." Maya said holding up a croissant. "Ooh. Piping hot." Riley said, taking a bite of it. Maya and I stood up and headed to the door. "Wait a minute. Where did you really get that?" I asked. "I found it on the street." Maya said smirking as we walked out the door, "Bleah!" I heard Riley say as she spat out the croissant.
**********
"Come on, where'd you get the locket and bracelet?" Riley asked, coming out of the room. "My father sent it to me." Maya answered, "I got in a sale." I lied feeling guilty. "He did? You did?" Riley questioned. "You don't believe us?" I asked. "Did you just tell me?" Riley asked. "We just told you." Maya answered. "Then I believe you guys." Riley answered. "So this is over?" I asked. "Like it never happened." Riley said, "I do, however, have one question for the jewellery." Riley grabbed Maya's locket and my left wrist and brought them together, "Where'd you get the Raven and Maya ?!" Riley asked the jewellery. "You don't believe my father sent this to me?" Maya asked as I stayed silent. "Why don't you guys just tell me?" Riley asked. "Why don't you just call us liars?" Maya asked. "Why don't you just tell me the truth?" Riley asked. "Oh, you think that's important?" I asked. "I do." Riley replied. "Did you think Farkle was good in the play?" I asked as Farkle walked by, and from the gasp he let out, I guess he over heard.
**********
It was dinner time and I sitting at the table facing Auggie who face was covered in sauce "I want to skip ahead to your truth lesson," Riley said to Dad as she walked over to the dinner table. "Is it okay to tell a little white lie to spare somebody's feelings?" she asked "No," Dad answered, then he stopped, "my feelings?" I giggled and shook my head. "No." I told him. "Then always truth." He told us. Riley sat down beside me and nudged me and I ignored it as mom placed a plate in front of dad "Wow, what do we have here?" Dad asked. "Chicken." Mom answered. "I'll tell you right now, Topanga, this was never a chicken." Dad told her, bluntly. "Why don't you just eat it, honey." Mom said with a tense smile. "I'm looking forward to what you think of it after." she finished giving him a challenging look. Riley and I shared a look before facing our dad "Oh, great teller of the truth, please demonstrate how you are going to get out of this one." we said in unison smirking amused. We all watched as mom cracked her neck and knuckles. Dad looked at her and gulped before looking at Auggie. "Psst. What you get?" he asked "S'ghetti and meatballs." Auggie answered, taking another bite. "Oh yum. Yum that," Dad said, pointing at Auggie's spaghetti. Mom smiled and pushed the plate of chicken closer to him. Dad sighed. "Alright, fine, I'll eat it. Here we go." dad said unmoving "Have we prayed?" He asked, grabbing Mom and Rileys hands. "Have we prayed as a family?" he asked as Mom grabbed Auggie's hand and Riley grabbed mine as I grabbed Auggie's other hand. "We haven't done it in a while." he continued "Go ahead. Pray." Mom commanded. "Oh I'll pray," Dad told her "the world is a beautiful place, full of many beautiful things." Dad looked up and continued, "Look what she did to your chicken." I bit my lip trying to hold in my giggles "Eat your dinner, honey." Mom told him. "Okay," he said before looking up again "I'll see you soon." he finished before picking up a piece of chicken and stared at it. Finally, he took a bite. "Well, what do you think?" Mom asked. "Um, you know, from eating this chicken, I'll tell you right now how this chicken died. It ate this chicken!" I snorted quietly while Mom just looked at him. "You know Daddy, sometimes when I don't want to eat something, Mommy feeds it to me like it was an airplane," Auggie said, taking a forkful of spaghetti. He made airplane noises before eating it "and I like that." he told our dad "That's very sweet Auggie, but Daddy is a little too old for Mommy to feed him." Dad said with a laugh. Mom grabbed the fork that was beside the chicken and stabbed it before picking it up and making airplane noises as she held it up to dads face. I chuckled at them before continuing to eat my dinner.
**********
"When are you going to drop this Riley?" I asked her once we had sat down at our bedroom window. "There's a serious pigeon following me." Maya said before Riley could answer as she crawled through the window. "How you doing? Hey, here's a new thing. Where'd you get the locket and bracelet?" Riley asked and I sighed "He's a very sneaky pigeon, but I'm onto him." Maya said ignoring Riley. "Because they're gold and silver, they're both expensive, and my curiosity gets the better of me." Riley continued. "So I ducked behind the tree to fake out the pigeon. And you know who came over?" Maya asked, "A squirrel." she continued "I didn't say hello though, because I was already in a thing with the pigeon." she said. "I need to know if you two are stealing things." Riley said, "Riley are you kidding me? I'm you're twin sister. You know me!" I exclaimed incredulously, "You wont tell me where you got the bracelet! You tell me everything, or at least I thought you did so maybe I don't know you!" she retorted and I looked down and fiddled with the bracelet as we both went quiet "You don't think my dad sends me stuff?" Maya asked her breaking the tense silence "Maya, you've cried to us because your dad doesn't send you stuff." Riley told her. Maya sighed before answering "Sometimes I walk around the village and I pass stores and look in the windows at things I know I never have." Maya began. "So one day, I saw this locket sitting in a lost‐and‐found basket." she continued, "Do you think it's right that somebody loses something so beautiful and never comes back for it?" Maya questioned Riley. "Who knows? I don't have a criminal mind." she answered, "I don't think like you people." I frowned. "I walked by the window for months. Nobody claimed the locket okay?" Maya defended. "It sat there like a kid that has no," Maya started, but hesitated, "Like an orphan. So I claimed it. It's mine now." she finished. "It's not. You took something that doesn't belong to you." Riley told her. "How come you don't tell Farkle the truth, but you have no trouble telling us?" I asked as a pigeon appeared on the window sill. "And you stop judging me." Maya told the pigeon before it flew out the window. "Hey, my father tells my mother the truth, even when he knows she's gonna shove a chicken in his face." Riley said, as we sat at the window. I giggled at the memory. "Sorry I missed it." Maya.. "Yep, we were thinking about you." I told her. "Thanks." Maya told us. " I love you, guys." Riley said. "We love you too." Maya and I said in unison. "Then why do you guys want to end up in the slammer?" Riley asked, going back to the subject. "Here we go." I mumbled. "You two won't do well in the slammer." Riley informed us. "I will so!" Maya shouted defensively "You won't pack right Maya and you'll forget to bring shower shoes and you'll take somebody else's from the lost‐and‐found. And you are gonna get toe fungus! And I think you deserve to get toe fungus because they're not your shower shoes. They're not! And Raven, I don't know how you ended up like this. And you wont do well. You just won't. You'll cry. I don't want you to cry cause that makes me cry." Riley rambled. I smiled softly. "That's adorable." I admitted. "I think you two are thieves." Riley told us and the smiled dropped off my face. "That's not." Maya said. "You think I'm afraid to tell people the truth? I'm not, and I now await the praise from you two." Riley said, holding out her arms awaiting a hug. Maya and I looked at each other before crawling out the window without saying a word. "Raven? Maya? I heard Riley ask as we walked towards the front of the building. "C'mon let's tell your parents your staying at mine tonight." Maya told me as she linked her arm through mine as we made our way into the building.
**********
I walked down the staircase in school with Maya and noticed Riley standing outside our history room. We headed over to her before Maya handed Riley the textbooks she was holding. "I got something to say to the two you." Riley announced. Maya plugged her ears. "I can't hear you! Baddada dadaa dadaa!" Maya sang trying to avoid another lecture from Riley. I just stood there watching it all play out. "I'm talking to you." Riley said, trying to get her attention as Maya began singing random words as she entered the girl's bathroom. We waited outside before she exited the bathroom, and continued to sing. "Da da dadaa whata whata whata, waa waa waa" Maya sang, "And Go." she said. I looked at her amused before turning to Riley. "Whether or not the two of you are thieves, or not thieves, or you both stole the jewellery or you didn't, they don't belong to either one of you. They belong to somebody else. And you have to tell the truth about it because you are upsetting the universe. And the universe is going to have the truth come out anyway." Riley lectured. When she finished our dad walked into his classroom, eating noddles. "And what about you?" I asked, getting a little frustrated with Riley. "When are you gonna tell the truth to Farkle?" Maya asked. "I hardly think the universe is upset with me for being nice to Farkle. I mean, what could possibly go wrong there?" Riley told us and just as she asked that, Farkle walked down the stairs and over to the chess club. "Hey, chess club, you can move king's knight to bishop six and then you can eat it! 'Cause I quit the chess club 'cause I'm an actor, 'cause Riley said so." Farkle told the club. Maya and I turned back to Riley. "'Cause Riley said so." We said in sync giving her a pointed look. "Hey, chemistry club, you know what you get when you put sodium and chlorine together? You're a bunch of losers!" Farkle shouted at the club. "Farkle!" Riley shouted, as we walked up to him. "Riley. You changed my life. The Farkle you knew is gone. I am now Farkle!" Farkle said, dramatically before he walked away. "Whata whata what. What could possibly go wrong? Whata whata what could possibly go wrong?" Maya sang, as we all walked up the stairs.
**********
I walked Maya home so she could drop of her bookbag before we headed to my apartment. "Hey." Maya and I greeted dad and Riley as we crawled in through my bedroom window. "Well, now they're back. Maybe it's not as upside down as you think." dad told Riley and turned to us, "That's a nice locket Maya." he told her before looking down at my wrist, and frowning, "Where'd you get that Rave?" he asked me and I bit my lip "Thanks, Mr. Matthews." Maya said taking the spotlight off me "It looks like someone else's expensive jewellery." Riley pointed out. "Maybe it is. But, you know, I don't think that matters to Raven and Maya at all." dad said. "You don't?" Maya, Riley, and I asked. "You know, it's an interesting thing about lockets. It's usually what's in the inside that matters most to people. Isn't that right, Maya?" dad said as he stood up and walked to the door. He opened it to reveal our mom. "Yeah, okay." dad said, closing the door. "Please don't tell anyone this is how I live in my own house." dad said before crawling out the window. "What's inside the locket that's so important to you?" Riley asked Maya. I rubbed Maya's back encouragingly as she opened the locket. Inside was a picture of a family. A father, a mother, and a little girl. "Who is this family?" I asked. "I don't know." she answered, and sighed deeply, "A father, a mother and a little girl. I just like that they're all together." she started, "We're keeping them." Maya finished as she closed the locket. "Oh, boy." Riley said. Dad crawled back in through the window. "She's at the front door too. It's like there's two of her." He said, walking over to the door, he opened it and there stood mom with a chicken on a fork. She was mimicking a motor. Dad screamed, and slammed the door. He ran and sat in between Riley and me. "So what do we do now? Just sit here or what?" He asked. I shrugged. "Hey, dad. Can you tell me why I kind of think trying to help Farkle may have been wrong and maybe Maya and Raven should keep the locket and bracelet?" Riley asked. "We should?" Maya asked in disbelief. "Maybe. Is it me that's upside down?" Riley asked. "You know what, girls? The universe is the most confusing place you'll ever live. But if you listen carefully, you'll find out that it's paying attention and that it cares about you." dad explained. "Is that the truth?" I asked. "It's the only one I'm still sure of." dad reassured. The bedroom door opened and in walked Auggie with a plate of spaghetti. "Hey, Auggie, is that for me, buddy?" dad asked him. "I made it for you." Auggie said. I gently smiled. "Oh, Auggie, thank you so much. Thank you. Look at this, ooh. This looks good." dad said, eating some of it, "It's it's cold s'ghetti." he told him. "I know it's better warmer, but I don't know how to do that." Auggie admitted. "Auggie, I appreciate that you did anything for me at all." dad said. "You said that very nice. Why didn't you say it that way to mom?" Auggie asked. "What?" dad asked, "But all I did was tell mom the truth." he retorted "Then why do you get cold s'ghetti?" Auggie asked. I stared at him in shock. "Whoa." Riley, Maya, and I said in unison. "Woah. Auggie, are you saying the truth doesn't matter as much as how you treat people?" dad asked. "Auggie, are you saying that the truth does matter, but you should tell it to people warmly?" Riley asked. "Auggie, are you saying that the universe pays attention to me?" Maya asked. "Do you people realize that I'm only this many?" Auggie asked, holding up 5 fingers. I gave him a high‐five. He rolled his eyes and walked back out the door.
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Dad had left leaving the three of us at the window. I was still fiddling with my bracelet when Riley broke the silence "Rave?" she questioned. I lifted my head to look at her, "Yeah Riles?" I asked, "You want to tell us were you got the bracelet?" she asked me gently, I looked at Maya who was nodding encouragingly before I sighed. "Lucas gave it to me." I told them. They gasped before squealing excitedly. "Why didn't you just tell us?!" Riley questioned, "I just... I don't know what it means. I mean, I don't know why he gave it to me... so I guess I just wanted to wait until I did." I told them and they both smiled at me. "I think it means he likes you." Maya told me and Riley nodded in agreement, "Really?" I asked biting my lip, "Yeah. He'd be stupid not to." Riley told me grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. "I love you guys." I told them with a smile causing them the smile back, "We love you too." they said in sync as they both placed their heads on my shoulders.
**********
"Farkle, I need to talk to you. I've been looking all over for you." Riley said, as she, Maya and I entered the school theatre. "Farkle?" I asked when he didn't answer Riley. "Farkle's gone. He gave up the chess club. He gave up the chemistry club." Farkle said, voice full of gloom. "What happened?" Riley asked. "You happened. You told me I was good. Well, I just auditioned for the next play." Farkle answered. "Are you gonna be in the next play?" I asked. "I'm not even allowed to watch the next play." Farkle replied. "I'm sorry Farkle." I told him as Maya said "I'm sorry you stink." "I'm sorry I could never hurt you." Riley apologized. "I'm sorry you stink." Maya repeated. "I heard you!" Farkle shouted in frustration. "Well, it was very important." Maya defended as Farkle sighed. "You made me think I was this great actor. You filled me up with confidence that I was really special. You made me think I could go after something totally unrealistic." Farkle told Riley. "Farkle‐" Riley began. "Thank you." Farkle said. He then kissed Riley. My jaw dropped. Farkle pulled back and walked away. Riley stood there with her eyes closed. "Well... That happened." Maya said. "Is it over?" Riley asked. "Can we talk about this?" I asked. "No." Riley answered, simply. "Because that was your first kiss and it was with Farkle." Maya said and I nodded. "He missed." Riley pointed out. "Still counts." I said. "Now for the rest of your life when people ask you, "hey, Riley, who was your first kiss?" You're gonna have to say," Maya told her. "Eyes, look your last." Logan said appearing from back stage with Lucas. "Oh, yeah!" Riley said, jumping onto the table "Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, oh, you the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss." he said. "Hi." Riley greeted. "Hi." Logan replied. "How long you been here?" Riley asked. "Yeah, we saw the whole thing. I just can't believe that little guy stole a moment. Again." Lucas admitted. "You thought that was your moment?" Riley asked Logan as I asked Lucas "Earlier was your moment?" "No." They said in unison. "Oh." We mumbled. "My moment will be my moment." they told us in sync before walking away. Riley sighed as we started to giggle as Maya and I lay on either side of her. "How you doing?" Maya asked us amused. "I like that we end up in situations like this." I admitted and Riley hummed in agreement.
**********
"You're doing the right thing, returning the locket to the store." Riley told Maya as we walked into the subway station. "I guess so." Maya mumbled. "I know how much you want a locket with a family inside it." I told her whilst putting my arms around her shoulders "You want the truth?" Maya asked us. "Yes, please." Riley replied. "My father hasn't sent me anything in a long time. And the universe is probably much too busy to notice whether or not I'm doing the right thing." Maya told us before Riley gestured to something behind us. We turned around and saw the family from the picture in the locket. Maya walked over to them "Hi. I think this belongs to you." Maya said, and I smiled as she held up the locket. "Oh my gosh. I've been looking all over for that. Thank you." The lady said. Maya took off the locket before putting around the little girls neck. "Never lose that." Maya told her. "It's special." she added before heading back over to Riley and I and linking arms with us. "A cool universe, huh?" I asked as three of us walked away arm in arm.
