Chapter Five: Girl Meets Truth
"Eyes look your last. Arms take your last embrace." Lucas said as he walked over to the table where Riley was laying on. I was seated in the audience with Maya watching our school's production of the play Romeo and Juliet. "And lips, oh you the door of breath seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas continued. He leaned down to kiss Riley when something of course had to stop the kiss. Can you guess what it was? "Back off!" Farkle shouted. He jumped from the background and into the scene. I sat back and got ready to be amused because it's Farkle and it's not going to be boring. Horrible acting? Yes. Boring? No. Entertaining? Definitely.
"What meanest thou spear carries? Who havest no lines." Lucas said staying in character. "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 told him. "Well now it's Romeo and Juliet and Farkle. I play Farkle." Farkle stated. "Dude, I'm supposed to kiss the girl, Shakespeare said." Lucas reminded him. "Who thinks the spear carrier should finally get to kiss Juliet?" Farkle asked the audience holding up his spear.
Maya stood up and began to cheer. I clapped with the audience too, "Yeah you kiss that girl you crazy spear carrier." Maya cheered. "Hark! You cometh uppeth here and getteth kissed too." Farkle demanded. I stood up and cheered with the rest of this audience. "Thank you, thank you." Maya said. She laid down next to Riley on the table. "You too! Cometh uppeth here!" Farkle shouted pointing at me. Everyone continued to cheer and applaud so I decided to just do it. I started to walk to the table where Maya and Riley were sitting. "Thank you o and all." I told the people as I continued to walk to the table. I lied down beside Maya. "How ya doing?" Maya and I asked Riley. "I just don't understand how we end up in situations like this." Riley told us. I let out a giggle while this strange play continued.
As I walked into the school hallway after the play I was greeted by applause. I was shock because I wasn't even supposed to be in the play. Though if people clap for you, you should take it. So I gave them a little fake curtsy before standing next to Riley and Maya. People continued to clap when Lucas entered, but once Farkle entered everyone got silent. I think to make Farkle feel better Riley started to clap and soon everyone in the hallway slowly began to clap. No matter if Farkle is my friend I really didn't want clap because he honestly kind of ruined the play.
"Thank you, thank you Farkle nation!" Farkle shouted. "Farkle come over here." Maya commanded. "Maya don't." Riley warned. I turned to look at Riley. "She needs to." I told her. Maya walked towards Farkle, but Riley stopped her. "Caroline, Maya he thought he was good." Riley told us. I looked at Maya and nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to fix that." Maya said. "But you can't tell him the truth." Riley said. "You'll crush him." "Okay I can him the truth and Caroline can tell him the truth. It's you who can't tell him the truth because you're afraid." Maya explained and I agreed. "I'm not afraid, I'm nice." Riley told us and I looked at her in disbelief." "You're saying we're not nice?" Maya asked. "No I'm afraid to say that." Riley admitted. "For your information Riley I don't give the blunt truth and when it comes to things like this I would just give him constructive criticism" I told her. "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. I shot Riley a look, like come on Riley just tell him the truth. "He killed the play. Those are the words." Maya said to Riley. "That's one way to put it." I added. "No, those are the only words. You killed the play." Maya told Farkle then turned to look at Riley. "Tell him." "What? What do they mean?" Farkle asked Riley. "They mean you killed it Farkle. Killed it! Showbiz talk." Riley lied. I rolled my eyes.
"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. I leaned closer to Maya. "Let's see how she plays this." I whispered to her and Maya nodded. Riley sighed. "How could I crush one of the best actors working in middle school today?" She asked. "I'm a good actor? What if I 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 said, wah. It's okay, it's okay I was acting." Farkle said.
"Thanks Riley, my public awaits. Hello everybody!" Farkle walked away from us. Maya and I turned to look at Riley. "You can't lie to him Riley." I told her. "You're gonna break out little Farkle." Maya added and I agreed with her. "Oh, I will not. I didn't do anything, this will all go away." Riley said. All of sudden there was jazz music playing. Farkle appeared with a top hat and a cane, he began to do a tap routine. "And I think…" I began. "You broke him." Maya finished.
As I sat in class the next day I was playing with my necklace and charm bracelet a lot more than I usually do. I knew I was playing with my necklace because I miss Chase, but I was playing with my bracelet because I realized how much I depended on it. "Nice locket Maya. Also beautiful charm bracelet and necklace you've got there Caroline." Riley complimented. "You likey?" Maya asked. "Thanks." I thank Riley. "If history's about discovering the truth of what happened in the past. We spend some time trying to find out what the truth is." Cory said continuing his lesson.
"Where'd you get the nick locket and the beautiful necklace and charm bracelet?" Riley asked. It was getting annoying that she was asking about my jewelry. "Shh, I come here to learn." Maya said. Maya, Riley, and I burst out laughing. "All through history people have suffered consequences for telling the truth." Cory continued. "Is that real gold and real silver and a real dream catcher?" Riley asked. "I know and I don't care." I told her looking at my bracelet and necklace. "Doesn't matter." Maya answered.
"They all suffered dearly for having the courage to tell the truth." Cory continued. "So sometimes it's better not to?" Riley asked. "But aren't there consequences foe that too, sir?" Lucas 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." Cory answered. The bell rung and the room was soon filled with students talking.
"So where'd you get the locket, the charm bracelet, and necklace?" Riley asked once we were the only ones still in the room. "France." Maya answered. "You were in France?" Riley questioned. "Sí, senor." Maya replied in Spanish. "Really, Maya?" I asked her in disbelief. She just motioned for me to be quiet. "You didn't go to France because if you went to France, you would have brought me back a croissant." Riley told her. "Bing." Maya said and she held up a croissant, but I had a feeling that Maya didn't buy that for Riley. "Ooh piping hot." Riley said taking a bite out of it. I got up and started walking to the door before Riley could question me and Maya followed after. "Wait a minute, where did you guys really get this?" Riley asked. "Yeah I want to know too." I added looking at Maya. "I found it on the street." Maya smirked and walked out of the room. I knew she didn't buy it. "Bleh!" Riley said spitting out the croissant. I followed after Maya.
"Come one where'd you really get the locket and the bracelet and the necklace?" Riley asked coming out of the room after the whole croissant thing. "My father sent it to me." Maya answered. "And my parents gave me the necklace and bracelet a few years ago." I replied. I wasn't going to tell Riley that I got a charm bracelet from the guy she liked and a necklace from my guy friend who I haven't seen in a while. "They 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?" Maya asked. "Like it never happened." Riley said, "I do however have a question for the locket, the bracelet, and the necklace." Riley then grabbed Maya's locket and tried to grab both my necklace and bracelet. "Where'd you get the Maya?! And you two, where'd you get the Caroline?" Riley asked the jewelry. "You don't believe my father sent this to me?" Maya asked. "And you don't believe that my parents gave me these?" I asked. "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?" Maya and I asked. "I do." Riley replied. "Did you think Farkle was good in the play?" Maya asked. Farkle must have heard Maya's question because he did a melodramatic gasp.
I was still a little mad at Riley because she still thinks that Maya and I are lying. Though she's kind of right because I didn't get the charm bracelet and necklace from my parents, but I wasn't going to tell Riley that. Riley and I walked towards the table for dinner. I went and sat down while Riley stopped next to her dad. "I want to skip ahead in your truth lesson." Riley told him. "Is it okay to tell a little white lie to spare somebody's feelings?" "Even if that lie can cause them to do something drastic?" I added looking at the table.
"No." Cory answered. "My feeling?" I giggled shaking my head at Cory. "No." Riley answered. "Then always truth." He told her. Riley sat down next to me. "You hear that Caroline always truth." She told me. "Don't start this now Riley." I retorted. I started to eat when Topanga sat down placing what looked like a bird down on the table. "Wow, what do we have here?" Cory asked. "Chicken." Topanga answered. "I'll tell you right now Topanga this was never a chicken." Cory told her. "Why don't you just eat it honey." Topanga suggested. "I'm looking forward to what you think of it after." "Oh great teller of the truth, please demonstrate how you are going to get out of this one." Riley and I said together.
Topanga turned her head cracking her neck then she cracked her knuckles. Cory looked at her then us before looking at Auggie. "Pss, what you get?" Cory asked. "S'ghetti and meatballs." Auggie answered taking another bite. "Oh yum. Yum that." Cory said pointing at Auggie's food. As of now Cory wasn't doing so well and I knew that it would just get worse from here. "Why this me?" he asked pointing at the chicken. "Why yum him?" Topanga pushed the plate closer to him. I continued to eat while watching. "Alright fine I'll eat it. Here we go." Cory said, but he didn't move to eat the chicken. "Have we prayed?" he asked grabbing Topanga and Riley's hand. "Have we prayed? As a family?" Topanga grabbed Auggie's hand and I grabbed Riley and Auggie's hand. "We haven't done that in a while." Riley smiled at him and I shot him a knowing look, as if he thought praying was going to get him out of eating the chicken.
"Go 'head, pray." Topanga commanded. "Oh I'll pray." Cory told her. "The world is a beautiful place full of many beautiful things." Cory looked up before continuing. "Look what she did to your chicken." I managed to stifle my giggle. "Eat you dinner honey." Topanga told him. "Okay." He replied. He looked up once again. "I'll see you soon." He finally picked up a piece of chicken, but he was hesitant to eat it. He finally took a bite of the chicken. "Well what do you think?" Topanga questioned. While chewing Cory said once of the stupidest things possible. "Um you know from eating this chicken I'll tell you right now how this chicken died." Cory told her. "It ate this chicken." I shook my head while Topanga 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 took a forkful of spaghetti and made an airplane sound before eating it. "And I like that." "That's very sweet Auggie, but daddy is a little too old for mommy to feed him." Cory laughed. Topanga grabbed the fork that was beside the chicken and stabbed the chicken. She then picked it up and brought it closer to Cory while making the airplane noise.
Even though I was kind of mad at Riley we were in her room reading magazines together. "There's a serious pigeon following me." Maya said as she crawled into Riley's room through the window. Riley put her magazine down. "How ya doing? Hey, here's a new thing. Where'd you get the locket? And how about you Caroline?" Riley asked. "He's a very sneaky pigeon, but I was on to him." Maya continued. "Because it's gold, that's silver and the other one's gold. All three of them are 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. I didn't say hell though because I was already in my thing with the pigeon." Maya said. "I need to know if you two are stealing things." Riley said. "You don't think my dad sends me stuff?" Maya asked. "And you don't think my parents give me stuff?" I asked. "Maya, you've cried to me because your dad doesn't send you stuff. And Caroline, if you parents gave you those then we would have seen them or you would have told us." Riley told us. I sighed because I knew that wasn't going to work, but I tried anyways.
I heard Maya sigh. "Sometimes I walk around the village and I pass stores and look in windows at things I know we'll 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?" "Who knows? I don't have a criminal mind." Riley answered. "I don't think like you people." "I walked by the window for months. Nobody claimed the locket okay?" Maya continued. "The locket sat there like a kid that has no." Maya started to explain, but she hesitated before saying, "Like an orphan. So I claimed it, it's mine now."
"It's not you took something that doesn't belong to you." Riley told her. "Riley don't" I told her. She turned to look at me. "What you must've stole those too. Since you won't tell us where they came from." Riley said to me. "How come you don't tell Farkle the truth, but you have no trouble telling us?" Maya asked. The pigeon that must have been following Maya appeared on the window sill. It warbled. "And you stop judging me." Maya told the pigeon and it flew out the window.
"Hey my father tells my mother the truth." Riley started. "Even when he knows she's gonna shove a chicken in his face" I continued as we sat at the window. "Sorry I missed it." Maya said. "Yep, we were thinking about you." Riley and I told her. "Because we love you." "I love you two too." Maya replied. "Then why do you two want to end up in the slammer?" Riley asking going back to that subject. I turned to look at her. "Oh boy." I muttered. "You two won't do well in the slammer." Riley told us. I couldn't disagree with her because that's true for me, at least I think. Maya on the other hand looked offended at the statement. "I will so!" Maya shouted. "Me not so much." I told her.
"No you won't pack right and you will forget to bring you shower shoes and you'll take somebody else's from the lost and found. And I think you are gonna get toe fungus! And I think you deserve to get toe fungus because they're not you shower shoes. They're not!" Riley ranted. I smiled at what she said. "That's adorable." Maya admitted. "I think you both are thieves." Riley told us. I stopped smiling and just stared at her. "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 as she held her arms out for a hug. Maya crawled out of the window without saying a word. "Maya?" Riley asked. She turned to look at me. "Caroline?"
"That wasn't right Riley." I told her. I got up and walked out of her room and to mine. I got into my pajamas and got in my bed, with my sketchbook and pencils. I started completing one of my designs before going to bed. Trying to forget what Riley had said to us today, some friend she is.
I walked down the stairs at school with Maya. This morning she texted me asking if I want to go to school with her. I of course agreed because I didn't want to be around Riley more than I had to. When we got to the bottom I saw Riley standing by the doorway of our history classroom. Maya and I walked up to her and Maya handed her the textbooks she was holding "I got something to say to you." Riley announced. "Maya plugged her ears. "I can't hear you! Baddad dada!? Maya sang in order to avoid Riley's lecture. I just watched not wanting to get involved. "I'm talking to you." Riley said trying to get her attention. Maya continued to sing, but the words were just nonsense. As she continued to sing she entered the girl's bathroom and then she exited the bathroom. She continued to sing. "Da da dada. Whata whata whata, waa waa waa." Maya sang. "And go." I laughed and turned to look at Riley.
"Whether or not the two of you are thieves, or not thieves. Or you both stole the locket, the charm bracelet, and the necklace, or you two didn't. It doesn't belong to either one of you. It belongs 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 Cory walked into classroom while eating noodles. "And what about you?" I asked. I was frustrated with Riley because I didn't steal anything. She thinks I did just because I don't want to tell her who gave the necklace and bracelet to me.
"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. Here it comes, I thought. Once she asked that question Farkle walked down the stairs 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 to look at Riley. "'Cause Riley said so." We repeated what Farkle said. "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 chemistry club.
"Farkle!" Riley shouted while we walked to him. "Riley you changed my life. The Farkle you knew is gone, I am now Farkle." Farkle said dramatically then he walked away from us. "Whata whata what. What could possibly go wrong? Whata whata what could possibly go wrong?" Maya sang as she walked up the stairs. I quickly followed after her without giving Riley a second glance and she followed after us.
I opened Riley's door and walked in about the same time Maya did. "Hey." We both said. I walked over and sat down next to Riley. "Well now they're back maybe it's not as upside down as you think." Cory told Riley. "It's a nice locket Maya." Cory told Maya while looking at her locket. Then he turned to look at me. "That a beautiful necklace and charm bracelet Caroline." He complimented. "Thanks Mr. Matthews." Maya and I thanked him in unison. "It looks like someone else's expensive gold locket and expensive gold necklace and silver locket." Riley pointed out and I rolled my eyes. "Maybe they are." Cory replied. "But you know I don't think that matters to Maya at all." "You don't?" Riley and I questioned. "You know it's an interesting thing about lockets, it's usually what's on the inside that matters most to people. Isn't that right Maya?" Cory said. He stood up and walked to the door. When he opened the door there stood Topanga. "Yeah, okay." He said closing the door. He turned to look at us. "Please don't tell anyone this is how I live in my own house." Cory pleaded then he crawled out of the window.
"What's inside the locket Maya, that's so important to you?" Riley asked. "Yeah." I agreed wanting to know. Maya looked at us then opened the locket. Inside the locket there was a picture of a family; a father, a mother, and a little girl. "Who is this family?" Riley asked. "I don't know." Maya answered then sighed deeply. "A father, a mother, and a little girl. I just like that they're all together. I'm keeping it." Maya said closing the locket. "Oh boy." Riley said. Cory crawled back through the window. "She's at the front door too. It's like there's two of her." He said walking to the door. Then why are you attempting to go back through Riley's door? He opened the door and there stood Topanga with the chicken from last night on a fork. She was mimicking the sound an airplane. Cory screamed and shut the door he walked over and sat between Maya and Riley. "So what do we do now? Just sit here or what?" He asked. I was silently laughing at him right now so I didn't have an answer.
"Hey dad, can you tell me why I kind of think trying to help Farkle was wrong and maybe Maya should keep the locket and Caroline should keep the necklace and charm bracelet?" Riley asked. I had enough of her saying I stole the jewelry that I got from my friends. "Hold up." I said standing up. "What?" they all asked. "For the last time Riley I did not steal these." I said motioning to my bracelet and necklace. "Then where did you get them from?" Riley asked. "Yeah you never told me." Maya agreed and Cory just nodded.
I sighed, might as well just get this out of the way. "I got them from my friends while I want to school in Britain for dance." I told them. "Who are these friends?" Maya asked. "Um the necklace is from my friend Chase that I met in Texas and my bracelet is from Lucas." I answered. "Really?" Riley asked. "Yeah." I told her. "Oh." Was all she said. "Anyways what about you saying that Maya maybe should keep the locket?" I questioned trying to change the subject. "I should?" Maya asked. "Maybe. Is it me that's upside down?" Riley asked.
"You know what girl? 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." Cory explained. "Is that the truth?" Riley asked. "It's the only one I'm still sure of." Cory reassured. The bedroom door opened revealing Auggie with a plate of spaghetti. "Hey Auggie is that for me buddy?" Cory asked "I made it for you." Auggie said. I mentally awed at that. "Oh Auggie thank you so much, thank you. Look at this, ooh, this looks so good." Cory said taking a bite. "It's, it's cold s'ghetti." "I know it's better warmer, but I don't know how to do that." Auggie explained. "Auggie, I appreciate that you did anything for me at all." Cory said. "You said that very nice. Why didn't you say it that way to mom?" Auggie asked. "What?" Cory asked. "But all I did was tell the truth." "Then why do you get cold s'ghetti?" Auggie asked.
I stared at Auggie in shock and awe. "Whoa." Riley, Maya, and I said in unison. "Whoa, Auggie are you saying the truth doesn't matter as much as how you treat people?" Cory asked. "Auggie are you saying that the truth doesn't matter, but you should tell it to people warmly?" Riley asked. "Auggie are you saying that the universe pays attention to me?" Maya asked. "Am I the only one that understands that's not what he's really saying?" I asked. "Thanks Care and do you people realize that I'm only this many?" Auggie asked holding up 5 fingers. Maya gave him a high-five. Auggie just rolled his eyes before walking out of the room.
"Farkle I need to talk to you. I've been looking all over for you. "Riley said as she, Maya, and I walked into the auditorium or theatre room or whatever this place was. "Farkle?" I asked since he didn't answer Riley. "Farkle's gone, he gave up the chess club. He gave up the chemistry club. "Farkle replied gloomily. "What happened?" Riley asked. "You happened. You told me I was good. Well, I auditioned for the next play." Farkle told her. "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 you stink." Maya said. "I'm sorry I could never hurt you." Riley apologized. "I'm sorry you stink." Maya repeated. "I heard you the first time!" Farkle shouted feeling frustrated. "Well it was very important." Maya defended herself.
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 missing her lips, but that didn't make a difference. My mouth hung open in shock as I watch the sight in front of me. Farkle pulled away then 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 shortly. "Because that was your first kiss and it was with Farkle." Maya said and I agreed. "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 started, but she was interrupted.
"Eyes look you last." Lucas said appearing out of nowhere. "Oh yeah!" Riley exclaimed jumping on to the table. "Arms take your last embrace. And lips, oh you the doors of breath seal with a righteous kiss." Lucas said. "Hi.
Riley greeted. "Hi." Lucas replied. "How long you been here?" Riley asked. "Yeah I saw the whole thing. I just can't believe that little guy stole my moment, again." Lucas admitted. "You thought that was your moment" Riley asked. "No." Lucas told her. "Oh." Riley mumbled. "My moment will be my moment." Lucas told he, before he walked away he turned to look at me. "Glad you're still wearing the bracelet let." I flashed him a smile and he left. Riley let out a sigh them began to giggle. Maya and I lied next to her. "How ya doing?" We asked. "I like that end up in situations like this." Riley admitted.
"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 said nonchalantly "Maya I know how much you want a locket with a family inside it." Riley said. "You want the truth?" Maya asked. "Yes please." Riley answered. "My father hasn't sent me anything in a long time and the universe is much too busy to notice whether or not I'm doing the right thing." Maya told her. I saw a smile grow on Riley's face so I turned to where she was looking at saw the family from the locket. Riley turned Maya around so she could see them too.
Maya opened the locket and looked at the photo. Maya looked at us and we smiled at her. We walked towards the family with Maya leading. "Hi, I think this belongs to you." Maya said showing them the locket. "Oh my gosh I've been looking at over for that." The lady told Maya. "Thank you." Maya smiled before walking towards the little girl and kneeling in front of her. May took the locket off and put it on the little girl. "Thank you." The little girl said. "Never lose this." Maya told her. Riley and I stood there smiling at the scene in front of us.
Riley, Maya, and I wrapped our arms around each other's shoulders while walking away. We stopped and looked at Maya. "Cool universe, huh." Riley and I said. We smiled at each other and we walked away all happy.