Chapter Six: Girl Meets Popular
"Look what's happening, look what's coming!" Riley exclaimed as she, Maya, and I walked down the stairs at school. "What's coming crazy?" Maya asked. "Invitations to the seventh grade parties. It's begun, we could be party girls, I'm going to need a party girl walk." Riley said. She started to this weird walk/dance things and she finished in front of our lockers. Maya and I looked at each other. "Yeah that's not it." We said as soon as we were sure that she was done.
"You know there's going to be boys at these parties, but not just any boys. No opposite sex boys, they're the best kind." Riley told us. "They're the only kind." I giggled. "Yeah you sound ready for this." Maya commented sarcastically. "Oh I am and I may just be the first girl who crosses over from our side of the room to the-" Riley stopped talking. Yeah like she is going to do that. It's probably going to be me and Maya. "Nah it's going to be us." Maya and I said while Riley said, "Nah it's going to be you two."
"You know what pretty boy hipster is handing out invitations to?" Riley asked. "Don't ya?" She nudged me and Maya. "A party." I answered while nudging her back. "Membership cards to the popular cards." Riley corrected. "Why can't you just let it be a party?" I asked. "Because this is it, right here this is where you two go one way and I go the other way. You two get invites and you marry pretty boy hipster and his handsome friend and I end up marrying Anthony Delveccio and we buy things in bulk." Riley ranted.
Maya and I just looked at Riley with a questioning look. Well at least I know I was because she sounded crazy. Riley sighed. "You two are going to be popular, I'm not. Good for you two." Riley started stroking our hair which was hard for her to do to me because I had my hair in a ponytail. "Good girls, bye bye Maya and Caroline." Riley hugged us and started to "sob". "Bye bye."
Pretty boy hipster walked over to us, he took an invitation. He went past Maya and he went past me and stooped at Riley. Riley just pushed the envelope to me and I pushed it towards Maya. The boy looked at the invitation before putting it back in front of Riley. Riley looked up with a hopeful look on her face, they guy nodded at her and she began to hum, I think.
"Yay! For me!" Riley cheered. "Maya, Caroline I know you two didn't get one, but is it okay that I'm really happy?" She asked. "You go get 'em tiger." Maya told her. Riley squealed and jumped before doing her walk out of the hallway. "We love you, but," I started once Riley was gone. "You're a lot of work." Maya finished. We mimicked Riley's walk and did it all the way down the hallway.
Riley walked up to her dad's desk and slammed the invitation down. "Boom." She shouted. Cory picked up the invitation and looked at it. "You got invited to something?" He asked. "So much for genetics baby." Riley said. "Oh seventh grade party. Yep, I didn't get invited to a whole lot of these." Cory admitted. "Of course you didn't." I muttered, but Maya was able to hear me. "Good for you, I'm proud of you. Boy, girl party?" Cory questioned. "Yep." Riley answered. "You can't go." They both said in perfect unison getting closer to eat other.
"May we approach?" Maya and I asked. "Hurry please." They both pleaded. Maya and I got up and stood on both sides of Riley. "We're gonna keep your young'un out of trouble sir." Maya told him and I nodded. "Hart you are trouble and when Howard's around you long enough she becomes trouble." Cory told us. I had to agree with that. "Why would I want my young'un anywhere near the same party you two are going to be at?" Cory asked. "You wouldn't." I said. "Say it, you know you wanna say it." Maya said.
"You can't go if Maya and Caroline are invited." Cory told us. Maya and I pointed at Riley. "Maya and Caroline are not invited." Riley told Cory. "Then you may go." Maya and I told Riley. "Thank you daddies." Riley thanked. "Alright good day everybody class dismissed." Maya said. Everyone got up ready to leave. "Sit down!" Cory ordered. "Sit down!" Maya, Riley and I ordered. Everyone including us sat down in their seats.
"So there's this guy, Damocles, who really, really wants to be king." Cory started. "One day he get an invitation to come sit on the throne and actually hang with royalty." "No." Riley exclaimed. "Sup Riles." I said. "Pops lesson hitting a little close to home?" Maya asked. "Nope what he's saying has nothing to do with me. Yes I've been invited to hang with middle school royalty, but nothing bad could happen." Riley explained. "I'm sure you're right." Cory smiled at her. "Farkle!"
"When Damocles sat on the throne he noticed at sword hanging over it by a single tiny thread." Farkle said. "Maya." Cory called on. "Be careful what you which for." She said. "Caroline, why?" Cory asked. "Being what other people want you to be is just a sword hanging over your head." I explained. "Good." Cory said. "Riley." "Nothing to do with me." Riley said. Maya and I mimicked the hand gesture she did before she spoke.
I walked down the hallway with Maya, Cory, and Riley to drop Riley off at her "popular" party. "Well, looky here teacher daddy nothing hanging over my head except this here halo of popularity." Riley said. "And yay for you, my best friends for watching me with a smile." Maya and I were smiling because we knew what was going to happen. "Yeah we're smiling, we're watching." We said in unison. Pretty boy hipster walked past us and into the apartment.
"Alright, alright half hour you can stay. I'm waiting right here." Cory told her. Riley wiggled her finger before pressing the buzzer. Cory turned to look at me and Maya. "I change my mind I want you two in there, protect your friend." He whispered to us. "We can't do that, sir." Maya told him. "Wasn't invited." I added. "Why is that exactly?" Cory asked. "'Bout to find out, sir." We told him. "Smile." Maya said turning him around. "Watch." I said.
The door to the apartment opened and there stood Farkle. "Greetings fellow party goer." Farkle greeted. "Farkle?" Riley asked confused. Riley turned around and looked at us. "Starting to become clear sir?" Maya asked. "Oh yeah I'm smiling real big." Cory told her. "Announcing the arrival of party guest number six, female number one." Farkle said. We walked into the apartment and I was laughing, on the inside. "They wonder why they only have one girl." I whispered to Maya.
"I'm a female, Farkle." This girl told him doing this weird pose. "You getting this yet?" I asked. "But pretty boy, pretty boy's still here." Riley said motioning towards "him". "Wait for it." Maya and I said. Pretty boy took off his coat and accessories to reveal two geeks. "That's the greatest things I've ever seen in my life." Cory laughed. "It's a geek party." Riley exclaimed. "We know honey." Maya and I said.
"Everybody welcome Riley." Farkle said. They started to do this dance and speak in what I know probably wasn't a real language. "Honey stay an hour, stay a week, stay forever just enjoy." Cory told Riley. Cory came back over to us. "Hey you know what would make this just perfect for me?" he asked.
"Have you noticed the lightsabers hanging from the celling precariously over your head?" one of the geeks asked. Riley looked around at the lightsabers when one fell directly over her head. "Damocles." Riley hissed. Cory, Maya, and I were laughing or trying to attempt to keep it in. "There it is." Cory exclaimed. "Yeah we know." Maya and I laughed.
I stormed into the room behind Maya looking for Farkle. Maya picked Farkle up by his shirt while I just glared at him. "Okay Farkle, where is she?" I questioned. "Whatever have I done to deserve this display of affection?" Farkle asked. "This look like affection to you?" Maya asked. "I takes it however I gets it." Farkle told us smacking his lips. "Right there, nurses."
"She wasn't there when I woke up this morning." I explained. "She wasn't there when I tried to pick her and Caroline up this morning." Maya explained. "And we couldn't find her in the halls." I continued. "What'd you do with our girl?" Maya asked. "Maya, Caroline release the Farkle." We heard Riley ordered. Maya and I turned around and saw Riley walk into the room wearing the weirdest thing I have ever seen her wear. That's saying something considering what she usually wears.
"Farkle didn't do anything except open my eyes to what the world really thinks I am." Riley explained. "A Harajuku girl?" Maya questioned. "Yes, because I figured if what I am is nerdy geeky. I'm going to set the nerdy geeky world on fire." Riley told us. "You take it." Maya told me. "Nope, I have nothing. You take it." I told Cory. "Nope beyond me. All yours." Cory told us. I sighed and shook my head.
"Why should I struggle to be popular when I can be these people's empress fairy queen?" Riley asked. Riley did that weird ha noise and I heard those geeks repeat it. Riley walked towards her desk and sat down. Maya and I stood in front of her desk. "No please the one guy was two guys," Maya started. "And the sword fell. This is the way you're going to go?" I finished. "You going to embrace this?"
"Deal with it I've gone over to the dork side." Riley told us. "This isn't you." We told her. "This is her." Farkle butted in and I shot him a glare. "They love this me." Riley told us. "We're not changing you back." Maya and I declared sitting down in our seats. "Oh yes you are." Cory stood up. "My daughter's going through this week's crazy, you two get in there." He told us.
"Father, can we continue with the lesson? I seek knowledge." Riley said to him. Cory looked at her in surprise before looking at us. "Never mind leave her alone." Cory told us. "Look at her." Maya demanded. Riley had her face super close to the book while she read it. Cory shrugged before running to the back of the room where the geeks sat. "Alright what do you guys know about girls?" he asked.
"Mostly we're terrified of them sir." One of the geeks told him and another one nodded. "So we try to keep our distance." The other one said. "Well I choose empress fairy nut job." Cory stated. He and the geeks started to do some kind of robot dance.
"Come on this is not who you are." I told Riley as we walked into class the next day. "What do you know about being a Harajuku girl?" Maya asked. "I don't have to know anything except that they love it. Sorry Maya, Caroline I walk with a different crowd now and as you can see I'm quiet the influence on them." Riley told us. She waved at the geeks who were wearing hats and sunglasses.
Riley walked to her desk, but Maya and I just stood where we were at. "Maya? Caroline?" Cory asked. "She's gone sir." We stated. I looked to see Riley with her head in her book. "Yes she is." Farkle smirked.
I was sitting in my honors math class, my teacher was talking about I think fractions or something like that. I wasn't paying attention because I already learned this stuff when I was in Britain. So I pulled out my sketch book and continued to work on one of my sketches. This design I was making was important because it was an outfit that describes who Riley is. I started working on it when Riley decided to be something she's not.
"Ms. Howard is there are reason that you are not paying attention?" my teacher asked me. I looked up at her. "Besides the fact that I learned this in Britain last year, no." I answered. She looked flustered because I don't think she was expecting that answered. "Just pay attention." She ordered. I put away my sketchbook and tried to pay attention.
Instead of going home I was with Maya. She wanted to try one more time with Riley and I agreed with her. "Okay we're gonna take one last shoot at this." Maya announced as we crawled into Riley's bedroom. It was fun to use the fire escape and window to get into Riley's room. "While we believe Riley is still in there and not completely under the spell of-"I stopped when I noticed that Riley was looking past me and Maya. I turned to see Farkle sitting there.
"Ladies." Farkle greeted. "Farkle." Maya and I exclaimed angrily before pulling him down on the floor. Farkle popped up. "She's one of us now Maya and Caroline." Farkle told us. Maya and I grabbed Farkle and pulled him down while we got back up. "She's one of us Farkle." We told him. Farkle pulled us back down and got back up. "You're not letting her reach her full potential." Farkle told us.
Farkle pulled Riley over towards us while Maya and I got up. "The world we know wants you to be yourself." I explained to Riley. "And our worlds need you in it." Maya added. Farkle made Riley look at him. "You're one of us now and I've decided to prove it. By letting you help the John Quincy Adams spelling bee team to the regional finals." Farkle told Riley. "Really?" Riley asked.
"I'm right about you Riley. I know I am." Farkle said. "Thank you Farkle." Riley thanked him. She then turned around to look at me and Maya. "Sorry Maya and Caroline the world wants what the world wants and right now the world wants me like this." Riley said. "This isn't over Farkle." Maya and I told Farkle. "I'm not scared." He told us. "Oh really?" Maya asked as we pushed him down to the ground. Then he pulled us down after him. "Guys what about me?" Riley asked. We grabbed her and pulled her down. "Yay!" Riley cheered.
Auggie, Cory, and I were in the kitchen watching Riley. Auggie and Cory were eating grapes while I was eating melon and working on my design. Riley got a water out of the fridge and walked towards the couch right when Topanga walked in through the front door. I noticed the outfit she was wearing and it wasn't what she usually wore.
"How ya doin?" Topanga asked. "How ya doin?" Riley asked. They walked past each other before they stopped and turned back to look at each other. "Daddy?" Auggie questioned. "Yep." Cory answered. We're the normal ones including Care, right?" Auggie asked. "I hope so bubba." Cory replied and I nodded. "What is this?" Topanga asked. "What is that?" Riley asked.
"This is who I am inside. It's the part of me your father fell in love with a long time ago." Topanga explained. "This is what's inside of you?" Riley questioned. "Yeah, might be the best part." Topanga admitted. "Is this the best part of you?" "I'm extremely popular with five people." Riley told her mom. "Is one of them you?" Topanga asked. Topanga sat down on the couch and Riley followed.
"Weird mommy's cool." Auggie commented. "Way cool." Cory said and I had to agree with him.
"Welcome to this qualifying round of the city regional spelling bee. Between our own John Quincy Adams middle school," Cory said, pausing to allow us to clap, "and Einstein Academy." People clapped once again. I was watching the spelling bee, but Maya wasn't here yet. I knew she must be up to something because she would have been here by now.
Riley got up and walked up to the podium. "Okay Ms. Matthews, your first word is-" Cory was interrupted by Maya putting a card on top of the pile. "Maya you can't-" Cory started but Maya interrupted him. "Check out the word, Mr. Matthews." "Maya what are you doing?" Riley asked. "Hey Farkle's not the only one with a master plan." Maya said.
"Ms. Matthews your word is Harajuku." Cory told her. I got up and stood next to Maya. "So that's what was taking you so long." I whispered to her. "Yep have to get her back somehow." Maya whispered back. "Excuse me?" Riley asked. "Harajuku." Cory repeated. "May I have the meaning of the word?" Riley asked. "Oh you don't know?" I asked. "Then let me tell you, it's a real neighborhood in Japan where authentic Japanese girls have created an authentic look and life for themselves that is unique to them." Cory explained.
"Country of origin?" Riley asked. "Are you kidding me?" I exclaimed. "Can I hear it in a sentence?" Riley asked. "Yeah." Maya replied. "Stop pretending to be a Harajuku girl because you are not. You're Riley. R-I-L-E-Y." "Five seconds Ms. Matthews or you're eliminated." Cory informed her. "What do you mean "eliminated"?" Riley asked. "It means you wouldn't be a part of the group anymore." Farkle answered.
"Harajuku, something I'm N-O-T." Riley said taking off the glasses. Riley turned to Farkle and his friends. "Sorry Farkle it was a lovely party and your friends are really pretty cool." "We are?" one asked. "We've never been called that before." The other one said. "That is very easy to see." I said to myself adjusting my fedora. "Thanks Riley, we feel the same way about you." Farkle told her.
Cory rang the bell and Riley walked towards me and Maya. We all sat down next to each other. "Well I guess we're back to where popular is going to be kind of hard, huh?" Riley asked. "We wouldn't know." I said. "And let's not try so hard to find out." Maya added. Maya and I wrapped our arms around Riley and leaned against each other.
I sat next to Maya looking at Riley in the bakery. "You know what the best thing is about being yourself?" Riley asked. "What?" Maya asked. "You're always popular with you best friends." Riley said. I smiled at her. "No matter what." I added. Then I remembered something. "Riley I have something for you." I told her. "What is it?" she asked. I grabbed the box that I brought with me.
"You know I was wondering why you had that." Maya told me. "While you went through your phase I decided to give you this when you came back to being Riley." I told her. I handed her the box and watched her open it. She couldn't see the actually outfit since it was under tissue paper, but she held up a piece of paper. "A piece of paper?" she questioned. "Open it." I told her. Riley opened the paper and the look of awe washed over her face. "This is beautiful Care." Riley told me.
"Let me see." Maya commanded. Riley handed her the paper and she looked at it. "You did this?" "Yeah it helps." I told them. "Thank you Care." Riley told me. "But that's not the present." I told her. She looked at me. "Move the tissue paper." I told her. She moved the tissue paper out of the way and picked up the actual dress and leggings. "Where did you get this?" Riley asked.
"Though I had to pull an all-nighter to get it done I made sure it was finished before I gave it to you." I told her. "You made this?" Riley and Maya questioned. "Yep." I answered. "You're the greatest friend a girl could ever have." Riley told me. She pulled me into a hug and I smiled. "Thanks." I told her. This was a good way to end a day.