Val Meets Creativity
I don't own Girl Meets World!
Art class was one of Val's favorite classes. Except for the fact that she sat next to Riley and Maya. Neither of the twins was speaking to the other and Maya was, of course, on Riley's side and not speaking to Val. Thus, Val was trying to ignore their conversation and focus on the assignment, the doorways of New York with a focus on unique door handles.
"Wonderful work, Val. I love the colors you chose." Ms. Kossal smiled.
Val looked down at her painting. The door had a large circular blue glass window with several colored glass circles inside it. The handle was a hand reaching out, holding a knob as if it were about to turn it.
"Thank you, Ms. Kossal, I saw it walking to the subway today. I'd never noticed it before." Val explained "I don't think it's quite perfect though."
"Well, you're doing it from memory and if you've only seen it once, I think it looks amazing." Ms. Kossal moved towards Riley and Maya.
"I'm better than you now. I am Riley, the artist, and you are Maya, the artist's best friend." Riley bragged, her arms, up to her elbows, were covered in purple paint.
"Thank you for working on light and shadow, Maya." Ms. Kossal nodded appreciatively.
Maya smiled "Yeah, I look around outside now. I watch the light move during the day. Thanks for teaching me that, Ms. Kossal."
The art teacher sniffled and wiped away a tear.
"Hey, are you okay?" Maya asked.
"I get emotional when I'm around talent." Ms. Kossal walked around to look at Riley's artwork "And now I'm fine."
"Come on!" Riley groaned.
"What did I tell you about only using purple?"
"Are we gonna do this again?"
"Why is everything purple?"
"Because you hide the purple from me and I find it!" Riley waved her violet fingers in the teacher's face.
"Are you finger-painting?" Ms. Kossal sighed in exasperation.
"I believe you favor Maya and Val over me." Riley scowled.
"Oh, yeah?" Ms. Kossal crossed her arms "Well, let's explore that. Let's see if I have unfairly judged you. Today's assignment..."
"Uh-huh."
"...Was the doorways of New York."
"Yep. Yep."
"You were asked to specifically focus on..."
"Unique doorknobs. Uh-huh. Yeah."
"And paint it from memory."
"I did." Riley insisted.
"You painted a cat." Ms. Kossal picked up the canvas and turned it around revealing a very badly painted purple cat.
Val rolled her eyes and shook her head.
"It's a door." Riley smiled.
"It's a cat." Ms. Kossal shook her head.
"The whole thing's a door." Riley pulled the painting towards her and stuck her head around it "Anybody home? Okay, I'll come back later. Don't let the cat out."
Ms. Kossal put the painting back down "Maya and Val have something very special, Riley. They paint from a place that few of us are able to reach."
"That's because Maya has an awful life." Riley explained
"I love it when I'm reminded." Maya laughed.
"And Val's just trying to be better than me at everything."
Val set down her paintbrush heavily and sighed "You know what? If you're going to be this self centered, then fine I'll leave, I don't have to put up with you anymore. Ms. Kossal, may I have a transfer slip to ballet class?"
"Yes, Val, you may." Ms. Kossal handed Val a slip and Val hefted her bag over her shoulder and left.
Riley pouted, she didn't know Val did dance.
Val strolled into the dance studio and was immediately bombarded by crying girls and one, very distressed Zay.
"Oh, Val, it's awful!" One of the girls wept.
"What is?" Val asked, confused "What's going on?"
The girls all blubbered on incoherently so Val turned to Zay. She raised an eyebrow expectantly.
"Ms. Jenny just told us that the arts classes are all being cut." Zay sighed "Art, music, dance, everything."
"What? Why?" Val gasped.
"The same reason the arts have been loosing funding for years." Ms. Jenny came up to them, her face wet with tears "Money issues, and the board doesn't believe that time should be wasted on things like dance or the arts in general."
The other dancers wailed loudly.
Val closed her eyes and took a deep breath "Okay, don't worry. Zay, let's go, we're gonna figure out a way to fix this."
The few girls who had hiccuped themselves out of their sobs bust into tears again.
"So dramatic." Val smiled "It'll be okay."
Val and Zay walked into Cory's class, whispering conspiratorially, and took their seats.
"The Dark Ages-" Cory began.
"They're cutting art class and you want to talk about the Dark Ages?" Maya asked angrily.
"They're cutting more than just art, Maya, they're getting rid of everything." Val sighed.
"The Dark Ages was a time of cultural deterioration." Cory continued.
"What does that have to do with me?" Maya grumbled.
"Not everything is about you." Annie growled.
"The Dark Ages was the decline of the creative spirit of an entire continent." Cory rolled on.
"What about me?" Maya shouted.
Val put her hand over Annie's mouth to stop her snarky reply.
"The Dark Ages is when they cut the art class at this middle school right now." Cory put his hands on Maya's desk "And you, Maya Hart- Yes, you, Maya Hart, the one I'm looking at right here- Can't paint anymore."
"You know, a good teacher lets the students get there on their own." Maya glared.
Riley raised her purple-painted hand "Daddy?"
"Riley, if you put another purple cat on our fridge, I swear I'm moving to Brooklyn." Cory sighed.
"Take me with you?" Val begged.
"Scratch my nose. I won't be dry until math, and Mrs. Kravitz and Val scratch my nose like they don't want to."
"Gee, I wonder why?" Val rolled her eyes.
Cory gave in and scratched his younger daughter's nose.
"That's like a Daddy would." Riley smiled.
"So... Why were the Dark Ages dark, Pippin?" Cory asked Farkle.
"But we're not putting on Pippin?" Val whispered "What did I miss in art?"
"So, so much." Annie sighed "I'll tell you at lunch."
"People lost interest in art and music because it was taken away from them." Farkle answered.
"Well, I know Val dances and paints and sings and performs. She shouldn't lose that stuff. I don't want that that for Val. I want Val to be happy." Lucas said.
"Hey, Val, it looks like Lucas here's gettin' all fired up on your behalf." Zay teased.
"You're sweet, Lucas, and I'm gonna try and fix it, so don't worry."
"I still feel bad. They're taking away something you're very good at."
"Thanks, you're a really good artist too."
"You have a real talent. And I want you to be able to get better and share it with people." Lucas stared deep into Val's eyes.
"Now they're just lookin' at each other and not sayin' nothin'. Are they saying anything? No? Well, I wonder that they're thinkin'." Zay joked.
In an attempt to pull the class's attention back to herself, Riley said "I don't want them to take away your art class, Maya. Bay window, bay window right in five hours."
"Okay." Maya nodded.
"Girls, it's gonna be hard to fix this." Cory told his children "The decision comes directly from the New York City school board."
"Keep going with the lesson, Dad. What got us out of the Dark ages?" Val smirked.
"Ah. Funny thing about that. You know who did get us out? Artists." Cory grinned "Michaelangelo, Da Vinci... There was an explosion of creativity called the Renaissance. Maya, Val, I would think you'd have something to say about that."
"Cut the art classes; don't cut the art classes." Maya shrugged "What have I ever been able to do about my life? And now my little purple friend will go crazy."
"Not this time, Maya. You're the artist, and I'm just the artist's best friend." Riley felt the beginnings of a plan form in her mind.
But, for her plan to work, she'd have to get Val on board. That would be a big task.
Riley and Maya sat in the bay window after school.
"You think you're gonna outlast me? You think I'm gonna do something? You think I'd actually care about something?" Maya was saying, waiting impatiently for her best friend to do something.
"I don't care what you care about." Riley shrugged mildly.
"You're gonna break first, and you're gonna fix this whole thing somehow because you can't help yourself!" Maya shouted.
"You know, for somebody who doesn't care, you are most certainly talking to me in all caps." Riley mused.
"I will never be a great artist." Maya sighed.
"You're probably right."
"You don't believe in me?" Maya asked, hurt.
"Not if you won't." Riley shook her head.
Maya sat back down "Well, I can't, Riley. You know? It's just 'cause don't believe, don't get hurt."
"Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right. Be safe. You're right, I'm wrong. Be safe. Let's just go to a movie or read a book or maybe listen to some music." Riley smiled.
"You mean let's just go to art, or read some art, or listen to some art, because movies and books and music are art?" Maya paused "I do go outside, Riley. I watch the light move during the day. And you know what happens at 5:30? You turn gold. Everything is more beautiful at the beginning and the end of the day, and I want people to see that. I want to capture that. I didn't mean to believe in something."
"I know you didn't, peaches."
"But I do. And you knew it. You knew this was in me." Maya realized.
"Mm-hmm." Riley grinned widely.
"You did it. You broke me. I broke first. This is the first time this has ever happened! How close were you to breaking?" Maya asked.
"I almost died!" Riley shouted.
"I'm so proud of you!" Maya chuckled.
"Me too, you!" Riley pointed to her best friend "Something is finally important to you."
"Yeah." Maya nodded.
"How come?"
"Because I don't want to live in a world of stupid purple cats!"
"No, wait. What?" Riley took a moment to realize what her friend had said.
"We need a plan. You got a plan?" Maya said quickly.
Riley scoffed "Do I have a plan? Gee, I only have about nine of them. And each plan has a little sub-plan and each sub-plan has a little baby plan. Do I have a plan? But I've got one plan that I'm sure will work, if we can get everyone we need onboard."
"'Kay. What's your plan?"
"Can you keep it down?" Val came into her sister's room "Zay and I are trying to find a way to fix this!"
"Well, I'm waiting for Riley to fix this!" Maya rolled her eyes "So why don't you leave us alone?"
Val took a deep breath, "You know what, Hart? You are the most-"
"Wait!" Riley cried "Val, why can't we work together?"
"Excuse me?" Val raised an eyebrow "Why do you wanna work with me? Better question, why should I want to work with you?"
"Because this is something that matters to both of us. And you know we work better together." Riley offered.
"And...?" Val prompted.
"And...I'm sorry. I've been immature and silly and possessive of something that isn't mine." Riley finally apologized.
"Someone." Val corrected "But it's a good start. Alright, let me grab Zay and you can tell us your master plan with the sub-plans and the baby plans."
"Great, meet us downstairs in five minutes."
Val nodded and left the room.
Riley faced an astonished Maya "Wow, I didn't think that would really work."
The girls were downstairs in the kitchen, Zay had left when he had gotten a call from his parents that they needed him.
"Mommy!" Riley shouted, even though Topanga was sitting less that five feet away "What's our plan?"
"This is your plan?" Val asked incredulously "Ask Mom?"
"I'm sorry, girls. I can't wave a magical lawyer wand this time. The schools only get so much money every year. It's not a legal issue." Topanga shook her head "They can spend it on whatever they see fit."
"I could have told you that." Val sighed.
"Are you telling us to give up?" Riley asked.
"Would I ever tell you to do that?" Topanga rolled her eyes.
"No." Riley realized "So, what are you telling us?"
Topanga leaned forward "You have an opponent. Your opponent is thinking logically. If you think logically, you're gonna lose the creative arts."
"Okay, but are they right?" Maya asked "Are academics so much more valuable than the arts that we should just let them do this to us?"
Auggie hung a drawing he'd just finished up on the refrigerator and turned to face his sisters, mother, and Maya "Do you guys like it?" He asked proudly.
"I do, Auggie. I love it." Riley smiled.
"It's great, kiddo." Val picked up her little brother and swung him around, pressing a quick kiss to the top of his head "Good job."
"No one should take it away from you." Maya shook her head.
"Someone's going to take it away from me?" Auggie asked, confused.
"No." Maya declared, slamming her hands down on the kitchen table "Let's get 'em."
"Let's get 'em." Auggie agreed.
He grabbed Val's hand and pulled her towards the door as he screamed loudly.
"Okay, bye." Val called "We'll be back!"
Auggie pulled her across the hallway into Annie's apartment, still shrieking at the top of his lungs. He pulled her in circles around the living room until Annie and Eric came down.
"What is going on here?" Eric asked, concerned.
"We need to get 'em!" Auggie shouted.
"Hold up." Annie knelt down in front of him "I'm always up for kickin' butt, but who's them? Is it Riley or Maya? 'Cause I'm happy to beat them up for you."
"No." Auggie sniffled "It's the person who's gonna take away my art."
"No one is gonna take anything away from you, Aug." Val knelt down in front of her little brother, next to Annie "Not while I'm around."
"Do you promise?" Auggie mumbled.
"Pinky swear. Anybody who wants to take your art away is gonna have to get through us first." Val promised "And if they manage that, then something tells me, you are gonna put them in their place."
"No one's taking away your art, kid." Eric smiled and patted Auggie's shoulder "We got your back."
Auggie sniffled and flung himself into Val's open arms. He buried his face in her shoulder and sniffled, letting the tears fall.
"Thanks, Vallie." He whispered.
"Anytime, Auggie."
Finally, Auggie fell asleep on the couch in Annie's apartment. Annie made the remaining three of them hot chocolate and they sat down at the kitchen table.
"Who told Auggie that someone's taking away art?" Eric asked.
"It was Maya, but she didn't mean to freak him out." Val explained "We're kinda working together to fix the whole 'losing art, music, and dance' situation."
"You and Maya?" Annie asked.
"No, Riley, Maya, and I."
Annie and Eric exchanged a look before they turned to Val and asked "Are you crazy?"
"Maybe I am." Val shrugged "I know it's hard to understand, but honestly, I kind of miss being friends with my sister. I know I have you guys and I love you, but Riley is my twin. I can't stay mad at her forever."
Eric sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair "I still think you're crazy, but if this is what you want, then okay."
Val smiled and hugged her friend tightly then turned to Annie "Please tell me you understand?"
"I don't like it, but I do. Kinda." Annie shrugged "I understand that with family things are different, especially with your family, but what I don't understand is how you've forgiven them so quickly. They've done so much to you and hurt you and your mental health in ways that other people would find unforgivable."
"I never said I forgave them." Val stopped her.
"What?"
"In time, and with lots of change, maybe I could forgive them for good. Right now, all I'm doing is giving them a chance to change. And a chance to start down the road of forgiveness." Val explained.
"But you've given them so many chances before, what makes you think this time will be different?" Annie rubbed her temples "You're our best friend, Val, and we don't want to see you hurt."
"I know, and I love you both for that." Val smiled "But I have a feeling this time might be different. If I'm wrong, then you have my permission to do whatever you see fit that won't end with you expelled or in jail."
"Way to take all the fun out of it." Eric joked.
Everyone laughed softly trying not to wake Auggie. They failed.
"Val?" Auggie asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes "What time is it?"
"Past your bedtime, buddy." Val teased "You wanna go home?"
"Mm-hmm." Auggie mumbled.
"Eric, can you get the door?" Val said as she picked Auggie up and carried him towards the door.
"Sure. Have a good night, Val." Eric said, opening the door "Night, Auggie."
"G'night, Eric." Auggie murmured.
Val took her brother across the hall and back into their apartment, she had texted her parents to let them know where they were and now sent them another message saying they were home.
As Val tucked Auggie into bed she could hear him mumble "Love you, Vallie."
"I love you too, Auggie." Val kissed his forehead and turned out the light.
The three girls and Cory stood in the art classroom with Jon Turner. In front of them was a blank canvas and people were cleaning out the room.
"You brought me here to watch this?" Uncle Jon complained.
"Enjoying the show, Uncle Jonathan?" Riley asked.
"No, I'm not." Uncle Jon turned to the twin's father "Matthews, why am I here?"
Maya raised her hand "It was my idea. If you're gonna do this, then you should watch it happen."
"Cory, why would you tell them I'm doing this?" Uncle Jon asked crankily.
"Because you're a bad, bad man, and I love it when it's somebody else's fault." Cory grinned evilly.
"What are they donna do with the art room-" Maya began.
Val interrupted "And the dance classroom, and the theatre, and the-"
"Okay we get it!" Maya cut her off "What are they gonna do with all these arts classrooms that is more important than art?"
"This will be a test taking class." Uncle Jon sighed.
Val gagged "A class for taking tests? That's the best you could come up with?"
"We need to be tested on how to take a test?" Riley asked slowly.
"We're testing it out."
Cory walked around to Uncle Jon's other side "Why do you hate art so much?"
"Matthews!" Uncle Jon shouted then calmed himself "Girls, I am not for this."
"What?" Riley asked.
"My hands are tied." Jon shrugged "I'm the superintendent of schools. I answer to the panel for educational policy. I mean, all this, it comes from them. I'm not the enemy here. Val, didn't you already know this?"
"Oh, I did." Val nodded "But Dad gave me twenty bucks to let this play out."
"Matthews!"
"Turner!" Cory mocked.
A janitor grabbed the blank canvas and took it away, leaving Riley's purple cat painting behind.
"You wouldn't get rid of this?" Riley asked, pointing proudly at her artwork.
"Ah, I'd get rid of that forever." Uncle Jon swiped at the painting.
Another janitor took it away, leaving Maya's piece in view.
"But that's a real loss." Uncle Jon pointed.
As that painting was taken away, Maya looked down and blinked back tears. Riley and Val shared a look, then together, the twins put their hands on Maya's shoulders and nodded to each other. They would fix this.
The group sat in their regular seats at Topanga's Bakery. Val sat between Farkle and Lucas.
"Well, you are harder to watch than usual." Zay complained "I mean, all broken and pouty and stuff. Lucas used to call me in Texas and tell me about you guys. You were legends. The genius who's loyal and kind...The blonde beauty..."
"Lucas talks about himself like that?" Maya laughed.
"He was talkin' about you." Zay rolled his eyes.
"Oh." Maya realized what that meant "Oh..."
"He said you were all full of fire." Zay pointed to Riley "The pretty brunette who never gives up on anyone or anything. And no sacrifice is too big for her friends. But you've all given up. Where's the fire? Because I don't see any of it. You know what, Lucas? These aren't the people you told me about."
"Yeah," Lucas leaned forward "Except you've been here long enough to know that they are."
Farkle thought for a minute "Einstein said we cannot solve our problems with he same thinking we used when we created them."
"Yeah." Lucas agreed "We need a different kind of thinking."
"Well, what's another way to think?" Riley asked.
"We're trying to save the creative arts." Maya shrugged "Why can't we start thinking creatively."
"There's my little artist." Riley grinned.
They started to come up with a plan. It wasn't long before everyone slowly left to prepare their part of the plan. Soon, it was just Val and Zay.
"So...?" Zay asked.
"So...what?" Val joked "What's going on?"
"Don't you want to know what Lucas told me about you?"
"Well, I mean, I would, but I'm not going to put you in a position where you have to break his trust." Val stood up and stretched "You want a drink? I'm dying of thirst."
"You were the kindest, most beautiful, sweetest, most helpful, and loving person he'd ever met." Zay said, leaning back in his seat "I told him he must be crazy, there was nobody who could be that amazing. But now that I've met you, he was right."
"Zay..."
"No, I'm serious. You hadn't even known me a week when you helped me with my anxiety. All you knew about me was that I was someone who had messed up Lucas's past and it was my fault he got expelled. But you still talked me through it and helped me. I really appreciate that."
"Zay, you and Lucas may not have seen each other for a while, but he still cared about you. You were still his best friend. And I will always help my friends." Val smiled and put her hand on Zay's "Now, about that drink, lemonade?"
"Sounds good, thanks, Val." Zay grinned.
Val went to the counter and placed the order. The thoughts running through her head were going a mile a minute.
"Two lemonades please, Katy." Val ordered.
"You got it Val." Katy turned and fetched the drinks and came back "So, since I have you here, I wanted to apologize for my daughter's behavior towards you. I'm sorry. I've tried to tell her how what she did was wrong and I hope someday you can find it in your heart to forgive her."
"Thank you, Katy, but I don't blame you at all." Val smiled "Maya is her own person and I hope that she can grow and mature as we all get older. We're in middle school, we all make mistakes. And I think she's finally figured out why what she did was wrong."
"I'm really glad to hear you say that, Val."
"Of course." Val took the lemonades and went back to Zay to keep discussing the plan.
They were at the school board meeting, Uncle Jon was standing in front of the board and pleading with them.
"I'm asking you to slow down before this vote becomes final." He begged "Once these cuts are official, then art and music and drama and dance-they're gone. I mean is that really acceptable? It's not too late to do the right thing here. Thank you, Chairperson Sanchez."
"Thank you, Superintendent Turner. That was a lovely, impassioned speech." Chairperson Sanchez said "Let me just check and see if it changed any of the numbers. No, I'm afraid not."
Uncle Jon sat down, disheartened.
"Our next speaker is Mr. Isaiah Babineaux. Mr. Babineaux?" Chairperson Sanchez asked.
Zay stepped up to the microphone and smiled deviously "Hello, Chairperson. Thank you for seeing me."
"You're welcome, Mr. Babineaux. We are happy to see a young representative of our school community, who is, I trust, going to address us with great respect for our process." Chairperson Sanchez said warningly.
Zay shook his head as Lucas, Riley, Maya, Farkle, and Val all strolled in "No. That's not what's gonna happen. We couldn't reach you with logic, so we decided to think...differently."
"Oh. Super." Chairperson Sanchez groaned "Okay. Wait a second. What exactly are you gonna do?"
The group shared a look then Lucas started to snap and sing "Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da." The rest of them joined in.
Riley and Farkle began doing a weird dance move, changing sides and swinging their arms.
"Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da."
"Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da."
Maya stepped forward and posed in front of the board before moving back.
"Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da."
Val did a triple pirouette and landed, sliding down into a perfect 180 degree splits. Lucas and Zay moved forward and picked her up by her arms and Lucas dipped her then Zay. Val broke away from the two boys and twirled back to her position.
"Oh, Mr. Friar." Zay spoke to the rhythm of the song as the others kept singing.
"Yes, Mr. Babineaux." Lucas snapped his fingers to the beat.
"I like this room." Zay nodded.
"This is a nice room." Lucas agreed.
"So what do we do too a room if we want to kill the..."
"A-R-T-S, arts?" Lucas spelled.
"We do this." Zay and Lucas moved to the side of the room and took down some of the paintings.
Val, Maya, Riley, and Farkle all did the same with the other paintings around the room.
"Gentlemen, what are you doing?" Chairperson Sanchez asked.
"The same thing you're doing to us." Lucas explained.
"Not as interesting a room anymore." Zay smiled "Get the picture?"
Riley stepped forward "That's a very colorful scarf you're wearing." She pointed to Chairperson Sanchez's purple scarf.
"Thank you."
"May I?"
Hesitantly, Chairperson Sanchez passed Riley the scarf.
Riley lifted the fabric over her head "A dance to the loss of purple."
With one hand she dropped the scarf, still holding it in her other, and began attempting to mimic Val's triple pirouette from earlier. Lucas hurried forward and stole the scarf when it was in midair. Riley looked around, acting confused for a moment before she crumpled to the ground. She quickly stood back up and did jazz hands as she moved back in line.
Maya stepped up to the microphone "My name is Maya Hart. This committee relies on charts and graphs. I have information to add to them."
"Please share it with us, Ms. Hart."
"You want numbers?" Maya asked "The United States ranking in math, science, and reading has done nothing but drop for the past 50 years."
"Your proposal?" Chairperson Sanchez questioned.
"Get rid of 'em."
"Cut math, science, and reading?"
"Why not? We stink at 'em." Maya moved away from the microphone and closer to the panel "But you know what we're number one at? Movies and music! People all over the world are inspired by our creativity. But hey, I don't wanna get rid of anything. You started it."
"My hands are tied." Chairperson Sanchez protested.
"Yeah, it's so funny." Maya chuckled "Everyone keeps saying that, but they're not. Look at 'em. Your hands are free. You just think they're tied."
"I'm afraid you're out of time." Chairperson Sanchez frowned "We have a long list of speakers on the list today and we need to be getting back to them. Topanga Matthews."
The twin's mother stood up with her law pad in hand, smiled at her son and husband, and moved to stand in front of the microphone.
She cleared her throat and opened her pad then closed it as she said "I yield my time to these children."
"Uh, Cory Matthews." Chairperson Sanchez called.
"Yield." Cory smiled.
"Gabriella Kossal."
Ms. Kossal stood up "Yield."
Chairperson Sanchez threw down her pen "Yes. Super. Okay. Wouldn't now be a good time for an adult point-of-view?"
"Yield!" Everyone shouted.
"Oh, come on!"
"The adults have failed them." Cory spoke up "Especially Superintendent Turner!"
"Matthews!" Uncle Jon cried, annoyed.
"Bomp, bomp, bomp." Lucas began snapping again.
"Ba, da, da."
"Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da."
"Oh, Mr. Farkle." Lucas said.
"Yes, Mr. Freakface." Farkle grinned.
"Although you are a scientist, we are also told that you have great creativity."
"Why, yes. I sing and dance and am the greatest Pippin the stage has ever seen."
"I love Pippin." One old man on the end of the panel smiled.
Val couldn't help herself as she whispered "Same!"
Zay stepped forward "May we see some of it, please?"
"No, you may not! There are no longer plays or concerts in this school. Instead," Farkle looked to the panel "I shall perform for you a list of prime numbers."
"Oh, that's disappointing." The old man scowled.
"Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da."
"Bomp, bomp, bomp."
"Ba, da, da, bomp."
Farkle walked to the microphone and said "Two. Three. Five. Seven. Eleven."
The crowd groaned loudly.
"Thirteen."
"Boo!" The crowd shouted.
"Okay, okay. I think we get you point, Mr. Farkle." Chairperson Sanchez said, pleadingly.
"With all due respect, Chairperson Sanchez, I don't think you do. And like I said, I can also do this." Farkle burst into a dramatic tap dance.
He pulled Val out of the line and they danced to rival Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers.
Farkle moved back to the microphone "Seventeen."
The crowd groaned again.
"Nineteen. Twenty-three."
"Boo!"
"I hate twenty-three." Auggie growled and stood up "Let's get 'em!" Topanga pulled him back into his seat.
Farkle moved away from the microphone and he and Val started to dance again to loud cheers and applause. When they stopped, Farkle moved back to the microphone.
Before he could say anything the crowd called "Boo!"
"Creativity feeds science, and science feeds creativity." Farkle declared "That's what you're missing because you're not thinking creatively. Thank you."
Auggie stood up and walked up to the school board. He set down all his artwork on the table in front of Chairperson Sanchez.
"I've taken all my art off of the refrigerator. Do you have kids?" Auggie asked.
Everybody on the board nodded.
"When you get home, please take their art off of the refrigerator, too. Otherwise you're hippopotamuses."
Chairperson Sanchez furrowed her eyebrows "Hypocrites?"
Auggie leaned in "Please don't cut reading." He ran back to his parents, stopping to hug Val first "How'd I do?" He whispered.
"Great, good job, Auggie." Val smiled.
Riley stepped forward "A dance in which a hippopotamus returns home to find his art taken from the refrigerator."
She shuffled backward, head down, before she moved forward again, stomping loudly with each enormous step she took.
"Ahh, ooh, mmm...woop, woop."
Suddenly, she turned around and put her hands up in surrender. She turned her face to the side and looked as if she were about to cry. Slowly, she slumped down, folding in on herself. Then the "dance" was over and Riley straightened up with a smile on her face and did jazz hands back to the side of the room.
Lucas moved forward carrying a boom box "Ms. Matthews, Ms. Hart, I'm told that you can sing."
"We can carry a tune." Val chuckled.
"Would you do us the great honor?" Zay asked.
The two girls nodded and stepped up to the microphone. Lucas pushed a button on the boom box and orchestral music started to play.
"Once I had a dream," The two girls harmonized "That dream had just begun-"
There was loud microphone feedback as Zay stole it and Lucas turned off the music.
"Yoink." Zay smiled.
"Sorry, no more music." Maya shrugged.
Val stepped forward with Zay "Chairperson Sanchez, with respect, you seem uncomfortable."
"Could that possibly have to do with your background?" Zay asked.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh? Let us be more specific." Val offered "Where did you do your undergraduate work?"
"Princeton." Chairperson Sanchez answered.
"Oh. Good school. Good school." Zay mumbled "What'd you study?"
"I don't see how these questions are relevant to todays proceedings." Chairperson Sanchez tried to divert them.
"Oh, you were an art major!" Zay shouted.
The crowd gasped.
"Yes, Mr. Babineaux. I have a degree in studio art." Chairperson Sanchez sighed.
Riley stepped forward "A dance in which I graduate with a degree in studio art from Princeton University but then ii get my hands tied."
"I don't need to see that one. I lived it."
"Does it hurt a little?" Val asked.
"It does. Especially since one of the paintings you took down was mine."
"Chairperson Sanchez, got a favorite book?" Lucas asked, as the rest of them joined Val, Riley, and Zay in front of the board.
"Bridge to Terabithia."
"Unread it." Val ordered.
"Favorite movie?" Zay asked.
"The Wizard of Oz."
"Un-watch it." Maya told her.
"Well, you've just kinda taken away my whole childhood, haven't you?" Chairperson Sanchez's voice broke.
"When does it happen?" Maya asked.
"When does what happen?"
"When do you stop being able to think creatively?" Val clarified.
"When do you get your hands tied?" Riley asked.
"We don't want that to happen to us." Lucas said.
"You went to a great school." Zay pointed out "I'm sure all of you did."
"You're very smart." Maya said "You know that this is the wrong way to think."
They all turned around to walk out.
"You didn't ask me who my favorite artist is." Chairperson Sanchez called them back "It's Picasso. Do you have a favorite artist?"
Maya thought about it for a moment "All of them. Everyone who ever tried...Including you."
"You know, Picasso painted a masterpiece called Guernica. Adults going to war on horses with swords. Except for one horse who was horrified at what the adults were doing. He's horrified because he knows it's wrong. I've always loved that horse." Chairperson Sanchez told the room at large "And when I was as young as you, I made a promise to myself that if I ever go to war, I would never forget Guernica and the horse that knew better. Thank you, Ms. Hart, for reminding me."
"No, thank you." Maya shook her head "I love learning about art. I would have never known about Guernica if someone didn't care enough to teach me."
Chairperson Sanchez took a deep breath "Superintendent Turner...You have been requesting all along that we remain patient."
"Well, we're all teachers here." Uncle Jon stood up "I think we can appreciate the value of a good lesson."
Cory stood up and pointed to his old teacher "Turner! My man!"
"Would you tell him to stop?" Uncle Jon begged and Cory sat back down.
"I can't promise an immediate solution, but I can promise that we will try and think differently. To think as creatively as these students. Thank you all for coming. This meeting is adjourned. But our next meeting begins ring now, and we will stay here until we come up with something that unties our hands and we begin to think differently. Ms. Hart?"
"Yes, ma'am?" Maya asked, turning around.
"Please hang up my painting."
"Yes, ma'am."
Maya and Riley hung up the painting together then walked out with their arms around each other. As they left the room, they saw Val and Zay surrounded by sobbing girls. Val was gently patting each on the back and smiling. Zay just looked very uncomfortable.
Riley and Maya shared a look before they walked up to them "Val?" Riley asked.
"Hey, Riley, good job in there." Val smiled.
"Thanks, and thank you, for working with us. You didn't have to do that. This was your idea, your plan. You could have pulled it off with anyone, but you chose to do it with us." Riley smiled.
"Well, I don't think I could have pulled it off with just anyone." Val shrugged "I think we're better when we work together."
"Me too." Riley agreed.
The twins shared a smile before Riley and Maya walked off, leaving Val and Zay with the crying ballerinas.
Word count: 6137 words
I think this is the longest chapter I've written for this book yet. I've just moved back to college so if updates are slow please forgive me. For now, please don't forget to comment, vote, and add to your reading lists! Also stay safe, healthy, and home, and wash your hands! One more thing! #BlackLivesMatter
Love,
The Author