Val Meets Cory and Topanga
I don't own Girl Meets World!
Val sat at the kitchen table, working on homework and studying for her math test and an English. They were big ones. If she passed, she'd be put in A.P. courses in high school next year. Her mother sat across from her, working on a new case and her father sat at the head of the table grading tests and homework. It was peaceful and quiet, as it was almost midnight, and Riley and Auggie were in bed.
Riley walked down the stairs, her eyes closed, and bumped into the doorframe. She had her arms out and was clearly pretending to be sleepwalking. Cory, Topanga, and Val watched as she opened the fridge, grabbed a large plate of the spaghetti Val had made for dinner, and sat down at the table. She proceeded to stuff the noodles in her face.
Val almost snorted at the fat, chipmunk cheeks her sister made but stopped herself.
"Yeah...I'm not buying the sleepwalking bit for one second." Topanga shook her head.
"Would you let me have cold spaghetti at midnight if I was awake?" Riley asked.
"Nope." Cory said, not looking up from the test he was grading.
Riley growled and shoved more spaghetti in her mouth, using her hands as utensils.
"Thanks, now the spaghetti's gonna go to waste." Val laughed.
Riley swallowed "What are you three doing up anyway? It's midnight."
"Is it?" Val looked at her phone "Wow, I lost track of time."
"They're trying to throw out those people who own that wonderful old bookstore over on Jane Street." Topanga explained "They want to put in another fast-food Super Cluck."
Riley shivered "But they're the world's most powerful bucket of food people!"
"They don't scare me." Topanga grinned.
"Get 'em, Mom." Val laughed.
"Who are you?" Riley asked amazed.
"I am no friend of the Super Cluck!" Topanga frowned "They're trying to take over the whole neighborhood. But I will be there everywhere they want to go."
"So you stay up late and protect our community?" Riley asked.
"Trying."
"What are you doing, Val?" Riley turned to her sister.
"I'm studying for a math test. If I pass it, I can take Advanced Placement calculus next year." Val explained "When I finish this problem, I can move on to studying for my English test that can help me get into A.P. Lit."
"So you stay up late to learn and try and get a brighter future?" Riley was amazed "I thought freshman couldn't take A.P. courses yet?"
"They don't usually. But I talked to the guidance counselor at Abigail Adams High and they said if I pass these tests they set for me I can go into the sophomore math and English A.P. classes and take the tests for college credit." Val sighed "It's important to me to get as much practice in as I can so I do well."
"Yeah, well, you know what I do at night?" Riley asked "I sleep."
"Well, that's very important, honey." Topanga reassured her younger daughter.
"Well, a kid like me needs 15 hours." Riley shrugged then looked at her father "Dad, Mom's trying to save our whole city and Val's learning so she can have a bright future. How're you gonna beat that?
"I'm trying to get through Maya's paper."
"He beat you."
Topanga and Val nodded.
"Oh, we know." Val smiled.
Cory started to read aloud "'America's Foreign Relations at the Dawn of the Cold War,' 250 words by Maya Hart. What's up, Matthews? It's me, Maya. I owe you 218 words. Good luck with that.'"
"So, you guys are staying up and protecting our city and our minds? And Val is preparing her mind to help protect the city?" Riley asked "While what I do is sleep."
"Well, honey, you're really very good at it." Topanga tried to comfort her daughter.
Cory picked up another paper "'Why no one should talk but me' by Farkle Minkus."
Riley stared then slowly got up with her plate of cold spaghetti and went upstairs. Val stayed at the table until two am, working hard studying for her tests. She'd had the same routine for the last two weeks, come home from school, make a snack, go study at Annie's, come home and help make dinner, read to Auggie before he went to bed, study and finish her homework until two in the morning, and finally, finally go to bed.
"Val, are you sure you're not overworking yourself?" Topanga asked as Val started to pack up her things for the night "You're doing an awful lot."
"I'm alright, Mom." Val assured her "Really. I just want to do well so I can get into these classes. Once I do that, hopefully everything will settle down for a while."
"Alright, if you're sure." Topanga said hesitantly.
The next morning, Val met up with Annie and they headed to school together. As they walked into the History classroom Val stifled a yawn.
"How late were you up last night?" Annie asked "That's the fourth yawn in the last five minutes."
"I had to study and finish my homework." Val defended "I was only up until two."
"You're doing too much."
"That's what my Mom says."
"Well, your Mom is usually right." Annie pointed out.
"I can handle it. It's only for one more day, then I take the test, pass, get into the A.P. classes, and then I can finally sleep more than four hours a night." Val argued.
They took their seats as Cory started the lesson "Ferdinand Magellan. What did he do?"
"First bull with a last name!" Maya called out excitedly.
"First man to circumnavigate the globe." Farkle corrected.
Maya shrugged "Who are you gonna believe?"
Cory sighed "Everyone thought the world was flat. Why?"
"They could only see the horizon." Lucas answered.
Val's attention started to drift and she leaned her chin on her palm, slowly her eyes fluttered shut. She was still awake, just so, so tired.
"They were too scared to go out." Riley added "They thought they'd fall off the world. I don't blame 'em."
"Well, what about you guys?" Cory asked, he walked over to Val and put his hand on her shoulder "Wake up, sweetheart."
"'Mm awake." Val mumbled not opening her eyes.
"Why is she so tired?" Lucas whispered to Annie.
"She's studying for some tests to get into a couple A.P. classes next year." Annie explained.
"It's a big deal to me." Val opened her eyes "If I don't do well on these tests I won't be able to take the classes next year. And if I don't take the classes next year I can't take the A.P. tests and get college credit for them until my sophomore year. If I wait until my sophomore year, I won't get as many college credits because I won't be able to take actual college classes until my senior year." She took a deep breath "Missing this chance could really drag down my plan for my future."
"What is your future plan?" Lucas asked "I mean, I think I want to be a veterinarian, Farkle wants to rule the world, what do you want to do?"
"My plan?" Val shrugged "I want to be the next Evelyn Rand. I want to run a big company, learn how business works, help people and the environment, and be able to take care of those I love. Eventually, I might want to get a degree in political science and be a lawmaker or someone high up in the political world."
"Wow." The class stared.
"You've got your future all planned out, don't you, Val?" Riley asked.
"No, I know what I want, but how I'm going to get there is another story. If I take the classes and do well, I can get an internship with a company and get some experience. Once I'm in college, if I do everything I can to get involved and build my resume, I can get a job working for Ms. Rand, she'd already offered to help me with a startup once I'm ready. But I think first I want to get some real business experience and learn how it operates."
"But you still know." Riley protested "I have no idea what I want to do with my life or how to accomplish it."
"What's your guys' horizon line?" Cory asked, bringing the class's attention back "Write down the one thing in life you consider impossible. Where do you fall off the earth?"
Everyone took out a paper and pencil and started to write. Val didn't hesitate, what did she consider impossible? Perfection. Everyone always said she was perfect, and it wasn't true. Val worked hard to do well in school, in life, and in her relationships. She often felt that she put more into her relationships than others. There were exceptions of course, Lucas, Annie, Eric, and Farkle, for instance. But with Riley, Val was always doing more, she was giving advice, listening to problems, and trying to help. It was draining and often ended badly. But when she tried to defend herself or leave Riley to deal with her problems alone, she feared people would say she was a bad sister, people being Maya.
"Well, it looks like everyone found something pretty easily." Cory remarked "That's too bad. Because when you think you can't do something, your world is as flat as a piece of paper. So, crumple 'em up."
The class did so. Some people looked confused but followed the instructions anyway.
"Now, look at 'em." Cory ordered "You hold your world in your hands. Nothing's impossible if you take a shot." He held up a recycling bin "So, take a shot."
Cory walked around the class, letting them all throw their papers in the bin. Farkle was the only one who didn't.
"Take a shot, Farkle." Cory prodded.
"Oh, that's okay, sir." Farkle shook his head.
"Why not?"
"Well, I'd only miss." Farkle shrugged.
"It's two feet in front of you." Annie sighed "Give it a try."
Cory set down the bin and walked over "Do you mind?"
Farkle handed over his paper "Hey, it's not like it's a big surprise."
"'Athlete.'" Cory read "You don't think you could be an athlete like Lucas if you tried?"
"I'm not sure you can be as good as someone just because you want to be, sir." Farkle frowned.
"Well..." Cory picked up the recycling bin "You'll never know unless you take a shot."
Farkle bit his lip, picked up his wadded up paper, and tried to throw it in the trash. It wound up getting stuck in Maya's hair. Slowly, dangerously, Maya turned to face Farkle with a smile on her face.
"Why you smiling at me so pretty?" Farkle asked.
"Because I want the last thing you ever see to be nice." Maya tried to leap up from her chair but Lucas and Val stepped in front of Farkle.
"He's under our protection, blondie." Val frowned "Back off."
Maya humphed and let Lucas guide her back to her seat.
"Okay, so...Farkle has just given us a great idea for an assignment." Cory said.
The class groaned and Farkle said "Yay."
"Farkle, you're gonna become an athlete." Cory decided.
"Yay!" The class cheered.
Farkle groaned.
"Mr. Friar..."
"Oh, no." Lucas shouted and shook his head.
"Your assignment, is to help him get there." Cory continued "I'm sorry if this changes what you thought was impossible."
"No." Lucas laughed "That's what I had."
"Ha ha." Farkle rolled his eyes.
"That's what I had." Lucas repeated.
Val gently poked his arm "That's not very nice." She looked to Farkle "I'll help you, Farkle. We'll find you a sport."
"Riley...Is there anything in your sweet Riley mind that you consider impossible?" Cory asked.
"There is no future to look forward to to where I'm anywhere near as good as you guys." Riley crossed her arms.
"What are you talking about?" Cory asked, confused.
"You and Mom and Val, Cory and Topanga-You're my impossible thing."
"I don't understand." Cory shook his head.
"Maybe some people do just fall off the world, Dad."
"What do you mean, Riley-?"
The bell rang, interrupting Cory's question. Everyone started packing up.
"It's just today's thing. It'll be gone tomorrow." Maya tried to assure the confused teacher.
"The only thing going away is me." Riley scowled "Can somebody please direct me to the edge of the earth? I assume it's near the river."
"You do know the earth isn't flat, right?" Annie asked, walking past with Val.
"Now? You're falling off the world now?" Cory asked.
"I can't compete with you!" Riley cried.
"In what?"
"Life. So, I have to go and find my own way." Riley decided "I have to go and create my own individual path and I must do it all alone, by myself. Come on, Maya."
"Um, we'll be at the river." Maya shrugged.
Riley pulled Maya out of the classroom.
"I'm on it, Dad." Val sighed.
"Oh, no you're not." Cory shook his head "You're doing to much as it is. All this studying, trying to make Farkle an athlete, on top of your regular school work. It's too much, honey."
"I'm fine, Dad. I promise."
"Just, don't overwork yourself, sweetie, please." Cory begged.
"I won't."
"Yes, you will." Annie called.
"Annie!"
Riley and Maya walked up to a convent. Maya's jaw dropped.
"Here? You think this is falling off the face of the earth?" Maya asked incredulously.
"My only chance at peace and serenity is a sanctuary of solitude, away from Mommy, Daddy, and sissy perfect." Riley declared.
A nun walked up to the gate "Hello. Is there something I can do for you young ladies?"
"I'd like to renounce all of my worldly possessions, except for all of my stuff!" Riley shouted.
A snort was heard from behind them.
"You know that's not how it works, right?" Val asked, joining them.
"How did you find me?" Riley asked angrily "Did you follow us?"
"No." Val shook her head "You forgot to turn off your location on your phone. It was pretty easy."
"Hello, Val." The nun greeted "How are you today?"
"I'm fine, thanks, Sister Mary Beth." Val smiled.
"Studying hard?"
"Always." Val nodded.
"Wait, how do you know each other?" Riley asked.
"I volunteer at a soup kitchen with a few of the nuns on the weekends." Val shrugged "I've asked you if you want to join me but you always remind me about that time we worked in the school cafeteria for" She gasped "A whole forty-five minutes in a row! Then you say no."
"Oh." Riley sighed "Let me in, sister!" She begged "Life out here holds no promise for me."
Sister Mary Beth opened the door "Well, I'm very sorry to hear that. What's your name?"
"Riley. But I want my nun name to be Sister Riley of perpetual bleh."
"Sorry, but that name's already been taken. How about Sis Ri Per Bleh 84263?" Sister Mary Beth offered "Or Blinky?"
Riley gasped happily "Blinky was my second choice!"
"Congratulations, you're Blinky the Nun. How about you?" Sister Mary Beth asked Maya.
"You don't want this." Maya shook her head.
"All right, ladies. May I ask what's really going on?" Sister Mary Beth questioned.
"Sister Blinky is upset because her parents and sister are perfect and she'll never live up to them." Maya explained.
"Riley, let me help you." Sister Mary Beth offered "Human perfection is unattainable. In all of my experiences with people, there's only two who've ever come close."
The Mother Superior walked past the gate with a nod to Val and Sister Mary Beth.
"Oh. The Mother Superior." Riley nodded.
"No, Val and the next one." Sister Mary Beth corrected.
Val smacked her hand to her forehead. Topanga walked out of the convent.
"Thank you, Topanga." Sister Mary Beth smiled "You have saved our orphanage from becoming a Super Cluck."
"It was a group effort." Topanga smiled "I'm only one Topanga. Oh, hi, girls." She put her hands on her hips in a heroic pose and Riley and Maya waved "Cab!"
"Now, if she and Val were your mother and sister, I'd understand why you'd wanna-"
Riley looked at Sister Mary Beth, completely devastated.
"Oh, Blinky. Oh, you poor thing." Sister Mary Beth enveloped Riley in her arms.
Val rolled her eyes "As fun as this is, I have to go help Farkle find a sport."
"Yeah," Maya scoffed "Good luck with that."
Val raced into the gym wearing shorts and a tee-shirt just in time.
"All right, Farkle. Let's see what you've got." Lucas tried to throw the genius a ball but it hit his chest and he toppled over "I quit." Lucas sighed.
"Well, I don't." Val helped Farkle up.
"I will not fail this assignment." Farkle tried to storm towards Lucas but stepped on the basketball, slipped, and landed flat on his back.
"I quit again."
"Again, I don't." Val helped Farkle stand up again "We'll find you a sport, Farkle."
"You know what sitting in the stands, watching those games you play makes me realize?" Farkle asked.
"You love sports?" Lucas asked hopefully "Admit it. You love the thrill of competition."
"Ha!" Val laughed.
"Every sport is the same." Farkle corrected "Being good at sports is just a matter of physics."
Lucas looked offended "Don't you mess up America's most favorite thing with America's least favorite thing!"
"With the correct angle and velocity, I should make every shot every time." Farkle explained.
"Is that right?" Lucas smirked "Let's try a foul shot."
Just put this ball here through that hoop there." Farkle asked as Lucas handed him another basketball.
"That's it." Lucas confirmed.
Farkle studied the hoop for a moment "Got it."
"Shoot it." Lucas waited, looking at the hoop.
Val stood on the other side of Farkle with a smile, waiting for what she knew was coming.
As she'd predicted, the ball hit Lucas in the back of the head, it didn't even come close to the net.
"Huh." Farkle squinted, confused.
"Huh." Lucas agreed.
"Ha!" Val finally let out a laugh.
"I probably should have considered the X-Factor." Farkle mused.
Lucas turned to him "And what's the X-Factor?"
"I stink."
"I've gotta say." Lucas nodded.
"Oh, yeah?" Farkle asked "Well, I'd like to see you..." Lucas took a shot and the net swished "Do..." Swish "Better." Swish "New sport!"
"You know, there are other sports out there that don't involve chucking a ball at a hoop." Val offered.
"Yeah, let's try wrestling." Lucas nodded.
"Not what I meant."
Lucas and Farkle were on the mat, Val stood to the side, Farkle was underneath Lucas who had one arm around Farkle's midriff and one on his shoulder.
"Oh, please." Farkle scoffed "All I need to do is compact my body into a solid mass and then you can't pin me."
"What is that? Physics? Okay." Lucas grinned.
Farkle squeezed himself into a ball. Lucas simply hefted him up and dropped him flat on his face onto the mat. Val sighed and flipped Farkle over.
"New sport!"
"Okay, how about baseball?" Lucas suggested.
Val smacked her hand to her forehead again.
"I've never even understood this game." Farkle complained.
He was holding a bat and Lucas had a glove, Val had a ball.
"You run around the bases and try to get home, right?" Farkle checked.
"Yeah."
"Well, why do you need the other bases?"
"Because you can't get home until you get around all of them." Lucas explained calmly.
"But the quickest way between two points is a straight line."
Lucas blinked, processing what his friend had said "You want to get rid of the bases?"
"Yeah." Farkle nodded "Game's over sooner and we can all get back to physics."
Val bit her lip to stop the giggles bubbling up bin her chest.
"Farkle, not everyone lives for theories and numbers." Lucas smiled.
"Well, they should." Farkle grabbed a basketball and led Lucas to the other side of the gym "Come here. Shoot."
Lucas scoffed "It's a waste of time. It's an impossible shot."
"Running the bases is a waste of time." Farkle corrected "This impossible shot..." He started adjusting Lucas's stance and position "Is not impossible at all."
"I don't know Farkle." Lucas shook his head.
"Shoot it!" Farkle insisted.
Lucas took the shot. It was nothing but net.
Val clapped excitedly "Whoo-hoo!" She cheered.
Lucas turned to face Farkle, stunned "I believe everything you say now."
"And I believe basketball may not be so bad." Farkle smiled "Wanna do it again?"
"Whoa there, smarty pants." Val joked "We still gotta find you a sport and I believe it's my turn."
"It's not gonna work, Val. I'm not athletic." Farkle argued.
"There are other sports out there, you know." Val smiled "Ones that don't involve as much upper body strength."
"Like what?" Lucas asked "All sports involve some sort of strength."
"You're right." Val agreed "But there's things like dance, ice skating, and gymnastics that require more balance and practice than chance."
"But, Val, you don't dance." Farkle pointed out.
Val pointed at him "Ah, that's where you're wrong. I've danced for years. In fact..." She held out two tickets "These are for you."
The boys took the papers and looked at them, they were for a dance competition.
Lucas looked up, confused "What's this for?"
"It's my first competition." Val grinned "And I'd love it if you were both there. It's in three weeks so you have plenty of time to plan."
"Why didn't you ever tell us you danced?" Farkle questioned.
Val looked down "If I'm honest, I think I wanted something without all the pressure to be perfect."
"What do you mean?" Lucas looked confused.
"All my life, I've always been described as perfect. The perfect student, the perfect friend, the perfect big sister, the perfect daughter." Val sighed "It was exhausting. I just wanted something that I could do for myself, without all the pressure to do it right. In dance, there's not necessarily a 'right' way to do things. There's the correct forms and motions but that's to make sure you don't hurt yourself doing it wrong. In dance, you create something, you make it your own and nobody knows if you mess up because they're seeing it for the first time."
"That's amazing, Val." Farkle whispered, then he realized something "You said you felt pressure to be the perfect friend. What did you mean by that? Do you not want to be our friend?"
"No!" Val gasped "Not at all. That's not what I meant. I meant with people like Riley, she seems to expect me to be more than her twin, she wants a friend too but she doesn't want to put any effort into it like she does with Maya. I think she believes that, as her twin, I owe her my friendship and my loyalty. I love my sister, don't get me wrong, but I always felt like I was giving more than she was. But it's not like that with you guys or Annie and Eric. You all know that friendships require work, that loyalty and friendship aren't just given, they're earned."
"Thanks, Val. I'm sorry if we've ever made you feel like you have to be perfect." Farkle hugged the girl.
"What about your parents?" Lucas asked "Do they know about this?"
"They know I take lessons. They don't know about the competition." Val bit her lip "Auggie knows, I told him about my dancing last year."
Realization spread across Lucas's face "The painting you did for the art show...it was a dancer...it was you?"
"Yeah." Val nodded nervously "But if I tell my parents about the competition, they're gonna want to come, then Riley's gonna find out, and I don't think I could handle it."
Lucas nodded, he knew if Riley were to find out, with everything that was going on with her not feeling good enough, Val would wind up being the one who was hurt, and he didn't want that
"Okay." He nodded "We won't tell anyone. Right, Farkle?"
"Right." Farkle agreed.
Val's eyes grew wet "You guys are the best friends ever."
"Yeah, we know." Farkle grinned.
The three hugged and when they stepped back, Val wiped her eyes.
"Gosh, I have to go." Val smiled "I'm supposed to help make dinner tonight. I'll keep helping you find a sport tomorrow, okay, Farkle?"
"Bye, Val." Farkle waved "Have a good night."
"You too."
Val made pork chops that night. She had just finished and headed up to Riley's room to let her know dinner was ready.
"My parents and sister are superheroes." Riley complained.
"Calm down, Blinky." Maya groaned.
"Dinner's ready." Val said, knocking on the open door.
"She saves orphanages and bookstores, he dedicates his life to clowns, and she does community service on the weekends even though she can barely keep her eyes open. What do I do?" Riley asked, ignoring her sister.
"You make your bed." Maya booped her friend's nose.
"No, she doesn't." Val laughed.
"Not really. All I do is pull the comforter up over everything." Riley pulled back the blanket revealing a mess of clothes and Auggie with cold spaghetti in his mouth "Get out of here!"
"But this is where the spaghetti is." Auggie protested.
Riley glared and Auggie sighed. He grabbed the plate of spaghetti and a flashlight and ran out of the room, bumping into Val.
"Why don't you go eat what I made for dinner, Augs?" Val offered "And put the spaghetti in the trash! It's no good anymore!"
"Riley-" Maya tried.
"I can't compete with them, Maya. I have reached my personal horizon line." Riley plopped down in the bay window "There's nowhere for me to go."
"What about downstairs for dinner?" Val offered, rolling her eyes.
"Honey, you gotta get them out of your head." Maya sighed.
"I can't." Riley groaned "I know all of their stories. The keep repeating over and over."
"Were they always so perfect?"
"Look, when you're done, come downstairs, your dinner will be cold, but you can reheat it yourselves." Val snarked.
She left and went back downstairs. Her parents and Auggie were sitting at the table, waiting for her and Riley.
"I don't think Riley's going to be joining us tonight." Val smiled "She's going through another crisis. So dig in."
"It smells delicious, honey." Topanga smiled "You're a very good cook."
"Thanks, Mom." Val squinted "What do you want?"
"Seconds please?" Cory held up his plate.
Val passed him another pork chop "What do you want?"
"I want to know what this is." Topanga held up three tickets for Val's competition "What is this?"
"Where did you get those?" Val gasped.
"They fell out of your bag and I picked them up. What are they?"
Val sighed "I guess the cat's out of the bag now, huh? They're for my first dance competition. It's in three weeks. I got some tickets for my friends."
"You compete?" Cory asked, his mouth full "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Relax, Dad. It's my first competition." Val tried to smile "I just didn't tell you because I was nervous. I always get told I'm perfect and in dance, it's less stressful, I guess."
"Didn't you want us there?" Topanga questioned.
"Of course I want you there." Val rubbed her temples "I just don't want Riley to find out and if you go then she's going to and it's going to turn into a whole mess."
"Why don't you want you sister to know?" Cory asked.
"She's already feeling bad, saying things like she can't live up to us, she's not as good as us, and on and on and on. I don't want her to feel worse because if she does she's going to take it out on me. And I'd rather not have to leave again. Maybe it's a selfish reason, but I think I've earned the right to be a little selfish."
"Oh, honey. Why didn't you just explain this to us?"
"It's the anxiety I guess. It's just making me think of only the worst case scenarios." Val shrugged "But you're right, I'll get you guys some tickets. I'd love it if you could come."
"How can you beat the impossible?" Lucas asked.
It was several days later, Val had taken her tests and helped Farkle find a sport (gymnastics), and now the three were standing in front of the class giving their report.
"Can you? Did you? Is Farkle an athlete now?" Riley asked.
"Not as good as Lucas." Farkle joked.
"Oh. Well, will you ever be?" Riley grumbled.
"You're talent lies in a different kind of sport." Val reminded him.
"And he doesn't have to be good at the same things I am." Lucas shrugged.
"You don't have to be a great athlete to like the game." Farkle grinned.
"Oh, really?" Cory asked.
"Yeah. The fun of the game is running the bases."
Maya laughed "Farkle, you actually ran?" She held her hand up for a high-five and Farkle obliged, they stayed there for a moment before Maya shook her head "Nothin'."
"I don't get the moment, but I'm very disappointed." Farkle moved back to stand between Val and Lucas.
"Well, what happens if you get home and realize you're not as good as the rest of the team?" Riley asked.
"You keep playing." Lucas smiled.
"Things like basketball or baseball are team sports, Riley." Farkle nodded "You just run the bases. The rest of your team will help you get home."
"What sport did you end up doing, Farkle?" Cory asked.
"Val helped me figure out that I'm actually pretty good at gymnastics." Farkle grinned "I'm flexible and quick. She's part of my team."
Val wrapped an arm around the genius's shoulder "I'm always on your team."
The next day, Riley stood in front of the class "I'm not going to fall off the face of the Earth."
"Yeah, 'cause the Earth's not flat!" Annie whispered, making Val bite her lip and roll her eyes.
"There is no end to my horizon." Riley continued.
"'Cause the Earth's a circle." Annie groaned.
"My parents are Cory and Topanga, and they gave me the best parts of both of them. I'm not going to be you or Mom, Dad." Riley looked to her father.
"We don't want you to be, Riley."
"I'm going to have my own stories."
"And I can't wait to watch them." Cory nodded.
Riley reached back and pulled out an old red hat and put it on.
"Riley?" Cory asked.
"Yeah?"
"Where'd you get that hat?"
"Oh, you gave it to me a long time ago. Don't you remember?"
"No. It looks great on you."
"Thanks, Dad. It's going to help me run the bases."
"You know he didn't give it to you, right?" Val interrupted "He gave it to me."
"What? But it was in my room." Riley argued.
"Yeah, 'cause I gave it to you. Right before I had to go back to the hospital when I was four." Val said "You had loved that hat, and I wanted you to have something to remember me by, just in case." Her voice cracked.
Riley's jaw dropped open, she didn't remember that, but it seemed right "I-I'm sorry. I don't remember that."
"You were four, Riley. I don't expect you to." Val smiled sadly "I'm glad you kept it."
The bell rang and Val hefted her bag onto her shoulder. She knew Riley would be okay.
Word count: 5295 words
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Love,
The Author