Val Meets Communism
I don't own Girl Meets World!
Val and Riley had been picked to serve on John Quincy Adams Middle School's honor board. Lucas was stuck on it anyway as class president. This meant staying after school and listening to the endless disputes from their fellow students. Yogi and Darby were on the board too, but more often than not, they were too wrapped up in each other to really notice or care what was going on.
Val leaned her head on Lucas's shoulder "How much longer again?"
"Six more cases, then we're free." Lucas laughed "We're almost there."
Val started to hum "People 'round here think I'm crazy but I don't care." (1)
"You are crazy." Lucas poked his girlfriend's shoulder.
"Didn't you hear me? I don't care." Val nudged him back "Besides I'm the good kind of crazy. Spontaneously bursting into song crazy, not cooking people in pies crazy." (2)
Maybe they were the ones too wrapped up in each other to pay attention to what was going on because Cory coughed loudly to get their attention.
"John Quincy Adams Honor Board stands in session. Would you care to join us?" He asked.
"Or stay mellow doin' whatever the hell it is you do in Monticello?" (3)
Cory sighed "Sweetheart, please. I'm your ride home, I can't leave until we're done."
"Okay, okay." Val rolled her eyes "Next case?"
Lucas picked up the file "Case number 42 Isaiah Babineaux stands accused of boosting somebody's lunch."
Zay took a bite of his meatball sub "Prove it."
"You're eating the evidence." Val pointed out.
"This isn't fair, your Mom's a scary lawyer. You got her scary lawyer genes." Zay complained.
Cory rubbed his temples "You know, Zay, everybody else in your family seems so decent and kind."
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Teach. They say nice things about you too."
"So what happened to you?"
Zay shrugged "We're waiting on a lot of results."
"Punishment must serve a purpose." Cory declared "What do you guys think will teach Mr. Babineaux here a lesson?"
Val looked past Lucas at her sister "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Oh yeah." Riley grinned.
She was slowly but surely winning back Val's trust. Even Maya had started talking to her again, albeit cautiously, about simple things, nothing like the deep emotional conversations they used to have. But Riley had hope that soon, everything would be back to normal.
"Cafeteria duty." The sisters decreed.
"I don't like it." Zay shook his head.
"Well, I like it." Riley grinned "You took everybody's lunch away and now you should give everybody their lunch."
"Yeah," Val nodded "and Geralyn is awesome. If anyone can straighten you out, it's her. Peel the potatoes, put them in the pot. The punishment fits the crime."
"I don't like it when you two agree." Zay crossed his arms "And I do give everybody their lunch."
Riley frowned "What?"
Lucas jumped in "He gives roast beefs to the PB&Js. He gives meatball subs to the baloneys."
"Hah?"
"What kind of lunch meat mafia are you running here?" Val giggled.
"Everybody has the right to a delicious lunch." Zay explained "All right, these are my beliefs. Would you attack me on my beliefs?"
"That's not your meatball sub, though." Riley pointed out.
"But I believe it's better than my PB&J. So I Robin Hooded myself." Zay smiled triumphantly.
"You're Robin Hood?" Riley's disbelieving eyebrow arch wasn't nearly as scary as her sister's or mother's, but it did remind everyone in the room just who she was related to.
"I'm Robin Lunch." Zay corrected, saluting the board with his sandwich.
"So, let me get this straight." Val held up her hands to stop the proceedings "You're running an underground sandwich trading ring, stealing people's sandwiches and swapping them for different sandwiches?"
"Exactly!"
"Zay." Lucas sighed "You just confessed."
"...Oh."
"Cafeteria duty." Val pointed "Go."
"You can punish me, but the forest people love me." Zay warned.
Yogi gave him a thumbs up, chowing down on the sandwich Zay had procured for him.
"Bailiff Yogi, will you stop eating the evidence and please open the door for the next case?" Cory swiped the sandwich from the boy, earning himself a glare as Yogi headed to the back of the room "Thank you."
"I've got this judgey thing down." Riley snapped her fingers "I got the hang of punishing people and I like it. I think the key to this whole thing is to consider the facts and not get to emotionally involved."
Val glanced at the next case file in front of Lucas and snorted "Yeah, that's not gonna last long."
"What do you mean?"
Yogi opened the door and Maya and Farkle walked in, looking nervous and guilty.
"Peaches!" Riley sighed "What have you done?"
"That." Val pointed "That is what I mean."
"My buds. Please tell me you're just here to pick me up because you're my buds?" Riley begged.
"Yeah, buds." Maya scoffed "You wanna know what we did or what?"
Lucas opened the folder "Case number 43. Maya Hart stands accused of cheating off of Farkle Minkus on the last history exam."
Val dropped her head on the desk "We're not getting to the next four cases after this, are we?"
Riley leaned forward "Maya, is this true?"
"Farkle, how do I answer this?" Maya whispered.
"I'm sorry, Riley." Cory shook his head "She done did it."
"I learn better this way, Mr. Matthews." Maya tried to defend herself "When I see the answers Farkle chooses it helps me circle the right thing."
"You can't just steal his answers, Maya." Lucas groaned.
Maya shrugged "Why not? I'm finally learning what you've been trying to teach me. You've tried everything and I'm really grateful, but I found a way."
"Farkle, how could you rat out Maya for cheating off you?" Riley pleaded.
"I didn't rat her out." Farkle shook his head, staring lovingly at the blonde "Maya can do whatever she wants with me."
"What do you have on him?" Val asked.
"I ratted her out." Cory said, cutting them off and getting them back on track.
"Where's your evidence?" Val questioned.
"She wrote 'This work is all Maya Hart, definitely not Farkle Minkus' at the top."
Val stared "Wow, okay then. That's pretty damning."
"Why isn't anybody talking about what matters?" Maya threw her hands up "I got my first A!"
Lucas looked at Riley "Okay, judgey. You got a solution for this?"
Riley hesitated "Yes, I do. I say we give our friends special treatment. And not just any special treatment, we let them completely off the hook. And there's no lesson and nobody learns nothing. How about we do one of those this time? See ya next week, goodnight everybody!"
"No!" Val smacked her hand to her forehead.
"We can't just give our friends special treatment." Lucas agreed.
"I said goodnight, sir!" Riley slapped the table.
Maya sighed "Riles, I accept my punishment. Don't spin out of control."
Riley was spinning out of control "We're put under all this pressure to earn the highest grades. She did it. Maya learned, Daddy."
"She didn't learn, Riley." Cory corrected.
"She cheated." Val groaned.
"Maya, can you tell them what you learned?" Riley pleaded.
"I actually can." Maya made a face "That's new."
"That's new." Riley cheered "It doesn't matter how she learned. It's new."
"She cheated!" Lucas shouted, then winced "That was loud."
Riley scoffed "'Cheated' is a word. You know what else is a word?"
"Delusional?" Val muttered under her breath.
"Shared." Riley smiled "Read a question from the test."
Lucas sighed, but complied "The transcontinental railroad was built from the West and the East at the same time. In which city did the tracks meet?" He read aloud.
Maya smirked "C."
Val dropped her head back on the desk "Is it to late for me to tender my resignation?"
"Take me with you?" Lucas groaned "Riley, I can't agree with you on this."
"Farkle," Riley leaned into the microphone "Do you agree?"
"Think very carefully about your answer." Val warned.
Farkle glanced nervously between the sisters "Uh...I plead the fifth?"
"Dad?" Riley turned big pleading eyes on her father.
"No, I'm with Val and Lucas, Riley. You can't compromise your values just because these are your friends."
"Watch me!"
"No." Cory sighed "Wrong is wrong. She didn't learn anything. If she had learned something, you might have a point."
Maya grinned "They drove in the golden spike when the tracks connected at Promontory, Utah."
Cory turned to Lucas and Val "Quick, make a decision before she says other good stuff."
"Louisiana purchase." Maya started to list "Manifest destiny. C, C, A, D, false, false, true!"
"She's a stinking genius!"
"Now tell us what those words mean." Val crossed her arms.
"Cheating works for her."
Lucas slapped his hand on the table "No."
"Dad, it's Maya." Riley insisted "You know I'm going to turn this world upside down until I make this right."
"The world turned upside down."(4) Val chanted "Riley, you can't make this right. Cheating is wrong."
"I know you'll try." Cory agreed.
Riley stood up angrily, pushing her chair back "Well, I stand with them." She walked around the desk and threw her arms around Farkle and Maya's shoulders, pulling them in close "Yay!"
Cory shook his head "I don't need this."
"You think I do?" Val grumbled "If I'm in this, you're in this. I know you're the one who recommended to put me on the board, this is your fault."
Val had been right. They hadn't finished the remaining cases. She was too irritated with her father and sister to ride home with them and their endless bickering, so she took the subway. Somehow she beat them back to the apartment. Auggie and Topanga were in the living room, Topanga working at the kitchen table and Auggie sitting on the arm of the couch.
Val slumped face first into the couch "Have I told you lately you're my favorite sibling?" She asked.
"You could mention it more." Auggie gently patted her head.
"I will do whatever you want as long as you never cheat."
Auggie's eyes narrowed "Did Lucas do something?"
Val fell off the couch in surprise "No! Auggie!"
"It's a valid question."
"Maya cheated off Farkle on a test."
"So no Lucas?"
"You're a protective little guy, aren't you?" Val chuckled "No, Lucas and I agree. He also knows very well that if he ever cheats you'll kill him and Mom will get you out of jail."
"Good." Auggie huffed "What did Riley do?"
"Went all Riley about it." Val climbed back up on the couch "I blame Dad."
"Wanna watch me annoy Mommy?" Auggie offered.
"Sure, why not?"
Auggie grinned and flopped over his sister, groaning dramatically. Topanga hadn't been paying attention to their conversation, to focused on the case she was working on, but she looked up as Auggie continued to whine.
"Nothing to do, Auggie?" She asked.
"I've done everything there is to do in life." Auggie bemoaned.
Topanga laughed, getting up to join her children on the couch, pressing a quick kiss to the top of Val's head "Okay...well, do you want to take piano lessons?"
"You can play while I sing." Val suggested.
"That sounds like a lot of work."
"Anything worth doing takes work." Topanga reminded him.
"Then I'd rather just become a lawyer like you."
"Oof, you're in for it now, Augs." Val pushed him upright "Good luck."
Topanga scoffed "You don't just get to become a lawyer."
"What? Like it's hard?" Val quoted. (5)
Her mother glared at her "Do you wanna know what I had to do to become a lawyer?"
Auggie quickly covered her mouth "Please, no. It'll just happen. I'm a chip off the old block. You're the old block."
Val put a pillow over her face to muffle her laughter.
"Oh, well, thank you." Topanga had to laugh too "But just because you come from me doesn't mean you just get to be me."
"Why not? Vallie does."
Val rolled off the couch again, tears of laughter staining the pillow.
"You have to find out who you are." Topanga patted her only son's shoulder "And if you run into any trouble, maybe you'll reconsider those piano lessons. Val, honey, you okay?"
"Never better." Val giggled "This really helped, thank you, Auggie."
"This is why I'm your favorite sibling."
School the next day promised to be just as dramatic as the day before, if not more so. Cory, in the spirit of dramatics had written "COMMUNISM" in big, underlined letters on the board.
"Oh, this'll be good." Val dropped her bag by her desk and sat down.
Annie passed her a chocolate bar "What did I miss exactly? 'Cause this class is normally weird, but this is, like, super weird."
Val pointed as the other students trickled in "Cheated." Maya "Accomplice." Farkle "Cafeteria version of The Godfather." Zay "Going crazy." Riley "And my favorite." Lucas.
Annie blinked "Maya cheated off Farkle, Zay's running an underground lunch syndicate, Riley's convinced she can fix everything even though all she does is make it worse, and you and Lucas are so cute you're giving me cavities?"
"How'd you get all that from so little?" Lucas asked, taking his seat by the girls.
"Honestly, it wasn't that hard to figure out." Anne shrugged "Riley was a given, that's all she ever does. You already know I'm heading up your guys' fan club. And Zay swapped my grilled cheese for a BLT yesterday."
Cory clapped his hands to start class "Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist party?"
Maya raised her hand "The Cold War, sir. Democracy versus Communism. You get what you earn versus everybody gets the same thing."
"Very good, Farkle." Cory nodded appreciatively "I didn't even see your lips move."
"Because Maya answered herself, sir." Farkle grinned "She remembered the information."
"How'd she get that information in the first place?" Val rolled her eyes.
Maya shrugged "It only makes sense to me when I can get in trouble for it."
"Wait, so you're telling me that in Communism everybody shares with everybody els?" Riley asked, eyes lighting up.
"Yes, Riley. The Communist philosophy is that everybody's the same and everybody gets the same thing." Farkle explained.
"And that's my new philosophy!" Val gave the class jazz hands. (6)
"And it's a party?"
"I want so desperately to be proud of you." Cory shook his head "Please don't make it harder."
Riley rolled on "So, you mean when somebody doesn't know something on a test and somebody does, you're supposed to share that information?"
"Yeah. That's Communism. But it's a little more complicated than that. You know the American Dream?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, this is the other thing." Cory slapped his hands on his daughters desk "What do you all wanna be when you grow up?"
"I haven't decided yet." Riley played with her hair.
"I see you as a factory worker."
Riley tried to protest "Well, what if I don't want to be-?"
"I want to be a factory worker!" Maya raised her hand.
"I see you as a potato farmer."
"But I prefer the warmth of a factory." Maya argued, pouting.
"Can I still take over the world?" Farkle asked.
"Sure you can." Val laughed "Just as long as everybody can take over the world with you."
"I am not taking over the world with factory girl and potato head." Farkle folded his arms in a huff "Val, you can come though."
"Your individual goals don't matter." Cory drew the class back in "You're one of many. There are no social classes. Nobody is more or less successful than anybody else. That's Communism."
"Oh, that's Communism." Zay nodded "I thought it was when they scared the demons out of you."
"That's an exorcism." Val corrected.
"Oh, yeah. That's the one I had."
"I am concerned for you." Annie threw a chocolate at him "Give this to your inner demons."
"Whoever I am, I am not down with Communism." Zay unwrapped the candy.
"Sure you are." Maya rolled her eyes "You're Robin Hood."
"He's Robin Lunch." Val corrected.
"Whatever! Take from the rich, give to the poor."
"Did you guys hear that?" Cory asked "Did you hear what Maya just said? I mean, she actually gets this stuff. Maya. You really did learn something."
"Can I have one of those?" Val asked, leaning over her best friends shoulder.
"Sure." Annie passed her the whole bag of chocolates.
Val started throwing them at her father "Snap out of it! Cheating is bad! No chocolate for cheaters!"
"Val!"
"I will call Mom on you!" Val sat back down "Okay, I'm done." She handed the half empty bag back.
"Maya, doesn't learning new things make you want to study by yourself?" Cory begged, picking chocolate out of his hair.
Maya shook her head "No, it makes me want to cheat off everybody equally."
Val beaned her in the back of the head with a chocolate.
"Why should we be in competition with each other?" Riley stood up "Why should we be motivated by report cards? Why shouldn't we all help each other out to know exactly the same thing?"
"Riley..." Cory rushed behind his desk to grab the American Flag "Look at this, and choose your next words very carefully."
Riley thrust her fist in the air "Comrades!"
"I pledge allegiance!"
"Comrades of John Quincy Adams unite!"
Maya jumped up "Lightning!"
"Thunder!" Riley whooped, she and Maya were on the same team again!
"Darkness!"
"Bunny rabbits!"
Same team, maybe not the same page.
"From each according to his ability." Maya recited.
"To each according to his need!" Riley continued.
"Woah!" They said together "We're Commies. It worked! Yay!"
"Have you heard, there's a rumor in St. Petersburg? Have you heard comrade, what do you suppose?" Val sang "A fascinating mystery, the biggest con in history!" (7)
"That's not helping, sweetie."
"Well, what do you want me to do, comrade?" Val leaned back in her chair.
Dinner that night was eventful. Riley was in a black beret and a red stripy shirt with a sash and a pin of the Communist symbol.
"Why did you give her that hat?" Cory asked.
Val shrugged "I don't know, it worked with her outfit."
"So, did anything interesting happen at school today?" Topanga asked, begging whatever higher power there was that nothing interesting had happened.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Her husband lied, staring at their younger daughter.
"Want to explain Riley's outfit?"
"Not particularly."
"I will." Val picked up her knife and fork "She's a commie now."
"Can you pass the potatoes?" Cory tried to smile and avoid the approaching storm.
Topanga laughed nervously, picking up the bowl "Oh, thank goodness. I thought she was a mime."
"Yeah, that's another reason I gave her the hat." Val snorted.
Riley huffed "Maya cheated off of Farkle and all of a sudden, she knows stuff."
"So you're a Communist?" Topanga frowned "Do I need to know the middle of the story?"
"You wanna be proud of her?" Cory spooned more potatoes onto his plate.
"Mm-hmm."
"Then no."
Topanga turned back to her daughter "Honey, Maya doesn't know stuff if she cheated off of Farkle."
"Mom, you can't crush my hopes for her." Riley complained "In the words of the president of Communism-"
Val choked on her potatoes and Auggie thumped her on the back.
"-'You may say, hey, hey, I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the- but I'm not the-'"
"Shh," Cory patted her head "Go to sleep, Riley. Leave the music references to your sister."
"Riley." Topanga took a deep breath "John Lennon was a Beatle."
"Mom, just because his religious beliefs are different than yours, does not mean you get to call him a bug!"
"Teacher of the year, right here." Val pointed at her father, still coughing "Like you I was curious, so innocent I asked a thousand questions but unless you want to suffer listen up and I will teach you a thing or two." (8)
"Look what I'm working with!" Cory tried to defend himself.
"Does the rest of the honor board share your position on this, Riley?" Topanga asked.
"No." Val took a drink of water "Lucas is on my side, Yogi and Darby don't really care...yet."
"Maya and Farkle are going on trial tomorrow." Riley exclaimed "And they're going to need somebody really good to represent them, because when something's this important you need the best possible-"
"Piano player!" Auggie guessed.
"Lawyer." Riley corrected "And Val already said no."
"Well," Auggie turned back to his food "That's it then."
"Riley, you're not going to find a lawyer to defeat Democracy." Cory loaded even more potatoes on his plate "I mean, not even if you found some hyper-competitive, freak of nature, super lawyer."
Topanga cracked her knuckles.
"For once, I'm glad you took all the potatoes, Dad." Val sighed.
"Why's that, honey?"
Val pushed his face in his plate of potatoes.
"Oh." Cory sat up and looked at his wife "That's why. I see what I did." He got up and grabbed the American flag he'd brought home from school "I'm sorry you had to see this."
"You apologize to a flag but not to me?" Val sighed "Auggie, you're my favorite. Have some more potatoes."
"Yay!"
The honor board was scheduled to meet again after school, so Val and Lucas found themselves sitting next to Riley, now decked out in a red hat, white blouse, and pencil skirt with a pin of Karl Marx's face. Maya and Farkle were at desks, facing the jury of their peers. Annie sat in the corner, sharing a bucket of popcorn with Zay, occasionally snapping pictures under the guise of "Yearbook committee."
Cory started the trial "The purpose of this honor board hearing is to determine the guilt or innocence of Maya Hart and Farkle Minkus, who stand accused of sharing information during an exam. We'll begin the questioning with Lucas Friar."
"Thank you." Lucas nodded "Ms. Hart. Mr. Minkus. Are you now or have you ever been a cheater?"
"Objection!" Riley yelled.
"You're on your side." Lucas reminded her.
"But who's on their side?" Riley argued "What kind of system is it where people are..."
"Judged by." Lucas offered when she couldn't find the words.
"Other people..."
"Like a jury?" Val pointed out.
"Who are students like them..."
"Oh, my mistake, a jury of their peers?" Val rolled her eyes.
"Yeah! What do you call that?"
"That would be the American Justice System." Annie called out "Which you would know if we ever learned anything relevant in history."
"You and your answers." Riley narrowed her eyes "Well. I guess I don't have any more moves , do I? By the way, defense calls my Mommy!"
Topanga strutted into the classroom in all her lawyerly glory, a chorus of trumpets playing in the background.
"Annie!"
Annie paused the music blasting from her phone "What? She's awesome."
"I win." Topanga declared.
Cory groaned "Honey, you can't just come in here and interrupt our very formal procedure. I mean this is the highest court of the John Quincy Adams Middle School legal system. And we take our proceedings very seriously!"
Yogi slammed the gavel on the table with a weak squeak.
"All right." Topanga nodded disbelievingly "Everybody sit where you would normally sit."
The jurors moved to take their respective seats throughout the classroom. Topanga crossed to the front of the desks. Riley and Maya were sat next to each other, Farkle was behind Riley, Lucas next to him behind Maya, and Val on his other side.
"What I'm interested in is how Maya could've cheated off of Farkle all by herself in the first place. Because as you can see by the configuration of the desks, it would be impossible for Maya to see Farkle's paper from that distance unless..." Topanga paused for dramatic effect "She had some help. Mr. Matthews."
"Yes, darling?"
"What is it you do while they take their tests?"
"Who? Me?" Cory blushed "I sit here, I get sad, I think about the way things could've been."
"Cory!"
"I'm up here! You know, I- I- I read a book because...you know, I- I trust them."
"Objection!" Val called "You're watching us like a hawk and you know it."
"Interesting." Topanga mused "What happens next?"
"Well, I look at the first question on the test, then I make this kinda face..." Maya made a disgusted face "Then I look at Riley who's all like..."
Riley started to hum, scribbling her "answers" on the piece of paper.
"Then I look at Val who goes..."
Val arched her eyebrow, quickly blocking Maya's view of her paper.
"Then I look at Farkle who's all like..."
Farkle slammed his pencil down "Done!"
"But for the first time ever, I might have looked at Farkle like..." Maya pouted pleadingly, her eyes darting between Farkle's paper and his face "And Farkle kind of might have went..."
Farkle lifted his paper, tilting it towards the blonde, mouthing 'I love you.'
"Interesting." Topanga watched as Maya arched her neck, trying to get a better look at the paper "But from this angle, there's still something blocking your view."
"Yes." Maya conceded "So it's possible Riley might have went..."
Riley glanced up, noticed Maya craning to get a peek at Farkle's notebook, Farkle trying to discreetly show it to her, and hunched down so her nose was smushed against her desk, giving Maya a clear view of Farkle's test.
"Ooh, plot twist!" Annie cheered.
"Well, we knew that Farkle was an accomplice." Lucas started adding things up.
"I'll do anything for my friends." Farkle agreed "I accept my punishment."
"But I think that Mrs. Matthews just proved that he was not alone." Lucas finished, glaring accusingly at Riley.
"Great job, Mom." Val clapped slowly "You implicated your own daughter in the crime you're trying to prove didn't happen."
"Yeah, uh," Topanga chuckled nervously "My work here is done. See ya at home sweetie."
"If I have to stay, you have to stay." Val got up and blocked the doorway "You raised this."
"Case number 44." Lucas growled.
"Oh boy." Topanga sighed, knowing she raised both Val who was unmovable, and Riley who had majorly messed up.
"Riley." Cory stood up, crossing to his daughters desk.
"I was kind of an accomplice too." Riley admitted.
"Yeah, we got that." Annie scoffed "I am not surprised."
"Riley, how could you?" Topanga demanded.
"Farkle put himself in jeopardy for Maya. How could I not? I was being a good friend. I thought maybe if Farkle shared his knowledge with Maya, and she got a good grade, she might want to keep learning."
"You know there's another way Farkle could've shared his knowledge." Val scowled "It's called tutoring."
"Maya wouldn't have gone for that."
"She's right, I wouldn't." Maya nodded.
"But she wants to keep on learning now. So if that makes us Communists, then I guess that's what we really are." Riley shrugged unconcernedly.
Lucas scoffed, gesturing to their matching outfits "Yeah? Well, you certainly look like you're all in the same little group now."
"So what if maybe we dress a little bit alike?" Riley asked.
"And maybe some of my study methods have rubbed off on her." Farkle tried to point out.
Val leaned her head against the doorframe "If she thinks you'll just give her the answers, why would she try to find them herself? Cheating doesn't work, guys."
"Wait, Maya, you know Farkle's methods?" Riley turned to the blonde, but Maya just smiled "Dad, what's going on here?"
"It's just what you wanted, Riley. Communism."
"The Neva flows, a new wind blows, and soon it will be Spring. The leaves unfold, the Tsar lies cold. A revolution is a simple thing." Val sang ominously. (9)
"What's that mean?"
"When the Russian revolution happened, when Communism took hold of the country, the Tsar and his whole family were imprisoned. Later, they were brutally murdered. They represented the old government, the Bolsheviks knew they were a threat so they killed them." Val explained "In a revolution, you take out your opponent, by any means. But the rivers still flow and the seasons still change. In the grand scheme of things, what's single human life compared to what the masses can accomplish? 'Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.' Karl Marx."
"Karl Marx." Maya took out a handful of pins and started passing them out "The father of Communism. Vladimir Lenin led the revolution."
"These guys don't seem anywhere near as much fun as the other guys." Riley looked at the pin in her hand.
"Yeah, well, maybe that's because the other guys, John Lennon and Groucho Marx were two incredibly talented, what?" Cory asked "Maya?"
"Individuals, sir." Maya was back to mimicking Farkle "The point you're trying to make is that a free society breeds individuals."
"And how do you feel your developing as an individual?"
"Maya, why don't you sound like you?" Riley was getting scared.
"What do you mean? Who would I sound like besides me? I'm still me, Riley. I've always been me, and I'll never be anybody else but me. Ha!" Maya honked.
Farkle lit up like a firework "Ha!"
"Huh." Riley stared in horror.
"Communism, everybody." Val spread her arms wide "Can I go home now?"
Lucas, Val, Annie, and Zay had gone shopping as soon as they escaped the honor board. They'd bought poster boards and duct tape. The essentials. They got to school early the next day, and went around to all their classrooms, pushing Riley, Maya, and Farkle's desks together and building a makeshift barrier around them.
"Is this gonna work?" Zay asked.
"I don't know what else to do." Annie shrugged "And I don't care anymore. This will keep them and their Communist drama away from me and away from Val. That's what I care about."
"But, building a wall? Doesn't that seem a little...?"
"Don't finish that sentence, I'm not playing politics with you." Annie warned, pulling a strip of duct tape threateningly "I will win."
They did the history classroom last, since it was their first class. Riley, Maya, and Farkle came in, dressed identically in Farkle's old dictator-ette blazers.
"Into the cube." Val ordered, shepherding them to their cordoned off desks "Let's go."
Cory entered the classroom with a sigh "Is this why you left so early? What is this?"
"We are putting up a wall to protect ourselves from them." Zay pointed at the trio of Communist wannabes.
"Don't you think that's a little extreme?"
"I told you!" Zay hissed.
"It's the judgment of the honor board." Lucas shook his head "To separate those who cheat-"
"Share!" The trio insisted together "Hey! We all said that at the same time! I'm hungry. What is happening to us? Whoa."
"That's not gonna get annoying." Val held out her hand "Annie, pass me some duct tape."
"We don't want to become like them." Lucas edged away from the scariest girls he knew "We'd rather remain a free society of individuals."
"Instead of whatever the heck that was." Zay agreed "I'm calling my exorcist."
"But isn't the best part of a free society the fact that it allows people to consider all beliefs?" Cory asked.
"Sure." Val nodded "As long as you're not trying to force your beliefs on anyone else. That's not a free society. That's like letting the Bible influence our nations lawmakers. Oh, wait..."
"Can you just fix this, please?" Lucas begged.
"You know, I graded your recent exams." Cory took the papers from his briefcase and started handing them out "Mr. Friar. 100%. You get an A. Mr. Babineaux, 100%. You get an A. Ms. Matthews," He turned to Val "110%, nice work on the extra credit. You get an A." He faced the three in their box "Ms. Hart, Ms. Matthews, Farkle, 100%. You get a C."
"What?" Riley gasped.
"Yeah, what's that you say now?" Farkle fumed "I can't get a C, I'm Farkle."
"Not anymore." Val sang under her breath.
"How can we get a 100% and get a C?" Maya asked.
Cory sighed "Because when you get everything right, but you don't do it yourselves, it makes you average."
"Grade 'em on a curve, Daddy-o!" Val laughed.
"A divided by three is a C."
"Why does he still think it's math class? We've talked about this." Zay grumbled.
Cory ignored him "Look at you, you're all the same. Your average. You're common."
Riley frowned down at the paper in front of them "Commonism. Is this why it fell? People didn't want to all be the same?"
"Without incentive, there's no motivation." Cory shrugged "Without motivation, there's no advancement. In a truly free society, we share the best parts of ourselves without cheating. Because we get to learn who we are individually."
"Come on, guys." Lucas begged "Separately you're some of the best individuals I know...and Riley. I miss you. We miss you."
"Eh." Annie shrugged "I could take 'em or leave 'em."
"Please come back." Val rubbed the bridge of her nose "I can't take much more of this."
"Maya?" Cory asked.
Maya hesitated. She looked back at Val and Lucas and Annie and Zay. She looked at Riley and Farkle to her right. Riley had helped her cheat because she wanted to win her back. It wasn't right, but she'd done it anyway. Maya had always thought Riley's moral compass could do no wrong, but she'd seen how wrong she was, the feud with her sister, trying to steal Lucas, going so far beyond breaking the rules for the people she cared about.
Did Riley even understand it had been wrong? Her intentions had been good, and she had been trying, but this was what she always did. She went too far.
"I think I'd like it better if I was doing well because I was doing well." Maya decided, she stood up, taking off her jacket and hat and turned to Val "I have no right to ask, but will you tutor me? I want to get an A I actually earn."
Val smiled "I know you can do it, Maya. And I'll help you get there."
"But now you're not me." Farkle complained.
"There's only one of you, Farkle."
Farkle took off his hat and blazer too "I don't want to be a Communist. I like being an individual. I like being the only Farkle."
"There's only one of all of us." Riley agreed "It's better that way, isn't it?"
She'd gone too far, she could see that. Now the question was how to fix it.
"We were founded on the concept of welcoming all people from all different parts of the world." Cory sat down at his desk "And encouraging each of them to find out who they are."
"Why?" Riley wondered.
"Because the individual is valued here." Val was the one to answer.
"Yeah." Riley stood up and pulled her Communist outfit off "That's pretty good. I'm sorry."
"Oh, Thank God." Lucas sighed.
"Welcome back, guys." Zay grinned.
"Mr. Friar, Ms. Matthews, tear down this wall."
Val and Lucas dismantled the border around the desks, putting the poster board in a corner for future projects.
"We're gonna have to do this in every classroom." Val giggled sheepishly "Just a heads up."
When Val walked home after school that day, she opened the door to Auggie in a long blonde wig and a pantsuit that was just a bit too big for him. She blinked.
"Why are you wearing my clothes?" Val asked "And why do they almost fit you?"
"I'm growing." Auggie grinned "And Frankie Big-Hands was gonna hurt me so I did what you and Mommy do."
"Are you wearing a bra?!"
"How do you do this every day? It's so uncomfortable."
Val dissolved into laughter "You know you're my favorite, right?"
"You're my favorite too, Vallie."
Word count: 6106 words
Hope you all like it! Treat yourself and others kindly! Don't forget to comment, vote, and add to your reading lists!#FreePalestine🍉🍉🍉
Love,
The Author
References
1- Princess and the Frog, Almost There
2- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
3- Hamilton, Cabinet Battle #1
4- Hamilton, Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)
5- Legally Blonde
6- You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, My New Philosophy
7- Anastasia, A Rumor in St. Petersburg
8- Matilda, School Song
9- Anastasia, The Neva Flows