Words [Riley Matthews]

23 ~ secret of life

Summer vacation ended and the new school year started. Gabriel pretty much stages the same, which didn't surprise his friends.

A few weeks into the new school year, a new student joined their class, an old friend of Lucas, Zay. His showing up came all of a sudden and caused what Gabriel saw as minor problems.

One thing that Gabriel didn't expect to see was an old friend of his joining the school.

The bell rang and Maya and Riley both enter the class.

"So you don't want anything to change?" Maya asked.

"No, I don't like change," Riley said as she and Maya sat down. "Change fills my pockets with pennies of uncertainty."

Maya gave Riley a puzzled look.

"All right," Cory said. "So should we actually learn about what happened in Belgium in 1831?"

"No!" Farkle exclaimed.

"No?" Cory repeated.

"I always get my hopes up and then something happens to hurt my little Farkle heart. Well, this time I refuse to believe," Farkle explained.

"In 1831..." Cory began.

"Yes? Wait!" Farkle interrupted. He turned to Riley. "Anything going to suddenly happen to you?"

"No changes, lovin' life," Riley said.

"Anything going to happen to you?" Farkle turned to Gabriel.

"Nothing ever happens to me," Gabriel said.

"Maya?"

Maya was snoring.

Farkle turned to Zay and Lucas.

"Nothing new," Lucas spoke for both him and Zay.

"Oh my gosh. This is it," Gabriel said, excitedly.

"In 1831... Belgium-" Cory started

Someone knocked on the door and entered. Gabriel felt like his breath got stuck in his throat. He knew who it was.

"Hi, I'm new here," Caleb said.

Farkle stood up. "Get out!"

"Excuse me?" Caleb asked.

"I said get out!"

"You got a transcript, kid?" Cory asked.

"Yeah, here it is," Caleb said, hanging his papers to Cory.

"Caleb Ford," Cory read. "From Boston, Massachusetts."

"Caleb, what are you doing here?" Gabriel asked in surprised.

"I was expecting you to be happy to see me, Gabe," Caleb said.

"Maya, something's changing," Riley said.

"Uh, where do I sit?" Caleb asked.

Cory gestured to the seat next to Lucas. "Have a seat right there, Mr. Ford."

"Lucas, do you know this Caleb?" Riley asked Gabriel said.

"Yeah, we grew up together back in Boston," Caleb said.

Gabriel nodded confirming Caleb's statement.

Gabriel turned his attention to Caleb.

"Tell me what happened later," Gabriel said. Caleb nodded.