On Stage [Farkle Minkus]

11 ~ back to school

"Hey, guys," Gabe said with a smile on his face.

"Hi, Gabe," Maya said.

"Hey," Cassie smiled

"Hey, Gabe," Farkle said.

"How was your summer?" Cassie asked.

"Good," Gabe smiled. "It was so nice going back to Boston for the summer and seeing my grandparents. What did you guys do this summer? Harley told me you guys spent it working on a play Zoey was in?"

"Yeah," Farkle said. "The show was great."

Farkle went onto tell Gabe everything they did this summer and Cassie noticed Gabe's smile twitch. She could tell that hearing everything they did that summer left Gabe feeling left out and wishing that he was there with them rather than in Boston.

"It feels so weird to be back here and knowing that Riley and her family aren't here anyone," Maya admitted.

"I know," Farkle agreed. "She was the glue that held us together, in a way."

Cassie wasn't sure if she agreed or not. She didn't know Riley as well as Maya, Farkle and Gabe. She's only known her for a year and she wasn't in a position to agree or disagree. If she had known Riley longer, then maybe she would think different.

"It'll be okay," Gabe said. "Have you guys seen Harley, Zoey, Lucas or Caleb?"

"Not yet," Farkle shook her head.

Cassie looked over Maya's shoulder to see Harley and Zoey coming up the stairs together, talking.

"Oh, there are Harley and Zoey," Cassie said. "Guys!"

She waved her hand at Harley and Zoey as they came up the stairs. 

Maya, Farkle and Gabe turned around.

"Hey," Harley said, smiling.

"Hey, guys," Zoey greeted them.

"What do you guys have first period?" Farkle asked them.

They shared their schedules with each other.

Cassie was relieved to see that she had at least one of them in each one of her classes.

The bell rang, signaling that classes were starting in five minutes.

"Where's Smackle?" Farkle asked, looking around, realizing that Smackle hadn't come.

"Huh, that's weird," Gabe noted. "Aren't you always with Smackle?" 

"Yeah, but... I guess I'll see her in AP Chemistry if she's with me," Farkle said, slightly disappointed.

Cassie had History with not only Maya, but with Zoey, Gabe and Harley.

The five of them went to their History class together which was in Mr. Matthews' old classroom.

Their history teacher didn't seem like a bad teacher. She really hoped that Mr. Young would be a good teacher. 

After History, Maya had Honors English with Gabe. When they were done with Honors English, they had Geometry with Maya and Caleb, Gabe's old friend from Boston. Cassie then had her Chemistry with Zoey, Harley and Lucas Friar. 

After those four classes, it was finally lunch time and Cassie was able to sit down with her friends and properly talked to them. They talked about their classes and what they thought of their teachers. 

When the lunch period ended, Cassie had Spanish with Maya, Harley and Zoey. She then had her drama elective with Zoey, Farkle and Harley. After drama, she had her English elective with Gabe. Her day ended with her PE class with Zoey, Maya and Smackle. 

Smackle slipped Cassie's mind that day. The moment the school day started, she was so focused on her classes and everything, that she completely forgot that she hadn't seen Smackle all day. Even during lunch, she wasn't with them. Not even Farkle.

"Hey, Smackle," Cassie greeted her. "How are you?"

"I am doing well, thank you, Cassandra," Smackle said.

Cassie flinched when Smackle referred to her as Cassandra. She hated being called Cassandra. If she could changed her name, she would. Her parents keep saying no. They're hoping that she might change her mind and eventually like her name, but all these years later, Cassie still hates her name. 

"Please, call me Cassie," Cassie said.

"Your actual name is Cassandra?" Maya said, amused.

"Unfortunately," Cassie said. "Please, Maya, don't call me that or make fun of me for my name."

"You honestly think I'd make of you?" Maya said.

"People always made fun of me for my name," Cassie explained. "They always mocked me because of it."

"Is that why you didn't like your name as a kid?" Zoey said.

Zoey was the only person she told her actual name and that she didn't like it.

"No," Cassie shook her head. "I liked my name when I was younger, but as I got older... it was my grandmother. I don't want to get into it."

Zoey and Maya didn't pressure Cassie to get into it.

Smackle looked at Cassie with curiosity, wondering what it was about Cassie's grandmother that made her hate her name. 

Their PE teacher came into the gym and started the lesson.

When the school day ended, Cassie, Zoey and Gabe went to the bakery. The rest of the group weren't able to come with them and hang.

Cassie and Zoey made sure they freshened up and sprayed perfume on themselves so they did not smell like sweet.

They hung out at the bakery for a while before leaving.

"So what are you going to do with Randy?" Zoey asked Cassie as they walked to Zoey's house.

Cassie completely forgot about Randy.

She was so busy with school and work that Randy slipped her mind. She remembered briefly seeing Randy at the play but she didn't get the chance to talk to him. 

"Oh, God," Cassie remembered. "He's been texting me but I've been so busy..."

"Are you going to text him back?" Zoey asked.

"I... yes, I will," Cassie said. 

"You better," Zoey said. "Randy is such a nice guy."

"I know," Cassie sighed.

Cassie and Zoey hung out at Zoey's house for a while

Robin and Scott picked Cassie up after dinner and went home.

"How was school?" Robin asked her daughter.

"Good," Cassie smiled. "It was good."

"What about your teachers?" Scott asked. "Do you like your teachers?"

"I don't know yet," Cassie said. "They seem like good teachers, but..."

When they got home, Cassie changed and stayed in her room for the rest of the night.