Dylan, Time To Meet The World (GMW: Season 1)

Girl Meets Flaws

The door to the janitor closet opened up, revealing janitor Harley and... Farkle?! "Troubled lad, I now release you to the hands of your caring friends, 'cause they have time for this." Harley said. He pushed Farkle over to us and he walked off. 

"You wanna tell us what's going on here, buddy?" Lucas asked. "Are you my buddy?" Farkle asked. "What?" Lucas asked, confused. "Spill it, Farkle." Maya ordered. "Somebody made fun of my turtlenecks." Farkle told us. I gave him my look. "Your turtlenecks?" Riley asked. "Yeah, somebody said they make me weird." Farkle told us. "You are weird." Maya told him. I nodded. "She doesn't mean that." Riley reassured Farkle.  "Sure, I do. He knows he is." Maya said. "He embraces it. But you already know that, Farkle. That's what makes you unique." I told him. "What good is being unique if somebody knows you're really not?" Farkle said. We all watched him walk away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gandhi. What'd he do?" Cory asked, pointing to the picture of Gandhi on the chalkboard. "Freed Ireland." Maya guessed. Cory shook his head. "Dylan.Try again for Maya." He told me. I thought about it for a moment. "Freed Ireland." I guessed. "Freed India." Cory corrected. "Before or after he freed Ireland?" Maya asked. "Jackie Robinson. What'd he do?" Cory asked, pointing to a picture of him on the chalkboard. "First Irish guy to play in the major leagues after Gandhi freed 'em." Billy guessed. I smiled. "I-I quit." Cory stuttered out.

"But you can't quit, sir!" Farkle's voice said through the machine. "And you need to be in my class, Farkle. How long are you gonna be out sick?" Cory asked. "Don't know." Farkle's voice, said, as he faked a cough, "Pretty bad cold, sir." "Okay. Feel better." Cory told him. He walked back to the chalkboard and pointed to the picture of Malala.  "What about her?" He asked. 

"That's Malala. The Taliban doesn't think that women should be educated. She stood up to them and became the first teenager ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace prize." Riley answered. "Sometimes the world presents you with opportunities to show who you really are. Will you have the courage to stand up to someone who tries to take your spirit away?" Cory explained. Riley stood up. "May I be excused?" She asked. "For what?" Mr. Matthews asked. "The world has presented me with an opportunity." With that Riley walked out of the classroom.

~~~~~~

Maya, Lucas, and I walked into the janitor closet where we found Riley, Farkle, and janitor Harley. "Somebody told Farkle that he doesn't deserve us as friends." Riley informed us. My eyes widened. "Who?" Maya and I demanded. "It's not important." Farkle said, quickly. "It's the most important thing in the world. I'll find him myself and I'd hate to be him when I do." Maya said. She turned to the door and was about to walk out the door but. Lucas picked her up to stop her. 

"Am I there yet?" Maya asked as Lucas set her down. "Okay. I'm just... Going to go to the bathroom real quick," I said, turning to the door, and was about to walk out, but Lucas picked me up just like he did with Maya. "You're were going to go find the kid weren't you?" Lucas asked me. I looked down at him and made eye contact with his dazzling green eyes. Wait what?! "Maybe..." I replied. Lucas set me down. 

"Farkle, don't let what anybody says get to you. That's what gives them power." Lucas told him. "Why are you my friend?" Farkle asked. "What is it with that?" Lucas asked, clearly frustrated. Riley sighed. "Farkle. Would you just come back to class?" Riley asked. "Pippi longstockings is right." Harley told us. We all turned to him. "I, janitor Harley Keiner, was in my youth a school meanie. And someone you all know and love was often the target of my shenanigans. But his will was so strong, it changed the nature of our relationship forever." Harley told us, "In fact, he even got me this job, and now I hold him in the highest esteem."

Cory walked into the closet. "Hey, Johnny Baboon!" Harley greeted. My eyes widened Kid in amusement. "Johnny Baboon?" We all asked. "You promised me!" Cory shouted at Harley. "Oops." Harley said. Cory turned to us and saw Farkle. "Farkle, you're here. Are you okay?" Cory asked, clearly concerned. "I'm fine, sir." Farkle replied. "Good. Then I'll see you in my class tomorrow morning." Cory told him. Farkle walked out. Riley, Maya, Lucas and I followed him.