Words [Riley Matthews]

12 ~ cell phone

"Talk to him," Maya told Riley.

"Why? We have a great text relationship," Riley said.

"You know what's a better text relationship?" Gabriel asked.

"What?"

"Talk to him," Gabriel said. As much as it killed Gabriel internally, he still wanted Riley to be happy. Even if it meant trying to get her to talk to Lucas.

"He's right over there," Maya added.

"Noooo!" Riley protested. "Too complicated over there. Lots can go wrong there. The only thing that can go wrong over there. The only thing that can go wrong over here if I go over there."

"Go," Gabriel said, giving Riley a small push towards Lucas.

Maya pointed towards Lucas's direction and she finally walked over.

"Riley tried to say hi twice, but nothing came out. She tried to say hello, but she mouths it.

Maya mouthed, Talk to him.

Riley sniffed Lucas's neck and went back to Maya and Gabriel.

"How'd I do?"

"You smiled him," Gabriel said.

"Yup," Riley said.

"You smelled him is what you did," Maya said.

"I walk through life, the way I walk through life," Riley said.

"Can we please talk about this?" Maya begged.

Instead of answering, Riley started to head to class. She texted Maya the answer.

"Nope," Maya read.

"Not surprised," Gabriel said. They both entered the classroom,

***

"You guys don't connect with each other," Cory said. "It's like you can't exist without these. You use emoticons rather than emotions. You're an unfeeling generation of zombies."

Riley and Maya began to mimic zombies.

"Stop eating here!" Cory said.

A girl entered the classroom. Cory turned his attention to her.

"You're late, Ms. Myzell."

"My goldfish died," she responded flatly.

"You see?" Cory said to his students. "This is what I'm talking about. Miss. Myzell has clearly suffered a tragic loss. Yet, she does not seem in touch with her actual emotions!"

"Excuse me?" Myzell said, flatly. "I'm crying my eyes out. I'm gonna have to leave class early."

She left the classroom and Cory was impressed.

"Oh, she actually made it out the door this time," Cory said, quiet impressed.

He opened the door and Myzell appeared in the doorway.

"I actually made it out of the door this time," she said, happily.

"Dad, adjust and deal. Cell phones have been around for, like, ever," Riley said as Myzell took her seat in the classroom.

"It'll amaze you to know that there was a whole world before you and cell phones," Cory said.

"And it'll amaze you to know that I have 394 friends in here," Riley said, tapping her cell phone screen.

Gabriel raised his eyebrows, not that impressed.

"And I'm amazed that you believe that," Cory said.

Cory turned around and picked up a chalk. He drew a line across the chalkboard.

"This is a timeline of all human existence. Starting here," Cory said. He pointed at the start of the timeline, "is everyone who ever loved, laughed, loved, and understood the value of life. The cellphone era, which begins right around here," he drew a line almost at the end of the timeline, "pretty much destroys all that. Way to go, you."

Gabriel raised his hand.

"Sir, can I take a different position?"

"Yeah, save me, Mr. Miller," Cory said. "Do I go too far?"

"Always," Gabriel said. "I understand your point, but I use my phone to talk to my old fri new and to find out what I missed in Boston. I'm pretty sure Lucas is in the same situation as me."

"Yeah," Lucas said. "I use my phone to video chat my friends back to find out what I missed in Texas."

"Yeah," Maya said. "How else can he keep tabs on all the hoedowns and cattle pageants?"

"Maya!" Riley said.

"It's okay, Riley," Lucas assured Riley. "I'm unaffected by Maya's views of country life. As my Uncle Buster always says, 'Be like an eagle and soar above the mockingbird.'"

"You're the mockingbird," Riley said.

"I know," Maya said. She turned her attention to Lucas. "It kills me that I can't get to you."

"Sorry, ma'am," Lucas said, tipping an  imaginary hat.

Maya shuddered in annoyance and turned away

Farkle raised his hand and says to Cory. "Farkle time, sir?"

"Oh, I love Farkle time," Cory said, excitedly.

Farkle and Cory switched places.

"With all due respect to history, Mr. Matthews, what's important to our generation will be on this side of the timeline," Cory said, "when Farkle and technology rule." Farkle then said to Riley. "And I will easily be able to make another one of you," he pulled a strand of Riley's hair.

"Ow," Riley said.

"And another one of you," he said, pulling a strand of hair out of Maya's head.

"Ow," Maya said flatly.

"Wait, so now there's four of them and one of you?" Gabriel said.

"That's awesome," Farkle said. "The future, you can't escape it, I am Farkle!"

Farkle and Cory switched places.

"The assignment, you can't escape it, I am teacher!" Cory said. "Okay, so here's what we're going to do, guys. We're going to split into teams and discover whether or not new technology has made us better people. You'll do presentations on your findings. And here's a twist. No computers."

"What?!" Farkle said in shock.

"We're going old school. You're going to do your research at the New York Public Library," Cory went on.

"Where?!" Maya asked.

"And here's another twist because I trust you not at all. Give me your cell phones," Cory added.

"No!" Riley said in shock.

"Yeah," Cory said. "Come on, hand 'em up, hand 'em up."

The students began to complain as they handed their cell phones over.

"Thank you, thank you. Okay, so our teams for this assignment," Cory said.

Farkle sat on Maya's lap and said, "What up!"

Maya pushed him off.

"And Riley you're with Gabe," Cory decided.

"Lucas, you're with Lily Brian," Cory said.

Lucas turned on his seat to look over at Lily. Gabriel noticed that Riley didn't like the idea very much but she decided to go with it.

The bell rang and everyone left the classroom.