"Kayden!" Riley shouted bouncing up and down on my bed. "What?" I groaned pushing her off my bed. "You need to get up because today is going to be a great day." Riley explained in an excited tone. She was too happy and when one of us was this happy something bad normally happens and I didn't want that for Riley. "Ok let me get ready." I said to her. I got ready doing my normal morning routine. "ready."I said walking out. "Aww, you look amazing." Riley complimented me. "Thanks, baby sister." I told her. We walked to the living room and heard a buzz.
"Those are my friends. I love my friends." Riley said hopping down the steps. "It's a sunny day, I love a sunny day. I love my friends." She pushed the button letting them in and walked towards the breakfast table. "I love my family, I love a sunny day." Riley said hugging dad. "I even love going to school." She said finally taking a seat at the table. "Okay what's going on with her?" Dad asked. "I don't know. Don't do anything." Mom said to him. "I'm in a good mood. This life thing, I think I got it down."Riley said and began snapping her fingers. Maya and Farkle walked in our apartment. "Maya, Oatmeal." Mom said holding the bowl. "No thanks, Mrs. Matthews." Maya replied. "Oh I wasn't asking." Mom said setting it down.
"Yow." Maya said. Her and Farkle came closer to the table. "Farkle you too." Mom said. "Thank you, but my mother already made me eggs, home fries, wheat toast, marmalade, and a strawberry shaped like a star." Farkle told her. Farkle sat down next to me. "I'm going to the Farkle's." Auggie stated. "Whose with me!?" He said and I stood up but Mom gave us a look. "Sit down and eat it please." She said sitting down. "But it's still this." Auggie said pointing at the oatmeal.
"Hey Auggie guess what? It's Googly time." Dad said. "No TV at the table." Mom ordered. "You're right Topanga this table is about the discussion of today's events only." Dad said. "Riley, Kayden." "I woke up, I love everything, and I sat here." Riley stated. He then looked at me. "Riley woke me up, I got ready, I sat here." I told him. Dad and Mom looked at each other. "All caught up, Googly time." Dad said turning on the TV. We all started singing the theme song. Auggie got up and turned off the TV.
"Hey." Everyone said. "I'm too old for Mr.Googly." Auggie said. He sat on the couch. "What?" Mom questioned. Mom and I got up and walked over to Auggie. "But Auggie, Mr. Googly is your best friend." Cory said. I picked up the Mr.Googly doll pretending to be it. "But Auggie I'm your foogly boogly best friend." I said moving the doll around. "Can I tell you a secret?" Auggie asked. "Of course you can tell Mr. Googly all your secrets." I said. "I have a new best friend now." Auggie told Mr. Googly. "Oh really? Who would that be?" I asked. "I don't want to tell you who she is." Auggie said. "She?" we all questioned. "I said too much." Auggie said to Mr. Googly.
"Why don't you tell Mr. Googly all about your new best friend and none of us will listen?" Mom suggested. We all looked away listening to Auggie. "I'm this many. I'm done with you now. Goodbye." Auggie said. I frowned at Auggie's sudden decision to grow up as he put Mr.Googly down. "They grow up so fast." Riley commented. We all looked at Auggie in shock.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We walked and talked through the hallway as usual. "I was so worried about this new school year." Riley said. "New school, new people, I didn't think I was going to survive. Not only am I surviving I'm thriving. I'm like a plant going like this. What was I so worried about?" She said moving her arms around doing an awkward pose.
I looked into the classroom to see Missy flirting with Lucas. I feel jealousy flare up inside me . I tapped Maya on the shoulder and she covered Riley's eyes. "What are you doing?" Riley asked. "Oh this is too easy it's Maya. I know because I saw you put your hands in front of my face. I'll do Maya now." Maya removed her hands and Riley tried to cover Maya's eyes.
"That's not the game." Maya told her. "What's the game?" Riley asked. "The game is protect the plant from the bulldozer in the pink sweater." I told her. Riley moved past us. "Oh Kayden bulldozers don't wear pink." Riley started but saw Missy and Lucas. "Huh." She said and walked back to our lockers. "You okay?" Maya and I asked her. "Yeah." Riley replied sliding down the lockers until she is sitting. We did the same sitting on opposite sides of her.
"Aw look what the bulldozer did to ya." Maya said looking at Riley. "I'm sorry you got uprooted little plant." I said. "There are other girls in this world." Riley started. "There are." I confirmed even though I hated to admit it. "And other girls like Missy Bradford are going to talk to Lucas." Riley said. "They are." I said. "I don't like that." Riley stated. I didn't like it either. Riley doesn't even know that to me she was one of those girls that would talk to Lucas. "I know." Maya and I said. "I wish the world was just as three." Riley said looking me and Maya. "Then it is." Maya and I declared. We leaned against each other. At this moment I've never related to Riley more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sneak attack." Dad said. "December 7th, 1941" I started. "A date which will live in infamy." Farkle finished for me. "A date? They're going on a date? In Italy." Riley asked looking at me and Maya. Maya leaned in and spoke to Riley. "No honey you're in history." She said. "I'm history?" Riley questioned.
"Okay put your hand up." I told Riley and lifted her arm. Dad looked at us. "Yes Riley. You have a pertinent observation on the sneak attack." I put her arm back down. "May I be excused?" Maya said trying to help Riley. "My eyes see my shoes." Riley said. Dad looked at us for an explanation and I nodded to Missy and Lucas. "Yes, Riley you may be excused." Dad said. "Forever?" Riley hopefully asked.
"No you have to come back to class at some point honey, you just have to." Dad told her. Riley got up to the door. She was about to walk into the wall when Dad pushed her over and she walked out the door. "It was another sunny day in paradise before the sneak attack that changed everything." He said. Riley stood outside the window. "Do you like the movies? Dark at the movies." Missy said to Lucas. "Depends on the movie. Depends on who I'm going with." Lucas told her.
"Scary movies? I get scared at scary movies. Will you take care of me?" Missy said. I rolled my eyes at her bad attempt at flirting. Riley pushed her face into the window watching. "People who had viewed themselves as safe no longer had any security at all." Cory continued. "Just you and me Missy?" Lucas asked. Missy nodded. "Just you and me Lucas. Boop."She said reaching over and tapped his nose. Riley ran towards the door and opened it.
"Boop?" Riley questioned. She walked over to Missy and Lucas. "Is that the best you've got?" She continued"Please be cool, please be cool." Maya begged. "You don't think that I can do boop." Riley stated. Maya turned to me and Farkle. "How bad do you think this is going to be?" Maya asked. "I think that we should have some faith in our Riley." Farkle said. "She gonna embarrass herself and hide away in her locker."I said and they nodded knowing I spoke the truth.
"I can do boop like you've never seen." Riley bragged. "Boop." Riley said. She stuck her finger in his nose instead of taping the tip. "Does anybody see this?"He said. "Everybody sees this." Missy said. Riley too scared to move didn't move her hand away from Lucas' nose. "Take your finger out." Maya demanded. "Can't, can't move. Scared. Do you think Lucas knows?" Riley said. "he definitely knows." I yelled/wispered to Riley.
"Riley I've never seen anything like this before I don't know what's going to happen." Maya admitted. "Farkle." Riley said. "Boy Riley I don't think I could do that if I tried." Farkle told her. "Hey Maya, boop." Farkle dsaid trying to copy Riley. "Kayden." Riley pleaded. "Baby sister, I'm just as confused you." I told her. "The bombing of Pearl Harbor was our official entrance into a world at war and nothing would ever be the same." Dad finished.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We all were standing infront of Riley's locker. "Do you want me to bring you lunch?" Farkle asked Riley. "No food would only keep me alive." Riley said from inside her locker. "Come on little plant come back into the sun." Maya said. "I'm afraid something terrible will happen if I ever come out of here." Riley told us. "Riley that's crazy nothing could be worse than what's already happened." Maya said laughing. "Riley just come out, by the end of the day someone is bound to do something more embarissing." I told her.
Missy walked towards us. "Oh there you are. I've been looking for you. You're not upset with me are you because I didn't hear that you and Lucas are together or anything." She said looking down at Riley. "We're not." Riley replied. "Hmm yeah that's what I thought. So if you're not then it's not a problem if I ask Lucas out because he's really cute. Don't you think?" Missy said.
"I loathe you." Maya said to Missy. "Well Lucas doesn't. In fact I kind of think he's into me, shocker." Missy said. "I doubt it sweet heart." I told her. "Just because you're jealous doesn't mean you have to lie." she asked. My heart stopped does she know I liked Lucas. "You can be next." She said feeling up my arm. "I'll pass." I said. I gagged as she walked away with a defeated look on her face. Riley,Maya, and Farkle laughed at my gagging.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We were sitting by the bay window. "I think of this as a personal challenge issued by Missy Bradford to grow up fast. So what do I do?" Riley said. "Nothing." Maya replied. "Give me advice you two are geniuses at this. Grow me up." Riley said. "Why?" Maya asked. "Because everybody else is." Riley said. "That's not the way I see it." I said. "How can you see it any other way?" Riley asked.
"Missy Bradford has decided to grow up fast that has nothing to do with you." Maya told her. "But what if Lucas takes her to a scary movie?" Riley asked, then she started imitating Missy, "I get scared at scary movies. You'll take care of me, won't you? Barf! Barf I say." Riley said. "Riley do you want Lucas to take you to the movies?" I asked her. "Alone? I don't think I'm ready for that."she asked.
"Then what do you want from him?" Maya asked. "I don't know. I just don't want him with her. Am I jealous?" Riley said. "You wouldn't know how to be jealous." I told Riley. But I was. "I just, I don't want him taken away from us." Riley told us. "She's bad news. Teach me how to flirt." Riley did this pose while scrunching up some of her hair. I winked at her. "Not going to do that." I said."Why not?" Riley asked.
"I don't even know how to flirt." Maya told her. Riley looked at me. "I know how to flirt, but you shouldn't learn just to beat Missy" I told her. "Anyways who our age knows how to flirt besides Kayden?" Maya asked. "Hello ladies." Farkle greeted. Farkle climbed through the window. "Farkle that's who." I answered. "Farkle you were out there." Riley asked. "I'm always out there." Farkle said. "That's something you shouldn't tell people." I told him.
"Farkle you're the biggest flirt in 7th grade." Riley stated. "Why thank you." Farkle replied. "Can you teach me how to flirt with Lucas?" Riley asked. "I would do whatever you ask me." Farkle told her. "But I thought you loved her." Maya said. "I love all three of you. I want you happy." Farkle informed her. This is why he is my best friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We were in the cafeteria eating lunch. "So do you think he'll sit with us or her?" Riley asked her. "I try to worry about things that I have no control over." Maya said. "Really?" Riley questioned. "Because that's all I do." she said. "Hey can I sit with you guys?" Farkle asked standing by our table. "You better." Riley said. Farkle sat down. "So you think he'll sit with us or her?" He asked.
"Hey what's up? Is there a seat with you guys?" Lucas asked as he stopped at our table. "Always room for you buddy. I said buddy I'm not helping myself am I?" she asked. Missy walked up to Lucas. "Well, you know, I was just thinking that if you and I are going to the movies together I should find out what kind of snacks you like so I could buy some for you. Because," Missy said showing Lucas her leg. "I don't want you paying for everything." She said pulling him to another table.
"You're toast." Farkle told Riley. "I know." Riley replied. "Are you saying that she flirts better than you?" I questioned Farkle. "Oh nobody's better than Farkle." Farkle said. "I just don't think my young protégé is ready for that monster." He said. "So what are you going to do genius?" Maya asked. "I think I'll just steal her from Lucas myself." Farkle told us. "You would do that for me?" Riley asked.
"Well I'm certainly not doing it for me toots." Farkle retorted. "She's evil, if I'm not back in two minutes she ate me. How's my hair?"he asked. "Hasn't changed in six years." Maya answered. "She doesn't stand a chance." Farkle said flipping his hair. He got up and walked over to where Lucas and Missy were sitting. "Hello lady."Farkle greeted. "Farkle." Missy said. "Why go to the movies with a boy when you can go with,"He started. Farkle lifted his leg on the table and pulled back his pant leg. "a man!"He said. "Enjoy."Farkle told the girl. "Wow look at you. You're next." Missy said. "It worked, I'm next." He said looking disturbed.
"Riley she's too good you can't compete with her." Maya said to Riley. "I don't want them together, I don't." Riley said. "Riley." Maya said. She got to the table Lucas was at. "Lucas." "Riley." Lucas said. "I don't know what's going on here and I don't have any right to say this, but I don't think you should hang out alone with this girl." Riley told Lucas. "Why not?" Lucas asked with a smile. "I don't really know, but I think you actually spend time with her alone it's going to change things for you know all of us." Riley explained. "Well aren't you just a concerned friend." Missy said. "Yeah I am." Riley replied.
"Well with you around how could I ever possibly get Lucas alone?" Missy asked. She grabbed Lucas' mashed potatoes and smashed it on both of their faces. "Food fight!" Missy cheered. "Hey." Lucas said. Dad walked over. "No food fight." He commanded. "Detention after school both of you." He said. "Oh no both of us alone." Missy said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How could you do that dad?" Riley asked. "What did I do?" he asked. "You gave them detention together." I answered. "I was the cafeteria monitor I saw potatoes not where potatoes are supposed to be." Dad defended. "Detention him, detention her." He said, "But Lucas didn't even do anything." Riley retorted. "Don't care I'm mad with power." He told her pointing to himself. Dad turned towards the chalkboard.
"Then I want detention too." Riley demanded. "You do? Riley you've never had detention in your whole life. What could you possibly do that would get you detention on such short notice?" Dad asked.
"I could introduce you to my special guest star." Riley said and gestured towards the door. "Uh oh." dad said. Maya came into the room and jumped on my father's back. "Nothing personal bub." She said. I grabbed some chalk and rubbed in on his face. "Love you." I said smiling sheepishly. "Yeah that will do it." Dad told her. Maya got off of him. "Nice job."He said looking at us. "Pleasure doing business with ya." Maya said as she shook his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We were all in detention sitting in the seats Riley assigned to us with name plates. Lucas and Missy walked through the door. "How ya doin'?" Riley asked as Missy stopped walking seeing us. "What are you doing here?" Missy asked. "Oh I'm a bad girl." Riley replied.
"Yeah you don't want to mess with this one." Maya said. Missy picked up a name plate. "What are these? Place cards." She asked. "Yep." Riley answered. "I made them. You sit over there." Riley said pointing to the desk in the back. Lucassat down in his seat. Missy sat next to Lucas. "I think this seat has my name on it actually." Missy told her sitting down at the desk.
"Alright guys." Dad said getting up from his chair. "I like my detention to have a little learning in it. So I'd like to continue talking about Pearl Harbor and what happened after the sneak attack. The world was at war and alliances were forged in battle and remained stronger because of that." He said to us. "What is this place?" Farkle asked walking into the room. "It's detention Farkle, it's not for you." Dad explained. "If my friends are in it then it's for me." Farkle said. He walked and sat down behind Riley.
"During this war the United States was put to one of its greatest tests when it met a threat to our way of life. But because we were united we prevailed." My adoptive father said. "Hey, Riley and Kayden." Lucas called. We turned and looked at him. "Missy invited me to see a movie with her." Missy leaned over to Lucas. "I think they're aware of it Lucas. No need to make them feel worse." Missy said with a smug grin. "And I was wondering if you guys would like to come along with us." Lucas continued. It was my turn for this smug grin to appear.
"You want us?" Riley questioned. "I'm sorry Lucas that wasn't the invitation." Missy said."Oh well then I'm sorry Missy, but I can't go." Lucas said. "What are you talking about? Nobody's ever turned me down in my life." Missy said is disbelief.
"Well you see these are my friends." Lucas explained motioning to us. "And I don't like doing anything without my friends. Right Riley and Kayden?" Lucas said. I don't know why I was brought in to this because I never made my jealousy known. "Yeah, right." Riley and I said. Lucas looked at Missy. "Now I certainty appreciate you wanting me to take care of you during a scary movie and showing me your leg and all, but back here in the 7th grade I think we would have more fun just hanging out together." Lucas told her.
"Boop." Maya said pointing at Missy. Missy grabbed her books got up. "Grow up." She said. "Not yet." Riley said looking at me and Maya. "How can she just walk out of detention?" I asked.
"Oh she's leaving? Okay." Dad said and I laughed. "Hey." Riley said to Lucas. "Hey." He said back. "Do you know what the easiest thing about having friends is?" She asked. "What?" Lucas asked. "Sometimes all you have to do is trust them." I answered and Lucas looked at me with a smile. We all smiled at each other.
"When peacetime came the United States enjoyed its greatest period of growth, prosperity, and happiness. Detention over." Dad said. He started to walk out of the room, but stopped when he noticed we were still sitting. "You guys coming?" He asked us. "No we're good right here." Riley told him. We sat there smiling at each other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Journal Entry Two:
Sometimes people will come and test our safety but our real friends will always stay and make sure we ok. Friends are like wolves we travel in packs and protect one another.
- Kayden Matthews 🖤