"Look what's happening, look what's coming!" Riley said, all happily as she, Maya, and I walked down the stairs of our school. "What's coming, crazy?" I asked. "Invitations. To the seventh grade parties. It's begun. We could be party girls. I'm going to need a party-girl walk." Riley said. She started doing some weird dance/walk thing. She ended up finishing in front of our lockers. "Yeah, that's not it." Maya and I said in perfect unison when we knew for sure she was finished.
"You know, there is going to be boys at these parties. But not just any boys. No. Opposite-sex boys. They're the best kind." Riley said. I gave her an amused look. "Yeah, you sound ready for this." Maya commented, sarcastically. I nodded. "Oh, I am. And I may just be the first girl who crosses over from our side of the room to the" Riley started. "Yeah, it's gonna be us." Maya and I said, at the same time Riley said: "Yeah, it's gonna be you two."
"You two know what pretty-boyhipste is handing out invitations to. Don't you?" Riley asked, gently nudging Maya and I. "A party." Maya and I answered, gently nudging Riley. "Membership cards to the popular club." Riley said. I sighed. "Why can't you just let it be a party?" I asked. "Because this is it, right here. This is where you guys go one way and I go the other way. You two get the invite and you marry pretty-boy hipster and his pretty friend and I end up marrying Anthony Delveccio and we buy things in bulk." Riley explained, "You guys are gonna be popular. I'm not. Good for you guys. Good girls. Bye-bye, Maya and Dylan." Riley hugged us and began to sob. "Bye-bye." Maya and I stood there, not hugging back or anything. We were just standing there.
Riley pulled away, as the "hipster-guy" walked towards us. He looked down at an invitation, and then held it in front of Riley. Riley pushed it towards me. I pushed it towards Maya, and Maya pushed it back to the guy. He looked down at the invitation again, and brought it up to Riley again. Riley looked up at him hopefully. The guy nodded. Riley began to hum something. "Yay! For me!" Riley shouted, taking the invitation. The dude walked away.
"Maya, Dylan, I know you two didn't get one, but is it okay if I'm really happy?" Riley asked us. Maya and I shared a look and smiled. "You go get 'em, tiger." I told Riley. Riley giggled and did her weird dance/walk thing and walked down the hallway. "We love you, but." Maya started, when Riley was out of our sights. "You're a lot of work." I finished. Maya and I mimicked Riley's dance/walk thing all the way down the hallway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I sat in my seat in Mr. Matthews class. Riley walked up to his desk. "Boom!" Riley shouted, dropping the invitation on the desk. "You got invited to something?" Mr. Matthews asked. "So much for genetics, baby." Riley said. I stifled a giggled. "Ooh, seventh grade party. Yup, I didn't get invited to a whole lot of these. Good for you. I'm proud of you." Mr. Matthews told her, "Boy-girl party?" "Yup." Riley replied. "You can't go." Mr. Matthews ans Riley said in perfect unison. "May we approach?" Maya and I asked. "Hurry, please." The two Matthews said in perfect unison once again. Maya and I walked up to the desk.
"We're gonna keep your young'un out of trouble, sir." Maya told him. I nodded. "Hart, other Hart, you two are trouble. Why would I want my young'un anywhere near the same party you two are gonna be at?" Mr. Matthews told us. "You wouldn't. Say it. You know you wanna say it." I told him. "You can't go if Maya and Dylan are invited." Cory told Riley. Maya and I pointed to Riles. "Maya and Dylan are both not invited." Riley told him. "Then you may go." Maya and I told her. "Thanks, daddies." Riley thanked us. "All right, good day, everybody. Class dismissed." Maya told the rest of the class. They all stood up, but Cory stopped them. "Sit down!" He shouted. "Sit down!" Riley, Maya, and I shouted at the class.
The three of us walked back to our desks. "So there's this guy Damocles who really really wants to be king. One day he gets an invitation to come sit on the throne and actually hang with royalty." Cory began his lesson. "No!" Riley shouted. "'Sup, Riles?" Maya asked. "Pop's lesson hitting a little close to home?" I asked. "Nope, what he's saying has nothing to do with me. Yes, I've been invited to hang with middle-school royalty, but nothing bad could happen." Riley told us. I rolled my eyes. She just jixed it.
"I'm sure you're right." Mr. Matthews told her, "Farkle!" "When Damocles sat on the throne he noticed a sword hanging over it, help up by a single tiny thread." Farkle said. "Maya," Cory said, turning to my sister. "Be careful what you wish for." Maya replied. "Dylan. Why?" He asked me, turning to me. "Being what other people want you to be is just a sword hanging over your head." I replied. "Good. Riley." Cory said, turning to his daughter. "Nothing to do with me." Riley said, doing a gesture with her hands. Maya and I mimicked it.
~~~~~~~~~
I walked down the hall with Maya, Cory, and Riley to drop Riley off at her "popular" party. "Well, looky here, teacher daddy, nothing hanging over my head except this here halo of popularity." Riley said, holding up an invisible halo, "And yay for you, my best friends, for watching me with smiles." "Yeah, we're smiling, we're watching." Maya and I said in unison.
"First of all. Whenever you two say something at the same time, it still creeps me out." Cory told Maya and I. I shrugged. He then turned to Riley. "All right, all right. Half hour you can stay. I'm waiting right here." Cory told her. Riley pressed the doorbell, and we heard it buzz. A panicked look appeared on Mr. Mattews face.
"I changed my mind. I want you two in there. Protect your friend." Cory told Maya and I. "We can't do that, sir." I told him, "Wasn't invited." "Why is that exactly?" Cory asked. "About to find out, sir. Smile. Watch." Maya told him. I nodded, and leaned up against the wall behind me.
The door opened and revealed Farkle. I tried to hold in my laugh. "Greetings, fellow party-goer." Farkle greeted. "Farkle?" Riley asked in confusion. "Starting to become clear, sir?" I asked. "Oh yeah. I'm smiling real big." Cory told us. We all walked into the apartment. And the room looked all nerdy if you ask me.
"Announcing the arrival of party guest number six, female number one." Farkle announced. "Shocker there's only one female," I whispered to Maya. She nodded. I looked around the room, and saw another female in the room. "I'm a female, Farkle." The girl said, and did this weird pose. I raised my eyebrow. "You getting this yet?" Maya asked. "But pretty boy. Pretty boy's still here." Riley said. "Wait for it." I said. All of a sudden "pretty boy" took off his coat and his accessories to reveal two geeks. "That's the greatest thing I've ever seen in my life." Cory commented. I nodded.
"It's a geek party!" Riley shouted in realization. "We know, honey." Maya and I said in unison through our giggles. "Everybody welcome Riley." Farkle ordered. All the geeks started to do some sort of robot dance while speaking in some foreign language. "Honey, stay an hour. Stay a week, stay forever. Just enjoy." Cory said, pushing Riley closer to the center of the room.
"Hey, you know what would make this just perfect for me?" Cory asked. "Have you noticed the lightsabers hanging from the ceiling precariously over your head?" One of the geeks asked Riley. She looked up and a lightsaber came down, just above Riley's head. "Damocles." Riley hissed. "Well. I'm out," I said and walked out of the apartment. I started to walk to the subway, with Maya trailing just behind me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Maya and I stormed into the classroom, to have a little talk with our little buddy Farkle. Maya picked Farkle up by his shirt, while I sent him dirty looks. "Okay, Farkle. Where is she?" I questioned. "Whatever have I done to deserve this display of affection?" Farkle asked, ignoring my question. "This look like affection to you?" Maya asked. "I takes it however I gets it." Farkle told us a smacked his lips, "Right there, nurses."
"She wasn't there when we tried to pick her up this morning and we couldn't find her in the halls." I explained. "What'd you do with our girl?" Maya asked. "Maya, Dylan, release the Farkle." We heard Riley order. Maya and I turned around and saw Riley walk into the room wearing. The weirdest thing I had every seen her wear. And that's saying something.
"Farkle, didn't do anything except open my eyes to what the world really thinks I am." Riley told us. "A harajuku girl?" Maya asked. "Yes, because I figure if what I am is nerdy-geeky, I'm going to set the nerdy-geeky world on fire." Riley told us. "You take it." Maya told me. "I got nothing. You take it," I told Matthews. "Nope, beyond me. This is all for the two of you," Matthews told us. I sighed.
"Why should I struggle to be popular when I can be these people's empress fairy queen?" Riley asked. I then heard something I wished I never would hear. A weird honking noise. I don't know who it came from though. "No, please." Maya pleaded, "The one guy was two guys." "The sword fell." I told her, "This is the way you're gonna go? You're gonna embrace this?" "Deal with it. I've gone over to the dork side." Riley told us. I rolled my eyes.
"This isn't you." Maya told her. I nodded. "This is her." Farkle told us. I sent daggers his way. "They love this me." Riley said. I sighed. "We're not changing you back." Maya and I told her in unison. The two of us took our seats. "Oh, yes you two are. My daughter's going through this week's crazy. You guys get in there." Mr. Matthews told us. "Father, may we continue with the lesson? I seek knowledge." Riley told her father. "Never mind, leave her alone." Cory told us. "Look at her." Maya demanded. I nodded.
Mr. Matthews than ran to Farkle's friends. "All right, what do you guys know about girls?" He asked them. "Mostly we're terrified of them, sir." One of them answered. "So we try to keep our distance." Another one answered. "Well, then I choose empress fairy nut job." Cory said. He, and the geeks began to do some robot thing.
~~~~~~~~~
"Come on. This is not who you are." I said to Riley as we walked into the classroom, the next day. "What do you know about being a harajuku girl? " Maya asked. "I don't have to know anything except that they love it." Riley said, "Sorry, Maya, Dylan, I walk with a different crowd now. And as you can see, I am quite the influence on them." I turned and looked at the geeks Riley has been hanging out with. They were wearing weird accessories. Like panda hats.
"Maya? Dylan?" Cory asked us. I looked at Riley to see her head in a book. "She's Gone, sir." Maya answered, while I didn't take my eyes off of Riley. "Yes, she is." Farkle said, smirking.
~~~~~~
I sat in my math class, as the teacher continued to talk about fractions. I could tell half the class was asleep by now. I took out my little diary, and did another entry, just so I could pass the time.
Dear Diary,
Riley has gone all coo-koo. And I mean it. She is a little nutty in the noggin' at the moment. I know Riley wants to be popular, but is going to 'the dork side' really worth it. Riley is popular between our little circle of friends. Isn't that enough. I guess not.
"Ms. Hart. Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" The teacher asked me. I looked up and shook my head no. "Then if you don't mind. I have a lesson to teach. And you have to be paying attention since this will be on your upcoming test." The teacher said. I nodded and put my diary away.
~~~~~~
"Okay, we're gonna take one last shot at this," I announced as Maya and I crawled into Riley's bedroom. "While we believe Riley is still in there and not completely under the spell of-" Maya started, but was interrupted. "Ladies." Farkle said. I glared at him. "Farkle!" I shouted, and pushed him to the ground.
"She's on of us now, Dylan," Farkle told me, getting up, and pushing me down. "She's one of us, Farkle." Maya told him and pushed him down as I got up. Farkle got up and pushed me and Maya down. "You two are not letting her reach her full potential." Farkle hissed. Maya and I jumped up. "The world we know wants you to be yourself." Maya started. "In our world it needs you in it." I finished. "You're one of us now. And I've decided to prove it by letting you help the John Quincy Adams' spelling-bee team to the regional finals." Farkle told Riley.
"Really?" Riley asked. "I'm right about you, Riley. I know I am." Farkle replied. "Thank you, Farkle." Riley said, and turned to us, "Sorry, Maya, Dylan. The world wants what the world wants. And right now the world wants me like this." "This isn't over, Farkle." I hissed at him. "I'm not scared." Farkle told Maya and I. "Oh, really?" Maya asked. She pushed him down. We heard a loud thud. Farkle then pushed me and Maya to the ground. "Guys, what about me?" Riley asked. The three of us grabbed Riley and pushed her down with us. "Yay!" She shouted as we did so.
~~~~~~~~
"Welcome, to this qualifying round of the city regional spelling bee between our own John Quincy Adams middle school," Mr. Matthews announced, but stopped so we could applaud. He continued, "And Einstein academy." There was more applause. I was watching the spelling bee. Maya wasn't here yet. She said she had something to do. I don't know what though.
Riley stepped up to the platform. "Okay, miss Matthews. Your first word is-" Cory started, but was interrupted by Maya walking in and slipping him a piece of paper. "Maya, you can't-" Cory started. "Check out the word, Mr. Matthews." Maya said. "Maya, what are you doing?" I asked. "Hey, Farkle's " not the only one with a master plan." Maya replied.
"Miss Matthews, your word is harajuku." Mr. Matthews said. I smirked when I caught on to Maya's little plan. "Excuse me?" Riley asked. "Harajuku." I repeated, stepping up. Uh, may I have the meaning of the word?" Riles asked. "Oh, you don't know?" I asked. "Then let me tell you. It's a real neighborhood in Japan, where authentic Japanese girls have created an authentic look and life for themselves that is unique to them." Cory explained.
"Country of origin?" Riley asked. I rolled my eyes. "Are you kidding me?" I mumbled. "Can I hear it in a sentence?" Riley asked. "Yeah." Maya replied, "Stop pretending to be a harajuku girl, because you're not. You're Riley. R-I-L-E-Y." "Five seconds, Miss Matthews, or you're eliminated." Cory warned. "What do you mean "eliminated"?" Riley asked. "It means you wouldn't be part of the group anymore." Farkle answered.
Riley kept looking back from us to the geeks. "Harajuku, something I'm N-O-T." Riley said, taking off the fake glasses she was wearing, "Sorry, Farkle. It was a lovely party and your friends are really pretty cool." "We are?" One of the nerd asked. He then chuckled. "We've never been called that before." He admitted. "Yeah. No shocker there," I mumbled. Maya chuckled.
"Thanks, Riley. We feel the same way about you." Farkle told her. Riley walked back to Maya and I. We sat down on the chairs behind us, and leaned our heads on each other's shoulders.
~~~~~
I sat next to Riley and Maya at the diner later that night. "You know what the best thing is about being yourself?" Riley asked. "What?" Maya asked. "You're always popular with your best friends," Riley said. I smiled, softly. "Always," I repeated.