ALEENA LAID in her bed as the time continued to tick.
That was the most that she, Riley, and Maya had ever interacted, like ever. She wasn't quite fond of it either.
It wasn't a positive conversation from either party and yet, it was all Aleena could think about for the night.
How did she end up here? How did she, of all people, end up having not just one, but two full on conversations with both Maya and Riley?
And why was Maya so... God, Aleena couldn't even come up with words to describe how or what Maya Hart was.
Maya didn't even know the girl and yet, Aleena knew everything and more, too much even. And yet, right off the bat, Maya knew that she didn't like Aleena and for what?
Aleena heavily sighed and rolled over on her side as she tried to find a way to sleep knowing that she would be stuck in history class with Maya, Riley and their gang for the next year and possibly more.
Aleena rolled over once more, switching from left to right as she opened her eyes and saw the moonlight peeking through her blinds.
Aleena liked the moon. She liked the stars. She liked that they could live in harmony and shine together.
That's all that Aleena wanted.
To shine just like the others.
ALEENA WOKE up the next morning, just like she had the day prior, and made her way to school. She met up with Charlie outside the school and the two of them enter the building.
The same routine they had since middle school, something that was consistent between the two friends as they continued their very short journey to Aleena's locker.
That same routine led them into History with Mr. Matthews and the class watched as he scribbled the word 'massacre' on the board.
"Why massacre?" Marly asked. "Why you got massacre up there? Why can't you just teach us names and dates?"
A strong, but silent agreement had lingered in the air as Mr. Matthews addressed her.
"Marly Evans and what she learns today! That's the name and date I care about. All of you and right now, are you listening to me?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"Good." Mr. Matthews smiled. "It was patriots who founded our new land and it was patriots who fought for it. Why do we remember the Alamo?"
Mr. Matthews turned, looking over at Farkle and Smackle. He'd asked them to go on and answer his question, but before they could, Charlie raised his hand in the air.
"I know the answer."
The group turned, looking over at the blonde boy.
Charlie learned that he, along with Aleena, would never be known as Mr. Matthews favorite group of students. That spot had been expanded for certain students, but not for him and Aleena.
But they were both smart. They were top of their class in middle school and both made straight A's when it came down to the nitty gritty.
So, it didn't surprise Mr. Matthews that Charlie knew the answer, in fact, the teacher was shocked to see both him and Aleena back in his class for the freshman year semester.
He had sighed their schedules for AP World History. He didn't have much of an explanation on why they would be sitting in his classroom as of right now.
"Okay, Charlie." Mr. Matthews smiled. "Why do we remember the Alamo?"
"The Alamo was a small, isolated fortress that held a handful of patriots inside who felt that it was important to stick together and fight for who and what they believed in." He explained. "They were surrounded by a much larger group of people who were coming at them from all directions, who beloved that this place belonged to them."
Mr. Matthew nodded. "Good." He praised. "The patriots desperately wanted reinforcements, but reinforcements never came. What happened to 'em?"
"They stayed in their fortress and gave everybody a friendly smile, and eventually, they walked upstairs." Riley said.
"They were massacred." Mr. Matthew said.
"Then they walked upstairs?"
"No," He answered. "but that battle gave birth to a slogan. What was that slogan?"
"Remember the Alamo." Lucas answered.
"Remember the Alamo!" Mr. Matthews repeated. "And why do we remember the Alamo?"
Mr. Matthews eyes glanced between his students before his eyes set on Aleena.
She had her cheek pressed against her desk, but her eyes opened. He knew she was paying attention, she'd always had.
She would often just sit there and listen rather than answer and shined when it came to homework, quizzes, and test.
"Ms. York?"
Aleena lifted her head, looking over at him without batting her eyes. "The patriots gave their lives for a greater good. The battle had just started and a couple of years later that land became Texas."
Mr. Matthews nodded. "Right, Texas, a home to some of our fellow classmates. So, guys, that's why we remember the Alamo, and why we remember all the battles that we fight in an effort to make a new place our home." He explained. "Now, you can stay massacred or you can realize the battle has just begun."
"We were kings, Matthews." Maya said.
"Kingdoms fall, sweetheart." Aleena smiled, her legs crossed under her desk with her arms crossed over her chest.
Maya looked back, now realizing that Aleena had been sitting behind her in the classroom.
"She's right." Mr. Matthews said. "Everyone who believes they're gonna rule the world falls." He explained. "Everyone who believes they're strong eventually comes up against someone that's stronger. And every patriot fighting for a cause, they're only as strong as the cause they're fighting for."
"Even I know next thing he says, real important." Marly smiled.
"What's the cause you're fighting for?" He asked.
Aleena sighed and grabbed her bag from the floor, she began to stand and make her way towards the door of the classroom.
If Riley, Maya, Lucas, Farkle, Zay, and Smackle could make a scene, then so could she, especially when they caused scenes and would face any consequences.
"Ms. York?" Mr. Matthews called. "Class isn't over."
Aleena nodded, turning to look at him. "It's over for me. The cause that I'm fighting for is to be seen. And I don't think I can do that in your classroom. So, I'm going to go and find a place where I can be seen... even if I have to do it alone."
With that, Aleena turned, but she wouldn't be leaving alone. She was never alone as long as she had Charlie.
She and Charlie left the classroom and didn't return until the next day.
They obviously couldn't transfer classrooms because everything was full, but all Aleena wanted to do was get her point across.
And she could only hope that Mr. Matthews saw that.
But for now, the duo entered the classroom and saw that it was completely empty. The desk all gone, even his.
"Our classroom is empty." Marly said. "Oh, come on! Who does this?"
"Me." Mr. Matthews smiled.
Marly scoffed. "Okay, so what I want to ask now is why?"
"Everybody take a seat." He said and watched as everyone sat down on the floor. "What have you learned in high school so far?"
"We're not king anymore." Lucas said.
"We're Abigail Adams Patriots." Riley added.
"Abigail Adams once said, 'To be good and to do good is the whole duty of man'." Mr. Matthew said.
"'Do good'?" Marly questioned. "Don't you mean do well?"
"Do you know what the funny thing is about history, Ms. Evans? It repeats." He said. "I mean 'do good'. That, right up there..." he said, pointing towards the board. It read, 'dream, try, do good'. "That's always gonna be my lesson plan. Now, when the patriots looked out at this new undiscovered land, it was what?"
"Rough and undeveloped," Zay answered. "like us."
"Very good, Mr. Babineaux." Mr. Matthews said. "But they stuck together and they made it their new home. So will we. Let's fill this room. Let's fill this room with knowledge. What do you know?"
"I have faith that in a new place you can learn from the people who have already been there." Riley answered.
"Very good." Mr. Matthews said. "Go get your desk."
As Riley stood, making her way out, so did Maya, but Mr. Matthews quickly stopped her.
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"In any new place, or old place, or any place at all, I stay with her. I'm always with her. But I knew that a long time ago."
With that, Maya left, leaving to grab her desk.
"Ms. York, what do you know?" He asked. "What have you already known?"
Aleena sighed, pressing on the back of her hands. "I know that... I want to be seen. I want to be able to learn new things without being afraid of being in the shadows of someone else."
Mr. Matthews nodded. "Go get your desk."
Aleena stood to her feet and held her hand out for Charlie to grab.
"I know." Charlie muttered. "I know."
He grabbed Aleena's hand and the two of them stood side by side.
"Though not a normal experience I have, I am also with her." Charlie said. "I want to be seen. I am smart, I am... me. And I want to be able to do amazing things with her by my side to see them."
Mr. Matthews smiled. "Go get your desk, Mr. Boone."
The two of them left to get their desk and one by one he called on each of his students to see what they had learned and would allow them to get their desk.
"In this room, we find out how history relates to your present and how you can't get by on the successes of your past. This is your new school, guys. Stick together. Do good. That's how you're gonna have your best future. In this room, I'm your teacher... but we are going to discover this new land together."
"This is how he teaches?" Marly asked Riley.
"Every day."
Marly smiled, making her way towards the exit.
"You going to get your desk, Ms. Evans?" Mr. Matthews asked.
"No," She answered. "I'm going to get yours."
ALEENA AND Charlie stood in the hallway, their backs pressed against a group of lockers that had been right next to the hole that three random seniors had assigned the group of friends that had finally come up from it.
They watched as they talked to them, they watched as the seniors asked them to do the same for the next group of freshman.
They watched as the six friends huddled with each other when the bell rang and students pushed through and past them.
It wasn't until it was all over that Maya had turned to see the two of them standing side by side.
Aleena raised her brows. She wasn't going to say anything unless Maya had, but instead Maya just held her gaze.
It wasn't going to happen overnight, in fact, it wouldn't happen in the next couple of days, but it would happen.
Something would happen.
Something that neither of them saw coming.
— lucy has something to say !!
you think they had marly lift that big ass desk by herself
i like writing for season 3 because there's so much more you can do
like maya hart centered season fr
bye :))))