RILEY'S BEDROOM
I climb through the window to see Riley on her bed still in her pajamas, and Maya lying next to her.
"Ready Freddies?" I ask.
"Maya, you have to get far, far away from me," Riley says, "Idina, you too. I don't want either of you to catch this,"
"I know. That would be terrible," Maya says, before proceeding to roll around on top of Riley, making us all giggle, "Okay, now can we please go to school now and get out of Rileytown?" Riley's face changes, to a scary look I've never seen out of her, "What? I just said, "Can we get out of Rileyto-" Riley shoves Maya off the side of the bed.
"Riley!" I dumbfoundedly scold.
"What is it with you? That's just a word I made up!" Maya shouts.
"I know what it means! It means that I'm goofy and silly and weird!" Riley screams back.
"It means you're unique," I add with a reassuring grin.
"I don't want to be unique. I don't want anybody to notice me."
"Since when? Rileytown is where you live. We even made your own flag and national anthem, remember?," Maya pulls out a flag full of rainbows, unicorns, and sparkles, "Is this serious or are we having fun?" Riley looks down angrily.
"You are a bully," Riley says.
"Okay, that's not fun," Maya replies, standing up seriously.
"I don't like being laughed at, Maya."
"Nobody likes being laughed at," I add, looking down.
"But I'm not laughing at you, Riley. Who's laughing at you?"
"You should have never come up with it, and you're a bully. Okay?" Riley says, trudging to the door.
"Riley..." I say, trying to grab her arm to comfort her.
"Don't touch me!" She shouts, before snapping it back and running out of the room. Maya and I stand there, shocked.
"W-We should be getting to school," Maya says full of fake confidence.
"Yeah..." I reply, following her out the bay window.
SCHOOL
"In what ways do human beings resolve conflict?" Cory asks the class.
"They talk it out," Farkle suggests.
"They go to war," Lucas answers.
"Why can't they talk it out?" I ask, looking at Maya and Riley who both look upset.
"They go to war," Zay confirms.
"Many conflicts escalate and do not end well. The story of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr is a prime example. Anybody know what happened? Riley?" Cory asks.
"Please stop picking on me," Riley quietly begs.
"What?" Cory asks.
"They had a duel," Farkle says.
"And Burr killed Hamilton," I end sadly.
"In 1791, Burr captured a senate seat from Hamilton's father-in-law, which launched their rivalry. Then Burr accused Hamilton of publicly insulting him," a phone goes off, making Mr. Matthew look at Riley who holds a pink phone, "Riley, no one should be texting you in class."
"I agree," she puts the phone down and looks Maya dead in the eyes, "I don't want you to say "Rileytown" anymore."
"I like Rileytown. I like you and I like to say whatever I want."
"Now, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel to resolve their conflict," Cory continues.
"Maybe that's what we should do," Riley suggests.
"Maybe you want to hear what happened to them first," I urge.
"Hamilton believed the duel wasn't morally right, so he fired his pistol in the air. Burr, believing he had been shot at, fired at Hamilton and killed him. So, why am I telling you guys a story about what happens when you fail to resolve a conflict peacefully? Lucas?"
"People get hurt,"
"What do we need to learn?" Cory says.
"I need to learn how to resolve a conflict," Riley replies.
"What's going on?"
"She thinks I'm a bully because I keep saying something she doesn't like," Maya says.
"But, a bully isn't someone who says something you don't like. A bully is someone who uses power and intimidation to hurt others," I say.
"Correct, and there's a big difference between having a conflict with a friend and having a bully. So don't just throw that word around," Cory tells his daughter.
"There are other words you shouldn't just throw around, either,"
"What? Like Rileytown, the place where you live because you're there right now?"
"I asked you not to. Why do we have to keep on talking about this?"
"Because the most powerful tool in the human being arsenal is the ability to solve a conflict with words," Cory says.
"You think I'm goofy, silly and weird."
"No kidding. You're unique and wonderful, and I love it here in Rileytown."
"I challenge you to a duel!" Riley shoots up.
"Riley, Maya don't do this," I say standing, coming between the two girls who stand face to face. Maya just pushes me to the side, causing me to fall into Farkle's lap.
"I accept. Duel to the death," Maya spits out. Farkle and I look at each other.
"Well, this won't end well," I observe.
TOPANGA'S CAFE
Maya and Riley are facing each other once again, but feet apart. They both hold an ice cream cone in each hand. Farkle is beside me, while I sit on a stool, next to him, watching the events transpire. Maya has the first shot since she was challenged first, is what Zay has said.
"Fire!" Zay shots, moving back towards the row of spectators that are me, Farkle, Lucas, and Zay. Maya looks like she's about to shoot her cone at Riley, but instead hands it to Mr. Matthews. I can't take it anymore. I stand right in front of Riley, her eyes look deserted.
"Riley, take a hint, please, so we can all be done with this," I beg. She looks at Maya and me.
"This will be done when you two treat me like an ordinary person who nobody notices," Riley demands. I move out of the way, knowing this won't end well.
"You're not. You're a sweet, weird little goofball and I love you just the way you are. Deal with it," Maya holds her arms open for a hug, but that's not what happens, instead Riley goes right up to her, and shoves the ice cream in her face, before storming out.
"Maya-" Lucas starts, coming up to Maya with a towel.
"-No need to contain me, Lucas. I'm fine," Maya cuts him off.
"How are you fine? You don't look fine."
"Because that's not Riley at all. Something's really wrong. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews... Riley and I have a conflict. It won't teach us anything if you guys step in."
"Okay. We're here if you need us," I come up next to Maya.
"We know, and we know where to find you if we need you,"
"Why are you so calm?"
"Because this isn't her. This isn't Riley at all."
"What could have changed her all of a sudden?" Zay asks, as Maya, Farkle, and I sit down.
"This is like when I always used to wear my turtlenecks and then there was somebody that didn't like that I..." Farkle pauses wide-eyed, "Go away, now." Farkle commands Lucas, who obeys, with Zay following.
"You know I get it, not everything can always be perfect, not everything is good," I say.
"Of course, she loves Rileytown. Of course, she's weird and goofy and unique. That's what we all love about her. But somebody doesn't. Riley doesn't want to be her because she feels like a nothing. Because a bully makes you feel like a nothing. A bully took something I liked about myself and made me feel bad about it," Farkle says.
"But why would she think I would ever do that? I'm her best friend. Why is she yelling at me," Maya says with a groan.
"Because I think she's trying to get you to hear her."
"Hear what? Why does she keep talking about a bully if she knows I'm not-," Maya stops, looking at me. I realize too what's going on with her.
"Oh, no," I whisper, before Maya grabs my arm, and pulls me out the cafe door. We're on the stairs when my phone goes off, making me pause on the steps, seeing who it is.
"Idina?" Maya asks.
"Just give me a minute," I say, she still pauses for a moment,"Go," I urge.
"Okay," she shrugs her shoulders before running off. My smile fades as I click Answer.
"What do you want?" I sputter.
"Uh-uh, I'd watch you tone with me, Sweetheart," the voice replies back, "Besides, you know what I want." I can tell she's wearing a smirk as she speaks.
"I honestly don't anymore,"
"I want you on a silver platter. You don't deserve the happiness you have. But, you already knew that, and it's only a matter of time before your friends realize it too. And, don't forget about that little geek you call a boyfriend, why I'm surprised he hasn't run away from you now," the voice says with a fake little sarcastic gasp at the end for effect.
"You, of all people, do not get to talk to me like that," I look forward, hardened eyes, "You won't break me," I whisper.
"Yeah, well you know how they say a picture's worth a thousand words?" My head shoots up at her question, "I wonder how many a video is," she replies.
"Don't ever call me again," I command, before violently shoving my thumb at the buttons on the lit up phone screen, hanging it up. I look down at the ground. I turn around to sit on the stairs before I see him, Zay.
"Idina-" he starts.
"It's nothing, just a prank call," I lie, "It's about Riley right now, not me," I start to head up the stairs when he grabs my arm.
"If it's anything more, you'd come to me right?" he asks, "You'd come to one of us."
"Even if it was, which I'm not saying it is, you know I could never go to Lucas, he'd go all Texas on this place," I look towards the cafe to see Farkle currently tying knots around Lucas, "And Farkle-"
"Farkle cares about you, just like I do, just like Lucas does, just like Maya does, just like Riley does. And, even if we're going through something, we stand by each other."
"It was just a prank call," I blatantly reconfirm, not daring to look him in the eyes, before pulling my arm out of his grasp, and walking up the steps, still feeling his lingering gaze on my back as I shove my phone into my jean overall pocket.
RILEY'S BEDROOM
"So we have no conflict anymore?" I hear Riley say as I open the bedroom door. They see me and smile. I see Riley's tear stained face, and scoot next to her, giving her a hug.
"No one's in conflict anymore," I confirm, and look at Maya who nods at me to continue, "But, now we have a new one."
"Why wouldn't you come to us? How could you not come to me if someone is bullying you?" Maya asks.
"I'm humiliated. I didn't want to let you guys see me humiliated."
"You thought it would just go away?" I ask, and Riley nods, "But it's getting worse. Things always get worse before they get better,"
"Riley, you know what the difference is between a conflict with a bully and a conflict with a friend?" Maya asks.
"What?" Maya and I wrap her in a hug.
"I'm sorry I took everything out of you."
"It's okay. You had to take it out on somebody. I'm glad you felt safe enough to take it out on me. And I'm sorry I didn't hear what you were trying to say earlier."
"Well, I will never go at you again."
"No, it's okay. I can take it. Let it all out."
"I'm better now."
"Oh, yeah. I'm sure you are. That's good," Maya says, but I have to try something because I know she's not okay.
"Rileytown," I say because someone had to.
"Stop saying that! People shouldn't make fun of other people. What did I ever do to you?" Riley screams at me with a look full of hate for someone other than me, before she stands up, staring blankly at the wind, "You exist. You exist, and you're weird, and you get in the way of where I'm looking, so stop being weird and stop being happy. Nobody should be as happy as you. Stop being who you are...or I'm gonna put my foot in your weird, stupid face," she breaks down crying.
"Okay," is all Maya can get out.
"I'm fine," Riley says in tears.
"I'm not. How long?"
"A few weeks. This has been going on a few weeks."
"Riles, we got you," I reassure.
"I tried dealing with her. She's not a reasonable person. How do I handle this? I don't know how to handle this."
"Not alone," I reply.
"But I thought I was supposed to learn how to resolve a conflict."
"You have a bully!" I shout.
"I have a bully!" Riley shouts back.
"And you are incredibly screwy," Maya adds.
"And I'm screwy, and I have a bully, and I have a conflict? What a tough day in Rileytown." We all hug Riley, eventually collapsing in the bay window.
"Okay. So now we know two things. First, you are going to stay exactly who you are," Maya says.
"What else?" Riley asks. I look at Maya and Riley.
"I don't think Lucas will," I reply, "And, in fact, I know Lucas will not."
After about fifteen minutes we stand back from the bay window, looking at the barricade we've built.
"Okay. This oughta hold him," Maya says. But, she is incorrect, because moments later we see our hard work come tumbling down, and Lucas with two towels on either wrist, which I assume someone tried to tie him up with. Riley walks towards him, and he towards her, as they meet in the middle of the bedroom. Farkle and Zay follow through the window after him.
"Why would you not tell me about this?" he asks, confused and hurt.
"I should be able to fight my own battles, Lucas," Riley says with little confidence.
"No, you shouldn't. And you don't have to, Riley. That's the point of having friends. And did you really think there was anything you could put in this window to keep me from helping you?" he exclaims, pointing towards the fallen tower.
"We don't like it when you get like this. Tell him, Idina!" Riley shouts. I just shrug my shoulders, knowing he's right.
"Just don't become Texas Lucas okay?" I whisper, patting his shoulder as he nods. Farkle stands.
"Riley, you wouldn't let me keep this kind of stuff to myself. You think we're gonna let you?" Farkle asks.
"I don't think it's right that Riley's always the first one to come help us but doesn't come to us when she needs help," I say, with the boys nodding in agreement.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I should have told you. I just didn't want to put this on you," Riley huffs.
"We're friends. We can figure out anything," Farkle gives a small smile.
"But what if you're dealing with someone who-" Riley is cut off by the beeping of her pink phone, and she looks down at the screen, before looking back up at all of us with puppy dog eyes, "who just won't stop?"
THE NEXT DAY
"I want to talk to you. I know there's something going on," Mr. Matthews says to Riley as we sit in class.
Do you want me to tell you what it is?" Riley asks her father, pretending to be oblivious.
"Do you want to, Riley? Because so far, you haven't told me, and I respect that,"
"It ain't good," I mutter.
"Yeah, I figured. But you're on it?" he asks me.
"Yeah," I reply.
"And you're on it?" he asks Maya.
"Yes,"
"And you're on it?" he asks Lucas.
"Yep."
"The right way?" he adds.
"We'll see," Lucas sighs.
"The right way, Lucas. You know why? Because Aaron Burr might have won his duel by killing his rival, but he never held office again and he'll forever be known for this. You understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Farkle?"
"Everything will be okay, Mr. Matthews. It always is."
"Yeah, why do you suppose it always is? Zay?"
"Friendship, it's written right there on the board. And then you're going to tell us about the second one," I squint at the board to see the word growth is written under friendship.
"There's nothing more valuable than friends when you have to go through life. But even if your friends aren't around, even if you're all alone, there's always someone to turn to. A parent or a teacher. It's okay to ask for help. That's because there's so much out there that makes it's way to you guys so much easier now."
"How do we fight that?" Riley asks, addressing the things that reach us more easily nowadays.
"Well, now we turn to growth. Rely on each other. Grow together. But sometimes you have to grow by yourself. But whatever it is that makes it's way to you, it's just the shadows from your intimidating world. Don't live in the shadow. Your growth can help you get back into the sun. Learn from each other. Continue to grow. And always know that I'm here for you."
TOPANGA'S CAFE
"I know what Mr. Matthews says is right, but, Riley, if you want me to, whoever this is, I will take care of it for you," Lucas starts, cracking his knuckles.
"Thank you, Lucas. No," Riley says.
"We got this," Maya says with confidence.
"Thank you, Maya and Idina. No,"
"Okay, good. So, you're gonna face this one down," Zay says.
"But how?" I quietly ask, "How do you deal with an undealable person?"
"You know what she sent me?" Riley says, "A video of me being goofy, doing the stuff that I do. She's been filming me and now she says she's gonna send it to the whole school."
"Honey, I hate to break it to you, but the whole school already knows you're goofy," Maya points out.
"They don't know everything I do. Neither do you, Maya."
"What? No, I do too."
"Deep in the heart of Rileytown, in the darkest secret corner of Rileytown I can't believe I'm finally telling you. Once a week on Friday afternoons when the halls are empty I have an awards ceremony," she says with a big goofy grin on her face.
"There's that smile," I say, leaning into Farkle's shoulder.
"I think we know what happened," Farkle starts to hypothesize, "Somebody caught you."
"And that's what she's sending to the whole school. Well, maybe it's not so bad..." Maya encourages.
"Sometimes I pretend I'm not there to accept, so French Riley accepts in my place."
"It's bad. It's really bad."
"Bonjour!" Riley shouts in a french accent.
"Somebody doesn't love this?" Lucas exclaims with disbelief.
"What do I do? Maya? Idina?"
"You look at your friends," I start.
"And you realize that no matter how deep into Rileytown you go, we'll all be right behind you," Maya finishes, "Now go get her."
THE NEXT DAY
The gang and I are huddled around a corner, listening to Riley stand up to her bully.
"Thank you for meeting me. I know you probably have something to say. You always have something to say. But now, it's my turn to talk. You need to listen. You need to watch. Welcome to Rileytown. I twirl around when I'm happy. I dance by myself. Because that's who I am. And if I do something good, I give awards to myself so that maybe I'll do something good again. And you're not going to stop me showing everybody your little video that shows everybody that I do it. Because I'm going to show everybody right now," that's our cue, so we walk down the stairs of the central middle school hallway as the rest of our classmates gather, "Welcome back to the Riley Awards. And now, your host, British Riley!"
"Hi, British Riley!" Maya shouts as I wave.
"And now, the biggest award of the evening. This here award is for not only facing your fear but doing it in front of everybody I know in my awful accent. And the winner is... Riley!" she talks normally once again to accept her award, "I'd like to thank everybody who helped me get here, my friends. Because true friends let you be who you are. I'd also like to thank you. Because this was hard. But I've grown Today, So, thank you," the girl who Riley was talking to apparently starts to back away, but I can barely see behind Lucas's big head, "Hey, where are you going?" Maya comes by Riley's side.
"Look, Riles, the farther away she goes, the smaller she gets," the rest of the gang comes around Riley. I climb the stairs but hear the sound of something playing faintly. I furiously turn my head in all directions and hear the noise coming from the music room. Everyone is so focused on Riley standing up for herself that they don't notice it, thankfully. I back away slowly, then sprint to the music room.
When I get there I shut the door tightly behind me, before seeing a simple computer perfectly sit on top of a single stool in the middle of the room. I slam my finger on the space bar, pausing the screen, letting a tear stain my cheek for a moment as I stare at the frozen monitor. I look up to see red letters line the board.
Everyone would have one less problem without you. it reads. I can hear her voice saying it as I read. She's gotten to my most sacred of places, I just can't deal with her anymore. I... I just can't.
THIRD PERSON POV
After Riley stood up to her bully in the halls of John Quincy Adams Middle School she, along with her family and closest of friends, had a victory party at Topanga's Cafe, where everyone ate ice cream and had a blast. Sure, Riley was creamed right in the face by Maya, but she didn't care, in fact smiling, and enjoying every moment she could scoop up, she was happy to be herself again. But, there was one person who she hadn't seen, Idina.
That night, Riley felt an urge to check in on her friend, so she climbed out her bay window, and lightly tapped on Idina's. The girl with glasses heard the tapping from her desk she hovered over. She grabbed a tissue from her blue box and wiped her eyes and glasses, making sure the stains didn't show. Finally, she put on a fake look before going to the window.
"Hey, I didn't see you after my confrontation with my bully," Riley said, her legs hanging in the bedroom as she sat on the ledge of Idina's bay window.
"Yeah, I meant to congratulate you but..." Idina looked away for a split second, takes a breath and continued, "But something came up."
"It's okay," Riley said, but she suddenly noticed Idina's glasses fogging up, "Are you okay?"
"Why would you ask that?" Idina responded, avoiding the question. Riley gestured to her friend's glasses, which Idina immediately wiped off using her jacket, trying to obscure Riley's view of them.
"Because I know glasses only fog up like that when someone's been crying with them on," she replied.
"I'm fine," Idina responded, left fist clenched tensely.
"Are you sure-" Riley was cut off by Idina's groan.
"You know you don't know everything Riley!" Idina shouted at her, she pushed one of Riley's legs off her bay window, the other one following it's lead. Riley stood outside the window.
"Idina-" she tried to start again, fear gaining on her with each moment.
"You don't know me! Okay? I'm not your best friend, that's Maya! Why don't you just leave me alone, because you're better off without me!" Idina had her hand on the bay window latches, "You don't need to save me," is the last thing she said in frustration, before shutting the window and locking it tightly, leaving a confused Riley on the fire escape.
Riley didn't know what was going on with her friend as she saw the shades being viciously pulled to hide the bedroom from her, but she was going to find out. However, she couldn't do that with no sleep, so she succumbed to her weary body, and climbed back through her own bay window, turning out the light with a troubled sigh.
Idina's eyes peeked through the shades, and once seeing Riley's light go out she stormed into her bathroom, which was connected to her bedroom. She and her mother each had her own, a benefit of it being just the two of them.
Idina looked up into the mirror to see her dull reflection, to see herself, but more like a faded version. So much had changed inside her in just a matter of moments. The top drawer just barely peeked open, she looked down inside at a certain navy blue object that sparkled in the dark. She grabbed it and took out the part of it that sparkled.
Now Idina held the silver, slicing mechanism of the blue razor in her right hand and the useless body of the razor in her left. She shoved the empty body back into the drawer. She held it close and tight to her body, contemplating doing something to herself she'd never thought she would have the urge to do, something she had never done before.
Anguish filled the heart of Idina Jennings as the tip of a blade barely touched her skin.