HISTORY CLASS
One dollar. One dollar is on every desk as we walked in. I yawned, already tired of the day.
"Hey! A dollar! They're finally paying us to come here," Maya grinned looking at her desk, "Dopes. I'd come here for nothing. You know why? I have to. Stupid law."
"Wait, everybody has one," Riley pointed out. I smelled the dollar on my desk, I don't know why I just did.
"No duh Riles," I shook my head before looking forward as our teacher walked in.
"So, what do you have there?" Mr. Matthews asked the class.
"It's a trap!" Maya shouted, "Everybody just hand your dollars to me, and I'll hold them is what I'll do. Yeah."
"Yeah, she'll sure hold em," I chuckled, "Out to the cashier."
"The United States government says that these pieces of paper are worth something. What makes them valuable?" he pointed to the boy in the desk behind Riley, "Farkle, do it."
"Paper money used to be certificates that you could exchange for their equal value in gold or silver. Before that, people would buy things with livestock, colored stones, or shiny objects."
"I like shiny objects," Riley said.
"Most people do Riley," I replied. Our teacher held up two t-shirts, both with the word 'bleh' on them, a dark olive green color.
"Which one of these shirts is better? Same size, same color, same shirt. One of these comes from Cheapo's and costs $12.99, the other one comes from Demolition and costs 36 bucks. So, which one's the better shirt? Riley?"
"Watch my little fashionista go," Maya said.
"The Bleh shirt on the left, though appearing to the untrained eye to look the same-" Riley started.
"It's the same shirt," I pointed out furrowing my eyebrows.
"Is not from Demolition, making it inferior."
"Same shirt," Matthews agreed with me.
"I will take the Demolition Bleh."
"You already did. This is your shirt. You spent 36 Washingtons on it."
"It costs more, so it's better."
I looked at the girl with shame, "It costs more, so it costs more you Maroon!" I huffed.
"Same exact shirt from the same exact manufacturer that sends it to a million different stores all over the world, Honey," I pointed out.
"Mine's better," Riley put the shirt to her cheek, "It feels good on my face."
"This is your shirt. I changed the labels this morning," Riley's lip started to quiver as she tossed the shirt aside.
"This shirt hurts my face! Give me that one. Mm. I know my shirt anywhere," the brunette paused, "That's my Demolition shirt, isn't it?"
"Why would I change the labels when I can just talk? Obviously, you people will believe anything."
"Mr. Matthews, are you teaching us that money has no real value?" Lucas asked.
"I'm teaching you that money is paper we put our faith in. Wars are fought over it. Most crime happens because money's involved. I'm teaching you that the value given to money is a lot less important than how it's used. That's what matters. That's what shapes who you are. Don't be mislead by trendy brands and shiny objects."
"So, what should we do with our money?" Farkle asked.
"Buy food," Lucas guessed.
"Have shelter," Maya added.
"Try and get an education," I sighed.
"Try?" Lucas looked at me as Farkle raised an eyebrow before Riley interrupted thankfully what was about to become an interrogation of me by my best friend and boyfriend.
"Do charity," the brunette said, handing a t-shirt to the blonde next to her.
"Riles, you gave me the Demolition one."
"Mm-hmm. Charity with a full heart. Also, I made a mistake." that phrase caused me to giggled slightly under my breath.
"What about doing business? My father is the Minkus of Minkus International," Farkle explained
Yeah, he's been in the news a lot recently," I said looking at him. I liked to watch the news sometimes before bed, plus it's all history, really.
"I hear he's risking a lot of his company on a new technology," Lucas added.
"It's something he really believes in, but he doesn't know if it's gonna work yet," the brunette boy replied.
Riley turned around in her desk, "When will he find out?"
"Not sure. When he does this kind of stuff, he's... not around the house very much."
"Farkle, how come you never have us over to your house?" Lucas asked.
"I've already told you."
"No, you say you're embarrassed by it, but how big could it possibly be?" Maya asked.
"I don't know. I haven't seen it all."
"Farkle, we couldn't love you less just because you have more than us," Riley said.
"I mean you're always our friend, and who cares if you have more than us?" I responded.
"Not anymore," someone said from the door. We turned to it and a man in a black and navy suit stood in the doorway. He looked sort of like an older version of Farkle.
"Minkus," Cory greeted him.
"Hi, Cory. Is it okay if I speak to Farkle about a minor issue?" his father asked our teacher as he grimaced.
"Uh, Minkus, is this one of those where we go out in the hall and talk?"
"Yeah." the man left as Farkle looked at me before standing. I nodded my head at him, trying to show him my support before he walked out with Cory following. I mean, I have less than him, it wouldn't be such a bad thing. He'd survive it, if Maya and I could, he sure could too.
AFTER SCHOOL
"Okay, I was able to find $24 in all of my piggy banks and drawers," Riley said as we sat at Topanga's. Farkle was missing from the group, but he was on his way the brunette had said.
Lucas sighed, holding up some bucks, "I sold a couple of baseball bats online. I got $58 to kick in."
"Thank you, Lucas. All right, so between the two of us, we can give Farkle $82."
"I managed to scrounge up about $14 by selling a book at a half-priced book shop," I added, handing them the money. I semi-told the truth, I'd pocketed $12, because no matter how poor Farkle was gonna be now... he wasn't poorer than myself or the blonde sitting next to me.
"Maya?" Riley asked the blonde.
"Between the four of us, we can give Farkle $90. Good job, guys!"
"Actually, it's $96, Maya," I bit my lip.
"Stupid math," Maya huffed.
"Hi, guys," Farkle said, walking through the front door of the cafe.
"Hi, Farkle," I smiled at him.
"We wanted to give you something. $96," Riley said handing him the money as he sat down between Lucas and me.
"Thanks, but I think it's Maya and Idina who can help me out best."
"What?" I raised an eyebrow.
"How?"
"I want you two to give me lessons on how to be poor."
"Done," Maya said, "$96 a lesson," he handed her the money the brunette had just given him, she smirked, "Lesson one complete."
"Hey if I'm gonna me tutoring you on how to be poor than I should get half," I pouted. Maya handed me the money, as she could tell I was better at counting than she, and I handed her back half of it with a smile.
"Half's better than nothing," Maya said.
"This is going straight to my college fund," I muttered. Riley looked at me.
"Idina, how are you poor? You live in the same building as me, just a few apartments down... how are you so poor then hm?" the brunette asked. I know she didn't mean any offense with her question, but something about her tone bothered me. I looked at the money in my lap, and before answering her I put it in my pocket.
"You know why this money is going straight into my college fund? Because my fund is currently nothing... zero, zilch, nada, blank, not even a penny. My mom doesn't own the apartment Riles, we rent it. You think we could afford a place like that? Sure, we've got some money, and she tries real hard, but in the future, I'm gonna be out there on my own," I bit my lip, "She'd rather provide for me now, then when I can do it later... I love going to school because that might be as far as I go. There's no way I'm gonna be able to afford college without doing something drastic... and I don't know what that is."
"I-I'm sorry... I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It's okay Riles," I smiled, "Because you know what? I still try... I still have some hope left in my back pocket."
Farkle glanced between Maya and me, "You two have less than we do, but you live a really good life. You guys don't just survive in this world. You thrive. That's what I've always loved about you two."
"Thanks, Farkle," I said softly. Maya nodded.
"Yeah, not much to tell you except," she paused looking down at her garments, "You see these clothes I wear? Yeah? Shawn bought them for me, and I take care of them and I appreciate them. I don't have much, but I try to appreciate what I do have."
"And you always appreciate the people you have, because those around you... well, that's priceless," I added.
"That's really good advice, both of 'em. I mean, I have so much. I don't really appreciate any of it. Now, it's gonna be gone," Farkle sighed. I put my head against his shoulder.
"I'm sorry Farkle," I bit my lip, "I know we all wish there was something we could do."
Riley's eyes lit up, "Well... let's go to your house while you still have it."
"My house?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. Farkle, you've been to our houses. We haven't been to yours."
"I don't think that's a good idea. Farkle, we get it. You're rich. You have a nice room," Lucas said.
"Well, I just want to hang out with you guys at your places."
"Why?" I asked.
"I don't know. I like your places."
"We're going. Your room can't change how we feel about you," Maya stood and smirked before pointing her finger in the air, "To Farkle's!"
FARKLE'S HOUSE
Wide open, that's how all our mouths were. For some reason, even Farkle's was.
Lucas looked to the genius boy, "Why is your mouth open?"
"Maya's hitting me," Farkle said as the blonde continuously punched his side.
I looked at the two and sighed, "Maya."
"Look at this stuff! How can you not hit him?"
"Maya!" Riley scolded her.
"You have to stop!" Farkle looked to the blonde.
Maya stopped only to taunt him, "What are you gonna do about it, little rich boy?" just then a train tooted. It came from down the hall
"What is that?" I furrowed my eyebrows looking at the genius boy, "A train?"
Farkle smirked and pushed Maya towards the train, "I'm gonna send you far, far away," he shoved her on the train as the conductor began to speak.
"You have boarded the C train for the kitchen, the skating rink, and the Minkus Megaplex 17." Maya's mouth still hung open as the train took her far, far away.
"Farkle, how do you possibly live here?" Riley asked looking around the room with wide eyes.
"Hey, look down there," I said, pointing out the glass window and biting my lip, "The people are ants," I stepped back slowly as Farkle looked at me with a sort of confused look on his face, "I was never a big fan of heights," I shrugged with my explanation.
"Well, look up there. I just saw a comet fly by," Lucas pointed to the ceiling.
"Yeah. My ceiling is a planetarium," he looked to the brunette girl, "But don't worry, Riley. Pluto will always be a planet in my room."
"Aw. Good," I smiled resting my arm on his shoulder, "So you're the same Farkle no matter how much money you have?"
"Yup, I'm still me... I think."
"You are," I said before he smiled and pecked my cheek with a small kiss.
"Farkly..." I whined blushing.
"Iddy..." he whined back with a small smile. Lucas and Riley smiled at each other for a moment, before looking back at the two of us.
"Yeah, I don't think that any money could change any of us," Lucas said as we heard a horn toot. I held up one finger.
"Wait for it," I said, before pointing as the train came back with our blonde friend in a brand new, highly classy and fancy outfit.
"What?" she said, stroking the cat in her purse, "I stopped at the gift shop." I sighed, sitting down on Farkle's bed, as did he, as Maya began to hum and walked slowly, "Well, this cat and I would look wonderful strolling down the Champs-Elysees."
I looked to Maya, who nodded at me, seeming sort of sad as I brought her back to reality, "Being Poor Lesson Number Two: She will never stroll down the Champs-Elysees," I explained looking at Farkle.
"Paris. Enjoy," he said simply, pulling out a contraption and handing it to Maya. She looked at it for a moment before putting it on her head. Farkle sipped a juice box as I glanced over at Lucas, who wore a headset similar to Maya's, but one that was showing him a different location: a golf course.
"Oh, that's got some distance!"
Riley sighed as she sorted through Farkle's video games near his big flat screen television, "I don't get boys," I simply watched as she held up a game, "Farkle, what is this game? 'Zombies Eat Your Brains Four'?" he nodded, "Do you really play this? I'm ashamed of you."
"Yeah? Try it," he replied. As Riley shrugged and started up the game, turning on the tv, he grabbed another juice box, handing it to me with a smile.
"Thanks, I was thirsty," I nodded, before stabbing it with a straw.
"Yes I know you very well," he agreed before looking at the blonde, who was caught up in her imaginary world of Paris.
"Stop it. What, this old thing? No, I just got this out of the closet. No, Jean-Pierre L'Fontaine," she paused, "As fun as this is... it's not real," she took off the headset.
"Lesson Number Three on Being Poor," I said looking at him.
Maya held the set in her hands, "Way too easy to get caught up in what's not real," she looked around, "You got a great, big room, Farkle. It just keeps us too far apart from each other."
"Die, suckers! Die!" Riley shouted at the television and slashed some 'suckers' head off. I cringed. Maya sat down on the other side of Farkle as I sipped the juice box, tossing it in the trash with ease.
Farkle looked to Maya and I, "That's Lesson Number Four, right? It's better to be together."
"Always," Maya nodded.
I jumped up, spreading my arms out, "We're all in this together!" I shouted a line from the teen classic, High School Musical. As I sat back down with a chuckle Farkle's father walked into the teen boy's bedroom.
"Hey, guys. Great to see you enjoying our house. Why haven't you ever been here?" His father asked.
Riley was distracted, "Oh, hi, Minkus. Nice crib," she turned back towards the zombies, "Die!"
"Very sorry, you know, for the unfortunate turn of events," Maya said.
"Thanks. I've always felt that it's not the event that reveals the man, but how the man responds to the event that reveals the true nature of character," Mr. Minkus explained.
"How are you responding, sir?" I asked looking up at him from my seated position on the bed with Maya and Farkle.
"I watch cartoons. I eat cereal without milk because my tears fill the bowl. Stuff like that."
"Oh boy..." I smiled nervously looking to Farkle as he started to speak.
"I want you to know I don't care if we live like this or not."
"Why not, Farkle? Aren't you proud of what we've done?"
"I'm not really sure of what we've done, Dad. I know if the stock market goes up, you're happy, and if it goes down, you're not. I know the busier you are, the less I get to see you, and if you're wondering why I've never brought my friends here before, it's because I'm a little embarrassed."
"By me?"
"No. Never by you. By all this stuff we have," Farkle said, glancing around his room, "We have so much. Why do we deserve it?"
MAYA'S APARTMENT
Farkle leaned his head out the window, Lucas pet Maya's ferret, while I sat next to Riley. Maya's great-grandmother's guitar laid across my lap and a portion of Riley's. I was attempting to teach the brunette how to play, but she preferred to listen to my soft tunes than her own warbled ones. I looked over to Maya sketching and pursed my lips.
"What do you think?" the blonde asked, showing us her sketch.
"I think you're the best there is," I nodded, "It's amazing."
"Look at us," Riley replied with a smile, "We're having a really good time."
As the little thing, Lucas held ran around in his hands he grinned, "I like this little ferret."
"Hi," Farkle said out the window, peeking his head out. I walked over to the window, poking my head out too.
"Hey, what are you doing?" I tilted my head. People walked by as we spoke.
"There are people right out her window. I wish I had that. Where are they all going?"
"Right now?" Maya asked, coming over and squeezing her head outside too.
"They're going home, Farkle," I sighed, looking at the travelers, "They're going home to their kids and families and to tuck them in so they'll have the sweetest of dreams."
"Do you know them? What about her? Do you know her?" Farkle asked excitedly pointing at people as he grilled the blonde.
Maya chuckled, "Yeah, that's Mrs. Abruzzo."
"Why is she wearing two jackets?" the genius boy questioned.
"I always ask her that. She said she just doesn't have time to get a warmer coat, but she says she's fine. "
"You know, that's the same response my mom gives me when I ask her that too," I pursed my lips and looked down, "I have a nice coat and she shivers sometimes, but she always says she's fine."
"I don't think she's fine," Farkle bit his lip, "I don't think they're fine."
"Yeah," I said, watching the older woman.
"Hi, Mrs. Abruzzo," Farkle waved, before smiling at us, "You have a great room, Maya, with a much better view than mine.
"I'm glad you appreciate it, Farkle," the blonde replied.
"My room is an idiot. It has everything in it except for the most important thing."
"Us?" two voices say simultaneously. I smiled and turned around the see Riley and Lucas beginning to peek their heads on either side of Maya and me.
"Yeah," he nodded, "How can you put a price on that?" we turned around, letting our faces be free of the window.
"You don't," Riley said.
"Because, you can't put a price on what's truly valuable," I pointed.
"Who needs money at all? Lesson Five, right?" Farkle guessed. I shook my head as did Maya.
"Wrong," she pointed at the boy, "When you don't have it, you learn when it comes in handy. I mean, I'd fix the leak in my roof, do something about the cracks in the plaster, definitely patch up the hole that Ginger came in through a year ago."
Lucas's smile fades as he plays with the animal, "Wait a minute. What?"
"Your cat that's a ferret is a rat?" Riley deduced.
"Oh...." Lucas said nervously, putting the rat on the ground quickly, "There you go." he wiped his hands together.
"Real slick Cowboy," I chuckled, before simply shrugging, "Yeah I mean I'd start a college fund for myself, maybe try to help my mom out."
"What happened with your mom?" Lucas asked quietly
"Yeah I mean, why does she need more help than you?" Riley added.
I bit my lip, "She goes without things... things she needs so that I can have food, clothes, health, education, a good place to sleep, and other things I don't even know about honestly."
Farkle pursed his lips with a small side smile, "Good people deserve good things."
THE NEXT DAY
"This is the world," our teacher pointed to a pie chart on the board, 1/3 of the chart was colored in using white dusty chalk, that's the part he pointed to next, "You see this piece of pie? These are the people in the world who have pie, and this is everyone else in the world who lives on less than $2 a day."
"Oh, my gosh," Riley said quietly. Lucas straightened up in his seat. I looked at Farkle for a moment, it was like seeing a puppy dog's eyes sink. I felt my heart drop, looking at the board, and knowing anyone of us, could have been one of them. Mr. Matthews pointed to the white part of the pie.
"These are the people in the world who have access to immediate medical care and do not live in abject poverty," he pulled out the pink chalk from his hand, drawing a small line across the white portion of the pie, and shading it in, before turning back to the class, "This is us. These are the people who get to wake up in their warm beds and they get to eat waffles in the morning. This is us. This is them. Look at me. Pay attention to this. Now, I've tried to teach you guys that the secret of life is people change people. Well, today, we're gonna get more specific. This is us. This is them. What's the secret of life? Anybody?"
"What us does for them," Maya said quietly
I looked over to the blonde, before seeing our teacher and sadly smiling, "Kindness and Charity."
"That's what changes people. That's the secret of life," he pointed to Maya and I, "And thank you."
"I am an 'us'?" Maya asked.
"We both are Maya," I replied, turning to the girl next to me, "We might not have a lot, but we have more than them." Cory nodded.
"You are an 'us'. You're blessed. We're all blessed."
Maya shook her head, "I'm sorry I've ever complained. I'll never complain about my leaky roof again."
"Riley?" he looked to his own daughter.
"What us does for them," she repeated.
"The secret of life. Your assignment today is to think about what good you guys would do if you had money. Who would you help?" a moment of silence falls on the entire class. I look to Farkle who's chest is flying up and down rapidly.
His breath is shaky as he speaks, "I am... humiliated." he got up quickly, tapping his hand against the thigh of his jeans as he scurried out without a word.
TOPANGA'S CAFE
As we walked down the steps to Topanga's I was nervous. Farkle had called us and told us to meet him there. It turned out he was meeting someone there too.
"Dad," he smiled at his, once again millionaire, father.
"I called you this time," he smiled, standing and walking over to his son and us, "I thought about what you said. I'm no success at all if I haven't succeeded with you.
"You have, I know it," I said, my arm wrapped around Farkle's.
Farkle looked at me, before smiling at his father, "You have," he repeated. His father pursed his lips as he looked between the two of us, then back at his own son.
"You're right, Farkle. I should do more."
Riley pursed her lip, "We should probably leave you two alone." both her parents were there too.
"No," Topanga said with a smile, "Actually, this involves all of you."
"This morning, I did something I should have done long ago. I started the Minkus Family Foundation. We're gonna give some money away, a lot of money, to those who need it," his father explained.
Topanga grinned, "And we want you all to be a part of it."
"Well, what do we do?" Lucas raised an eyebrow, I could tell he was sort of excited about this from the glint in his eyes.
"You're gonna help decide who needs it," Topanga explained
"You've all been thinking about the less fortunate," our teacher explained, "Well, we want the results of your assignment right now."
"I knew you'd come up with something," Farkle grinned with impressment.
"Well, I didn't come up with it alone. I called a buddy of mine who's pretty good at spotting the potential in an idea. He's inside. He's gonna help us pick out the best one," his father said, gesturing for us to go into the cafe. We followed the adults and saw Mr. Minkus's friend sitting, waiting for us.
"That's Mark Cuban," Lucas grinned in light of a well-known celebrity, "He owns the Dallas Mavericks."
"He's also on Shark Tank," I added.
Riley glared at him, and walked over to him with a stern face, "Mr. Cuban, I know that you don't take the Knicks very seriously right now, but just you wait."
"Yeah, I don't have that kind of time," he snickered. Riley's mouth dropped open, I walked up to her and pulled her back to the group.
"It's alright, Honey," I said, before looking at Mr. Cuban, "Besides the Heat already dominate," I smirked. The adults sat down in a line of chairs, looking at us, their future.
"You ready?" Mr. Minkus said.
"Okay, guys," the millionaire star rubbed his hands together, "Impress me."
We all walked back outside, we were supposed to set up our pitches. As Riley and Lucas both strolled in for their turns, as some point Farkle looked at me, with a big grin came across his face.
"What?" I asked looking at him, "Are you that excited to pitch Mr. Cuban?" I asked I'd seen Shark Tank before, my mom loved the show, so, of course, I knew who he was.
He shook his head, "It's not that it's just... you know how you were saying that money's tight for you and your mom?"
I bit my lip and nodded, "Yeah." I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling inferior to him.
"Well, I don't want me being rich again to change a thing between us," I smiled softly and took his head.
"Farkle Ginsburg Minkus, no matter how much money you have, I will be right here... and besides you had a lot of money before and that didn't change a thing between us."
"Oh, and there's one other thing."
"Farkly I did you not hear what I just-"
"I did something... for you." I furrowed my brows, "A good thing, a good thing I promise," he nodded. I lifted my hand to let my chin rest against my knuckles.
"Okay Farkle... so what did you do?" He leaned down to his bag by his side, pulling out a small stack of papers. He scooted it over to me as I started to scan them.
"I did some research, and I found some scholarship opportunities that I know you could get," he looked at me, "For your writing."
I looked at him, shaking my head, "Farkle I'm not that good... and I'm for sure not good enough to win a scholarship."
"Yes, you are, I know you are," he smiled, "You are very good Idina, great even, I know you can become one of the greats. And, one day in the future, Mr. Matthews will write your name up on the board when he's discussing great people who changed the world: Idina Henley Jennings."
I put my hand over where his rested on the table, "And it will be right next to your's... thanks for doing this Farkle, it means a lot to me."
"I know it does," he smiled, before he turned to see Lucas exiting the shop, and that his turn was up. He stood, looking at me for a moment, before walking through the door. He's in there for some time, Maya's supposed to go after him, but I don't know if she necessarily has a plan about what she's gonna say.
"Maya Hart and Idina Jennings!" a broad voice beckons. I stood, scrunching my nose. I walked in as Maya quickly gathered Lucas and Riley.
"I thought Maya was next," I said, looking at Farkle who was still standing in the middle of the room, he was smiling right at me, "Farkle what'd you talk about anyway?"
"Two people I believe in very much, two people who I know will be forces to reckon with," he replied as the blonde ran to the doorframe.
"I didn't do it, and these three were with me the whole time," she said quickly, looking at me as she waited for the brunette and tall boy to come, "These three!" she huffed as she repeated it, more talking to the door, or the people outside the door specifically. Lucas and Riley ran in as Riley linked her arm with Maya.
I put my hand towards my mouth to block the blonde from hearing my words, "That girl wouldn't hurt a fly," I assured the adults. They nodded.
Mr. Cuban points at us, "We were thinking about giving you guys a lot of money."
At the mention of money, the blonde sticks her hand out, walking toward the millionaire adult, "Maya Hart. How you doin', Cuban?" she said, fist bumping him before going back to the middle of the floor. I rolled my eyes and smiled.
"Idina Jennings, sir," I introduced myself, "I've heard a lot about you."
"So, you guys are gonna create world peace and cure diseases together?" Farkle's father assumed.
"We're gonna dream with them," Maya nodded.
"So yeah," I smiled, "Dreams are good to keep in your back pocket, they push you to do better."
"And, I always have. I mean, they're the ones who taught me how." she looked at me.
"Just sometimes..." I bit my lip, "Sometimes we know better."
"What do you two know?" Mr. Cuban asked us. I glanced at Maya, who gestured for me to speak first.
"Well, I know that there's a hole in my ceiling, it's not a big one, but it's big enough to be noticeable," I thought about it, "And I know that there's this old rusty microwave that my mom and I use, had it since I could remember, it doesn't work well... but it always works," I linked my arm with hers, "Ms. Hart?"
Maya nodded, "I know my roof leaks... and I know there is a hole in my wall."
"And what are you two gonna do about it?" the adult questioned again.
"We're gonna get an education from him," Maya pointed to our teacher.
"We're gonna earn my own money when we're older," I stated, "Because this is our world... and we have to survive in this world."
"And then someday I'm gonna have a good place with good walls and a good roof," Maya said.
"And someday I'm gonna have a good place too," I added, before slightly chuckling, "With a good ceiling and a good microwave."
"And what are you gonna do for everybody else?" Mr. Minkus asked.
"Everybody's a lot of people," I pointed out.
"But if I could afford it, I would fix somebody else's roof," Maya said.
"If I could afford it... I'd fix someone else's ceiling. I'd try to help them get an education," I said, before glancing at Farkle, "I'd try to help them find scholarship opportunities, so they'll have a better chance out there... a better chance," I looked at my teacher and smiled, remembering his lesson, "To become an us."
"What about world peace and diseases?" Mark inquired.
"I think we're gonna leave that to you guys-" I said as Maya put her arm on my shoulder.
"Until we become one of you guys," Maya finished.
I looked at them, "But when I become one of you guys, I'd wanna do something to help those like myself, who can't afford college. I wanna help someone get an education."
The blonde smiled at me, before both of us looked back at the adults we were pitching, "So they can become the best one of you guys."
"I don't invest in just ideas. I invest in people behind the ideas," Mr. Cuban explained to the two of us, "Your roof leaks for a reason. Your ceiling's got a hole in it for a reason. You have a crusty old microwave that keeps working for a reason. You have these friends for a reason," he stressed, "And they have you. Use them."
Farkle stood by his father, who smiled at us, "I'm gonna give you some money, but you can't just keep it," Mr. Minkus spoke, looking at his son, "I've learned that when all you do is keep it, maybe you don't deserve to keep it."
"We'll do good with it," Maya nodded.
"We promise," I replied as I firmly shook my head.
Riley ran to the other side of Maya, putting her head on the blonde's shoulder, "Can Maya keep a little of it to fix her roof?" she said with big puppy dog eyes, "And can Idina keep a little of it to fix her ceiling?"
Mr. Cuban chuckled, before looking at us teens, "See?" he barely smiled, which I rarely had ever seen him do on the television investment show he starred on, "You have these friends for a reason." a Mark Cuban smile, well, that meant something was really important. That meant something was really good.
FARKLE'S HOUSE
"Thanks for showing me you don't need money to be rich," Farkle said looking out the 'window'. I sat next to Riley, quietly strumming the guitar.
"Yeah, you do," Maya replied as she looked out the 'window' with Farkle, "And this is creepy." She ducked her head back inside the 'room' which was really just a small model version of the blonde's own room that Farkle had gotten built in his own room. I think it made him feel more humble having it.
"It is definitely cozier, Farkle," Riley nodded. I shrugged.
"I think it's fine anyway he wants it," I gave my opinion.
"Hey, Lucas," Riley said, looking at the Texan boy, before pointing to me as I began to strum and she sang in a raspy, very off-key, voice, "Zombies. I'm sorry for treating you so bad." Lucas chuckled.
"It's very confident," he nodded, before looking over at the blonde and genius, "What are you guys looking at?"
"It's a live-stream," Farkle responded.
"Hey... Those are my people," Maya smiled, "H-How'd you get my people?"
"When we fixed your roof, we put a camera on it and a little speaker."
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to say hi," Farkle waved happily to the lady on the camera across town, "Hi, Mrs. Abruzzo... nice coat."