"Cough, cough. Sniffle." Riley said as Amzie and Maya walked in.
"No, no, no, no. You can't be sick. We don't know how to do this life thing alone." Maya said as Amzie nodded.
"I think I have the foo foo plague." Riley said.
"You do? What do you take for that?" Amzie asked.
"Foo foo medicine; and it makes you really sleepy. Night night. Bye." Riley said as she covered up with the blankets.
"Okay, so I'm looking up your fake disease on the fake Internet." Amzie said as she pretended to look at her phone.
"Can I have a sick day please?" Riley asked as she looked at them.
"It wants to know if you have a crushing weight on your chest. Do you have a crushing weight?" Amzie asked as she looked at Riley.
"Yep. Crushing weight. Yep, yep. Oh no! Oh no! Guys, I really do! I have the foo foos! It's like there's an elephant on my chest!" Riley said after Maya and Amzie sat on her.
"We are—at most!—a labradoodle." Maya said before they got off.
"Guys, you have to get far, far away from me. I don't want you to catch this." Riley said as she looked at them.
"I know. That would be terrible." Amzie said before they rolled over Riley.
"Okay, now can we please go to school now and get out of Rileytown? What? I just asked if we can get out of Rileytow—" Maya said before Riley pushed them off the bed.
"What is it with you? That's just a word we made up." Amzie said as she and Maya stood up.
"I know what it means. It means that I'm goofy and silly and weird." Riley said after she got out of bed.
"It means you're unique."
"I don't wanna be unique. I don't want anybody to notice me." Riley said.
"Since when? Rileytown is where you live." Maya said as Amzie nodded.
"We even made your own flag and national anthem, remember?" Amzie asked before she got the flag out of the closet.
"Rileytown. Oh Rileytown! Whee!"
"Yeah, that took us four days to write. Is this serious or are we having fun?" Maya asked as she looked at Riley.
"You're both bullies."
"Okay, that's not fun." Amzie said as she pointed at Riley.
"I don't like being laughed at. Nobody likes being laughed at." Riley said.
"We're not laughing at you. Who's laughing at you?" Maya asked after she and Amzie looked at each other.
"You never should've come up with it and you're bullies, okay?" Riley said before she walked out.
"In what ways do human beings resolve conflict?" Cory asked.
"Bring in the mama." Zay said before Farkle looked at him.
"They talk it out."
"They go to war."
"Why can't they talk it out?" Farkle asked as he looked at Lucas.
"They go to war!"
"Oh okay. You and me against Farkle." Zay said as he and Lucas nodded.
"They talk it out."
"They go to war!"
"Let's get him!" Zay said before Farkle shot nerf balls at them.
"You shoulda talked it out." Farkle said with a shrug.
"Many conflicts escalate and don't end well. The story of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr is a prime example. Anybody know what happened? Riley?" Cory asked before the brunette looked up.
"Please stop picking on me."
"What?"
"They had a duel. Burr killed Hamilton." Farkle said.
"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. Riley, no one should be texting you in class." Cory said after Riley's phone went off.
"I agree. I don't want you to say Rileytown anymore." Riley said as she looked at Amzie and Maya.
"We like Rileytown, we like you, and we like to say whatever we want." Maya said.
"Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel to resolve their conflict."
"Maybe that's what we should do." Riley said as she looked at Maya and Amzie.
"Maybe you wanna hear what happened to them first." Amzie said with a fake smile.
"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?" Cory asked as he looked at the Friar boy.
"People get hurt."
"What do we need to learn?" Cory asked.
"I need to learn how to resolve a conflict." Riley said as she looked up.
"What's going on?" Cory asked as he looked at the girls.
"She thinks Amzie and I are bullies because we keep saying something she doesn't like." Maya said as she looked at Cory.
"A bully isn't someone who says something you don't like. A bully is someone who uses power and intimidation to hurt others. 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 said as he looked at his daughter.
"There are other words you shouldn't just throw around either." Riley said.
"What?—like Rileytown?—the place where you live because you're there right now?" Amzie asked as she looked at the brunette.
"I asked you not to." Riley said before Amzie rolled her eyes.
"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 conflict with words." Cory said.
"You think I'm goofy, silly, and weird." Riley said as she stood up.
"No kidding."
"You're unique and wonderful and we love it here in Rileytown." Amzie said after she stood up.
"I challenge you to a duel." Riley said.
"Okay, you're not really understanding this at all. Amzie, please help her understand." Cory said as he looked at his niece.
"I accept. Duel to the death." Amzie said as she and Riley shook hands.
"Thank you very much."
"You will come back to me after the war, won't you, darling?" Farkle asked as he held Riley's ice cream.
"Just give me the ice cream, Farkle." Riley said with a sigh.
"Why are you my second, Huckleberry? Shouldn't you be over there with Riley?" Amzie asked as she looked at him.
"Well, it was decided that if things get out of hand, I was the best choice to—contain you." Lucas said.
"Oh. You think you can?" Amzie asked with a small smirk.
"Yeah, but I'll probably pay for it pretty good." Lucas said.
"Why would you let them do this?" Cory asked as he looked at Topanga.
"It's a slow day and the ice cream expires tomorrow." Topanga said with a shrug.
"What are you doing?" Riley asked as Amzie rubbed against her back.
"I'm itchy."
"Amzie, as the one challenged to this duel, you get the first shot. Alright, you'll take three paces, turn, and fire." Zay said as he looked at the Hunter girl.
"How do you know how to do this so well, Zay?" Maya asked as she looked at him.
"Back in Texas, we call this a Wednesday. Ice cream ready? One, two, three. Turn. Fire! Wait a minute. Something's wrong. That would've been bad. Fire!" Zay said after Farkle and Lucas pulled him out of the girls path.
"That's the best way to resolve a conflict I ever saw. This tastes one day before expired." Cory said as he licked Amzie's ice cream.
"Riley, take a hint please so we can all be done with this." Topanga said as she looked at her daughter.
"This will be done when you treat me like an ordinary person who nobody notices." Riley said.
"You're not. You're a sweet, weird little goofball and I love you just the way you are. Deal with it. No need to contain me, Lucas. I'm fine." Amzie said after Riley shoved the ice cream in her face and left.
"How are you fine, Amz? You don't look fine." Lucas said as Amzie wiped the ice cream off of herself.
"Because that's not Riley at all." Amzie said as she looked at Maya.
"Something's really wrong."
"Cory, Topy, Riley and I have a conflict. It won't teach us anything if you guys step in." Amzie said as she looked at the two.
"Okay. We're here if you need us." Cory said before he and Topanga left.
"I know."
"Why are you so calm?" Lucas asked as he looked at Amzie.
"Because this isn't her. This isn't Riley at all." Amzie said.
"Well, what could've changed her all of a sudden?" Zay asked.
"This is like when I always used to wear my turtlenecks and then there was somebody that didn't like that I—oh my gosh." Farkle said before he looked at Lucas.
"What? What are you looking at?"
"You gots to go." Farkle said before Lucas sent him a confused look.
"What?"
"We need more towels." Farkle said.
"What?"
"Amzie needs more towels." Farkle said before Amzie shrugged.
"I'm fine."
"Get her more towels!" Farkle said as he looked at Lucas and Zay.
"Okay!"
"Yes sir!"
"What's going on?" Maya asked after Lucas and Zay went to the back.
"Of course she loves Rileytown. Of course she's weird and goofy and unique. That's what we all love about her." Farkle said.
"So what's the problem?" Amzie asked.
"Somebody doesn't."
"What?"
"Riley doesn't wanna 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 said.
"—but why would she think we would ever do that?" Maya asked as she gestured to her and Amzie.
"We're her best friends. Why is she yelling at us?" Amzie asked.
"Because I think she's trying to get you to hear her." Farkle said.
"—hear what? Why does she keep talking about a bully if she knows we're not—? Oh no." Amzie said before she and Maya ran out of the bakery.
"What?"
"They're gone?" Zay asked after he and Lucas walked over.
"Yep."
"Well, what are we supposed to do with these towels?" Lucas asked as he held them up.
"They're not for Amzie." Farkle said as he took the towels.
"Well, who are they for?"
"They're for you." Farkle said before he started to tie Lucas up.
"What? Farkle, what are you doing? Stop—!"
"Don't mistake my size and demeanor for a lack of crazy because I got it; and I'll use it. So stay where you are." Farkle said as he looked at Lucas, who sighed.
"Okay."
"I'm your best friend and I need you to trust me." Farkle said before Zay looked at him.
"I'm his best friend."
"If you were his best friend, you'd know to tie him up right now." Farkle said as he held out a towel.
"Look, Imma just do it. I don't need an explanation." Zay said as he finished tying Lucas up.
"I'm gonna tell you something bad and I need you to not turn into Texas Lucas." Farkle said as he stepped back.
"Farkle, nothing's gonna turn me back into that." Lucas said with a chuckle.
"Something's happening to Riley." Farkle said before Lucas's face hardened.
"What?"
"We have something to talk about, you and us." Maya said after she and Amzie climbed into the window.
"I don't like it when we fight." Riley said as she looked at them.
"We're gonna be your friends for the rest of your life. We're gonna have some conflicts along the way." Amzie said.
"What do we do?"
"We'll work them out. We'll always work them out because we're friends and if things get rough, maybe we'll throw some ice cream at each other, but we'll still be friends because that's what reasonable people do." Amzie said.
"So we have no conflict anymore?" Riley asked before the blondes shook their heads.
"No. Now we have a new one." Maya said.
"Why wouldn't you come to us? How could you not come to us if someone's bullying you?" Amzie asked as she looked at Riley.
"I'm humiliated, guys. I didn't wanna let you see me humiliated." Riley said as she looked down.
"You thought it would just go away?" Amzie asked before Riley nodded.
"Mmhmm. It's getting worse."
"You know what the difference is between a conflict with a bully and a conflict with a friend?" Maya asked.
"What? Peaches, Pumpkin, you're the worst bullies ever." Riley said after the blondes laid their heads on her shoulders.
"I know. Peaches and Pumpkin the Bullies just don't strike fear into the hearts of anybody." Maya said with a small chuckle.
"I called you a bully and I ice creamed you. I'm really sorry." Riley apologized as she looked at them.
"It's okay."
"Will you get back at me for the ice cream?" Riley asked as she looked at Amzie.
"Oh yeah. You're never gonna see it coming."
"Couldn't you tell me just before you were gonna do it?" Riley asked before Amzie shook her head.
"No, honey. That would hurt my enjoyment." Amzie said with a small chuckle.
"I'm sorry I took everything out on you." Riley apologized before Amzie shrugged.
"It's okay. You had to take it out on somebody. I'm glad you felt safe enough to take it out on us." Amzie said as Maya nodded.
"We're sorry we didn't hear what you were trying to say earlier." Maya apologized.
"Well, I'll never go at you again." Riley said before Maya shook her head.
"No, it's okay. We can take it." Maya said as Amzie nodded.
"Yeah, let it all out."
"I'm better now."
"Oh yeah. I'm sure you are." Amzie said as Maya nodded.
"That's good."
"Rileytown." The blondes said together.
"Stop saying that! People shouldn't make fun of other people. What did I ever do to you? 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." Riley said after she stood up.
"Okay."
"I'm fine."
"I'm not. How long?" Amzie asked as she looked at the brunette.
"A few weeks. This has been going on a few weeks." Riley cried before they stood up and hugged her.
"Riles, we got you."
"I tried dealing with her, guys. She's not a reasonable person. How do I handle this? I don't know how to handle this." Riley said after they sat down.
"Not alone."
"—but I thought I was supposed to learn how to resolve a conflict." Riley said.
"You have a bully!"
"—and I have conflict?"
"You're incredibly screwy."
"—and I'm screwy and I have a bully and I have a conflict? What a tough day in Rileytown." Riley said with a tearful chuckle.
"Okay. So now we know two things. First: you're gonna stay exactly who you are." Amzie said as she looked at Riley.
"What else?"
"I don't think Lucas will." Amzie said as she moved some hair out of Riley's face.
"So I wanted to make sure you were tied up because I know how you were in Texas and I was worried about what would happen when you found out about what someone was doing to Riley and got angry. Did I do the right thing, Zay?" Farkle asked as he looked at his friend.
"No."
"What'd I do wrong?"
"Well, you used towels." Zay said with a shrug.
"What should I have used?" Farkle asked.
"It wouldn't matter."
"Well, look at dat." Farkle said as Lucas broke his arms free.
"It's been my experience that when it comes to protecting his friends, nothing can hold him back." Zay said after Lucas left.
"Okay. This oughta hold him." Maya said after they blocked the window.
"Why would you not tell me about this?" Lucas asked after he pushed through the barricade.
"I should be able to fight my own battles, Lucas." Riley said as she looked at him.
"No, you shouldn't and you don't have to, Riley. That's the point of having friends. Did you really think there was anything you could put in this window to keep me from helping you?" Lucas asked as he gestured to the window.
"We don't like it when you get like this. Tell him, guys." Riley said as she looked at her best friends.
"Lucas, pick up that bed with one arm." Amzie said as she pointed at the bed.
"Riley, you wouldn't let me keep this kind of stuff to myself. You think we're gonna let you?" Farkle asked after he climbed into the window.
"So what? You guys just come through the window and that's okay? Well, I don't like it. Impolite. I took some cereal and you're out of milk. Now." Zay said as he stood in the doorway.
"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." Lucas said as he looked at his friends.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I should've told you. I just didn't wanna put this on you." Riley said.
"We're friends. We can figure out anything." Farkle said with a shrug.
"—but what if you're dealing with someone who just—won't stop?" Riley asked after she looked at her phone.
"I wanna talk to you. I know there's something going on." Cory said.
"Do you want me to tell you what it is?" Riley asked.
"Do you want to, Riley? Because so far, you haven't told me; and I respect that." Cory said.
"It ain't good." Maya said as she looked at him.
"Yeah, I figured, but you're on it?" Cory asked as he looked at the girls.
"Yes."
"You're on it?" Cory asked as he looked at Lucas.
"Yep."
"—the right way?"
"We'll see."
"The right way, Lucas. You know why? Because Aaron Burr might've won his duel by killing his rival, but he never held office again and he'll forever be known for this. You understand?" Cory asked before Lucas nodded.
"Yes sir."
"Farkle?"
"Everything will be okay, Mr. Matthews. It always is." Farkle said.
"Yeah, why do you suppose it always is? Zay? It's on the board." Cory said after Zay looked at him with a confused look.
"The first one."
"That's right."
"Then you're gonna tell us about the second one." Zay said before Cory chuckled.
"I am."
"Yeah, I know how this goes." Zay said with a smile.
"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." Cory said.
"How do we fight that?"
"Well, now we turn to growth. Rely on each other. Grow together, but sometimes you have to grow by yourself. Whatever it is that makes its way to you, it's just shadows from your intimidating world. Don't live in the shadow. Your growth can help you get back into the sun." Cory said.
"Thanks, Dad."
"Sarah, Darby, Jade, Yindra, Wyatt, Jeffrey, Haley, Nate, Yogi, Dave, Clarissa. I know there are lots of groups of friends in here and I know you guys go through stuff, too. Your math teacher helps you guys out, right?—relates algebra to your lives? You guys okay? Learn from each other, continue to grow, and always know that I'm here for you." Cory said.
"I know what Mr. Matthews says is right, but Riley, if you want me to—whoever this is—I'll take care of it for you." Lucas said as he looked at the brunette.
"Thank you, Lucas. No."
"Riley, Maya, and I got this."
"Thank you, Amzie. No."
"Okay, good. You're gonna face this one down, but how?" Zay asked.
"You know what she sent me?—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." Riley said.
"Honey, I hate to break it to you, but the whole school already knows you're goofy." Maya said with a chuckle.
"They don't know everything I do. Neither do you." Riley said as she looked at her best friends.
"What? No."
"Yes, we do."
"Deep in the heart of Rileytown, in the darkest secret corner—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." Riley said.
"I think we know what happened."
"Somebody caught you."
"That's what she's sending to the whole school." Amzie said with a sigh.
"Well, maybe it's not so bad—"
"Sometimes I pretend I'm not there to accept, so sometimes French Riley accepts in my place."
"It's bad. It's really bad." Amzie said with closed eyes.
"Bonjour."
"Somebody doesn't love this?" Lucas asked with a chuckle as he gestured to the Matthews girl.
"What do I do, Amzie?" Riley asked as she looked at the blonde.
"You look at your friends and realize that no matter how deep into Rileytown you go, we'll all be right behind you. Now go get her." Amzie said with a smile.
"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. If I do something good, I give awards to myself so that maybe I'll do something good again. You're not gonna stop me by showing everybody your little video that shows everybody that I do it because I'm gonna show everybody right now. Welcome back to the Riley Awards. Now your host: British Riley!" Riley said as the entire school stood behind her.
"Hi, British Riley."
"Here's the biggest award of the evening. This award is for not only facing your fear, but doing it in front of everybody you know in my awful accent. The winner is Riley! 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. Hey, where are you going?" Riley asked as her bully ran off.
"Look, Riles. The farther away she goes, the smaller she gets." Amzie said after she and Maya went to Riley's sides.
"We did good."
"Friendship and growth."
"What comes next?" Riley asked as she looked at her father.
"I don't know, but whatever it is, I know you'll handle it." Cory said.
"Here we are at the Riley Awards After Party, where we've been having ice cream. Because I challenged Amzie to a duel and then I ice creamed her and then she said she'd get me back and I'd never see it coming? Is that why we're having ice cream?" Riley asked before Amzie turned around with six scoops of ice cream on her cone.
Comment when you wanna find out who Amzie's new love interest might be and who they are!