MAYA
at Topanga's, in New York
I started off with my own family, "Well... my dad left me when I was a little kid... and my mother single-handed raised me up. On a side note, she REALLY wants to be an actress. At home, she acts as a different person all the time. One day, she could be an annoying boss from a TV series, and a poor and lonely road sweeper on the next."
All of us chuckled and Riley started saying, "I'm sorry about your dad! You're fine with it now? Do you still meet up with him?"
I wish.
"Nah, not really. I don't even really remember what he looks like, but he doesn't or didn't really play an important role in my life, so eh."
Smackle said, "Oohh... your mum's hilarious, though."
I smirked, "That's where I got my genes from."
"Yeah, right." Riley laughed.
Riley then continued, "I have a younger brother and his name is Auggie! He usually comes out here to help out, but I'm not sure where he is right now? Anyway! I have 2 amazing parents and I love them so much!!"
Zay said, "Well, that seems just like a perfect life!"
Riley replied quickly, "I don't know. My dad is my teacher in school. How would YOU deal with that?!"
I immediately laughed, "Wow. Does he pick on you a lot?"
She said, "Not exactly. But I'm usually the one talking in class, I guess."
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FARKLE
at Topanga's, in New York
As they chatted, I was feeling confused. Not about them, but about me.
Should I tell them whatever I've told Riley? What if they look down on me? What if they get mad that I lied? What if–
My thoughts were then interrupted by Zay's question.
"What about you, Farkle?"
"Me? Oh. Um..." I looked up at Riley and realized that she was looking right at me, too.
Her eyes seemed to be telling me, tell them the truth!
"Uh... my family is perfect, too. I have no siblings but my parents are happily married! I love them a lot, too." I blurted out.
Riley raised an eyebrow before grabbing my shirt and pulling me out of the bakery.
As soon as we were both outside and facing each other, she scolded me.
"Farkle! Why'd you do that? Why don't you want to tell them about your family? It's nothing to even be ashamed of!"
I felt tears brimming in my eyes.
"I... I feel ashamed, embarrassed and dumb. Dumb enough that my mum would want to leave me." Tears burst out.
Riley's eyes softened and she said gently, "Hey, hey. It wasn't your fault. Anyway, you have her back now, haven't you?"
"No, Riley. She's gone forever. After she left that day, I couldn't find her again."
Riley stood in shock. "It's okay, Farkle. She's gonna come back for you one day."
"I hope so," I said weakly as tears flowed down my cheeks. "I just wanted a perfect family. And nothing else. Ever since my dad died, I've missed him everyday since. And when my mum left me, I felt like killing myself. Why can't I be like another normal kid?" I broke down. Right before Riley.
I dropped to the ground on my knees and covered my face with my hands.
I felt Riley bending down and then hugging me tightly.
"Hey, everything's gonna be alright. You may not have what everyone else thinks you should have, but you have me. And the others." Riley hugs me even tighter and starts patting my head and combing through my hair. And I hug back.
"I love you, Farkle." She whispered into my ear.
"And I love you. Thank you for... for everything." I hiccuped.
She pulled away and gave me a small smile.
"Now, shall we get back in there and be brave?" Riley wiped her own tears – was she touched? Or was she empathizing with me? – and smiled.
I nodded slowly as we both walked back in again.
"My dad had died when I was of young age and so we moved here because my mum didn't want to be reminded of the old memories we had with him in there. But my mum also abandoned me at an orphanage a while after coming here. Thankfully, I've found adoptive parents, and I was almost getting over me and my horrible life, when my mum appeared a few days ago to get me to go home with her. I told her I wouldn't go... I don't even know why, and now I'm not able to find her."
"I'm sorry for lying, I shouldn't have and I never will ever again," I said immediately after that.
"Hey, we don't blame you! What you went through was much worse, but I'm glad you're doing fine now." Smackle smiled.
"Yea, Smackle's right. You could've told us way before this because we wouldn't have judged you or anything!" Maya said.
Their words made me feel so touched that tears threatened to burst out again.
"So, moving on. What's your life like, Smackle? Wait. Where's the guy you were gonna bring along?" I asked, suddenly realizing that she hadn't brought someone here with her.
"Yea, I didn't realize he wasn't here!" Riley laughed.
"Uh... he was someone I thought liked me... but he actually already had a... a girlfriend. I... I was so embarrassed..." Smackle looked down at her hands.
"It's alright, man! He doesn't deserve you if he treats you that way and acts all jerky. Just move on from that asshole because I'm sure you'll find a guy easily!" Zay winked at her.
We all burst out laughing. "Well. Anyway, my family is kind of like Riley's except that my younger sibling is a girl. She's freakin annoying but I still love her loads." She continued.
Zay said, "I have a little sister, too! Oh my god, she's probably more annoying than your sister!"
Smackle smirked, "I see where she gets her genes from."
Zay rolled his eyes and continued with his story to tell, "Yeah... anyway. My family life's kinda like Maya's too. My dad left when I was a kid and so I live with my mum and sister who I actually cherish a lot."
"Aww. I'm glad you do." Riley said.
I glanced up at the clock on the wall. Already 12.50pm?
Time seemed to be flying past so quickly that an hour had already passed... And I didn't want this day to end...
I looked up at my new group of friends.
"Guys, I have an amazing idea."