twenty two - First Day Of High School and The Last?
While Maya Hart and Riley Matthews lead the group up the stairs of Abigail Adams High School, Lucas Friar, Farkle Minkus, Isadora Smackle, and Isaiah Babineaux trailed behind Ryan Moore, the brunette that got sight of another trio with similar qualities towards the girls leaned against the seat of lockers. They were eyeing the new group of freshman's with this taunting smirk casting their lips.
''You know,'' Farkle turns to Smackle, the raven hair female that was just as awestruck of the place as Riley and Maya. However, Ryan couldn't peer away from the older kids. She was sneering at their lingering stare. ''I'm glad we're here together, Isadora. It gives me a feeling which I can only describe as-''
She takes a fairly obvious step closer into his side and squeaks, ''Stuck?''
''Isadora, Farkle finding the one and only Smackle lets me know the universe has order and our existence is not just random coincidence.''
The sight of the trio was caught off and instead replaced by the sight of three girls who could've been easily mistaken for Smackle if not paid enough close attention to detail.
''Hello, random coincidence ladies!''
''Hey, hey, hey,'' Ryan calls out, taking a step forward to the girls. ''Back off of the display, can't you see through those thick lenses that he's already taken? Now, scram.''
Eyes widening in fear, they dashed for the staircase.
''Riles? Ry?''
Ryan turns to Maya who was still observing her surroundings.
''What if we don't own this place?''
''Maya,'' Riley chuckles, taking a step closer and reaching out for her head as Ryan was walking over to the two. ''Life wouldn't do that. We're us.''
''Hate to break it to you, but life is messy,'' Ryan scrunched her lips to the side and shrugs her shoulders. ''And so what if us doesn't own this place?''
Ryan's point was shortly cut when two basketball players that could be nearly as tall as the ceiling stopped right in front of Zay and Lucas. She furrows her brows at the two upperclassmen.
''Us are in Jurassic Park.''
She continues to eye them oddly as the basketball players walked off laughing.
Lucas waves it off. ''Oh, come on, they're just people in high school.''
Suddenly, what looked like an older version of Lucas stepped out of the classroom Zay and Lucas lingered near and eyed him down. That same taunting smirk appeared before walking right past them.
He caught sight of Ryan's curious and furious stare and continue to stare right back as he made his way in between the trio that was still watching them.
''You know who goes to our high school? Thor!''
''What the hell is with the fascination of us?'' Ryan exclaims as she turned to the group by slapping her arms against her sides.
''You know, I heard that even the best of friendships can come apart in high school,'' Riley starts shaking her head vigorously while looking between the two. ''But that couldn't happen to us, right? Promise me that no matter what happens, we will always stick together.''
The school bell ringing alarmed many of those in the hallway. In a blink of an eye, students, peers, colleagues of all ages were squirming around back and forth to their first class of the day.
Ryan had lost the others in the sea of people, but those who had tried to push her, she roughly pushed right back, resulting her to remain standing in her place.
Once the storm had cleared, Riley and Isadora were on the floor while Lucas, Zay and Maya were pushed against the walls.
Maya pants out while pointing a finger at her, ''How are you still standing in the same spot?''
She pursed her lips. ''Because I'm, me.'' Then a sudden thought came to mind as she looked around. ''Where's Farkle?''
''We're gonna own this place!'' He exclaims from above. He was dangling on one of the lights. ''Geronimo!''
By the thud and small quake from Farkle landing on the floor, Ryan couldn't but burst into a roar of laughter.
''Oh my god, Farkle, are you okay?'' Riley questions incredulously.
He perks back up onto his feet and sports a goofy grin. ''Never better. Why is the room spinning?''
He starts limping to the side, in which Maya was quick to catch him. ''Okay, buddy.''
''Look!'' Riley jumps back onto her feet and takes a proud stance next to Ryan. ''A patriot. We're Abigail Adams Patriots. We're just as much a part of this place as anybody else.''
''Get in the hole!''
Ryan's nostrils flared and brows furrowed furiously at the command as Riley murmurs sadly, ''Of course, get in the hole.''
The group turns to find that same trio, along with the boy who Lucas referred to as Thor came strolling to them.
''What are you?'' One of the brunettes questioned.
Ryan holds up a hand towards Riley. ''Don't answer that.''
''Why not?'' The only blonde retorts, eyeing her up and down. ''She's a big girl. I'm pretty sure she can answer a simple question.''
Ryan takes a daring step forward that had both Farkle and Lucas alarmed. ''A big girl should know the difference between a what and a who. We're humans, not objects.''
''Congrats, hardcore feminist,'' The other brunette spoke. ''You just past the intolerance level of annoyance.''
''Oh,'' Ryan chuckles deeply, taking another step forward as she spoke. ''You'll know when I past that level when I jam your- hmm.''
Ryan glanced down at the hand wrapped around her mouth, muffling the trouble words that most likely wouldn't help the situation and slowly trails her gaze up to meet the warning eye's that belong to Lucas.
''I won't repeat myself more than once,'' The first brunette speaks again. ''What are you?''
''You just did,'' Ryan remarked loudly under the pressure of Lucas' hand.
''I'm Riley,'' She softly spoke.
The blonde quirks a brow at Maya. ''And you?''
''Their best friend,'' Maya took a step forward. Lucas threw his head back and rolled his eyes while Ryan smirks at her bold side kick. ''And we can do without the attitude, madam.''
''What'd you call us?''
Ryan's grew wide at Maya's trembling voice. ''I'm gonna probably need help now.''
''You're spunky,'' She licks her lips. ''You know what I'm gonna call you? Spunky.''
Ryan rips away from Lucas' touch with force. ''So now we're dogs?''
''Listen,'' Lucas spoke up. It was about time he took control of the situation. ''Her name is Maya..''
Lucas approaches a scrawny kids passing by. His head was down, playing with his phone as he announced, ''And you can call me, Lucas. You wanna know what I am? I'm as strong as a horse. I don't know how. I just am.''
Thor came up from behind the kid. ''Yeah, he's not even with us.''
Ryan pulls off a fake grin. ''May I present to you, someone who is strong as God.''
''When my friends tell you to do something, you do what they say.''
Ryan jerks her head back.
''This hallway is for people who have earned it.''
''Bitch, if the school accepted my application, I earned the right to walk through this hallway.''
''Excuse me?'' One of the brunette's raised a brow.
''Di-did I stuttered?'' Ryan mocks. ''Who do you think you are picking on first day freshmans? Do you know how sad it makes you look? The only way I'm going in that hole is if you make me, and trust me when I say that you'll be picking a good fight. And that's not a promise, that's a threat.''
''I don't think I like your attitude,'' The guy standing in front of Lucas comments with narrowed eyes.
''Oh,'' Ryan drawls out. ''I see, you have your bodyguard do all the hard work for you girls, that's so cute. Just know that my fists are bi-sexual.''
''Sweetheart,'' The blonde giggles. ''You're not gonna put your hands on anybody. Do you wanna hear your freshman song?''
× × ×
"Good morning and welcome to world history," Cory Matthews introduces. "Who's ready to learn?"
"I'm ready to go home," Ryan counters, sunken in her seat.
A brunette from the front of the room waves her hands towards the board. "What's that on the board?"
"We were kings. Now, we're patriots," Cory reads.
"Why does it say that?" The brunette continues to question. "It's cryptic. You can't teach us cryptic. What are you trying to get away with, huh?"
Ryan giggles at the sight of their History teacher stammering on spot. "I like her."
Before he rushes up to Riley's desk, he assures a quick, "I'll be right back," and asks Riley in a low voice, yet still loud enough for the rest of the class to hear. "What's her name?"
Riley turns to her. "What's your name?"
"Marly."
"Marly," Riley repeats.
"Marly sees right through me."
Riley smiles brightly at him and encourages him," Just keep on teaching about our lives and she'll come around."
"Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams and the mama of Johnny Q," Cory continues. "They were quite the historical triangle."
Riley lets out a meek, "Ha."
"Triangle," Maya mumbles.
"Ha," Lucas repeats.
Ryan shakes her head. "Hormones, man."
"And I'll tell you that the one thing they understood about this brand new nation was to stick together, because every direction they turned was brand new, undiscovered country."
Riley perks up even further in her seat and claims, "I am an Abigail Adams Patriot."
"How?" Lucas questions roughly. "We don't even get to walk in the hallways."
"Lucas, these seniors are older and more experienced than us," Riley attempts to reason. "and i think that they're trying to help."
"Help with what?" Ryan chimes in. "Are they going to do my homework assignments and projects for the rest of the year? Nope. Are they going to get me a job? Nope. They're stuffing us in a hole for no apparent reason."
"They're making fun of us and we're letting it happen."
"But most of all, these patriots knew to remain loyal to each other, because their survival depended on it in a dangerous new land."
"Riley," Lucas diverts the attention back on to the argument. "We don't even know our way around the school yet. Why would we just park ourselves in a hole?"
"Okay, so you just want to throw us into whatever goes on in this place and just see what happens?"
"It's not Coachella, Riley, it's a high school. We can take things one step at a time but we shouldn't be controlled by a group of rude seniors," Ryan argues.
"That's called normal."
Marly turns in her seat and points an accusing finger at Matthews. "Let me see if I get how you teach. My boyfriend and I get into a fight-"
"Awe," Riley mumbles.
"I was talking about you," Marly clarifies.
"Uh, me? Why?" Riley turns back to Lucas sharply. "Are we fighting?"
"Oh, I don't know. Let's go to the undefined area between the two floors and talk about it," He sarcastically remarks.
"We are fighting-" Riley slams her hands against Maya's desk and exclaims, "you have to fight with him just as much!"
Ryan furrows her brows. "What?"
"But I don't know what he-"
"Do it!"
"Okay!" Maya stands in her seat and turns to him. "Huh-hurr. Huh-hurr huh-hurr. Huh-hurr? Huh-hurr huh-hurr. Huh-hurr!"
Maya settles back into her seat and slouches.
"Who misses middle school?"
× × ×
"Okay, schools over. Can we go home now?" Farkle begs to the group that stood in the whole. Well, most of the group. Lucas and Ryan sat on the steps.
"Who wants a hug?" Isadora randomly offers to Zay.
He shoos her off. "Stop with that!"
"Hey," Ryan calls out. "You let her hug you- you let her live."
Lucas shakes his head. "This is not how I'm gonna live my high school life."
"What if there's a good reason the seniors wanted us here?" Riley contradicts. "What if it's to teach us something?"
"What if you just have too much faith in people?" Farkle chimes in.
"What if I have exactly the right amount of faith in people?"
Maya points somewhere across the hall. "Bird."
Riley began her search to look for the bird.
"How am I in a triangle with that?"
"Okay, you know what? That's it," Lucas snaps. "I'm going to look around. Come on, Zay, Ry."
The tension on Ryan's butt was relieved after she stands up from her spot and wanders around with the Texan boys.
It wasn't long before the rest came tagging along on their afternoon journey.
"Riles," Maya calls and jogs over to the window seating area of the hallway.
"I think this may just turn out fine," Riley and Maya smile at one another. That is, until two cheerleaders approached. One blonde and one brunette. Of course.
"You're in our spot," The brunette cheerleader tells the two.
The blonde bends down and points at the spot as if she was talking to children that weren't old enough to even comprehend the words leaving her mouth. "This is where we sit."
"Listen-" Lucas clamps a hand against Ryan's mouth and pulls her back from harms reach.
Riley and Maya get up, allowing the cheerleaders their seat.
"In the window?" Riley began to question antsy. "And you guys talk about life?"
"No, we sit in the window-"
"And we go like this."
At once, they flipped their hair over the shoulder while crossing one leg over the other and sassily lay their hand out.
The blonde's oceanic eyes travel past the girls and onto the boys. "Hi."
Zay musters a weak, "Hi."
"What's your name?"
Lucas released his grip off Ryan and shortly stood behind Maya and Riley, grabbing a hold of them by their shoulders. "Lucas. And these are my- How would you like to be called?"
"Uh, girlfriend," Riley hesitantly answers.
Lucas faces Maya and repeats, "And how would you like to be called?"
"Uh, girlfriend. Equally as much."
"Lucas, you pimp," Ryan laughs in the background.
"Hi, my name is Zay. I'm completely available."
Unfortunately for Zay, Lucas triangular relationship caught more of their attention as the blonde asks, "Girlfriend-eses?"
"It's complicated," Maya smiles.
"You know what's not complicated?" Zay pitches right back in. "Zay- available."
"Well I'm sure you're all adorable together."
"And thanks for being a distraction until the football team finished practice."
Ryan bursts into laughter when Zay adds, "I'm trying out for football."
"Yeah?" The brunette raised a brow. "Good luck to you."
It was as if on cue the whole football team appeared in the halls. Ryan was still laughing when she heard the marching stomps and turns around to find a group of 5'8 and older guys.
"Holy.."
"You're the football players in high school?" Lucas asked towards the senior that was with the girls earlier this morning.
They nod their heads.
"Hey, that's great," Lucas mumbles.
Riley turns to the girls warming up the bay window seats and asks, "You're the cheerleaders in high school?"
They nod their head as well.
"Hey, that's great."
Ryan was astonished at the sight of Farkle and Isadora pushing through the players to let out an exasperated, "The scientists here are gigantic."
"So you guys decided to come upstairs, huh?" The senior asks. "You think you're ready for the big time?"
The deflated features that took over on Lucas' stance created a dip in her heart but even a bigger wave when she heard those small words fall from his lips, "Maybe not just yet," and walks away.
× × ×
"How come the guys room is so much cleaner than the girls room?" Ryan questions as she steps into Mr. Matthews class. The group had decided to take a march for Matthews classroom to reconcile the day and what made it so terrible, meanwhile Ryan made a trip to the little girls room.
"I mean seriously, it kind of just smells like cologne in the boys room. I went into a girls stall and I found out that Destiny is totally home wrecking Crystal's relationship with Brandon."
Farkle jerks his head back at the random input she just released. "What?"
"Why are you lurking into the boys bathroom?" Corey asks.
She shrugs her shoulders. "I did it in middle school- and let me just say that improvement is, wow."
"Did you prepare us?" Riley asks abruptly.
"Well, I mean if you're that curious on the opposite gender rooms, I can go with you to make sure the coast-"
"Not that!"
"Weirdo," Maya mumbles.
"I mean, did you prepare us for this?" Riley elaborates.
"We're not important, Matthews," Maya frowns.
"You always made us feel important."
Smackle points an accusing finger at Matthews and exclaims, "You never prepared us to be unimportant, and now we don't know what to do."
"You didn't even go to our school!"
"But I'm here now and I catch on fast."
"Yeah!" Ryan chuckles as she raises her arm, allowing Smackle to give her a high five.
Smackle then turns to Riley, Maya and Lucas and blurts out, "I wanna be in the triangle."
Ryan points a finger at her with a stern look. "No."
"Smackle!" Farkle exclaims.
"What I'd say?"
"We're not kings anymore."
"The seniors are the kings."
"Are they good kings?"
"What do ya think?" Ryan retorts.
"No," Lucas shakes his head. "They're not."
"We don't know that yet. We don't know their reasoning," Riley was quick to argue.
Ryan rolls her eyes and sigh. Her shoulders and her feet hurt, plus she was hungry and they've been at school more than the regulated eight hours.
She began to wonder when was she ever going to get home?
"They don't have a reason, Riley. They're just putting us in a hole."
"Riley's looking for the best in people, right?" Matthews ask, as if he doesn't know his own daughter.
"Yes. Would you tell her to stop?"
"What's the matter Lucas?" Matthews ask with this sly smirk on his face. "It's not so easy to protect them anymore, right?"
"Don't look at me," He whines before turning around and folding his arm across his chest.
Ryan pouts at the sight of him. "Awe, bubba."
"Alright, let's see what we got."
× × ×
"They want you to stay down here?" Corey asks the group that we're back standing in their hole.
"No, Matthews, they want us to potty train down here before we- yes they want us to stay down here!" Ryan exclaims.
"Easy tiger," Zay comments. He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft squeeze.
"Can someone just buy me a sandwich?!"
"Why would they pick just you guys out?" Matthews continues to question.
"Because we're freshman and they think that we're easy targets," Lucas answers for him.
"That's because you guys don't know You how to stand up for yourselves," Ryan hissed. "I mean, seriously even if it's just us, none of you know how to say what you really feel. It's always follow the leader- get a back bone already."
"Somebody get her a snickers bar," Zay comments aloud.
"There's a whole class of freshman," Cory shakes his head, curious as to what games these seniors were really playing at. "Why do you think they picked out just you?"
"They said that we'd thank them for this," Riley informs him but as far as to Ryan's concern, she didn't understand what that line had to do for all things at this moment.
"We're never thanking them."
"Dad, would you tell him that there's a purpose here?"
"Mr. Matthews, will you please tell her that they were messing with us?" Lucas insist.
"Agah!" Ryan yells. "Not even a-"
"Ryan!"
She turns to Farkle with eyes narrows to slits. "I will buy you something at the bodega when we're done here."
"And when is that?"
"How ever long this takes."
Ryan turns to towards the rest of the group and claps her hands. "Let's try to hurry this up. We all don't like to be around me when I'm cranky anyways."
"I taught you to always look for the lessons that life is trying to teach you," Matthews prompts. "Now you're not kids. It's day one in a bigger world. You asked me if I prepared you for it. We'll see."
After Matthews walks away, Riley goes back into persisting the argument with Lucas by jesting,"It's not just a hole."
"What is it then?"
"You don't have to get angry."
"I am angry, Riley!" Lucas exclaims. "This isn't how I want to start high school. I want to walk anywhere I want. I want to go out for the football team."
"Lucas, you'll get killed on the football team."
Ryan cranked her neck forward and raised a brow. "Huh?"
"Woah," Zay awes.
Lucas cocks his head to the side. "Really? That's what you think? So you'll put your faith in some random seniors you just met, but you don't have faith in me?"
Ryan cringes at the next line Riley says. "I don't think that they're random. I don't think that anything that ever happens to us is random."
"Sometimes, you are just too much for me, Riley."
"Guys," Maya breathes out. "Can we just calm down? This isn't who we are?"
"Yeah? Who are we?"
Ryan takes a steps forward. "Hey," She reaches out for Lucas. "I know this is a little frustrating but we're still that same group from middle school. Why are you letting this seniors change that?"
Lucas turns at the heel of his foot and mentions, "Because we're in a bigger world, Ry. In a bigger world, you see more and things change."
With that being said, he storms off.
"I better- you know-"
Ryan waves Zay off. "Blech."
Maya turns to Smackle and Farkle and smacks a hand against her thigh. "You guys are the geniuses. You got this all figured out?"
"Your dads right. You do always look for the good in people, Riley."
"You were a great leader in middle school. You always made us believe the world loved us," Farkle assures.
Ryan sighs, "But?"
Smackle shakes her head softly. "This just isn't the same world."
"Oh," Ryan whines. "Smackle."
"What if this one just doesn't love us as much?"
Ryan scoffs. "Because of a schools hierarchy? You do know that we'll get over this? Right?"
"I'm not so sure about that," Farkle shrugs. "No matter how optimistic you are, Riley, I think this time you just led us down a hole."
Ryan gasps. "Farkle."
"I'm sorry."
× × ×
Friday morning came and Ryan found herself strolling down into the hole where Maya and Riley stood.
"I got your message."
"You're here," Riley smiles. "What changed your mind?"
"Oh," Ryan points around the area. "I still think this is stupid. But just because I didn't show up to do our homework doesn't mean I'm going to leave you. I left once, I'm not going to leave again. You just have to realize that sometimes when people are upset, it may take a little time before all wounds are healed."
"Thank you, Ryan."
Although she rolls her eyes, she smiles at the two. "Yeah, yeah. Give me a hug."
Ryan's First Day Of School Outfit
Ryan's Second Day Of School Outfit
authors note; im back and im better than ever- SIKE! it's been so long though so I clearly have some things to explain.
last time i posted was literally a week before school started, my junior year. I'm returning towards the end of my junior year and I kid you not, this year has been busy. I'm barely on here so if this seems a little sloppy or rushed, I'm so sorry, I just really want to get back into posting again.
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW: I WILL BE DOING SLOW UPDATES!!!
Junior year is coming to an end, but, I'm studying to not only get my permit but for three major exams coming up so I will be here and there, just not everyday.
I'm also trying to get a job for the summer so my availability is very questionable.