𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫

𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫

~Vanessa's POV~

The girls and I were in the hallways and they were watching Allison put on makeup while I put some books in my locker.

"Look at that ninth grade woman. She's putting on make-up. We're going to be ninth grade women someday." Riley told us.

"This thing goes to ninth grade?" Maya asked us not believing we have more grades.

"Yes M, this goes to ninth grade." I told her then whispered close to her as if it was a secret. "And many more."

As I told her that her face turned terrified which made me chuckle as I closed my locker door.

"Why that?" Riley asked as Allison puts on eyeliner.

"Eye liner, brings out your eyes." I told her.

"Why would I want to take my eyes out?" She asked us not understanding what I meant.

"She's not taking out her eyes." Maya told her while I pointed at her agreeing.

"And I think she is." Riley said pointing to Allison.

"It's an eyelash curler." Allison said handing Riley the curler. "It doesn't even hurt."

"I have eyelashes." Riley said grabbing the curler.

Maya and I walked up to Allison and I told her. "Watch this."

Riley puts the eyelash curler on her eye and screams. "Ahh!"

"Anybody else would just stop." Maya said as I nodded in agreement.

"Ahh!" Riley kept screaming as she didn't remove the curler from her eyes.

Cory walks over to us and looks at his daughter in confusion before looking at me for answers but I just shake my head shrugging.

He looks back at his daughter and told her. "Open it."

"Thanks daddy." Riley smiled at him as she did what he told her.

"Yeah okay." Cory nodded before walking away pretending nothing happened.

"Yeah okay." Riley said as she handed Allison her eyelash curler back.

We walked back to the lockers as Allison walks away. Once we are their Farkle comes up to us.

"Ladies." Farkle said with his small smirk making me smile.

"Farkle." We greeted him.

"School dance, I'm gonna put you two down for dance numbers one through all of them." Farkle told the girls excluding me making feel kind of disappointed. "We will alternate, you and me, and me and you. When you are not dancing with me you may not dance with anyone else. You may sit and wait till you dance with me again."

"Yeah, none of that is happening." Maya said.

"Oh, well then may I have one dance with each of you." Farkle asked innocently.

"Sure." Riley said with a smile.

"Ha! That's all I wanted. You just got played by Farkle." Farkle said before he started walking away but I stopped him.

"Wait, Farkle aren't you gonna ask me?" I asked him trying to hide the sadness in my voice while the girls were watch the scene uphold.

"Oh well I thought it was obvious that we'd dance together. You are always my first choice." He said with a small smile making me smile as well while Maya put a hand over Riley's mouth know that she'd aww us right now.

"You'll always be my first choice as well Farkle." I told him with a smile and his smile grew bigger. I walked up to him saying "It's a date."

I then kissed his cheek while blushing a little and Farkle said "I'm going down." and he fainted but luckily Lucas got here on time catching him swing him over his shoulder.

"I got you little buddy." He said to an unconscious Farkle making me smile even bigger on how close of friends they have gotten.

"Thanks bubs." I told him.

"No problem Ney." He said with a smile and then turned to the girls saying "Hey guys."

"Lucas!" Riley said with her hand raised.

"Hand." I told her.

"Lucas!" Riley said when her hand was down.

"Grown-up voice." Maya told her.

"Lucas, hello." Riley said walking up to him.

"Hey, Hee-Haw." Maya said walking up to Lucas as well. "You going to 'Tick-Tock Shake Your Body Time'? Cause you know it's not a square dance, so there's not gonna be a whole lot of do-si-doing."

"Well then I'm sure I'll have no idea what to do and you can make fun of me." Lucas said smirking and then looked at me who was smirking at his statement. Maya's smirk fell when Lucas's appeared.

"You're not playing this right." Maya told him as she pointed at him.

"Well that's certainly not my intention. I'll try harder next time." Lucas said and he put Maya's hand down as he was still carrying Farkle.

"I will break you!" Maya told him.

"Well if that's what makes you happy, then I certainly can't wait for it...ma'am." Lucas said in his accent making it stronger than usual and tipping his imaginary hat.

Maya shuddered annoyed before turing away from him making me silently chuckle.

"You going to the school dance Lucas?" Riley asked bubs.

"Thought I would, you?" Lucas asked her.

Before Riley could reply Maya made a gagging sound making us turn to her.

"You hear me?" Maya said before gagging again. "You'll both be there. He'll be the one in the cowboy hat going like this." She then started doing a little dance and I got my phone out recording her while chuckling a little.

The school bell then rang and Lucas turned to Riley ignoring Maya asking her "So, you going to class?"

"Thought I would, you?" Riley asked him as they headed to the classroom while Lucas was still carrying Farkle.

Maya was still dancing and I was still recording as people in the hallway were clapping for her.

"It isn't for you."She told them but they were still clapping so she smiled saying "Okay."

She then started dancing again.

°°°°°°

School just ended and I was heading to the school exit when I felt an arm around my shoulders making me stop.

"Where you going little sis?" Bubs asked me.

I looked around before looking at him saying "Oh nowhere just getting ready to shop in Mahattan with Holland Roden and Crystal Reed and then later were going to have coffee with Sofia Carson and Emma Watson."

"Wow, really?" Lucas asked oblivious of my sarcasm.

"No bubs, I'm going home." I told him in a flat tone making his face go into realization of my sarcasm.

"Well how about instead of heading home you go to my place." He said. "It's been a while since just the two of us have hung out together since I've moved here."

"That's true." I told him."Alright let's go to your place. Let me just text my mom telling her where I'm going."

"Yes!" Lucas exclaimed punching the air before grabbing me putting me on his back giving me a piggy back ride making me laugh.

"You are so weird." I told him wrapping my arms around his neck as he held my legs.

"And your not?" He asked with a smirk.

"Touché." I told him still laughing.

~30 minutes later~

We have gotten to Lucas place as I finally got able to send my mom a text of where I was.

"Is your mom here?" I asked him as he opened the door for us.

"I don't know." Lucas said as he closed the door. "Mama!"

"In the kitchen honey!" Lucas's mom yelled back.

"I'm guessing she's in the kitchen." Lucas said turning to me.

"Probably." I said with a nod as we chuckled heading to the kitchen.

Once we got there Lucas stood in front of me and he told his mom "Mama we have a guest."

She then turned asking "Who is it dear?"

He moved from hiding me as I waved at her with a smile.

"Hey mom." I said since she always tells me to call her that.

"Oh Vanessa." She said hugging me immediately and I returned it. "It's been a while, how've you been?"

"I've been good. Just the some headache here and there." I told her as we detached from our hug.

"Still?" She asked and I nodded.

"Yeah but I have a friends who help me with them. And since bubs got here he's helped me a lot too." I told her as Lucas wraps an arm around me.

"It my pleasure to help out me little sister." He said with a smile.

"Well I'm glad my son is behaving like a great gentleman." Mom said with a proud smile.

"Oh he is, but especially to one of our bestfriends." I said with a teasing tone making her eyes lite up in excitement but making Lucas blush a little.

"Oh really who is it?" She asked wanting to know.

"No one." Lucas said trying to hide it from her.

"Her name is Riley Matthews, she's a kind girl always wanting the best for everyone and her father is one of our teachers." I told her and she smiled at that "She can be quirky but that makes you like her more."

"Well she sounds like a great girl baby boy, hope you two get together soon." She told him with her accent showing strongly.

"Yeah, well, yeah." Lucas said trying to change the subject. "When is Pa getting home?"

"Oh not for a while baby he has to work late today." She said. "But lunch is almost ready. Are you two hungry for some hot dogs?"

"Yes please." We said loving the way she makes hot dogs.

°°°°°°

I had just walked in the class room with Lucas, Farkle and Maya in front of me and Riley behind me.

"Friar, Farkle, Hart, my goddaughter" Cory welcomed us into the class but picked me up hugging me like I was a baby then carried me to my seat making me look in confusion and shock.

Lucas, Farkle, and Maya look at me in question and shock as well which I just shrugged to not know what just happened.

"I don't know." I told them with my hands up in defense.

We all then looked up front where Cory looked at his daughter with disgust making us more confused.

"You." Cory said weirdly.

"Dad, I didn't-" Riley tried saying.

"Ferp!" Cory said cutting her off with a hand up.

"Okay." Riley said heading to her seat.

"Well guys I've got your test results on Darwin to give back to you. And uh, I'm pleased to see some of you have evolved since the last quiz." Cory said smiling at his own joke but no one laughed.

I laughed forcefully at his joke but made it sound real.

"Ha!" Farkle said doing his laugh.

"Thanks little Vee, Farkle." Cory told us.

"Well, you were drowning sir." Farkle told him.

"And I just felt bad for you." I told him truthfully.

Cory then started passing our test out.

"Ms. Hart." He said giving Maya her test. "Mr. Friar, nice work."

"Thank you sir." Bubs said with a smile.

"Mr. Farkle." Cory said as he gave Farkle his test.

" 'A' number seven hundred. Huzzah!" Farkle said as he grabbed a party blower and blew it.

I look at him with a small smile shaking my head a little bit.

"My goddaughter." Cory said handing me my test making me look at him weird since he's using that a lot more than usual.

I looked at my test and saw that I got an 'A' as well. Farkle looked at my paper and saw my grade smiled hugely then put a party hat on my head.

"And seven hundred 'A' for my queen as well." He said blowing his party blower. "Here's some kisses."

Farkle handed my chocolate kisses making me kiss his cheek and he fainted to the floor.

Lucas looked like he was about to say something probably to tease me so I said "Don't even."

I then started eating the chocolate kisses as Cory continued handing the test to his daughter and he said "You."

I then looked at Maya who was just staring at her test, Riley noticed were I was looking at and looked at the same direction.

"You okay?" Riley asked our bestfriend and I saw that Farkle was still unconscious so I sat him at my seat and I sat at his to be more in the conversation.

"He gave me an 'F'." Maya told us still looking at her test.

"That's nuts." I said.

"You're a solid 'D' student." Riley added in.

"Mr. Friar, I took a particular note of your position that evolution does not preclude the existence of...how did you put it?" Cory asked bubs.

"A guiding hand that has your best interest at heart." Lucas said reading from his paper as Farkle came too looking around his surroundings noticing he's not in his own seat making me look at front hoping he doesn't move us.

Maya raised her hand probably to ask about her grade.

"Yes, Ms. Hart?" Cory asked seeing her hand.

"You failed me." Maya told him with her hand still raised.

"Why don't we talk about this after class." Cory told her.

"What's there to talk about. You failed me. You think I'm failure." Maya said standing up handing her paper to Cory. "There's nothing more for you to teach me."

Riley and I looked at each other before looking at Maya in shock.

"Oh come on both of you going to say that?" Cory said looking between Maya and Riley.

Maya started walking to the door.

"What you mean I lost two of you?!" Cory asked shocked. "Maya! You don't walk out of here."

Maya ignored him and continued to walk out, Riley raised her hand and Cory looked at her.

"Go." He told her and she head for the door once he looked at the rest of the class he saw all their hands were raised aside from me.

"No!" He exclaimed knowing what they'd do.

I just stood up heading to the door as Cory let me knowing I'm going to talk to them.

°°°°°°

Once I got there I heard Riley say "Redecorating your locker?"

I saw Maya taking things out of her locker.

"Nope cleaning it out." Maya told her taking out two cotton candy stick holders. "You guys want one? Cause it's the last one you guys are gonna get."

We nod wanting one, circus music starts playing when she put the stick in her locker. When they were done she handed us our cotton candy.

"Maya, it's just one 'F'." Riley told our best friend trying to reason with her.

"It's not about the paper guys." Maya told us. "Your father and godfather failed me."

"Yeah I know. And I'm not going to Cylcone, I failed him too." Riley told her. "Can't we just call it even?"

"No, we can just call it I'm leaving." Maya told us while grabbing her bag.

"M, come on." I tell her as she started walking up the stairs.

"Maya we know you, you'll make a big deal about this, pretend to leave schools for ever and you'll be back by gym class." Riley tells Maya.

"No, you won't." She told us turning to us.

"You'll pick me up at 7:00" Riley told her.

"I won't be there." Maya tells her and then walked away.

Riley had her hopeful look on her face while I had a blank look on my face wondering why she was acting this way.

°°°°°°

School just ended and I saw Farkle and Lucas walking to the exit so I ran close to them making sure they don't hear me and jumped on Lucas's back.

"How you boys doing?" I asked them as Lucas put his arms under my legs making sure I don't fall and I wrap an arm around his neck.

"How didn't you fall from the impact?" Farkle asked looking at Lucas in shock.

Lucas and I chuckle at unison at Farkle's question.

"I'm used to this she's been doing this since we were really young." Lucas said with a smile.

"Well as a big brother figure you knew this was part of the package deal." I told him with a smile.

"True." He said with a nod but still hold a smile.

I turn to Farkle who still looked shocked and said "Plus he's carried cattle back in Texas and I may be heavy but not that heavy so he can carry me."

"Oh please Ney you weigh as much as a feather. I would ask if your even eating but that's something you love doing." Lucas said making him and Farkle chuckle.

"Offensive but true." I told them with a nod but then said. "You laugh now but you have to know a way to a girl's heart is food."

When I finished my sentence Farkle got out cupcake cookies out of his bag handing them to me.

"For you." He said with a smile.

"Thank you Farkle." I said with a smile and I put the cookies in my bag for later wanting to enjoy it with some chocolate milk.

"So you guys want to hang out right now?" Farkle asked.

"Yeah, I'm down for it." I said.

"Sure." Lucas said then turned to look at Farkle asking "Your place?"

Farkle then turned pale and looked at me for help. He doesn't like people seeing how big his place is.

"How about my place?" I suggested. "I have a game room with fun games and lots of snacks."

My place may be big but not as big as Farkle's so I'm not that embarrassed as he is.

"That sound like fun." Lucas said. "Let's go."

Farkle looked at me mouthing 'thank you '

I mouthed 'you're welcome '.

°°°°°°

The next day the girls and I were in Riley's room for the whole day, later in the day my mom and Topanga came into the room.

"How's it going in here?" Topanga asked us.

"Mom, Auntie Lis, tell Maya to come back to school... regular school." Riley told them as she sat on the right side of Maya and I sat on Maya's left. Riley and I scooted over so our moms took our place next to Maya.

"Hm, so you don't like this huh?" Mom asked Riley.

"Of course not! Maya always comes to school with me. She always picks me up at 7:00. I look forward to it!" Riley tells them.

"Like a tradition?" My mom and Topanga asked in unison.

"Yeah!" Riley said but then noticed what they did. "Oh.... you know even though you're my mom and aunt, that was creepy good."

"So, Maya doesn't show up like she's supposed to and how does that make you feel?" My mom asked Riley.

"Oh..." Riley said holding her hand to her heart.

"Honey, you have to go to him. He feels bad, you have to go to your father." Topanga tells her daughter.

"I feel bad, will he come to me?" Maya asked.

"No. He's your teacher, he doesn't have to." Topanga told her.

"But he will." My mom told her as they wrapped their arms around her with small kind smiles.

"What?" Maya asked looking at my mom.

"He doesn't have to, but he will." I tell her getting what they were saying.

"Why?" Riley asked.

"Because he's always there." My mom said as Topanga agreed with my mom.

Not a moment Cory entered the room holding a hand out for Maya to take. She stares at it before taking it and they walk out the room together.

"Always." Mom and Topanga said in unison as Riley leaned her head to her mom's shoulder and I did the same with my mom.

A couple minutes later Riley and I head to the kitchen wanting to be there for Maya. We saw Maya sitting at the kitchen table as Cory hands Maya her test.

"Read it." Cory told her.

"I don't wanna do this, Mr. Matthews." Maya says as she gets up from her seat.

"Sit down." I told her.

"You can't tell me-" Maya tried saying.

"Too bad cause I just did." I told her as she looks to Cory who nodded at me agreeing with me.

She sits down as Riley and I sat on either side of her.

"Go ahead." Riley told her as she nodded to the test.

"Darwin Animals studies were thought to be when the travels he took on with the Beatles." Maya read from her paper.

I looked down muttering a quick 'oy' before looking up with an encouraging smile.

Riley on the other hand said "Are you kidding me?!"

"Does she have to be here?" Maya said pointing to Riley.

"What were you trying to do?" Cory asked her instead.

"I tried to write it like I was smart." Maya told him truthfully.

"Eres inteligente." I told her knowing she knows what that means and she smiles telling me thank you.

"What did you mean to say?" Cory asked her.

"Darwin studies animals." Maya says knowing that is right.

"What kind?" Cory asked again.

"I don't know." Maya said denying she knows the answer.

"She does." Riley and I said in unison.

"I don't know. You think I don't know what I don't know?" Maya asked us.

"I think you know more than you don't know but you don't know that." I told her in a calm soft voice.

"You know what." Maya asked me.

"What did Darwin study?" I asked her instead.

"Birds." She answered looking at Cory.

"There you." Cory told her.

"Really?" Riley asked. "I got that one wrong."

"You want to be smart, Maya? Say what you mean. I understood that perfectly and you are correct." Cory tells Maya.

"That's all I had to say?" Maya asked.

"What was the name of the boat?" Cory asked.

"The Beatles." Maya answered.

"That's a band from 1960 M." I told her as her face turns to realization and then groaned for putting that.

"Yeah it's the Beagle. It's a tiny difference, but an important one. Because if you know it Maya you won't fail." Cory told Maya.

"I want to not fail." She told him

"What kind of birds did he study?" Cory asked her.

"I don't know." She said shaking her head.

"M..." I started saying.

"You do." Riley finished off.

"Finches and mocking birds." Maya answered him.

"Yes." Cory said confirming her response.

"Yes." Riley said.

"How'd you two know she knew?" Cory asked us as the moms came inside the kitchen.

"We know she listens to you." I simply said with a smile and he returns the favor.

"I listen to you." Maya tells him.

"Then you won't fail...and neither will I." Cory says.

"How about I make some turkey sandwiches?" Topanga said heading to the fridge.

"And I make Vanessa a ham one." My mom says knowing I like ham which I sent her a smile for then going back to the conversation at hand.

"Darwin didn't study turkeys or pigs. He studied finches and mockingbirds. His boat was the Beagle." Maya said.

"And for extra credit?" Cory asked.

"Galapagos. The island he studied were the Galapagos." Maya answered his question.

"Because she listens to me." Cory told his wife and sister figure with a smile. He then turned back to Maya saying "Hey Maya watch this."

He grabbed a pen and turned Maya's 'F' into an 'A'.

"You're giving me an 'A'?" Maya asked shocked.

"No I'm giving you a 'C plus '. "Cory told her as Topanga and my mom sat next to him. "But I want you to see how easy an 'F' can be turned to an 'A'."

"Nothing to be ashamed of anymore, Maya." Riley told our best friend.

"My dad doesn't live with-" Maya tried saying.

"It's okay." My mom says as I squeeze Maya's hand for comfort.

"He's got a new family." Maya said.

"Maya you don't have to-" Topanga started saying.

"I do have to." She said. "I have to be able to talk to you. If you give me an 'F 'if you decide I'm not worth working o-"

"Maya take a look around you. We're all here for you. Does it look like we think you're not worth working on? " Cory told her in a soft voice.

"I just don't want to fail Mr. Matthews. Thank you." Maya told him with full honestly.

"I don't want to go to the dance!" Riley said out loud. "The dance doesn't matter to me at all! I want to go on the Cyclone with you more than anything in the world!"

"You're going to the dance." Cory told his daughter.

"Hooray!" Riley said with a huge happy smile.

"I'm going to chaperone." Cory said proudly and happily.

"What's that mean?" Riley asked with her hand raised.

"Hand." Maya told her.

"What's that mean?" Riley asked again.

"Grown up voice." I told her.

"Lucas, hello." Riley said accidently.

"What's that mean?" Cory asked pointing at his daughter.

Maya and I chuckled as Riley smiled innocently but guilty as well.

~~~~~~~

At the moment we were at the dance and I came in with Farkle we have been dancing for a while but when a slow dance come up I had a great idea.

I told Farkle to tango with Maya because Lucas has something in stored for her. Farkle agreed as long as the rest of the night I dance with him. I agreed since I would have danced with him either way.

Once Farkle and Maya started dancing I recorded everything, when they got to Rucas, Lucas and Riley, Farkle dipped her remember what I told him.

"The hat's just for me isn't it?" Maya asked Lucas once she saw the hat. "You actually put thought into our little game didn't you?"

"I actually do." He said taking out a rose from his hat and putting it in Maya's mouth. "But that's not all. Ney your turn."

Once Lucas said that I came up to them and Maya realized I had a similar hat on and said "Oh no."

"Sorry M, it has to be done." I told her once I took a harmonica and played the losing sound making Farkle, Lucas and Riley laugh while Maya had a face of defeat.

Maya shuddered in defeat and I looked at Farkle, nodded telling him to do it which he did. He grabbed the rose from Maya's mouth and put it in his own, shuddering as well and then continued dancing.

"Thanks sis." Lucas told me.

"No problem brother." I told him while putting my hat back on and then turning around pointing to the snack bar saying "Off to the snacks."

I danced my way back there and some people who weren't dancing clapped for me which made me bow as a thank you while chuckling.

Five minutes later the slow song was still playing and I saw Maya dragging Farkle to me.

"Your turn to dance with him I wanna date this snack bar." Maya said already heading to grab a plate.

"Alright." I said shrugging but smiling. "Come on Farkle."

"My queen." Farkle said holding out a hand which I took. "I got to admit something."

"What is it Farkle? " I asked him looking into his eyes.

"I don't really know how to slow dance." He said shyly.

"Really?" I asked him and he nodded. "Hey, it's alright. Right now is the perfect time to learn."

"Really?" He asked.

"Yup." I told him with a smile and grabbed his left arm putting it around waist doing the same thing with his right. I then put my arms around his neck looking into his eyes as he did the same looking into mine. "And now we just sway."

"Like this." He said pulling me closer to him.

"Just like this." I told him with a smile.

After a little while the song ended and we all clapped. Rucas, Farkle and I head to the table Maya was at. Cory got up on the stage.

"Well, guys it looks like the night is winding down. We hope you all enjoyed the dance but before we go, I noticed some fathers have arrived to pick up their daughters. I wonder if we might have one last dance." Everyone cheers as he said that. "A Father-Daughter dance."

Maya looked down and I wrapped an arm around her as comfort and since my dad was still at work and Shawn wasn't here I didn't have anyone to dance with, well I did have Cory, my godfather, but I'm sure this was meant to show Maya she does have a father figure.

Cory came over to us, Riley moved out of the way and I moved my arm off Maya's shoulders moving out of the way as well.

"May I please have this dance?" Cory asked Maya as he held a hand out for her which she took.

Cory then held a hand for Riley and I so we went to him. Riley held one of Cory's hand and Maya held the other while I was between them, it was weird but sweet.

"Looks like maybe we have a new tradition." Riley told her father.

"That's okay." He said.

"Traditions are suppose to be evolve...just like daughters. Sometimes daughters just need..." Cory said. "What was that again, Mr. Friar?"

"'A guiding hand that has your best interest at heart.'" Lucas said quoting from his paper.

"There's still a whole lot you need to teach us, dad." Riley and I said in unison to Cory.

"Thank you girls." Cory said with a smile but then realized what I said. "Wait little Vee, you see me as a father?"

"Always." I said with a smile and his smile grew even larger.

"There's still a whole lot I need you to teach me too." Maya said.

"Hey he's my father." Riley said making me chuckle.

"Whatever you say." Maya said.

"You know your our father and godfather right?" Riley asked for the both of us.

"Yeah, I am both of your fathers." Cory told us. "Thank you Riley, Vee."

"How's the make-up dad?" Riley asked her father.

"Perfect." He told her.

This night was one of my most favorite nights.

°°°°°°

Published~ June 26, 2019