Princess Meets World

Val Meets the New Year

I don't own Girl Meets World!!!

This chapter isn't going to follow the episode as closely as they have in the past. The original Girl Meets the New Year just has too many differences from this story and where it's going. This chapter is instead going to showcase the new friendship between Annie, Maya, Val, Lucas, Farkle, and Zay. Riley still likes Lucas, but we all know that. Maya will also continue to be working out her feelings regarding Lucas, because liking someone isn't like flipping a switch. Maybe I'll throw in the start of a Riley redemption arc too, who knows?

Anyway, read on!

English had quickly become a favorite class for the whole eighth grade, thanks in no small amount to Harper. She was funny and laid back, but her lessons held knowledge aplenty that had everyone on the edge of their seats whenever they started a new unit. That was beginning today.

"All right everyone!" Harper clapped her hands, drawing the class's attention to the chalkboard as they settled in "This week we're going to be learning about an English novelist who critiqued the British gentry and the rules that governed their day to day lives."

"Boo!" Maya called out "No rules!"

Farkle frowned "Didn't that already happen?"

"Yeah, I heard the stories." Harper glanced at Lucas "Mad dog? Really?"

Lucas buried his burning face in his arms "In my defense, I was left unsupervised."

"A very dangerous thing." Harper nodded understandingly "Glad you seem to have gotten it under control. Now, this author is best known for three of her works. 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Sense and Sensibility', and 'Emma.' These are the three we're going to focus on at the moment."

"Ooh!" Riley cheered "Jane Austen, right? We watched the movie once, right Val?"

"How else am I supposed to deal with a breakdown other than watching the BBC's Pride and Prejudice adaptation seven times before I fall asleep?" Annie joked throwing up a peace sign as she leaned back in her chair.

"I've seen it too." Charlie Gardner raised his hand.

His classmates turned to stare at him "Why?"

"'Cause I'm sensitive!"

Val quirked her eyebrow up.

Charlie crumbled under the power of the disbelieving arch "'Cause I got a mother and a bunch of sisters who took over the tv and sat on me like a beanbag chair." He admitted.

Harper drew the class's attention back to the front and started handing out books "I'm splitting you into groups for this project. Charlie, Maya, Annie, Lucas you'll be doing yours on 'Pride and Prejudice.' Zay, Farkle, Riley, and Val are 'Sense and Sensibility.'"

Harper continued handing out assignments and the student switched their seats around to be in their groups.

"Now," Harper clapped her hands "Miss Austen teaches us that romance comes with conflict. Take 'Sense and Sensibility' for example, two young women with different ideas about what love is. One hid her true feelings to protect others. She thought this made 'sense.' The other had more feelings than she knew what to do with. She was overwhelmed by 'sensibility.'"

Val cringed, remembering how she had tried to bury her own feelings for Lucas, thinking only of her sister and what she wanted. Fortunately, she had some very good friends who pointed out that feelings don't work like that.

It was strange to think back on her relationship with Riley, even just two years ago. Things weren't perfect, but Val loved her sister and had worked hard to keep their sisterhood strong. Riley might have gone about it in her own way, but she had loved Val too. The twins had schemed, studied, played, and grown up together, never one without the other...except when Val had been in the hospital.