direct messages | gmw

twenty-one | THEIR MEETUP #4

As soon as they had all left my house, I ran down the stairs to tell my dad.

"Dad, my friends are sleeping over tonight. Please don't embarrass me."

"Of course I won't, darli– wait. Are the boys staying over? If they are, you know that you canno–"

"I can't let them come, I know, Dad. The boys are sleeping over at one of their houses! Oh my god, I forgot to tell you. They all live nearby! We've only met like a few hours ago, and we already know where each other live!" I hopped up and down like an excited bunny.

"Huh? I thought they were your friends from school? And now you're telling me that you met them a few hours ago?" Dad raised his eyebrow in suspicion.

Shit. I forgot.

"Uh... I meant..." my voice trailed off as I couldn't think of an excuse to give my overprotective dad.

"You lied, Riley. Why? Who are those people if not from school?" Dad's face had disappointment written all over it.

"Dad, I know you're gonna explode with rage when you hear this... but I met them on Instagram. You know, Instagram?" I paused to let him take it in.

"I know what that is, did you think I was dumb? Instagram is that newer version of Facebook! Ooh dang, I love using Facebook, we adults all use it. Only you kiddish teenagers use Instagram." Dad proudly said.

Sure, dad.

"Okay... so we were added into the same group chat and then we starting talking and..." I continued telling him the whole story and there was a long silence when I was done.

"Riley, did you know of the dangers you could've encountered when you just agreed to meet up with them like that? Have you not seen the news? So many people have been pretending to be someone else on the internet and tricking someone into believing they're something other than who they really are!" Dad crossed his arms as he lectured me.

"I know, Dad. I'm sorry! But they did turn out to be real teenagers, and they all live nearby, so they're obviously not some old man using a fake name and picture on their Instagram! Please let me be friends with them! They're my only friends!" I pleaded.

"I'm very disappointed in you not because of that but because you lied to me. I'll let you be friends with them, as long as you promise to ever lie to me again."

I nodded my head vigorously and rushed back up to my room after thanking Dad profusely.

I opened the door and spread open my arms as I said aloud to nobody in particular, "I have friendssssss!"

Turns out, everyone was looking.

Okay, maybe not everyone in the universe, but my "friendssssss" were laughing away at my goofiness.

They all had their sleeping bags either on the floor or under their armpits, also carrying another bag, probably containing their toiletries.

"That is the cutest I've seen of Riley!" Farkle laughed till his sides hurt.

Maya clapped, "Another reason why I love you, honey."

"Wow, Riley." Zay continued, still chucking away.

"Riley, I love the Christmas decorations in your room! They're so christmassy and I love them!" Smackle said after looking at the tree I've put on my bay window and the other ornaments and streamers I've put along the walls of my room.

"Oh, right! It's Christmas tomorrow! Oh my gosh, this means that we're gonna celebrate it together!" I gushed, suddenly realizing that my favorite and long-awaited holiday was just tomorrow.

"Oh, sure. I've never really celebrated Christmas since... my father left." Maya shrugged.

"Yeah, I actually wouldn't mind celebrating it with you guys because my parents happen to be overseas, anyway." Smackle said.

"My adoptive parents do celebrate it, but I think they'll do just fine without me!" Farkle grinned.

Zay said, "I can't wait!"

"Alright! Now, let's just settle down by laying our sleeping bags on the ground. Zay and Farkle, maybe you guys should go to Farkle's room to set it up first, and we could meet back at the park nearby later?" I planned.

"Why the park?" Zay asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"I don't know, we could play there I guess? Ooh, and go cycling!" I asked.

And so the boys went back to Farkle's, and us girls chatted as we set up our sleeping area.