Words [Riley Matthews]

18 ~ maya's mother

Farkle walked in wearing a robe.

"Oh, my God," Farkle said. "This is amazing, Maya, and so are you and now I will show you what my thanks for this... oh, and I hate, Riley. 

He removed his robe to reveal he's wearing a tank top and tights.

"No!" Riley and Maya quickly covered their eyes.

"Well," Ms. Kossal, the art teacher, said. She chuckled. "Looky here. The male... physique."

"Why thank you, art lady," Farkle said.

"Why aren't we drawing Lucas?" Riley asked. "Or Gabe?"

Ms. Kossal looks at Lucas and Gabriel. "Because nobody looks like that," She walked over to Farkle and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Get used to this. Get used to this right now. When drawing a 'Farkle,' start with the eyes."

"I think the eyes should go straight to the gun show," Farkle said. He  flexed his muscle.

"Maya, you're supposed to concentrate on the eyes," Riley said when she looked at Maya's work.

"See, you know what my problem is? I don't listen. By the way, you're drawing Gabe," Maya said.

Riley looked down at her work and the looked up at Gabriel and smiled.

"Oh," she said. "Well, that's the first time I've ever done that."

Maya flipped Riley's notebook to the next page to reveal more drawings of Gabriel.

"Do I need help?" Riley asked.

Maya nodded. 

"All right, I know these are works in progress, but let's see where we are," Ms. Kossal said.

"Maybe we'll become famous artists. We'll go to Paris;" Riley said. She stood up, "drink coffee in outdoor cafes," mimics drinking coffee. "How do I look?"

Maya vocalized tunes as she drew Riley. She show the drawing to Riley.

"Fine, make fun of me. I am a serious artist who belongs in Paris," Riley said. She turned to Gabriel. "Bonjour, Lucas."

"Hi?" Gabriel said. 

"Oh my gosh," Ms. Kossal said. 

Riley smiled widely. "See? I am an artist. I am finally something."

"Maya," Ms. Kossal said.

"What a life I'm having," Riley said, annoyed.

Gabriel took a look at Riley's art work.

"It's not that bad," Gabriel said. 

"You think?" Riley asked.

Gabriel nodded. 

As much as Gabriel wanted to tell Riley that it wasn't that good, but he knew that in order for her to feel better, he should lie to her and tell her it's good.

"Maya. My goodness," Ms. Kossal said. She showed Maya's work to the class. "This is brilliant!"

"Farkle is in a bird's nest," Lucas pointed out.

"It's a work of surrealism, Lucas. It's how this artist's mind views the subject," Ms. Kossal said. 

"I'm a bird to you?" Farkle asked Maya.

"No, you just... need to be protected," Maya said.

"You love me," Farkle said.

"Leave me alone," Maya said.