Photograph [Maya Hart]

07 ~ lesson

Harley and Cassie went to school together and met up with Gabriel.

"Where are Maya and Riley?" Harley asked noticing the two girls were missing.

"We don't -" Gabriel began, but was cut off.

"Attention! Attention, everyone in this school!" a girl wearing a blue wig said, loudly. 

Maya stood next to her, looking around.

"There they are," Harley said.

"Should we be concerned or...?" Cassie said.

"Don't," Gabriel said.

"I have an announcement to make!" Riley said. "I am Jexica!"

She leaned over to whisper to Maya.

A bunch of students behind the group wore what Riley was wearing and all announced they were Jexica.

"Oh, dear god," Gabriel said, covering his face with his hand.

"What is happening?" Harley said, slightly horrified at what is happening around him.

"I have no idea," Cassie said, who, like Harley, was slightly horrified and concerned.

***

The following day, Harley and Cassie headed to class together. 

"Okay," Mr. Matthews began his lesson as Harley and Cassie sat down, "historians will decided they decided about us. How do you guys feel about who are you?"

"I got a hundred and nine followers," Zay said. "So, I feel pretty good, no matter what happens."

"Really?" Cory asked. "What's valuable?"

"Polar bears, North Pole," Farkle said. "Penguins, South Pole. The captain of Minnesota is Saint Paul."

"That's right," Mr. Matthews said, "that's great right? Isn't that great?"

No one said anything.

"'Charlie bit my finger,'" Mr. Matthews said.

"Charlie bit my finger!" everyone said. "Charlie bit my finger. Oh, Charlie."

"If something that's important to us today is so easily replaced," Mr. Matthews said, "by something else tomorrow, we have to wonder if it ever really had any value at all. What can we learn from that?"

"I - I don't know," Riley said.

"How do you not know?" Mr. Matthews asked his daughter. 

"I don't know because I live in a world that judges me," Riley said, "based on whatever movie or song I like, and I'm expected to answer questions about myself, but I'm still figuring out who I am and everything can change tomorrow."

"Because who you are isn't measured by today or tomorrow," Mr. Matthews said, "but by a whole bunch of days of what you do. Not necessarily what you like or what you sat at a particular time. The great thing about evolving is that we continue to grow and feel. Don't be influenced by somebody's else's likes or clicks or favorites. Who should determine what you think?"

"Wikipedia," Maya said.

Harley stared at her.

"You disgust me," Mr. Matthews said to Maya. "Go figure this out in the bay window. Class is over!"

Everyone rushed out of the classroom. 

Despite Harley and Cassie's hesitation, Riley insisted on them coming over.

"Hey, Midget," Maya said to Gabriel. 

"I'm taller than you," Gabriel said. 

"Don't care," Maya said. "What do you know?"

"I know a lot of things," he shrugged. "I know that we need to stick together. I know that the only way we can do this if we're being honest with each other."

"Get to it!" Maya snapped. 

"I know that you are Jexica," Gabriel said to Riley.

"I know that you are Jexica!" Farkle said.

Riley and Maya looked at Harley and Cassie.

"Yeah, we - we know," Harley said.

"How did you guys know that?" Riley asked.

"We had a feeling," Cassie said, speaking for herself and Harley. "And we saw you the other day with Maya at school."

Gabriel nodded. "Yeah, that and I know you, Riles. You don't need to create some fake profile for us to know you are.We'll recognize you anywhere."

"Guys," Farkle said.

"Yeah?" Harley said.

"I want us to last forever," he said.

"Including Harley and me?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah, including the both of you," Farkle said. 

"How do we do that?" Riley asked.

"By finding out that friends who know who you are is the most real thing there is," Maya said.

"So, Riley, what are you gonna put on your profile?" Gabriel asked.

"Yeah," Maya said. "Who are you?"