IDINA

My brown boots beat against the ground, my black leggings lets a breeze cool my legs as I walk the hall, unzipping my red hoodie to reveal my Paramore band t-shirt. Missy stands at her locker and laughs with her friends.

"Hey bundle of problems, why don't you just go back to a ditch in Texas where you belong and die?" she sneers. I take a deep breath and turn around.

"I think you're thinking of the ditch known as your home. Oh, wait that's where you belong," I taunt back, she scoffs as me, and I smile at her, "At least I know I have issues." I turn back and catch my breath, still feeling a tinge of pain as I walk down the last flight of stairs towards the lockers, prepared for an all out battle.

"You stood up for Lucas and not me!" Maya's screaming at Riley in the middle of the hallway next to lockers of yellow and red.

"I'm not standing up for him!" Riley yells at Maya near her locker as I lean against my own.

"But you didn't disagree with him," I remark, she turns to my anger in her eyes.

"Well, when you really think about it, he wasn't wrong," She says.

"Who cares?" Maya shouts.

"Oh, because right and wrong don't matter now?"

"The only thing that matters is us. When have I ever not stood up to you?" Maya asks.

"When I'm wrong!"

"You're always wrong!" there's a pause of silence after that comment, "Or you're always right? Who cares? The point is that I do it automatically."

"I'm not gonna be the cause of this," Lucas says near the vending machine with Farkle and Zay. I glare at him.

"Too late for that now," I reply

"Yeah Huckleberry, the damage is done," Maya mocks. Lucas smirks and walks over to the smaller blonde.

"You know why it happened Maya. All you do is call me names, and for once I finally struck back!"

"Shut up! This happened because she stuck up for you," Maya says gesturing angerly at Lucas.

"I didn't stick up for him!" Riley shouts on behalf of herself.

"But you didn't disagree with him Riles," I acknowledge.

"How could she disagree with him, he's right?" Zay adds from behind Lucas.

"You're next!" Maya shouts.

"You know I wanna be first sugar," he says winking at her, she scoffs at him.

"He is right, you know, I wasn't wrong here," Lucas agrees.

"Why does that mean so much to everybody? Is being right more important than knowing where your loyalties lie?" I ask no one in particular.

"Well, when being right is more important than being friends... Then that's the end of being friends," Maya says turning to Lucas who's slowly advancing towards her, "You're up Cowboy!" she shouts starting forward as well. I push Lucas farther back from the blonde, wedging myself between the two who look like they're about to pounce.

"Maya stop! This is not the time to do this!" I shout at her, then turn to Lucas, pushing him back towards the boys, and pointing my finger right in his face, "Just because I saved your butt doesn't mean I agree with what you did. It's not okay. You're a big boy Treetop, you can take it. Think about others, they're not as strong as you. Now stop it before you cause more problems." Zay moves forward from the vending machine.

"Listen to the girl Lucas," he says then meanly stares at me, "besides if anyone should know about problems it's her. After all, she is a bundle of problems herself, she should know how to handle at least one."

"What did you just call me?" I sneer coming near the boy.

"A bundle of problems," he repeats then looks at me dumbfounded, "Come on you know it's true, everyone does,"  I'm breathing in his face at this point, I stare deep into his eyes, knowing he can see the anger and hurt dancing in my pupils. Riley and Maya don't do a thing. I slam my fist against the vending machine and turn around, running into Lucas's shoulder accidentally, not caring, and stomping into history. I kick the chair in front of me then slump into my own seat.

"Is it still going on?" Mr. Matthews asks me from his desk.

"You tell me," I reply then lean forward pressing my elbows against my desk. As the rest of the class shuffles in the bell blasts through the school. Matthews stands, ready to teach. A word that clearly is supposed to relate to the tension going on currently in our lives is written on the board in dull white chalk. Everyone is silent only wearing harsh expressions. I stare at our teacher, waiting for him to lighten my spirits.

"I'm sorry I couldn't take it anymore! She's called me a thousand names, and I finally called her one! One name! That's it!" Lucas announces

"Why didn't you disagree with him, Riley?"

"Maya, how can I disagree with what he said if what he said was true?

"In life, no matter what happens sometimes all you need is someone who will be there for you no matter what," I say, "you to have that, not holding onto it would be stupid."

"But what he said is true!" Riley shouts and Maya glares at her.

"I'm not talking to you!"

"Then I'm not talking to you!"

"Well, that's the way it would work, wouldn't it?"

"Not the way we're doing it." Matthews taps the board.

"If everyone will focus their attention on the front of the room... War. World wars can begin with a single gunshot. And wars between friends can also begin with an isolated event. One time in college, all my friends had a war, and it was great... Until it wasn't."

"I won't let it come to that, Mr. Matthews," I say.

"Neither will I" Lucas agrees.

"Me neither," Farkle adds.

"Besides, this is the Riley and Maya show, where their problems get fixed. But then again, I should've known better. I'm just an extra who was stupid enough to think she actually mattered enough to be a part of the bigger picture, but I guess need to learn my place. The background, not the 'in crowd'."

"Idina, what do you mean?" Lucas asks.

"Nothing," I lie, then scowl at Zay,"this bundle of problems is just gonna shut her mouth and focus on what everyone cares about," I turn back in my seat and faintly whisper something, "which isn't her," making Lucas turn to me about to speak, being interrupted by Riley, making us turn back to the main scene from our little sideshow.

"Maya?"

"What?"

"Let me tell you how much I am not going to talk to you."

"You're pathetic at this," Maya says to Riley.

"Well, we've never done this before."

"I never thought we would have to!"

"Sorry, guys, but I think this is gonna take someone a little better at this than us," Matthews says, "This is gonna take someone with a unique set of skills," he says gazing off into the distance.

AFTER SCHOOL

In my bedroom after school, I've decided to do an experiment: Will Riley and Maya actually notice if I no longer talk to them? Let's see. Mr. Matthews asked me to come to the apartment after school, so I quickly feed Ollie and walk out the fire escape through the bay window to see Riley and Maya already sitting there. I sit in a chair by Riley's desk as her family walks in, sitting on the bed. A man who has similar features to Cory walks in.

"I called in my brother to help because no one here wants to see your battle become a war," Matthews starts.

"And Eric's really good at this because you wanna believe that everybody has to be good at something," Topanga says.

"Thank you, tuba," the man replies. I stand and start circling him, examining him. I stare intensely at him with curiosity. He has an awkward smile. He seems nice and very comedic. I like him so far, but then again I like all of Riley's family. But something about him seems different. I'm more interested in him somehow

"Hello Riley's Uncle Eric," I say.

"Well hello child,"

"Actually, it's Idina,"

"India? Beautiful country I hear,"

"No, I-di-na," I sound out for him.

"Oh! Well hello, Idina," he claps his hands together as I sit back down, "Right. Now... Which one of you is Riley's friend, Moesha?"

"It's Maya," she replies raising her hand.

"Oh, okay. So, what are you fighting about?" 

"She didn't take my side,"

"I couldn't take her side based on what was said, which is the problem with this whole thing because Maya is making too big of a deal of what was said," Riley says from the opposite side of the bay window in defense.

"Uh-huh, okay. Okay. Now, which one was she?"

"She's the one who used to be my best friend."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but your best friend is supposed to be the person you stand up for in front of people," Maya yells at Riley.

"Look... listen, Riley," Eric sighs, "Look, in Margie's point of view... Right and wrong don't matter. There's nothing more important than the friendship."

"I just can't side with her this time. This time, we just can't go into candy cane world. We can't just go skipping over the rainbow bridge with our underwear on our head." 

"When real friends come into your life, I mean... If one or two true friends come through this window, then sometimes to protect the friendship, then right and wrong, they have to go out the window. Do you understand?"

"No," Topanga and Riley say in unison.

"Honey, I think Eric's employing a broad-based concept of the value of friendship taking priority," Cory starts but stops when Topanga glares at him.

"I'm sorry, are you explaining something to me?"

"No..."

"Yo, bozo," Topanga responds.

"Yes?"

"A true friend always lets her friend know what she is really thinking. That is the definition of friendship. Is there anybody here who could possibly disagree with that?"

"Well, I think what Eric's trying-" Cory is cut off by Auggie covering his mouth.

"Are you kidding me?" the small boy shouts.

"Yeah, okay, you know what no one can argue with there, tomato? Um, when I finally hear what this argument is about, and I fix it all up in like one second. Yeah, okay, Malala, come here," Eric snaps his fingers summoning Maya, "Now, I need you to tell us what this fight is about, so I can fix it."

"Lucas called me short," she pouts, "Lucas called me a short little stack of pancakes, and Riley didn't say I wasn't. And I don't want to be a short little stack of pancakes! I don't think I'm gonna grow anymore."

"I might be done, too," Eric says, almost crying from behind Maya, making me laugh. My phone beeps and my Mom has texted me she has to work late, again. I sigh and turn my phone off.

"Hey Matthews, got the room for one more at the dinner table?"

"Of course Idina. You're always welcome," Topanga says, making me smile. I'm laughing most of the night due to Eric's antics.

THE NEXT DAY

I walk into history in a sky blue skater dress, purple leggings, and tie-dye sneakers topped with a black shawl. I smile at Eric who sits behind Matthews desk.

"Hello, Idina," Eric addresses me in a greeting.

"Hey Eric, what are you doing here?" I ask, secretly kinda happy he's here, but I don't know why.

"You'll see," he mysteriously replies, then goes back to playing with tape.

"What are the primary causes of war?" Cory asks the class. Eric stands.

"You may be wondering why I'm-"

"Not now," Cory cuts him off.

"Freedom," Riley says.

"Religion," Lucas adds.

"Pancakes," Maya says with a comeback. I raise my hand, being the only one of us who actually does, and Cory calls on me.

"Problems," hopefully Zay heard that.

"Can't we be friends again?"

"We're at war, Riley."

"Why?"

"Because when I knew I could count on you to defend me, I felt at peace. Now, I'm not at peace." 

"Maya, what's the difference what anybody says?"

"Because even if I am short, I never felt like I was until you didn't disagree."

"So, in order to avoid this, the next step would be to bring in a mediating body, like the united nations. But, unfortunately, they said no, so I've decided to bring in a respected intellect from the north."

"Who is this guy?" Zay asks.

"Well, this guy is my brother Eric, and, to be honest, there's no one that I trust more when it comes to the art of mediation."

"Mediation: Sitting cross-legged going ohm...my legs are killing me." Eric comments.

"Right, so, it's certainly no secret that war has broken out among us. I thought it might be an interesting lesson for you guys to see how rational and caring people can bring a war to an end" Eric opens the door, gesturing for everyone to exit the classroom. 

"Dad, are you sure?" Riley asks as she leaves.

"Yeah. He's got this." As they file out Eric stops me for a second.

"Hey, I've seen that since I've been here, you haven talked to Riley or Maya once. Why?"

"It's the Riley and Maya show; I've accepted my place in the background, as an extra. And, extras problems don't get fixed, they don't get cared about on the Riley and Maya show," I simply reply. He puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Someone cares, I promise," he says, making me smile before walking out, and going by the vending machine, leaning against it.

"Now, here we have two friends at war. Why? Who fired the first shot?" Lucas raises his hand.

"I called Maya a short stack of pancakes."

"Okay, now was that really the first shot, or did Maya call you anything to make you say that to her?" "She called me "huckleberry."

"There's also a possibility I may have called him 'Ranger Rick' once."

"Once?"

"Oh, yeah, "Ranger Roy" once, "Ranger Rick" is every day."

"Oh, and she comes up to my face and goes, Ha-"

"-Hurr," Maya ends.

"Like it's the way I talk."

"Oh. Okay, now why do you do that?"

"Because he lets me."

"Oh. Well, why do you let her?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know that myself," Zay says, "And all he do is call you a short stack of pancakes, and you're mad at him?

"I'm not mad at him. I'm mad at her," she points to Riley.

"I'm sorry, Maya, but how can I possibly defend you from how tall you are?"

"The same way I defend you from how tall you are."

"What?"

"Let's say somebody here called you, I don't know, 'Riley Superklutz'."

"What?"

"It's okay, Riley. You know, maybe you got these big old gawky legs and arms that you're not really in such good control of yet. So, maybe sometimes you don't walk around so good." She mimics Riley's wonky walk.

"Do I do that a lot?"

"No, but sometimes you do this," she falls behind the bench, and everyone starts laughing until she snaps at them, "Hey! Nobody laughs at her but me.

"I've never once heard anybody call me 'Riley Superklutz'.

"Because I've always had your back." Riley turns to the class.

"That's how you all see me?" Everyone except me, who stays silent, nods.

"Okay, well, that kind of hurts. Why does it hurt?"

"Because it's true, Riley. Some of these things are true about us," Farkle says.

"But, you defended me?" she asks Maya.

"Of course, I defended you."

"Even when it was true?"

"It doesn't matter." Eric comes behind Maya.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why doesn't it matter?"

"'Cause we're best friends."

"I can't hear you."

"Because we're best friends!"

"I still can't hear you. Something's wrong!" Eric shouts them walks back to Cory.

"Do you think I'm a super klutz?" Riley asks.

"Yeah. Do you think I'm super short?"

"I think you're regular short."

"Thanks.

"So, you knew that everybody was calling me this, but you didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Well, that didn't work," Riley says sitting down.

"I'd join you, but I'm already down here." Farkle sits down next to them.

"You know, I've never admitted this before, but sometimes I wonder if my desire for world domination actually comes from deep down feeling like I'm squeaky the mouse."

"What makes you feel like that?" Lucas asks.

"You do!"

"How?"

"Just by being alive, you freak!"

"I'm a freak?"

"Look at you! Look at your freak face and your freak hair. You make me sick!"

"Hey, you think this is easy? You think it's easy being me every day?"

"Shut up!" everyone shouts, even me this time.

"Yeah, okay."

"One dollar to look at the freak," Zay starts pointing at Lucas.

"Oh, be quiet, flat butt."

"What? Really?" he starts turning like a dog trying to look at his flatness, "I had no idea."

"We got the room for one more," Riley says looking at me.

"But I'll take up a lot of space with all my problems," I reply, sitting down, "Look I know this week has been about the two of you, and y'all should be focused on that. It's great that y'all stand up for each other no matter what. I wish I had that."

"You do Idina, we'll always stand up for you."

"Will you? Then why did no one care when Zay called me a 'bundle of problems'?"

"Idina, it was a joke, a bad one and I'm sorry," Zay says.

"Oh yeah? Was it a joke when Missy said those exact words to me? Was it okay when she told me to crawl into a ditch and die?" I sigh, "I know I haven't been friends with you two as long, but when I hear her whisper freak, or nerd, or geek behind my back, it kinda hurts. And you two," I gesture to the girls, "don't do anything to stop it. The thing that hurts more than knowing people I consider my best friends won't stand up for me is knowing that they at times may hear or see what's going on, and don't bother to do anything about it."

"A bystander," Farkle says, "I-I'm so sorry Idina, I should have known something was wrong in your reaction. I should've known it was a cry for help."

"It just hurts to know my friend see my pain and simply walk on by."

"We didn't mean to hurt you Idina. We're so sorry," Riley says hugging me.

"Yeah, we just got so caught up in our stupid fight we couldn't see that our best friend needed us. Can you forgive us?" Maya asks.

"Of course, I can." Eric walks over to us and smiles.

"Why?" I smile at the people sitting around me.

"Because that's what friends do," Eric grins at me.

"The enemy's not each other, guys. You're all going through the same thing. It's part of growing up."

"I'm a klutz," Riley announces.

"I'm a pancake," Maya claims.

"Squeak," Farkle says.

"Freak," Lucas replies.

"Problem," I add.

"That's why it hurts to sit!" Zay realizes.

"Well, what a bunch of weirdos we are," Riley deduces.

TOPANGA'S CAFE

"Alright sugars, what do you guys want?" Katy asks, " I know your order baby one Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha." she says kissing Maya's forehead.

"Thanks, Mom," she beams.

"Can I have a Caffe Mocha?" Lucas asks, and Katy nods.

"Vanilla Macchiato please," Farkle says.

"White Chocolate Frappuccino pretty please!" Riley shouts.

"I'll have a Carmel Mocha Frappuccino, soy please," as Katy leaves I turn to my friends, "I'm allergic to pure milk, either than that I can have it in other forms."

"Well I can tell because you love cheese," Farkle says. I kiss him on the cheek.

"You know me so well,"

"Yeah, I do," he says smiling and grabbing my hand in his.

"Idina, Maya I think when there's a whole world of people out there who might say something about who you are or the way you look, it's a real good idea to have friends who will defend you no matter what. I'm that from now on."

"Thanks, Riles, I feel exactly the same way," I reply.

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Maya adds. Topanga sits next to Cory and Auggie over by the counter. Katy brings our drinks over and Farkle takes a big sip. I laugh and use a napkin to wipe away a whip cream mustache. They gang awes as Maya and Riley use their hands to form a heart.

"Oh shut up!" I say throwing a napkin at them.

"Sorry but we totally ship Fardina!" Riley shouts.

"Yeah, and I don't believe in relationships, but I can't get enough of you two," Maya adds. Farkle wraps his arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah we are pretty cute aren't we?" he asks.

"Yeah well, who couldn't like you?" I reply smiling at him. Eric walks out in a weird outfit, in a long white gown looking thing, wig, and weird beard.

"I owe you an apology, Eric. People who underestimate you are making a big mistake. Cory was right to have faith in you. You really are a mature, normal human being," Topanga says giving her brother-in-law approval.

"I am not!" Eric pouts.

"Never mind," Topanga sighs, then gives him a hug goodbye.

"Whoa, what's that?" Maya says sipping her coffee.

"That's my Uncle Eric, mayor. He's great with the issues. The people are lucky to have you," Riley says.

"Yeah, I gotta say, you did really well for us," Maya adds.

"Thank you, Mordecai."

"I've given up on him ever getting my name right," she says playfully to Riley.

"You really know how to talk to people," I note.

"Have you ever thought about taking over the world?" Farkle asks.

"The World, you say?" he strokes his fake beard.

"Yeah, uh, fortunately, the world has protective mechanisms in place that would never allow that to happen," Cory says with relief.

"Yes. Fortunately," Eric says in an evil voice. I laugh and get up, walking over to him.

"So you leaving for Canada?"

"Seems like it,"

"Well thanks, you saw what I needed when no one else did. You're not too bad Eric."

"Neither are you Idina. I expect great things from you."

"Thanks. So when will you be back?" he smiles at me and ruffles my hair.

"Soon hopefully. Let's see where life takes me," As he walks out of the cafe I sigh looking at him walk off. I finally got my ability to hope and believe in something back, my friends gave me that gift, now I'm gonna hope and believe in one more thing.

"If you love something set if free, and if it comes back, then it was meant to be," I whisper. I really hope he comes back. I really hope he was someone that was meant to be.

Something To Believe In

Another Matthews has entered my life. Eric Matthews, the uncle of Riley Matthews. He reminds me so much of his brother Cory. Maybe that's why I like him so much. He's kind, understanding and funny. I hope he comes back. I think I have something new to believe in. I'm wishing for the best. Let's see what fate brings me.