Prologue: The Tower Crumbles

• The Tower (Upright): Miscommunication, Division, Calamity, Instability, Culmination
• The Tower (Reversed): An Averted Crisis, Reconsideration, Reconstruction, False Peace, New Strategies

Farkle was tired, he rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles to stay awake. His backpack weighed him down with extra homework and a stowaway cat. Somewhere along the year, the girls swapped places, ending with Riley in the hospital and Maya facing expulsion. Farkle's phone rang with school gossip.

"Did you hear? Matthews threw off her ring!"

"No! Is it true that Hart shoved her in front of the bus because of it?"

"I wouldn't mess with either of them. I heard Riley's London friends 'toughened her up.'"

"If there's a catfight, will you upload it to the Internet?"

When the teachers traded information, Farkle crinkled his nose in disgust. Why couldn't people mind his and his friends' business? In reality, no secret is safe in high school; everyone discovers the truth.

Farkle cut across the student parking lot. His eyelids itched and sagged as he waited for the limo driver. Thanks to the girls' feud, his father threatened to withdraw him from Abigail Adams High School and enroll Farkle in the local private school, specifically Madam Currie's School for Gifted Students. "Those girls are a bad influence on you," his father claimed. Yet Farkle's parents were civil; his friends treated him like a child thrust into the middle of a divorce. Mondays and Wednesdays were spent with Riley, while Tuesdays and Thursdays he lunched with Maya. On Fridays, Maya and Riley bribed him against the other. Fortunately, Isadora Smackle (his girlfriend) was Farkle's solace on the weekends. Tiredness wasn't the right word.

Exhausted.

Exhausted was a better fit.

A half-hour later, his limo driver arrived and took the genius to the hospital. He rode the elevator to the eleventh floor and was greeted by the smell of disinfectant. The hallway was sterile white with flowers wilting on their shelves. Television sets played static and indecisive channels. Families wailed and nurses traded work shifts. On the opposite side were beggars who prayed for a final day with their loved ones. Sadly, the gods neither forgave nor cared about human wishes. Someone as cheerful as Riley shouldn't be in a hospital. But Farkle willed himself to take another step. And another. And another step forward. "Friends don't leave each other behind or forget them."

Shawn met Farkle first in front of the nurses' station and led the boy into Riley's suite. He ruffled his goddaughter's hair and woke her up with a forehead kiss. Cushioned in front of Riley was her casted leg. Needles poked her arms but some of her cuts had healed. Farkle counted the IV drops in the bag beside him. He listened to the screeching wheelchairs rolling by. Farkle shuddered when he heard Riley grunt in pain as she awakened. Riley furrowed her brow at Shawn's touch.

"Uncle Shawn?"

"You have a visitor."

"Two," Farkle added.

As he set his bag down on the bed, the cat popped out of the backpack and ran into Riley's arms.

"Farkle! Oliver!"

And Farkle was done for. It didn't matter that Riley had pink highlights in her hair, nor did it matter she had a nose ring now. Riley's smile was infectious as it grew across her face. Her elven brown eyes invited you into a fairytale. Farkle wanted to lay his problems at her feet and apologize for his role in this conflict. She had a smile that made you wish she'd share her kindness with her and share the sunshine she stole. But the pain from this past year made their personal sunshine set and fade. Somewhere, she was still "Smiley Riley."

"The doctors said I can come home Sunday!"

He couldn't help but return her smile.

Shawn excused himself, leaving the friends alone so they could catch up.

Aragorn nuzzled his head under Riley's chin. He batted his paw at Riley's paper bracelet like it was a tassel. Once, Farkle caught Riley feeding her cat a banana slice from her plate. Farkle filled Riley in on how the clique managed without her: thankfully, Lucas had not transformed into Texas Lucas. Zay managed to stay quiet about her accident and Smackle wondered what kind of flower basket to send Riley. "Bubbles deserves the best." However, when Farkle mentioned Maya, Riley froze and shook her head like she was erasing the memories.

5:00 pm.

Riley's nurse arrived reminding Farkle to "take the cat and leave."

Before he left, Riley asked him to hand her duffel bag by the window to her. She rummaged inside it, pulling out novels, comics, and her iPod and phone. From her bag, she took out a blue ribbon. She ran her fingers over the silver letters then gave the ribbon to Farkle. Sadness flashed across her eyes like lightning.

Farkle shook his head. "You earned it."

"Give it to Maya. She'll be happy that I'm flying back to London next month." Riley's voice cracked. "Besides, no one would miss me."

Farkle's heart sank. A lump grew and choked in his throat. How could Riles think that she wouldn't be missed? The kid was no fixer but he leaned forward and squeezed his friend in a hug.

"I'd miss you. I'll get Dad to fly us to England and visit you." Farkle said. "Why do you think that Maya wouldn't miss you?"

Riley propped herself onto her elbows and cuddled her cat again.

"She takes everything from me Farkle! You've seen it too," Riley said. Her cat wiped away her tears. "But thieves like her can't help it."

"Riles—"

"Please Farkle, just take it to her. I'm tired of trying with her."

The nurse pulled Farkle away, Aragorn hissed when the nurse tried the same thing with him. She quickly injected Riley with medicine, forcing the brunette girl to sleep.

Farkle ignored his limo driver and trekked over to the Harts' apartment, informing Maya about Riley's moving news. He let her sob on his shoulder and accepted her dinner invitation.

The Harts didn't have much, but Grandma Hart cooked delicious stroganoff. It was always a treat when Mrs. Hart practiced her lines for them. And Farkle never minded modeling for Maya's latest drawing. Later that night, he unrolled his sleeping bag and slept over with the Harts. Maya placed Ginger – her ferret – back in her cage after he and Maya played with it. Then Maya crawled into her own bed.

"You think we can convince Riles to stay?"

"It'll take hard work to get her to stay here. We can't force her to stay."

Maya groaned. "If Riley remembered, she'd know I don't mean what I say."

"Didn't you mean your words at the art show?"

"How is this my fault, Farkle?"

"It's not, but we can't fix this unless we're being honest. Friends don't lie to each other," Farkle said. He zipped himself into his sleeping bag and silenced his phone. "Goodnight Maya."

Neon lights blotted out the moon. Tattoo guns buzzed and colored ink into flesh. Drunk men shouted at each other several stories below. Crickets chirped and Ginger nibbled on the mouse in her cage. Eventually, the bad neighborhood lullaby soothed Farkle to sleep. It was a process. Unfortunately, he dreamt of the Art Show Fiasco.

* * *

December air flowed in and out of the gallery. People invited the wind in and ushered it out as they left the show. Only a few families, leftover teachers, and Farkle remained behind. The gallery was a labyrinth with statues creating cutting and confusing turns. Paintings and photographs hung on the walls. Art teachers showcased jewelry on glass shelves. Balloons sagged and sank from the ceiling. Impatient janitors waited for them to leave so they could clean. Throughout the night, Farkle spent his time running back and forth between the girls. From an outsider's viewpoint, he seemed like an impartial friend. Usually, his intellect served him well but he couldn't understand why Maya was upset.

Admittedly, Farkle knew nothing about art, but Maya told him she used a wet-on-wet technique for her painting. Purples and yellows swirled with lines creating a mirror-flipped portrait of Riley and Maya. This painting avoided winning the disgraced, green participation ribbon, and instead, a red ribbon hung off her canvas. Farkle thought that Maya was pleased; her family didn't need to comfort her because she lost. Still, Maya kicked the floor. She pouted and grumbled to herself. When Katy massaged her daughter's shoulders, Maya brushed her mother away. Maya even refused a hug from Farkle himself. By chance, someone else was better.

Across the room, Lucas helped Riley into her coat and wrapped her in a side hug. Mr. Schenck – the photography teacher – praised the Hunters for encouraging Riley's talent. Shawn joked that he "wouldn't be surprised if Riley replaced him at The Rolling Stones magazine. Earlier, Riley told Farkle that she wanted to create a triptych photo. None of them thought that Riley would win an award, specifically the first-place ribbon. Instead of bragging, Riley blushed at the compliments. She even asked Angela if they could invite Katy and Maya over for dinner.

"It wouldn't be right if they ate alone."

Angela shared a skeptical look with Shawn before they agreed to Riley's request.

Riley skipped toward Maya's family and clasped her hands in front of her. If Farkle could time travel, he would've stepped between the girls. He would have pulled them away from each other. He would have shouted in their ears for them to stay away. Anything to prevent the coming disaster. What Farkle did instead was bite his nails as Maya scowled.

The cold didn't come from the winter night but from Maya's slit, ice-filled eyes. This blonde rebel gritted her teeth and stamped her foot on the floor. She threw her arm out, gesturing toward Riley and her photo. Maya jerked her head toward her mother and pouted.

"Peaches, would you—"

"How could my painting lose to that?! Riley cheated, her camera did everything for her!"

Jaws dropped. Pins dropped. No one dared to breathe or speak after Maya's outburst.

Riley slid off her ring, slipping it on and off her finger. She stared at the floor. At times she looked at the walls, anywhere but her best friend's face. Her embarrassment was gone, now the color drained from her face. Riley arched her back, her limbs straightened, and turned to stone. Finally, she yanked her ring off. She hooked her arm and flicked her ring into the air.

It curved and flew over their heads. Maya ducked, barely avoiding it hitting her. The ring bounced against the wall. The metal pinged on the trashcan's edge. It was a spinning top. It was an unlucky coin. The discarded ring spun in circles.

Heads and their friendships were saved.

Tails and the girls prepared for war.

Heads? Tails? Blonde or Brunette? Farkle's head spun from the chaos. His stomach turned and he felt sick.

Slowly, the ring toppled. It balanced on one side and leaned against the other. There was hope if the ring clattered to the floor. They all lost if it fell in the trash.

The ring tumbled into the waste bin. It was coated with sticky soda and half-eaten food.

Tails.

Maya's arms fell to her sides. She clenched and opened her fists as she closed the distance between her and Riley.

Of course, Maya deserved the world. She deserved the spotlight after so much loss. Farkle understood that Maya never felt better about her emotions until she shouted at someone or punched something. For once, Farkle felt that Maya had gone too far. But she wasn't done yet, and she wasn't going to let Riley – her former best friend – have the final word.

"I wish I never knew you."

Riley matched Maya's cruelty. "I wish you never climbed through my bedroom window."

Lucas slipped his hand into Riley's. Her godparents led them out with Angela motioning to Katy to "expect a call from us soon." Riley pushed the door open, yet before she left, she glanced back at Maya.

"Unlike you Maya, I don't need to cheat."

With that, she left Maya standing alone.

* * *

Farkle sprung up in his sleeping bag. He turned on his phone, texting someone on the other side of the city. This mess was too large for the three of them and they needed adult help. Who do you trust when both girls feel betrayed? Who do you choose when both sisters are broken? Riley wore her brokenness through silence and smiles; Maya showed her brokenness through rage. Where does unravel the mystery? At what point in time do you retell the tale?

The answer: Topanga's promotion.