Lollie Parker

Riley, Maya, and Lollie sat at Riley's bay window.

"The holidays are the best time to be a Riley." Riley smiled, "There's sleigh bells and cocoa, and it's time once again for Secret Santa."

Maya lightly pinched Riley on the arm.

"Yow!"

"Every time you say Secret Santa from here until the end of Christmas, I will be doing the small pinch." Maya said.

"The small pinch?" Riley questioned, "The one where you take the tiniest amount of skin between your nails and do the small pinch?"

"Every time you say... "

"Secret Santa? Yow!"

"Why?" Lollie asked.

"Because let me tell you a secret everyone's been keeping from Riley."

"What?"

"We hate Secret Santa."

Riley was flabbergasted as she shifted in her seat, "You hate Secret Santa? Yow! Impossible! Secret Santa... Yow! ...gives us all a chance to dig deep and think about someone else."

"Good. Let's think about what I got you this year." Maya said.

"Maya!" Riley smiled.

She grabbed the box from Maya and ripped the wrapping paper off of it.

"A suitcase? Where are we going? Somewhere?"

"Nowhere! I'm your present! I'm with you for the holidays!"

"Yes! What? Yes!"

Riley ran her bed jumping on it and running back to the two girls.

"Why?"

"So we can have an epic Christmas together."

"But you always start at home and then end up here. But, Maya, this is your first Christmas with your mom and Shawn. This one's going to be different."

"But what if it's not? But if I'm not there and something goes wrong, can it be my fault?"

"No."

"This Christmas we'll set the stage for what Christmas is going to be like. My mom and I only know how to do crazy, but if I'm not there and Shawn doesn't see the crazy, then maybe we have a chance." Maya said.

She looked between the two and crawled out the window.

"Why can't it ever just be the best time to be a Riley?"

Riley sighed and looked at Lollie.

"What about you?" Riley asked, "Do you like Christmas?"

"It's okay."

"Just okay?"

"I mean Noah and Mariah get to hang out with their mom and dad and I'm kinda just there, you know?"

"I know." Maya said before completely leaving.

"But you and your dad are good now. Meaning that you will have Finn, Bailey, Zander, Katherine, and-"

"Ryan."

"Mariah and Noah's mom?"

Lollie nodded, "I'm going, to be honest with you Riley, not everyone can have a holly jolly Christmas."

"I can make it holly jolly."

"I think it's best if we just leave Christmas to the adults this year." Lollie said.

She stood up and headed out the window.
﹏﹏﹏﹏

The three of them made it to Topanga's along with the others, excluding Lucas.

Lollie sat down beside Zay as Maya and Riley sat beside each other.

"Okay! Who's ready for Egret Ahh-Ahh! Ha!"

"Do you never give up with this?" Smackle asked.

"Secret Santa's horrible every year." Farkle added.

"You know who's the smartest man alive?" Zay asked.

"I wasn't gonna say you." Zay said, "I was gonna say, Lucas."

"Why is Lucas smart?" Farkle asked, "He's not even here. Oh."

"Yeah, where is Lucas?" Riley asked.

"You're his girlfriend. Where is his?" Noah asked.

"He's home in Texas for the holidays." Lollie answered, "It was his way out of Secret Santa."

"He knows even you can't reach him two thousand miles away." Zay said.

"Oh, trust me, he's doin it." Riley said. She stood up with the box in her hands, " Now, I want you to really think hard about the person that you get because this gift tells them how much they know about them. And whatever happens, do not say who you have. That's the egret part of Egret Ahh-Ahh." Riley said, "Ready?"

Zay was the first to stick his hand into the box; Lollie followed after.

"Yikes." Zay said.

"Yikes."

"I got Maya." Smackle said.

"Smackle!" Riley shouted.

"This is who I am."

Riley faced Maya, "Okay, you go. Do not react."

"Oh, please, Riley, show me how." Maya said.

Riley stuck her hand inside the box and picked a name. She smiled as she looked and placed the paper behind her back.

"It's Noah." Smackle said.

"Smackle!" Riley shouted, "All right, Peaches, do not say who you have."

"Never, Sweetie, I know how much this means to you."

Maya picked from the box and looked at the name. She folded it back up and held it in her hands.

"Tell us." Zay said.

"Never. I won't even tell you if it's a him or a ha-hurr." Maya said.

Lollie and Zay looked at each other before smiling at Maya.

"Thank you, Maya." Riley smiled, "Okay, everybody. Let's find out how well we really know each other."
﹏﹏﹏﹏

Noah and Lollie had probably been in the store for about an hour before they finally found a store that fitted for what they needed to get for Secret Santa.

"Please!" Noah begged.

Lollie only looked around at things she wanted to get her Secret Santa.

She had grown close to all of them and felt like she knew what she wanted to get all of them but was still stuck.

"Just tell me. Who am I gonna tell?"

"Zay. Who just happens to be your Secret Santa."

Noah pouted, "How did you know?"

"It's not like you accidentally texted me asking, "Hey, you know of Zay right? My friend from school. Well, what do you think he would like?" "

"No wonder why mom didn't text me back."

"You know Zay like the back of your own hand. I'm confident that you'll find something that he likes."

"Fine, don't tell me who you got."

"Wasn't planning on it."

"I'll be over there if you need anything." Noah said and walked in the direction he pointed towards.

Lollie absentmindedly nodded and kept looking.

It had only been a couple of minutes before Lollie was talking to the man who ran the store.

"Secret Santa?" The man asked.

Lollie nodded, "How much?"

"Thirty."

Lollie nodded as she handed him the cash. She had also asked for a bigger back so Noah couldn't look inside.

She thanked the man before she walked towards her brother, "Do you think he'll play this if I buy it?"

"It's Zay. Trust your gut."

Noah sighed and continued to look at the game.

"Where's the register?"

"All the way in the back."

Noah nodded and Lollie waited for him outside the door.

A few moments later Noah came back out and held the bag in his hands.

"Pretzels?" Noah asked.

Lollie smiled and linked arms with him.
﹏﹏﹏﹏

Later that night as Lollie sat on the couch trying to find a cool way to decorate the Secret Santa box, she heard a knock on the door.

She shut her laptop and answered it.

Farkle looked at her and smiled, "Who's the best person ever?"

"You?"

Farkle smiled as she let him inside.

"I'm stuck."

"You look fine to me." Lollie joked.

"Haha." He said, "I don't know what to get my Secret Santa."

The two of them sat on the couch.

"Who is it?" Lollie asked.

"I can't tell you, or it wouldn't be Secret Santa anymore."

"Well then... how long have you know your Secret Santa?"

"Forever."

"Then you should know what they like."

"But this person has all and more. What do you give a person who has all and more."

"Not everyone has all and more, Farkle. Like I told Noah, you probably know the person like the back of your hand. So, don't stress out about it."

Farkle smiled at her and nodded, "Back of my hand... got it. I've gotta go, but thanks for the help."

He jumped off the couch and walked out the door.

Not even moments later another knock came.

She stood up once again and saw Maya and Riley.

"Tell me your dad is coming for Christmas." Riley said.

"I cannot tell you that my dad will be here for Christmas." Lollie said.

Riley pouted and pushed Maya inside, "Did you ask?"

"Do I have to ask my dad, his girlfriend, and Alexa to be there for Christmas?"

"Yes, especially since he's in your life now."

Lollie looked at Maya and before she could speak, Noah came downstairs and hugged his girlfriend.

"I was getting ready to call you."

"About?"

Noah looked at Lollie and back at Maya, "My mom is coming for Christmas and I would like for you to meet her."

"No. Maya needs to be with her family for Christmas, just like Lollie needs to be with hers."

"I don't see what the big deal is Riley. If he comes he comes and if he doesn't... it's nothing new. Besides Ryan is very nice, Maya would love her."

"No. We are going to show you two what Christmas actually is." Riley said.
﹏﹏﹏﹏

The Matthews, the Harts, and the Parker family all sat as they watched Riley step away from her curtain.

"Welcome. Welcome, good, gentle people to... "A Christmas Journey.""

"Really?"

"Yes! Because we want to show you what went wrong with your Christmas past, so you can improve on your Christmas present."

Katy smiled, "Christmas present."

"No."

"Act One! Christmas past. Crazy Christmas."

Riley stepped back towards the curtain and Topanga walked out talking in a Southern accent.

"Baby girl, it's me! Baby girl, your mama is home from the Nighthawk Diner where I spent all Christmas Eve slingin' has for tips so that I could give you the Christmas you deserve!"

"She's me!" Katy said, "All this time I wanted to be her and she's me."

"Too soon." Maya said.

"I'm Maya Penelope Hart, and I'm a troubled kid." Ava said, walking away from the curtain.

"With a heart of gold." Maya smiled.

"And I wore these things for like, two years."

"Guess who I ran into today." Topanga said.

"Anybody but Gimbo."

"Gimbo the Elf!" Topanga said, "Yay!"

"No yay!"

Topanga then proceeded to put a hat on, "Well... hello, Maya! I bet you're wonderin' what I've got in this big bag of practical gifts."

"Wet Wipes?"

"I... I wish. It's just regular napkins. But I could spit on 'em for ya."

"You're the best, Gimbo."

"This year I may not have anything in this bag that you want, but I tried real hard for there to be somthin' that you might need."

"What's this, Gimbo?"

"It's a permit that says that next year you can go to school with your new little friend."

"You mean Riley?"

"Yeah! Would you like that? Who knows? Maybe you'll meet other friends, too."

"Maybe... I guess. It's not a toy or anything."

"I know."

The two of them then faced Maya and Katy.

"I'm so sorry, Mom. I didn't realize how important that gift was."

"That's okay. You were just a little girl."

"You gave me all my friends."

"And now... Act Two. The Journey of the Parker." Riley said.

Auggie came from the curtain wearing a wig, "I've been here for almost two years and I'm this many years old." He said holding six fingers, "Will my daddy ever come for Christmas."

Ava came back into the scene, wear and short wig, "Hey, Lollie... guess what?"

"What Noah?"

"My mommy is coming for Christmas... and she said she's gonna bring tons of toys for me."

Auggie nodded, "Really fun."

Ava looked at him, "I mean... if your daddy doesn't come then you can have some of my toys."

Lollie looked at Noah and rested her head on her shoulder, "That's okay."

"No, it's not, we can share toys. It's okay."

The two stepped back towards the curtains before stepping out again.

"Merry Christmas." Topanga said.

Ava looked around the room, "Your daddy could still come, Lollie."

"I don't think so, Noah."

Ava wrapped his arm around Auggie, "Then we can share the toys, like I said last night, remember?"

Topanga bent down to Auggie's height, "You know Lollie, Zander may not be here, but you have people like, Noah, Mariah, Ryan, and Finn here."

"And I have you too, mommy."

"Always."

Finn grabbed Lollie's hand, "You know... if you ever needed something we would always get it for you."

"I know, but it would've been nice if he tried to send a card or something. I never thought it was fair that Mariah and Noah got more toys or got to see their mom."

"We know, Lollie, but maybe he'll show this year and if he doesn't... we'll always be there." Bailey said.

"Always."

"And if I get toys this year then we can share." Noah said.

Lollie smiled.

"Act Three! Christmas Present. Secret Santa."

"Do it."

Riley sighed as she pinched herself.

"No, Spirit, please don't make me go." Maya said.

Riley did a small dance as she threw confetti in the air.

"Boy, you love drama."

Riley giggled, "I know I do."

﹏﹏﹏﹏

The four of them headed to Topanga's.

"Okay, who goes first?" Riley asked.

"No! We're not going one at a time," Maya said, "I want this over with as quick as possible."

"I don't think everybody feels that way, Maya." Riley said.

Everyone reached for their boxes and opened them, some slower than others.

"Oh- Oh, boy. Uh, it's a clock." Maya said, "It's broken. And the instruction manual on how to fix it. Best Christmas ever."

"I must've opened the wrong one." Zay said, "The Magical Gathering of Dungeon Masters of Catan. For Nerds. This can't be for me."

"It has your name on it." Smackle said.

"Oh, wow. Just... Hmm. Thank you."

"Boy. I may have never done this with you before, but even I know you could at least pretend to deeply appreciate whatever you get." Smackle said and lifted her book, "Etiquette: A Guide to Manners and Proper Behavior Among People. I deeply appreciate it."

She threw the book towards Zay.

"Guys, that's a really mean gift. Guys?" Farkle said.

"Farkle, wait." Riley said, "I'm sure there's a good reason that somebody would-"

"Yeah, is there a good reason somebody would get me this?" He asked as he held the menorah.

"Farkle, you found out that your ancestors are Jewish." Riley said.

"So- so I don't even know who I am anymore. I shouldn't even be celebrating Christmas?" He asked.

Lollie looked up from her box, "No. No that's not it at all."

Farkle averted his eyes from Riley to Lollie. Thinking that Riley gave him the "gift" and not her, he didn't know what to say.

"Why are you pushing me?" He asked.

"I didn't mean to." She said, "But this, this..." She held and book up, completely ignoring the other small things inside, as did Farkle.

"An Idiot's Guide on Anxiety and How to Better Yourself. It's really, really helpful, especially in a time like now." She smiled sarcastically.

"Oh, well... Mines is good." Noah said. He held the college in his hands. Pictures of his friends, family, and girlfriend spread throughout the corkboard, "Thanks, Riley."

Zay began to clap, "Great job, I mean, another brilliant year, Secret Santas."

"Yeah, I guess we don't really know each other at all." Farkle said.

"A broken clock? That's what you think of me?" Maya asked Smackle.

Smackle didn't say anything as she began to stand.

"Maya, we're not going anywhere until we figure out why these horrible gifts are great." Riley said.

"There's nothing to figure out, the whole thing's a disaster." Zay said.

"What does this mean, Lollie? How is this great?" Farkle asked.

"I don't want to see you change, Farkle, if you do, I'll love you regardless." Lollie said, "It's apart of where you came from. I read a lot more about your ancestry after culture week because you're my best friend and I wanted to know more about who you are as Farkle Minkus."

Farkle continued to look at her, "In Hebrew, everything goes from right to left. All this time, everything you've done, you've always thought left to right. And now, you may need to consider that there's another way. And when I saw it in the store, I knew it would be good for you to have, because if you know both ways, well... the Farkle Minkus I know now will have a bigger and greater understanding than what you did before."

He still sat still and Lollie smiled.

"Happy Hanukkah, Farkle. Merry Christmas. Happy everything."

"Thanks, Lollie, uh..." He smiled, "You're right. I'm gonna try to learn everything I can about this."

She smiled and pulled him into a hug, "I know you got the book for me. Why?"

"I want to see you better yourself." He said.

He let go of the hug, "I don't know what it's like and I don't know if I ever will, but what I do know is that if you need someone I'll be there. No matter how small or how big. I'll always be there. I know Christmas isn't your favorite, but you know I'll always be there no matter the time of day." He said, "Meeting you has helped me a lot and I'm glad you are always there for me when I need it most, even if I didn't realize I needed someone. I want to able to do the same with you. No matter how far or how close we are. You'll always be my best friend, I love you and I want to see you smile."

Lollie smiled and hugged him again, as tightly as she could.

Noah stood up and held the game in his hands.

"This was from me, Zay."

Noah handed him the box, "The Magical Gathering of the Dungeon Masters of Catan. For Nerds." Zay said, "Why would you think I'd want this? Isn't it something you'd get Farkle? Is this what you think of me?"

"No, I know how close you are with Lucas, and with him away for the holidays, I knew you didn't want to feel alone. So I wanted to include you in something not only Farkle would play, but that I would play too. I want to know you better, Zay, and this game will help." Noah said.

"How?"

"It takes seventeen years to play."

"Then we better get started. Thank you."

Zay sighed as he picked up the book Smackle threw.

"I'm the one who, uh, got you this."

"I know that there are some things that are different about me. That's why you got me an etiquette book?"

"Well..." Zay started and took a seat beside Smackle, "If you open it, you'll see there's some writing in the margins."

"Yeah, you crossed out a lot of stuff. And you wrote some of your own stuff."

"Yeah. See here it says, uh, "A young lady speaks in a gentle tone and never raises her voice."" Because I know you are working on stuff, but I never want you to forget who you are and what makes you wonderful."

"I'm feeling things because of you." Smackle said.

"You're welcome, Smackle."

"Can't wait to hear this one." Maya said.

"It's beautiful. But it's broken." Smackle said, "It was hard to find a broken one. Ever since I've known you, you've never stopped trying to put yourself back together. I wanted to get you something to let you know that you've done a great job and it's okay to work on something else."

"But why a clock?"

"You already know that time fixes a lot of things. I thought you might like to return the favor."

"I'm not crying you are."

"You did good guys." Riley said.

Farkle faced her, "So did you, Riley."

"Yeah, Riley, maybe we should give this Secret Santa one more year." Zay said.

"Hey, Maya... you know the good thing about having a nice clock?" Riley asked, "Once you fix it, it will always point towards your... Christmas future."

Riley stood up, did her dance, and threw confetti in the air.

"Ghost of the Future. I fear you most of all."
﹏﹏﹏﹏

"So it wasn't bad at all." Lollie said.

"I'm glad." Lucas said over the phone, "Are you home?"

"I'm at the door. Why?"

"I package should have arrived."

"You didn't have to get me anything."

"But I wanted to. Call me back when you get the chance."

"Okay."

The line was cut as Lollie opened the door.

She looked inside and saw Zander sitting on the couch holding two gifts.

"I know I haven't been there, and I know you still think I'm not, but I'm trying."

Lollie continued to look at him, "I know I've messed up a lot... and I'm still messing up, but believe me, Lollie, I'm trying."

He stood up with the gifts in his hand.

"I can't be there for Christmas. Katherine, Alexa, and I are going on a cruise, but I bought you a gift. Hopefully, it makes up for not being there for Christmas."

He placed the gifts in her arms, "The top one is from Lucas. He brought it to my place before he went to Texas."

Lollie huffed as she hoisted the boxes in her hand, including the one Farkle had given her.

"Merry Christmas, Lollie."

"Merry Christmas, Zander. Make sure you lock the door on the way out."

"Lollie-"

"Goodnight and have a nice cruise."

Lollie made her way to her room and kicked the door shut.

She sighed as she heard her parents' door open and walk downstairs.

She put the boxes on her bed and opened Farkle's gift again.

Grabbing the book, she placed it on the self with the many other books. She looked through the box and found pictures of the two of them.

She smiled and pushed the box aside, grabbing the one Lucas had given her.

As she opened it she smiled, pulling out a scrapbook.

She smile grew as she flipped through the pages. She saw that there were blank spaces and put the pictures that Farkle had given her inside.

She finally picked up Zander's box and opened it. She held the bear further out to see all of its' features.

The small tag on the side saying to, "squeeze me".

As she did so, the bear spoke, "One day this bear will be yours. Have a Merry Christmas, Winter. Love dad."

She removed the bear from her ear as the door opened. Noah walked inside with hot chocolate in his hands.

"We're watching Christmas movies downstairs... wanna watch?"

She sent him a small smile and sat the bear down on her bed, "Sure."

Noah handed her the cup and the two of them headed downstairs.

﹏﹏﹏﹏

Word Count: 3781

Episode: Girl Meets A Christmas Maya

Pages: 38

I HAVENT UPDATED IK THREE MONTHS BUT SINCE DISNEY PLUS CAME OUT I CAN STEP UP MY GAME!!!!

i approve

also there's two chapters left and I PROMISE YOULL GET THEM SOON SCHOOL AND LIFE HAVE BEEN KICKING ME DOWN