Girl Meets Season 4

5. Girl Meets Charlie Gardner

The Friday after their big family trip Riley was standing behind the counter at Topanga's helping out after school. Lucas and Zay were at Baseball practice, Farkle and Smackle were at Science club and Maya had joined the art club. Riley decided that since she didn't have a place in school to go to she would continue to help out her mother and Katy at the café. She saved up the tips she got along with the paycheck her mother gave her so that she would be able to buy presents when the holidays came up. The line from the afternoon rush had finally died down and she started busing tables.

"Can I order something?" A voice said to her.

When she looked up she saw a pair of familiar blue eyes, "Charlie," she said smiling. "Long time no see."

"Hey Riley," he smiled back at her. "Yeah sorry I should have kept in touch."

She walked over to the counter "So what do you want?"

"Strawberry smoothie, and some time with you," he said.

"Um... I can only do one of those," she said looking down at the keypad on the register. She rung up the smoothie and he paid still looking at her.

"Riley why don't you take your ten," Katy said from behind her. Riley hadn't realized that she was wishing for more work and not less.

"Um... okay," she said walking over to where Charlie waited. "So you wanted some time?"

"Yeah, just to talk," he said.

"Okay, I have ten minutes," she said hoping that Lucas didn't walk into the café. She wanted to use the time to apologize to Charlie for everything that had happened in middle school. She realized after they had graduated and the whole triangle mess, she never truly apologized to him for using him to get over Lucas.

"So... how's school?" he asked.

"It's great, I have my friends, my family, and Lucas," she said blushing the moment she said his name. He had that kind that kind of effect on her.

"So Friar finally made his move?"

"Yeah we've been together for almost a year now, he's a great guy," she said as the memory of the ski lodge came to mind. That moment still makes her heart beat fast, it gives her hope for their future. Hope that they will survive together like her parents did, that he would be that once in a lifetime relationship.

Charlie smiled at her, "Good, I actually came here to thank you."

"For what?"

"Remember, how at your New Year's party you told me that I deserve more, well when I decided to pick a different school from everyone else, I decided to find that one person that made me feel the way you feel about Friar."

"Did you find that?"

"Yes, her name is Esmerelda she's the most special person in my life, you were my first crush but she had my heart."

"That's great Charlie," Riley said smiling. "I'm glad you found that, even if you had to go to a different school to find it."

"Well I knew that if I had stayed behind I wouldn't have found myself, I would have started to resent you, and your friends. I guess I wanted to be a part of that, but I found out that I needed to find it for myself and not just try and put myself there."

"Well it's good that you took the time out to do so," she said smiling. Her ten-minute break was over so she walked Charlie to the door and gave him a quick hug. "I'm glad you found what you were looking for, and I hope that the next time you come over, you can introduce me to your girlfriend."