Girl Meets Ryan Matthews

17.

Ryan knocked on the open door. His dad looked over at him.

"Oh. Have you come to cut all ties with me, too?" Ryan shook his head and walked over to the bed.

"I actually came to check on you. You seemed pretty beat up about Riley missing Cyclone day," He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I am. I'm dying because my daughter is growing up." Cory looked at Ryan. "She said there's nothing left for me to teach her. Can you believe that?" Cory laughs for a second, before staring up at the ceiling. "Do you believe that?"

Ryan shook his head. "No, dad, I don't. I mean, logically, that's not true. It's also not true in the way she meant it." Cory looked at him questioningly. "Riley thinks she knows everything there is to know about life, right now. She doesn't, you still have to teach her."

Cory looked back up at the ceiling again.

"Thanks, Ryan."

Ryan nods and leaves the room. His family didn't love him as much as he wanted. They didn't appreciate him, hell, they barely even knew him!

But that didn't mean he didn't love them.

~~

When it came time for everyone's favorite class, Cory greeted everyone a little differently. Which is to say, he was greeting them at the door.

"Friar, Farkle, Hart, Son, you!" Cory's whole tone changed when he came to his favorite daughter.

"Dad-"

"Ferp!"

"Ok."

Riley sat down, dejected. As Cory started class and the daily drama ran its course, Ryan had his test handed back to him. He didn't look at the grade, only shoved it to the bottom of his bag. If he checked he'd worry and there was really no point in that.

Maya left the classroom and Riley followed her. For once, their lesson wasn't centered around them because their drama was considerate enough to leave the classroom.

They were given busy work as Cory graded past homework.

Farkle tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey," He whispered. Not a stage whisper, either. An actual whisper.

Ryan glanced at him from the corner of his eye.

"Hey."

"How's that date coming along?" Ryan froze for a second in his seat.

Right. That. It was silly for him to think he could escape the issue for long.

"Uh, it's not."

"Come on, there's gotta be someone you want to ask," Farkle pushed. Ryan twirled his pencil so fast in his hand in nearly flew out of his grip.

"Uh, yeah? Probably." What was he doing?

"Oh? Who's the lucky Lue you've got your eye on?" Ryan looked at him with a questioning glance. Farkle shook his head. "Don't question it."

"Its, uh, Jeremy... from science," FUck what was he doing. Was there even a kid named Jeremy in his science class?

"Oh? I didn't think he was your type," Shit there's actually a Jeremy in his science class. "Didn't know you were into theater nerds?"

Ryan shifted in his seat. "Uh, yeah. I am," Well he was now, apparently.

"When are you gonna ask him?"

"I was planning on talking to him at lunch."

The bell rang. For. Lunch.

"Ooh, the time is nigh!" Farkle said at a normal volume. Ryan smiled nervously, throwing his things into his bag.

"I guess." How was he going to fix this one?