"i guess somethings
do change."
"WHAT?" LUCAS was the first to speak.
Farkle's mouth dropped slightly. He didn't think... He truly didn't think that Riley would.. Riley locking the bay window showed how serious she was
Farkle hopped to his feet, followed by Lucas. He had an idea. And it may almost work.
"Follow me," Farkle said, then took off for the bay window.
***
"Farkle, would you tell us what we're doing?" Maya hissed as the three of them crouched on Riley's fire escape, still out of view from her bay window.
"Stay here. Don't come out until I say. Got it?" Farkle asked, looking behind at Maya and Lucas.
"Tell me again why we can't just do this ourselves?" Lucas asked.
"Because Riley locked the bay window for a reason, and she's be most likely to open it up for me," Farkle explained, slightly annoyed.
Farkle crouched over to her window. He could see into Riley's room. She was sitting on her bed, scribbling into a notebook. He tapped on her window, and watched her head snap up in his direction. Immediately, she rushed over and unlocked the bay window and slid it up.
"Farkle, wh-what are you doing here?" Riley almost gasped, looking at him in bewilderment.
"Because they have something to say to you — at least one of them does," Farkle answered as Riley gestured for him to come in.
Farkle obliged, stepping out of the way for Lucas and Maya, at least for when they were to come in. Riley looked at Farkle confusion. Her brows were knit together.
"Farkle, what do you mean?" Riley asked, still by the bay window.
"I think you two can come in now," Farkle said loudly, ignoring Riley's question.
With Farkle's say-so, the two blondes popped their heads into the room, much to Riley's dismay. Riley stood, facing two of her best friends. Farkle held his breath as he watched Riley's fists clenched.
"Lucas. Maya—," Riley began.
"I go back on what I said," Maya blurted out.
"What?" Riley asked, as if she didn't believe her own ears.
"I go back on what I said, Riles. I'm scared that if go any longer, I'll end up losing you in the long run," Maya said.
"I don't, Maya. I need to figure things out. You do, too. And it's hardly been a day. How can you lose me in a day?"
"You have no idea how possible it is, Riley."
"Maya, I'm not going to walk out on you like your dad did! Just because mine didn't, doesn't mean I don't know loss!"
"You don't, Riley! Your mom doesn't work all the time, and your dad is actually there for you! You don't know what it's like! You never did! You don't know what it's like to be in my shoes! At all! Being the best friend to every boy's dream girl! Just being seen as a broken little girl! You're seen as freaking Riley Matthews! Nothing else!"
Farkle and Lucas made eye contact.
"You always use your dad as an excuse, Maya! And you don't think I know what it's like to be compared to you?! I wanted to be just like you Maya! Since we were little! You're comfortable in your own skin!"
"Who says I'm comfortable being broken, Riley?!"
"I never said you were comfortable being 'broken', Maya! But you own it! You know you do! And art. You're so talented at it!"
"Riles, is it because I was better than you at it?! Is that what this is about?"
"No, Maya. What this is about is that in sick of being compared to you!"
"Riley, I get compared to you, not the other way around."
"Maya, you don't know what people've said to me when they compare us. What they whisper."
Riley had a point there. Farkle remembered once that a new girl had came up to Riley, asking if she knew Maya Hart. Riley said yes, of course, adding that Maya was her best friend. Farkle remembered the girl scoffing, doubting Riley and saying that a girl like Riley would never be friends with a girl like Maya. She said other rude things, too; like that Riley was too uptight and goody-goody and that she should be more like Maya. Farkle also remembered shooing the girl away once he got sick of her comparisons, which didn't take long. Riley didn't act like herself at all that day, staring off into the distance. So, Farkle reminded her that she shouldn't change herself and that he loved her that way that she was, knowing just how insecure Riley was.
"Riles, who cares what they say?!"
"I do, Maya! I care about what people think! I care what they think about me!"
"They won't be in your life forever!"
"They're in it now! I care what they think!"
"What about us? Do you care what the three of us think?!"
"I care a great deal!"
"Then care that I think that this is stupid! That I think you shouldn't care what they think!"
"But I do, and you can't change that!"
"I can try."
Bad wording, Maya.
"Maya!"
"And I stepped back for you! You know that!"
"And I did the same!"
"You at least didn't watch your chances with him go down the drain like I did."
"Get out."
"What?"
"Get out. All of you."
With that, Riley practically shoved the three of them out the window and slammed it shut, no doubt locking it again. When they reached the bottom, Maya looked from Farkle to Lucas. Her mouth was slightly open and her blue eyes were glassy. She let out a gruntled cry. Lucas immediately took to her. She ran her hands through her hair, a few tears running down her face. Lucas gently grabbed her wrists, and she slightly struggled against him. Farkle's phone buzzed in his pocket.
Mom
Come home. We need 2 talk.
"Guys," Farkle started,"I need to go."
***
When Farkle walked into the Minkus appartment, he was surprised to find both of his parents there, let alone sitting on the sofa together. They looked at him when he walked in, then to each other. Uh-oh. Farkle thought. He knew this wasn't good.
"Son," his father started,"Your mom and I have decided to take a break, not get divorced, just take a break."
Farkle felt the blood drain from his face.
"What?"
***
A/N: ...sorry?
Anyways, vote, comment, read, enjoy; the usual, I guess. I get to go finish Pre-Algebra now. Yay 😶