THURSDAY
"It's this weekend. Lucas hasn't asked me to the semi-formal. We're Riley and Lucas, aren't we?" Riley asks.
"I don't know anymore," I sigh, "I mean we're Farkle and Idina aren't we? And, he still hasn't asked me."
"Sweeties, what are you doing to yourselves?" Maya asks.
"It's this weekend," I glumly answer.
"and they haven't asked us to the semi-formal."
"Riley, you've had problems before, but you haven't had a Lucas problem until now," she says, "and Idina, Farkle's a Farkle. He obviously has something cooking up in his brain." she slams her locker, making our teacher scream in the other room.
"Why does he keep doing that?" Riley asks.
"Lockers, blackboard. Chalk, chalk dust. Your daddy," I dissect the situation.
"How long are you gonna keep doing it?"
"Till he comes out." our teacher walks out with his face covered in dust.
"Okay, I'm done!" Maya shouts running the opposite direction as Riley and I burst into laughter.
"Oh, I needed that," I say, sitting down on the bench as Riley joins me.
"Idina, he's going to ask you,"
"Yeah well he hasn't!" I groan, "Maybe we're not as close as I thought. Maybe..."
"Maybe?" Riley timidly repeats.
"Maybe I need to rethink this whole Farkle and Idina situation," there's silence for a moment until Rebel walks up to us.
"Hey girls, what up?"
"Not now Brandon," I say annoyed looking down at my hands. Riley taps my shoulder.
"Idina, I think you're gonna wanna see this," I peek up to see Brandon Ray with a parcel in his hands. He opens it to reveal an envelope, and opens that to read it.
"I-," he uses air quotes, "know it's sudden, and,"
"D- didn't' want to wait until the last minute but"
"I- think we'd have a fun time together and"
"N- need to ask you"
"A- question," he takes my hand, "Idina, will you let me escort you to the semi-formal?"
"Woah!" Riley shouts.
"Woah," I repeat standing, "Brandon-"
"Idina?" a voice peeps, making me look to see my boyfriend.
"Farkle?"
"Rebel? Why are you asking my girlfriend to the dance?" he asks. Rebel stands.
"Well, it's this weekend, and you haven't made a move, so I thought 'eh, it's now or never' right?"
"Well, I just assumed we were going together,"
"And why would you assume that Farkle?" I ask, and scoot a little away from both boys, "Brandon, I'm not saying yes," Farkle smiles while Rebel frowns, "but I'm saying no either," now Rebel smiles while Farkle frowns. I go to my locker past the boys.
"Idina-" Farkle starts.
"Farkle! Nothing in life is predictable! Nothing in life can be assumed!" I walk up to him, "You love me?" he nods, "then fight for me." The bell rings.
"You ready?" Riley asks next to me.
"Yeah," I say, walking into class and sitting down.
"Semi-formal coming up. Young men and young women interacting. Mixing in a social situation. So, to avoid any casualties, I thought we could discuss etiquette. Can anyone here tell me what etiquette is?" Our teacher asks.
"Etiquette is treating people politely and with respect," Farkle says.
"Then why don't you use it," I mutter.
"Okay, so... The school board sent me this film. It's called, 'He asked me, he asked me, he really asked me'",
"This is supposed to teach us how to act at the dance?" Lucas asks.
"They sent it. I'm showing it. You're animals."
"Oh, there's a dance, and you're planning to attend this dance that you never mentioned in my general vicinity, that dance?" Riley asks him sarcastically.
"Actually, I wanna talk to you about that-"
"Psst. Talk after class," Cory demands.
"Have you no sense of anything?" I chuckle.
"Nope. Let's watch." as the video drones on one line catches our attention.
"Now, let's meet your best gal, Sally, who, since you're a gentleman, you asked to the dance at least 10 months in advance," the narrator says.
"Billy gets it!" Riley shouts.
"I second that!" I say.
"Billy's dead, and all of his friends are dead too. Except one. No, wait, now he's dead too," Maya says.
"It does seem like relationships are a little more complex now than they were in the 1950s,"
"You're one to talk," I say.
"Idina-"
"I'm sorry I'm trying to watch an educational film," I say putting up my hand.
"I just wanna be asked to the dance," Riley mumbled.
"I second that," I repeat as the video still plays.
"-Because everybody knows the semi-formal is the dance that determines the rest of your life,"
"How are you enjoying the picture show, Sally?" Maya asks Riley.
"Life is so much simpler in black and white," Riley replies with a sigh. The picture's finally stop rolling.
"Yikes," our teacher says with a shiver, "Okay. So, can anyone here tell me if they possibly learned anything from that?" Riley turns to Lucas while I turn to Farkle.
"Yes. Time to make some choices, Billy," she jabs.
"Simple enough for you, Billy?" I add, making them both just stare blankly at each other, "Ugh, boys," I huff, turning back around in my chair.
FRIDAY
It's lunch time as I slam my locker shut.
"You know what? I'm done waiting for Farkle," I say to my friends.
"What-" before they can finish I walk up to Brandon who stands by the vending machine.
"Brandon," he looks at me, "I'll go to the dance with you," wait, what am I saying? Before I can speak again to take it back he smirks.
"Good, I'll pick you up tomorrow night," he says, before walking over to his friend, Charlie. I walk over to Maya and Riley.
"What. Just. Happened?" I ask confused with my conflicting emotions.
"I think you're going to the dance with Brandon," Maya says. My mouth flies open. She pushes it shut. I simply sit on the bench.
"You gonna be okay Pookie?" Riley asks me.
"I-I don't know anymore," I stand, "I need your father," I say to Riley, then storm into the history room.
"Mr-" before I can finish I see Farkle standing in the back of the class, "Farkle, what are you doing?"
"This," he says, coming down the row to me and revealing a white lily from behind his back, placing it behind my ear, before spinning me towards the board. It has the words I've been waiting to hear for 10 months: Will You Go To The Dance With Me?
"Farkle," I blush.
"So, will you?"
"I-I can't," he frowns, "I mean, I really truly want to, but I already agreed to go with Brandon," I kiss his cheek, "but this doesn't change us, or how I feel about you."
"And it shouldn't," a voice says, and I turn to see Brandon, "Idina, I see the way you look at Farkle, and yeah I thought we could maybe have a fun time, but I see now that you and Farkle should go together. I don't wanna stand in the way of this," he comes to me and points to the lily in my hair, "you two should blossom like the flower you are. You deserve it."
"Thank you, Brandon," I say smiling, "And trust me, you'll find the girl for you, but it's not me."
"All I ask is one dance,"
"Of course," Brandon smiles then walks out.
"But the rest are mine," Farkle smirks.
"You got it, Mister," I reply smiling, he tries to kiss me, but I place a finger on his lip, "let's wait, I think it'll be more worth it tomorrow night."
"Well, I need some lunch if I'm gonna make it to tomorrow night."
"Okay, I'll see you in class," I walk out, twisting my hair nervously excited, as I approach Riley and Maya, still dealing with the whole Lucas situation.
"So you still going with Brandon?"
"Nope, got it all figured out," I say, but then turn to Riley, "And you know what I think? I think Lucas is waiting until the very last minute, and then he's gonna do the big ask."
"Sure, he is," Riley says pessimistically.
"First, there'll be balloons in your locker," seconds later red balloons float, "Then, people will hand you roses until you have a big bouquet," this rings true, "Okay, uh... disco ball? Music? Yogi on skates! Drop a banner," all is correct, "and then Lucas is right there next to you," except that prediction.
"Yes, yes! I would love to go to the semi-formal with you!" Riley's smile becomes frozen on her face when she sees the boy standing in front of her. Charlie Gardner, not Lucas Friar.
"Good. I was hoping you would. I can't believe that you actually said yes. I waited because I was sure Lucas was gonna ask you, but when he didn't, I just figured there was a problem. So, I asked you because I think a girl like you deserves to be swept off her feet,"
"Uh-oh," I utter.
"What do I do?" Riley asks Maya and me in a sidebar situation.
"Are you asking us?" I say.
"Well if you're asking me, I say you give me a chance," Charlie says.
"Uh-oh," Maya says this time. Riley turns to Charlie and takes a deep breath.
"Charlie, I want to thank you for the flowers and the banner and Yogi on skates," she sighs, "I'm so sorry, but I can't go."
"You can't go with me?"
"No, I can't go with anybody. I can't go with anybody because I can't go with anybody that night because I can't go anywhere that night because my parents have something that night."
"When do you think Riley will realize her father is one of the chaperones at the dance?" Maya asks me sitting on the bench.
"I'd say immediately," I say pointing to the two complicated "lovebirds" as I sit next to her and we watch this conundrum.
"Isn't your dad one of the chaperones at the dance?"
"I'm not talking about those parents."
"Well, there's no coming back from that," I huff.
"Uh, yes, yes, there is, Maya, because, see, my dad is at the dance, and my mom, my other parent I was talking about is also not home that night. And so I promised her I would babysit my little brother, Auggie because nobody had asked me to the dance."
"I'm so proud of us. She's obviously had a good bad influence. Well, Riley's gotten herself out of this mess, what could possibly go wrong now?" Maya asks me.
"Oh, you can't go to the dance?" Lucas says from behind Riley, and Maya and I turn to see he's just walked up.
"Unbelievable!" Riley shouts.
"Well, you two must have a lot to talk about. But before I go, I'd like you both to know that I don't regret asking her. I did it because I know you're the type of person who would give up the dance to help your parents out," Charlie says. Lucas moves around Riley to Charlie, confused.
"Uh, let me understand this, y-you asked Riley to the dance?"
"I did because, see, you didn't. And I'm sorry, but do you need more than 10 months?"
"Charlie, you may not know this, but Riley and I kinda have an unofficial thing going."
"Yeah, but I've been tracking this thing all year."
"So, what happens now?"
"Guess that'd depend on Riley, wouldn't it?" Riley is silent, "Well, I'll leave you guys to it," Charlie leaves having brought more problems into the mix.
"I just naturally assumed that we were going together," Lucas says to Riley.
"What?"
"I thought we were going together. I should have asked."
"What?" Riley repeats.
"I'm sorry you can't go." Riley sits down on the bench, staring at her flowers.
"Do it for me."
"Unbelievable!" Maya and I shout with extra enthusiasm.
SATURDAY
Maya, Riley and I sit in the bay window. Riley sits in an ordinary regular day-to-day outfit while Maya wears a beautiful red dress that reminds me of a rose. I wear a blue dress with black embellishments and a sweetheart neckline. My mom did my hair before making me promise to only enter the Matthew's apartment through the front door, so I wouldn't mess up my clothing, hair, or makeup.
"So, here we are," I say.
"Yup," Maya say's popping the p.
"Help me," Riley begs.
"I got nothing,"
"Peaches is right, nada," I reply.
"Help me!"
"This one's a doozy,"
"Don't know how to come back from this one," I add. Topanga and Cory walk in.
"I got asked to the semi-formal,"
"Oh, Lucas got around to it?" Topanga asks sitting down.
"No, Lucas assumed they were going," I say.
"I got asked by Charlie," she says glumly.
"Gardner? I like him. Little quiet, so far. So, why aren't you dressed?" Cory asks.
"Because I kinda made up a story and said I couldn't go,"
"And Lucas overheard," Maya adds.
"Listen, Riley," Cory says, sitting next to his daughter in the window, "I'm disappointed you felt you had to make up a story."
"What's wrong with Charlie?" Topanga asks.
"Nothing. It's just, he's kinda," she pauses, "I just had this vision in my head about how the semi-formal was supposed to go. How Lucas would ask, the dress I would wear, the corsage he would give me," she sighs imaging her alternate universe dream night.
"Riley didn't do anything wrong. I think she's just," Maya pauses.
"-confused about how she feels," I finish for her.
"How am I supposed to feel, Maya? I like Lucas, don't I? You were me. How did I feel when you were me? What are me and Lucas? You know something. Tell me."
"Go to the dance."
"I can't,"
"Go to the dance. That's your punishment," we tilt our heads at her parents, "Well, Lucas and Charlie are both gonna be at the dance. You need to face them, Riley. You've got choices to make."
"All right, I'll go. What color goes with shame?"
The doorbell rings about a half hour later. Maya and Riley run to it and open it before I get to it. There stands Farkle, hair semi-slicked back, in a suit. He stares at me.
"W-Wow, Idina, you look beautiful. Like, truly beautifully gorgeous."
"Thanks, Farkle," I say blushing, he comes in and wraps my arm around his.
"Ready?" he asks all of us. I look at my friends, who are gushing at us.
"Yeah, let's see what comes of tonight," I say, as we leave the apartment.
"So Riley, you ready?" I ask she stands next to Maya and me in a yellow dress.
"As I'll ever be," she says, and we begin to roam the dance.
"Riles, look big turnout," Maya admires.
"Good. Maybe there's a chance I won't run into either of them,"
"Yeah, not likely," I reply as Maya turns Riley towards both Charlie and Lucas. Rebel then walks up to Riley.
"Hey, Dollface. Dance?" he asks, but before Riley can respond.
"No, no, no, Riley's busy," Maya says, pushing Riley back, "I'll dance with you," she says positioning herself in Brandon's arms.
"That works for me Babe," he replies. She stares at him.
"Don't call me that," she says, before the head onto the dance floor.
"Idina, dance?" Farkle asks.
"Yeah," I reply, as he takes my hand and sweeps me onto the platform which lights up. After some time of dancing, I see Eric walk in with some guy.
"Who's that guy with Eric?" Farkle asks.
"I don't know but I'm gonna find out. Will you excuse me for a moment," I say, "I'll be back soon I promise." Farkle nods, and smiles, before starting to dance weirdly. Ah, that's my guy.
"-I remember us every day," I hear the end of their conversation with Cory.
"Hey, Eric!" I say coming behind him.
"Hey Idina," he says giving me a hug.
"Who's this?" The man asks.
"Jack, this is Idina. She's..." he pauses, but then looks at me and smiles, "she's a very important person in my life."
"You must be Jack. I'm Idina Jennings," I take my hand out to shake his.
"Nice to meet you Idina,"
"I wanted to bring him back to a time when life was a little less complicated," Eric says.
"Well, I'm gonna go dance, my date is dancing and I don't know how much more people can take," I joke, gesturing to Farkle, "Yup, but that's my guy," I start to walk over, but walk slowly hearing portions of their conversation once more.
"So she's with Minkus's kid?" Jack asks.
"Yeah, they're cute together, whether he's a real boy or not," Eric says.
"So, what is she to you?"
"She's Idina," he sighs, "All I know is if I had a daughter, I'd hope she'd be somewhat like her," I blush. I'm about to go back to Farkle when I see Smackle.
"Smackle!" I shout, running over to her.
"Idina!" She shouts, wearing a beautiful green dress, "How are you?"
"Good, it's been like 2 weeks. Life's just been so crazy."
"I know, things are always changing," she says. Just then Zay comes next to her in a navy suit with two red cups in his hands.
"Here you go, a lemonade for my lady," he hands her the cup. My eyes widen, as she chuckles and giggles when he wraps his arm around her.
"The two of you?!" I squeal. She looks at him.
"Yeah, the two of us," I smile happily for them. After Zay takes Smackle to sit down I return to Farkle.
"Nice moves," I joke. Brandon walks up to me.
"Hey, can I steal you for one dance?" I look at Farkle, who seems tense, but nods.
"Sure, a dance is just a dance," I say. We dance for a song, and I see Riley over talking with her father, uncle, and Jack. After the song ends, I see Eric make his way to the stage.
"So, ladies and gentlemen, all the way from Kangarootown, Sheppard!" he shouts before the band runs on stage. We cheer for them as they begin singing one of their best hits, "Geronimo". We all start to jump-dance. I never really understood this concept, but man, it sure is fun. I see Riley start jumping with Lucas a little bit secluded from where Maya and I jump together with Farkle. I laugh as we light up with pleasure.
"Why did you assume we were going to the dance if we're not officially together?" I hear Riley ask.
"I don't know. Why would you make a big deal about it if we're not officially together?" Charlie interjects jumping in between them.
"Why would you make such a big deal about me asking her if you're not officially together?"
"Yeah, no, I'm not doing this," he says. I've started to jump with Farkle, so when he turns he's jump-dancing with Maya who goes on the side where Riley just was. Riley now jumps with Charlie.
"Why would you be dancing with me if you're officially a huckleberry?"
"No, I'm not dancing with you," he turns to see Farkle dancing with me, a little weirdly but I like it
"How you doin'?" he asks Lucas, before going back to hit letting loose dancing. I start to dance just as wildly crazy.
"I hate to break it to you, cowboy, but you're still dancing with me, and Riley's dancing with that guy."
"But we're all dancing," Maya says.
"We're all friends," Farkle says.
"What else is there to figure out?" I add, then Farkle turns to me.
"Let's never not dance as us okay?" I ask Farkle. He smiles as the song ends.
"Okay."