Leaving Rileytown

Love...?

||Farkle's POV||
This is it! Finally, my chance with Riley! I've been waiting 11 years for this.
(Author's Note: they're in 12th grade)
We went into the closet. I leaned forward, about to kiss her, when she stopped me.
"Farkle, you're amazing, but I like Lucas."
I can and will change her mind. I am in love with Riley Matthews, and she will be mine.
"Why? What does he have that I don't?"
She began to think.
"Well that's hard. You guys are like opposites. How could someone like two people who are so different?"
Then she realized.
"Farkle, how are you in love with both Maya and I? We're so different!"
I inched closer.
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course," she said, her beautiful eyes widening.
"I only ever liked you, I just didn't want Maya to feel bad."
I can't believe I said that. I never told anyone that.
"Well can I tell you a secret?"
She had secrets? This should be good.
"Anything."
"I want to be a lawyer, like my mom, but I don't know if I'm going to succeed."
I wanted to tell her that if someone can love a girl for 11 years, anything is possible. But I couldn't.
"Well can I tell you a secret?"
"Of course, Farkle."
Deep breath. Just tell her.
"I'm scared about my future. I don't know where I'm going to go for college, or what I want to be, or when I'll get married, if a girl ever wants to marry me, or anything."
She sighed.
"Farkle, you're going to change the world. Now can I tell you a secret?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm tired of always being the happiest bunny loving rainbow sunshine princess. It's not who I am. I've changed since 8th grade. We all have."
I don't think I've ever loved her more than I did at that second.
"Riley, you can be whoever you are. We're still going to love you. Now, can I tell you a secret?"
"Always."
"I think I finally understand love."
"Farkle, I have one more secret."
"Tell me."
"I-I think that... I think that I'm beginning to like you and before you say anything, I know you're over me and that you love Smackle and all, but—"
I didn't let her finish. I wasn't wasting my opportunity. I held her face in my hands and kissed her slowly, and gently. She was like a fragile flower right now, with her eyes gently closed, her eyelashes like feathers, a small smile creeping in on her face.
She broke away and looked at me.
"How was that?" I asked
She looked at me, and with a dead serious expression, said "YYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
"Riley, I've been waiting 11 years to do that."
"Farkle, I think that I've always loved you, I just never realized it."
I kissed her again. How could I not? She looked so beautiful. In that moment, we truly looked at each other. Not just our faces, but our souls.