Fall Apart

Chapter Five

"I did it." Farkle says.

They're sat in Maya's apartment. Maya is sat on her bed and Farkle is staring out the window. He'd just that afternoon broken up with his, now ex, girlfriend: Isadora Smackle. Smackle had been his first real relationship. He'd really liked her. Liked. He'd gone to Maya for help, he doubted Riley or Lucas would really understand. But he had to.

"How did it go?" Maya tried to speak softly.

He turns to face her. "Well, I think she understood. She agreed it was what was best, I don't know... I think she was kinda hurt, I was really sorry." He says and Maya nods.

She pats the bed next to her and he sits down. "Yeah, but it was the right thing to do."

"Yeah... I guess."

"You wanna talk about it?" She puts her hand on his shoulder.

He sighs, "What is there to talk about?"

"You think I don't know what this is about, Farkle?" She says seriously, "I know what this is about."

He blanches, "You- you do?"

"Riley, this is about her, right?"

He's silent for a few moments before he replies and let's out the breath he didn't know he was holding, "Yeah, how did you know?"

"You're trying not to like her and you're hiding how you feel. You're not telling the truth. You wanted us all to be honest." She tilts her head, "You're one of my best friends, Farkle, I know when something's up. Come here." She offers her arms out for a hug. He accepts. "I think you should talk to her."

***

I think you should talk to her, the words rang in his head on the way home. The sky was getting darker now even though it wasn't too late and there was a cold breeze in the air. Yeah, he probably should talk to her. That's what he would have told his friends. It is what he told Maya. But this was Riley. I've-been-in-love-with-her-since-the-first-grade Riley. He'd always loved both Riley and Maya the same. Until now. He still loved them both the same. Amount. They were both his best friends and he couldn't live without either of them. So why did it change now?

He didn't really talk to his parents that night either, partly because his father was always busy with business things. Partly because he told them he'd had dinner at Maya's so he could go to his room. He could text Riley right now. He could talk to her at school. Or he could avoid her and avoid the awkwardness of being around her and be really mysterious and confuse and worry his friends. No, he couldn't really do that. He'd grown up a lot recently and it wouldn't be right, he knew that.

***

History was their first class that morning. Farkle and Lucas had met Maya and Riley who were already sat at their desks, so they joined them. After class he planned to talk to Riley alone, he would ask Maya to take Lucas somewhere else. It would be the adult way to deal with confusing feelings. He was scared. Sometimes when they all talked Riley would do the thing where she turns around in her chair and her arm leans across his desk. There were a few other people in the class too but it was quiet until a couple more students walked in followed by Mr Matthews. He started to try to pay attention to the lesson despite the kerfuffle behind him.

A moment later, less than a minute or two, he was being tapped on the shoulder and a note passed to him with a whisper, "For Riley." He takes the note and turns around, briefly glancing down at it. He purses his mouth and passes it forward. The whole class is looking at her.

"Riley? Do you have something to say?" Inputs Mr Matthews.

"Yes," She turns to look at Charlie, "Yes Charlie," she said, the Charlie Gardner who'd asked her to the semi-formal and put balloons in her locker and had yogi on skates, "I will go out with you."