When Pluto Met Mars | Riarkle

Girl Meets Sports & Heartbreak

I grabbed my sports gear and quickly changed in the girls' locker room.
Now that I was in high school, sports were required. Yay. Although I sucked at volleyball practices and was probably the team's weakest link, I just couldn't help being ecstatic about the experience. I love volleyball and it's okay that I'm not so good at it!
I hit the court and immediately take my place, toward the back of the team.
"Hey, bump the ball here Riley!" Yells Carmen, the team caption.
I put my wrists together and bump the soft white ball to Carmen, who perfectly spikes it to the other side.
This is how it always was. Carmen is a senior and is phenomenal when it comes to volleyball. She is also most beautiful. Her long, Raven black hair and olive skin definitely made her stand out.
After a few practices at bumping and spiking, the girls head over to the bleachers for a drink of water and a 5 minute break.
I sit down to my volleyball buddy and new friend, Lucy.
"Ahh, when I completely suck at volleyball." Lucy chuckles and takes a sip of water from her sparkly pink water bottle. Her brown hair is almost wet with sweat.
I bring a hand up to my own brown hair. Yuck!
"Trust me, I'm also really bad!" I laugh. "But I have hope that it'll get better with lots of practice! How was your day? Isn't Ms. Laura's English assignment interesting?"
"Yeah, reciting a monologue from Macbeth will definitely be interesting!" Lucy and I laugh.
"Hey, my freshmen baby players! You guys are definitely improving!" Carmen comes up to us and grins.
"Thanks, Carmen. It means a lot!" I return her cheeky grin.
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After a long, tiring day of school, Maya, Lucas, Farkle, Zay, and I hit our usual afternoon spot- my mom's pastry shop.

"Today was extremely tiring!" I exclaim, still sore from volleyball practice.
"Oh, tell me about it!" Maya groans, her blonde hair still in a sweaty ponytail. "Soccer was absolutely killer today."
"Yeah, soccer is pretty intense!" Lucas agrees. Both of them are doing soccer for their fall sport and it certainly makes me uneasy.
Although the teams aren't co-Ed, I can almost feel Lucas slipping away from me. Both soccer teams practice on the same field and it makes me nervous that they are seeing each other after school.
Shut up, Riley. You sound ridiculous. I scold my inner monologue. Why am I so stupid? I'm ridiculous, right? Why would I be jealous?? I'm definitely, definitely overthinking.

"Hey Riles, you okay?" Farkle asks, from his spot across the couch next to Zay.
"Yeah, you have an eyebrow scrunch and your leg keeps jiggling! All the signs of someone whose feeling nervous!" Zay exclaims.
"Does she know?!" Maya asks, looking at Lucas.
"Know what?" I ask, trying to sound casual. Perfectly casual. Because I'm such a chill, casual person. Uh-huh. Super chill.
"Hey, we were going to tell you this today, actually." Lucas clears his throat and also looks a little nervous.
No, no, no, no, no, please don't let this be what I'm thinking.
"Lucas asked me out yesterday, and we are currently dating, or whatever." Maya blurts out.
"What?!" My eyes grow as big as saucers. But they return to their usual pretend brightness.
Of course this would happen, of course Lucas prefers Maya. Of course I'm too bubbly and enthusiastic. Of course Maya will always be more preferred. I know I'm overreacting to this.

"I mean, congrats! I'm happy for you two!" I fake a really big smile.
"Well, I've gotta go! I have this huge English assignment!" I grab my backpack and try to run to my apartment as fast as possible.
"Riley, wait!" Everyone yells.
I immediately go back inside the shop.
"I don't want to hurt you." Maya says, Lucas right behind her.
"It's fine, I'll get over this soon enough. I will get through it. Your happiness is my happiness." I say, trying to convince myself of it.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Maya touches my shoulder. "I also have a bunch of assignments that I'm busy with."
"I care a lot about you, Riley. You'll always be a special friend to me."
Lucas looks at me and I look down. Whatever I do, I cannot stare back at those gorgeous green eyes. I can't do that to myself.
"I'll see you tomorrow!"
I smile and turn around, running back home.
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Later that night, I am perched on the bay window, my familiar bay window. No matter what happens, I will always have my bay window.
When I came home I refused to tell my parents about what happened with Maya and Lucas. That is so unlike me, I always tell them everything. But this was just too painful, and kind of embarassing. I mean, they already loved Maya so much, and were so proud of her. Then there's me, the one who is second liked to Maya. The one who doesn't get chosen. The one who just isn't enough.
I bring a hand to my face. It's full of tears. I'm crying because everything is just overwhelming. High school is so hard. Why couldn't I just have stayed in middle school? Why couldn't I have just stayed a cheerful 7th grader?
All of these questions are put to a stop by a knocking on my window.

Alarmed, I check to see who it is.
My heart rate calms down. Oh, it's Farkle.
I open the window and I am greeted by a concerned Farkle. Which is so weird. Farkle is always happy and upbeat. Why does he seem so concerned?

"Riley!" Farkle attacks me with a huge hug.
"H-hey." I can barely muster a greeting without bursting into tears.
"No!" Farkle looks at my tears and hugs me again.
"So I see this isn't going so well for you."
"Yeah, the worst part is that I kinda saw it coming. Maya is just so much better than me." I wail. "All of you are!"

"Riley!" Farkle has a look of horror on his face. "How could you say that?! You are special and wonderful and amazing and you are definitely not worthless! I'll always be here and I'll always care about you!" Farkle just lets me lay my head on his shoulder.

"It just gets so much harder. I miss 7th grade when life was just so much easier and happier. I miss being genuinely happy and secure." I burst into tears again. Why am I such a mess.
"I feel you, Riles. But please don't say any negative things. You are so important and you're the most positive person I know! You are such a positive force in all our lives!" Farkle's face seems to light up. Or maybe it's the evening moonlight that is streaming through the window. I can't tell.

"Thanks for making me feel better, Farkle." We hug again.
"You're the best!"
We spend the next hour or so talking and laughing and finding things to look forward to.

By the time I am getting ready to go to bed, I feel significantly lighter and a twinge bit happier.

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A/N :

Soooo Riley is liking volleyball so far and she's overwhelmed with assignments and all that jazz. But YIKES?!?! Lucas chose MAYA. And Riley didn't take it so well. Awwww but then she was comforted by FARKLE ;-) ahh I'm overwhelmed with so much work and studying from school so I procrastinate by writing another chapter of this Riarkle fanfic because why not? Seriously, I'm freaking out. School is awful.

Btw u can follow me on my:
Twitter: dianadollarsign
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Best of luck,

Diana !!! <3 <3 ❤️🌹