When Pluto Met Mars | Riarkle

Girl Meets Halloween Dance

"Guys look! There's gunna be a dance!" Lucas walks up to Maya, Farkle, and I in the school hallway, holding a colorful flyer in his hand.

"And it's the Halloween themed dance! That's so exciting!" I read the orange flyer full of jack-o-lanterns and bats.
Friday, October 31st. Be there for a spooky fun time.

The flyer is honestly so corny but this is my first, like, official dance besides semi-formal in 8th grade.
It feels so good to genuinely smile again. I just love Halloween so much.

"Riley! There's your big smile!" Maya laughs and puts an arm around me. Her light pink sweater is comfy and soft and suits her so well.

"I know, I'm so excited! Yayy!!" I grin.

"It's gunna be so fun," Farkle agrees, "I can't believe Halloween is already this Friday."

"True." I sigh.

There is so much to look forward to.

"What are you guys gunna be?!" I gulp. I really procrastinated on my costume this year. With everything else going on, I just didn't spend time on deciding what I would be for Halloween.

"Well..." Maya looks at Lucas and turns bright red.

"Oh no.." Farkle tugs at his brown hair.

"Oh yes..." Maya cringes.

"Don't tell me you guys are doing one of those couple costumes!" Farkle laughs hysterically.

I also laugh. Who knew Maya and Lucas would be that type of couple. It's actually so adorable to see them awkwardly smile at eachother.

"Well, she's gunna make a pretty good cowgirl to my cowboy!" Lucas chuckles, then holds Maya's hand.

"Awww that's gunna be sooo cute!" I squeal. Maya and Lucas will be cowboy and cowgirl for Halloween!

I'm not jealous! I think it's over. I'm free. Wow.
I genuinely am happy for Maya and Lucas. No toxic feelings involved whatsoever. It suddenly feels as if a great weight is lifted off my chest. It's such a liberating feeling.
You're over him.
I breathe a sigh of relief.

"You look so happy, Riles." Farkle smiles.

Ringggg ringgg. Time for geometry class.

"I know!" I giggle, "bye guys!" I wave to my friends.

I head off to math torture but at least there is finally something to look forward to.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So which flannel do you think would be better for the Halloween dance- the red one or the blue one?"
Maya is trying on some of flannels and ripped jeans in my room. She's planning on making a DIY sort of costume out of them.
I'm sprawled across the bay window, trying to catch up on some English reading that I just didn't have the heart to do this week.

"Umm," I say as I look up from The Catcher in the Rye, "What color will Lucas' flannel be?"

"That's a good question actually. I'll text him." Maya looks down at her phone.

I scroll through Youtube on my laptop and search for "Last Minute Halloween Costumes." I am honestly desperate.

I click on a video and the idea dawns on me.

"Peaches!" I squeal to Maya. Peaches is the nickname I chose for her. "I'm gunna be Princess Belle! It's perfect!"

Maya looks up from her phone and grins.
"Yay Riles!" Maya giggles, "That is perfect. You're gunna look so cute!"