Girl Meet Riarkle - {Riarkle One-Shots}

New Years

Set in ninth grade
~
It was less than half an hour to midnight, and the group was gathered in Farkle's room. Riley and Maya were dancing on Farkle's bed, doing a karaoke duet to 'You're the One That I Want' from Grease. They were acting all goofy; constantly tripping over one another and howling with laughter. Zay, Lucas, Isadora and Farkle were all watching on; laughing with them.
Farkle loved, that despite all the stuff that he had, they were in his room, singing and mucking about. Just like they'd be doing at anyone else's house.
The song ended; Maya bowed dramatically and Riley attempted to curtsy, but tripped over and fell, grabbing Maya on her way down.
Farkle looked fondly at the tangle of laughing limbs, "Roof?" He asked them.
"Oof!" They replied, there voice muffled as they attempted to untangle themselves.
Farkle turned to the others, "Wanna go up to the roof? Has one of the best views of New York,"
"Count us in," Lucas said, standing up.
"This is going to put my roof to shame, isn't it?" Riley said, placing a hand on Farkle's shoulder, having successfully freed herself from Maya and the bed.
Farkle smiled at her, "You'll love it, trust me."
The others followed him out of his room and into the elevator, which took them up to the roof.
"Whoa," Maya said, stepping out first, "this definitely puts your roof to shame, Riles."
"Peaches!" Riley scolded.
"Just look at it, Riley," Maya said, motioning around her.
She did have a point. It was beautiful; the blue velvet sky was stretched out above them, dotted with the few stars they could see and New York stretched out below them, glowing with life.
"Yeah, okay," Riley agreed with a shrug. Farkle laughed.
"Farkle how tall is your place?" Lucas asked, looking over the edge.
Maya watched him standing there, at the edge, and with a pang was reminded of last year's New Year's Eve.
"You know the Empire State building?" Farkle replied.
"Yeah," Lucas said, sounding concerned.
"Not as tall as that, but pretty tall."
All six walked up to the edge, and stared out at the world.
"Everything looks so small," Riley said.
"Like we're on top of the world." Maya added.
Farkle looked over at the two girls and smiled, "I knew you'd like it."
"Farkle, what's this?" Isadora had wandered off and was standing near something that looked like...
Maya blinked in disbelief, "A campfire?! Seriously, Farkle?"
Maya and Lucas side-glanced at each other, both feeling incredibly awkward. The fact that Riley was standing in between them only made it worse.
"I thought it would be nice, y'know. A campfire, under the stars. To remind us that, after everything, we're all still friends."
Riley smiled and looked down at her feet.
If only he knew how much more complicated it really is.
"Aww, see how can you hate him when he says something adorable like that," Zay said, flinging an arm over Farkle's shoulders.
Riley laughed and Maya rolled her eyes, "You better have s'mores, Farkle."
"I sure do!" Farkle said, holding up bags of marshmallows, biscuits and chocolate.
"You knew I'd be pissed?"
"Yeah, I figured," he replied, grinning slightly.
They all sat down. There was three seats, each with enough room for two people. Lucas sat down first, and Riley quickly sat down next to him, knowing she'd be too awkward to sit next to Farkle and that it'd be to awkward for Maya to sit next to Lucas. Maya seemed to pick up on this, and sat opposite Riley and Lucas, on the other side of the fire, "C'mon Farkle, you're next to me."
Farkle walked over and sat reluctantly by her, slightly scared that she might try and push him into the fire, and annoyed and upset that Riley was sitting with Lucas.
Well of course she is.
He'd just thought, he'd hoped that she'd sit with him and maybe the fire and the stars and the view...
And maybe she could've realised she felt the same as me.
They were all silent for a moment, staring at the crackling flames.
"Well are we gonna make s'mores or what?" Maya said loudly, and everyone laughed.
"Yeah," Zay said, who was sitting next to Isadora, "I'm with Maya."
Farkle opened up the packet of marshmallows and passed them all a couple and a stick to roast them on.
"So," Riley said, as everyone stuck there marshmallows into the fire (Riley, Isadora, Lucas and Farkle all put theirs near the embers, while Maya and Zay put theirs right in the flames and they promptly burst into flames), "what was everybody's favourite part of the year?" She turned to Lucas first.
Lucas smiled at Riley, and for the first time ever, she felt nothing.
That scared her.
"So Lucas?" She asked again, managing to keep the tremble out of her voice.
"I don't know, maybe getting on to the high school football team, or.." but then he trailed off.
"Or... what?" Riley asked.
Lucas glanced over a Maya, and then looked back at Riley, "Nothing. Getting onto the football team was definitely a high light."
"What about you, Riles?" Maya asked.
"You guys," Riley replied simply.
"Riley!" Maya said, annoyed
"What?"
"You can't say something like that," Maya said.
"Why?" Riley asked.
"'Cause it makes us all look bad for choosing something selfish!" Zay told her.
Riley laughed and shrugged.
Opposite her Farkle was watching her through the flames, his heart beating. He had been planning on saying the exact same thing.
They talked and laughed and ate s'mores as the last few minutes of 2016 began to disappear.
Isadora checked her watch, "Only one minute left!"
"Let's go to the edge, we'll have the best view," Farkle told the others.
They hurried over, and all leant on the edge, and stared out over New York.
"Ten seconds!" Isadora announced, and Farkle looked out at New York with everyone else.
"Nine, eight, seven, six," they all yelled together, "five, four, THREE, TWO, ONE!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! WOOOO!!"
The sky erupted with colour, and the sound of their screams were drowned out by the fireworks.
Farkle looked over at Riley, the fireworks reflected in her dark eyes.
It was the New Year and she didn't know.
Riley looked over at Farkle, and smiled at him; he smiled back. Then, seized by a sudden need to, she rushed over and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Happy New Year, Farkle." She said, feeling warm and safe in his arms, yet also like crying.
"Happy New Year, Riley," he replied, hugging her back, and savouring every moment of it.
As they let go of each other, Farkle could feel Riley's warm breath on his cheek; her mouth so close he could kiss her; his heart beating so loud he was sure she could here him,
Kiss her.
Farkle's breath was warming her cheek in the cold New York air.
Kiss him.
Then they broke apart, and Riley became suddenly incredibly embarrassed, and turned around and hugged the person nearest her, who happened to be Zay, so Farkle would think that she'd hugged him because of the New year and not because she wanted to hug him.
"Happy New Year, Zay!"
"Happy New Year, Riley," Zay said, giving her a funny look.
Riley then went and hugged everyone in turn and wished them a Happy New Year.
Of course, she was just saying 'Happy New Year,' no need to get so excited.
They stood by the edge, watching the fireworks for a little longer, before walking back over to the fire. Farkle lost track of how long they were there, laughing; talking; eating. It was a long time, because by the time they all tramped back to Farkle's room it was three in the morning.
"I'm taking the bed, bitches," Maya said sleepily, throwing herself across Farkle's bed.
"Well that sorts out the sleeping arrangement," Zay said; Lucas laughed.
"Here, I'll help you guys with the couches," Farkle said.
Farkle's two couches and two chairs, all folded out into beds. He showed them how to do it and then got them duvets. Everyone climbed into their beds (Riley into the actual bed with Maya), and Farkle turned of the light, which revealed his planetarium ceiling.
"Whoa, it's so pretty, Farkle," Riley said, and the others murmured in agreement.
Everyone began to drift off to sleep, watching the stars.
About half an hour later, Farkle heard Riley or Maya climb out of bed. He sat up and looked over to see Riley lying on the floor, staring up at his ceiling.
He got out of bed, walked over and lay down next to her.
"Couldn't sleep?" He whispered, looking at her.
"No it's, it's not that," she replied quietly, her eyes still fixed on the ceiling and the stars, "it's..."
It's you.
I think I'm in love with you.
Farkle looked up at his ceiling, and looked at the stars and the planets. He knew his hand was only centimetres from hers, and he wanted so badly to hold it, to comfort her about what ever was bothering her. Instead he asked, "Do you want to see Pluto?"
Riley turned her head to face him, grinning, "You can do that?!"
"Yeah!"
"Yes please!"
Farkle quickly went to get his iPad. He lay back down next to her and typed 'pluto' into the app that controlled the planetarium. Immediately Pluto appeared on his ceiling. Riley's eyes widen and she smiled, "Wow, thanks Farkle!"
Farkle smiled, and watched her watching Pluto.
"It's a shame they said Pluto isn't a planet anymore," she whispered, "I hope it is again one day."
"Me too," Farkle whispered, his eyes still on Riley.
At that moment he'd never wished harder for Pluto to be a planet in real life and not just in his room.