Small Town Girl (Farkle Minkus)

Chapter Five: Girl Meets Riley and Lucas

So, I understand this is not the episode order, but I'm doing it this way anyways.

-RED0823

~~~

Over the next few months, I discovered a lot about my new friends, one of which being that Riley and Lucas have the weirdest freaking relationship. I didn't quite grasp how weird, until Maya and Riley met me at my locker.

"It's this weekend. Lucas hasn't asked me to the semi-formal. We're Riley and Lucas, aren't we Maya?"

"This happen to you a lot?" I mumbled.

"A bit, yeah."

"And what do you do?"

"I don't know anymore. Just tell me what to say."  She replied.

"It's all over the front of my notebook." I raised my eyebrows. "Riley hearts Lucas 4-ever."

"What's on the back of your notebook?"

"Riley and Lucas we're just friends."

"Sweetie, what're ya doin' to yourself?" She questioned.

"It's this weekend and Lucas hasn't asked me to the semi-formal."

"Told ya."

"Oh gosh, you've had this exact same  conversation, haven't you?" I asked. I turned to Riley. "You got a problem."

"You did? Have I brought this up before?"

"Yes, Riley, you've had problems but you haven't had a Lucas problem until now."  Maya slammed her locker door, causing Mr. Matthews to scream.

"Why does he keep doing that?"

"Lockers, wall, chalk-board, chalk, chalk-dust, your father." I explained.

"How long are you gonna keep doin' it?"

"Until he comes out." He appeared in the hallway, covered in white powder. I laughed out loud and he shot me a look.

"You're next." He said, starting after Maya.

"Ok, I'm done!' She called as he chased her down the hallway. 

"Skipper, you know Lucas. What should I do?"

"Lucas is simple. Just give it time. If he wants to go with you, he'll ask in his own time."

"Ok. I think my dad is coming back."

"Don't worry, I'm running."

~~~

" Semi-formal coming up. Young men and young women interacting. Mixing in a social situation. So, to avoid any casualties, I thought we could discuss etiquette. Can anyone in here tell me what etiquette is?"

"I believe, it's the term old-fashioned folk use when they want to take someone to the sock-hop and get groovy." I said sarcastically, resulting in laughter from the rest of the class.

"Oh, Skipper...You're gonna be in my house this weekend. I'd choose your next words very carefully."

"Etiquette is treating people politely and with respect, " Farkle explained, "Maya and I will demonstrate in a short play we put on before every dance. It's called, 'No'." They stood up in front of the class. "Miss Hart, would you do me the great honor of accompanying me to the semi-formal festivities?"

"No."

"Etiquette." They said together. "Thank you."

"We'll see you at the holidays for, 'A Christmas No'."They took a bow and I stood up, applauding.

"Ok, so the schoolboard sent me this film, it's called 'He asked me, he asked me, he really asked me'."

"Wow. Is that the working title?" I asked sarcastically.

"This is supposed to teach us how to act at the dance?" Lucas added.

"They sent it, I'm showin' it. You're animals."

"Oh, there's this dance, and you're attending this dance that you never mentioned in my general vicinity, that dance?" Riley asked.

"Oh gosh..."

"Well, actually I wanted to talk to you about that."

"Go on."

"Pst. Talk after class." Mr. Matthews said.

"Have you no sense of anything?"

"Nope! Let's watch! Ooh, what's this here. Enjoy the old time picture show. Skipper, not a word."

"You said it, not me."

"Well, if it isn't our old friend Billy? Last time we saw you, Billy, you were teaching us that our bodies go through strange and horrifying changes."

"You have got to be freaking kidding me."

"Shh!" Mr. Matthews scolded.

"But today, we're here to talk about the biggest night in a young person's life. The Semi-formal. BIlly's been looking forward to it all year. Isn't that right Billy?"  He started dancing.

"That was the Carlton..." I opened my mouth to continue talking, but Farkle put his hand over it.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa slow down Billy. Because you know who hangs out at dances? Your old friends Polio, Typhoid, and the devil."

"Remind me to send them a Christmas card." I said, pulling Farkle's hand away from my mouth. He raised his eyebrows. "I'm done now, I swear."

"Now, let's meet your best girl Sally. Who, since you're a gentleman, you asked to the dance at least ten months in advance."

"Billy gets it." Riley said, looking at Lucas.

"Billy's dead, and all of his friends are dead too." Maya told her. I laughed. "Except one. No wait, now he's dead too."

" IT does seem like relationships are a little more complex now than they were in the 1950's." added Farkle.

"I just want to be asked to the dance." Riley replied.

"You wanna go to the dance?"

"No."

"Well, you see my play. What about you, Skipper?" I looked at him.

"What about me, what?"

"Wanna go to the dance?"

"I'm already going to the dance. I told you that."

"I think he means with him, dear." Maya told me.

"Oh, ok. Yeah, it could be fun."

"Meet Sally. She's a good girl. Sally's dreaming of her handsome prince sweeping her off her feet. Did he ask you, Sally?"

"He asked me, He asked me! He really asked me!"

"You and me, Sally. Front of the notebook, baby."

"Because everybody knows the semi-formal is the dance that determines the rest of your life."

"Oh, there's nothing like a beautiful gown that makes you feel like you're in a beautiful gown. "

"How you enjoyin' the picture show, Sally?" Maya asked.

"Life is so much simpler in black and white."

"Look how Billy opens the door for Sally, so she won't develop unsightly arm muscles."

"Sexist." I said.

"Now that's etiquette."

"Yikes." Mr. Matthews said, turning the lights on. "Ok, can anyone in here tell me if they possibly learned anything from that?"

"In the long run, school dances really aren't that big a deal?" I asked.

"I learned something." She turned to Lucas. "time to make some choices, Billy. Simple enough for you, Billy?" I rolled my eyes.