Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
❝IT'S ALL FUN AND GAMES 'TILL SOMEBODY FALLS IN LOVE.❞ —CAROUSEL, MELANIE MARTINEZ
THREE YEARS LATER AND NEARLY ONE HUNDRED MILES AWAY, FARKLE SWEARS SHE'S THE ONE. He had originally invited her as a joke, well kinda. The first time was a joke. Farkle had doubted she'd actually come and look at his research. But when she did show up, he was a little more than shocked. He quickly realized that she was much more than a pretty face with a good reputation.
It had also been an excuse to hang out with her. And it soon became a tradition. He enjoyed her outlook on his work.
Almost anxiously, Farkle quickly tapped his fingers on the window seal. His eyes kept scanning the private parking lot over and over again. Farkle would never admit it out loud or to another living human, but he had developed a small crush on Matthews. It made him think back to what he said to her when they first met, about only coming to the party to spite his parents and about how they would end up in the headlines. Riley and Farkle had ended up in that next morning's headlines and several times after, too. The public thought that they were secretly dating, the modern-day Romeo and Juliet. But Farkle knew that could never happen as much as he wanted it to.
"Speak of the devil," Farkle whispered to himself when he spotted the woman who haunted his thoughts.
Farkle watched Riley and her blonde best friend walk towards the building, and Farkle ran out to greet them.
When Farkle had arrived outside, he smiled at the girls. He had to admit, he liked them both very much. At first, the blonde, Maya Friar, was a bit standoffish and rude, but Farkle quickly grew fond of her. He understood why Maya and Riley needed each other. They evened each other out, at times to the extreme.
"Ladies!" Farkle exclaimed, smiling at the two.
"Farkle!" The two respond in unison.
Riley smiles at him, cocking her head to the side. He found himself smiling back, but pushing down the feeling in his chest. They stayed like that for what felt like forever, just looking and smiling, but Farkle's sure it was a only a second when Maya spoke up.
"Minkus! Show us your work," Maya announced bluntly before walking in the direction of where she assumes his office is.
"Maya, you don't even know where my lab is!" Farkle protested.
"I'll find it!"
Riley gave him an apologetic smile, but was obviously trying not to laugh.
"Sorry about her. She's really... pregnant, I guess."
The two began to walk in the direction Maya went.
"Oh? So this is baby number three?" Farkle asked quizzically.
"Four, actually," Riley corrected him with a small smile.
"Oh," Farkle blurted, slightest bit shocked.
"She's a lot more motherly than you'd think. It's endearing. Right now she's just more moody than anything."
"Common symptom," Farkle commented simply before continuing."I've known you and Maya for a few years now, and I've never met her kids. What are they like?"
Farkle's heart swelled as he watched a loving smile appear on Riley's lips as her eyes became far away.
"They're all so full of energy. Her two boys love to wrestle with Lucas. And her youngest girl loves to paint and sing. She's so much like Maya. She looks just like her, too, but she has Lucas' eyes. She would never admit it, but she's really protective of her brothers. And they all love to listen to Maya sing."
As Farkle and Riley walked down the hallway toward Maya, he said quietly,"They sound wonderful."
"They are. I'm their godmother. Zay — you remember Zay, right? — is their godfather."
Farkle nodded, remembering Zay from the few times they had met.
"I just think it's crazy that Isadora and I used to work together, and we had never crossed paths before," Farkle said without thinking.
"I agree."
The two looked up to Maya, who was smirking with her arms crossed as she leaned on the wall.
"Found it," Maya answered smugly.
Farkle smirked back.
"Guess you did."
✗
"So.. what do you think, Riles?" Farkle asked quietly, looking over to the brunette who was a few inches shorter than him.
He watched her purse her lips, obviously thinking hard about what he had just shown her. Farkle let himself look at Riley without worrying about Maya, who was engrossed in something on the other side of the lab, barking at him. Anytime Farkle would get too close, Maya would snap at him. By this point, Farkle found it almost endearing how protective Maya was. And it wasn't like she hadn't been protective over Farkle before, she had, but he found it more endearing when it was over Riley.
Farkle eyes scanned her face. Her doe-like eyes were focused on something behind him. Her chocolate curls framed her face perfectly. He couldn't help but find her aesthetically pleasing. (Obviously, he saw her as more than a pretty face. She had taught him plenty about feminism.).
"I'm no expert," Riley started, still not looking at Farkle,"but I think you should go to NASA about this, Farkle. You could've discovered a new planet, and I don't want anyone but you getting the credit."
Farkle smiled at Riley.
"I'd rather make Pluto a planet again."
Riley looked down, still smiling. She took his hands in hers.
"Thank you, Farkle, but this is even bigger than me and my love for Pluto. This could make you even more famous. You deserve the world, Minkus."
"You're too sweet, Matthews."
Riley smiled, looking back up at him.
"I know."
Riley wrapped her arms around Farkle's waist. Farkle put his around her shoulders, and pulled her in for a hug. As she was pressed against him, Farkle could hear his brain screaming, "Let her go! Let her go!", but his heart merely whispered, "She's the one.". Farkle didn't know which one to listen to; sense or sensibility?
