Small Town Girl (Farkle Minkus)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Girl Meets Questions Without Answers

~~~Skipper~~~

I sat in Topanga's with Zay, watching as Maya and Lucas sat in awkward silence.

"So, this is our new relationship?" Maya asked.

"Yeah...how's it goin' so far?"

"Weird, man!" Zay called over to them.

"You don't have to watch."

"It's dang near impossible to look away." I explained, pulling my hair up into a ponytail.  Farkle came in, walking over to us.

"How's it going?" He asekd, looked at the couple.

"Look at 'em!"

"You think they like each other?" He questioned.

"Yeah. I just think they liked each other more when she was always saying 'ha-hurrr"." I answered.

"What about Riley and Lucas."

"Well, I only knew Lucas before I came here, But them I met Riley, and she's just like him."

"How?" Farkle questioned.

"Both of them would do anything for their friends." Zay continued:

"I never thought there could be anybody else like that. But Riley is."

"I know you've figured out what's happening." I said. Farkle looked at me. "I got it too."

"When?" He asked.

"I know Lucas. If I know Lucas, I know Riley. It wasn't hard to figure out." I said, not tearing my eyes away from Maya and Lucas.

"So...what're ya thinkin'?" Lucas asked.

"Oh, now? Oh, it's so funny you mention that. Actually right now at this exact moment, What I was thinking, what was runnin' through my head, was acutally, if you don't start talkin' to me, I'm gonna pur this smoothie right over your head, so why don't you give me the best you got?"

"There they are." I smiled. Lcuas turned towards her.

"Did I ever tell you once, I delivered a baby horse?" She gave him a smile before dumping her smoothie over his head...and then his smoothie as well. "Actually, it looked kind of like this. The miracle of life." I chuckeld slightly, hiding my face in Farkle's shoulder.

"This is such a mess." I said in a sing-song voice. I picked my head up, looking at him. "And we're gonna fix it right?" He nodded.

"We're at least gonna try. And them...we're gonna talk about you." I shook my head.

"We don't have to." He kissed me breifly.

"Yes, we do."  We went over to get a seat by the window.

"Ok, so what's the game plan here."

"Wait for the opportunity to present itself." I started.

"And then?"

"Confront Riley." I nodded.

"Sounds like a plan, let's do it."

"And then, we're going somewhere, and we're talking about you."

"Farkle-"

"You deserve to be listened to just as much as anyone else. You can talk to-"

"Did you ever consider that I don't talk about my dad because I don't want to?!" I asked.  It came out a lot harsher than I intended it to be. Zay stepped away, going to the counter to order food and give us space. I stood up.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, and I know you're just trying to help, but I don't want to be helped. I don't want to pour out my feelings, and I don't want to talk about my dad. He's gone. We're right here. Riley, Maya, Lucas, they're all right here." He didn't respond. I sighed. "Maybe I should go." I turned on my heels, walking out the door.

Why does everything in my life have do be so screwed up?

~~~

I decided to go to Central park. It was dark out, and surprisingly enough not many people were around. Forget how immensly dangerous it is for a fourteen-year-old girl to go to Central Park...in New York City...at night...alone.  I laid down on the ground. Looking at the stars always used to make me feel better, but...there are no stars here. I closed my eyes, tears rolling down the sides of my face.

"Skipper." I opened my eyes, sitting up, and sure enough, there was Farkle.  He walked over to me, sitting down beside me as I continued to cry.

"I feel like I'm drowning." I sobbed. "I'm surrounded by problems, and everyone is asking me questions that I'm nowhere near having the answers to."

"Like what?" He asked. I looked at him.

"Like 'Are you ok'? I don't know if I'm ok, I don't know if I'm not, and I..."  His arms wrapped around me and I buried my face in his neck, clutching at his jacket.

"I will always be here for you."  He told me. "Always. You can yell at me, and try to shut me out all you want, Skipper, but I'm not going anywhere." I pulled away from him wiping my eyes.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"It's ok. I'm your boyfriend, you shouldn't be afraid to yell at me." I smiled. "I love you."

"We all do." I turned, looking behind me to see Lucas and Maya.

"Riley does too, she's just with Charlie Gardener." Farkle clarified. Lucas and Maya sat on the other side of me.

"I'm sorry we've all been so preoccupied lately."  Maya said. I shook my head.

"It's ok."

"No, it's not." Lucas threw in. "You shouldn't be afraid to tell us things."

And it was, in that moment, like everything was going to be ok. Long story short, at the end of the day, sometimes things are gonna suck. Sometimes people, myself definitely included, screw up, and sometimes feelings get hurt. But true friends, can work through anything, and refuse to let the sucky days screw up a friend ship.

I love these guys.

I wouldn't have it any other way.