Girl Meets the Mind of a Genius

Genius Meets Makeups

**THE FIRST NEW CHAPTER FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOLLOWED THE BOOK! YAY!**

Farkle (con)

It's New Years Eve.

Everything changes tonight. Whomever you're with when the clock strikes, you'll be with for the next year.

This year we'll all be together. No couples. No pressure. Just friends.

But of course there's pressure. I have no idea what's happening with Riley and me.

I want to say that I'll step back and forget my feelings for the good of our friends and our friendship.

But every time I see her or hold her, I fall more and more in love.

For the past two days, Riley, Maya and I have been focused on getting the group in harmony again for the party. All of this taking care of others distracted Riley and me from whatever was going on.

Zay happily agreed to the party because he was trying to avoid this ruckus since day one.

Lucas took a little more convincing, but he came around when he and Maya had the chance to talk everything out.

Josh would have come whether we liked it or not, much to Maya's happiness.

We debated inviting Charlie, but he had hung around with us on-and-off for the past five years now. Much to my dismay, he said he would come and 'promised' to leave my face alone.

The hardest conversation was mine with Smackle.

We talked at Topanga's today before school.

"Hello, my former lover turned back to arch-nemesis. What do you need?"

Smackle and I sat on the barstool seats.

"Smackle, remember what you said about who you go into the new year with?"

She nodded, "I said you would spend the coming year with them."

"It doesn't matter what label we put on our relationship, I want to spend the coming year with you and all of our friends."

She smiled, "You guys want me to be there?"

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Of course we do. You're our friend before you're my arch-nemesis."

Smackle put her arms out, "Thank you Farkle, I'll be there."

We're set. Almost the entire senior class is coming.

I'm ready for a new beginning.

I walk into Mr. Matthews class with a bigger smile on my face than usual.

The toxic and confusing relationships in our group had resolved. We're all back to being friends again, the simplest form we could possibly be in.

Riley isn't struggling with her feelings anymore. Maya and Lucas aren't forcing themselves to be together. Smackle and I have repaired our productive and classic archenemy status. Zay is back from Texas.

This is like when we used to look at each other as friends, instead of as boys and girls.

I don't know if I've ever felt so calm and at rest until this moment.

Mr. Matthews is not at the same level of peace as I am.

Since the other morning, every time I walk into his class there's some sort of passive aggressive obstacle to overcome.

The morning he found Riley and I, he conveniently had everyone move seats. He decided that mine would be the only one assigned and stowed me away next to back-of-the-class Brenda.

Yesterday he put up a wall surrounding my desk so I couldn't see Riley -- or anyone else for that matter.

Today my seat looks untouched, but that's even more alarming.

Riley turns away from her conversation with Maya to give me a huge Riley smile. I've missed that smile.

"Hi Farkle."

"Hey sunshine."

If anyone thought we exchanged longing looks before, we're outdoing ourselves. It doesn't matter what class we're in, I give her the same loving smile I've had since I saved her life 11 years ago.

"Farkle? Hello?" Mr. Matthews snaps his fingers in front of my face.

I jump, "Hi sir, sorry sir. I was thinking about...space?"

"Want to tell me why you've been staring at my daughter for the past five minutes?"

My stomach drops and I look at Riley, whose face is completely red.

The class snickers and Maya throws a wad of paper at my head, "Look who got caught red-handed."

"Oh, Maya, you have no idea." Mr. Matthews turns around and walks to the center of the classroom.

"How do we celebrate the new year?" He asks the class.

I raise my hand, "The ancient Mesopota-"

"Not you! Mr. Friar?"

"Uh, with a party?" Lucas comments, startled.

"Ms. Hart?"

"Why don't we ask the person who actually has an answer?" Maya points to me.

Mr. Matthews throws his hands up in frustration, "No, those over there are only allowed to talk about nothin' and go nowhere with nobody."

"Dad, really," Riley pleas, "Calm down, nothing was happening."

"No, no, no, no, no," Mr. Matthews walks over to Riley and me.

He puts his hand on my head, "This was far too close to," he puts the other hand on Riley's head, "this."

The bell rings, causing him to jump.

"You," Mr. Matthews points at me, "be very careful with my daughter."

I put my arms up in surrender, "Yes sir."

The class starts exiting. Riley and Maya link arms and walk out, but not before Riley looks back at me and smiles.

I feel my heart flutter and I smile right back at her.

"Farkle, buddy, you need to get yourself together." Zay puts his hand on my shoulder as we watch the girls leave.

I jump, "I have no idea what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean because you're a genius. A genius who should know to finally ask out Riley so we can stop with the longing stares and giggles."

I can feel my face getting red, "You know I can't do that. What if we break up? The whole friend group will explode."

Zay laughs and shakes his head, "Remember in freshman year when we split up the group because Riley trusted a bunch of seniors?"

"Of course I do. We can't do that again."

"Remember a few days ago when Maya and Lucas broke up?"

"I thought you called me a genius? Why do you even ask?"

"Because they had the same outcome. We all came back together because our relationships are stronger than any small fight. And we'll do it again if we have to. We always come back."

I take a deep breath, "Okay. I'll try to work up the courage, but I don't know how long it'll take."

Zay grabs both of my shoulders and shakes them, "It better take a few hours because you'll have the perfect backdrop in about 12 hours."

I forgot it's New Years Eve. For a genius, I'm being far too forgetful. 

"Tonight. I'll do it tonight."