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I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart"
1.
Age 6
It's the first day of 1st grade Riley is playing in the classroom when she hears a commotion coming from behind her, so she turns and sees a little boy with a bowl cut that takes over his head getting pushed over for telling another kid the statistical improbability of Santa.
Something swells in her and she remembers her mothers words to always be a friend to those in need.
So she puts down her crayons and paper and marches over there and puts out her hand to help him up in an offer that he readily accepts.
"I'm Riley Matthews " she says with a gap tooth smile
"Farkle Minkus!" He shouts at attention and she laughs at how silly he is but there's something about him that intrigues her so she offers to have him come sit at her table.
"And I can tell you all the magic about Santa Claus!"
She starts walking back and notices he's not there, so she turns once more and beckons him to follow.
With a smile that fills his face he quickly darts over joining her.
She doesn't understand her mother's laughter or her father's shocked outcry when she tells them her new friends name, all she knows is this new boy fascinated her and they fell into a strange yet easy friendship.
Soon the duo becomes a trio with the addition of one Maya Hart.
He tells them often that he loves them, she giggles, Maya sneers.
2.
Age 14
This is the year of big changes for everyone in their group. They are coming into their own,feeling the boundaries of relationships and sorting through the jumble of emotions that come with the territory.
They've experienced loss, they've tested the limit and Riley put it all on the line for Maya's feelings.
She sees the results and isn't sure if she did the right thing, but it's too late to turn back now, she's shut down those feelings. Right?
Farkle sits behind her still and he catches her eye as she peeks at Lucas and he gives her that look he gave her outside of Topangas when he confronted her about telling the truth.
She turns around without acknowledging him and his stupid truths.
She misses when things were easy and she would turn, and he would smile and all was simple.
But things were murky now, it was a big ball of unknown.
The night she cried with Farkle and walked off with Charlie still plays in loops over in her head.
Farkle reads her like a book and that scares her.
Riley wills herself to look only at the front of the classroom towards her father. Praying that the lesson will settle the sea of doubt in her mind.
"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth. Who is attributed with that quote? "
It's an involuntary muscle memory that she turns and looks when Farkle answers,not looking at her either when he answers
"Buddha, Sir."
3.
Age 16
They are sitting in their usual spot in Topangas as Maya and Lucas fight over the latest project and Riley reminds herself to ask Maya if they are back on or off again.
It took a while to get used to the idea of Maya and Lucas as 'a couple' but they've been an item in some way shape or form for a while now, and Riley sees how it just makes sense.
They are the sort of opposites that most definitely attract although they tend to break up and make up a lot.
And while Riley is happy her friends have found love, it leaves a sort of pit in her stomach that gnaws away as she worries if she'll ever have a love of her own. There have been near hits and many misses but nothing truly is stuck. And while she loves love, she's not sure if a love of epic proportions is in the cards for her. She makes a mental note to ask Farkle about the odds of that.
She turns to see where he is and if has any comments to make on the matter, but instead she sees him kissing Smackle on the cheek and her stomach does that weird flippy thing it's been doing lately and she doesn't like it one bit.
"Don't worry Buttercup, we all know how this story ends" Zay smiles knowingly and Riley flushes and looks pointedly away.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She gives Zay a look as Farkle rejoins the group and sits closer to Riley than her beating heart is ok with.
Zay just laughs at the confused blonde couple, the in denial sweetheart and the oblivious genius.
"SO! Belgium 1831!" Riley all but yells.
4.
Age 18
They're graduating tomorrow, well technically today Riley notes as she glances at the clock while pacing her room in a ball of nerves.
She had been staying up with Maya the night putting the finishing touches on their outfits for the big day.
They talk about how it's the end of an era and the beginning of the next chapter.
They over analyze everything, from how the latest break between Maya and Lucas will probably be the last, to the strange dance Riley and Farkle have been taking part of the past few months.
The talk about the final flame of 'Lucas and Maya' and how it wasn't messy or angry, it was sad and final in its amicable way.
With Maya and Riley going to NYU for Arts and Humanity programs respectively,and Lucas returning to Texas to attend Veterinary School with Zay in tow on a sports scholarship,they said that distance and school would be too much.
So they end on promises to still keep in touch and remain friends when school ends. Riley is there through the tears on both ends and they make it through generally unscathed.
But Riley can't help but notice how much her uncle Josh has been brought up in conversations again lately.
And how the tone has changed from that of a hard crushing teenage girl, to one of admiration, the way someone talks about their other half before they're even aware that's what they're doing.
Maya says it's nothing to look too much in to, but when Josh asks for a ticket to the graduation event and not so casually asks Maya what her favorite flower is, Riley sees the blossom of true love slowly taking over the flames that were once young love.
Riley asks Maya what her thoughts are on the subject of Farkle. She tries to be subtle and casual about it, but apparently it's a Matthews trait to be completely awful at that, and Maya sees right through it.
"Oh you mean how you're both totally in love with one another, and are doing nothing about it and are driving me slowly crazy??"
Riley laughs at her friends outburst and flops down on the bed next to her.
"I'm waiting ... I don't want to rush him or anything-"
"It's been over 10 years! I'll be grey by the time that boy makes a move. You gotta do something about it, or I will. .." Maya interrupts her sentence and Riley turns and gives Maya a questioning look in return.
The blonde rolls her eyes and says "I got a bet going on this"
This makes Riley shoot up like a spring loaded toy "I'm sorry a who what where now? With who? Why? WHAT?!" She's rambling now and Maya let's her know that it's pretty much the entire senior class.
"Everyone? " Riley asks falling back on the bed.
"Well, everyone besides you and the Minki" Maya gently nudges Riley and they both laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation.
Riley Yawns and looks at the clock, it's almost 4 am.
She stares at the ceiling, aware that her best friend is doing just the same.
"I just want a sign or something like that is all" she says quietly into the night. Maya gives her hand a squeeze in return,
"I know honeybee, I know "
......
They sit in alphabetical order in the auditorium, waiting for their names to be called one by one to the stage for their diploma , she cheers for her classmates, giving extra shout of praise to Zay, Lucas and Maya.
Farkle had given a speech earlier as Valedictorian and she watched with tears in her eyes as he recalled the adventures of school and promises of the future and jokes of taking over the world.
He had joined the students afterwards and was seated in the row directly behind Riley.
She was going to be called soon, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for it all to end.
So she turned quickly and instantly met Farkles eyes.
Without any pretence she asks him
"It'll all be ok?"
And he is slow to respond, which was out of character for him and gives her a shred of doubt, but slowly his lips quirked into that truly Farkle smile and he looks at her and says
"It will be ok"
There almost to her at this point ,
"You promise?"
"I promise. "
She turns around then, a giddy smile plastered on her face and her name is called out
-RILEY MATTHEWS -
And she stands prepared to make her way on stage to get her diploma when a voice calls her back.
"Oh Riley," she turns once more to Farkle, wondering what he had to say now
"I think I'm in love with you"
He says it loudly, over the cheers of her peers and she briefly stumbles into the chairs in front of her.
It's a blur from there, she grabs her diploma shakes hands and goes to make her way back to the seats.
By the time she makes it back to her seat, Farkle is being called up to the stage once more, for his diploma.
And in a moment of pure bravery or insanity she stands up and yells out
"I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH YOU TOO, FARKLE MINKUS"
The audience claps loudly and she hears Maya shout out
"YEAH YA DO!"
And she knows then and there that he was right, she got her sign, it was going to be ok.
5.
Age 21
M.I.T isn't that far from NYU, so Farkle takes the train(he refuses to drive)down to New York for Maya's 21st birthday weekend. Riley and Josh planned an epic surprise party and Riley promised Farkle some much needed 'them' time as well.
So here they stand in a crowded dance hall, watching as Josh spins an elated and slightly tipsy Maya around the dance floor. The couple match in a midnight blue color scheme put together by Riley to make everything come together just so. The string of lights make it seem like it was truly a night under the stars in a city where you seldom could see the night sky clearly.
Everything came together nicely and Riley felt she could finally get some much needed sleep after sneaking around Maya like that in preparation for the party.
Riley takes another sip of her drink and turned around to look at Farkle, who was clearing his throat behind her.
"Would you care to dance m'lady?" He's had a few drinks and she has to admit, he's a lightweight and it's horribly endearing as he bows regally in front of her.
It only seems fitting that she curtsy in return.
"I thought you'd never ask dear sir" she giggles as he dances in grand formal steps around the dance floor.
They truly are the strange little sunshine babies Maya calls them.
They may be odd.
But they fit.
They work.
He bends down and kisses her forehead, her nose and then her lips and she feels it, that zing she's felt from the beginning, only now does she realize it's her own bottled lightning.
6.
Age 24
"Ah, I thought I'd find you here" Maya's voice breaks through her thoughts and Riley drags her eyes from looking out the bay window and towards her best friend standing there dressed to the nines in a pale lavender frock Riley had picked out months ago, it flowed freely over her small baby bump and down to the floor below.
They don't exchange any words for a few moments, just nervous smiles and looks that speak volumes, then Maya makes her way over to the spot that has been her safe place for as far as she can recall, and takes a seat, making sure to smooth her dress and not sit on Rileys in the process.
"What's up Peaches?" Maya grabs Rileys hand and gives it a squeeze and Rileys eyes involuntary fill to the brim with tears. This time though they're tears of nostalgia and happiness.
"No tears yet!" Maya warns, "you'll cry, then I'll cry and it'll just be a whole mess before anything even start!" Her eyes are already filling as well but they both tried to stop them at least for the time being.
"I was just thinking Maya, of all that's happened here in the bay window and if it knew way back when if all of these things were going to play out the way they did" Riley sighed wistfully and ran her hand down the window edge.
Maya leaned her head back against the glass and closed her eyes allowing a small smile to creep across her face.
"I don't know if the bay window knew Riles, but I think deep down you knew long before anyone else really."
Riley leaned forward quirking her head to the side "um, I know pregnancy brain is a thing Maya but I was literally the last person to be aware of what was going on between us"
Maya playfully smacked her best friend "Hey now, is that any way to speak about your Goddaughter? And yes, you knew... you said so in this very spot"
Riley was thinking back and couldn't quite figure out what Maya was referring to.
"You made us promise each other that we would NEVER settle for anyone less than Farkle."
"....I did" Riley responded wide eyed
"That you did" Maya laughs before straightening herself up and reaching back to pull Riley up.
"Now lets go make you Mrs. Farkle Minkus" Maya says with her nose scrunching slightly "..that still sounds weird "
Riley allows herself to be pulled up and she fixes her lace gown and adjusts the two rings on her fingers, one from Maya long ago and one from Farkle one year ago, friendship and love the foundation of everything in her life. She gives Maya a look,
"Well my Goddaughter is also my cousin so you're one to talk about weird"
Maya just rolls her eyes in return, knowing full well that they both are swimming in weirdness at this point.
"I'm going to tell your parental units that we're almost ready to head out, see if I can freak your dad out some more in the meantime" Maya informs Riley before giving her some last minute alone time.
"Love you Honey"
"Love you Peaches"
And with that Riley is left with her thoughts once again, so shechecks herself for a final time her childhood bedroom mirror before heading out
Something Borrowed . . .
The emerald hairpin keeping her loose waves tucked neatly behind her ear something her soon to be morher-in-law leant to her at the rehearsal dinner, thanking Riley for showing her son true love.
Something Blue . . .
Maya painted the bottom of her heels in a dazzling scene of clouds and sunshine telling Riley she deserved to be walking on clouds today .
Something Old . . .
Her earrings are her mothers, the ones she wore on her own wedding day reminding Riley that love is real, love is strange and love is true.
Something New . . .
The necklace her father gave her only hours ago, a dainty silver necklace collecting small pearls and at the very bottom a small round disc with the inscription "Do Good" written on the back.
..........
The doors are closed in front of her inthe church, and she can hear the music swelling from the other side.
Instinct has her looking back behind her for reassurance from Farkle, but instead she finds her father looking at her waiting for her cue.
She nods her head, he steps up and offers her his elbow and the doors open before them.
A sea of familiar faces look back towards her in awe and excitement, and she quickly glances over the audience her smile growing when she makes out her family and friends at the front under an awning of flowers.
And then it is his time to look back and he turns in the front and meets her eye and gives her that slow crooked smile, and her breath is stolen from her in an instant because how did it take so long to figure out?
In their vows he quotes historians and scientific facts about love, but also waxes poetic about sunshine and lessons in love. She recites a poem from a family member long ago, and her tears fall freely as she smiles and retells a story of a bay window long ago, how fate looked down and made it so.
.....