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“But, Mom, I’m supposed to have movie night with Farkle tonight!” Riley protested, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow. Last year, when Maya and Lucas started dating again, she and Farkle started spending almost every Friday night together watching movies, and at this point it was a weekly ritual.
“But nothing, Riley! You promised you’d babysit Auggie while your father and I went out for our anniversary.”
Riley sighed, knowing from Topanga’s tone and facial expression that there was no way she was getting out of this.
“Besides, you and Farkle have movie night every Friday. Cory and I only get our anniversary once a year.”
“Well, can he come over to help me babysit, at least?” Riley asked.
“As long as he isn’t too distracting.”
“He won’t be,” Riley assured her mother. Her parents left soon after, eager to spend some time alone. As the door clicked shut behind them, Riley whipped out her phone to text Farkle. Change of plans. You have to help me babysit Auggie . Seconds later her phone chirped with a response.
He’s nine years old. Does he really still need a babysitter?
According to my parents. Please just come over and help me?
Hmm…What’s in it for me?
The honor of my company?
Not good enough.
Some of my mom’s mac ‘n’ cheese from last night?
You do know the way to my heart. Be there in 15.
See you soon!
Riley grinned. So it wouldn’t be their usual movie night, but it was better than nothing.
“Hey, Auggie?” Riley turned to her brother, who sat coloring at the kitchen table. “Farkle is gonna come over and hang with us tonight, is that okay?”
“Do we still get to play pirates?” Auggie asked, not looking up.
“Of course.”
“Then I’m okay with your boyfriend coming over.”
“He’s not my boyfriend! Why would you even think that? Farkle and I are close friends, sure, but…” Riley trailed off when she realized Auggie was no longer listening. She strode toward the kitchen, pulled last night’s mac ‘n’ cheese out of the fridge, and popped it in the oven to warm up. She leaned against the oven as she waited. If she’d timed it right, the mac ‘n’ cheese would be done just about when Farkle arrived.
Riley was glad that Farkle was still coming over, but she hoped Auggie wouldn’t say anything else about them dating. It’s not that she didn’t like Farkle. She did. And, maybe, in a perfect world, he would’ve been her boyfriend. But Farkle didn’t want to date. He was too focused on his studies, or at least that’s what he told all the girls who asked him out since he and Isadora had broken up. Besides, she reminded herself, even if he did want to date, he wouldn’t want to date her. They were best friends, and it wouldn’t be worth ruining their friendship over. Her thoughts were interrupted by the door buzzer. She skipped over. “Farkle?”
“It’s f-f-freezing!”
“Come right up. The mac ‘n’ cheese will thaw you out.”
She turned away from the buzzer. “Auggie!” She called. “Put away your coloring book! It’s time for dinner!”
Auggie closed his coloring book and collected his crayons, but he left them under his chair. Riley shrugged. At least they’re off the table .
“That smells great, Riles,” Farkle called out as he walked into the Matthews’ apartment. “Your mom makes the best mac ‘n’ cheese I’ve ever had.”
“You’re still shivering,” Riley frowned. “Come on, let’s warm you up.” She led Farkle to the table, pulled the mac ‘n’ cheese out of the oven, and served up three portions. The three of them ate in relative silence. Topanga’s mac ‘n’ cheese was so good that they all just stuffed their faces with it. After dinner, Farkle helped Riley clear the table and wash the dishes, and then it was time to play pirates.
“I will be the captain,” Auggie decided. “Riley will be my first mate, and Farkle will be the navigator.”
“The navigator?” Farkle asked, bewildered. “That’s so specific.”
“The navigator is one of the smartest people on the ship, Farkle,” Riley laughed.
“I see,” Farkle chuckled. He liked that Auggie liked him. They played pirates for over an hour before Auggie got bored, but by that point it was almost his bedtime.
“Aw, Riley! Can’t I stay up a little longer? Mom and Dad won’t be back for a few more hours!” Auggie pleaded.
“Fine, put on your PJs and brush your teeth, and then you can stay up for another 15 minutes.” Riley stood up from Auggie’s bed. “Farkle and I will be in the living room.”
She walked out with Farkle in tow and sank down on the couch. “Babysitting is exhausting."
“Hey,” Farkle bit his lip. “Maybe we can watch a movie after he goes to bed.”
Riley smiled. “Yeah, I…”
Auggie walked in, cutting her off.
“I brushed my teeth and I put my PJs on. But I squeezed the toothpaste too hard and now it’s all over the counter,” Auggie informed Riley and Farkle as he plopped down next to her on the couch. Riley groaned.
“I’ll go clean it up. Farkle, you sit here with Auggie,” she instructed him as she stood up from the couch and marched into the bathroom.
Auggie immediately turned to Farkle. “So, now that she’s gone, let’s talk.”
“Uh…okay…” Farkle swallowed nervously.
“What are your intentions with my sister?” Auggie asked.
“You’re nine years old, what do you know about int—”
“Answer the question!” Auggie snapped.
“I just want Riley to be happy,” Farkle answered honestly.
“Do you like her?”
Farkle fell silent. He did like her. He liked her a lot. He had the feeling that Auggie already knew that, so he only hesitated for a moment before nodding.
“Yeah, I do.”
Auggie smiled. “Good.”
Farkle was going to say something else, but Riley came back in the room, wiping her hands on a towel.
“Okay, Auggie. Time for bed.” She placed her hands on her hips, trying her best to tower over her brother.
“Okay, but I want you to tuck me in and scare away the monsters.” Riley rolled her eyes at his request, but followed him back into his room nonetheless. She checked under the bed and in the closet.
“No monsters.” She confirmed.
“What about outside? On the fire escape?”
Riley should’ve known something was up, because Auggie had never asked about the fire escape before, but that didn’t occur to her until after the fact. She crawled out his window onto the fire escape that connected their rooms.
“There’s nothing out here, Auggie.”
“I want a second opinion.” He crossed his arms. Riley sighed.
“FARKLE, COME OUT HERE!” She yelled.
Farkle appeared in the doorway seconds later. “Everything okay?” He asked, genuinely concerned.
“Auggie wants you to come out here on the fire escape to see if there are monsters. He doesn’t believe me when I say they are none.”
Farkle raised an eyebrow, but did as he was told. They both gave the escape a cursory glance and then Farkle turned back to the window.
“I agree with R—Oh, no.”
“What’s wrong, Farkle?” Riley asked, following his gaze to the window. “Oh.”
It was closed. Farkle reached out to open it, but it was locked.
“That little shit!” Farkle exclaimed, crossing his arms. Her bedroom window was also locked, and they both knew it. They were stuck out there until her parents came home.
“Why would he do this?” Riley ran her hands down her face. “He knows how cold it is!”
“I think I know why,” Farkle sighed. “I think this has to do with what he said to me when you went to clean up the toothpaste.” His eyes widened. “That little schemer intentionally spilled the toothpaste! He had this all planned!”
“Farkle, what are you talking about?”
“Riley, he asked me if I…” He asked me if I like you . He couldn’t say that, though. “He asked me what my intentions are with you.”
“What did you say?” Riley asked nervously.
“The truth. I want you to be happy,” Farkle answered earnestly. Riley smiled.
“I want you to be happy, too, but that doesn’t explain why he locked us out here on the fire escape.”
“He also…He asked me if I like you,” Farkle blurted out.
“Oh.”
“Don’t you want to know what I told him?” Farkle asked.
“Does it matter?” Riley frowned. “I know you. You’re too focused on your education for a…For anything.”
“Wha…Riley, what are you talking about?”
“Anytime a girl asks you out, you tell her that you have to focus on your education,” Riley said, her voice tinged with bitterness. “Which really sucks, ‘cause you know…I really like you.”
She wasn’t sure what she expected Farkle’s reaction to her confession to be, but it certainly wasn’t laughter. “What’s so funny?” Farkle cleared his throat.
“Riley, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you paid attention to that.” He swallowed. “I just tell girls that because I can’t exactly tell every girl who asks me out that I’m actually crazy about you.”
Riley was speechless. “So... you like me,” She smiled slowly. “And I like you.” She inched closer to him.
“Yeah.” He was suddenly aware of how close they were. “Riley? Can I…” He trailed off for a moment. “Can I kiss you?”
Riley nodded, and with that, he closed the distance between them. Her hands found their way into his hair, pulling him closer. His traveled up her back and into her hair, before returning to the small of her back and staying there. The kiss tasted like mac ‘n’ cheese. Riley moved to deepen the kiss, when she felt something cold land on the top of her head. They broke apart and looked up, both a little breathless.
“Farkle, it’s snowing!” Riley grinned.
“I’ve never seen it snow this early.”
It was extraordinary. The meteorologists had been predicting an early snow, but it was barely November. Riley looked back at Farkle, who had long since taken his eyes from the falling snow to watch the wonder in her eyes. She leaned forward to rest her forehead against his.
“It must be magic,” She murmured. Farkle rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway.
“Must be,” he agreed.
“Now, where were we?” Riley pushed herself up on her tiptoes to kiss him again. This time, the snow didn’t stop them. Time seemed to freeze, as though they were the only two people in the world.
“Riley? Farkle?!” Topanga called out the window to them at some point, neither of them knew how long it had been. They jumped apart.
“Mom?!” Riley yelped.
“We came home early because one of the neighbors called and told us you kids were out on the fire escape. They were worried you were going to get hypothermia.” Cory’s head popped up next to Topanga’s.
“Mind telling us what’s going on?”
“Auggie locked us out!” Riley crossed her arms. She refused to accept punishment for this.
“Why would he do that?” Topanga asked, unconvinced.
“We don’t know, Mrs. Matthews.”
“Well, come on inside before you freeze to death.” Cory and Topanga retreated from the window to let Riley and Farkle in. Farkle crawled in first, and then helped Riley, which was more of an excuse for unnecessary touching and hand holding than anything. They kept holding hands, even when she got her footing.
“Farkle?” Cory asked. “Why are you holding my daughter’s hand?”
“Well, sir,” Farkle swallowed nervously, “because…” He bolted out of the apartment.
Riley grimaced. “It’s a long story.”