Girl Meets Him

Girl Meets Semi-Formal

We walked up to our lockers with big strides. Riley looked ready to cry. She was already stressed out, and what were Maya and I supposed to do? Force Lucas?

"It's this weekend. Lucas hasn't asked me to the semi-formal. We're Riley and Lucas, aren't we?" Riley asked.

"I don't know anymore," Maya said.

"Just tell me what to say," I agreed.

"It's all over the front of my notebook. Riley hearts Lucas four-ever," Riley said, holding up the scribbled notebook.

"What's on the back of your notebook?" Maya asked.

"Riley and Lucas, we're just friends," Riley admitted, flipping the notebook over.

"Sweetie, what are you doing to yourself?" I groaned.

"It's this weekend, and Lucas hasn't asked me to the semi-formal," Riley repeated in a whinier tone.

"Told ya," Maya said.

"You got a problem," I agreed.

"You did? Have I brought this up before?" Riley asked.

"Yes, Riley, you've had problems before, but you haven't had a Lucas problem until now," I explained.

Maya slammed her locker. Uncle Cory yelped from his classroom.

"Why does he keep doing that?" Riley asked.

"Lockers, blackboard. Chalk, chalk dust. Your daddy," Maya explained.

"How long are you gonna keep doing it?" I asked.

"'Til he comes out." Maya shrugged.

Uncle Cory walked out of his classroom. He was covered in chalk dust on the upper half of his body. He spit some out of his mouth. He turned, glaring at Maya, before taking a few steps forward.

"Okay, I'm done!"

~~~

We sat in history class. Riley pouted at her desk. Farkle saw the topic for today and reached over his desk. He took my sanitized hand and kissed it, making me blush. Uncle Cory didn't even notice as he held my hand over his desk.

"Semi-Formal coming up. Young men and women interacting. Mixing in a social situation. So, to avoid any casualties, I thought we could discuss etiquette," Uncle Cory explained. "Can anyone here tell me what etiquette is?"

Maya raised her hand. "No, you can't."

"Etiquette is treating people politely and with respect," Farkle explained. "Maya and I will demonstrate in a short play we put on before every dance."

The two stood in front of the class. "It's called No. Miss Hart, would you do me the great honor of accompanying me to the Semi-Formal Festivities?"

"No," Maya said simply.

"Etiquette," the two said.

"We'll see you at the holidays for A Christmas No." Farkle looked at me. "And now for Yes." He took my hand and pulled me up to the front. "(Y/n), will you honor me by having your arm at the dance?"

"Yes," I said, smiling as I noticed his wide eyes.

Everyone clapped as we sat down in our seats.

Farkle had asked me ten months before the Semi-Formal. When I got home, he was in a white dress shirt and black pants and had candles lit around the room. Rose petals led from the front door to where he was standing. I remember his hand shaking as he handed me the corsage.