Playing Pretend

Chapter Five

<One week and a half later.>

"Are you nuts?" Farkle exclaimed, Maya immediately slapping a hand over his mouth before he managed to bite it away.

"Keep your voice down. We're in the school hallway." Lucas rolled his eyes, a pleading look still on his face.

"Farkle, we need you help with this. We've never asked you for much." Maya added, taking her hand off of his mouth.

"Really? Did you guys forget the homework assignments I let you copy, the rides I give you to sch-"

"Okay but this time it's really important!" Maya whined. "It's one double date. And you're not gonna even have to try to impress her. The focus is to have Riley notice Lucas some more."

They were giving Farkle desperate expressions, as if they were about to bend down on both knees and kiss his feet. "You understand that Riley is literal glass right now? She just went through a breakup for God's sake."

Maya sighed, exchanging looks with Lucas before back at him. "Farkle, you're not intentionally hurting her. It's not a marriage proposal. Think of it as four friends hanging out. Which it actually is." Farkle shook his head, scratching the back of his neck in annoyance.

"Fine." He sputtered out. "Only one date." He assured them before walking past the two, into the direction of Riley's direction. Maya rolled her eyes and glared at Lucas, a hint of hope in her eyes.

"You better hope this works." She warned carefully as they watched Farkle momentarily.

Farkle wanted to kill the two idiots that made him do this. But deep down, he did find the girl intriguing. She smiled like, all the time. And had these unique views on how she saw life opposed to others. Riley answered her father's guiding questions in class as if she knew she was going to change the world one day. They were paired up as partners once, and he was astounded from all the knowledge inside that rainbow-filled brain of hers. He didn't think she was dumb, but he didn't think she could be an intellectual.

Interesting on what you find out about people.

Riley closed her locker, wincing at the sudden appearance of Farkle in front of her. "Oh, hi Farkle." She greeted with a friendly smile. "Here to talk about how Pluto is most definitely a planet in our solar system?"

Farkle chuckled. "We could talk about that any day. But actually, no." Dammit Lucas. Him and his ideas. "I was actually wondering if you'd like to hang out with Maya, Lucas, and I."

Riley arched a brow up confusingly. "Like.. A double date thing?"

"No, no." Farkle corrected. "Like, just hanging out. Maybe to get pizza or something?"

"I think it's a double date." Riley chuckled. Farkle blushed. "I mean, have you seen those two lately? They look pretty comfortable together." As she spoke, an uneasy tone hid behind it. Farkle glanced back at Maya and Lucas, who were casually talking against the lockers. He was smiling at her, but from anyone else besides Farkle, it would look as if he was staring at his whole world.

But only to Farkle, it was Maya and Lucas. Talking by the lockers.

His eyes reverted back to Riley, who was sighing. "I don't get it."

"What?"

Her eyes met his again as she shrugged. "Well, Maya wants me to go out with him. And trust me, I really do. But now that I shut him down that one time, he's like.. All over her." Her voice cracked at the last remark.