The Stupidest Genius I've Ever Met (A Larkle Fic)

Two

Out the window, as the plane makes it's decent towards the landing strip, Farkle spots a familiar crowd of four over by one of the luggage carriers. Maya and Riley took a bus up the day before and apparently already met up with Lucas and Zay.

They all wave and Riley starts jumping up and down as the plane gets close. This makes him smile, and he waves back, the sight of his friends making him instantaneously happy. After a moment though, his smile falters.

The girls left him basically on his own all summer. And now they're waving and smiling as if all's well and good. As if they didn't- even if accidentally- shut him out, ostracizing the boy they'd been friends with since the first grade. All at once, the feelings he's been trying to mask with a smile hit him again, full force, crushing out his confidence. 

Slowly, he lowers his hand, leaning back into the seat and away from the window. For a moment, he is alone with his thoughts.

'Maybe they're pretending to be happy I'm here...'

'Maybe no one wanted me to come...'

'Maybe this was a bad idea...'

An ache that, before his parents divorce, would have brought tears springing to his eyes, fills his chest as he stares at the closed door to the cockpit. With his luck, his friends really are sick of him, and this last little get together before the summer's out will be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back. Just like that, in one summer, he'll lose his innocence, his family, and his friends, and he'll enter the new school year alone.

The slight jolt of the plane's wheels connecting with the tarmac snaps him back to reality. Shaking his head, Farkle unfastens his seatbelt as the plane rolls to a stop. Once the plane halts completely, he stands, grabbing his duffel off the seat next to him, tea in hand.

Trudging to the exit, he pauses, hand hovering over the button to let Stan, the pilot, know he's ready to get out. Exhaling audibly, he pulls back on his usual, cheerful, 'everything's good' grin.

"You'll feel better once you talk to them, trust me."

Gina's voice makes him jump. Glancing back to the blue eyed woman, he nods softly, a smile pulling at his lips.

"I hope so...thanks, Gina." 

With that, he presses the button, holding his smile as the door's hydraulic's kick in and it slowly opens. Readjusting his duffel bag strap, he steps into the light of the world, wincing a little at the sudden brightness.