Depressed + Riley + coffee + toast + falling apart + piece by piece
Riley Matthews is falling apart, and only Farkle Minkus notices. She's tried to deny it, but when he finds her asleep over her breakfast after not sleeping in days, he refuses to back down.
I'm Still Alive but I'm Barely Breathing
Riley Matthews is falling apart. Farkle Minkus is the only person who seems to notice. He had given her space, hoping that she would come to him on her own time, but she hadn't. He knew that he had to stop waiting when he found her passed out over a plate of cold toast on a Sunday afternoon, surrounded by mugs of coffee and notes for her different classes.
Deciding to let her rest, Farkle began to clean. He carried the mugs to the kitchen and rinsed them out, stacking them in the dishwasher. He tossed out the toast and rinsed off the plate. He stacked her notes according to subject, and according to date within subject. Finally, he went to the kitchen and grabbed a Nutrigrain bar and a glass of water.
"Riles?" He whispered, shaking her shoulder. After a moment, the girl blinked awake, looking at him in confusion.
"Farkle? What are you doing here? You usually do homework all day Saturdays."
"Riles, it's Sunday. You were passed out when I came in. How much coffee have you been drinking?"
"How much does it take to stay for four days?" she asked blearily.
"Too much. Riles, why haven't you slept?" He asked, handing her the glass of water.
"Because I need to be perfect in class."
"Why?" He took the glass back and handed her the nutrigrain bar.
"Because school is all I have going for me. I'll never be top of the class, not with you and Smackle around, so I need to make sure that my grades are stellar and that I stay in third."
"Riles, school isn't all you have going for you. You're good at so many things!"
"I wasn't good enough for Lucas to choose me," she whispered, looking down.
"Lucas is just one boy, Riles, and he doesn't know what he's losing." Farkle pulled her into a side hug, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.
"I'm falling apart, Farkle, I don't know what to do."
"Let us help, let me help. Maybe I can't fix you, but I can hold you together when you break," he promised, kissing the crown of her head.
Piece by piece he collected me up off the ground where you abandoned me, and piece by piece he filled the holes that you burned in me
"Can I tell you a secret?" Riley asked abruptly.
"Of course you can."
"I've been seeing a psychiatrist. I have clinical depression… I'm getting my prescription filled tomorrow," she confessed.
"I'm so sorry, sweetie," he sighed, hugging her tighter.
"It's okay, I just… I didn't want to tell anyone because everyone expects me to be happy Riley all the time. You remember what Maya and Lucas were like during the whole yearbook thing, they would never accept this."
"Then they're being idiots, Riles, it's not something you can control. Zay and Isadora would be accepting though, I know it. And even if they're not, you always have me. Always, Riles. Whenever you need me."
"Could you help me study for the algebra test?" She asked, wiping her tears.
"Of course. But no more coffee for you."
She smiled at him, "thank you."