A/N: This is just a little drabble of the conversation that could have happened between Farkle and Smackle after the blab in GMNY.
The Right Thing
"I did the right thing," Farkle said.
His genius girlfriend who was walking next to him didn't congratulate him or confirm his statement right away, but then again Farkle didn't expect her to. Isadora Smackle prided herself making sure her comments were both thoughtful and accurate. It was one of the many things that he found attractive about her.
"Well," Smackle finally spoke her tone professional, "what was your desired outcome?" She asked.
Referring to what had transpired only minutes ago when Farkle had purposely and very publicly blurted out Riley's lingering and confidential romantic feelings for Lucas at her New Years Eve party. In front of everyone she knew. Isadora understood why her boyfriend did this. He was forcing his group of friends to face their issues and work out their problems before the any resentment could fester and ultimately break the friendship. However, that didn't mean she thought that he did the right thing.
Not exactly, anyway.
"I wanted Riley's feelings to be out in the open," Farkle answered, "her secret was causing her emotional distress."
"So you wanted Riley to be happy?" Smackle questioned.
"I always want my friends to be happy," Farkle replied.
"But Riley in particular?"
Farkle paused for a moment, "what do you mean?"
He was confused. He loved Riley. But he loved Maya too. And Lucas and Zay were his best "bros" as they called it. He wasn't sure what Isadora was getting at. Which was a rare occurrence with someone as intelligent as he was.
"Well, you told me that you talked to Riley about her feelings, correct?"
The boy genius nodded.
"But did you talk to Maya and Lucas?"
"I didn't have to," Farkle answered confidently.
Smackle furrowed her brow and shook her head almost in disbelief, "you assumed?" She said in the same tone as someone might say, "you killed him?"
Affronted, Farkle defended himself, "no," he assured her; "Maya told me herself she wasn't sure how she felt. I observed Maya and Lucas on their dates. They were awkward. They didn't talk. She dumped a smoothie on his head." He said exasperated, "I mean Zay said that he thought they liked each other, but I believe in what I see, not in opinions."
Smackle didn't look appeased, "so you did make assumptions."
"I made educated inferences on what I witnessed," he corrected. "Maya and Lucas might care for one another." He conceded. "But why would he risk a relationship with Maya when he knows Riley likes him?"
Once again the girl beside him was quiet for a few moments processing his argument. She abruptly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and turned toward him, "may I tell you about my thoughts on this subject?"
Farkle loved when she got all technical on him.
"I always welcome your thoughts," he said smiling warmly down at her. Isadora blushed slightly at his outward show of affection and patted her boyfriend's arm awkwardly. Farkle found this exceedingly adorable.
"By your calculations Lucas and Maya should know about Riley's feelings because it's logical for Lucas to choose Riley because he is sure of her feelings and thus everything will return back to the status quo? Is that correct?"
Farkle nodded warily as a sudden jolt of dread ran down his spine. He was familiar with the feeling it usually happened right before Smackle outmaneuvered him at a debate meet.
"But you didn't factor in Lucas's feelings." She pointed out.
"Lucas likes Riley," Farkle said matter-of-factly.
"Liking someone and having feelings for someone are two different things," Smackle countered, "emotions are fickle. Feelings can change. You focused on something or rather someone specific, which was Riley, but you didn't calculate in all the factors. You deliberately left out vital information in your decision making process."
"I-" Farkle started, but Smackle wasn't done.
"Feelings aren't like intellect," Isadora explained, "even when my brain told me that you and I couldn't be together because opposites attract and we were too much alike, that didn't stop me from liking you, Farkle."
"I know, but-"
"Your intentions were honorable," Smackle said decidedly, "but I'm not sure what you did was right or warranted."
"You didn't see her face!" He exclaimed, suddenly. And Smackle was taken aback by the passion behind his words. "Riley always puts everyone else before herself. She's always worried about other people, what they think of her, how they feel, what she can do to help them. She thinks she can handle the weight of the world all by herself. I know she can't. No one can. So I did something about it. I lifted the weight and lightened the load. Now they have to talk."
"They weren't your feelings to tell," Smackle defended.
"She had until midnight" Farkle interjected, "I told I would blow my horn if she didn't blow hers."
"You had no right to give her a deadline. You had no right to expose her secret in front of everyone. You could have waited until it was just the four of you. You didn't have to blurt everything out in front of everyone," Smackle pointed out.
Farkle had the decency to look properly chastised, "in my defense I wasn't worried about everyone. I was worried about Riley. I don't want things to change," he confessed, "I like my friends just as they are- as we all are right now."
Isadora's eyes softened, "everything changes, my dear," she said then announced, "now I do this," reaching out and squeezing his hand, "to want the world to stay stagnant is to want the impossible."
Farkle smiled down at their interlaced fingers and smiled, "true." He admitted,
Smackle looked down at her shoes, "you really care about her, don't you?"
"I care about all of us," He said.
"You obviously prioritize Riley," she pointed out hoping the dull ache in her chest was from drinking too much punch and not from something else.
"Riley was the one that was hurting. Riley needed to be prioritized because she never does anything for herself." Farkle said.
Isadora shook her head,
"What are saying?"
Smackle took a breath, "you only saw Riley hurting because that's all you wanted to see. You thought that the issue was Riley's feelings, but it's bigger than that."
"It is?"
"Well," she began, "based on my limited observations I believe there is strong evidence to suggest that Maya and Lucas both harbor strong feelings for one another." She said then added, "when Lucas isn't falling all over himself over me that is."
Farkle grimaced. Smackle's tiny infatuation with the perfect symmetry of Lucas's face was something he could admit he was the tiniest bit uncomfortable with.
The stupid Freak Face.
"I know Maya cares about him," Farkle said, shaking off his insecurities, "but what evidence do you have that their feelings are mutual?"
"She teases him. He let's her." Smackle stated.
"She makes fun of me too." Farkle pointed out.
But the girl genius shook her head, "it's not the same. Her demeanor is different with Lucas and the lingering looks between them makes it almost too obvious.
"Looks?"
Smackle's eyes widened, "you haven't noticed?" She asked incredulously.
Farkle wracked his brain trying to think up a response that didn't make him sound like an unobservant idiot. Nothing sprang to mind so he could only shake his head reluctantly.
"Dilated pupils, fidgeting, smiling, glancing, lip biting." She listed.
Farkle cocked an eyebrow.
"These are all things that I've observed Lucas and Maya doing," Smackle expounded, "their eyes dilate when they see each other which is a sign of attraction. Lucas often fidgets with his hands when they speak. They are constantly smiling and shooting secret glances at each other when they think no one is looking. And Maya tends to bite her lip only when she's around Lucas."
Farkle furrowed his brows. Had he truly missed all the signs between Lucas and Maya?
"The heart can't be dictated to," Smackle said, she wasn't good at expressing her emotions but that didn't mean she didn't understand how they worked. "Sometimes feelings can't be rationalized. They just are. Call it a rush of dopamine to the brain. Call it a chemical reaction. It's innate. It's automatic."
"Regardless, I still did the right thing," Farkle stated, even though he didn't sound as sure as he did before.
"I think."
A/N: Reviews appreciated
