AN: So... I was going to do another quick one shot "Death of a Triangle: Girl Meets Semi-Formal." I had an idea in mind, but then I re-watched Semi-Formal. Man, that episode was such a (pardon my language) clusterfuck! I could literally pick any scene from that episode and use it to kill the triangle. Between Lucas being clueless, Maya being passive-aggressive, Riley being a wimp, and Charlie being Charlie, I wanted to pull my own hair out! Even the adults were idiots!
So, instead of doing a one shot, I am doing my first multi-chapter! It will probably be only 2 or 3 chapters, and I don't know when I will update. This one is a bit different for me. It should be much more light-hearted, and I am working with some different characters and coming at it from a different angle.
I imagine I will tackle Semi-Formal again from a triangle perspective, but this idea came to me the minute I saw Yogi on skates. Seriously, how did Charlie plan something that elaborate without any of our Core Four finding out beforehand?
Anyways, I own nothing and no one! Enjoy!
"All I'm saying is I think he deserves to know. I would want to know if it were about you."
"The difference is no one would ask me. The whole school knows we belong together," Darby said as she and Yogi walked hand in hand through the halls of JQA.
"Well, I think they belong together, too!"
"Puh-lease, Yogs. I bet Charlie would be good for Riley. Plus, I totally ship Lucaya."
Yogi rolled his eyes at the "ship" name his classmates had come up with for the two blondes.
"I just think we should give them all the information. Then the four of them can decide for themselves who belongs with who."
Coming to a stop at Darby's locker, she turned to look down at her boyfriend.
"If you are so against Charlie and Riley, why are you helping him ask her to semi-formal anyways?"
Yogi shrugged his shoulders. "I always wanted to learn how to skate."
Darby giggled as she started putting her books and things in her backpack. Satisfied that she had everything she needed for her homework tonight, she slammed the locker closed, spun the lock, and grabbed her boyfriend's hand once more.
"I'm not against the idea of Charlie and Riley. Charlie's a nice guy. BUT I think Riley's against the idea of Charlie and Riley. She likes Lucas. She has since he moved here. Everybody knows that."
He kept talking as they idly walked down the quickly emptying hallways. "Half of the time, I don't think she even knows Charlie exists."
Darby laughed, nodding in agreement. "Well, I just think maybe she should open her eyes to different possibilities. It's only a matter of time before Maya and Lucas give in to their burning passion for one another."
The topic of Maya, Lucas, Riley, and Charlie kept them occupied the entire walk to Topanga's. They had had similar conversations before, so Yogi had an answer for every point Darby made about Lucas and Maya. Just like Darby had an answer for every point he made about Lucas and Riley.
She believed all Maya's teasing was "built up sexual tension," while he believed it was Maya being Maya. She teased everyone, even Mr. Matthews. And besides even if Maya liked Lucas, it didn't mean that Lucas liked Maya. He was the only person who seemed to find all of Riley's quirks, clumsiness, and goofiness charming. Riley deserved someone who liked her for who she was, and so did Maya for that matter. And Lucas deserved someone who built him up, not someone who tore him down.
The conversation always ended up going around in circles, and this time it was no different. Adding Charlie to the mix did make for an interesting twist, and Darby was sure to point out that Charlie's gesture would sweep Riley right off her feet.
Once they reached Topanga's, they took a seat in the very back corner, away from the prying eyes of their classmates. The couple had learned a lesson back when Lucas and Riley tried to be boyfriend/girlfriend, and despite their relationship being old news, they took precautions to make sure their private business stayed private. They both preferred to stay in the background anyhow.
"All I'm saying is we have to respect what they all want. We can't just push our classmates together for our own entertainment. Imagine who we would have ended up with if we listened to what everyone thought about us."
Darby shuddered, thinking back to the beginning of 7th grade when Sarah had kept trying to get her to date Charlie. When she and Yogi finally did get together, a few of the kids made fun of them because of how unconventional they looked together.
Actually, it was Riley who gave her an impassioned speech about the heart wanting what it wants and to always, always, ALWAYS follow your heart no matter what anyone else said or thought.
"Okay, but I still say by the end of semi-formal, Chiley and Lucaya will happen."
"Well, I am going to tell Lucas that Charlie is planning on asking Riley. He deserves a chance to ask her himself."
"He has had 10 months!"
Yogi rolled his eyes again. He would never understand this whole 10-month thing. Darby had asked him to the semi-formal the minute the posters came out, but he always assumed they would go together to any dance no matter when it was.
"Besides, you've seen both sides of Riley's notebook, she might tell Lucas no. Especially if she knows Charlie is going to ask her."
Yogi scoffed, sliding out of the booth. Noticing Lucas and Farkle were sitting by the window without Riley and Maya for once, he gave Darby a kiss on the cheek before walking over there.
Yogi stood quietly in front of Lucas and Farkle, waiting for them to notice his presence. They were on pretty friendly terms, but Yogi didn't really talk much to anyone besides Darby. She was the only person who made him feel like what he had to say was important and worth saying. She was his whole world.
Riley had always supported the two of them together. They had gone to the same school and been in the same classes their whole lives, but they didn't really travel in the same groups. However whenever they were partnered up for projects or ran into each other on the subway, Riley was always kind and welcoming.
When the rest of the class had given him a tough time for being with Darby because of their height difference, She even gave him a framed picture of him and Darby sitting together during a field trip in the first grade, arms wrapped around each other, huge smiles on both their faces. She had painted the wooden frame purple, of course, and pasted the words "forever and always" in foam letters to the bottom of it.
The picture sat on his desk at home and never failed to make him smile. He owed Riley the same kindness and unwavering support. She deserved to find her own Darby.
Finally both boys looked up at him, pausing in their conversation.
"Hey, Yogi. Did you have a question about our homework?" Farkle asked.
"Hey. Uh, no. Actually, I wanted to talk to Lucas."
The two seated boys exchanged glances before Farkle stood up. "Okay, I'm going to go get the girls some drinks before they get here."
Yogi glanced up at the window, checking for any sign of Maya or Riley. He waited until Farkle was out earshot before taking a seat.
"What's up?" Lucas questioned, a friendly smile pasted to his face.
"Look, man, I don't know how to tell you this, but Charlie Gardner is planning to ask Riley to the semi-formal."
"What?" Lucas seemed genuinely confused as the smile faded from his face. "Everyone knows Riley and I have an unofficial thing. We are going to go together."
Yogi shook his head, smirking. "Have you asked her?"
"Well, no, I just assumed..."
"You just assumed Riley would wait around for you? That no one else would want to take her?"
"No! Of course, someone else would want to take her. Who wouldn't? I just thought-"
Noticing Farkle was headed back towards them, Yogi stood. "Well, if you want to be with Riley, you better do something. Charlie is going all out. He taught me to skate!"
Lucas was staring off in the distance, a strange, dejected expression on his face. "He did?"
Yogi placed a friendly hand on his shoulder, nodding sympathetically. The normally confident boy seemed to shrink within himself, quietly asking, "Do you think she likes him back?"
Yogi shrugged his shoulders. He had seen Riley and Charlie exchange a few words here and there. She was always friendly with him, but then again Riley was friendly with everyone.
"We know she likes you, but with everything that happened last week..."
Lucas ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "I voted for you and Darby for cutest couple. Why couldn't the two of you be cuter, huh?"
Yogi shrugged again before mumbling, "I think we're pretty darn cute."
By this time, Farkle had returned and was sitting next to Lucas, eyes darting between the two of them in confusion. Yogi glanced back at Darby, who gave him a flirtatious wave.
"I better get back."
"Yeah, thanks, man."
"What was that all about?" Farkle questioned, the confusion evident in his voice.
Both boys glanced at the door, jingling bells signaling the girls' presence.
"I may need your help, Farkle."
Riley could tell something was off with Lucas from the minute she got to the cafe. He seemed distracted and kept looking over at Yogi and Darby for some strange reason. Riley tried to ask him what's wrong, but he just smiled at her and said everything was fine. After a while, this put Riley in a bad mood.
Maya kept teasing him and calling him names and even grabbed his shirt. All of which he pointedly ignored. Riley knew he was lying about being fine, and Lucas lying to her didn't sit well with her.
Eventually she stopped trying to talk to him or anyone else altogether. She closed her textbook and tried to go over in her mind the events of the day. He seemed fine at school. Something must have happened when he and Farkle walked over to Topanga's, but Farkle seemed fine. It couldn't have been too serious or Farkle would have said something.
Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Could he be mad at her? What had she done? Did Darby or Yogi tell him something awful? That didn't sound like something either of them would do, but Darby and Sarah were a huge part of the yearbook mess. They both seemed to think Lucas belonged with Maya.
"Riles," Maya whispered, nudging her gently. "Are you alright, honey? You got quiet all of a sudden."
Without acknowledging the comment or the boys sitting next to them, Riley grabbed Maya by the hand and led her to Darby and Yogi's table. Before she lost her nerve, she quickly said, "Darby, girls' room. Girls' room right now."
Without a word to Yogi, Darby got up and followed. All three boys stared after them with various looks of confusion on their faces.
The minute they got into the girls' bathroom, Maya started checking stalls. Once she was satisfied that they were alone, she locked the door. They made their way to the couch Topanga put in there the minute she took over the cafe.
"What's going on with Lucas?" Riley asked.
Maya opened her mouth to answer but immediately closed it, realizing the question was directed at Darby.
"Look, Riley, that's really between you and Lucas..."
"Oh, no, cupcake!" Maya interrupted. "This whole school has been in our business for as long as I can remember. If you have some information about Huckleberry, you share it!"
Darby's eyes lit up. "I knew you would be concerned!"
Sighing, Riley pleaded. "Please, Darby, he has been weird since we got here, and he keeps looking at you guys. Did you three fight or something?"
"No, Yogi just told him something he didn't want to hear."
At that moment someone tried to open the bathroom door. Maya stood up and banged back on the door. "It's occupied!"
She calmly walked back to the girls. "Continue."
"I probably shouldn't tell you this. Charlie wanted to surprise you with this whole thing, and he asked Yogi to help."
"Charlie? Gardner? What does he have to do with anything?" Riley asked, confusion evident in her voice.
"Oh, Riley! You are going to love it! He got balloons and flowers and a banner! He is even teaching Yogi to skate!"
"Okay...Still not seeing what this has to do with Lucas. Or me for that matter."
"Charlie wants to take you to semi-formal!" Darby gushed. "He waited to see if Lucas would ask you, and since he didn't, Charlie decided to sweep you off your feet! Isn't it so romantic?"
Riley turned to face Maya. "What is happening, Maya?"
"Tell me what you want me to say, and I'll say it. Are we excited?"
Riley shook her head sadly, before facing Darby. "So what happened with Lucas?"
Darby shrugged her shoulders. "Yogi and I were arguing, well not arguing because we never argue. We were more like debating..."
Maya snapped her fingers. "The point, Darby? We don't have all day."
"Yogi and I were DISCUSSING who the best couple would be. You and Lucas or you and Charlie." She turned to Maya, touching her hand gently. "Actually I said it was you and Lucas, Maya."
Maya banged her fist against her forehead.
"Any who, Yogi decided he had to tell Lucas about Charlie's plan to give him the chance to ask you himself. I said he already had 10 months, but-"
Riley grabbed her shoulder. "So wait, Lucas knows Charlie is going to ask me? And he still hasn't asked me himself."
Darby shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he finally sees what we all have seen all along. Maybe he doesn't like you that way anymore, Riley."
Realizing how rude that sounded, she put a friendly arm over Riley's shoulder, giving her a half hug before she stood up. "But Charlie is a really great guy. He would make you super happy, don't you think? Everybody else does."
Darby left the bathroom, giving Riley one last sympathetic look over her shoulder. Riley put her knees up, wrapping her arms around her legs. She leaned forward to rest her head on her thighs, turning to look at Maya, unshed tears sparkling in her big brown eyes.
"Can the world be just me and you, Maya?"
They sat in silence in the bathroom for few more minutes, Maya gently stroking Riley's hair. When Riley's tears dried up, she stood, wiping her face and checking herself in the mirror. When she was satisfied that she was presentable, she gave herself a nod and one more to Maya for good measure before walking out to the cafe.
When they got back to the boys, Maya took her seat, but Riley just stood, staring at Lucas. Lucas met her gaze with a gentle smile. She waited to see if he was going to say or do anything, but all he did was stare.
Looking down at Maya, she started gathering her things. "I can't do this."
She rushed out the door, bumping into Zay on his way into the cafe. Not even stopping to apologize or waiting to see if Maya would follow, she rushed off up the steps, tripping a bit in her haste to get away.
Zay pointed at Riley. "What's up with her?"
Maya began violently gathering her things.
"I don't know. Why don't you ask your friend?" she spat, gesturing to Lucas.
"Me?" Lucas questioned, sitting up straight. "What did I do?"
"It's what you didn't do, ya moron! Come on, Farkle!" she grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder.
Without a word, Farkle calmly grabbed his things.
"Where are you guys going?" Zay asked.
"Where do you think?" Farkle snapped back. He had no clue what was going on, but someone had hurt Riley. Maya seemed to think it was Lucas. "Bay window. Lucas, I'll call you later to discuss what you needed help with."
Lucas had already begun gathering his things. "That's not important. Whatever is wrong with Riley is. I want to help. I'm coming with ya'll."
"Trust me, Huckleberry, you are the last person she wants to see right now."
Lucas sat back down, hunching his shoulders. Maybe Darby told her about Charlie. Maybe Riley wants to go to the dance with Charlie and doesn't know how to tell him no. Maybe she wants nothing to do with him.
But... that didn't explain why Maya was so mad or why Riley looked so hurt. With a determined look on his face, he stood up, standing right in front of Maya with his arms crossed.
"I'm going to go check on Riley, and I'm going to fix whatever's wrong."
Glancing around at the group, he continued. "And no one is going to stop me."
Nodding once, he turned, and all three of his friends followed him out the door.
Darby and Yogi exchanged glances. "What the heck happened in that bathroom?!" Yogi exclaimed.