It might not have been their first stage kiss, but the one in eighth grade hardly counted. This one would not only be open to all of Abigail Addams High School, but to anyone in New York City, and both of them were freaking out.
My Heart Is Set on You
Riley didn't regret auditioning for Grease. Absolutely not. Especially seeing as she, a sophomore, had somehow landed Sandy, opposite her best friend. They had both been ecstatic- sophomores were more than possible chorus members- until Zay brought up the kissing.
Both had laughed it off, and were good enough actors to convince their friends, but after two months they still couldn't make eye contact without turning completely red.
"Alright everyone, good job! Tomorrow we'll be working on Hopelessly Devoted to You and the Reprise, and we'll finally get to the Danny-Sandy kisses. Riley, Farkle, I know that this might be awkward at first, but opening night is coming up and you need to look perfectly comfortable." The two friends both blushed at the catcalls, refusing to look at each other, despite sitting together.
They walked out of the auditorium in an awkward silence, heading to main doors. Rehearsals were long, so Maya and Smackle had long since gone home, while Zay and Lucas were away for a baseball game, leaving the thespians alone. They parted ways at the main door, heading to different subways, both unable to think of anything other than the impending kiss.
Riley had gotten home, and made it through everything but her English homework- reading the first chapter of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She had gotten through the first two pages, but had to stop and breathe when she reached a line that hit a little too close to home- "So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be."
She set the book down, vowing to herself that she would get to the end of chapter two before going to bed.
"Riley!" Auggie screamed, running into the room.
"Hey Augs, what's up?" She asked, smiling at her brother as he joined her at the Bay Window. He may have been a third grader, and an incredibly smart one at that, but he was still her baby brother.
"You looked upset when you came home and I wanted to check on you but you were doing homework so I waited but you put down your book, does that mean you're done?" He was breathing heavily by the time he finished, but Riley was more focused on his words.
"You were worried?" She asked, a fond smile on her face. He nodded, and she took a deep breath, "I'm not upset, really, but I'm stressed about the musical."
"But you're so excited and you're amazing!" He reassured her.
"Aw, thanks Auggie. I'm just really stressed because I have to kiss Farkle tomorrow."
"How is that a bad thing?" he asked, "you're in love with him."
"I know but- wait; how did you know that?"
"We're syncopated," he told her.
She giggled, "yeah, we are, aren't we?"
"So why are you stressed?"
"I ruined my chance with him, Augs, he's moved on. I don't want to kiss him because what if he can tell that it means something to me? He's the only person I've ever kissed and we both agreed that it didn't count."
"Riles, he's Farkle, he's always loved you and he always will. And even if he didn't and could tell that it wasn't fake for you, you made it through him being in love with you, you being in love with Lucas, Smackle and Farkle breaking up, Smackle and Zay getting together, Maya and Lucas getting together, why can't you get through this?"
Riley was taken aback by her brother's words. She had always known that he was smart, but his goofy personality distracted her from just how observant he was. "I never thought of that, thanks Augs," she whispered, pulling him into a tight hug.
"Will you watch Anastasia with me now?" he asked.
"I want to bud, you know it's my favourite too, but I need to finish my reading. Can we watch it after dinner?" She offered. Auggie nodded, bounding to his feet and running out of the room.
The comfort she had gained from talking to her brother, and her excitement to watch their mutual favourite movie, got Riley through two chapters before it was time for dinner. She knew that she only had to read one, but she and Farkle were partners for their upcoming assignment, and with the play going on, they both needed to stay ahead.
Unfortunately, Farkle did not have anyone to talk his anxiety through with. Lucas would have been his first choice, but he was likely on the bus coming back from their game, and Smackle, his only other choice, was surely studying. He kept himself busy with homework until eventually going to bed, letting his worries escalate as he slept.
They met with the rest of their friends in English class, the actors trying to listen to Lucas and Zay talk about their game. They managed to brush off the questions about rehearsal, repeatedly claiming that it was "good but stressful, but the show would be totally worth the craziness."
It seemed like just the blink of an eye before they were back in the auditorium, Riley performing Hopelessly Devoted to You. Farkle tried to listen, and was the loudest clapper when she finished, but had been preoccupied thinking about the kiss.
"Absolutely beautiful, Riley," Alissa- their director who insisted that the students call her by her first name- praised. "Now can I have Farkle onstage?"
"Right here," he called out, climbing onstage.
"Perfect! Are you two ready for this?" She asked. They both stuttered out a yes, and she grinned. "Alright, let's go from the top, act one scene one, the first kiss," she instructed.
She took a step back while her readied themselves, and then gestured for them to start.
Riley started them off, "I'm going back to Australia – I might never see you again," she poured in all of the emotions that she experienced when imagining never seeing Farkle again.
Almost as if he knew her thoughts, Farkle grabbed her hand- something they had never before done in this scene. "Don't, don't talk that way, Sandy."
Riley pulled her hand away, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. "But it's true. I've just had the best summer of my life and now I have to go away. It isn't fair," she let her voice break off at the end.
As soon as Farkle reached out to touch her, she knew that he was just as anxious as she was. She had never seen him so tense onstage, and clearly Alissa noticed it too.
"Cut!" She called, walking back to them. "I have never seen either of you so uncomfortable. What's going on?" By the looks on their faces, she started to put it together. "Have either of you ever kissed anyone before?" Her suspicions were proven correct when they both blushed and looked away.
"Could we take five?" Riley asked.
Alissa sighed but nodded, calling for her Pink Ladies to prepare for Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee. She grinned as she watched a very determined Riley Matthews drag a very nervous Farkle Minkus into the supply closet, hearing the lock click behind them.
Riley sat on an overturned bucket, and, after a beat, Farkle did the same. Thinking back on her conversation with Auggie, she pushed her anxiety to the side, ready to focus on Farkle.
"Look at me," she ordered. He did so, though still avoiding eye contact. "Talk to me, Farkle, what's going on in that genius head of yours?"
"I don't want this to change things," he confessed. "I know I messed up last time, and I'm still really sorry about that, but I'm so worried about messing up again and losing you."
"Farkle," she sighed, pulling the boy into a hug, "can I tell you what Auggie told me?"
He nodded, sliding off of his bucket to sit with her on the floor where they could hug more comfortably.
"He listed the things we've been through. You being in love with me and Maya, my crush on Lucas, Maya's crush on Lucas, you and Smackle dating, Maya and Lucas dating, you and Smackle breaking up, Smackle and Zay dating, Maya and Lucas breaking up, and getting back together. We survived all of that, why can't we survive this? I love you Farkle, I trust you, do you really think a few kisses could ruin us?"
Farkle smiled at her, "maybe we should get Auggie into the genius club," he teased, "because that is the smartest thing I've ever heard."
"So we're good?" she asked.
"We're good," he promised. He stood up and offered her a hand, "you, me, Grease. Let's do this thing."