She didn't mean for it to happen. It just did. She felt something gnaw at the back of her brain for months whenever she saw him with her. Not that she hated her, she didn't. But seeing the two of them together made her insides go numb every single time. And she finally understands why.
Riley's feelings for Farkle had been growing for a while. She started noticing, of course, when he decided to change everything about his physical appearance. His clothes, his hair. The brightly colored turtlenecks and colorful pants were gone, and in their place came blue jeans and dark colored shirts. And then came the personality change. He wasn't the same goofy kid who would come up to her and Maya and say that he loved them whenever he could. He was more serious, more mature.
Now, those weren't the only reasons for why Riley fell for him. No. Those were only surface level. He understands her like no one else can, including Maya. He gets her. He can always tell when she's lying. He's always there for her. He's always been her friend. He's believed in her when no one else did.
He's been there all along. She was just too caught up in her Cory/Topanga idolization to realize it. But now that she has, it's too late. He's with Smackle, and there's nothing she can do about it. It's her turn to step back for him, like he's been doing for years with her. He's happy. And as long as he's happy, she's happy.
