Farkle despised nothing more than being treated like he was stupid. It was no secret that he was a very intelligent guy. He ran numerous science and math clubs at Abigail Adams High School, was recognized by MENSA and was in the top 1% of his class. All this and yet, Riley insisted upon dealing with him, like he was an idiot.

For weeks after Maya's after-hours party and the sex, Farkle desperately tried to get a hold of Riley. He attempted to speak with her after AP History - the morning after - but she ran away and she kept running away. She ignored all of his texts, no matter how many exclamation points he put. The bay window was newly locked down. Worst of all, when they were with the group, Riley acted as if Farkle was a ghost. She never spoke to him directly or even made eye contact, but his spirit had an effect on her, making goosebumps rise within her skin every time he made the slightest noise. It was extremely frustrating that he couldn't tell any of his friends what was going on because they'd all hate him. Farkle could understand that because, he was honestly starting to hate himself, too.

Smackle was a great girlfriend. OK, there were some things that Farkle wasn't crazy about, (he could do without the incessant flirting with other more conventionally attractive guys) but they didn't matter because he knew all of the little quirks and idiosyncrasies added up to a wonderful being named Isadora. He knew she wasn't perfect but it seemed there was no other girl in the world for Farkle. That is, when he thought - he swore - Riley wasn't interested.

Even with his romantic feelings for Smackle, imagining what it would be like to be Riley's boyfriend never left Farkle's expansive mind. Knowing her for all his life and being best friends with her actual boyfriend, Farkle didn't have to imagine much. It didn't take science to know that it'd be blissful. However, Riley only saw him as a friend. Farkle didn't think there was anyone on the nine planets who would get him more than her, so he closed himself off to love, until Smackle, who he was wholly committed to. Yet...

The fact of the matter was, it was tearing the genius apart inside and somehow, Riley just carried on like nothing was happening. It was so confounding to Farkle and so out of character for Riley, that both of them were becoming worn out. Answers were needed, immediately.

On Friday afternoon, Farkle preyed on Riley's bay window. He left school early, to ensure that no one he knew would see him lurking around. He was perched for an hour at her window sill, before the tall brunette came into her bedroom, throwing her backpack on her bed. Before entering, Farkle waited to see if Lucas or Maya was going to come in behind her. When he was almost sure she was alone, he hastily lifted up the window from the outside, climbing in.

Riley gasped in frightened surprise and almost screamed about a burglar, but even more horrid, it was Farkle. "Farkle! What are you doing?!"

"You left me no choice!" He shut and locked the window and pulled the curtains, making New York give them privacy. "You won't talk to me!"

"Because, there's nothing to talk about!" Riley responded, frustratingly.

"Riley, this is driving me crazy and what's worse is that - it's like for you it didn't even happen."

"Everything is normal, Farkle." Her voice rung with a hollow harshness. "I'm with Lucas, you are with Smackle. Everything is the way it's supposed to be - "

"Riley, don't treat me like I don't know you!" Farkle shot. "OK? Just... don't, because this isn't easy for me, either. I just need to know what's going on. "

The girl swallowed the saliva in her mouth and tried to hold back tears, slowly shaking her head. "What's going on," Riley tried to steady her quaking voice. "Is that we are forgetting that night. It is going to be erased from our history, all right?"

"That can't happen, Riley."

"Why not?" Riley asked, miserable. "I was drunk!"

"You weren't that drunk."

Although, Farkle did have a few drinks, he was practically acting babysitter. He watched everyone's intake and, after calculating the amount of alcohol ingested with Riley's weight and height, Farkle concluded that she was most likely buzzed but definitely not full-blown intoxicated. There was a scene at Junior Prom featuring a bottle of Hennessy and Riley, trying to reenact an I Love Lucy episode. The appetizers and food suffered a great blow but anyway, that was Drunk Riley, not whatever happened after Maya's party.

"Farkle, why can't you stop thinking and let this go?!"

"Because I - I feel something about that night. Something that I can't just forget and... I know you can't either. You wouldn't avoid me over something that you could just brush off."

"I'm not - " Before she denied anything, Farkle gave her a staunch warning with his glare. "Well, what do you want me say, Farkle?!" She tragically threw her hands in the air.

"God, the truth, Riley! Can you do that? Can you just be honest with me?" Both were taken aback, as Farkle never yelled at Riley before.

"The truth?" She whispered after letting a few moments pass. "What, that I haven't been sleeping ever since it happened? That every time that I'm with Lucas, I think about you and how unfair it is to him? That it hurts not being able to talk to you and - " Unable to stop herself from crying, Riley wiped her face with the backs of her hands. She's been holding it in for so long, Riley was inconsolable. "That it hurts even more... knowing that I want to do it again." Riley looked down, ashamed before covering her face to sob more.

Farkle let the revelation wash over him, taking one step towards her. Suddenly, she sunk down to her bed, gripping and massaging her soft quilt to calm down.

"You... want to do it again?" He repeated in a small voice.

Riley sniffled deeply and then annoyed, "Yes, Farkle. I liked it, OK?" She quickly popped back on her feet to meet his eyes. "Is that what you wanted? That's what you wanted to hear, right?"

"Riley..." He wagged his head, not knowing what to do next. The only thing Farkle knew at this moment, was what he felt. Slowly, Farkle turned his back to Riley, so he could go to her bedroom door. He locked it with a tiny click.

"Farkle, what are you doing?"

"You... you were a bit inebriated that night." He carefully began to explain, once again moving towards her with his hands in his back-pockets. "I mean, sometimes, psychologically, the smallest dosage of any type of stimulant or depressant can make a person think that they're radically high. So... Maybe the drinking made you feel drunk and you just wanted to make a bad decision, so you'd have something to blame it on."

Looking into his eyes, Riley whispered, "Sassy Halter-top."

"So, now, that were both of sound mind and body, how do you feel?" They were so close, Riley was becoming drugged by the spearmint smell of his breath. His eyes looked so blue and endless but perhaps, that was because she was falling into Farkle. His hands held Riley by the small of her back. She initiated an open-mouthed kiss that made Farkle's knees buckle. Gaining strength, he walked her backwards into her bed and they fell together, becoming a mess of limbs.

Farkle laid in between Riley's legs, attacking her with neck smooches. Being in a sexual relationship with Smackle, he learned that making love was also, just science. Knowing the other's body well enough to realize what they'll respond to. Where to put their hands, how to kiss what, how touch where. It was all business with his girlfriend but with Riley and all of his pent-up feelings, it was strictly passion. He had to stop himself from leaving marks on her.

But then, suddenly, somehow, Farkle overlooked something very, very important. He then rose up to his knees, and Riley frowned feeling cold and lonely. "Wait, Riley, we didn't - I didn't use anything when we - "

Realizing what his worry was, Riley giggled slightly, "I'm on birth control, Farkle." Being in a sexual relationship with Lucas, Riley unwillingly asked her mother to put her on the pill. Mr. Matthews kicked and screamed about it, but Mrs. Matthews accepted the request. Except, now, Lucas was never to step foot in their home again. At least, not while Cory was around.

Riley pulled Farkle back down by his shirt of the Periodic Table and they experimented for a spell. When they were finished, they rested next to each other in her bed, speechless. Underneath the covers, Riley let her smooth leg hang languorously over Farkle's hairy one. His arm absently sat behind her, letting his index finger make spheres on her shoulder.

"Riley..." He breathed her name like a secret. She looked at him, attentive. "What are we gonna do?"

Their designated meeting spot was Farkle's house because his parents were always on business trips. Only the staff hung around and they all loved Farkle so they wouldn't tell on him. Riley's house became a no-go because after their first time hooking up there, they heard the door open and in a panic, she pushed Farkle's naked butt onto her floor.

Things were going pretty OK, considering Farkle breaking his own moral code and Riley being unable to sleep (unless she was with Farkle) and the minor slip-ups that would happen, occasionally. One time, the six of them were at Topanga's before school. Zay was telling a funny story while Riley and Farkle were sitting across from each other. Lucas had his arm around Riley and Smackle was holding her beloved Farkle's hand. The climax of the story came and everyone laughed. Farkle paid special attention to Riley, never wanting to miss a chance to see her smile. But, there was some cream on the side of her lip, from the hot chocolate.

As the laughter died down, Farkle said, "Riley. You got something on your lip, Babe." He motioned to the side of his own mouth with a finger. Embarrassed, Riley cleaned the whipped cream with a napkin.

It seemed harmless, until Maya pointed out, amused as hell, "Farkle, did you just call Riley, 'Babe'?" All eyes were on the cheaters.

Farkle didn't call Riley or Maya pet names anymore because it was inappropriate while he had a girlfriend. Anyway, the names would be very jokingly misogynistic, like when he called them 'Woman' or Mamacita'. However, Farkle had never called either of them Babe. Babe was a term between two people who were clearly involved. In sheer horror of his mistake, Riley made all of her summer acting classes worth it and did a stage fall from her chair.

"Oh, wow, I fell!" Riley announced, stiff and unconvincing.

"Oh my God, Riley! Are you OK? That looked bad!" Farkle added, even worse.

"How'd she fall though?" Smackle whispered to Zay, who just shrugged, answering, "You know Riley just does things sometimes."

"Riley, are you alright?" Instead of skeptical, Lucas was caring. He gently helped his girlfriend off the carpet and dusted off the side of her thigh. Inside, Farkle burned. "Gotta be more careful, Sunshine."

"Yeah," Riley giggled away while making a look to Farkle. He stared at the ground.

When school let out, Riley took the elevator up to Farkle's loft in the Minkus building. She was over so frequently now, the doorman recognized her and always let her in without making her show identification. When she charged into his room, Farkle was surprised on his bed and stopped reading the Watchmen.

Putting down his graphic novel and beginning to stand, he said, "I thought you said you were going to be with Lucas today?" There was a hint of hate in his voice.

"I was, I mean, I am. I just came here to say we need to stop this. Now." Riley's tone was determined as she balled her fist, gathering her nerves.

"You're right." He agreed.

"... Really? You-you agree?"

"Of course, but I have to tell you that what happened at your mom's earlier was an accident - "

"We can't afford any more of those, Farkle!"

"I know! I agree with you!"

"When I was with Lucas last, I almost said your name! If I let it slip, that would have been the end of everything!" Tense, Farkle licked his lips being reminded yet again that he had to share Riley with his best friend.

"I said, I agree, Riley. No need for details." Farkle said agitated, sitting back down and blocking the vision of Riley with his book.

Sensing that she hurt him, Riley talked more, fidgeting, "It's just... Our last year all together shouldn't be about drama, you know? Nothing should change, so I think we should just... end it.

"Right. Rip the band-aid off and all that." Farkle suggested, monotone.

"Farkle," Riley pleaded with Farkle who she felt wasn't taking her seriously. "Look at me!"

He brought his graphic novel down with a thud on his bed, "Look, Riley, you are right, OK? This - us- whatever it is, it's not feasible. It's our senior year. Our last year with all our friends. To continue this, we would be hurting everyone we care about most. And if any of them found out - "

"They'd hate us."

"Right. So, it's over."

"OK, good."

"Good." He went on with reading, fully expecting Riley to make her exit but then, he heard his door lock from the inside. Farkle's eyes peeked over the rim of his book to see her taking off her jacket. Then, she sauntered over to him, to climb on his lap and began kissing him. He tried to rise up, but Riley straddled him, holding Farkle down to plant smooches all over his mouth and face.

"Riley - " Farkle tried to get a word in but her soft lips kept interrupting. "Riley -"

She tried to explain her reasoning in-between kisses, "Look, if we're going to - end this - I think - that we need - just one more time - to get it out - of our - systems." Her hands trembled with anticipation, as they unbuttoned Farkle's shirt. Under the spell of her kisses, Riley's twisted logic was making more and more sense to him.

"One more time?" He asked breathless, bunching her skirt up to her waist.

"One more time."