It turned out the girl who'd dyed her hair was Farkle's girlfriend, Izzie. Her real name was Isadora Smackle, and Riley almost laughed out loud when she heard that from Zay, the sweet boy in some of her classes who happened to be friends with Lucas Friar, the boy Maya was interested him.
"I'd stay away from those two." Zay told her, two days later. "They're bad news."
Riley sighed. "I figured as much." but she couldn't help wondering if Farkle was as bad as everyone was saying he was.
Suddenly, a foot went out in front of Riley and she tripped, falling onto the cold marble floors, books scattering everywhere.
"Oops." said Izzie's voice. "Sorry."
She wasn't sorry at all, and that much was obvious. Riley started collecting her books, only Izzie and her two friends decided to kick them further away from her. A few people were laughing, and Riley's cheeks burned from embarrassment.
"Enough." said a familiar voice. "Leave her alone, Izzie."
Riley was stunned to see Farkle kneeling in front of her, picking up her books for her. He helped her stand before handing the books back, his eyes staring into hers for a moment with an emotion Riley couldn't decipher.
"Thanks." she said, quietly.
"Don't mention it." Farkle replied, before turning and walking away, his friends following.
"Farkle!" Izzie called after him. "Baby!"
No reply.
Izzie glared at Riley before storming off, her friends following behind her.
"That was intense." Zay murmured.
"Why did he help me?" Riley wondered.
"You're probably his next victim." Zay sighed. "He's a player, that guy. Don't trust him, Riley. You can do better."
"Victim?" Riley raised an eyebrow. "He's being awfully nice for someone he considers to be a victim." she replied.
"This has happened many times." Zay informed her, as they walked into the cafeteria. "He sets his sights on a pretty girl, he's nice to her, flirts with her a bit, makes her fall in love, then he hooks up with her and breaks her heart and goes onto the next one."
Riley's heart plummeted. "That's awful." she said quietly.
"Exactly. Keep away from him." Zay said. "It's for your own good."
Riley nodded in understanding, although something in the back of her mind was telling her that maybe, just maybe, Zay was wrong. If he wanted to play her, he'd be flirting with her, wouldn't he? But all he'd done was help her. Be kind to her. That didn't seem like something a player would do if they wanted to hook up with someone.
But maybe she didn't know any better. She and Zay got into the lunch queue, collected their lunch, and went over to sit with Lucas and Maya, who were chatting away.
"Hey Riles!" Maya said immediately, smiling at her friend. "How was the first part of the day for you?"
"It was good." Riley replied, with a smile. "How was yours?"
"Good enough." Maya shrugged. "The lessons were boring, but Huckleberry here is in all of my classes." she grinned at Lucas and Riley fought the temptation to roll her eyes.
"Huckleberry?" Zay repeated, with a laugh. "Damn."
Lucas rolled his eyes and smiled at Riley. "Does she always come up with nicknames like that?"
"Yeah." Riley laughed. "I hope she hasn't told you about my old nicknames..."
"Only the good ones were said." Maya promised.
"Farkle Minkus has his eye on her." Zay said, gesturing to Riley as he spoke to Lucas.
"Are you serious?" Lucas' eyes widened. "Well, I mean, I can sort of see why, but..."
"But what?" Riley challenged, eyebrows raising.
"You're not his type." Lucas said. "Or, at least, not his normal type. He usually goes for the sort of girls who'd give themselves entirely to someone they barely knew." he sighed.
"So the sluts, basically?" Maya asked.
"That's the one." Zay replied.
"But it's clear you're not like that." Lucas continued. "So I gotta wonder...what does he want from you?"
"The same as he wants from every other girl." Zay sighed. "Maybe he thinks it's a good idea to see if he can get into the pants of a goody-two-shoes."
"I'm not a goody-two-shoes." Riley said.
"Yes you are, honey." Maya chuckled.
Riley fell silent. Maybe she didn't want to be a goody-two-shoes. But this thought was cut off by a loud scream filling the cafeteria.
"RILEY MATTHEWS!" it was Izzie, and Riley cringed. She turned to face the dyed-blonde girl, who was marching across the cafeteria towards her. She seemed upset about something, and Riley could see Farkle slowly getting to his feet behind her. "This is all your fault!"
"What now?" Riley asked, her voice tired and sarcastic.
"Farkle broke up with me!" Izzie yelled, casually making it public to everyone. "All because of you!"
"What the hell have I done? I didn't ask your precious boyfriend to break up with you!" Riley argued, and she could feel Maya's shock. Riley never argued with people. Or, at least, she never used to. The brunette got to her feet. She was a few feet taller than Izzie, though that didn't seem to put the latter girl off.
"It must be because of you! Why else would he have helped you the other day?" Izzie said, eyes filled with rage. "What about you is so special?"
"I don't now, Isadora, what about you is so annoying?" Riley fired back, and silence fell over the hall.
"Nobody. Calls me Isadora." Izzie hissed. "You'll pay for this, Matthews!"
"Go on then!" Riley snapped. "Do something about it."
Izzie raised a hand and slapped Riley, hard. The brunette stumbled back.
"Hey!" Maya was on her feet within seconds, but Riley reacted quicker.
Her hands flew out to grab Izzie's hair, and Riley tugged, something igniting inside her that she'd never felt before. She steered Izzie towards the table and dumped her face into Riley's desert – cheesecake. She let go of her and took a few steps back – only to have both arms grabbed by Izzie's two friends, Lily and Jasmine. Suddenly, though, there were people standing around us.
"That's enough." Farkle snarled, but he was staring at Izzie. "Leave her alone. It's not her fault we broke up. It's yours."
"But Farkley..." Izzie said, her voice sad and simpering. It made Riley want to vomit, though the sight of Izzie with her face covered in cheesecake made her want to laugh.
"No. Just stop, Isadora." Farkle snapped. "You two, let go of her." he turned to Lily and Jasmine. When they didn't let go, his eyes flashed dangerously. "Now." his voice was angry, and it seemed to scare them.
Riley rubbed her arms, staring at Farkle with widened eyes. He gave her a small nod and turned to Isadora. Maya was at Riley's side in moments.
"Riley, we should go." Maya said, but Riley's gaze was trained on Farkle.
"Isadora, there's something you have to understand. We're done. And that is entirely my choice, because you don't understand personal space." his eyes were cold, as were his words, and yet something about him still intrigued Riley. "Leave Riley alone. She's nothing to do with our breakup. And if you pick on her again, I'll make sure I get involved properly. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, after what happened last time someone made me angry."
"You'd never hurt me." Izzie said weakly.
"No, I wouldn't." Farkle agreed. "Maybe I wouldn't have to."
Izzie and her friends stalked off, Izzie burying her face in her hands. Maya tugged on Riley's arm, but Riley wrenched her arm from the blonde's grasp, stepping towards Farkle with a determined look in her eyes.
"Why did you do that?" she asked.
"Because I don't think it's right for people to be bullied if they don't deserve it." Farkle said quietly.
"But you hate everyone. You don't help anybody." Riley replied.
Farkle raised an eyebrow, and his eyes found Zay. "That what he's been telling you?" Zay had the decency to lower his gaze. He looked at Riley, and took a step closer to her, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. "Don't believe everything people tell you. I don't hate everyone. Hell, I'm pretty sure this proves that I don't hate you."
Then he moved away and turned. "See you around, Riley." with that, he walked away, leaving Riley standing, stunned, staring after him with eyes as wide as saucers.
"Are you okay, Riley?" Maya asked, placing a hand on Riley's shoulder.
The brunette turned to face her friend and nodded slowly. "I'm fine." she replied.
"You did good, Riles." Maya smiled proudly.
Riley smiled back.
"Riley Matthews!"
She turned around to see the principal standing in the doorway, with Izzie by her side. The smirk on Isadora Smackle's face was not one Riley was prepared to deal with.
"My office, now." the principal said, and Riley had no choice but to follow as the teacher stormed out of the cafeteria, leaving behind only a smirking Izzie.