Disclaimer: so obviously I don't own these characters.

AN: Ok, I know I said I'd try to get this done quick and now it's been MONTHS… Would you believe me if I said anxiety was a b*tch? Thank you for your patience original subscribers.

He was nervous. Why was he nervous? It was just Riley and they'd been on a date before. True, they'd been something like 13 at the time, but it had been a date. He pulled his art of Japan book out of his bag and began flipping through the pages to pass the time. As he thumbed through the book, not really concentrating on what he was seeing, the train carried him closer and closer to his destination. Princeton required arts and humanities courses, but not too many students pursued them past their freshman year. It was an Ivy League school, and art didn't have a long tradition of being a field of study for geniuses. Nevertheless, Farkle had found a real passion in the art classes he now made a point to take once a semester. At the end of this year he would have to present a thesis and he was trying to find a new and better way to preserve works. A more cost-effective way so that more and more pieces could be saved and analyzed. An automated voice came over the speakers telling Farkle that it was time for him to get off the train and face one Miss Riley Matthews.

"I can't believe you're finally going on a date with Farkle! I mean, I can believe it, but I did doubt him for a little bit there." Topanga was leaning against the door frame of her little girl's room as she turned in front of her mirror, examining the dress she had picked out.

"Mom!" Riley's voice sounded exasperated, but she couldn't keep a smile off her face. It was 3:40 and Farkle would be there soon.

"So you're finally dating Minkus, huh? My money was on him for the long game." Auggie pushed past his mother to launch himself onto Riley's bed. He was almost done with high school and was planning on following his big sister to NYU, but he was an undecided major. Every adult he'd met in the past year had asked him what he was planning on doing with his life. In his mind he always answered, 'Following Ava Morgernstern around like a lost little puppy.' She was attending NYU as well and had decided on journalism. She wanted to travel the world and tell the stories of the people around her. Riley flicked at his ankle as she adjusted her hair just a little bit more.

"I thought you liked that James guy I dated a little while ago. You said he reminded you of Lucas." Riley had always been on the lookout for love, and had dated quite a number of NYU students since her break-up with Lucas. None of them had seemed to last more than three dates though.

"He did remind me of Lucas. He even had a Southern accent, but I never thought that you and Lucas were end game. You and Farkle. All the way." Even though it had happened a couple years ago, Riley was still getting used to Auggie's new and deeper voice.

"Really? I thought her and Lucas were pretty good together."

"Dad! Ok, everybody out! Out, out, out! Farkle's going to be here soon and I need to not be screaming at you when he gets here." Respectfully, the Matthews left Riley's room, Auggie shouting something over his shoulder about going to hang out with Ava.

Riley took a deep breath as she studied herself in her mirror. Farkle was one of her best friends. He'd always been there for her. This was going to be OK. There was no need to be nervous; he might not even find out. Oh, who was she kidding? Farkle knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. It was only a matter of time before he found out, and all she could hope for was a good reaction.

"Wow," a voice coming from her window broke into her thoughts, and as she whirled around she saw Farkle climbing in. His eyes kept roaming over her body as the smile on his face grew and grew.

"You look amazing, Riles." He stepped forward, extending his arms towards her and she immediately stepped into the embrace. Holding her like this felt way more natural than holding any other girl had felt. She exhaled as her cheek rested against his shoulder. All her nervous energy seemed to drain out of her as she felt his arms, solid and unmoving, surround her.

"What are you doing here? I kind of thought that you'd use the front door for this." She pulled back from him, laughing.

"Well, I'm going to. I just wanted to come see you before your whole family saw me seeing you. I haven't seen you in so long, and I just wanted a moment before we went on our… date." He was blushing now and Riley couldn't help but smile back, "so are you good? Ready?"

Riley could only nod and smile back at the boy with the sparkling grey eyes. He nodded back and turned around to leave via the window before he did something stupid. He still wasn't entirely sure why he had come in through the window instead of just showing up at the front door like a normal person. He'd been halfway up the fire escape before he realized what he was doing, and at that point he had decided to just go through with it. If he had been nervous before, he wasn't now. Seeing and holding her had calmed him just enough to turn his nerves into excitement. He was going on a date with Riley Matthews. This was actually happening.

Riley turned back to face her reflection and held her hands up to her flushed cheeks. He had surprised her. She should just tell him. He would be able to tell that she was keeping something from him and this wasn't a big deal. It was just depression with a touch of anxiety. Her therapist kept telling her that it was nothing to be ashamed of, that she had come a long way, and there was no reason to believe that she wouldn't be able to lead a relatively "normal" life. They'd talked a great deal about the word normal as well. Ms. Nelson was even recommending that Riley come off her meds soon. She should just tell him before it became a whole big thing. But what if it never came up? What if they were having a perfectly nice evening and then she just brought the mood down by talking about her depression? It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't even major depression or whatever. She was almost done with it. Ms. Nelson said her kind only lasted a couple years, and it had been at least that long that she'd been feeling like this.

"Riles!" Her mother's voice cut through her anxious, internal ramblings, "There's someone here for you!" She could already hear the smile in her mother's voice. It was a date, and it was supposed to be fun. Riley put her smile back on and headed out the door.

Alright, I think one or two more chapters and this will be finished! Hope you're all having a good summer break.