Dinner was an awkward affair as Mr and Mrs Matthews didn't really know what to say, Auggie seemed oblivious as he played with his pasta and Maya prodded the food with her fork, Riley was only one talking.
"So I got an A in my Science project!" she exclaimed and Maya scoffed.
"Only because you were working with the only other genius with in school" Corey hung his head and Topanga laughed as Riley began telling them how she was actually smarter than her boyfriend and how they actually had a competition on how she was smarter. What she didn't tell them was how she knew Farkle let her win and how he made her cake to prove how proud he was. She didn't tell them that they had decided to dance in the snow, she didn't really want to either. When she had finished the family settled down and Maya smiled. For the first time in two months she felt at home.

The next day Riley was alone in School. Farkle had taken ill due to spending all night outside as Zay tried to teach him how to catch a ball. Zay was late and Maya wasn't in her class. Lucas was. She was painfully aware that he kept trying to catch her attention, he was aware she was ignoring him. When the bell rang she grabbed her stuff and ran out of class, straight into Missy Bradford. The girl laughed as riley desperately tried to grab her books.
"Watch were you're going weirdo"

You're weird and you exist

Riley could feel panic rise in her chest as Missy began to yell at her but a voice made the panic triple.
"Shut up Missy"

"Whatever friar" and she walked away. Lucas pulled her up and grabbed her books.
"You ok?" she nodded and kept looking down.
"Riley?"
"Yeah?"
"You ok you look kinda pale" she nodded. Looking up their eyes clicked and she blushed. Gasping she shouted a quick thank you before running off.

She sat on top of the toilet and breathed heavily, words replayed through her head.

Worthless

Ugly

Freak

Unlovable. That last one hurt the most, she knew it was untrue but it still felt true to her. She thought back to a week after Texas, when she and Lucas were unofficial. Maya had turned up crying, of course she had let her in and Maya had blabbed. A week after Riley and Lucas had broken up Lucas had kissed Maya, that's why she felt like she loved him. She knew neither of them felt good about it but at least Maya had told her. That's why she didn't want to see Lucas, he had cheated and nobody except Maya, Riley and Lucas knew.

Riley began to hyperventilate and grabbed a squishy toy out of her bag and began squeezing it. She repeated her mantra over in her head.

You are loved, you are worth it and they are just sad so they take it out on you.

When she eventually calmed down so her breathing slowed she realised she'd missed second period and leant against the wall. The door opened,
"Riley?" despite how tense she felt she laughed.
"Really Zay, a girls bathroom, are you that desperate?" Zay laughed
"Hurting my ego is a bad move sugar, I mean you can hurt Missy's but not the messenger!" she tensed at Missy's name and looked down.
"Am I in trouble?" he raised an eyebrow and sat down on the floor.
"With school, no they know about your situation Farkle and your dad oh yes. You can't run away from your problems Riley not even you can be invisible" she looked Zay in the eyes.
"I didn't mean to run away I just ended up here and didn't realise I'd been here so long…. I just it was him and I freaked and-"
"What did he do?" Riley heaved in a deep breath. She didn't think Zay would believe her but it was worth a shot.
"He cheated on me…. With Maya a week before Texas. She told me he lied through his teeth and I still love him, don't get me wrong I love Farkle way more than Lucas but he still urg" she waited for his reply but she wasn't aware for the anger that shone in his eyes. He clenched his fists and Riley flinched but Zay just breathed in and out.
"I'm going to kill him!"
"No you are not!" he shot her a glare. She reciprocated and he eventually let his anger ebb away.
"He cheated on you, he cheated on my smiley Riley as Farkle once said this I cannot allow!" Riley laughed.
"Come on Farkle Junior, I need to get my work"

The rest of the day passed pretty mildly for Riley and she ended up at Farkle's house with a bowl of chicken soup. Mr Minkus opened the door.
"Hey Mr Minkus" the elder smiled and invited her in.
"Hey Riley, I'm glad you have come back, Farkle missed you." Riley grinned from ear to ear.
"I missed him to sir, he's amazing"
"That he is my dear, oh here we are" he said as he opened the door to Farkle's room. Farkle's room was ginormous, a king sized bed lay near the window and the wall was scattered with science projects and history portfolios. A gaming system was at the opposite end, unused and the other wall was covered with pictures of Farkle and his friends. In the middle of the chaos stood Farkle whom was coughing violently. He welcomed her in and accepted the soup, glad that Riley had shown up.
"Hey Riles"
"Hey Farkle" she sat down and fed him the soup.
"I was worried when you got ill you know, I had twenty bucks on you being a robot, guess I owe money to Smackle now" Farkle glared at her
"I'll have you know Riley Matthews that I, am a real boy" she patted his head and laughed.
"Sure you are Pinocchio." When she finished the soup she climbed into bed with him, making sure he was coated in blankets.
"So do I need to exterminate Lucas and missy?" he asked after a while but Riley didn't answer, she had fallen asleep. He kissed her forehead and joined her in her dreamy sleep.