~Farkle~
It was obvious that Maya wasn't ill, so after school I decided to check up on her. I thought that after what happened today she'd need a friend and in order not to worry Riley, when she asked, I told her that Maya had a dentist appointment (which she was gullible enough to believe). So I figured, since she didn't have Riley, I should see if she's okay.
...
After knocking on what feels like over 1,000 doors, I grow out of breath and knock weakly on the door before me. I was overcome with relief when I saw the girl I was looking for answer the door.

"How did you find my house?" She asked wearily.

"I remember you telling me whereabouts you live a while ago, so I just knocked on every door in this area until I found you behind this one." I shrug like it was no big deal, when really I wanted to collapse right there and then. Seriously, the things I do for my friends.

"Huh. That's cute. I understand why Riley has a crush on you." She walks back in the house, leaving the door open and me dumbfounded.

"W-what?" Riley has a crush on me? Maya interrupts my astonishment when she yells at me to shut the door on my way in. As I walk through the house I'm hit by the stench of alcohol. "Hey, Maya, where is your mother?" I ask, thinking she's the one who's been drinking.

Maya responds by laughing giddily. "I ask myself that question everyday." I then ask her if she's drunk but she doesn't reply as she guides me into the living room. I find the answer to my question, however, when I walk in to see empty beer bottles scattered around the room. Without realising I'm gathering all the bottles, I neatly place them on the counter in an attempt to tidy the room.

"Have you had anything to eat or have you just been killing your liver with toxic junk?" Disappointment and anger coating my words.

"Pffft. It's not junk it's a godsend. And yessss. I've had two tubs of ice cream." She states proudly.

Okay, I've done my research, I watch TV. I know that if a girl binges on ice cream, she has a broken heart. So, despite my entire body screaming at me to lecture her on how she shouldn't be drinking alcohol, I decide it can wait. What she needs now is comforting, not someone yelling in her ear about stuff she already knows. She needs a friend, not a teacher or a parent.

"I suppose that'll do." I mumble as I pour her a glass of water whilst she slouches on the sofa.

She narrows her eyes at me when I hand her the drink. "Don't gimme that look."

"What loo-" she cuts me off and takes the drink.

"The 'Maya I'm so sorry, I had no idea your life was beyond crap." She continues with a mockingly, caring tone. "Here let me be your shoulder to cry on for a few hours before I leave you like everyone else in your life'. That look." She finishes in her normal voice.

I hold back my laughter at her sarcasm and give her a warm smile. "I'm not like everyone else in your life Maya. I won't leave you or hurt you...like Lucas has." I trail off.

"Yeah sure. That's what they all say." She scoffs.

"I'm serious." I sit next to her and rub her back. "Now drink up." She mutters an inaudible comment, probably something sarcastic like 'okay mom' but I ignore it and continue to talk. "So I'm guessing despite your constant denial, you like Lucas." I say slowly.

"Most girls at our school like him. He's rich, good-looking, athletic-" I interrupt.

"I don't care what most girls think. What do you like about him?"

She takes another sip of water and uncertainly replies, "I like his smile."

"That's a cliché answer." I say bluntly. I want to know what she thinks makes this guy so great. What makes him so great that even after he bullied her best friend and hurt her, he's still worth crying, getting drunk and eating way too much ice cream over.

"Ummm...okay." She pauses before she answers and starts smiling. "Though I pretend to hate it, I actually like that devilish smirk of his. I love the way we tease each other with our sarcastic remarks. I like the fact that, deep down -even if he acts tough in front of the school- he cares. I don't know why he wasn't today, but usually he's such a gentleman towards me and he's so loyal-"

"Whoa."

"What?" She snaps out of her daydream.

"I just didn't think you-. Wow, Maya. I had no idea."

"What?! C'mon Einstein spit it out. You didn't think I, what?" She asks, growing impatient.

"I-I thought you just had a stupid crush on him." I'm surprised by this revelation.

"Yeah, well I don't." She denies.

"I know you don't. You love him."

"What?!" She stands up clumsily, evidently still drunk. "No! I don't love that jackass! I hate Huckleberry! I'm not in love I can't be in love, love is weakness and I'm not weak. I can prove it to you, do you want me to prove it? Stand up." I instinctively obey. "If I was in love with cowboy would I be able to do this?" Before I know it, her lips crash into mine and my eyes widen in shock but I soon find myself kissing back, I couldn't push her away.

We finally pull apart. "See? We just kissed but did it mean anything? Maybe, but it won't matter because the next day you'll just flirt and stick your tongue down another girl's throat without giving me a second glance." She finishes her rant and let's out a defeated sigh.

"Is that what Lucas did?" I ask with sympathy.

"Well, we don't call you a genius for nothing."

"Maya, what you feel for Lucas is not even a fraction of the feelings he has for you. You have nothing to worry about, the guy is head over heels in love with you." Though I may have exaggerated a little, this makes her smile. "Trust me, I'm a genius." I shrug with a smirk on my face, earning a giggle from her.

"Yeah you are." She rests her hands on my chest and slides them up, loosely wrapping her arms around my neck. "You're handsome as well."

"Haha, and you're drunk." I take her hands off me and place them by her side. "You should go to bed and sleep it off," I suggest. "You're a mess."

"But I'm not tired."

"Then take a cold shower. I'll wait for you." I offer.

"I'm too tired to take a shower." She whines.

"I thought you-" I shake my head, knowing it's pointless arguing, it's a lose-lose battle. "Why don't you go to bed then?"

"I'm too tired to walk up steps."

"Fine." I give up and pick her up, carrying her bridal style up the stairs.

"Wow. When did you become so strong, ya little Hercules in disguise." She squeezes my cheek like I'm a baby which makes me chuckle.

"Boy, how I would love to record this and show it to your sober self." She unconsciously laughs along but when I place her on the bed, her laughter dies down and a visible wave of tiredness washes over her, making her eyelids heavy. I gently place the blanket over her and tuck her hair behind her ear. "Now get some sleep," I whisper.

I'm about to leave when she grabs my hand. "Mmmm no. Stay." She mumbles. "I'm tired of always being alone. Promise I won't bite." She slurs, sleepily. I reluctantly agree and take my phone out to text my Dad explaining that I'm staying over at a friend's house, working on a project. I'm about to prepare a makeshift bed on the floor when Maya protests and pulls the blanket up to let me in. I hesitate before I climb in next to her, she'll probably kill me in the morning thinking I took advantage of her.

As I start to get comfortable, she lays her head on my chest, I look down and realize she's fallen asleep. She looks so innocent and vulnerable, this must be the only time she fully lets her guard down. I absentmindedly start stroking her hair. "What are we gonna do with you huh?" I ask myself in a whisper before I begin to fall asleep too.

A/N: An entire chapter in Farkle's PoV folks. I feel like I should do one entirely on Riley's PoV too soon, we barely hear from her. And I know, I know you're probably thinking, 'what the hell, why is there a Faya/Markle kiss' but don't fret, adorable Riarkle moments are on the way 😊 (besides, a kiss between those two=drama, and everyone loves drama)