Girl Meets The Real World

Girl Meets Father: Part Two

I was bewildered when Riley started babbling the moment I picked up the phone.

"So that's it?" I asked her. "Maya didn't fail?" At that moment Lucas chose to turn around, catching sight of me darting into my room with the phone.

"Yeah. He gave her a C+," Riley gushed on the other end. Lucas yanked the phone out of my hands before I had a chance to reply. "Can you go to the dance?" He asked urgently.

Then Lucas's face slowly pulled up into a smile, and he tossed the phone back to me as he started clicking his heels together down the hall.

"What's Lucas do-"
"Nothin'. Anyhoo, how's Maya doing now?" I asked. Riley went on to explain how Maya opened up about her father for the first time, talked to Mr and Mrs Matthews for a while and then left for home.

"So everything's good now, right?" I asked. I could hear the smile in Riley's voice.

"Everybody woop-de-woop!"

-
The lights were bright on the dance floor as we entered the gym. Immediately Lucas and I spotted Maya, Riley and Farkle all together by the punch table. We walked over.

"Lady," Farkle said automatically when he saw me. "Farkle," I replied.

"May I have this dance?" He asked and I nodded, letting him take my hand.

Lucas smiled at the both of us, mouthed 'Harkle' and grabbed Riley's hand to dance. The poor girl's face was as red as a beet. Before Lucas escaped, I elbowed him in the ribs so that whenever he tried to dance properly it really looked like he was do-si-do'in.

Farkle and I danced slowly in stark contrast to everyone else on the dance floor. "You're a really good dancer, Farkle," I told him.

"You're not bad yourself. Had a lot of school dances back in Texas?" He asked. I shook my head no and he smiled genuinely. "You're just a natural at this, then."

Lucas danced Riley over and Maya (who was stuffing her face with cookies)  noticed his cowboy hat. "The hat's just for me, isn't it?" She asked him as she eyed it down. "You actually put thought into our little game, don't you?"

"I actually do." Lucas smiled and tipped his hat, making Maya do her weird shuddering thing. "Ooh."

The music then slowly faded away, and Farkle stepped away from me. "Well guys, looks like the night is winding down," Mr Matthews spoke to the students. "We hope you all enjoyed the dance. But before we go, I noticed some fathers have arrived to pick up their daughters. I wonder if we might have one last dance."

The crowd of students cheered at the announcement. "A father-daughter dance."

He stepped off the stage and headed for where Riley, Maya and I were standing. Riley and her father exchanged a knowing smile, and she stepped aside. "May I please have this dance?" Mr Matthews asked Maya.

Maya stared at him as though he was crazy, but she went anyway. The soft music began to play again as more father-daughter couples headed out onto the dance floor together. Riley and I watched as Maya and Mr Matthews slowly swayed to the melody.

Then, Mr Matthews extended his hand out to Riley. She looked at me, and I gave her a look that meant 'go'. She must not be able to understand facial expressions, because she laughed and dragged me out with her anyway.

We joined hands with Maya and Mr Matthews to create a circle. "Looks like we have a new tradition," Riley said.

"That's okay," her father told her. "Traditions are supposed to evolve. Just like daughters." He put his arms around us.

"Sometimes, daughters just need-" he leaned towards Lucas, who was leaning against a table. "What was that, Mr Friar?"

"A guiding hand that has your best interests at heart."

Riley ducked out of her father's embrace. "There's still a whole lot I need you to teach me, Dad." The latter nodded at his daughter.

"Thank you, Riley." Maya decided to speak up. "There's still a whole lot you need to teach us too," she added, draping an arm around me. Riley's eyes widened.

"Hey, you do know that he's my father, right?"

"Whatever you say." I replied casually. Riley turned to her father (see I admitted it!!).

"You do know that you're my father, right?" She asked. Mr Matthews just smiled at his daughter.

"Yeah. I'm your father. Thank you, Riley." She raised her eyebrows, and I knew she had one teeny tiny little question left.

"How's that for makeup?" She asked nervously.

"Perfect," came the reply, and as the song ended all we could remember was twirling effortlessly together at our first school dance.