Four years have passed since their high school graduation. Three since the accident. Two since they all stopped trying to be friends. Now, they are all back in the same town for a congratulatory party for a once beloved teacher. After being forced in the same room together for a whole evening, will these strangers become friends again?
Maya had to cut the buttonhole before the button would finally go through. The dress she had picked out for the occasion was old and a bit too small and even though Shawn had offered to buy her a new one, she had refused. The dress might be old, but it had helped her through some of the most crucial days of her life. It was dark navy and fitted down to her mid-thigh. As she looked in the mirror to make sure the fit was right, she glanced to the small picture in the corner. She was wearing this same dress except paired with the black graduation gown. Riley was there in the picture too, of course, and she stood out more because of her layers of medals and cords.
Maya looked away and grabbed for her heels and clutch. She double checked to see if her apartment key was in there before hurrying out the door. The party started in half an hour and she still had to get downtown. She waved down a taxi which took even longer than she was accustomed to. While she waited, she slipped on her shoes, checked her makeup in her hand-held mirror and then scrolled through Instagram, searching for any signs if anyone else has arrived at the party yet. She hadn't wanted to be earlier for this exact reason. Seeing people you haven't spoken to in two years that you used to be best friends with wasn't something Maya Hunter really wanted to do. She would've preferred that her past remained in the past.
But it was a party to honor Cory Matthews promotion and she couldn't miss that. He had been like the father she never had, even now he acted like that. She would go. She would eat. Cory would give her a couple of twenties to get her through to the next week while she used her own money for art supplies. She would eat again. She would go home. She wouldn't have to speak to any of them if they didn't speak to her first.
The taxi finally pulled up in front of her and she quickly jumped inside, "the convention center downtown," she told the driver.
"No problem. I just came back from dropping off a man there, so I know traffic isn't bad."
"Thank you," Maya said, ignoring the rising clump in her throat. She probably knew that man.
The driver glanced at her in his rearview mirror. "Aren't you M.H? The girl who painted the mural in the park?"
She shot up from her seat. "Yes…" She had painted that her freshamn year of highschool. How could anyone remember that?
He shook his head frantically. "No, no I'm not trying to be weird. I just remember seeing you on the news talking about it. I thought to myself, "This girl's going to be famous one day soon" and then I told my wife the same thing. I've seen a few of your pictures hanging in the indie museum on 5th. My daughter loves them!"
Maya smiled and thanked the driver, but truthfully, not everyone thought her paintings were that great, revolutionary, inspirational. Most of the ones she did sale would end up in the bedrooms of fancy hotels where people would joke about stealing it, but never actually do or in the bathrooms of restaurants where people only look at them until they wipe and leave. She had hope though that one day she would make it big.
The rest of the cab ride was filled with questions for Maya about her different paintings and her inspirations behind them all. Why were they all mostly purple and blue? Why did the word "hope" appear someone in them? Maya tried to answer the best she could, but she really didn't know the answers herself. She did this because they belonged. She used purples and blues because every other color she tried never would look quite right. She used "hope" because it was the only word that meant anything to her anymore.
He stopped talking just as they pulled in front of the convention center. To her relief, there seemed to be several parties going on that night, including a high school dance, so her footsteps sneaking out wouldn't make that much noise. Maya paid the cab driver, thanked him again for liking her paintings, and then walked to one of the pairs of glass double doors. They automatically slide open for her and with a deep breath, she stepped through.
He was the first thing she saw. Just as ridiculously tall, still wearing those stupid cowboy boots, and just as handsome as he was the day he moved. She turned left before he had noticed her entering. She pushed through a line of girls in prom dresses, not caring that she had interrupted their picture, and went to the bathroom. There was a few more girls in there, but they quickly left in order to get back out onto the dance floor. She placed both hands on the counter to steady herself. Seeing him was a lot harder than she thought it would be and he was just Lucas. What would happen when she saw the others?
What about Farkle?
He still thought that accident was her fault and he would blame her forever. That was what they all had wanted, to put the blame on someone else. Farkle blamed Maya. Lucas blamed Isadora. Isadora blamed Zay. Maya blamed Farkle. Zay blamed Riley. Riley… she could never blame anyone. That was why they all had to stop trying to be friends afterwards. In the end, they couldn't forget… so, how will she get through this night?
She looked at the clock again and new she would have to suck it up and get to the party. If she missed the toast, she'd be assassinated by the whole Matthews family. Besides, hiding the bathroom like a coward was also not the Maya Hunter way. So, she straightened her shoulders and walked out of the bathroom and down the hall. Lucas had gone inside and the only other person out in the hall was Auggie.
"Hey, Maya," he said. "Dad told me to wait out here for you."
Maya smiled, "of course he did."
"Ready to go in?"
"Yeah."
She took his arm that he offered her and let him open the door. The inside of the small ballroom had tall ceilings and white pillars lined the walls. Topanga had outdone herself with the decorations. They had entered just in time to here the first of many speeches for that night. Mr. Feeny took the microphone and cleared his voice while Auggie showed Maya to her seat next to himself and across from Topanga and Cory. She played with the ring on her finger to distract her.
"I've known Cory Matthews for a very very long time…"
Maya glanced around the room and it wasn't long before her eyes landed on Lucas again. He was sitting next to Zay, whispering something in the other boy's ear. She then looked around the other side of the room. Isadora sat in the corner, a young man she didn't know had his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulders. Maya had to smile a little at that. Farkle was nowhere to be seen. Good, she thought, ignoring the part of her that felt a little sad at his absence.
The speeches went on and on and on. Eric spoke, Shawn spoke, Mr. Turner spoke, His parents spoke and it seemed like the night would be nothing but until after Topanga spoke, leaving the crowd in tears, and saying that dinner will begin to be served. They had grilled chicken with shrimp and rolls.
"Why were you late?" Topanga asked when she finally managed to come sit down again. "I almost send Auggie to your apartment."
Maya shrugged, "I overslept."
Topanga knew that was a lie, obviously, and Maya could tell she was about to get scolded for it, but then the doors opened again, all eyes turned towards it, and Farkle Minkus walked in… alone.