Maya took one last look at the world she was leaving behind. She stood beside the door to a car which contained every single thing she owned and looked around at all the people who loved her and that she had come to love in return. Her eyes first fell on Riley, the girls had said goodbye just minutes ago in the bay window which would always be their haven. Maya's tears were still wet on her cheeks but Riley still cried though, as always, she tried to smile through her heartbreak. Anything to make sure Maya got everything she wanted. Maya was sad that she and Riley would soon be miles apart but she knew this wasn't really goodbye, her friend would always remain a part of her life and even though she wouldn't be there to watch, Maya was excited to hear about the wonderful things Riley would do next. Standing beside Riley was Farkle, he held the girl close, comforting her as he always had and always would. It was his promise to take care of Riley which had given Maya the strength to move away and follow her dreams, if he hadn't made that promise, Maya would have stayed, forever, at her best friends side. Riley needed a shield, that had once been Maya but they were adults now and it was time for Farkle to take over. Maya trusted him.
Next her eyes turned to Shawn, he had offered to drive to the airport but Maya had known dragging out his goodbye would only hurt them both more. She felt fresh tears on her cheeks as the man who had taught her to believe in happy endings hugged her goodbye. "I'll see you soon firecracker," he whispered into her hair, "Be bold." Maya released him and remembered the broken little girl she had been before Shawn had come into her life and loved her in a way even her Father never had. Before him she had known happy endings only in fairy tales and Riley's world, never daring to hope one might exist for her. Shawn had changed that.
"Goodbye Maya!" Topanga ripped Maya's attention from Shawn as she shouted from the upstairs window.
Cory appeared behind her, holding their new baby in his arms. "You do good!" he yelled down, "Before you do well Maya, make sure you do good!"
Maya smiled up at her surrogate parents, "I will Mr. Matthews, I promise." She waved wildly to the people who had always influenced her to be a better person, inspired her to have hope and loved her like a daughter and whispered 'thank you.'
Maya opened the car door and was about to get in when someone screamed her name.
"MAYA! MAYA WAIT!" Lucas ran towards her and she held out her arms to hug him. "I wanted to just let you go," he was out of breath, "but I had to say goodbye. I'm sorry."
Maya laughed, "I'm glad you came, Ranger Rick. I wanted to say goodbye too."
Lucas bent down and kissed her forehead before holding the door while she got in the car, "You can still change your mind." He smiled but Maya knew he didn't mean it. They loved eachother in away neither of them could understand, together they were toxic, as friends they were miserable and so they woild have to be apart.
"You'll always be a huckleberry," Maya spoke quietly, "Please always be a huckleberry." Then she pulled shut the door and told the driver to drive.
"You're doing the right thing, Maya." Josh slides his hand into hers and she turns to look at him. He's every bit as beautiful as he was when she first fell in love with him at thirteen years old. Now she had played the long game and she had won, she wore his ring on her finger and they were moving away to a brand new place just the two of them, to start a life and yet she didn't feel victorious. Maya felt like a loser, because she was starting to doubt that she had been playing the right game.