/Hey Guys! I came up with the idea of this story and would appreciate any reviews or ideas! Be nice and truthful :) I hope you enjoy this/

There's a lot that has happened these past few years. We made it to high school and slowly our group broke apart.

Lucas left us first, along with Riley's heart. It was rough, especially the aftermath. I held her on the long nights we spent together, post breakup. Apparently Missy Bradford was his "kind of girl." I never saw it coming. That Monday, he was sporting a nice shiner from yours truly. He found other friends and joined the baseball team. That was freshman year.

We still had our original group from before Sundance came here. It just wasn't the same. Riley was hurting and I couldn't do anything. It pained me to see my Riles without her perkiness and sunshine. She kept me anchored, not the other way around.

Farkle realized his "undying love" was not actually for Riley and I, rather for Isadora. Did we not call that? When he's not attached to her, he's at his meetings for chess and some science thing. So, we only see him at lunch. I guess you could say it's just me and Riley, like it's always been.

Not everything has changed. I still ride the subway with Riley every morning to school and eat breakfast with the Matthews. I still sleep over at Riley's when I'm home alone. My mom still works at the diner and believes that the next role will be the next big break for her acting career. The only things that changed is she works longer and has a second job at a cleaning service for some corporate firm. I rarely see her now, which I'm okay with. Shawn and her broke up, it wasn't meant to be I guess. He still hangs out with me and makes sure I stay out of trouble, mostly out of guilt I presume. My grandma passed away the summer between my sophomore and junior year, it was tough on us and could barely scrape together enough money for a proper burial and memorial service but we managed it. We almost got evicted and had to live without heating and little food but it was worth it.

It's definitely hard to imagine it is the end of our senior year. Riley and I are still best friends, which I am grateful for since last year she basically kept me from starving. I got sick with pneumonia that winter and if Riley hadn't check on me, who knows what would have happened. I don't remember a lot but I was so tired and slept a lot. I stayed at the Matthews until I got better, it seemed like a while, my sense of time wasn't very good in my state. Mrs. Matthews became the mother I always wanted and needed and stayed with me while everyone else was at school. The one thing I remember vividly was waking up and she was there beside me and she stroked my hair and made me eat her special chicken broth, despite my lack of appetite.

"Maya, sweetie, you have to eat this," Topanga softly consoled, "I know you aren't hungry but we want you to get better."

I nodded sluggishly and she gently placed her hand behind my head and ladled the warm broth in my mouth. I swallowed it painfully, the hot broth scorching my dry and sore throat.

"That's it," Topanga whispered sweetly, "now just a few more and you can go back to resting."

I remember my eyelids drooping and Mrs. Matthews kissing my sweaty head and saying, "We love you, Maya."

Obviously, I got better. Riley spent a good deal of time taking caring of me as well. I was, am, extremely grateful for them. I felt loved and cared for, something my own mom couldn't provide.

It was a little bit after this that I realized I didn't just love Riley. I love her.

I couldn't tell her and I still haven't. I had been there for her when Lucas broke her heart and every other boy that slowly broke a part of her. I wanted to be the person she fell in love with. Not some boy she thought was "kind, caring, and such a gentleman", all of whom show their true colours sooner or later. And I'm left with the broken pieces. It hurts me to watch her go through it over and over again. If only she knew how much I cared and wanted her. Would she feel the same way? Would she look at me differently for being bisexual? I avoided the truth of who I am for the longest time and I lost my virginity thinking I could "fix myself." Only, there wasn't anything wrong with me, just a preference for girls or at least Riley.

Back to senior year, graduation is only a few weeks away and Riley has been jumping for joy with happiness.

"It's gonna be you and me against the real world, Maya," Riley squeals throwing her arms around me.

"You know it, kid," I chuckle a response, sinking into her embrace enjoying the closeness between us.

That's how it was, at least until I told her I wouldn't be able to afford going to NYU with her in the fall. She was devastated of course. I looked at my options carefully and figured what would be a good one for me and I took it. I hadn't told her yet or anyone for that matter. It's my little secret that I feel would rip her heart apart but it's sometching I need to do.

That's how I ended up here, knocking on the Matthew's door, rather than crawling through Riley's window.

Mr. Matthews opened the door, "Maya, come to join us for dinner?"

I stick my shaking hands in my pockets as an attempt to calm my nerves.

"I actually came here to share some news with you guys," I speak up, silently praying my voice remains steady.

"Why, of course," Mr. Matthews exclaims, "come on in. You know you can come to us for anything."

"Yes sir," I reply, walking over to the couch and sitting down.

Mrs. Matthews comes over along with Auggie, who's now gotten a lot bigger.

"Riley! Come out here please," Topanga calls out.

Riley skips into the room shortly after, "what's up! Hey Maya, I was wondering when you'd get here."

"Maya has something she wanted to share with us," Cory announced, looking over to Maya.

"Right," I state nervously.

I clear my throat. Calm down, you got this. I take a deep breathe.

"So, you guys know I won't be attending college next year," I begin and the Matthews are hanging onto every word, "I know that I can't afford it and I made a decision and I want to know that you guys will support me."

Mrs. Matthews wraps her arms around me, "Maya, you know we will always be there for you, no matter what."

"Yeah, you're like a big sis to me," Auggie exclaims, "I'll still be your friend."

I laugh a bit, "Thanks kiddo."

"So what if you can't go to NYU," Riley pipes up, "You always have a place here in our family."

"Thanks guys, I mean it," I reply. It's now or never. Grow a pair and just say it, quit dawdling.

"I made a decision, it was a tough one," I spit out, "I enlisted in the Marines."