Nebbie exists in this story, Brother Chuck Syndrome be damned.

Looking back, the party hadn't even been that great. Good food, nice music, cool people to hang out with, but it wasn't worth the headache of some girl trying to plan their whole future before they were even old enough to drive. Even if she was pretty.

And yet, here he was, still wearing the socks she gave him and thinking about her and missing her scalloped potatoes and waffles.

Wendy had been the first girl other than Topanga he'd ever found the nerve to say hi to when everyone was pairing up. She was his first actual date. She'd been so sweet at first...and she still was, underneath all the psycho.

"Was I stupid to tell the truth? Now I don't have a girlfriend anymore," he muttered.

"Cory?"

"Oh, Topanga. What're you doing here?"

"I stopped by to return the pen you loaned me in science," she said. "I forgot I still had it until I opened my pencil case." She sat down on the step next to him. "Are you okay, Cory? You've been out of it all day."

"Eh, it's nothin'. Just your typical guy getting over some cute girl who dumped him, no big deal."

"Oh, right..." She patted his shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear about Wendy. You two were a cute couple."

"Yeah." He sighed. "I was a couple. It was so nice the first few days, you know? Guy like me with a pretty girlfriend who liked him? But then she started getting crazy."

"Define crazy," Topanga said, giving him a Look. "Crazy like asking you to wash your face and pick her up on time, or-"

"Planning how many kids we were gonna have," Cory said. Topanga gave a low whistle.

"I'd definitely call that crazy," she laughed. "But you still miss her, don't you? I see you're still wearing her socks."

"I didn't even wanna keep going out with her. But every time I look at those socks or Mom says she's making waffles I start missin' her and I don't know why!" He sighed. "Boy, now I know how Eric feels every time some girl breaks up with him. No wonder he's always whining in his pillow."

"Breakups are never easy," Topanga said. "I've never experienced one myself, but my sister's had her heart broken at least twice. And even when she ends a relationship it still hurts her."

"Yeah, but why? Okay, so Wendy did the breaking up but I was the one who wanted to end it! Isn't it supposed to be easier for the person doing the breaking?"

"Cory, Wendy was your first girlfriend. Even if she wasn't what you were looking for you were still connected to her emotionally, and no matter what scale such a connection is on it's still going to be sad when the connection is broken." Topanga took his hand and squeezed it gently. "You're upset because you're a good person and you have a heart."

"Well, hearts suck," Cory muttered. "I mean, I'm not sad like Eric always is but it's still hard seeing her in the halls and in class and stuff." He laughed bitterly. "Isn't there some kinda manual for this stuff?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Cory? You just expressed longing for a book."

"...I did, didn't I?" He moaned. "Wow, I must really be pathetic."

"You are not." She hugged him. "I think you need a distraction. Wanna go to the arcade? I'm sure you'll feel better after you beat me at a couple rounds of Street Fighter." Cory had to smile at that. Topanga wasn't like most people who sucked at video games, she was almost proud to admit it. Still, it was kinda cute to see her try.

"Sure, why not? I've got a bunch of quarters I'm not gonna spend on anyone anytime soon." He shook the old, dirty sock he kept his change in. "Um, you've got money too, right? Cause-"

"Don't worry, I have dollar bills I can cash in." She stood up, pulling him with her, and took his hand again. "Let's go."

That night, Cory gave Wendy's socks to Morgan. Between that and an afternoon of video games with Topanga, he only missed Wendy a little less.

But it was a start.