Author's Note
No words can explain my profound love for BMW and everything it stands for. I discovered that while I was writing this first part. It is my idea of the perfect life one can live; the perfect love between parents and children, older brother and younger brother, a boy and his friends, teacher and student, and of course, Cory and Topanga. I would give everything, body and soul, to be able to live something that wonderful.
Here is, from my brain, blood, soul and heart, a continuation of that wonderful saga that was Boy Meets World. Before I knew its bliss, life was not worth living, and after I finish writing this continuation, life will be over.
This thread of seven posts (one for each season at least[that is, if my local network continues broadcasting the series long enough...]) is my contribution to that wonderful world in which I can only participate indirectly, and hope... Hope that the Universe will some day bestow upon me its grace, such as it did with people like Cory and Topanga. Hope that then, life will be worth living, and that I will never forget that mysterious and wonderful phenomenon, that internal fire that brings the passion of live.
This first post is set sometime in the future. Cory and Topanga are married and have a young girl named Amanda. Tomorrow will be Amanda's first day of school and, like all children, she's worried about what it's going to be like. Cory reassures her, but then has trouble falling asleep, thinking of his own final day of junior high...
*Apologies in advance for the repetition (and maybe even inaccuracies) concerning levels of scholar education. They're not the same around here, so...
Prologue
ADVANCE on a three-story high Victorian house.
It's dark outside. We hear a modified version of the tune that plays at the beginning of every episode of Boy Meets World.
CUT to the living room. A curly-haired man is working. He's sitting on a black leather chair. We can barely see around him because of the dim light coming from an expensive-looking lamp besides him. What we do see, however, suggests the presence of children in the house: dolls, discarded clothes, image books...
We come to the realisation that the man is Cory Matthews. He hasn't changed that much, except for a moustache that makes him appear distinguished.
Letting out an audible sigh, visibly relieved that he's done with his work, he rubs his eyes with his right hand and looks at his watch. It's late. He's relieved that he can at last go to bed.
Before turning off the light, he makes sure that the front door is locked. Just as the lights go out, we hear a noise coming from the kitchen.
CORY "Topanga? What are you doing up honey?" (he whispers softly)
AMANDA "Daddy, I can't sleep."
CORY "What are you doing up honey? It's wayyy past your bedtime...
AMANDA "It's wayyy past your bedtime too. But you're still awake. So, I figured I'd come down and keep you company."
As Cory takes Amanda into his arms, we see that she bares a remarkable resemblance to Morgan, Cory's baby sister, when she was Amanda's age.
CORY "That's very nice of you Amy, but daddy's finished working and he wants to go to bed now."
He begins walking in the stairs direction.
AMANDA "Daddy. What's school like? Are the teachers really monsters that eat children when they get bad grades?"
(Cory can't help but smirk and think of Mr. Feeny)
CORY "Who ever gave you that idea honey?"
AMANDA "Uncle Eric."
CORY "Who else... (he mumbles to himself). Of course not honey. Your teachers are going to teach you all sorts of wonderful things. Like reading, and spelling. You love reading. You're going to have a wonderful time, you'll see. (he kisses her on the forehead)
AMANDA "But my friend Rita said that we're going to have lotsa work to do. And that we're not be going to be allowed to play anymore, and that we're never going to be able to see each other anymore."
Cory has put down Amanda on the couch. He sits besides her, and she curls up on his lap.
CORY "Well, your teachers are going to give you homework, that's true (we feel a touch of guilt coming from Cory) and you're going to have to make sure you do all of them. But you'll see, you'll have lots of fun in school. You're going to read books and draw and play with your friends, and make new friends too!"
AMANDA "But Rita says that..."
CORY "You know honey, change can be very scary. I don't remember that much about my first day in junior high, but I sure do remember my first day of high school... I was very afraid too."
AMANDA "Really!? But you're never afraid."
CORY "Well I was back then. I remember, Shawn and me, we were afraid that we'd never be able to see each other again."
AMANDA "Uncle Shawn was scared too!"
CORY "Especially Shawn. I was less afraid than he was."
Amanda laughs.
AMANDA "Daddy?"
CORY "Yes honey?"
AMANDA "Are you going to come with me to the classroom?"
CORY "We'll see about that tomorrow honey. Now go back to bed before your mother catches you up and we both get in trouble."
Amanda kisses her father on the cheek and walks toward the stairs. Cory gets up and closes the light. Before Amanda climbs the stairs, she says: "I love you daddy."
Cory makes sure one last time that all the doors in the house are locked and he goes upstairs. We can barely see him in the near-darkness as he changes into night-time clothes. He gently plants a kiss on his wife's forehead and lies next to her, staring straight at the ceiling. He closes his eyes and we hear him sigh loudly.
After a while, he opens his eyes, rolls around until he's facing away from his wife and closes them.
Seconds later, he rolls on the other side and tries sleeping while staring at Topanga's face, but he's obviously not sleepy anymore.
Finally, deciding that he's not going to be able to sleep anyway, he turns to his library on his side of the bed. At first, he tries to find a certain book without any light to guide himself, but he soon gives up and opens a night-table light, careful as to make sure he doesn't wake up Topanga.
He finally pulls a red-covered book from his old library. As he opens the first page, he seems nostalgic, and he sits on a corner of the bed.
He rapidly skips through the pages without actually reading or looking at any picture. It's his yearbook. He seems to be looking for something. Finally, he just holds it by the cover and shakes it until a small, shrivelled piece of worn out paper falls on the floor. He takes it in his hands and smiles, but we never get to see what it is.
Act 1
===================================
FLASHBACK to Junior High
ADVANCE on a single-story school
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Scene 1
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FEENY "Well class, as you all know, tomorrow will be our last day together." (Shawn gives Cory a high-five from behind) "And although I'm sure most of you will be crushed by our separation..."
SHAWN "Oh oh! Possible code blue alert!"
FEENY "I'd like you all to think about something tonight."
CORY "Code blue confirmed. Awaiting detonation."
FEENY "I'd like you all to write a short essay, telling us in your own words how you see your passage to high school."
CORY "Prshhhhhh! Mayday, mayday!"
SHAWN "This isn't fair Mr. Feeny. School's over, exams are done. You can't make us write an essay now!"
CORY "You're very right Mr. Hunter, I can't. This is a voluntary assignment. You won't be graded or evaluated in any way."
CORY & SHAWN "All right!" (they relax and shake their heads in appreciation)
FEENY "But bare in mind that this will be your last chance to tell your classmates how you feel about them." (as Feeny talks, the bell rings and the class dismisses itself) "And that after tomorrow, you may never get the chance to tell them how you view the time you spent together."
In a wink of an eye, everyone's out the door. Everyone but Topanga, who takes her sweet time assembling her stuff. Hesitantly, she glances at the front of the room where Mr. Feeny is erasing the blackboard, and before he can notice her presence, she leaves with a morose pace.
CUT to Cory's home.
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Scene 2
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Amy and Morgan are sitting at the kitchen table. Cory and Shawn barge in. They discard their backpacks by the doormat. Cory heads directly for the refrigerator. Shawn hops on the kitchen counter.
SHAWN "Man, only one day until the end of Junior High. I never thought this day would come. No more of Feeny'S stupid books, Feeny's dumb homework, and most of all, no more Feeny! Cory, pinch me so I know I'm not dreaming."
Cory does so and Shawn holds back an urge to scream. Morgan sneaks up behind Cory and pinches her big brother on the arm.
CORY "Ooow! Why did you do that Morgan?"
MORGAN "To make sure you're not dreaming."
CORY "Oh, I know I'm not dreaming. I never dream about you. Unless it's a nightmare. But then, I usually get rescued by Mike Hanlan and we hit a few rounds before I wake up."
Amy, who has moved to the sink, smiles and sees that someone's on the back lawn.
AMY "Cory, Topanga's in the back yard."
CORY "Oh no! She probably wants us to drink some more of her grass tea or something. (he grimaces) If we hurry, we can sneak by the front door without her seeing us. Come on Shawn.
Shawn just stares ahead, ignoring Cory.
AMY "No way Mister. You go see what your friend wants."
CORY "Ahhhhh, mom!"
Amy stares disapprovingly at Cory.
CORY "Fine. I'll go get rid of her. Are you coming Shawn."
SHAWN "Can't. Still contemplating future without Feeny." (Shawn stares into empty space and drools blissfully)
CORY "Talking about spacey... Nevermind, I'll get rid of her myself, and then we'll go shoot some hoops." (he opens the door and steps into the back yard)
AMY "Great! Maybe you can give me a hand with those dirty dishes Shawn." (she hands a towel to Shawn)
Shawn pops out of his dreamy state, hops down the counter and stares at Cory's mother with a half-smile.
SHAWN "Coming Cory!" (he goes after Cory)
Amy laughs.
CUT to Cory's back yard.
Topanga is sitting on the porch swing and is dangling her legs sadly.
CORY "What are you doing here Topanga?"
TOPANGA "I am staring at the thread that was our life together. I am saddened by the fact that it will soon be cut."
CORY "No, really, what are you doing here?"
At this precise moment, Shawn comes out the house, happy that he managed to avoid doing the dishes.
SHAWN "Hi Topanga. What's on your mind?"
TOPANGA "As I was telling Cory, I am worried that tomorrow, our auras will be forever..."
SHAWN "Great babe. Glad to be of help. Are you coming Cor?"
Shawn and Cory start walking off, but when they see that Topanga is still on the swing, they turn back. She still looks gloomy.
SHAWN "Leaving Junior High is bothering you that much Topanga? I never thought anyone could miss that place."
Shawn sits besides Topanga. Cory just stands in front of them, holding his ball under his arm pit.
TOPANGA "I am afraid that my future associations may not be as beneficial to my life cycle than my past ones have been."
SHAWN "So you're saying that we've been good things in your life?" (Shawn smiles exaggeratedly)
Topanga shyly tilts her head forward. Cory and Shawn nod at each other in a 'we're good' fashion.
CORY "Even we threw mud or rocks at you?"
TOPANGA "No, then you were bad. For my clothes at least..."
CORY "Topanga, what's there to be afraid of? It's just a dumb school."
TOPANGA "But it's not Cory. When the bell rings tomorrow, a meaningful part of our lives will have come to an end. We'll be stepping a step closer to the world of adults, and leaving good friends behind us. Jedediah says that friendship is the tissue that holds our lives together. And when that cloth is unraveled..." (she stops solemnly and swallows hard)
Shawn seems to have been touched by Topanga's speech. Cory turns slightly around and put his index finger inside his mouth, pretending to throw up.
CORY "So you're going to do Feeny's dumb homework?"
TOPANGA "Of course I am. It will be my last chance to tell everyone how much I'm going to miss them. You?"
CORY "Nah. That's girl's stuff. Anyway, it's not everyday that we get to skip Feeny's homework without risking detention, eh Shawn."
As Shawn is about to answer, Cory's mother comes out into the yard.
AMY "Topanga, your father called. He says he's waiting for you for dinner. Cory, Shawn's welcome to stay, but dinner will only be ready in thirty minutes."
Calmly but sadly, Topanga gets up and leaves the yard. Cory reaches for his basketball.
CORY "Now that the hair level's back to normal around here, what do you say we go shoot a few meatballs before dinner."
Shawn, who was still sitting on the bench, stands up.
SHAWN "You know what, you go without me. I don't feel like playing anymore."
CORY "You're bailing out on me? Come on Shawn, don't tell me you're going to get all mushy and stuff..."
SHAWN "I just have to think about some stuff. I'll see ya tomorrow okay." (he leaves)
Cory shakes his head in disbelief and goes back inside.
Act 2
ADVANCE to the Matthews' residence
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Scene 1
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It's the morning. Alan, Amy and Cory are in the kitchen. The boys are eating breakfast while Amy is shouting at Morgan and Eric from downstairs. Eric doesn't have much of an appetite.
AMY "Morgan honey, breakfast has been ready for a while now. Eric, get your butt down here."
CORY "Can you believe these guys? A report on our feelings for each other... It's not as if we're never going to see each other again." (aside to his dad)
ALAN "So, if I understand correctly..." (Alan swallows some toast) "... you're upset because your friends are doing their homework and you're not? Amy, we have to get this kid some new friends; they're a real bad influence on him."
CORY "You don't understand Dad. They're acting as if tomorrow's going to be any different than what life is like today. We've spent our entire lives together. That's... (he counts mentally) ... six years in the same class."
ALAN "Ah, but tomorrow is going to be different."
CORY "It is?"
ALAN "Of course. You're not going to be in junior high anymore."
CORY "Honestly Dad, what could possibly change during one lousy summer."
Eric climbs down the stairs, carrying Weasel... I mean Morgan... upside down.
ERIC "Lotsa things are gonna change this summer Cor."
Eric lets go of Morgan who runs back upstairs.
CORY "Oh yeah, name one."
ERIC "Girls. Girls are a lot prettier in high school. It's scientifically proven that during their last summer as juniors, girls get a lot hotter."
Amy hits Eric in the chest, disapproving of his self-approved life-lessons.
CORY "If girls can change that much, what'll happen to us cool guys?"
ERIC "Don't worry Cor, you'll still be the same."
Cory's face brightens.
CORY "Really?"
ERIC "Yeah. To me, you'll still be the same annoying speck of dust you've always been."
CORY "Great!"
ADVANCE on a single-story school
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Scene 2
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As the last students enter the classroom, the bell rings and Mr. Feeny enters in his usual punctual-to-the-death manor.
FEENY "Good-morning class. I trust you've all done your homework?"
We see that most people have, and they take out their report. Surprisingly, Shawn is one of them.
Cory turns around.
CORY "YOU did Feeny's homework?"
Cory's flabbergasted. Feeny, although surprised, seems pleased.
FEENY "Well, since it's a day of firsts, would you do the honours Mr. Hunter."
Shawn gets up slowly from his seat, much to everyone's surprise. He passes Minkus' desk, which supports several visual aids and a rotating slides' machine. Minkus seems outraged.
MINKUS "But Mr. Feeny, at the risk of exposing myself to some severe punishment, I always go first for oral exposes!"
FEENY "Oh for Pete's sake Mr. Minkus."
MINKUS "Pleaaaaase Mr. Feeny! I put together a fascinating and accurate facsimile of what direction each of our lives will take after Junior High. I even built the projector from scratch."
He turns to Topanga, and in an attempted suave elan, jumps on top of her desk.
MINKUS "Guess which of us end up together?"
At Feeny's negative gaze, Minkus jumps from Topanga's desk to Mr. Feeny's feet, with the agility that only five years of bully-evading could grant him.
FEENY "Oh alright Mr. Minkus. You go on ahead. I can't stand to see a student beg."
SHAWN "Why am I just learning this now?"
As Minkus installs his slideshow in front of the class, we see some unknown student crawling on the floor to the electric outlet on the wall. As he surfaces below desk-level, he gives thumbs up to Shawn.
Meanwhile, Minkus is desperately trying to make his machine work, checking the mechanism again and again. Shawn joins Minkus in the front.
SHAWN "Minkus Minkus Minkus... I told you a thousand times to slow down; you've used up all of your brain-cells. What are you going to do in High School without them..."
MINKUS "If you're trying to make me believe that my intelligence is dwindling... that's preposterous! I've never seen such an article in any scientific paper!"
SHAWN "Hey, I'm not making anything up. Is your machine working?"
MINKUS "It can't be a mistake. I've checked it twice before coming to class. Maybe one of the resistors blew; or it could be..."
Shawn escorts Minkus back to his desk, ignoring his mindless babbling, and takes the front. He hides his hands in his jacket pockets and begins with a melancholic air.
SHAWN "Well everyone. I guess this is it. This is what it feels like to say goodbye to people."
CORY "Come on Shawn, we're still going to be best friends. Nothing in the world is gonna keep us apart. Right?!"
SHAWN "I'm not talking about you Cory. I'm talking to... well... everyone else. I mean, since... like... forever, we've always been together right?!. For five years, we've always known what to expect. Summer. Back to school. Summer. Back to school. We've never had to ask ourselves if we were going to be in the same class, or have the same teachers. (Shawn looks at Feeny) That was just the order of things. But next year, we're not going to be in the same classes. Not all of us at the exact same time, anyway..."
Cory, although still convinced that this is useless, listens to Shawn attentively, arms crossed. Shawn, from his position at the other end of the room, looks at Cory.
SHAWN "We never talked about it, but I think we've all thought about it. How we're going to be afraid next year without friendly faces..."
He turns at some random girl's desk and looks at her. She blushes.
SHAWN "...old crushes..."
He turns to Minkus, who is completely entranced by the mystery of his non-functioning project.
SHAWN "...gullible geeks."
Everybody laughs, including Feeny. Shawn returns to the front of the room.
SHAWN "What I guess I want to say is, I guess... I'll miss you everyone."
Shawn returns to his place. Feeny begins his applause, followed by everyone else in the room. Everyone but Cory who seems troubled.
Act 3
ADVANCE to the Matthews' residence
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Scene 1
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Cory walks into his backyard. He seems preoccupied. He starts dribbling his basket-ball, but not being in the mood he soon drops on the porch swing. Seconds later, Topanga walks in the back yard.
TOPANGA "Hey."
CORY "Hey."
TOPANGA "You didn't do your oral report."
Cory shakes his head, not looking up at Topanga. From an odd angles, we see Feeny arriving and staying out of his ex-student's view on his side of the fence.
CORY "Yours was pretty good, though. Just like everyone else's. Especially Shawn's."
Topanga sits besides Cory. For a second, he fights an urge to crawl in the opposite direction, but then he reminds himself: it's just Topanga.
TOPANGA "Do you regret not doing it?"
Cory gets up and walks a few steps.
CORY "I don't know. At first, I thought it was just a dumb homework."
Feeny barges in on the two. He's carrying a huge plant in his hands in an attempt to look inconspicuous.
FEENY "Quite a novel idea; dumb homework. I'm sure the idea never before crossed your mind before this day Mr. Matthews."
TOPANGA "Cory regrets not having shared his feelings with the rest of the class."
Feeny pretends to have been unaware of that fact.
FEENY "Ah. The remorse of the martyrdom."
CORY "What am I supposed to do Mr. Feeny. This is driving me nuts."
Before Feeny can answer, Shawn bursts in from the kitchen house, a banana in his hand, his own normal energetic self again. Feeny is still carrying his big bush.
SHAWN "This is the first day of the rest of my life."
Shawn spreads his hands wide and hugs himself, then Topanga, who fights to get away from him. Shawn moves to face his friends and face away from Feeny's house (and Feeny himself, still hidden behind his bush).
SHAWN "Now that we're rid of Feeny, the world is my oyster. I can do whatever I can, whenever I can. No more dumb Mr. Feeny with his prehistoric books and lessons. 'Pipe down Mr. Hunter, you're here to learn about English literature, not gawk at Sports Illustrated' 'Studying actually involves opening a book Mr. Hunter; look it up!'
To make things worst, his impression of Feeny are very passable. Topanga and Cory gesticulate frantically in Feeny's direction.
SHAWN "Wow! You guys are nuts."
Shawn drops his banana on the grass. He bends to pick it up. As he straightens, he notices a pair of legs sticking out of a bush he hadn't noticed was there before.
SHAWN "Tell me this is just a bush with a very old-fashioned taste in pants..."
FEENY "Actually, this isn't a bush, it's a 'Florala Hurulis'.
SHAWN "A very smart bush with legs..."
Feeny drops his bush, er... Florala Hurulis... to the floor. Shawn smiles exaggeratedly and begins making up some excuse involving recent brain surgery.
CORY "Can we get back to my problem here Mr. Feeny. This is going to bother me for the rest of my life. I won't be able to sleep at night. It'll ruin my summer. I'll flunk out of high school, I'll have to support my family with my job at the Convenience Store selling counterfeit copies of famous baseball card players at their worse."
FEENY "Well, why don't you just call everybody up and tell them how you're going to miss them."
CORY "Oh yeah, and why don't I staple a sign to my back that says 'Kick me'...
SHAWN "A staple... that's a good idea... (aside) Oh Minkus!"
Shawn runs off.
TOPANGA "Don't be afraid of what people think Cory. Their opinion is not as important as your peace of mind. And besides, almost everyone did their report today. Why should you feel any shame about opening your heart to your fellow students. On any occasions."
CORY "But that was different. Everyone did it. If I do it now, I'll look like that kid in second grade who got to school in her Halloween costume like two days late."
Before Topanga can inform Cory that it was in fact her that was starring in his example, and that it wasn't a costume but a poncho, Shawn interrupts Cory's complaining by entering the back yard. He's dragging along Minkus who desperately tries to escape.
MINKUS "Leave me alone you ignoramus. I'm still trying to ascertain what went wrong with my imaging device. (he turns towards Mr. Feeny's side of the fence) Wow Mr. Feeny, that's the biggest specimen of Florala Hurulis I've ever seen."
Minkus runs to examine Feeny's bush, leaving his projector on the bench. As he turns, we see a sign that says 'Kick me' stapled to his back. Shawn admires his work and nods his head in appreciation.
SHAWN "Now I don't have to worry about kicking him too hard the sign will fall off." (aside to Cory and Topanga)
CORY "Do we have to bring the entire neighbourhood into my problems?"
MINKUS "What's his problem."
TOPANGA "He's upset he didn't say goodbye to everyone."
CORY "Ugggghhhhhhhh!"
FEENY "Mr. Matthews, why do you regret not having shared your feelings with everyone else?"
CORY "I don't know. At first, before Topanga was worrying about it, I though it was just some dumb assignment."
Feeny looks grimly at his ex-student, aware of the intensity of that statement but contents himself by grimacing discretely. Cory, obviously not realising he insulted his teacher's assignment, continues.
CORY "I don't know. I wish I had told everyone that I cared about them before we go into high school."
FEENY "Even though you're still going to see them next year?"
CORY "Especially since I'm going to see them again next year."
FEENY "Well, Cory. It seems to me that you just did..."
Feeny points in Topanga's, Shawn's and Minkus' direction. They're all silent, looking at Cory, and smiling. Cory smiles too.
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Scene 2
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CUT to generic.
It's almost dark. Minkus is still sitting on the Matthews' porch with his machine in one hand, a pile of blueprints in the other and a box full of strange tools.
MINKUS "Now that I've boosted the signal 1000%, this is going to work for sure."
He throws the switch and stares ahead. As soon as he does, a costumed clown appears out of thin air right beyond Minkus' field of vision. The clown is dancing and does not appear to be aware of any change in his environment. Seeing nothing directly in front of him, Minkus makes an adjustment to his machine. Suddenly, the clown is replaced by a baseball player who is preparing to bat.
MINKUS "Dumb machine! Why won't you work!"
In anger, Minkus hits his machine with his fist, hoping for some results. The baseball player disappears and is substituted by Bill Clinton. This goes on for several attempts. Bill disappears to be replaced by Data (a character from Star Trek), a fireman, a bush (Florola Hurulis to be exact), Austin Powers and Cartman from South Park.
CARTMAN "I'm not fat, I'm big-boned!"
Finally, the cartoon is replaced by Topanga, dressed in her jammies, bunny slippers looking fearfully around her. Before she can say anything else, Minkus gives up and throws the machine over his shoulder. She disappears and Minkus leaves the Matthews' yard.
We hear the traditional Boy Meets World ending doodle.
Epilogue
ADVANCE on a three-story high Victorian house.
It's still dark outside, but we can tell that morning's not-too-far away.
CUT to Cory and Topanga's master bedroom. Cory has fallen asleep and is holding his album with his right hand on his chest. Topanga wakes up.
TOPANGA "Cory... Don't tell me you're still working?"
Cory wakes up from his album-induced dream.
CORY "Oh, er... Nothing honey. I'm sorry, I fell asleep with the lights on again."
Cory stretches his arm, hides his album in some drawer and twists the little dwiddle-dee-doo on his night-side lamp. Topanga rolls over into Cory's arms. They fall asleep blissfully, and when morning comes, they are both late for work because they overslept...
TO BE CONTINUED... In the mean time, review why don'tcha.
Coming as soon as I can take a look at season 2... Girl Meets World
=====Tameran, Tameran@angelfire.com