I'm crying. I'm not supposed to cry. I'm strong. I'm independent. I'm not weak. Because if your weak, people walk all over you, and I'm nobody's doormat. But I can't fight the tears that spill down my face as I stare at the invitation in my hand.

You are formally invited to the wedding ceremony betrothing

Joshua Mathews and Eleanor Smithwell

On February 14th, 2021 at the Rosewood plaza

Hope to see you there!

I furiously wiped her tears away and threw the invitation into the waste bin and curled up against her door. I couldn't believe that Josh was already getting married. After years of pining after him, to no avail, he completely moves on with someone. Last Christmas when he showed up with Eleanor, I didn't even speak to him and locked myself in Riley's old room and cried the entire night. Riley was worried but she knew better than to disturb me.

I really thought it could've worked out with Josh. My crush on Lucas was short lived,?because we honestly had no chemistry and he still liked Riley. And Riley stepped back for me, so I stepped back for her and now I realized that it wasn't Riley who loved him like a brother, it was me.

So we're all in college now, Zay moved back to Texas to be with Vanessa and everybody missed him a lot. He visits sometimes but it's still not the same. Riley, Lucas, and I study at NYU, and Farkle already graduated form Harvard and is CEO of his father's company, Minkus International. Not bad for a 20 year old. He's still with Smackle and Riley and Lucas are going strong. The odd one out is me. With no boyfriend to distract me, I might finish my college courses this year and graduate early. I haven't told Riley because she might just freak out, because I also haven't told her that I'm moving to LA as soon as I graduate.

I really don't want to just leave everything behind, but I really need a fresh start. My mom and Shawn are happily married and have been for 4 years. They're in England now, where my mom finally got a big break and is filming a movie and Shawn has work for his magazine. So I really am alone for now. They'll be back in the spring in time to see me graduate, but then I'll be gone, like the wind.

I pick up the crumpled invitation and take a magnet to stick it up on my fridge. The wedding is a week away and I need that entire time to prepare myself for the emotional torture I'm about to endure.

The big day has arrived and I'm extremely anxious to just get it over with. I haven't seen my friends in months, ever since Riley moved out of our-my apartment to move in with Lucas. We haven't spoken since, due to an enormous argument we had. Things were said, things were thrown, Lucas and Farkle took her side, like always, and I was left completely alone with a broken wrist, surrounded by broken plates and a broken heart.

I decided to dress up for the occasion. Originally I had planned to not go , but then go in sweats, but eventually realized that I had to show Josh exactly what he was missing. I put on the only nice dress I had in my closet, a simple black dress I wore to Gammy Hart's funeral. It seemed fitting. I got my bag and went on my way to the worst wedding ever.

When I got to the church, I couldn't believe how nice it actually was. The actual wedding was boring. And no I didn't object or burst into flames like I thought I would. Josh didn't run up to me, apologize profusely and we didn't ride away into the sun together because that stuff is for the movies. I walked out of the church and drove to the reception hall to eat and be merry, even if it was all a lie. The venue was gorgeous and looked to be very expensive. The centerpiece were real roses, there was fine china at every table and waiters walking around with bottles of champagne. I found my way to my table and sat down, noting that Farkle was to my left and Riley to my right. Obviously Josh didn't know about our current status. Riley looked at me an immediately snubbed me, returning to her conversation with Lucas. Lucas gave me an apologetic smile and I knew he was only snubbing me as well for Riley's benefit. I noticed Farkle was alone and also ignoring me. Auggie and his parents were at different table with Joshua's parents, so I couldn't even talk to them. I turned to Farkle who I noticed was picking at his food like me. I went back to staring at my plate when my thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

"So how have you been, Maya?" Farkle asked.

I furrowed my brows and stared at him, confused and upset as to why he's just now staring to talk to me after eating in silence for 40 minutes.

"Oh," I stated sarcastically. "Now you decide to talk to me?"

"Look, no need to be hostile," Farkle said, trying to remain calm.

"Well," I say, venom dripping from my voice. "I'm about as good as someone can be considering their best friends completely abandoned her without any explanation, sitting at the wedding of the guys she's been in love with forever,all alone. Not to mention my parents are in another country. So sorry Farkle if I seem a little hostile!" I stood up and tried to make it to the restroom without crying, but to no avail. Finding myself completely lost, I just headed to the exit, deciding to just leave and rid myself from this torture.

I heard frantic footsteps behind me, but I not quickened my pace and dug into my purse for my keys. I unlocked my car and just as I was about to open the door and drive away, a freshly manicured hand pulled around.

"Maya, where are you going?" Riley said, with what seemed to be worry.

"I'm leaving." I said, annoyed. "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Why?"

"To get as far away from you as possible."

Riley looked hurt. "Really? Is that what you want?" She looked on the verge of tears and for the first time in a long time, she reminded me of the sweet goofball I called my best friend.

"No," I answered in a shaky breath. "But it's for the best."

"How can you say that? How can you just abandon your friends like that? Do we not mean anything to you?"

"You already did it to me!" I screamed in her face. Her face softened but the turned into an icy glare. I've never seen her with such an evil look and it scared me.

"You think I'm the problem?"She let out a sarcastic laugh, and I could feel my world shattering. This was not the Riley Mathews I knew. "Maya, you were the one who would answer our calls, who kicked us out of her life. You even missed my birthday." She said the last part softly, almost as if she were telling a secret.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "If that's how it is to you, then that explains why I've been icing you out!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you abandoned me, Riley!" I aid, now crying again. "You chose Lucas over me and just moved out without a warning!"

"Maya, we're growing up, I moved in with my boyfriend. It's called life."

"Maybe it is. But what do you call it when your supposed best friend packs he'd stuff, moves in with her boyfriend without so much as a goodbye? Oh yeah, I know! It's called your best friend chose her boyfriend over you!"

"Is that was this is about Maya? Our fight about me moving out? Because I thought we were over that. I thought we moved on."

I scoffed. "Really? If that were the case, why haven't you called me in three months?"

"I've been busy.."

"Too busy to call your best friend and tell her hi?"

Riley looked at the ground and was crying her eyes out. "Oh.

"Yeah," I sighed. "Oh."

She looked up. "Maya, I'm so sorry. I had no idea what you've been going through these past few months. I thought you were the one at fault but I guess I was wrong. Hug it out?"

I gave her a weak smile and gave my best friend a hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, peaches." We separated and she smiled. "Now let's go and freshen up in the bathroom. You look like a mess."

I laughed. It's been a while since I did that, but it felt good. "You don't look so hot yourself Riles." With that we walked hand in hand to the bathroom.

"So how are you handling this?" Riley's asked out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?" I ask, very well knowing what she's talking about.

"This,"she signaled with her hands. "Uncle Josh married to someone who isn't you."

"Um, I don't know. Honestly I'm not as upset as I thought I was going to be."

"Why didn't you object?"

"And make a fool of myself? If I did that Josh would still marry Eleanor. And I would look stupid and desperate. No thank you."

"But I thought you loved him?"

"I do, which is why I want him to be happy. And if being with Eleanor makes him happy, then I'm happy for him."

We finally made it back to the ballroom. Lucas came up to us almost immediately, looking extremely upset.

"There you guys are! I was starting to worry. What happened to you guys?" He asked.

I held up Riley's hand. "We had a heart to Hart."

Lucas smiled. "So you guys are friends again?"

We both smiled and smiled and looked relieved. He came up to me and hugged me.

"I kinda missed missed my short stack of pancakes," Lucas said chuckling. Riley's eyes were bugging out of her head, knowing that I hated that nickname,but I laughed reassuring her it was okay. I've allowed Lucas to give me a nickname in attempt to re-establish our new relationship.

We walked back to our table and I noticed that Farkel wasn't there. I was about to ask, when Riley beat me to the question.

"Hey, where's Farkle?" Riley asked.

"He went looking for you guys," Lucas answered. "I should probably go get him." I stopped him.

"No, I got it," I said."You two go dance. I'll be right back." Riley smiled at me and Lucas lead her to the dance floor.

I looked all over the venue, with no luck. But then I heard screaming outside. It was getting dark and everyone was inside. Well, almost everyone.

"What do you mean you're not coming?" Farkle yelled into his phone. He no doubtingly was talking to Smackle. I saw him right outside the exit and walked outside without him noticing.

"Yeah she's here, why does that matter?" He continued. I wonder who he's talking about. "You can't be serious? That was so long ago! Why are you jealous of her? I'm with you!"

He stopped talking and I assumed Smackle was giving him an earful. "What?" He suddenly asked. "Wh-what do you mean? Are you breaking up with me? Smackle-"

She hung up on him and he closed his phone. He looked at the ground and I could see he as crying. I slowly slid next to him on the rail and we sat in silence. He eventually realized he wasn't alone and he lifted his head.

"Hey," I said shyly.

"Maya!" He said, shocked. "How long have you been here? How much did you hear?"

I sighed. "Enough to know that Smackle broke up with you."

"Oh"

Then I did something neither one of us expected. I hugged him. And he buried his face in my chest and sobbed. I've never seen Farkle cry before. It wasn't that he was strong per say, but it's just he hardly ever felt such strong emotion. And here I was, holding him as she broke down after having his heart broken. It kind of broke my heart to see him like this, but there was nothing I could do.

He lifted his head. He sighed and tried to stop crying. " If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" He asked.

"Um, Lucas sent me to look for you. Me and Riley made up and they're inside dancing." I said.

"I see."

"So um, we should get back. They'll start worrying about us." I held my handout and he took and got up. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he said unconvincingly. We went back indie to see Ranger Rick, and Riley slow dancing. I wish that I had someone that loves me, like Lucas loves Riley. I go back and sit down and I notice that Farkle doesn't do the same. He comes up to me and holds out his hand.

"Care to dance?" Under any other circumstance I would of declined, but because he was upset about his breakup, I decided to accept.

"I'd love to," I said. He had a genuine smile, and I was smiling as well.

The band was just changing to a beautiful slow song with no words so it was just a beautiful ballad. I look over and see Joshua and Eleanor slow dancing with visibly not room between them, and I already knew what they'd be doing later. My smile faded and Farkle noticed.

"You okay Maya?" He asked, concerned.

"Hmm," I said, snapped out of my thoughts. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I know this must be hard on you."

"Well at least now I know."

"Know what?"

"You know that saying 'if you love something, set it free. I'd it comes back, it's meant to be'?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I let Josh go, and he didn't come back. They never do." I looked down trying hard not to cry again. Farkle wiped away a tear and I settled my head into his chest and we just kept dancing.

"You want to know why Smackle broke up with me?"

"Yeah, I thought she was like in love with you?"

"She was. And I was too. But I could never love her like I love someone else and she couldn't live with that. So we broke up." Farkle said, avoiding my gaze.

"I overheard you arguing about a her. Who is she?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Is it anyone I know?"

"Maybe."

"Farkle, come on-" I was cut off by a pair of lips on my own. Farkle kissed me. Like a full on kiss on my lips. My first kiss. Yeah, I was a 20 year old who just had her first kiss with the last person I'd ever expect. After a few seconds, we pulled away.

"Wow" was all he could say.

"Yeah, wow."

"Maya, I-"

"I love you too, Farkle."

"Really?"

"Really."

He smiled at me. And at that moment it didn't matter that the boy of my childhood dreams was married to someone else. It didn't matter that he never came back or that I was broken. Because I had someone better than a dream because he was real and always returned for me. And he didn't care that I was broken, he had always been there to pick up the pieces.

So there I was, Maya Hart dancing with Farkle Minkus, dancing the night away, and nothing else mattered.