The next two days go by without a hitch. No unwanted visitors. No unwanted conversations. That's probably because I stick to my usually routine while I'm in New York. Confine in the walls of this apartment besides the time I go to the gym to release some of the rage that's been building inside of me since my encounter with Maya.

It was two in the afternoon, and I've been bumming it all morning watching a marathon of Project Runway. This is something I don't normally have time to do, but when I do I take advantage. Both my parents are at work. Auggie is at school, and I'm enjoying this time by myself in the quiet. That was before my solitude was interrupted by my phone ringing.

Hello?

Riley, It's Erica.

Hey Erica. Why are you calling, everything alright?

Yeah, well actually one of the endorsers want to meet with you. Something about concerns that they have with the website. I told them that it wasn't a possibility this week since you are New York, but they said that was perfect.

Who was it?

That's the thing. They didn't say.

I know who it is. Thanks Erica. I'll take care of it. Is everything running smoothly over there, no problems?

Everything is fine. I was actually going to start replying to some emails here.

Well, I won't keep you any longer. I'll see you Monday.

I hang up the phone, turn off the TV, and maneuver to the kitchen to wash my bowl. I guess today I'm actually going to have to leave the apartment. I go up the restroom and start the shower. I try to waste as much time as I can in the shower. Trying to present the inevitable. I decide to finally get out. I wrap a towel around my body and towel dry my hair, then I make my way to my bedroom. I really don't want to leave, but I don't have much of a choice.

I lay it out a pair of black leggings, a white V-neck, a jean jacket, a black scarf with black booties on my bed and walk over to my vanity. It's still surrounded by pictures. There is a reason why I haven't taken them down. Right? I guess maybe I still have a little bit of hope that someday everything could go back to somewhat normal.

I snap out of my daze and brush through my hair. I don't bother to do anything with my hair. I let my natural brown waves fall down my back. It's the longest I've ever had it, down to my waist. I apply a little bit of mascara before finally getting dressed.

I'm back on the streets of New York trying to hail down a taxi. It would be a lot easier to take the subway, but that has to many memories. I've avoided it for five years, and it's going to stay that way. After five minutes, a cab finally pulls over. I give the driver the address.

It mostly a quiet drive. I'm just thinking about how soon I'm going to somewhere I haven't been since I left. A place I never thought I would ever be again. The universe has a funny way of working doesn't it. Twenty minutes later we're is pulling up to the curb. I pull out my wallet from my black across the body purse to pay the driver. I guess this is it.

I stand in front of the beautiful house thinking if I should really be here. I have to. I don't know why I agreed to this in the very first place. It's too late to do anything about it now.

I walk to the front door and ring the doorbell. "Riley?" I'm greeted by a beautiful blonde, "Oh my it's really you!" She embraces me into tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm actually here to talk to-"

"Me." A voice comes from the hallway.

We both turn our attention in the direction of the voice. "Hello, Mr. Minkus. How are you?" I say.

"Riley, I've told you already call me Stuart."

I let out a light laugh and shake my head, "Of course. Sorry."

"I'm guessing this has something to do with that website of yours." Farkle's mom says. "I'll leave you two to your business thing."

I smile, "It was really great seeing you Mrs." She gives me a look and I correct myself. "Jennifer."

"You too Riley. Don't be such a stranger. We miss you around here." She turns on her heels and disappears into the house.

"Why don't you come in." Mr. Minkus opens the door welcoming me inside. I haven't been in here since high school. It takes me a second to pull myself together and walk in.

We make our way to down the hallway and into the dining room. This room is flooded with memories. Last minute tutor sessions with Farkle. Group projects. Laughter. Fun. Happiness. My favorite memory here is when the six of us were over for dinner. We were working on a group project. It was taking us longer than we thought it would. It was Zay, myself, and Lucas on side and Maya, Smackle, and Farkle directly across from us. Maya accidently flings food at Zay, and he wasn't going to let it go. He flung food right back at her, soon an all-out food fight erupted in Farkle's dining room. Afterwards we all just looked at each other, we were all covered in food. We couldn't stop the laughter that consumed us. I laughed so much I almost peed my pants. I think Zay actually did. It was a moment I knew I would remember forever.

I get pulled out of my thoughts by Farkle's dad clearing his throat. "So, you called the office today saying you had some things you wanted to discuss." I say.

"Actually, that was just a ploy to get you here."

I should have known. "Why exactly am I here?"

"Farkle told me you were in town. Asked if I can arrange something so the two of you can talk."

I can't believe this. "So you don't have an issue with the website?"

"Not at all. One of the best investments I've ever made."

I smile at him. "I do have a question." He gestures for me to continue. "How did Farkle know you would be able to arrange this? I thought we agreed that he wouldn't know about this."

"He heard me talking to you on the phone one time and went snooping around. He confronted me about it, and I told him I was investing into a website you created." Thank god my real name isn't on any of the piece I wrote or the advice I gave. "And to be perfectly clear, we agreed I wouldn't tell him where you living."

"I'm pretty sure he knows with his knowledge of technology."

"I don't." Farkle says joining us into the dining room. "Trust me I tried to find out, but you have one of the best firewalls I've ever seen." He looks at his dad, "Thank you for getting her here."

He nods his head. "I said I'd get her here. I never said she stay." Him and his loopholes. "I'm sorry, Riley."

"It's okay. It was good seeing you Mr, I mean Stuart." I watch as Mr. Minkus walks away. "Well I should be going." I move to get up, but Farkle puts his hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"Riley please." I look into his eyes, and they are pleading with me to stay. So I do. "I've missed you. We've all missed you."

"Didn't seem like it." I say under my breath.

"We did! I understand why you left. It was a big mess. I should have told you what was going, but I didn't even know the whole story. Even now, I feel like something is missing it doesn't make sense. I was told that it was best if you left. I only ever wanted what was best for you, so I pushed you away. I know it doesn't make up for everything, but Maya told me it-"

"Enough about Maya. I'm tired of hearing about her. Can we not talk about her? She was the one who caused this mess. Look I'm not the same person I was then. You don't know who I am now. I haven't talked to any of you since I left."

He lets out a chuckle, "That's not true."

"I don't know wh-"

I get cut off. "I know about the letters between you and Zay."

"Who else knows?" I ask hoping no one else.

"Only me. We thought it was best to keep it from Maya and Lucas. How does he not know where you live if you guys were sending letters? Who even started it?" He asks.

"I wrote him first to see how he was doing with everything. I wasn't doing good, and I needed someone. I was in a new place alone. I told him if he wanted to write me back to drop it off at my parent's house and they would make sure I got it." I see Farkle processing everything, and then I see him make a face. "What?"

He takes a deep breath. "Why turn to Zay? Why not me? I thought we were best friends."

Now I'm the one laughing, "Seriously, Farkle? You were pushing me away just as much as everyone else. I reached out to Zay because I was heartbroken, and I knew that he must have been too. It was my boyfriend and his girlfriend. I waited for you to come to my window and talk to me." I'm using everything in me to fight back the tears. "Be there for me the way you were after the whole Texas fiasco, but you never came. After prom, you talked to me once and that was to tell me to leave New York. The only people who tried to really talk to me were the two people I didn't want to talk to. I needed you Farkle, instead you abandoned me. I was alone and broken." At the point, all the tears that I have help back came rushing out of my eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Riley!" He engulfs me into a hug, and I'm holding on for dear life. "I didn't mean to hurt you so badly. I should have never shut you out." He whispers near my ear.

I slowly pull away from him. "I really want to forgive you, but I just need some time."

"I understand." If I wanted to forgive anybody, it was Farkle. I hear footsteps behind me.

"Bubbles?" I quickly wipe my face clean before I turn around.

"Hi, Smackle." I smile at the genius brunette. She never did anything wrong. It was just easier to cut everyone off.

She looks a Farkle, "She's really here right? I'm not just imaging it."

"She's really here." Farkle assures her.

I smile at the both of them. "It's nice to see you two still together. If anybody were the next Cory and Topanga, it was the two of you." I watch as the both gaze into each other's eyes. I can feel the love radiating off of them.

Smackle breaks her gaze from Farkle and looks at me. "Are you staying? The others will be here soon."

"Others?"

"Yeah. Maya, Zay and Lucas."

"No, I actually think I'm going to go home. See if my mom needs help with any last minute details." I knew see didn't, but I needed a reason to get out of there. "You two are going?" The both nod. "Well I guess I'll see the two of you on Saturday." I wave goodbye and rush to the front door hoping to leave before any of the three got there, but just like the rest of this trip luck was not on my side.

I open the front door to someone mid knock. I know who it is. I can smell is cologne; he still wears the same one. I try to keep my gaze on the floor knowing if I look up it'll be like I just stared into Medusa's eyes and turn into a statue and be stuck where I stand. Against my better judgment I look up anyway, and I'm met with the green eyes that I have always had a hold on me. There I am frozen, face to face with one of the people I had fallen in love with.

"Hi." Escapes from Lucas' lips.

Don't say it. Don't say it. "Hi." The word just flew out of my mouth. It was instinctual. I see the corners of his lips lift a little into a smirk. I shake my head to pull myself out of the hypnotizing stare. "I have to go." I brush past him.

"Riley, wait." I don't turn around, even though everything is telling me to. I just keep walking trying to get as far away from him as possible.