[September 23rd, 2019]
Riley's POV
I went to my dad's class and sat down.
"Morning class!" Dad said. "Have any of you thought about what you want to do for you Senior trip?"
"Canada," Maya said.
"Yes?" Farkle said, jokingly. She looked at him weird.
"Remember? I'm Canada," he said. She looked at him confused. "Because I'm your ally, remember?"
"Oh yeah," she said, remembering when he compared himself to Canada in 7th grade.
"Why Canada?" Dad asked.
"There's this cool place in Canada where we can camp out and swim in a lake and stuff," she said. "It would be pretty cheap, we'd only need to raise money for passports, camping supplies, gas money, and group camping."
"But who would want to go camping for a senior trip?" Sarah asked.
"I would," Lucas said.
"Me too," KC said.
"It could be fun," Farkle said.
"Okay, who likes Maya's idea?" Dad asked. Everyone except Sarah raised their hands.
"What is this place?"
"Grundy Lake Provincial Park in Sauble Beach, Canada," Maya said. Sarah took out her phone.
"It's beautiful," Sarah said. "Okay, I'm on-board."
"Yay!" Maya said.
"Okay, that's settled," dad said. "Now, I want to do something that I think will be interesting."
"What would that be, Matthews?" Maya asked. "And will it be interesting to us?"
"I want you all to tell everyone your plans after high school, if you have any," he said. "It will be recorded, and at the end of school, before graduation, you will tell us your plans again, and we will see how different they are."
"That does sound interesting," Lucas said.
"Of course it does to you, Huckleberry," Maya said.
"It doesn't to you?" Lucas asked her.
"No," she said. "Because it won't change that much in just months."
"You would be surprised," dad said. "Now, who's first?"
"Me," I said, raising my hand.
"Okay," he said. I went the front and he went back to the camera and it record.
"I plan on going to NYU for college," I said. "I'm not sure what my major will be yet, or if I'll be going for an associates or bachelor's degree, I'm still trying to decide. But I know, someday, whether during college or after, I hope to marry and have children with the love of my life." I looked at Lucas. He smiled. Dad stopped the camera.
"Okay, who's next?" he asked.
"I'll go," Maya said. She went to the front and dad hit record again. "I am planning on obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Tyler School of Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."
"Any other plans?" dad asked.
"Yeah, I'll be staying with your parents, if I get in," Maya said. "Glad I know people there." She smiled at my dad. He stopped the camera.
"Next," he said.
"I'll go," Darby said walking to the front. Dad started recording. "I plan on applying to different colleges including NYU, New Mexico Highlands University, and others."
"Why would you be going to New Mexico?" I asked.
"It's supposed to be a really great school," she said. "My cousin goes there, and I can live with Aunt too."
"Any other plans?" Dad asked.
"Not right now," she said.
"Okay, whosever's next."
"Can Isadora and I go up together?" Zay asked.
"Sure," dad said. They went up to the front, and he hit record.
"Isaiah and I both applied early action to Princeton University," Smackle said.
"If we are accepted, I will be majoring in Dance and she will be majoring in Social Science, concentrating in Sociology," Zay said.
"Alright," dad said. "Next." Marley went to the front.
"After high school, I will be enlisted in the US Army," she said.
"And what led you to this decision?" Dad asked.
"I've always wanted to do something like this," she said.
Lucas went to the front after her.
"I will be applying to Texas A&M University, majoring in Veterinary Medicine," he said. "I have looked at other programs, and this one seems like the best fit for me. I will be applying to other colleges, but I am hoping to be accepted to this one."
Everyone else presented their plans. Both KC and Farkle said they'd both be applying to NYU. Yogi said he would most likely be applying to NYU.
Farkle's POV
"Good afternoon, Farkle," Katy said as I walked in to Topanga's. Riley was already working.
"How are you today?"
"It's been quite a rush. Glad Topanga hired that college student for the morning," she said.
"Andrew," I said. "He's one of Josh's friends. Is he a good worker?"
"Yeah," she said. "Where's KC?"
"She got today off," I said. "She's taking Aaron to a birthday party. His friend, James, I think."
"Brown hair? Freckles?" She asked. "Front tooth missing?"
"Yeah," I said.
"That's how I remember people until I get to know them," she said. "Riley was 'the girl that always smiles', 'Topanga's daughter', and of course 'Maya's best friend'."
"What about me?" I asked.
"You were 'the kid who always wears science shirts' and 'Maya's other best friend'," she said. "Now you're 'KC's boyfriend' if I forget your name." We both laughed.
I set up the equipment and started playing "Critical" by the Nick Jonas.
Riley's POV
It had been a couple of hours since I got to work.
"What can I get you?" I asked after walking up to a table with two men, that looked somewhat older than Josh, were sitting.
"Two chocolate donuts and two strawberry-banana smoothies," one of the men said. "And make it quick." I grabbed their donuts and took it to them while Katy made their smoothies.
"We ordered smoothies too, lady," the other guy said.
"I know, sir, they'll be right out," I said.
"What's taking so long?" The first one asked. I looked back and saw that Katy was pouring their drinks into the cups.
"I'll bring them to you right now," I said. I went and grabbed the cups.
"Stay calm," Katy whispered to me. I took their drinks to them.
"About time," the first man said.
"It takes some time to make homemade smoothies, sir," I tried to explain.
They each took a drink of their smoothies.
"Apparently not right," the second one said. They took their lids off.
"If you don't mind me asking, what's wrong with the smoothies?" I asked as politely as I could. They threw their drinks on me. My mouth went agape.
"Get your manager," the first one said. I went over to Katy. They were obviously just being jerks to be jerks.
"I'll handle it," she said. "Go get cleaned up. There are extra shirts in the back."
Farkle's POV
I saw those guys throw their drinks on Riley. I immediately stopped playing. Katy went over to the table. She was definitely upset. We shared a look and I went to check on Riley as Katy started to talk to them.
"Riley, are you okay?" I asked going to the back.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, inconvincibly, from the employee bathroom.
"I know you, Riley," I said. "We've been best friends since first grade."
"You never told me why you've loved me since the first grade," she said.
"You never looked at me like a weirdo, you saw me as a person," I said. "You showed me that you cared about me from the start. You didn't try to make me change."
"Well, yeah," she said. "I'm just was weird as you." We both laughed.
"It's weird how when we were kids, it was hard to differ between different kinds of love," I said. "Now I know how I feel."
"And how's that?"
"You and Maya," I said. "I love you like sisters. Which is funny because Maya may actually end up my sister in a sense," We both laughed. "But KC is a completely different story, I'm completely in love with her. She's the one I want to marry someday."
"And have your eleven children?" She asked, jokingly.
"Maybe I'll cut that down to like 5," I laughed. "How many God decides to give us, I guess, whether that be two or eleven, including Aaron of course."
"I'm coming out now," she said. She opened the door. Her eyes were a little puffy.
"You okay?"
"I've just never had customers treat me that way," she said. "I guess it just shocked me so much I wanted to cry."
"You've seemed really anxious since last semester, so I don't think it was just this," I said. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure," she said.
"I know you love Lucas," I said. "But why did you ask him to marry you? I know you weren't ready."
"Because I wanted us to get married," she said.
"Why?"
"You heard him today," she said. "He's not going to NYU. He told me that last semester. Long distance relationships are hard. What if we're not strong enough to make it."
"You thought it would make him stay here if you got married," I said. "Like your mom proposing to your dad, and staying for him. Riley, I know you two. You are strong enough. Don't try to rush into something that you're not ready for."
"Thanks, Farkle," she said. We hugged. "You will always be one of my best friends."
"I know," I said. "We should probably get back to work now."
We went back to the front.
"You okay, Riley?" Katy asked her.
"Yeah," she said. "I'll be fine."
"Well, those boys are not welcome here anymore, the boss said," Katy said. Riley smiled. I went back to playing music. Thankfully, the rest of the customers were respectful.
