A/N: Love all your ideas. I may half to use some of them.
Disclaimer: I don't own GMW.
Maya Hart
"Are you sure you don't want us to stay and help you out?" Farkle asked me for the millionth time. I looked around at the empty café. It was now around four o'clock. Riley and Lucas should've been back from their movie unless they went and did something else, but she should have at least texted me to let me know. Topanga had left a couple of hours ago to meet with her client so it was going to be just me and Auggie.
"She has me! She'll be fine!" Auggie says, dramatically moving his hands. I let out a laugh at his actions.
"Alright, we're going!" Zay dragged on, mimicking Auggie's actions. I bid a goodbye to my friends and then I quickly texted Topanga and Riley.
Is it okay to close the shop for a bit? I'm going to take Auggie to my school to pick up something.
I quickly hit send to Mrs. Matthews and then opened up a new message to send to Riley.
Where are you guys? I'm taking your brother to school to pick up that painting I was telling you about. If I'm not back in time you know where the key is hidden.
As soon as I sent that message, I had received a text from Mrs. Matthews. I opened it and read,
That's fine. Make sure you lock up. Your mom should be back soon too.
I quickly typed 'okay' and sent it.
"Hey Auggie, mind coming with me to pick up a present?" I asked, sheepishly smiling down at the curly headed boy.
He tapped his chin, pretending to think. "That depends. Can I see the present when we get there?" I laughed at this and nodded my head.
"You sure can. But it's a secret. You can't tell or show anyone else, okay?"
He grinned at this secret information. "Deal." I tossed him his coat and took off my apron, hanging it up behind the counter.
"Alright, let's lock up and head out." And we did just that. After I locked the back and front doors. I heard my phone vibrate twice, signaling two messages. I took out my phone, opening up the first one. It was from Riley.
Hi, Peaches! Lucas took me to lunch after the movie! I got you your favorite movie candy! I'll give it to you later. We'll be at the café soon, so hurry back so I can spoil the whole movie for you!
I let out a tiny laugh and texted my reply.
Can't wait to hear all about it. Love ya.
After I sent that message, I opened up the next. It was from Josh.
Furniture is all set up and lemme tell you this couch is comfy. It's calling your name.
I felt my heart go ba-dum after reading his message. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as Auggie and I walked to the subway.
"Ooh, did my uncle text you?" Auggie teased me. "Are you going to be my aunt?" I let out another laugh.
"How did you know he was the one who texted me?" I asked him, raising a curious brow. He shrugged nonchalantly.
"My sister gets all googly eyed like you just did whenever Lucas texts her. And I can only put two and two together since you guys were sleeping on the couch together this morning." I blushed at this. "I'm also ten years old. I've been married for like ever now," he said, reminding me of his relationship with Ava. I shook my head at how funny it was.
How is that a ten-year-old has more relationship experience than I do? Just goes to show that he's truly Topanga and Cory's kid. We finally reached the subway and sat down and I quickly texted Josh back.
Oh yeah? What's it saying?
I hit send and immediately got a reply within two minutes. I grinned at the fact that there was nothing high school or complicated about waiting to text someone back. That didn't matter to us.
It's saying, me and you plus some horror movies and tacos?
I looked up and saw that Auggie was also playing on his phone and other people around me were busy themselves. It makes me wonder what goes on in everyone's life. I wanted to hear and know everyone's story. I bit my lip and looked down at my phone and texted Josh back.
You drive a hard bargain. Will there be kissing on this new couch of yours?
I smirked victoriously to myself at that message. And almost a second later I got another reply.
Oh, there definitely will be kissing. Lots and lots of kissing.
I blushed at his message. Thank God no one else was reading this and Auggie was too busy on his phone. I covered my face with my hair and replied back.
Hm. Maybe. We'll see.
After sending my reply the subway signaled our stop. Auggie and I got off the subway and walked into my school. It was during the day so I couldn't use the key like I had the other night. Hopefully, the door was open and it was when we arrived.
I pointed out all the cool spots that we all used to hang out by to Auggie, telling him where he should be when he went there. Even though he has a long way to go, he got excited with every new detail I told him.
I waved to some teachers I had and even said hello to Janitor Harley. Once we stopped by my art room I knocked on the door. Mr. Jackson opened the door smiling brightly when he saw it was me.
"My favorite student!" he shouted excitedly. Opening the door wider for Auggie and me to enter. "Here to pick up that painting of yours? Oh! And who is this young man?"
Auggie waved at Mr. Jackson. "I'm Riley's younger brother. I can also draw better than she can," he mentioned proudly puffing his chest. Mr. Jackson and I both chuckled at this.
"Well. I look forward to having you in my class someday," Mr. Jackson told Auggie. Auggie grinned at my teacher and then turned to look at me.
"Can I see your painting now?" he asked me and I nodded my head. I pulled off the cover and his eyes widened.
"Wow! This looks so life like! So cool! My dad is totally gonna cry!" Auggie stated excitedly. I laughed at his reaction.
"How did you know it was for your father?" I asked him curiously. He looked me with a knowing look.
"Because you're Maya and you always want to make my father cry." I laughed at his reasoning. It wasn't too far off but close enough for him to understand.
"You guessed it," I agreed. Mr. Jackson and Auggie both chuckled at this. Auggie turned to Mr. Jackson.
"Can I see more?" he asked him and Mr. Jackson nodded, his eyes showing excitement.
"Of course, buddy! Come with me!" And they left the classroom. My guess was Mr. Jackson was showing him the students artwork around the school.
I took the time to check my phone and saw that I had three new messages. All from Josh. I grinned at this.
Don't tease me babe.
You're driving me crazy over here.
God, I miss you.
I smiled at all his sweet messages. As much as I hate to be cheesy I suddenly didn't mind it.
Sorry. I was showing Auggie around the school. I had to pick up my painting. I miss you too, Handsome.
His reply came a bit longer than the last time but he did reply within ten minutes.
It's okay. Auggie probably agrees that Cory will cry. He's crying right now as he leaves my apartment.
I giggled and I saw he sent another text. I quickly opened it.
I love my new nickname by the way. See you later, Gorgeous.
I smiled and replied.
Bye Boing.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and covered up my painting. I wrapped it up tighter this time. I made a mental note to get a bow to put on it. I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket again. But it was a lot longer, signifying someone was calling me.
I pulled out my phone and saw that Shawn was calling me. I grinned at this and answered immediately.
"Well, hello Mr. Hunter. What can I do for ya?" I greeted him playfully. He chuckled at my greeting.
"Hi. Lovely daughter of mine. Where are you right now? Your mom and I just got back and you weren't at the café," he half stated and half questioned.
"I'm at school right now with Auggie. I told Topanga that I had to close the shop to come and pick up my painting from school. Do you have your car still with you?" I asked, biting my lip. I didn't know how I would get this painting on the subway.
"Yes, I do. Need a ride, kid?" he asked me, with his affectionate nickname for me.
"Please and thank you," I responded to his question.
"Alright, be there in a few kiddo. We missed you. We're going to cook a home cook meal for the three of us, sound good?" I smiled at this. This was my family. My happy family that I have longed for. My eyes started to water at this.
"Yes. That sounds good. Really good, dad." I could hear him smile through the phone and he tried to not get choked up himself. We both were still new to the whole 'dad' thing, but it was definitely growing on us.
"See you in a bit," he said and we both hung up the phone. I couldn't keep the smile off my face.
I feel a wave of emotions hit me at once. I'm graduating tomorrow. Things are going to change and some things will always stay the same. I have this amazing new family that I'd never thought I would ever get. I have amazing friends that I thought would never last. I have a someday with a boy that I thought would never feel the same way.
I feel like sometimes to live life you need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective. These were good days. Really good days.
And I can't help but wonder. . .
Do you ever just think about the first time you met someone and then compare it to where you guys are now? And you'd think to yourself 'wow who would have thought this would ever happen?'
A few people come to my mind thinking about that.
Riley Matthews and her wonderful family. Without her, I wouldn't have met the friends and family that I have and the second person on my list.
Joshua Matthews. Who would have thought the long game is real? And that it was life who paired you up with someone else to go through this long ride?
And last but not least. The person who made my mother happy. The one I also would have never met without my best friend. Shawn Hunter. If you asked me a couple of years ago if I believe in love or happy endings or even fairy tales, I would have laughed in your face.
Hope was for suckers. But meeting him changed that. It was like meeting the adult version of yourself. He made me realize a lot of things I never knew. He taught me a lot of things about the world, my best friend, and even my mother.
People like us stick together. And we stick to the really good ones. Like the Matthews family. We were once shadows who didn't want to be seen but then the Matthews came along and brought us into the light. And soon enough we saw that we didn't need to be in the shadows anymore. We deserved to be in the light.
People change people. I don't think I'll ever forget that.
Before I could zone out into my thoughts again. Mr. Jackson and Auggie came back with Auggie taking a whole new interest in art. I smiled at this. I told Auggie that Shawn was picking us up and his eyes lit up at the mention of his other uncle.
Shawn texted me saying he was outside so we bid a goodbye to Mr. Jackson. Before we left, however, Mr. Jackson handed me a letter. I looked at him with confusion evident on my face.
"What's this?" I asked him curiously.
"A recommendation letter. I know you already got into NYU but I wanted to give you something for when internships and job opportunities present themselves to you. I look forward to seeing your work in a gallery one day, Miss Hart. I expect my invitation in the mail to your very first one."
Here come the waterworks again. I swear everyone needs to stop trying to make me cry.
"Thank you, Mr. Jackson. It means a lot. Thank you for teaching me."
"No, Maya. Thank you for teaching me." I smiled and nodded my head. Auggie and I both walked out of the classroom and out the front doors of the school. Shawn was leaning against his car and immediately smiled when Auggie ran into his arms screaming.
"UNCLE SHAWN!"
I smiled at the both of them and turned around, still holding onto my painting. I looked up at my high school. It feels like yesterday I was graduating middle school, terrified of attending high school. Now here I am, graduating high school, even more, horrified of starting college.
Am I really ready to take on the world?
"Need help with that, kid?" I turned around, seeing Shawn put Auggie down now walking up to me. I smiled brightly at him and shook my head.
"No, it's okay. I got it." He took it from me anyways and carefully placed it in the trunk. Him being me, meaning he was curious to know what it was, so he took the cover off it. His eyes were wide and I fidgeted slightly wondering what he thought.
"Maya—this is—wow."
"Do you think Cory will like it?" I asked, still feeling unsure.
"Are you kidding? He's going to cry! I can't wait to see him cry!" he shouted like a little kid. I chuckled and he covered the painting back up, closing the trunk of his car.
We all got into the car and headed back to Topanga's. Once we went inside, I saw Riley and Lucas hanging out at the counters talking to her parents and my mom. True to my best friend's word she had my favorite movie candy on the counter. Cookie dough bites. Yum. I noticed my mom and I realized how much I truly missed her.
My mom's smile grew large when she saw me and she ran over to give me a huge hug. I then took notice of her growing stomach. I looked back at Shawn and he had a smile on his face too.
"You guys are—"
"You're going to have a baby brother, baby girl." I wrapped my arms around the both of them hugging them tightly.
"This is the best graduation present ever," I tell them, still hugging them tightly. They both looked at each other with confusion in their eyes.
"That's not your present—" Shawn tried to interrupt but I didn't let him.
"It is. It's the best gift you guys have ever given me." His eyes soften at that and my mom being emotional and pregnant started crying.
"Baby girl—" she dragged on, hugging me tightly. "I missed you so much. We both did."
"I missed you guys too," I told them truthfully. She finally pulled Shawn and I out of her death grip and went to tie her apron to her waist.
"Alright, my family. You guys do your thing; I'm going to finish up this shift." I frowned at that.
"No. no. no. You just got back. You guys go home, relax and cook dinner. I'll close the café up and be right on time for dinner."
Mrs. Matthews and my mom were about to butt in but Riley beat them to it before they could say anything else.
"Yeah. You guys go. I'll be here with her if she needs any help. We got this," she said, winking my way. I rolled my eyes playfully at her.
"Well, look at the two of you. Graduating and becoming adults? Who would have ever thought this day would come?" Riley's mom commented.
I laughed and shrugged at this. While Riley made a goofy face. Lucas spoke up though and I totally forgot he was even here.
"We had a good teacher." I grinned, turning my gaze towards him and nodded my head.
"Yeah. That we did," I said in agreement, now looking at Mr. Matthews.
"Who? Me?" he said in his usual crazy voice. "Nah. Not me."
"Yeah. You," Lucas said, pointing to his girlfriend's father.
Cory faked innocence again and pointed to himself. "Me? You sure. Well okay!" he said, clapping his hands in excitement. I rolled my eyes at his ridiculousness. I then decided to do something.
"I'll be right back," I tell everyone, walking out of the shop to go to Shawn's car.
On my way out Shawn whispered to me. "Get my camera." I nodded my head.
I grabbed his camera and hung it around my neck. And then grabbed my painting. I walked back to Topanga's and Shawn opened up the door for me, grabbing his camera from around my neck.
Everyone looked confused but then Riley and Lucas realized what it was and smiled at me in realization.
I walked over to Cory and stood in front of him. "This—this my thank you for being not only a teacher but a role-model, a father figure and most importantly a friend."
He had a serious and surprised expression like he didn't expect this at all. I handed him the painting and pulled the cover off.
His expression was absolutely priceless.
"My—my family…" he started. "You did this?" I nodded my head. "You did this!" he yelled in excitement now. "I think I'm going to cry!"
"I GOT ALL THE PICTURES! KEEP CRYING!" Shawn screamed, rushing over to take close ups of Cory. And Mr. Matthews screamed.
"LEAVE ME AND MY FAMILY PICTURE OUT OF THIS SHAWNIE!"
"YOU'RE JUST JEALOUS THAT MY DAUGHTER MADE YOU CRY!"
"NO YOU'RE JEALOUS I HAVE A PAINTING AND YOU DON'T!"
While they screamed at each other some more, Topanga took this time, to hug me tightly. So did Riley.
"I think I know the perfect spot for that painting," Topanga said, pointing at a blank wall in the café. I smiled at her. "But do you think you can do another one?" I furrowed my brows in confusion. "One of you, your mom and Shawn and your new baby brother when he comes."
I nodded my head. "Okay. I promise."
"Alright, you two—break it up. I'm pregnant and I'm hungry. So honey, let's go." Shawn immediately lets go of the headlock he was giving Cory and grabbed his camera off the counter. He waved to me and immediately wrapped an arm around my mom.
"Alright baby girl. Dinner will be ready when you get home."
"Okay. See you later," I told them, now tying my apron to my waist. They left the café leaving me with the Matthew's and Huckleberry.
Cory came up to me before I could start working and enveloped me into a warm, inviting hug.
"I'm so incredibly proud of you, Maya. And the person you have grown up to be. And I can't wait to watch you continue to grow. Thank you for not only being you but for influencing my daughter to become the best version of herself."
I tried to blink back the wetness in my eyes. "Mr. Matthews, it's your daughter who has helped me become the best version of myself. And if I didn't have her I wouldn't have any of you guys. So thank you—for just being here," I tell him truthfully, squeezing him back. We both pulled away from the hug.
"You don't have to call me, Mr. Matthews anymore Maya. I'm not your teacher anymore," he said with a laugh.
I raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh. So I can call you Cory because maybe someday I might be your sister-in-law?" I say teasingly.
He cringed slightly and I let out a hoot of laughter at the look on his face. "Yeah, on second thought. Mr. Matthews is just fine. But now that we are on that topic, thank you for taking care and being there for my baby brother."
My eyes soften at this. "I know you probably don't want to hear this. But I love him. I've known how I felt about him for a long time. People have always tried to tell me that what I'm feeling wasn't real, but I knew differently. I feel like if you meet the right person then you just know—and you know me I never believed in that kind of stuff. But with him, it made me want to believe. It made me—"
"Hope?" Cory finished for me and I nodded my head. "I know the feeling. I may not be able to tell you how he exactly feels, but I can tell you this. The way he looks at you? Is a look I've never seen him give to anyone else before. Whenever he came to New York? It wasn't just to see me."
I bit my lip listening to all of this information. "But what if it doesn't work out? What if our someday never comes? What if he leaves?" I asked, releasing my own fears.
"Maya. The world connects people for a reason. And for some reason, it connected you two. It will all work out if you let it. Someday is just another day." And with that, he left me with my thoughts. Riley placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling at me like everything will be okay. And I smiled back knowing it would be.
After Auggie, Cory, and Topanga had left a few customers had come in and out some even sitting and reading or doing their work.
The café hours usually vary depending on the day. Since it's a Saturday though it will close at seven. So thankfully we have an hour left.
Riley was helping me here and there, but mostly making googly eyes with Ranger Rick.
"Guys," I say, getting their attention. "If you keep staring at each other like that, people are going either A) throw up their food, or B) leave."
Lucas rolled his eyes at my sarcasm. "Where's option C?" I stared at him blankly and so did Riley.
"Isn't there always three options?" he asked, moving his hands. I then realized what he was getting at.
"Who are you? A Sherpa?" I joked, remembering the Ski Lodge.
Riley scrunched her face. "Noooo," she dragged on. "Don't do that babe."
Lucas immediately smiled at Riley and I scrunched my face at the sappiness of it all. I hope Josh and I don't look like that. Speaking of Josh. I haven't heard from him in a bit. I wonder what he was up too.
I enjoyed writing this chapter very much. Let me know your thoughts as well :)
