Everyone stared at the clock in the front of Harper's classroom. She had stopped teaching them anything a good 30 minutes ago. The final assignment was to write the most important moments of their 8th grade year, only two students were still writing in between glances at the clock. Maya and Farkle. Ever since Harper took over the English class, Maya had worked harder than imaginable, though it wasn't grades that drove her like Farkle or even Riley. It was the simple fact what Harper taught was interesting and exciting. She wanted to try. Even though her attention was on her paper, Maya should feel the guy behind her staring at her.

"Huckleberry I will end you if you don't let me finish this paper."

"Did I make it?"

"Elaborate."

"In your paper, did I make it as an important moment?"

After finishing her paper, Maya turned in her chair so she could lean on Lucas' desk, meeting his face as he leaned toward her. Even though the question was actually sweet, she couldn't help but be slightly annoyed that Lucas had interrupted her paper. Slowly Maya shook her head no, even though it wasn't even remotely true. He was the reason she hadn't stopped writing yet.

"Not even slightly."

Lucas pouted.

"Well you made mine."

The sincerity in his voice made her smile shyly. It was something after four months of dating she wasn't exactly use to. It still seemed odd, but she still loved it. Despite her momentary annoyance from the distraction, she wasn't being distracted any longer. Leaning in she placed a light kiss on Lucas' lips. A collective groan filled the classroom.

"Maya, Lucas, what did we say?"

"No PDA in the classroom."

The two answered in unison. This was not the first time they had recited that for Harper. Though once they were done, Maya went off on her own.

"How do you even know? Your eyes are glued on your desk."

Harper finally looked up from her desk, her eyes landing on Lucas and Maya with a tilted head. Standing up, she walked around the desk and leaned against it.

"Class, did Lucas and Maya kiss?"

A loud yes reverbed across the room. Maya jumped out of her chair and glared at her classmates.

"Traitors!"

With a pointed glance form Harper, Maya returned to her seat. Riley reached over and patted her best friend's arm sympathetically. The class was more than a little use to the occasional kiss between Lucas and Maya in class, it was more of a joke than an actually concern from anyone. Harper changed from leaning on her desk to sitting on it, taking a moment to glance at the clock before returning her attention to her students.

"As I'm sure you are all aware, you only have a few minutes left in middle school. I want you all to bear with me because I do have something left to teach before you run off. You are all going to be starting a new chapter in your lives, a chapter that leads toward your future. Time and time again you will be asked about that future. Where do you see yourself, what do you want to be doing, and who do you see yourself with. All of these are important questions and I'm not saying they aren't, but I want to leave you with something else too. You all just spent the last 30 minutes or so writing about your important moments this past year. In the broad scheme of things, some of the things you wrote done today will no longer be considered important. Who knows, maybe even all of them. But I want you to remember them. Remember who you were, remember what was important to you right now. Because you can decided later if they are still important, you can change your mind. All of you are determining who you want to be in this world and you are the ones that make the final decision. So look back, and look back often. Not for what ifs or things you could have done differently, but to decide if what was important then is still important now. If you want it to change, then let it change. If you don't, then don't. It will always be up to you."

The bell dismissing class for the year, the bell that dismissed the class from their final year of middle school had rung, but no one had moved or even heard it really. Instead the class began starting down at their papers, thinking over what they had written. Maya reached across the aisle and grabbed the hand that was already reaching for hers, Riley's. Even though she and Lucas were something and what was happening was important to her, Maya knew for certain the important part of this year that will stay important for the rest of her life was her best friend.

"Guess it would seem I kept you all into your summer break. My apologizes. Congratulations to all of you on graduating middle school and I'm looking forward to seeing you all at the ceremony tomorrow. And please, stop by my room anytime you want. I'm very excited to how each and every one of you turns out."

With one quick glance at all the students in her classroom, Harper smile.

"Dismissed."

Maya lead the class in a loud standing ovation for a few moments, before the truth started settling down on them. Middle school was over, they were done. High school was just around a nice long summer break. The cheers of students changed suddenly from exciting for a great teacher, to wild thrill of summer break. As everyone made their way out of the classroom, Maya and Riley continued to hold hands as they walked out the door and into the halls. Lucas had his arm wrapped around Maya's shoulder, and Farkle was desperately trying to get Riley to tell her just how many A's she was ending the year with. Something she had not yet disclosed.

"But I need to know who's winning! Team Minkus or Team Lawrence."

"You mean Team Matthews."

"Nope, my dad made it very clear, it's us against you and your mom. Nothing to do with Mr. Matthews."

"I'm sorry Farkle but I'm not gonna tell you. You'll have to find out some other way."

"Maya?"

"Nope, sorry Farky, ring power was already called on this one."

"Lucas?"

"Sorry buddy. I don't even know myself if I did I promise I'd te…"

A loud groan escaped Lucas' lips as Maya hit him across the stomach.

"I would not tell you even if I knew."

Grinning Maya patted Lucas lightly on the stomach where she had just slapped him. Glancing behind the girls heads though, Lucas caught Farkle's attention and mouthed to him.

"I'll tell you when I get it out of Maya."

With a slightly obvious thumbs up, Farkle was okay with finally changing the topic. There was a new normal within the group since Maya and Lucas had officially started dating. Farkle had been under the impression it would never work. Honestly he didn't even know anything was going on until the Monday after the Valentine's Day dance, when Lucas and he had a very long conversation about the best way to ask Maya out official. Farkle was a little annoyed his best friend hadn't taken any of his romantic advice, but it would appear it worked out anyway.

"Do you think we'll have classes together again in high school?"

"Farkle do we really have to think about next school year? This one just finished, can't we get through a few months of summer before worrying about it?"

"Maya…there's only a few months of summer to begin with."

"Yes, exactly we can worry about next school year the day next school year starts, and not a moment before."

As the reached their lockers outside Mr. Matthew's room their entangled arms and hands released. Lucas leaned against the locker next to Maya's and as she started pulling things out, she started loading them onto his arm. Riley on the other hand just put everything into her backpack.

"Come on Maya, aren't you even a little bit excited or nervous about high school? I'm excited, there is so much that can happened."

"Did I just hear that right? Riley Matthew's excited about the prospect of change."

Lucas' voice was muffled slightly from behind the growing stack of books he was carrying. Since they started dating, he had taken over being Maya's backpack from Riley. He knew this was going to happen today, which was also the reason he had cleaned out his own locker yesterday. Carrying two lockers worth of stuff might have been a bit much for him. Closing her locker, Riley leaned against it and smiled.

"I've come to realize not all change has to be bad".

"My little Riles is growing up!"

Shoving her final book at Lucas, Maya slammed her locker closed and crashed into Riley hugging her tightly. With a bit of maneuvering, Maya pulled Riley down so her head was resting in Maya's shoulder. Maya awkwardly petted Riley's hair as she hunched over.

"Next thing you know she'll be going off to high school."

"I am g…."

The rest of the response was muffled as Maya's hand ran over Riley's mouth shushing her. The two girls stayed in that position for a bit too long until realizing the rest of the school had nearly completely emptied out. Once that fact dawned on them, the four gathered their belongings. As they made their way up toward the stairs Riley paused for a moment then turned quickly on the spot and rushed to her dad's classroom. After a quick exchange Maya, Lucas, and Farkle followed Riley. Once they make it to the room, they found her sitting in her now old seat. Without saying anything, the others followed suite. For a few minutes they stared at the black board.

"It's really the end isn't it?"

"New School."

"New Rules."

"No Matthews."

Maya tuned on her seat so she was now sitting as she normally did, with her arm on Lucas' desk. It all seemed unbelievable. Sitting here for the last time. It didn't feel like the end when they were actually in this room for the last time in the morning. When class ended none of them even thought about it as they walked out of the room, ran really. Suddenly though, it seemed like this really was the end. This was the last time they would sit in the classroom, in these seats. Today was the last time they'd be taught by Mr. Matthews (fingers crossed). Sitting in these seats knowing all of that, and finally letting it all sink in was a lot. After a moment of silence Riley spoke up.

"It really is going to be different, next year."

"Yea but we still have time until next year. Let's not rush it."

As Lucas spoke he stood up and held out his hand for Maya to take. Taking his hand she stood up herself before helping out Riley, then Farkle. Hand in hand, the group finally walked out of Mr. Matthew's room for the last time. Once everyone left, Riley took one last look around before turning off the light and closing the door behind them. Returning to her place in line, the group finally made their way out of John Quincy Adams Middle School.

"Okay but really, what are we going to do this summer?"