The Matthews Family Reunion

*Riley's POV*

It was just after my 16th birthday and my family was having a reunion to celebrate the new year. But adult relatives tended to be really boring.

"So, can you please come to my family reunion?" I asked Maya over the phone, for the third time. "It's going to be so boring!"

"And that's exactly why I don't want to come," Maya said.

"Please!" I begged her some more.

"No! Actually, wait!" she started, excitedly. "Josh is going to be there! Right?!"

"Yeah, I guess," I said, with a smirk. I could practically see Maya's grin through the phone.

"Forget what I said before, I'm in!" she exclaimed, gleefully. I rolled my eyes.

"See you then," I replied.

"Bye," Maya said. We hung up. I could hear a knock at the door. Being the only person home, with Mom and Dad gone shopping for the reunion and Auggie over at Dewey's house, I went to answer it. Outside my apartment door, dressed as a hermit, was none other than my uncle Eric 'Plays with Squirrels' Matthews.

"Uncle Eric!" I exclaimed. Hugging my strange, but lovable uncle.

"Niche!" he exclaimed back, still not knowing the difference.

"What are you doing here, the reunion's not until tomorrow," I said, backing away and noticing that his still-sticky red lollipop was now stuck to my shirt. I quickly pulled it off.

"It isn't?" he asked, tucking the candy back under his fake beard.

"No," I replied.

"Oh, well, the people of St. Upid Town will have to do without their Mayor for longer than expected," he said

"You got re-elected?" I asked.

"No," he replied. "All the other potential candidates were killed in a landslide." I rolled my eyes.

"So, where's Cory?" Eric asked, glancing around the apartment.

"Not home, out shopping," I replied.

"Ahh," he said, sitting on the couch, nodding in comprehension and resting his gnarled staff on the tips of his toes. I heard a buzz from the speaker box.

"Lucas," I heard my boyfriend say his name.

"Come on up!" I said into the box, after pressing the button.

"Who's that?" Eric asked.

"My boyfriend," I told him, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"I was a boyfriend once, actually, too many times to remember, " he said. "I dated so many girls, I lost track after 63."

"Okay, then," I said, and turned back to the door in discomfort, waiting for Lucas to come up so we could go out.

*Lucas's POV*

I sprinted up the stairs to Riley's apartment door, Number 26. I knew she was alone, so I could bring her a rose without someone (*cough* Mr. Matthews) overreacting. I knocked on the door. It opened.

"Hey, I brought you-" I started, but stopped when I realized, it wasn't Riley who'd answered the door. It was a hairy man who I knew as Riley's uncle, Eric. Now, here I was, frozen, offering a rose to Riley's uncle. Fortunately, he thought nothing of it and, although I was scarlett, turned around to shout out behind him.

"Riley! Your boyfriend's here!" he called.

"I forgot something," Riley said, blushing cutely as she walked around the corner. I smiled at her. When she came over I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her behind the ear, making her giggle.

"Aww, you two are so cute," Eric said, making both of us blush once again, in embarrassment.

"We should probably go," Riley said.

"Yeah," I agreed. With that, we left the apartment.

*Riley's POV*

When we got to Mom's bakery, I saw Katy serving Darby and Yogi, who were out for their fourth anniversary. This I only knew about because they hadn't stopped talking about it in class for the past two weeks. That was, before Christmas holidays started, anyway. We found a table and sat down.

"So, family reunion, huh?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "We're having it here, since, well, one: the apartment's too small and two: my mom owns the place and it's free."

"Cool," he said. "Mind if I drop in to keep you company?"

"No, but it might be a little awkward," I told him.

"That's alright," Lucas said. "We are awkward."

*Cory's POV*

Getting ready for the reunion was a complete hassle. Topanga was worried because both of her parents were going to be there and she couldn't remember if they'd even spoken since Shawn and I tried to get them back together back in college. Also, since Riley invited Maya, and Josh was going to be there, unless Maya had matured a lot since the last incident, that couldn't possibly end well. And, then there's Shawn. I invited him because he's my best friend. But, I think it's going to be awkward being around our big family, when all he's got left is his older half-brother, Jack.

After about nine hours of preparation, we finally got it done. Shawn was going to come with my parents and Josh, since he was staying back in Philly for the holidays. Josh went back as well because he didn't want to spend Christmas in a dorm.

The next morning, Topanga and I went to the bakery early to double check the preparations. I had the brilliant idea of charging our guests regular price for our bakery goods, but Topanga insisted on hiring catering. But, seriously, she'd rather spend money on food when we could be making money. How does that make sense?

"Oooh, fancy," Maya remarked, sarcastically on the lack of decorations as she and Riley walked in.

"What did you expect?" I asked, looking at the neatly set tables with silver candles in the center of each.

"I don't know," she replied.

*Riley's POV*

It was getting late and, still, nobody had showed up. It was starting to snow, and I was getting a little worried. Then Eric walked in in his St. Upid getup, shaking the snow out of his fake beard and hair.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Dad asked.

"Because I don't own a parka, and this is the warmest thing I have," he replied.

"Why don't you own a winter coat?" Dad asked his older brother, skeptically.

"Because the people of St. Upid Town are very based on tradition and buying winter coats is not tradition for them. This is their traditional clothing," he explained, gesturing toward his outfit. With that, he went into the bathroom to change out of his St. Upid clothes.

A few minutes later, Grandma and Grandpa came through the door with Josh and Shawn. Dad was turned away from the door so he didn't notice them come in.

"It's quite a nasty one out there, isn't it?" Shawn asked. Dad turned around as fast as he possibly could.

"SHAWNY!" he shouted, running over to give Shawn a hug and almost tackling him to the ground.

"Boing!" Maya called, and went over to, once again, flirt with my uncle Josh.

"Grandma, Grandpa!" I said, walking over, and apparently being the most sophisticated person in the room, considering Mom had gone with Auggie to pick up Ava who he'd insisted on inviting.

"Riley," Both my grandparents said as I I hugged them. I then turned back to Maya who was hugging Josh and refused to let go.

*Maya's POV*

"I'm older now," I said to Josh, after I let go of the embrace I had forced him into.

"There's still a three year age difference, Maya," he said.

"That isn't that much," I said, more maturely than usual.

"I suppose not," he said. I grinned. "But.."

"But what?" I asked.

"But you're my niece's best friend," he said.

"Why does that matter, I'm not your niece," I replied.

"It just doesn't seem right," he said.

"Do you like me?" I asked.

"I like you, but-," he started, before I cut him off.

"But nothing, you're just making up excuses, if you like me, you like me, and you won't mind if I do this. With that, before he could say anything, I kissed him. Just like that. I'd been waiting two and a half years to do that, and I caught him in just the right moment. I could feel everyone staring. Riley, Cory, Alan, Amy, Eric, who'd just come out of the bathroom, and now Topanga, Auggie and Ava, who'd just walked in through the door. Everything turned silent.

*Riley's POV*

I wasn't sure what was happening. I wasn't sure what to do. My best friend had kissed my uncle and it seemed as though time had stopped. After several moments of silence, Maya finally decided to break it. Without a blush, she managed to speak straight to Josh.

"So, what'd you think?" Maya asked.

"I-I'm s-surprised," he managed, a shocked look on his face. "Why'd you do that?"

"Because I like you, and you just admitted that you liked me, and that's what people who like each other do, right?" she asked.

"I guess," he replied. "But I don't like you in that way. I mean, you're cool to hang out with and obviously a really good friend to Riley and apparently a good kisser," he started, making Maya smile and himself blush. "But I'm sorry, I can't date you. But, as a friend, may I have this dance?"

"Okay," Maya agreed, taking Josh's hand into her own and dancing to the somewhat slow music that I only now realized was playing.

A while later, once the intensity levels lowered, and everyone started their own conversations among themselves, others began to show up. Grandma and Grandpa Lawrence showed up and went to catch up with Mom. Then spoke to each other for the first time in I don't know how long. Then Aunt Morgan came in, brushing the snow off her scarf before coming over to give me a hug.

"Riley," she said.

"Aunt Morgan!" I exclaimed. I love Aunt Morgan because she always tells me embarrassing stories about Dad when he was a teenager.

"How are you?" she asked.

"I'm good," I replied.

"Happy belated birthday," she said.

"Thanks," I replied.

"Well, I'm going to go catch up with my brothers, I'll come back and talk to you later," she told me.

"Okay," I agreed. Maya came over. "Did you have fun dancing?"

"Yeah, but I guess that's the end of my fantasy," she sighed.

"Dungeon of sadness?" I asked.

"Right next to the ballerinas," Maya confirmed.

"Guess you'll have to move on," I told her.

"Yeah, but to who?" she asked.

"I don't know, Farkle?" I offered, teasingly.

"Shut up," she said, giving me a light shove. I smirked. We stood there for a while, leaning against a booth, unsure of what to do next. Aunt Nebula came in eventually and sat with Mom, Grandma Rhiannon and Grandpa Jedediah. Then Lucas walked in, who, shockingly enough, I forgot was planning on coming. Farkle walked in behind him.

"Hey," he said.

"Hi," I replied.

"Farkle, Ranger Rick," Maya greeted them, with a slight nod. Lucas took me into an embrace and pressed his lips against mine in a short yet passionate kiss.

"Wanna dance?" he asked.

"Okay," I replied, blushing slightly. Farkle leaned against the booth next to Maya, taking my spot as I danced with Lucas. He stood there for a minute, not doing anything and seemingly staring off into space, deep in though as Maya was doing. But then, I noticed, as Lucas dipped me, he held his hand out to Maya to dance. Maya turned to look at him, then looked down at his hand. Farkle immediately thought she was declining his offer and let his hand drop to his side. Then Maya surprised me by taking Farkle's hand from his side, with obvious hesitation, and turned to face him. Farkle looked up in surprise. He then took Maya's other hand and they began a slow waltze without saying a word.

With that, Lucas pulled me closer and looked into my eyes before kissing me and whispering "I love you," against my lips.