Last chapter! Time to get out the tissue box. -L

Riley stepped up to the podium and clinked her glass. "I guess it's time for the maid of honor to make her speech," Kaelyn said. "Did you guys know that I was almost maid of honor? I was honored, of course, but I'd rather let Riley give the soppy speech and I'll keep you all laughing all night long."

"Please," James scoffed. "You aren't funny."

"Are you two done?" Riley asked loudly into the mic, amused. "You two fight like an old married couple, get a room."

Everyone burst out laughing.

"For the record, I am not into her, I am gay," James said to the room. "And she could never land this even if I was straight."

Echoes of 'oohs' sounded throughout the room.

"You wish you could get this," Kaelyn said, gesturing to herself. "But we'll let Riley have the spotlight now."

Riley shoved both of them out of the way, Kaelyn sprawling on the floor. "I apologize on behalf of the mic-hogs," she began. "I'm Riley Matthews, and for those of you who don't know me, and I'm ashamed to say there are a fair number of you who don't, I'm Maya's best and oldest friend. And also her niece, thanks to the fact that she married my uncle." Laughter. "But Maya and I have been friends since she crawled into my bay window when we were five years old. She was looking for a safe place, and she found it with me and my open window. In hindsight, that probably wasn't the safest thing, but I'll leave that to my parents to explain," she said with a grin. More laughter. "When Maya and I were in middle school, she'd been through a lot. It was hard for her to see any hope, in anything. I was the exact opposite, ever the eternal optimist. So despite our differences, we were the best of friends you could imagine. We had so many adventures throughout all our school years together. But when we left for college, our friendship changed. In the past year, we managed to reconnect, and here I am standing and talking about her. Now, Maya, I hope you know that you can't just drag Josh into crazy things because although he loves adventure, he does see consequences more clearly than you do. And Josh, I hope you know that there's no stopping Maya when she gets into something, and you're better off standing back and letting her do what she wants. But for the two of you, I watched your relationship grow from the very beginning. I was weirded out by the possibility of you becoming my aunt, Maya. Your feelings for Josh are indescribable, and your relationship is something I could only hope to have for myself. I love both of you and I'm ecstatic that you're officially part of my family, Maya, because you always have been. I wish you guys good luck. There's nothing you both deserve than happiness with each other, and I know you'll get that. I love you guys so much. Now, can you all join me in a toast to the happy couple?" Riley raised her glass. "To Josh and Maya."

"To Josh and Maya," Everyone else shouted, and Riley tipped her wine back.

"Thank you!" Riley said to everyone, and headed back for her seat.

Two hours later, when everyone was dancing and having fun, Farkle found Riley and pulled her outside of the venue. "We need to talk," he told her.

"Right now?" Riley asked, irritated. "Can't this wait?"

"No, because I know you've got to fly out tomorrow morning."

Riley crossed her arms and looked at him. "Then talk."

"What you said to be at the reunion the other day wasn't true," Farkle told her. "I mean, maybe a little bit, but-"

"Farkle, get to the point already, I want to go dance," Riley sighed.

"I don't like Izzy like that anymore," Farkle blurted out.

Shock filled Riley's dark brown eyes. "You're just saying that," she said uncertainly.

"No, I'm not," Farkle said, stepping closer. "I still like her as a friend, and I always will. And I will always hurt because of what happened between the two of us, but that's not a problem anymore. She's not a problem."

"You want her, you need her, Farkle. And I could never be her." It hurt Riley to admit that, but she knew they weren't meant to be.

"You're right, Riley, except you're wrong." Farkle took a deep breath and looked into the brown eyes he'd fallen in love with the moment they'd met when they were five years old. "I do want her, and I do need her. But you are her. Not Isadora. You, Riley Matthews."

Riley didn't say anything, although her eyes were wider than they ever had been before. Farkle took both of her hands in his. "Riley, I love you," he confessed. "I always have, and I always will."

"You do?" she asked, her voice rising in pitch. Suddenly, Riley couldn't breathe. It was as if someone had taken the rug from right under her feet and she was falling eternally.

"I do," he said, his steady gaze the only thing keeping Riley's composure together.

Riley still wasn't convinced. "You're just saying that."

"Why would I just say that if it wasn't true?" Farkle asked her. "Riley, I love you, and I want to be with you. And I had to tell you this before you left for California and never came back to me. It doesn't matter if you feel the same way or not, because I won't regret ever telling you."

"I don't regret you telling me," Riley admitted softly.

Their hands were still together, fingers entwined.

"So what happens now?" Riley asked quietly. "I still have to go back to California. I don't have a choice."

"You always have a choices, Riles," Farkle said gently, touching her cheek.

"You know I really like you, Farkle, I told you as much yesterday," Riley said. "But how can we ever work out if we're on opposite sides of the country? You saw what that did to Maya and I."

"You and I are not you and Maya," Farkle told her. "And we can make it work. You said you were going to be travelling the country anyways."

"I do have a couple of competitions here," Riley admitted.

"Do you have to go back right away?" he asked her.

Riley smiled. "I guess I could stay for another week."

A slow song started from inside the hall, and Farkle took Riley inside to the dancefloor, wrapping his arms around her waist. Her arms encircled her neck, their bodies pressed up against each other as they swayed to the music. "I changed my mind," Riley told him.

"What do you mean?" Farkle asked nervously.

"I might love you back, Farkle Minkus."

Farkle didn't waste any time closing the little space between them as he captured her lips in a kiss. It was a sweet one, gentle, not too suggestive. When they pulled apart, Riley rested her forehead against his. "I guess we can figure something out," Riley giggled.

Across the room, Josh and Maya were sitting at the head table, watching. They were fairly exhausted from all the dancing and were taking a break. "Think something's going on there?" Maya asked as they watched Farkle kiss Riley.

Josh laughed, sliding an arm around his wife and kissing her cheek. "I think so, you?"

"Definitely," Maya said as Riley pulled back and laughed. "She deserves to be happy."

"Everyone does," Josh corrected.

"She's been through so much," Maya said quietly.

"So have you," Josh pointed out.

"Are you siding with me now instead of your niece?" Maya asked, surprised.

"Hey, Riley is always going to be my niece, but you are my wife. I meant every word I said to you at the altar today, Maya." Josh smiled at her.

"So did I," Maya said. She shifted to look at her husband. "Remember family game night? We played the long game? And our long game began then too."

"It was a very long game," Josh admitted, grinning.

"But it was all worth it, and I wouldn't trade it for the world," Maya told him. "I love you, Joshua Matthews."

"I love you too, Maya Matthews," Josh said, winking at her. "How long have you waited to hear that."

"Forever," Maya told him, and it was the truth. She'd waited forever for Josh to finally admit he had feelings for her, for them to finally start dating, and for them to finally get married. Forever was a long time, but it really wasn't when you had someone in your life you could always count on.

"Look at me," Josh said softly, and she did. "Our someday starts today, sweetheart."

"Our someday is forever."

END.

*cue sounds of me sobbing*

I really really hope that was a good enough ending for this story. Thank you all for sticking by me for so long! I owe you all.

Check out my new fic, All We Ever Wanted, if you haven't already! It's pretty good if I do say so myself. xD

I love you love you love you all of you

Lauren.