Chapter 28
Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or any of the characters
Riley sat at the bay window, a serious look on her face. She looked down at the envelope in her hand. It was the first college to send back their reply. This was the one school she kept a secret from everyone, including her boyfriend. She saw the word Yale printed on the envelope and let out a sigh. She knew how her mom almost went there. She also knew that she chose her dad instead. She loved the college instantly when her mom showed her around and knew that she had to apply there. She still did not know why she kept it a secret but felt that it was the right choice at the time.
"Hey honey," Topanga walked into her daughter's bedroom. Riley quickly stuffed the envelope behind her back and smiled at her mom.
"Hey mom," Riley greeted.
"What you got there?" Topanga asked, gesturing behind her daughter's back.
"What are you talking about?" Riley innocently asked.
"Riley," Topanga raised an eyebrow and moved to sit with her daughter. Riley let out a sigh and pulled the envelope out from behind her back. She handed it to her mom and waited for her reaction. Topanga read the label and let out a gasp. "You applied to Yale? You never told me that."
"I was kind of keeping it a secret until I knew for sure," Riley said.
"Well what does it say? Did you get in?" Topanga asked.
"I haven't opened it yet," Riley said. "I was hoping you'd be here when I did."
"Of course honey," Topanga handed her back the envelope. Riley shared a nervous look with her mom and then tore the envelope open. She took one last deep breath before reading the letter. Her eyes glided across the page and she remained silent the whole time. Topanga tried to read her face and gauge a reaction but her daughter remained straight faced. "Well? What does it say?"
"I got in," Riley whispered.
"What?" Topanga gasped. "You got in?"
"I got in. I got in to Yale," Riley's eyes widened and she looked at her mom. Topanga pulled her daughter into a tight hug and squeezed her tight.
"I'm so proud of you! I'm so incredibly proud of you baby!" Topanga exclaimed as she felt tears well up in her eyes. "I knew you could do it."
"I did it," Riley whispered.
"So what does this mean?" Topanga asked.
"This means it's time for me to talk to my boyfriend," Riley said.
"He's going to be so proud of you honey," Topanga promised.
"I hope so," Riley whispered.
"Congratulations honey. I'm so proud of you," Topanga kissed her daughter's temple and then pulled her in for another tight hug. Riley rested her chin on her mom's shoulder and closed her eyes. She did it, she got in to Yale.
GirlMeetsWorldRucas. GirlMeetsWorldRucas. .
"Hey," Riley walked into her boyfriend's room. Lucas looked up from his textbook and smiled at his girlfriend.
"Hey babe. What are you doing here?" Lucas asked.
"Can't a girl surprise her boyfriend for no reason?" Riley asked as she walked over and dropped next to him on the bed.
"I guess," Lucas laughed and kissed her quickly. Riley rested her head on his shoulder and laced their hands together.
"I love you," Riley whispered.
"I love you too," Lucas kissed the top of her head.
"I don't know what I would do without your love and support," Riley admitted and could feel her boyfriend tighten his grip on her.
"Are you sure everything is okay?" Lucas asked, feeling a little concerned. "You seem a little off."
"Can I tell you a secret?" Riley asked.
"Of course you can. That's what boyfriends are for," Lucas said.
"Oh yeah?" Riley laughed.
"And for buying cake," Lucas added.
"Well that's good to know," Riley smiled up at her boyfriend.
"What's going on?" Lucas asked.
"I applied to a college that I told no one about. I kind of just wanted to see if I could get in and I was unsure if it was somewhere I even wanted to consider," Riley explained.
"Well what college is that?" Lucas asked.
"Yale," Riley whispered.
"Did you get in?" Lucas asked.
"Yeah," Riley nodded. "I got my acceptance letter today."
"Really?" Lucas asked as he moved away to look at her. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Really?" Riley asked, eyes full of hope.
"Of course I am! That's amazing! Yale is a great school. That's incredible babe," Lucas leaned forward to kiss his girlfriend and then pull her into a hug.
"You're not mad I didn't tell you?" Riley asked.
"No," Lucas shook his head. "I understand."
"So this is good?" Riley asked.
"This is amazing," Lucas corrected. "You got into your dream school!"
"How did you know it was my dream school?" Riley asked, amazed that he knew that.
"I remember when we toured the campus. I could see the look in your eyes. It looked like you were home," Lucas explained.
"I can't believe you figured that out," Riley widened her eyes in amazement.
"There is not much about you that I don't know," Lucas admitted.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," Riley admitted.
"You have time to decide, right?" Lucas asked.
"Yeah," Riley nodded.
"Then let's just celebrate that you got in today and decide later," Lucas said.
"What do you have in mind?" Riley asked.
"I think there is a giant piece of chocolate cake with your name on it," Lucas said.
"How did I get so lucky?" Riley asked, love filling her chest.
"You fell into the right lap on the subway," Lucas smirked and Riley laughed at her boyfriend. She could not help but agree though. There was no doubt in her mind that she fell into the right lap.
GirlMeetsWorldRucas. GirlMeetsWorldRucas. .
"That's amazing!" Farkle exclaimed.
"Don't say that so loud!" Riley whispered and quickly looked around to see if anyone was listening.
"Why? I thought you said Lucas was proud of you?" Farkle asked.
"It's not Lucas I'm worried about. It's Maya," Riley sighed.
"Maya? What did Maya do?" Farkle asked. Riley sighed and then explained her conversation with Maya outside of Topanga's.
"So now I'm confused," Riley sighed.
"You have to put yourself first. You have spent your whole life putting everyone else before yourself. It's time for you to do what's going to make you happy. It's time for you to do something for you," Farkle said.
"You're right," Riley nodded and knew that he was completely right.
"Of course I'm right. I did get into Harvard after all," Farkle teased.
"And you never let us forget that," Riley laughed as she gestured to his t-shirt.
"Hey! I have to represent my future school," Farkle laughed.
"You're doing a great job at it," Riley giggled.
"Look at us ivy league nerds," Farkle nudged Riley's shoulder.
"Who would have thought?" Riley laughed.
"I always knew. We were always destined for greatness," Farkle said.
"We are going to do great things in this world Farkle Minkus," Riley smiled.
"I'm so proud of you Riley. No one else in the world deserves this more than you," Farkle said before pulling her into a hug. Riley smiled and hugged him back. If there was one thing in this world that she was always sure of, it was her friendship with Farkle. There was never a doubt in her mind that he was always going to be there for her.
GirlMeetsWorldRucas. GirlMeetsWorldRucas. .
"Hey," Maya walked over and took a seat next to Zay.
"Hey Maya," Zay smiled at the blonde.
"So I heard you have a new girlfriend," Maya nudged her ex-boyfriends shoulder.
"I do," Zay nodded. "Her name is Claire."
"That's pretty awesome," Maya said.
"I thought so," Zay laughed. "What about you and Josh? You two make it official yet?"
"No," Maya rolled her eyes. "You know him. He never wants to make anything official."
"He'll get there," Zay said.
"Did you ever tell anyone about us?" Maya asked.
"What about us?" Zay asked.
"You know, that thing we did junior year. The thing we swore not to tell anyone," Maya raised an eyebrow at her ex-boyfriend.
"You mean losing our virginities to each other?" Zay asked.
"Yeah," Maya nodded.
"I never told anyone," Zay shook his head. "I thought we agreed not to?"
"We did. I was just making sure," Maya said.
"That was a year ago. Why are you bringing it up now?" Zay asked.
"Josh and I were talking about our past relationships the other and I felt bad. I felt like I was lying to him," Maya explained.
"So tell him the truth," Zay said. "I'm not ashamed. You're the one who wanted to keep it a secret."
"I didn't want Riley and Lucas to find out," Maya said.
"Why? I really don't think they'd care," Zay said.
"She's going to be so mad that I waited so long to tell her. We tell each other everything," Maya sighed.
"So don't tell her," Zay shrugged.
"I want to be honest with her. Before high school ends I want to get everything out there with my best friend," Maya said.
"You do whatever you think is best," Zay said.
"Tell me all about Claire," Maya shrugged his shoulder and then smiled as he went on to describe his new girlfriend. She was glad that they were able to put the past behind them and go back to just being good friends.
GirlMeetsWorldRucas. GirlMeetsWorldRucas. .
"Hey Riles," Maya crawled through the bay window. Riley looked up from her book and smiled from her spot on her bed.
"Hey Peaches," Riley closed the book and rushed over to sit with Maya. "What are you doing here? I thought you were having dinner with Josh tonight?"
"We postponed so that I could come over and talk to you tonight," Maya explained.
"Oh? Is everything okay?" Riley asked.
"There is something that I want to be honest with you about," Maya said.
"What's going on? You're kind of scaring me," Riley raised an eyebrow.
"So you remember junior year when Josh and I had that awful fight?" Maya asked.
"You mean when the two of you didn't talk for like two months?" Riley asked.
"Yeah," Maya nodded.
"What about it?" Riley asked. "You two obviously worked it out."
"I did something in those two months," Maya said.
"What did you do?" Riley asked.
"I slept with Zay," Maya sighed and then waited for a reaction from her best friend.
"Oh," Riley mumbled.
"Are you mad?" Maya asked, unsure of how her best friend was feeling.
"Why would I be mad?" Riley asked.
"Because I didn't tell you," Maya said.
"Why didn't you tell me? I thought we told each other everything?" Riley asked.
"We do," Maya nodded.
"Apparently we don't," Riley disagreed.
"I just didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Zay and I agreed to not tell anyone," Maya explained.
"Well then you kept your promise," Riley shrugged. "Have you slept with him since?"
"No," Maya shook her head. "Only Josh."
"You've slept with Josh?" Riley raised an eyebrow.
"Only once," Maya nodded. "Why? You and Lucas haven't done it yet?"
"No," Riley shook her head.
"Are you waiting?" Maya asked.
"I don't know. We haven't really talked about it recently," Riley admitted.
"You have talked about it though, right?" Maya asked.
"Yeah we have," Riley nodded. She decided to change the subject from the topic that was between her and Lucas. "I have to tell you something."
"What's that?" Maya asked. Riley reached over and grabbed the acceptance letter. She took a deep breath and then handed it to her best friend. "What's this?" Maya asked before letting her eyes skim over the words.
"I got into Yale," Riley confirmed when she saw her best friend look up at her.
"I didn't even know you applied," Maya whispered.
"No one did," Riley admitted. "I decided to just do this on my own and see what happened."
"Are you going to go?" Maya asked.
"I don't know," Riley admitted. "I have to really think about it."
"Well congratulations," Maya half smiled and hugged her best friend.
"Thanks Peaches," Riley smiled. "Have you heard from anywhere?"
"No," Maya shook her head. "I think I'm just going to skip out on the whole college thing for real."
"Really?" Riley asked.
"Yeah," Maya nodded. The two best friends sat there in silence. They felt something shift, they felt like their whole worlds were changing and they were losing control of it. Riley grabbed Maya's hand and squeezed it tight.
