Chapter 2
As you can tell, the fixed points have started joining together very,
very fast. The only person in New York that hasn't yet met Morgan is
Topanga. Eric adores her, Cory's having mixed feelings about her and Shawn
is obviously in love with her.
At 6:00 PM the next day, Shawn arrived at Morgan's apartment. "Hi,"
she said when she opened the door. "Are you Shawn Hunter?"
"Yeah, yeah I am," he said. "Oh. Well, Cory's told me a lot about
you. I went to your high school and your college. I used to have a crush on
you from seventh to ninth grade."
"Well I hope that didn't go away because you might need that," Shawn
said. "Huh?" Morgan asked. She smiled, but she was confused.
"I wanted to know, since you're new, if you'd like to join me for
dinner tonight. I know it's short notice, but - then again, what the heck?
If you want something, ask for it."
"That's what I always said," Morgan said smiling. "Okay, I'll try
you. After all, who knows what New York guys could be like?"
"Good. Um, I'll be back in an hour, if that's okay with you."
"Sure, it's okay. I'll need time to get ready. I can do it in an
hour. See you then!" she said, smiling. She closed the door. Shawn wasn't
her first choice, but he was fairly close.
She put on her turquoise dress and turquoise heels, and put on her
makeup (which wasn't turquoise). She had to admit to herself, she looked
nice - just not herself. She preferred jeans and a t-shirt and her leather
jacket, but then again, she couldn't wear that on a date. Not a first date
that is.
Shawn was there at 7:00 exactly. "Promptness," Morgan noted. "I like
that in a guy." He smiled to himself as he led her out and into Topanga's
car.
"Oh, you have a silver BMW? That's neat!" Morgan said as he opened
the door for her. "No," he thought to himself, "but she'll never know
that."
"Why do you have a smiley face air freshener in your car?" She asked.
"Umm.well.listen, this isn't my car, this is Topanga's."
"Who's?" Morgan asked, close to laughing.
"Topanga's."
"That sounds like a freeway exit!" Morgan laughed. Okay, so it did.
"It's Cory's wife. You've met him."
"Yeah, I have. Well, he never mentioned her name. Topanga. Huh.
Wonder what kind of family she came from."
"Her sister was named Nebula Stop-the-War Lawrence. Until she got
married, then I don't know what her last name was."
Morgan laughed. Shawn turned on the car, and "Four Seasons" came on.
Shawn at first was nervous, but Morgan gasped. "I love this! I know this!
Four Seasons. I used to love classical music."
"Really?" Shawn asked, amazed. She seemed to be his kind of girl. "Oh
yeah!" she said. "But then I kind of moved on. You know, to bands like Good
Charlotte or Simple Plan."
Shawn nodded. "Oh," he said. Maybe they weren't as compatible as he
thought. "Favorite candy on three. One, two, three!"
"Snowcaps!" They said at the same time. "I'm assuming your favorite
color is turquoise," Shawn said. Morgan laughed and nodded. "How long'd it
take you?"
Once they got to the restaurant, Morgan and Shawn ordered the exact
same thing by coincidence. "So, you should seriously meet Topanga. She
seems like your type."
"Oh," Morgan said. "I guess we might have something in common besides
a weird name."
"Yeah well, I'm sure to Jedidah and Rhiannon, Morgan might not be the
most normal name ever."
"Who?" Morgan asked. "Jedidah and Rhiannon. Topanga's parents." Shawn
explained. Morgan tried as hard as she could not to laugh.
By the end of the date, Shawn had a great time. He wanted to see her
again but was afraid that Morgan wouldn't want to. He dropped her off at
her apartment and they said bye.
As Morgan went into her apartment, she couldn't help but notice Shawn
didn't kiss her. Funny, she thought to herself. Usually, a kiss would have
been sufficient. Maybe he didn't like her.
Cory heard a knock at the door. Topanga wasn't home, which you'll learn is a very good thing. He opened it. Morgan was standing there in a towel. "Hi," she said. "I locked myself out of my apartment again, can I wait here until the only guy with the key comes back?" "Oh no," Cory gasped. "What?" Morgan asked. "This happened to Eric." "Your brother," Morgan said. "Yeah, how'd you know?" Cory asked. Morgan laughed. "Cory, you told me practically everything over that three- hour coffee." They both laughed at that. Cory let Morgan in. The phone rang at that. "Can you get that?" Cory asked. "Sure," Morgan said. Funny how fate would have Morgan answer the phone. "Hello?" Morgan said. "Hi, this is Angela, who is this?" "This is, oh, this is Cory and Topanga's apartment. Sorry, I'm a visitor who happened to answer the phone. Are you Angela.Moore?" "Yeah, I am, who is this?" Angela asked. "Morgan Mendoza," Morgan said. "Do you remember me?" "Oh my gosh! Morgan! Of course I remember you! How's the art going?" Morgan smiled. "Not so great. I kinda stopped art to come to New York and design clothes." "Ah! I'm so jealous! Is Topanga there?" Angela asked. "Umm, no, wait, Cory, is Topanga here?" Morgan asked. Cory shook his head. "No, sorry," she said. "Can I take a message?" "Tell her Angela called, but what are you doing at Cory and Topanga's apartment?" Angela asked. That made Morgan wonder. What was she doing at Cory's apartment? She could have just gone anywhere else. What was the pull that made her go to Cory? Hmm. "Oh, well, Cory and I are friends." Morgan put into her simple words. "Yeah, well, okay," Angela said, unsure of what to say. Suddenly, Shawn came in. "Oh my God, Cory, you are in big trouble!" Shawn said. "Angela, listen, I think I hafta go." Shawn turned his attention to Morgan on the phone. "She's talking to Angela? Angela Moore?" Cory nodded. "Sh, I'm on the phone!" Morgan said jokingly. Shawn jumped for it, knocking Morgan out of the way. "Gimme that!" he grabbed the phone. "AngelaitsmeShawnHunter," he said fast. "What's the deal there?" Morgan asked Cory. "She's, um, his old girlfriend. She left for Europe and he never really kept in contact with her." "After all these years! That's so sad!" Morgan crooned. "Yeah, I know. I think he jumped at the chance." "Literally," Morgan said. They both smiled at each other. Morgan heard Shawn's laugh - which was fake yeah, but it was still cute in a "hee- hee-hee" way. Topanga came in then. "Cory, we have to talk," she said when she saw Morgan. "Hi, I'm Morgan Mendoza, I just moved in next door." She shook Topanga's hand. "Hi, I'm Topanga Matthews. Cory's wife." "He's talked a lot about you," Morgan said nodding. "Oh well then Cory never mind. Just why is Shawn in here talking on our phone and why is she in here wearing a towel?" "I locked myself out of my apartment. I should go back and see if it's unlocked now. Thanks, though." Morgan said, smiling. "Come back when you're dressed if you want," Topanga said. "Thanks, I will." Morgan said and left. "Bye," Shawn said wistfully to Angela as he hung up. "My life is great!" Shawn said. "I can't believe I forgot about Angela!" "You forgot about her? Shawn, who are you?" Topanga asked. "I haven't forgotten about her totally, just.I haven't remembered her all the way. She's coming to New York, you know. Here, to see me again. What should I do?" "You should go and meet her like a normal person would." Cory said. There was a knock at the door. Topanga answered it. It was Morgan - she looked nice, Cory thought. Nice. "Hi," Morgan said. "I just had to know what's up with Shawn and Angela! Shawn, are you going to meet her or what?" "How'd you know?" Shawn asked. "Well, I've had this unexplained ability to sort of know things before they happen." "Like a psychic." "No, not like a psychic." Morgan said. "Like a prediction or something. Premonitions. I don't know; it's confusing and hard to explain. I just seem to have a feeling that something'll happen. So are you going to meet her or what?" "I don't think so." "Let me guess. You're afraid that she's done more with her life than you have and you don't want to get rejected. It's a totally normal feeling." They all looked at her like she was crazy. "What, I studied psychology when I was in Europe. Multi-tasking. It's what I do." She smiled again. "So meet her, Shawn!" "I'm not going to meet her," Shawn said. "I'm.scared." "People are often afraid of the true love emotion. It's only normal. You don't feel it, it's not true love." Topanga dropped the pen she was holding. Morgan acted like she didn't notice. "Here. What I'll do is I'll come with you. Angela and I haven't seen each other in a year. Then once you feel comfortable I'll leave. Ooh, this is going to be fun!" "Wait, how'd you know he was going to want you to come?" Topanga asked. She was suspicious of this Morgan girl. Who was she and why was she in her apartment? And whose permission did she have to just come into their lives like that? She was going to ruin their lives. She could feel it. "Well, however it was, she's right," Shawn admitted. "Cool! Angela would love to go to that coffee shop Cory and I went to that one time. I know her. She'd love it. We should go." "What?" Topanga said, not believing what she heard. "Cory, can I talk to you in another room?" "No, I want to hear what Angela and Shawn and Morgan are doing." Cory said. "Sh, dear." "Cory," Topanga repeated through clenched teeth. "May. I. Talk. To. You. In. Another. Room." "Yes, dear." Cory said. Cory followed Topanga into their bedroom. "Where did you take her and why?" Topanga asked. "I took her to the coffee shop. That's it, Topanga, that's it!" "You only answered one of my questions, Cory, I want you to answer them all. Why?" "I met her, she was new in town, she didn't know any place, so I took her to a small little coffee shop. I ordered her a double latte with skim milk. We talked for three hours and that's it." "That's all." "That's all!" "Then why was she in her towel?" "For someone who gave up Yale for me, you certainly aren't very trusting." Topanga turned away. "I'm just a little scared that you're spending too much time with her." "So what? Do you want to split up or something?" "No, Cory, I don't, I just want to know that you love me. Look me in the eyes and tell me you love me." "I want you to do it first." Cory said. "What does that mean?" Topanga asked. "Topanga, you're gone all day everyday. How do I know you aren't meeting plenty of other guys? You never call me and you never tell me you're doing okay." "Oh, so now you're accusing me?" "I'm only questioning you like you're doing to me." "So now I'm questioning you?" "Yes, Topanga, you are!" Topanga knew what she had to do. She looked Cory in the eyes. "Yes, Cory. I love you." She took a step back. "Are you happy now?" "Yeah," Cory said. "Because I love you too." Topanga looked at him and smiled. "I just.I don't know. Morgan's really interesting. She's gone to Europe, and she's been in three commercials. She's painted before and now she's designing fashions for Veritaz." He made the exclamation point with his finger. "Veritaz?" Topanga made an exclamation point with her finger. "That's so cool! She's more interesting than me, isn't she?" "No," Cory said. "No one is more interesting than you." And with that, they walked out and smiled at each other. "Okay, Cory. I want your opinion. Should I take my car or Shawn's so we can go to that cute little coffee shop?" "Yours, definitely yours," Cory said. "You should come, Cory! You should come! And, Topanga, too, if she wants." Cory was about to say yes. He wanted to say yes. But he looked at Topanga who was looking up at him. "No, that's okay," Cory said. "I'll just leave this to you." They were totally oblivious of it, but as Morgan smiled at all three of them and they smiled back, none of them knew their lives were about to change forever. For the better or the worse - you decide.
Cory heard a knock at the door. Topanga wasn't home, which you'll learn is a very good thing. He opened it. Morgan was standing there in a towel. "Hi," she said. "I locked myself out of my apartment again, can I wait here until the only guy with the key comes back?" "Oh no," Cory gasped. "What?" Morgan asked. "This happened to Eric." "Your brother," Morgan said. "Yeah, how'd you know?" Cory asked. Morgan laughed. "Cory, you told me practically everything over that three- hour coffee." They both laughed at that. Cory let Morgan in. The phone rang at that. "Can you get that?" Cory asked. "Sure," Morgan said. Funny how fate would have Morgan answer the phone. "Hello?" Morgan said. "Hi, this is Angela, who is this?" "This is, oh, this is Cory and Topanga's apartment. Sorry, I'm a visitor who happened to answer the phone. Are you Angela.Moore?" "Yeah, I am, who is this?" Angela asked. "Morgan Mendoza," Morgan said. "Do you remember me?" "Oh my gosh! Morgan! Of course I remember you! How's the art going?" Morgan smiled. "Not so great. I kinda stopped art to come to New York and design clothes." "Ah! I'm so jealous! Is Topanga there?" Angela asked. "Umm, no, wait, Cory, is Topanga here?" Morgan asked. Cory shook his head. "No, sorry," she said. "Can I take a message?" "Tell her Angela called, but what are you doing at Cory and Topanga's apartment?" Angela asked. That made Morgan wonder. What was she doing at Cory's apartment? She could have just gone anywhere else. What was the pull that made her go to Cory? Hmm. "Oh, well, Cory and I are friends." Morgan put into her simple words. "Yeah, well, okay," Angela said, unsure of what to say. Suddenly, Shawn came in. "Oh my God, Cory, you are in big trouble!" Shawn said. "Angela, listen, I think I hafta go." Shawn turned his attention to Morgan on the phone. "She's talking to Angela? Angela Moore?" Cory nodded. "Sh, I'm on the phone!" Morgan said jokingly. Shawn jumped for it, knocking Morgan out of the way. "Gimme that!" he grabbed the phone. "AngelaitsmeShawnHunter," he said fast. "What's the deal there?" Morgan asked Cory. "She's, um, his old girlfriend. She left for Europe and he never really kept in contact with her." "After all these years! That's so sad!" Morgan crooned. "Yeah, I know. I think he jumped at the chance." "Literally," Morgan said. They both smiled at each other. Morgan heard Shawn's laugh - which was fake yeah, but it was still cute in a "hee- hee-hee" way. Topanga came in then. "Cory, we have to talk," she said when she saw Morgan. "Hi, I'm Morgan Mendoza, I just moved in next door." She shook Topanga's hand. "Hi, I'm Topanga Matthews. Cory's wife." "He's talked a lot about you," Morgan said nodding. "Oh well then Cory never mind. Just why is Shawn in here talking on our phone and why is she in here wearing a towel?" "I locked myself out of my apartment. I should go back and see if it's unlocked now. Thanks, though." Morgan said, smiling. "Come back when you're dressed if you want," Topanga said. "Thanks, I will." Morgan said and left. "Bye," Shawn said wistfully to Angela as he hung up. "My life is great!" Shawn said. "I can't believe I forgot about Angela!" "You forgot about her? Shawn, who are you?" Topanga asked. "I haven't forgotten about her totally, just.I haven't remembered her all the way. She's coming to New York, you know. Here, to see me again. What should I do?" "You should go and meet her like a normal person would." Cory said. There was a knock at the door. Topanga answered it. It was Morgan - she looked nice, Cory thought. Nice. "Hi," Morgan said. "I just had to know what's up with Shawn and Angela! Shawn, are you going to meet her or what?" "How'd you know?" Shawn asked. "Well, I've had this unexplained ability to sort of know things before they happen." "Like a psychic." "No, not like a psychic." Morgan said. "Like a prediction or something. Premonitions. I don't know; it's confusing and hard to explain. I just seem to have a feeling that something'll happen. So are you going to meet her or what?" "I don't think so." "Let me guess. You're afraid that she's done more with her life than you have and you don't want to get rejected. It's a totally normal feeling." They all looked at her like she was crazy. "What, I studied psychology when I was in Europe. Multi-tasking. It's what I do." She smiled again. "So meet her, Shawn!" "I'm not going to meet her," Shawn said. "I'm.scared." "People are often afraid of the true love emotion. It's only normal. You don't feel it, it's not true love." Topanga dropped the pen she was holding. Morgan acted like she didn't notice. "Here. What I'll do is I'll come with you. Angela and I haven't seen each other in a year. Then once you feel comfortable I'll leave. Ooh, this is going to be fun!" "Wait, how'd you know he was going to want you to come?" Topanga asked. She was suspicious of this Morgan girl. Who was she and why was she in her apartment? And whose permission did she have to just come into their lives like that? She was going to ruin their lives. She could feel it. "Well, however it was, she's right," Shawn admitted. "Cool! Angela would love to go to that coffee shop Cory and I went to that one time. I know her. She'd love it. We should go." "What?" Topanga said, not believing what she heard. "Cory, can I talk to you in another room?" "No, I want to hear what Angela and Shawn and Morgan are doing." Cory said. "Sh, dear." "Cory," Topanga repeated through clenched teeth. "May. I. Talk. To. You. In. Another. Room." "Yes, dear." Cory said. Cory followed Topanga into their bedroom. "Where did you take her and why?" Topanga asked. "I took her to the coffee shop. That's it, Topanga, that's it!" "You only answered one of my questions, Cory, I want you to answer them all. Why?" "I met her, she was new in town, she didn't know any place, so I took her to a small little coffee shop. I ordered her a double latte with skim milk. We talked for three hours and that's it." "That's all." "That's all!" "Then why was she in her towel?" "For someone who gave up Yale for me, you certainly aren't very trusting." Topanga turned away. "I'm just a little scared that you're spending too much time with her." "So what? Do you want to split up or something?" "No, Cory, I don't, I just want to know that you love me. Look me in the eyes and tell me you love me." "I want you to do it first." Cory said. "What does that mean?" Topanga asked. "Topanga, you're gone all day everyday. How do I know you aren't meeting plenty of other guys? You never call me and you never tell me you're doing okay." "Oh, so now you're accusing me?" "I'm only questioning you like you're doing to me." "So now I'm questioning you?" "Yes, Topanga, you are!" Topanga knew what she had to do. She looked Cory in the eyes. "Yes, Cory. I love you." She took a step back. "Are you happy now?" "Yeah," Cory said. "Because I love you too." Topanga looked at him and smiled. "I just.I don't know. Morgan's really interesting. She's gone to Europe, and she's been in three commercials. She's painted before and now she's designing fashions for Veritaz." He made the exclamation point with his finger. "Veritaz?" Topanga made an exclamation point with her finger. "That's so cool! She's more interesting than me, isn't she?" "No," Cory said. "No one is more interesting than you." And with that, they walked out and smiled at each other. "Okay, Cory. I want your opinion. Should I take my car or Shawn's so we can go to that cute little coffee shop?" "Yours, definitely yours," Cory said. "You should come, Cory! You should come! And, Topanga, too, if she wants." Cory was about to say yes. He wanted to say yes. But he looked at Topanga who was looking up at him. "No, that's okay," Cory said. "I'll just leave this to you." They were totally oblivious of it, but as Morgan smiled at all three of them and they smiled back, none of them knew their lives were about to change forever. For the better or the worse - you decide.