"Ah, the end of the year," Cory began his external monologue, walking down the hallway to his class. "The weather changes, kids pair off, first love. It amazes me how the power of love sometimes guides the perfect couples right into each other's arm." Cory looked over and saw as one of his students, Yogi, hop into another one of his student's, Darby, arms. "And sometimes it does that. But it's still first crush and I love this time of year. Probably because I don't have to worry like those poor sap, seventh grade father." Cory's voice came to a halt at a startling realization. Maybe he was a poor sap, seventh grade father after all. "Wait a minute!"
Cory turned to his daughter, Riley. She was standing by her locker and was about to head into class when she locked eyes with Lucas. The boy that had been on her mind all year.
"Nooooo!" Coey exclaimed. He ran through the hall and picked up Riley and carried her into his classroom away from Lucas.
Once settled at her desk, Riley questioned her father. "Dad, are you out of your mind?"
"Riley. It's time for the talk," Cory said. He needed to scare some sense into Riley. Cory figured she would want to go nowhere near a boy when she found out the truth.
"In front of the whole class?" Riley asked, embarrassed. This was going to be awkward enough as it was with her father giving her the talk rather than her mother, but the class didn't need to see this.
Assumed at the notion, Maya laughed, "Yeah, give her the talk let's see what you know." Her parents gave her the talk last year and it was funny to see her father squirm around and just nod along while her mother took the reins.
"Okay. When a daughter-" Cory began.
"Stop," Riley insisted. There was no way she was allowing this to happen.
"Excuse me," Cory said. He noticed the back door to the classroom was wide open and he saw Lucas going straight towards it to head into the classroom. Cory ran over to the door and closed it in Lucas' face. "Not today, Chachi."
Lucas pushed the door open. Mr. Matthews wasn't very strong to prevent it from happening. "Sir, you've known me all year. You like me, admit it," Lucas said.
"I don't wanna," Cory shook his head. That was the problem, he liked Lucas. Lucas was one of the best students in the class; however, any feelings he had towards him were washed down the drain the moment he was interested in Riley.
"I'm one of the good kids. What are you so afraid of?" Lucas asked. It wasn't like he was someone Cory needed to worry about. He was a southern gentleman and very respectful.
"Okay," Cory said, feeling the need to explain himself. He had prepared a lesson on Belgium 1831, but the situation at hand took precedent, so he erased the plan from the board.
Farkle, who was excited to learn about Belgium 1831, was disappointed to say the least. He knew everything except what happened in Belgium. To celebrate the occasion, he even wore his Belgium shirt and brought his flag. "No!" Farkle exclaimed.
"Okay, guys. It's the seventh grade spring fever, which leads to dating, which leads to movies, which leads to popcorn, which leads to putting your hands together in the dark touching popcorn, which leads to holding hands, which leads to that!" Cory pointed at Yogi and Darby who were practically sitting on each other's laps. The thought of that being Riley with some boy like Lucas made him violently ill. "Oh, I am not ready for this." He picked up Yogi to separate him from Darby and placed Yogi back at his desk.
"Come on Matthews, you knew this was going to happen eventually," Maya reminded him. Lucas and Riley had been getting pretty close over the past couple of months. If anything Cory should have nipped it in the bud a long time ago.
"Riley, I am begging you stay in Neverland, okay? No growing up," Cory pleaded. He wasn't ready for this. He was not sure he would ever be, but a little more time would be ideal.
"You know, I don't remember you acting this way when Josh started dating," Riley reminded her father. Cory had been very supportive of her older brother whenever and whomever he was dating, why was she any different?
"Don't remind me," Maya interjected. She remembered the first time Josh brought a girl home two years ago. It made her sick to her stomach. And no one was doing anything about it. That night she made it her mission to chase off any girls Josh had interest in. That way it freed him up all for himself. "You know, Matthews, how'd you react if I was with Josh?"
"Not again," Riley complained.
Cory laughed. "You with Josh? Maya, he's three years older than you. It's never going to happen."
"But humor me for a minute," Maya insisted. She wanted to see if he would freak out at the thought. If so, it would only make her more determined.
Cory paused and contemplated Maya's thought. Chills ran up and down his spine. Maya and Josh would be a terrifying combination. Both were influenced by the one and the only Shawn Hunter. While Cory was more disturbed at the thought of his son with Maya, he thought more of how Shawn would react and it wouldn't be pretty. "Shawn would kill Josh."
If Cory Matthews was protective over his daughter, Shawn Hunter was another thing. Anyone who may as well look at Maya would be in for it. Shawn had already had a baseball bat stashed in a closet for the day Maya would start dating. It didn't matter if it was a random stranger or his godson, Shawn would let no one get near Maya. The only person who could slip through his radar would be Farkle due to Maya's lack of interest in him and the kid's goofy personality.
The only reasons Shawn hadn't attack Josh yet was because (1) Josh was not interested in Maya and (2) Maya's crush was the one she had since she could talk. Everyone figured it was still a childhood crush.
Farkle raised his hand, pulling Cory away from Maya's terrifying thought. "What do you want?" Cory asked.
"The way I see it, I'm in an interesting position here," Farkle began.
"How do you figure Farkle?" Cory implored, not sure where this was going.
"Let's approach this as a scientific equation. You're scared of Lucas going out with Riley, right?" Farkle continued.
"Oh, does it show?" Cory scoffed.
"Yeah, He's good looking and athletic," Farkle explained.
"He's thirty six!" Cory exclaimed, pointing to Lucas.
"Give your daughter to me. I'll give you four oxen and my best milking cow," Farkle proposed.
Cory took a minute to consider Farkle's offer. Farkle was safe, not a Texan wildcard like Lucas, plus Farkle was offering a lot. Four oxen and a milking cow could get him very far in life.
"Are you actually thinking about this?" Riley questioned. There is no way she could believe her father was actually considering sending her off with Farkle. Farkle was like a brother to her.
"It's a good deal," Cory explained. He always did want an ox.
Riley stood up from her desk and announced to the class, "I will decide who I go on my first date with at such time as somebody asks me."
Lucas looked around the room and raised his hand. Riley turned to face him and grinned. Was he actually going to ask her out?
Cory glanced between Riley and Lucas. Riley was making her excited face and about ready to burst, while Lucas had eyed him cautiously. "Class dismissed!" Cory yelled, running out of the classroom.
Riley and Maya walked out of the classroom after Cory hadn't returned. They headed for Maya's locker to drop off their books and discuss life. "Life used to be so simple, Maya. Wake up, Brush my hair, Eat cereal, Pick up the bowl of cereal that I dropped," Riley explained.
"When did all of this pressure happen?" Maya asked.
"Boys have it easy, they get to ask," Riley commented.
On the other side of the side of the hall, Lucas and Farkle were having a heart to heart like the girls were.
"Girls have it easy," Farkle said.
"Yeah, we gotta do all the asking," Lucas replied.
"All they have to say is no," Farkle added.
Lucas cocked his head. "Well, they could say yes."
"They could do that?" Farkle was very smart in school, but when it came to the ladies, he was utterly clueless. In his experience, all he heard was "no" from girls.
"Oh yeah, they wouldn't last a day in our shoes. Waiting for them to get the courage to ask us," Riley said to Maya. Her eyes had wandered over to Lucas who was talking to Farkle.
"And then doing the vacuuming and ironing the babies," Maya shivered at the thought. She was not cut out for house work. "Riley, this isn't the nineties anymore. You want something you go get it."
"You're telling me you're not a little bit afraid of this?" Riley asked. Maya was the most courageous person she knew, but there had to be something that scared, especially when it came to boys.
"No," Maya shook her head.
"You're saying that if you had feelings for somebody that you wouldn't be nervous?" Riley asked skeptically. She knew Maya was nervous all the time whenever Josh was involved. Maya would go weak at the knees at the mere sight of him.
"No, the only thing that makes me nervous is that the thing that everybody wants to happen never happens because everybody's too afraid to make it happen," Maya explained, shutting her locker.
"So we're talking about Josh," Riley surmised. Riley loved her friend and her brother, but could never picture them together. It would just be too weird, but if somewhere in an alternate universe it happened, Riley would be supportive. Plus Josh, technically has never given Maya a valid reason why he wasn't into her except the age difference.
"How'd you guess?" Maya chuckled.
"You know what I was afraid of?" Farkle began.
"What?" Lucas asked, interested.
"You," Farkle admitted.
"How come?" Lucas questioned.
"I know we're good friends and all, but I've always considered you a bit of a threat. Just like I know you've always considered me a bit of a threat."
Lucas laughed. He never once considered Farkle a threat. "Yeah, you keep me up at night."
"But now I realize you're actually the solution to my Riley-Maya dilemma."
"How do you figure, Farkle?"
"I just never asked one out because I knew it would break the heart of the other."
"What if I ask one of 'em out?"
"Bye-bye I get the other one."
"What if I ask the other one out?"
"Hello, I get the first one. How long do you wanna keep doing this?" Farkle thought for someone who seemed intelligent in class, he was actually pretty dumb when it came to things such as this.
"Well, there's only two of them."
"So, you're going to ask one of them out?"
"Maybe I will someday." Although, Lucas intended someday to be fairly soon.
Maya had dragged Riley over from her locker to talk to the boys. Maya was going to teach Riley and Lucas a lesson, except neither were aware of the fact. "Hey, Ranger Rick," Maya greeted.
"Hey, other one," Lucas replied.
"You wanna go out with me?" Maya asked flat out.
Riley was stunned. She froze. She didn't know what to say. How could Maya betray her like this? Maya knew she liked Lucas, so why would she ask him out? It was breaking girl code.
Lucas' reaction was quite similar. Well this was something he sure wasn't expecting. "What?" Lucas asked.
"Do you wanna take me to a movie and put our hands in the popcorn at the same time and see what happens, or what?" Maya clarified.
Farkle seizing his opportunity ran over to Riley and wrapped his arm around her. No hearts needed to be broken thanks to Lucas. "Okay, you and me, 'cause I don't care," Farkle said to Riley.
Riley couldn't move as she watched the scene unfolded before her. Shocked was an understatement for what she had felt.
Riley sat alone in her bay window trying to comprehend what had happened at school earlier. She must of imagined Maya asking Lucas out because that would never happen.
Maya climbed through the bay window and sat next to Riley. Riley had been quiet most of the day and Maya thought to check in on her since she was coming over for a visit with her parents.
Riley hissed at Maya and pointed at the window. "Back traitor!" Riley commanded.
"Traitor, Me? Could this possibly be because I asked Lucas out?" Maya asked, knowing the answer already. She knew Riley was furious about the situation which is exactly what Maya wanted to happen.
"You asked Lucas out."
"What? You're upset?" Maya began teasing out the information from Riley to get her to realize the big picture.
"I'm beyond upset. I'm whatever the next one is."
"What? You wanted him to ask you out?"
"Maybe, but now you ruined my eight-year plan." Riley had even made a book marking each day on how she would woo Lucas.
"Riles, you've been all goofy about Lucas since the day you fell in his lap on the subway."
"You pushed me."
"And now I have pushed him."
Riley paused, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Don't worry about it." Sometimes Maya liked to keep her master plans to herself and let them reveal themselves in due time.
"I am worried. I am worried about our friendship which you called into question on this day." Riley had started to wonder if their thirteen year friendship meant nothing to Maya. Because she would never do this to Maya if the tables were turned.
"Oh, all right, you want to ask each other questions? Go ahead." Maya figured it was only fair.
"Why did you ask him?"
"How long have you known me?"
"Where are you taking him?"
"You think I would hurt you?"
"What are you gonna wear?"
"You don't think I have a bigger plan?" Maya was kind of disappointed that Riley didn't catch onto the scheme she was hatching.
"Can I at least be your maid of honor?"
"Of course, when I marry anybody else in the world besides Ranger Rick. For example, Josh." The day she would marry Lucas would be the end of the world. She would tear him apart. Plus why have Lucas when Josh was such an appealing option.
"What? You're just going to date him and then throw him away?" Riley would have reacted to the Josh comment of it all, but Lucas deserved better than being discarded.
"Hey, whack job?"
"Yes?"
"He doesn't want to go out with me. He's not going out with me. He's never going out with me."
"Well, if he doesn't want to go out with you, do you not want me to go out with him?"
Maya sighed, urging Riley to scoot in closer. "Come here."
Riley scooted by Maya and placed her head on Maya's shoulder. "Life is changing isn't it?"
"Yes. But this isn't though." Boys will come and go from their lives, but Riley and Maya would always stay Riley and Maya.
From downstairs the doorbell rang out. Riley pulled her head off Maya confused. "Who's that? I wasn't expecting anybody."
Maya grinned. Phase two was finally in action. "Oh, I was." Maya stood up from the bay window and dragged Riley to follow her.
Downstairs, Cory turned to Shawn. "I didn't think anyone else was coming by," Cory commented. He went to the front door and opened it, surprised and annoyed to see Lucas behind it. "You."
"Me," Lucas mimicked. He had been working up the courage the entire afternoon to face Mr. Matthews.
"Auggie's not home right now," Cory said.
"Yeah, I'm not here to see Auggie," Lucas said.
"Neither is Josh," Cory added to delay the inevitable.
"I'm not here to see Josh," Lucas clarified.
"Riley's not home either," Cory lied. Thankfully, Riley was upstairs that very moment with Maya. There was no way she was coming down.
"Hi, Lucas," Riley greeted, walking down the stairs and into the living room.
"That's right, I lied right in yo' face," Cory taunted, pointing at Lucas.
"Actually, Mr. Matthews, I'm not here to see her either," Lucas explained.
"You're not?" Cory asked, confused yet relieved.
"You're not?" Riley repeated disappointed.
"I want to do this the right way. So first, I'm here to talk to you, Sir," Lucas said. He was raised from a good family who taught him to always get the permission from the parents of the girl he liked.
Cory looked back at the dining table. Topanga and Katy were smiling along with Maya and Riley, who joined them. Shawn, on the other hand, was trying to conceal his laughter. Cory smiled back at everyone before scowling at Lucas. "I want to do this the right way too, Lucas. No!" Cory finished, slamming the door in Lucas's face.
Lucas pushed the door back open and walked into the living room. "Mr. Matthews, would it be possible to speak with you alone?" Lucas urged.
"About homework?"
"No."
"About a grade?"
"No."
"Then this has nothing to do with me and you've come to the wrong place. Good day," Cory said, trying to push Lucas out of his home.
"Actually-" Lucas started.
"I said good day, sir!" Cory insisted.
"Oh no, he's quoting Willy Wonka again," Shawn commented to the table. This wasn't the first time and surely wouldn't be the last time Cory did that. He always did so when he was passionate about something.
"But I need to talk to you," Lucas persisted.
"Is this about a historical event? I can only speak to you about historical events," Cory said.
"Yes."
"Well, then go right ahead."
"I'm asking you permission to ask out your daughter."
"You tricked me!"
"That's right I lied right to yo' face," Lucas smiled, using the same line Cory had used earlier on him.
Topanga stood up from her spot at the table and walked over to her husband. Enough was enough. "Get him, Topanga," Cory ordered.
Topanga smiled, "My pleasure." Topanga sized Lucas up for a minute. He was a handsome, polite kid. There was no one better for her daughter. "Lucas, you are about the most charming young man I have ever met."
"Yeah!" Cory agreed. Then he realized this was not going in the direction he had hoped for. Topanga was being too nice.
"But as delighted as I am that in this day and age you would come to get our blessing. Do you really think Riley is ready-" Topanga began.
"Yes!" Riley interjected, cutting her mother off. She was more than ready to go on a date with Lucas. Sure this wasn't supposed to happen until year two of her eight year plan, but this was much better than two years.
"Riley, be cool," Topanga muttered to her daughter. She knew Riley was excited, but she couldn't look desperate.
Riley understood and tried it again, in a much more calm and consistent tone. "Yes."
"Topanga, we really need to talk," Cory said.
"Cory, we really need to talk," Maya said.
"Good, help me," Cory said sitting down at the kitchen table next to Shawn.
"When a father turns a certain age, things will start happening to you that you don't understand. It'll confuse you, but it's a magical time," Maya began as Shawn and Katy tried to hold themselves together.
"Shut up!" Cory insisted. This was not what he hoped for when Maya said she really needed to talk. He should have known she would be on Riley's side.
"Look, don't worry. This is all normal and it's just your body's way of telling you that you are a woman," Maya said, poking Cory. "Look, If it makes you feel any better, don't think of it as a date. Think of it as a beautiful fantasy world that only includes the two of them and not you anymore."
Topanga walked over and back to Maya. At least someone was trying to put some common sense into her husband. "I appreciate you, Maya. I think you're pretty fierce," Topanga complimented.
"Hey, family," Josh greeted, walking into the apartment.
"Boing," Maya commented, almost falling to the floor at the mere sight of Josh. He sure did get her weak in the knees.
Katy rushed over to Maya's side to prevent her from falling. "I got you, baby girl."
"Josh! Perfect timing!" Cory cheered. If anyone can talk some sense into Riley, it would be her older brother, who would do anything his father would ask of him.
"Hey, I come with good news," Josh began.
"Thank you, I'm good," Maya said to Katy, regaining her stability.
"N.Y.U. is hosting this pre-college program open to rising juniors and seniors this summer and I got accepted," Josh explained. He had applied for this months ago, but didn't think he would actually get chosen. They were accepting students from all over the country and hundreds of students applied.
Topanga immediately went to hug her son. This was fantastic news. Josh was a smart kid. He had inherited Topanga's brain thankfully. "Josh, I am so proud of you, honey. Congratulations."
"Thanks mom," Josh smiled. "And they offer scholarships, too." He wasn't sure if football or baseball was going to pan out and this program gave him the opportunity to get a good scholarship without having to rely on his sports background.
Cory stood up to meet his wife and son in the middle of the room. NYU was his Alma Mater after Pennbrook, seeing Josh there in a few years would be a dream come true. "Congratulations, Josh." Cory paused and hugged Josh. "Now would you do me a favor and explain to your sister that she is way too young to go out on her first date?" Cory pushed Josh toward Riley and Lucas.
"Riley," Josh said in a stern voice which quickly melted away into Josh's signature smile. "What kept you going so long? Welcome to the party, guys. Enjoy." Josh even bumped his sister closer to Lucas.
"Get out of my house!" Cory ordered. He thought if anyone had his back it would be Josh. There was always Shawn, but Shawn always tried to stay neutral since he was only a godparent, not the kids actual parent.
"I live here," Josh argued.
"I'll go to the party with you, Josh," Maya smiled, leaving her mother's side.
"Still too old for you, Maya," Josh reminded. How many times did he have to say it, because Maya simply wasn't getting it.
Maya slowly started to walk towards him. "Three years, what's three years in the history of love? They found some cavemen footprints, a man and a woman, they didn't know how old they were. All the scientists could tell was that they were holding hands. You now why? That was all that was important," Maya rambled.
"Wow, Maya," Josh said taking a step back. She was getting a little too close for his liking and seemed slightly more unhinged than normal.
"Keep looking at me," Maya insisted.
Josh looked down at the invisible watch on his wrist. "Oh, you know what's really important is I have my first appointment with my campus advisor downstairs," Josh announced running out the door.
Maya was about to follow after him, until Shawn had to step in and restrain her. "Remember what Topanga said to Riley? Be cool?" Shawn asked. Maya nodded. "That was so not cool."
"Greetings, Matthews," Farkle said walking through the open front door. He figured Josh must have forgotten to close it as Farkle saw him running down the hall. "I've come to ask Riley out on her first date now that Maya has asked out Lucas."
"What? Why would you do that?" Katy asked her daughter. She must have missed something because somehow no one had brought this up until this very moment.
"Because nobody does nothin'," Maya explained.
"You lit the fire, huh?" Topanga implored. This oddly felt pretty reminiscent of her own youth.
"Somebody had to push these two kids together," Maya added.
"Sounds like something I would do," Shawn mused, recalling his memories. Years ago, when he and Cory entered high school, he had asked Topanga on a date just to get Cory and Topanga to realize they were crazy about each other. "Oh wait, I did. And look how it turned out. Fifteen years later, married with three kids."
"What's going on?" Farkle asked.
"What's going on, Farkle, is that this kid here wants my blessing," Cory explained as he walked towards Lucas. "You want it?"
"I do, sir," Lucas answered.
"Then you got it," Cory said, finally granting his permission.
"Really?" Lucas asked. He couldn't believe Cory had given in so fast. Lucas honestly figured it would take an extra hour or so, since Cory was ardently against this from the beginning.
"Really?" Riley repeated. She had never been more proud of her father than she had been at that moment.
"Really?" Topanga questioned. There had to be a catch. Cory would not give his blessing so easily.
"Really?" Farkle asked, disappointed. "Because I got a cow in the elevator."
Cory actually didn't think Farkle would go through with his four oxen and a cow promise. It had almost made him want to reconsider. "On one condition," Cory said.
"Uh-Oh," Maya commented. This couldn't be good.
"I want this to be a double date. Okay? If you are gonna go out with him," Cory began, moving Riley closer to Lucas. "Then you are gonna go out with him." Cory took Maya from Shawn's side and faced her towards Farkle, laughing at his genius.
"That works for me because you're Riley or Maya," Farkle said.
"Dad, you can't just tell her who to go out with on her first date," Riley argued. Maya's first date was meant to be special and with someone she had feelings for.
"Oh, don't think of it as a date, Maya. Think of it as a magical time and a journey to include..." Cory trailed off and finished by blowing raspberries in Maya's face. His perfect revenge. Content, Cory sighed and relaxed on the couch.
"Dad, he can't be serious," Maya said turning to her father, hoping he would get her out of this. "Do something.
"Okay," Shawn agreed. He personally didn't mind if Maya went out on a double date with Farkle. Farkle was absolutely no one to worry about, plus Maya would be miserable. If it was with a boy that she liked, then he would probably not have been as accepting. He would have to bring out the baseball bat for that. However, Shawn didn't agree with forcing Maya on a date. "Cory..."
"Maya wants to marry Josh," Cory tattled, getting the heat off him and onto Maya in Shawn's eyes.
Shawn turned back to his daughter. Maybe he had allowed her puppy crush on Josh to go on for too long. Marriage was not something he wanted to be thinking about. "You are going on the double date," Shawn informed Maya.
Maya groaned.
"So-" Lucas began smiling.
"Yes," Riley immediately agreed.
"Riley," Topanga warned. She wanted her daughter to act cool around Lucas, not be a ball of excitement and nerves ready to explode.
"Yes," Riley repeated, ignoring her mother.
"I'll fix it," Maya assured.
"Would you like to go out with me?" Lucas finished.
"Yay!" Riley cheered, unable to contain her happiness.
"I can't fix that," Maya admitted.
"So, Maya-" Farkle said before Maya cut him off.
"No," Maya resisted.
"Would you-" Farkle continued.
"No," Maya repeated.
"I mean it, Maya," Cory warned. The only reason he agreed to let Riley go out with Lucas was if she wasn't left alone with him. If Maya backed out, then he would take away his blessing.
"Would you whatever he's doing with her?" Farkle finished.
Maya looked around at Riley, Lucas, and Topanga smiling at her, urging her to agree. Cory smiled maniacally. Maya reminded herself that she would need to get him back eventually. Then lastly, her parents smiled apologetically. There was no getting her out of this one.
"Yeah, fine," Maya reluctantly agreed.