"Why don't we put the streamers over there. And the balloons here. And the sign there," Riley instructed to Shawn and Katy.

"Riley, I think we know how to decorate for a party," Katy insisted. She had helped Topanga decorate for elaborate parties in the past, this was cake work. Plus she had an idea of how to decorate Svorski's since it was used for her wedding reception nearly ten years ago.

"I know, I just want everything to be perfect," Riley reminded. They only had an hour to finalize everything until Maya and Josh would come back from the movies.

"I don't understand why we had to get the cake, Topanga," Cory complained to his wife as they walked into Svorski's. The cake was huge and a bother to carry. "Why couldn't Shawn and Katy get it? This is all for their daughter."

Shawn and Katy perked up when Cory had brought their names up in conversation with Topanga. Cory was clueless that Shawn and Katy were listening as he had his back turned to them. Topanga, on the other hand, saw Shawn and Katy immediately and gave them an apologetic smile. She would have to do damage control. "Well Riley insisted that we should pick it up, remember she had Shawn and Katy on decorations," Topanga said, hoping Cory would take the hint and realize who was behind him.

"I know, but why did Riley order a cake in the first place. Do you think they forgot it was Maya's birthday?" Cory mused.

"Oh, you think that could actually happen?" Topanga asked, silently praying Cory wouldn't say anything too embarrassing.

"Honey, I grew up with Shawn. It practically runs in his family. Remember his mother? What a cuckoo. She forgot where she lived," Cory explained. He knew Shawn was a better parent than what he dealt with growing up. Shawn made that a priority when parenting Maya. "See, my biggest worry is that forgetting to give your kid a cake is the first step to forgetting where you live."

Shawn acknowledged that his mother was crazy. She often ran away which led his father to chase after her. He just never wanted to be compared to either of them.

"Oh, that's not your biggest worry anymore," Topanga said.

"Come on Topanga, don't you remember? 'Ah, it's Tuesday! I better run away!'" Cory laughed poking fun at Shawn's mother. "You have to laugh, huh, Topanga?" When Topanga wasn't laughing, he knew something was wrong. Her face was practically screaming for him to shut up. "Shawn's behind me, isn't he? Why is everybody always behind me? How you doing, Shawn?"

"Well, it ain't Tuesday, so pretty good," Shawn joked. He knew Cory meant no harm, but he could still mess with him.

"And just so you know, Cory, we were going to pick up a cake from the grocery store today," Katy clarified. She was a good mother. Though she may be busy with work, she always made time for her daughter and would never forget her birthday.

Cory didn't know how to come back from that. "Riley, where do you want this?" Cory asked changing the subject.

"On the counter," Riley ordered. "You guys can help Uncle Shawn and Aunt Katy finish decorating. I'm going to find the boys."

Outside of Svorski's, the boys sat on their phones trying to track down everyone on the guest list. "How's it going, boys? Is everyone coming?" Riley asked.

"Well, Maya's Grammy Clutterbucket is coming, Katy has to leave to pick her up in a couple minutes," Lucas began. "And Maya's Uncle Jack may be running a little late."

"What about everyone else?" Riley asked.

"Grandma and Grandpa are coming," Auggie piped. "But Uncle Eric and Aunt Morgan are busy."

"My parents said they might stop by, but they have to head to Taiwan in a few hours, so they may not be able to make it," Farkle added.

Riley was disappointed, didn't anyone seem to care that it was her best friend's thirteenth birthday?

"You know, Josh," Maya led as she leaned over her seat in the theater. She had practically dragged Josh to the back row on the condition that she would actually watch the movie rather than talk to him the entire time. With thirty minutes left, Maya broke that condition. "I'm thirteen now."

"Yeah, so," Josh said, never letting his eyes leave the screen.

"That makes us only two years apart. Fifteen and thirteen isn't that big of an age difference, is it?" Maya mused.

"I'm still too old for you," Josh replied. "In February, I'll be sixteen."

"Then you can drive me around whenever I want," Maya teased, still staring at Josh.

Josh turned to face Maya. "Is that so?"

"Yes, and then you can take me on more dates like this."

"This isn't a date."

"If this isn't a date, then why did you ask me to go with you. I'm sure Andrew would have loved to take my place."

Maya had her fun living in her fantasy world that Josh and her were on a date. She hadn't heard from Riley or either of her parents the entire time she was at the movies. If one person knew what was going on it would be Josh.

"Andrew's busy," Josh lied. Andrew had actually asked him to hang out today, but Josh had told him that he was stuck on babysitting duty.

"Oh really?" Maya asked. "Then who is that sitting a few rows in front of us?"

Josh perked up and looked in the direction Maya was pointing to. "Oh shit," Josh mumbled as he ran his fingers through his hair. Of course Andrew had to be at the same movie as them.

Maya had to shake off how cute she thought Josh looked when he did that with his hair. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?" Maya asked politely.

"No."

"Come on, Josh. What's the big secret?"

Josh refused to open his mouth. He made a promise to Riley. So he did what any rational person would do in that moment; he ignored her.

Maya rolled her eyes at him before concocting a wicked plan. "You know Josh, it would be a shame if Sophie found out you were on a date with another girl," Maya said.

"For the millionth time, this is not a--what did you say about Sophie?" Josh questioned. Sophie was a girl in his grade that he had a crush on and Maya knew all about it. She disapproved of Sophie for no other reason than the fact that Josh was into her. Maya didn't even like to bring her up, but desperate times such as these called for desperate measures.

"I'm just saying, I don't think Sophie would view this non-date, as you keep reminding me, as a non-date, Maya began. She rested her head on Josh's shoulder causing him to tense up, then proceeded to grab his closest arm to wrap around her. Before Josh could yank his arm away Maya had pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the two of them looking awfully cozy. "I mean this picture is pretty incriminating. What would happen if someone had sent this to her?"

Josh's eyes bulged out but tried to remain calm. "You don't even have her number."

"I have my ways."

If he didn't know Maya, he would have guess she was bluffing, but Maya never bluffed. "Delete it."

"I don't know, I quite like this picture, Boing."

"Maya, I'm serious."

"Fine, I'll delete it," Maya agreed, causing Josh to sigh in relief. "One on condition. You tell me what the big secret is. And trust me. I know when you're lying."

Josh gulped. Riley was going to kill him.

"Okay guys! Everyone duck down!" Riley ordered as she dimmed the lights. "Josh said they'll be here any minute."

Riley hid the closest to the door. She wanted to be the first person Maya saw when she arrived. Cory, Topanga, Shawn, and Katy hid behind Mrs. Svorski's counter. Lucas, Farkle, and Auggie hid in a booth while Grammy Clutterbucket did not bother to hide at all on the other side. Amy and Alan, who were basically grandparents to Maya, hid in the back of the bakery with Mrs. Svorski.

Josh walked in first feeling guilty. Maya promised that she wouldn't tell anyone that Josh told her about the surprise party. Maya knew Riley would have been upset if she found out her master plan was foiled, so she decided to pretend as if she had never known.

Once Maya crossed the threshold, Josh flipped on the lights as everyone jumped out of their hiding spots and yelled, "Surprise."

"Happy birthday, Maya," Riley said, running over to hug her best friend.

"Riles, you did this all for me?" Maya said in awe. Riley really over did herself. There were streamers everywhere and a giant sign that read: Happy 13th Birthday, Maya!

"I had some help," Riley admitted and gestured to their parents.

Katy came out behind the counter holding the cake with Shawn. "Happy Birthday, baby girl. Make a wish," Katy said.

Maya looked around at everyone who had shown up, friends and family. She didn't know what to wish for.

"Are you going to wish or not?" Josh teased, elbowing her side.

Maya gazed back at Josh who wore his signature Matthews smile. She leaned down to her birthday candles and made a wish.

"Alright, let's eat!" Auggie exclaimed. He had barely eaten all day. Riley was really making him work for his cake. He had to help Farkle and Lucas convince people to come to the party with his cuteness.

"You guys aren't going to eat cake without me, are you?" a voice from behind asked.

Maya turned around and raced towards the voice. "Uncle Jack!" She cheered, giving her uncle a hug.

"Why does he get the 'Uncle' title?" Cory asked his wife. He did not understand Maya's resistance to call him Uncle Cory while she could so easily refer to Jack as Uncle Jack.

"Maybe because he is her biological uncle," Topanga offered.

"But our kids call Shawn, Uncle Shawn," Cory argued.

"Honey, I think you're overthinking it," Topanga said, rubbing her husband's back.

"What are you doing here?" Maya asked her Uncle Jack. She didn't expect him to fly in from California for her birthday. He rarely even came in for holidays.

"A little birdie called me and said it was my niece's thirteenth birthday and that I had to be here," Jack explained.

"I'm the birdie!" Riley interjected. She had called Jack Hunter weeks in advance to make sure his schedule would be cleared for this weekend. No one knew he was coming in, not even his brother. It was the greatest surprise she had planned.

"Hey, Jack," Shawn greeted while Katy set the cake down on the counter.

"Shawn," Jack said, replacing his niece's hug with one for his brother. "Still getting into trouble?"

Shawn laughed and nudged Maya who was close by. "Only when this one's around," Shawn admitted.

"Keeping your father on his toes aren't you?" Jack asked.

Maya nodded in response.

Katy wiped her hands on her pants and went over to hug her brother-in-law. "Jack, it's so good to see you," Katy said.

"It's good to see you, too. How did my brother end up with someone like you?" Jack playfully asked.

"Luck," Katy joked.

"Can I eat cake now?" Auggie asked on the verge of dying from hunger.

"So Maya, was this the best birthday ever?" Riley asked, sitting by the window with Maya as they ate her birthday cake.

Maya paused. Off in the corner, Farkle and Lucas were talking. Grammy Clutterbucket was taking a nap in one of the booths. Josh was smashing cake in Auggie's face which caused him to get scolded by Amy while Alan watched. And Jack was catching up with Cory, Shawn, Topanga, and Katy like old times.

"Yeah I would say so," Maya smiled. Between the surprise party and quality time with Josh, she would call her birthday a success on all fronts. "Thunder?"

"Lightning," Riley replied.