𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 — 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

❝ 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 ❞

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

"Hey," Riley Matthews turned to see her cousin come in her bedroom. Riley had just gotten a visit from Andrew and Maya. The incoming love triangle between the three was getting progressively worse. It was Spring time now. Months had passed since New Years and everything had been avoided, until now. Seeing the solemn expression on her cousin's face, Amanda Matthews walked towards the girl and sat next to her with a sigh, "how are you?"

"I'm fine."

Mandy scoffed, "yeah, okay."

Riley furrowed her brow in confusion, "that's it? You're not gonna give me your big 'I know you're not fine, stop lying' speech?"

"No, Riles," she smiled sadly, "tomorrow starts our last week of middle school. We're going into high school. It's time to put our big girl pants on and take on the world. Make mistakes—learn from them. So, I'm not gonna call you out on your lies. It's time for everyone to step up and take responsibility for themselves."

"But—"

"Riles," Amanda didn't continue. She looked at Riley with a face of determination that shut down any kind of further conversation. Amanda patted Riley's leg, "come on. Last week starts tomorrow. Get some rest. I have a feeling we're both gonna need it."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

LEGACY.

"Legacy," Matthews paused, "why is Farkle a goose?"

Amanda chuckled as she glanced towards Farkle's desk. In the place of one of her best friends was a goose, "that's the Einstein Academy goose!"

"Oh, of course, the Einstein Academy goose," her Uncle responds sarcastically, "why is it on Farkle's desk?"

"Einstein captured Farkle," Maya shrugged.

Andrew nodded, "it was their end of the year prank..."

"So, since they took our mascot..."

"We took theirs and now we're even," Riley finished after Maya.

"Farkle's not our mascot."

Maya furrowed her brows as she questioned Matthews, "what would you call him?"

"Where's Zay? They got Zay too?"

"Zay's back in Texas," Amanda answered her Uncle, "he's at Vanessa's Spring Formal."

Amanda's two best friends 'ooh'ed before Matthews took everyone's attention, "all right, guys. Listen up. It's your last week of school. This is my last chance to teach you something."

Maya grimaced playfully, "you have more to teach us?"

"I have so much more I wanna teach you," Matthews stressed, "so much more. I mean, you guys are gonna be leaving this place. What will you be leaving behind? What is your legacy? I want to talk about not just what you've gotten from this place, but what you've given."

"He's right," Maya started, "we still haven't thought of our class prank! It's gonna be high-larious."

Farkle came through the classroom, "I'll tell you what's high-larious—nobody saved me! Why did nobody save me?"

"Farkle, we looked for you for a whole five minutes and then we took the goose," Riley answered.

"He's the new you," Amanda winked.

"Donnie Barnes: Regular Goose," Lucas joked.

"I'd see that movie," Matthews played along.

Farkle wasn't having it, poutingly moving towards his seat, "oh, please. Farkle cannot he replaced by a goose. Farkle is unique and one of a kind."

"That you are, Farkle," Amanda smiled, "that you are."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

"You haven't taught me enough."

Amanda cleared her throat.

"You haven't taught us enough," Riley corrected herself at the dinner table that night.

Matthews glanced at his wife before responding, "did I teach you to pass the mash potatoes?"

"Yes..."

"Well, there's a test on that right now," his daughter passed the food, "you passed!"

"What's bothering you, Riley," Topanga asked.

"Everything gets harder. Everything gets harder and you didn't tell me," Riley answered.

Amanda sighed, "I think it's common sense, Riles, that when you get older, things don't get easier. It's called, growing up!"

Riley ignored her cousin, "were you going to tell me?"

"You didn't tell her," Topanga accused her husband.

"Only everyday," Cory replied, "you tell her."

Topanga turned to her daughter, "life gets harder. Tell her, Auggie."

"I'm doing fine!"

Riley sighed, "we're graduating middle school. We're supposed to be in the middle of our education. The only thing I'm in the middle of is a big mess with two people I care most about in the world!"

"Why?"

"Because we're not talking about it," Riley answered her mother, "because Maya and I both like Andrew and so we know that one of us is going to get hurt, so we're all scared to move."

Amanda smiled from her seat next to her cousin, "good answer."

"I agree," Topanga said, "you know what makes me happy?"

"How could you be happy about any of this?"

"Because you're talking to us about it," her mother motioned to the others around the dinner table, "no matter what happens to you, we always want to be apart of what happens to you."

"You always will be."

"Thanks, Riley," Matthews smiled, "that's the greatest legacy any parent could have."

"Riley, you both are going to be just fine," Amanda placed her hand on Riley's shoulder in support.

"Yeah, and there is nobody stronger than Maya," Topanga added, "nothing can break her. I just don't see it."

The family turned their heads to see the blonde haired girl open the door, with a pouty expression. Amanda sighed when they witnessed Maya drop to her knees dramatically, "here we go."

Topanga got up from her seat at the table and opened her arms for Maya, muttering 'poor baby' over and over again. Finally the woman brought the blonde into her arms and asked her what was the matter, and Maya blamed everything on Matthews.

"Well, of course," was the only thing Matthews said in response.

"You didn't teach us enough," Maya said as she made her way to the dinner table. She took a seat beside Mandy, the girl now in between her friend and her cousin, "and we don't know how to handle this, and now we're leaving, and you're staying behind, and you didn't teach us enough."

"Yeah, Dad. You're more than a teacher. You're like a father to me."

The people at the table paused as Amanda took the opportunity, "I just want you to really comprehend what you just said."

Topanga brought back the previous conversation with a smile, "he's the best teacher you're ever going to have. And if there's one thing I know for sure he's taught you, it's how to express yourselves to each other in the best way possible, and as long as you do that, there is nothing to worry about."

"'Hi. It's me, Andrew McHolland,'" everyone turned towards the door to see the boy in question standing rather awkwardly with a stack of cards in his hands as he read from them, "'since no one knows what to do, I made a choice.'"

"Oh, boy," Amanda whispered.

"'I choose to stop.'"

"Drew," the boy looked up from his cards to look at Mandy, "put the cards down and say what you need to say."

Andrew walked toward the bench the three girls were sitting on, "you both mean a lot to me, and I would never do anything to hurt either one of you. So, I choose to stop," he said as he looked between Riley and Maya, "you won't decide, so I did, and I decided we're just friends. That's all we are," he watched as both of the girls faces dropped into a frown, "I don't want this to be the end of us."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

"You came into this place a bunch of young kids who didn't know very much, and now look at ya," Matthews told his class. He crouched down to Maya's level, "young men and women ready for what's next!"

"Okay, I'm gonna say it since nobody else will, all three of you are now officially out of your minds," Amanda stated firmly as she observed her three friends the next day. It was their last day of middle school and they're spending it by having Riley press her face against the classroom window outside the room, Maya lay on top of her desk, and Andrew face the back of the classroom—wanting to avoid both girls.

"Snap out of it," Matthews told the two in the class, "get in here," he told his daughter, only earning a hit on the window in response, "what are ya doing?"

"We value our friendship too much to look at each other," Andrew blurted out.

"Turn your chair around," their teacher instructed in disbelief, "get in your seat," he told Maya, "now, the most important thing you can do in life is give people a reason to remember you. The people we do that, are the ones we study in here. So, your last assignment from me and for yourselves is to figure out what you will give back. What are you grateful for? Who do you want to remember you? Do something about it right now."

The students left the classroom, leaving two behind, Riley and Amanda.

"Girls?"

Amanda glanced at her cousin and smiled, "I don't think we're ready to leave this place, Mr. Uncle."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

"I don't wanna go," Riley told her father, "I'm not ready for high school and I don't want to go."

"I second that."

"Why not, girls?"

"'Cause we did great here, Uncle Cory. This was the time of our lives! We were kings, Matthews. What will we be next year?"

"Not kings."

"No," Riley interjected, "the opposite of kings. Freshmen. Worms. Worst than worms. Freshmen."

Matthews smiled at his daughter and niece, "you both will do fine. You all will."

"Also—and I don't say this a lot—but, I like you," Riley expressed to her father.

"You do?!"

"Yeah," the brunette chuckled, "you said you had a lot more to teach us."

"And I will. You're both my family."

"What about the rest of our friends, Uncle Cory? You need to teach all of us more."

"We're a mess," Riley hit her desk, "we shouldn't feel. We don't know how to feel and and you need to teach us how to not feel."

Amanda chuckled slightly, "speak for yourself, honey-buns. I know exactly how I feel, especially when it comes to Lucas."

"I heard my name," the rest of the gang piled into the classroom and took their regular seats.

When the kids didn't speak, Matthews filled the silence, "what?"

"You got one more lesson for the road," Maya asked.

"Yeah," Matthews smiled, "I do."

"Well, I've never said this before, but—you have my attention," the blonde spoke while she folded her hands on her desk.

Matthews chuckled, "good. This one's important. I've gotten to watch you guys become friends and I've gotten to watch you guys grow. You guys grew up so fast. And I've been trying to teach you to keep your feelings inside."

"And you were right," Riley said, "look at us."

"I was wrong," Matthews retaliated, "your teacher was wrong. I can't keep you in this place. You've out grown it. You guys are graduating to whatever comes next. You know why?"

"No..."

"You've earned it."

"How do we know when we're ready?"

"The same way we know anything," Matthews answered Maya, "let's take one last test and see."

Riley internally groaned, "are you even allowed to do this? It's the last day of school."

Matthews shrugged, "I'm still your teacher. I can do whatever I want. Besides this test isn't for a grade. This is the test to find out what you've actually learned here. Question one. What is the secret of life? Maya?"

"People change people."

"And for extra credit?"

"What us does for them."

"What does that mean?"

"How we help those who are less fortunate than us."

"Are you an us or a them?"

"I'm an us. I'm extremely blessed. We all are."

"Question two. Sneak Attack. Riley?"

"Pearl Harbor."

"And for extra credit?"

Riley chuckled slightly, "Missy Bradford tried to tear our friendship apart. Lucas was new here and she tried to throw a sneak attack. I think that was the moment we all realized what we really meant to each other. The moment we all came together."

"Good. Farkle? Canada."

"Our greatest allies are the people right next to us."

"Lucas—?"

"I think I was the most changed by these people," the boy glanced around the room, "I know that whatever I'm feeling, I can just tell my friends and everything will be okay."

"That's great. Amanda? The duel of...?"

Amanda sighed quietly before answering, "Hamilton and Burr."

"And for extra credit?"

"I was getting bullied again and instead of asking for help, I threw ice cream at Riley's face."

"What did you learn from the ice cream duel."

"It's okay to ask for help. I don't need to be alone anymore. I know that wherever I go, my friends will always be with me. I think that was the moment I realized how much I loved you guys and needed you guys in my life."

"I'm proud of you, Mandy," Matthews to turned to the last teen, "Andrew?"

The boy paused before answering, his gaze on his desk, "I don't need notecards to know that we have different feelings for each other," he told Riley and Maya, "we're not just friends. We're no good at it."

"And that's why your teacher was wrong," Matthews announced, "I can't hold you back from what you feel. Congratulations. You've all passed this test with flying colors."

Farkle glanced around the room, "what happens now?"

"Now you graduate, Farkle," their teacher shrugged, "you walk out of here with everything you've learned. And you live life. You live it. You face whatever comes. This is gonna be the greatest test of your friendship yet."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

Amanda Matthews sat on the bench on the roof of the apartment building. They had just graduated. Her mother didn't try to fly out and see her. All she got was a text;

mom🌷 — 7:24 p.m
congratulations. stay out of trouble. xo

So, there she was. On a rooftop, bummed because she couldn't see her mother. She was in her thoughts about how much her mother would be proud of her if she just gave her a chance. Amanda believed she had changed since coming to New York, meeting Lucas, reuniting with Maya, Andrew, and Farkle, and becoming closer with her cousin. Time will tell I guess, she thought to herself.

"I'm proud of you, ya know," Amanda turned her head to see her Aunt next to her, the woman's arm around her shoulder, "I know your relationship with her is a bit rocky—just give her some time."

Amanda tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace, "I'm fine, Aunt T. I wanted to thank you, actually."

"For what?"

"For letting me stay with you. Even after you heard about what happened."

"Oh, honey. I will love you no matter what. I can speak for everyone in our family when I say that. It's our pleasure," Topanga squeezed her niece into a side hug and kissed her temple, "now, why don't we go deliver the good news?"

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

Cory Matthews was going to high school, again. The—now freshmen— class and their parents worked together to promote their favorite teacher, and Amanda couldn't be more thrilled. After the party, everyone went home. Amanda took refuge in her room for the rest of the night. She sat at her bay window and gazed at the night sky. Her phone chimed, making the girl jump.

bubba💜 —    9:45 p.m
                 coming up. 💜

The text brought a smile to her face and she lifted her window, the boy coming into his girlfriends room. He greeted her with a kiss on her cheek, "how are you?"

Amanda chuckled at her boyfriend's antics, "Bubba, it's almost ten o'clock! You couldn't've asked that, I don't know, tomorrow?"

"I saw how you were acting earlier, on the roof, and I couldn't wait to ask how you were. I know your mom not being here is hard. I understand."

"I know. And I'm grateful I have someone that does," she told him. Comfortable silence overcame the two before she spoke again, "a little scared."

"Of what?"

"Going to high school," the girl answered. Amanda looked up from her hands to lock eyes with her boyfriend, "growing tired of one another."

"Growing tired?"

"I mean—drifting apart. The whole bullying mess started with whom I thought was my best friend leaving me because she grew tired of me. What if something like that happens again? People drift apart in high school—"

Amanda was cut off by Lucas as his lips captured hers. The kiss melted away an doubts in the girls' mind, just for a moment. As they pulled apart, Lucas' hands stayed on her cheeks, "I could never, ever, grow tired of you. You're my little darlin'."

"Lucas—"

"I mean it, Amanda. I'm not going anywhere. And I can speak for all of us when I say that."

Amanda smiled as her cheeks reddened in blush, "Bubba?"

Lucas hummed in response.

"I really, really like you."

Grabbing her hand, he smiled, "I really, really like you, too."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

edited: 28 feb 2021