𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 — 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚-𝒐𝒏𝒆

❝ 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮? ❞

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

A lot had happened since Amanda Matthews spent her holidays with her boyfriend and his family. She received another solo in Choir and performed in front of all her friends and family in a school concert. The group of friends celebrated birthday after birthday, all turning 15, except for Lucas, who turned 16. The Friar boy confided in his girlfriend about the age difference and how he feels about it but Mandy assured him that just because he was one year older, it didn't make him any less apart of their lives and who he was to them. Amanda celebrated her birthday with a family dinner and a night on the town with Lucas, going window shopping and taking pictures of everything in the city. Still on the topic of birthdays, Mandy's cousin was itching for a birthday party.

"In every life, there are landmarks. What are the historical markers of our lives? Most important first."

"Sweet Sixteen."

"No."

Riley confided in her cousin and best friend about the need of a Sweet Sixteen, even though Riley was turning fifteen. Mandy didn't know why she was so adamant about skipping a year of age but knowing Riley, she'll learn something from all of this.

"Arbor Day!"

"No," Matthews shot down Maya during History class, "even Sweet Sixteen is more important than Arbor Day."

"Sweet Sixteen."

"Arbor Day!"

"No, most important first."

"Sweet Sixteen is the doorway to our driver's license."

"Arbor Day is the doorway to nobody knows what it is."

Mandy watched the two girls go back and forth as her Uncle looked on with raised brows.

"And college."

"You're going without me?"

Riley turned around to Maya, "no, you're going to the little one next door."

"Yay!"

Matthews sighed, "Farkle?"

"Birth."

"Okay, let's go with that because it's not what you said," Matthews motioned toward his daughter, "what's next?"

Smackle raised her hand, "I win the Nobel Prize for Physics."

"Smackle, we just got born."

"Okay. I'll wait."

Lucas spoke up, "our first birthday."

Matthews nodded, "okay, birth. So then, we celebrate our birth every year. What's next?"

"I win the Nobel Prize for Physics."

"Not yet."

"Get to it!"

"Our first steps, our first words," Zay listed, "our first day at school."

While everyone groaned, Farkle cheered, "yay! The day I met Riley and Maya and Smackle and Lucas and Zay and Andrew and reconnected with Mandy."

Amanda and the rest of the group smiled at the boy. She was touched with how he included her, she didn't think she would've been, seeing as she didn't meet him at school, she met him when they were younger when she visited New York.

Matthews smiled at the group, "okay, so we get born. We learn to walk and talk. We meet our friends. Then what?"

"We grow up," Amanda answered, "we're not little kids anymore. It went by fast, didn't it?"

"It goes by very fast, wise niece of mine. Your adventures were my adventures not very long ago," Matthews said to the class.

Farkle nodded, "then we have our various coming of age ceremonies."

"Oh, you mean like—"

"I want us to have a Surprise Sweet Sixteen party!"

"Riley, how is it a surprise if we all know about it," Andrew chuckled.

Maya turned to look at her best friend's boyfriend, "'cause we're gonna have it now while we're all 15 and Lucas is 24."

Lucas scoffed, chuckling at the comment, feeling Mandy ruffle his hair teasingly.

Matthews took this moment to teach, "Riley has an instinct to accelerate the clock. Why do you think that is?"

"Because I want a party."

"Try again."

Amanda watched her cousin grow serious, "well, because we are growing up very fast."

"There it is, freshmen," their teacher called out, "you guys are all gonna be 16 or 17 in your junior year. You're gonna be thinkin' about where to go to college. Let me ask you guys something. Are you better off letting life surprise you or is there a way to be ready for whatever is gonna happen?"

"How would that be possible?"

"By looking at the landmarks of our lives so far," Matthews answered his daughter, "have they prepared you for what's to come next? Happy Sweet Sixteen, everybody. Your assignment is to tell me what's gonna happen next."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

The group of friends gathered around together at Topanga's after school to discuss their new assignment.

"Okay, let's pretend that we've finished our sophomore year and we're juniors now," Riley stated, looking around at her friends.

Amanda sat comfortably with Lucas in their usual spot, his arm around her shoulder, hands intertwined together.

"What's changed?"

"I don't understand what could be calculated by projecting the future," Farkle added, disregarding Zay's question.

Andrew looked at Riley, "you and Maya still best friends?"

"Better than now."

"Absolutely."

Mandy looked down in dissapointment, she knew deep down that Maya and Riley were inseparable. She just wished she had that strong of a bond with her cousin as Maya does with her.

"That is speculation," Smackle pointed out.

Farkle nodded, "speculation is not scientific."

"We can't learn anything this way."

Andrew asked Riley another question, "you and I still together?"

Riley pursed her lips, "I hope so."

"Huh."

"Riley's confidence in her relationship with Maya is far stronger than her confidence in Andrew," Smackle relayed to her boyfriend.

"You're not confident in us?"

"I'm hopeful for us."

"But Maya?"

The two best friends spoke together, "we're forever."

Amanda cocked an eyebrow, still under her boyfriend's arm, trying to act unaffected by the two girls, "well, I have full confidence Lucas and I will be together for a long time."

The Friar boy smiled and kissed her head as Riley furrowed her brow at her cousin, "why do you say that?"

"Because he's my best friend," Mandy shrugged, "he's not just someone I kiss and go out with. He's my favorite person. He's someone I admire and know everything about. And he knows everything about me," she looked up to meet his green eyes, "he's my Bubba."

Lucas couldn't help but lean to kiss his girlfriend, "I have no words to describe how amazing you are," he chuckled, "you're my favorite person, too, darlin'."

"Okay, love birds," Zay interjected, "stop making the single people feel even more single."

Farkle spoke while smiling at the couple, "so, regular friends are stronger relationships than boyfriends and girlfriends."

"Or are those types of relationships so new to us, we simply don't understand them yet?"

Mandy wanted to respond to Smackle, but Zay beat her to it, "well, maybe that's why we take up a whole lot of high school trying to figure them out."

Andrew put out his hand for his girlfriend, "I'm hopeful for us, too, Riley."

Smackle pointed to their hands, "what is that?"

"They know there's vulnerability in that kind of relationship, and yet that happened," her boyfriend answered.

"What is that? What just happened there?"

"Feelings."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

Amanda Matthews stumbled into her home with Riley and Maya. The former wanting to talk to her mother, who was doing paper work at the kitchen table.

"Tell us about Cory and Topanga."

"What about 'em," Topanga asked her daughter.

"How they happened."

Maya chimed in, "how'd you make such an important decision so young?"

The three girls sat at the table as they started to spit questions at the woman.

"Do we know what we're doing?"

"What's gonna happen to us?"

"What if we mess up our entire lives? What if everything changes?"

Maya furrowed her brow at Riley, "you asked two questions."

"You can ask two questions," Riley said softly back.

"No, you ruined the whole thing."

"Sorry, let's start over."

"No," Topanga exclaimed, making the two girls look back at her. Amanda had yet to utter one question in contrast to the other two girls. She wasn't making a big deal out of questioning the future like the rest of her friends. Topanga looked between the three girls, "you're nuts because your father gave you an assignment?"

Maya groaned, "what do you think?"

"What's the assignment?"

Riley sat up straight, "I want a Surprise Sweet Sixteen party now."

"Diabolical."

"So, we're supposed to be 16 and think about what happens next."

"And you're scared," Topanga asked after the blonde reiterated their troubles.

"Well, sure," Riley answered, "what if Maya and I don't get into the same college?"

Amanda looked down at her hands as her Aunt questioned, "why would that happen? What happened to all those A's you've been getting?"

"I only got an A in Spanish," Maya revealed.

"You're not getting into a good college with only one A in Spanish!"

"You loved me once!"

Topanga smiled teasingly at the blonde as her daughter spoke again, "so, I'm going to a lesser school so we can always be together."

Topanga snuck a glance at her silent niece, "uh-huh. What kind of an idiot gives up a top school for someone else?"

Riley blinked at her mother, "you. You gave up Yale for dad."

Suddenly, the man in question bursts through the door, a dazzling smile on his face, "look, Topanga! I went in with two different socks! You know why? I woke up this morning and thought, 'what's the one thing in my life I haven't done?' Well, now I've done it. It's been a complete life," the man paused, then let out a groan, before trudging upstairs. The wife and teens looking at his retreating figure with flabbergasted features.

Topanga grinned grimly, "oh, yeah, I... I gave up Yale for your dad... I call a do over!"

"Really?"

"If I had to do my life all over again," the woman smiled at her daughter, "I would do exactly the same thing."

Someone else sounded from the door, causing them to turn around again.

"So... it turns out today wasn't Crazy Hair Day at school at all," Auggie walked toward the kitchen table, his hair blown out of his face, "you know what it was? Photo Day."

Amanda Matthews stifled a chuckle at the boy as he spoke again, "and in other news, today, I learned the word 'wedgie'."

As the boy went up stairs, Topanga turned to the girls once again, "you can make all the plans you want. The truth is, we don't know what's going to happen. And your two-socks-wearing father knows that too. So, why would he give you this assignment?"

"He wants us to look at the landmarks of our lives," Riley answered.

The blonde followed her answer, "he said maybe they can prepare us for what comes next."

"He's right," Topanga nodded, taking note how her niece hadn't spoken this whole time, making a mental note, "that, you can do. I was a unique, young girl. I met a boy named Cory Matthews... I kept some of my friends, some I don't see so much anymore, I'm an excellent attorney, my husband is an excellent teacher, we have two children and a niece that we love. What we do and who you are is how we contribute to society. So, looking back at the landmarks of my life, here's what I know. No. No do over," the woman got up to leave, but not before looking at her niece, "Mands, can I talk to you in private?"

Amanda furrowed her brow, "sure, Aunt T," she looked to the other girls, "go on without me, say hey to the others for me."

Receiving nods, Mandy followed her Aunt into the master bedroom, assuming her Uncle was in his office.

The two made themselves comfortable on the bed as Topanga spoke first, "I noticed you've been quiet the whole time we've been back there talking, wanna tell me what's going on?"

The Matthews girl sighed and easily confided in her aunt, who was more like a mother to her now, "I guess I'm just not as riled up about the assignment as everyone else is. I can usually get why Riley gets riled up about lessons, but not this one. I mean, I have a great boyfriend, who I'm confident I'll be with for a long time. I have you and Uncle Cory more than I ever did in the past. I have a passion for something I know I can go to college for. My grades are fine and nothing has happened in school that could ruin my life, again," she chuckled, "one thing though... it's just been nagging at me."

Topanga caressed her niece's cheek, "what's up, sweetheart?"

"I know that Riley had Maya before I came into her life," the girl looked up from her hands to her Aunt, "and I know I've only been here for over a year, but I just wish I had the kind of bond Maya has with Riley. I guess seeing them say they're forever and leaving me to watch from next to them hurts a little. A lot, a little. Kinda hurts that Riley isn't concerned about me and where I'll go to college, like she doesn't care if we're not close to each other..."

The woman nodded, feeling sympathy for the girl, "have you talked to her about it?"

"Nope," she shook her head, "I know I probably should. I just don't want to seem clingy or dependent of Riley. 'Cause I'm not. I've learned to take care of myself and I've learned that being content with myself is really all I need to grow and get by. I guess, maybe reassurance that she cares would be nice."

Topanga brought the girl into her arms, "I'm only going to give you one piece of advise, because I know you can take care of yourself. Talk to her."

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

It was time for the freshmen History class to present their assignments. Farkle and Smackle went first, talking about how they're still together in the future and have applied for early admission to Princeton. Amanda is really happy for them and their future plans.

Lucas, Zay and Andrew went next. Mandy is really happy that Andrew found friendship with the two guys. The boys talked about their future that consisted of Lucas peaking in Sophomore year, letting Zay into the spotlight, earning some laughs. Andrew talked about how he predicts him and Riley were still going strong. Lucas shared how future him and future Amanda were still together and supporting each other with everything they did.

Riley and Maya went after them. Amanda knew she was going to have to do the project by herself, but she still felt a pang in her stomach seeing the two girls together like no one could ever join the bond they had. The two girls talked about how they met and how Riley wasn't ready for her Sweet Sixteen and how she wanted life with her friends forever.

Finally, it was Amanda's turn. She got up from her seat after her uncle called on her. She missed the softened looks her friends gave her when she went up by herself, seeing as the rest of the group went up with someone by their side. The girl leaned against the teachers desk and began, "Amanda Matthews is now a junior. She's co-student-in-charge of the Choir Program, because she would never take that opportunity from a senior. She's already book marking colleges around the country, not really knowing how she can pay for tuition, but keeping faith nonetheless. She cheers her boyfriend on at his football and baseball games, sitting next to his family in the stands. She studies with her friends and helps her Aunt make dinner for her family. She reaches out to her mother no matter the response she gets, or lack of. And most importantly, she's happy."

Mr. Matthews smiled at his niece, "seems like you got it all figured out, niece."

"Oh, not at all, actually," she smiled, "but I've learned a long time ago that everything happens for a reason. And you can't control... anything. You leave it up to the universe," she made eye contact with her boyfriend, who was beaming up at her with a proud smile, "sometimes the universe puts you through something only to give something amazing in return. Like moving to a new school and meeting the boy she would grow to love. Or reunite with people she wished she grew up with. And meeting other great people along the way."

She finished looking at all her friends with a caring smile, earning a 'well done' from her Uncle, and sat back down. She gave herself a mental high five and a par on the back, content with how her future self was thinking—everything would work out in the end.

──︒✿ཾ∘∗✽ᜒࠬ. ──

edited: 2 march 2021