SOMEDAY ↠︎ a joshaya fanfic.

graduates

  "Thank you, Mrs. Friar." Cory smiled. "Lucas Friar."

  He laughed and stepped up, taking the diploma. "I'm so glad I got to transfer here from Texas and meet all of my friends. I love em all, especially my wife. As Isadora said, we will be going to Europe in a week. We are very happy to become photographers. I have always loved that job idea. Thank you."

  "Farkle Minkus, our genius." Cory said with a wink as turtleneck made his way up the stage, strutting a bit.

  "Wow, such an honor. I'm so proud." Farkle said with a chuckle. "In all sincerity, I always thought that would be my speech, but everything's changed. I married my forever and always, Riley Matthews, and we have a baby girl, Nova. I am so proud of who I've become and my family. I'm working as an engineer for NASA and I am so excited for the future. Thank you."

  "Thank you, son." Cory applauded. "Next up, Riley Matthews, Minkus." He choked on his words.

  "Well, I believe in things, if you didn't know. I believe that these four years will do so much in your life. I know they did for me. I was on a rollercoaster it felt like but everything fell into place. I'm married now and I have a little girl who I cherish deeply. I wanted to be a feminist; to take on the world, and I did. I took on my world. I will be staying at home with Nova and working as assistant history teacher with my dad until I take over his job someday. I can't wait. Thank you."

  "Next, Maya Hart, Matthews."

  Maya took a deep breath and stepped up, taking the diploma. She used to tell me she never thought this day would come, but there she was.

  "Hi everyone. If you've known me, you'd know I never thought this day would come. But it did. Once in high school; and now, college. I'm here, and it's because of the people who've loved me like their own. I want to thank my best friend, Riley, and her family. I want to thank all of my friends and their families, and I want to thank my parents. Most of all, I want to thank my husband, Josh. I am going to be staying at home with our baby, Ember Rose, working on art while Josh is to be working in the school's technical department. Then, when she's a bit bigger, I will get to be a social worker. I can't believe I've made it this far! Thank you."

  Everyone clapped and Maya had tears on her face as she wrapped her arms around her friends. That's something I've always loved, her loyalty.

  "That concludes our graduating cl-" Cory began but someone cut him off.

  "Hey, hey, hey. How'd you forget about me?" A voice piped up.

  Zay.

M A Y A

  "Zay? What even, man!" Lucas hollered and embraced him.

  "Zay!" I said as I hugged him.

  "Looks like we have another graduate, folks." Cory laughed. "Isaiah, c'mere."

  Zay jumped up on stage. "I'm Zay, and I transferred to Texas High a while back, but I told 'em, 'Zay don't leave his friends for graduation.' and they let me come! I'm a Texas baseball player now, and an engaged man!"

  "Yo, what?" Lucas laughed.

  "That's right! Nessa said yes!" He laughed. We all gave our congratulations once the service ended.

↠︎

  A week later and it was time to go our separate ways. I was scared, but happy.

  "Goodbye, Zay. See you at the wedding and maybe we will see you play some baseball too." Josh said as he gave him a bro hug.

  Zay turned to me. "Sweet thing, don't cry. I'll see you and your little family soon. Bye, Maya. Bye, Ember." He said as he hugged me and hugged everyone else.

  "Wait! One more group hug, everyone!" I said before Zay got in the cab. "While Isadora, Paxton, Lucas, and Zay are all here with us, c'mere."

  One big hug. One big family.

  "This is us, forever. Don't forget."

  I wiped tears as Zay drove off and then it was time to say bye to the rest.

  Hugs were exchanged and they got to me, the tough one who cried.

  Isadora came first while holding their baby boy. "Bye, Maya. We'll see you soon enough, I promise. Okay?"

  "Got it." I stood tall.

  Then, Lucas came. Lucas and I are best friends. Great for talking, great for advise. A brother.

  "Bye, Maya. You're okay. Okay?" He said gently.

  "Okay." My voice cracked and tears streamed down my face.

  He pulled me into a hug with Ember looking at my tears, confused. "Hey, don't cry. You're okay. Change is good. I love you a lot, okay?"

  "Okay. I love you too."

  We all smiled as they left but it was equally hard for all of us. It was like siblings leaving.

  "This is us now." I sighed.

  "And it's perfect." Riley added.

J O S H

  "Maya, baby, how are you doing?" I asked her as we laid in bed. Ember was asleep in her rocker.

  "Okay. I'm ready for this change. Let's be a family."

  "Forever."