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❛ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ᴇʏᴇꜱ. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚ ▎❛ 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ❜ ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴀ ʙʀᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴡ
ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ᴘᴛ. 𝟷 ꒱
❝ WHAT IF I ASKED
YOU TO MARRY ME? ❞
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"Hi, Topanga," Juliet greeted her friend with some surprise as she waited outside of their teacher's office.
The blonde smiled at her. "Hi, Peaches. It seems like the smart thing to do is get advice from Mr. Feeny, huh?"
"Yeah," she said with amusement. "What'd you ask him?"
"If the move to New York was the right one. What about you?"
"If I should take the seat in the London Symphony Orchestra," she replied. "See you later?"
"See you," Topanga agreed.
As Juliet stepped over the threshold, Mr. Feeny looked up. "Ah, Juliet. I'm not surprised to see you here as well."
"You called me Juliet," the redhead noticed as she sat down across from him. "You've never called me that before."
"Yes, well, this is a time of change for everyone. You are all adults now and we should acknowledge that," he responded.
"Sorry, but you'll always be Mr. Feeny to me."
"I suppose not everything has to change," he allowed. "What can I help you with, Juliet?"
She took a deep breath before she began her explanation: "earlier in the school year, I auditioned for a few orchestras in places that I wanted to live. Since I just started playing, I wasn't really expecting anything to work out but I did get into the London Symphony Orchestra. England's far away and I've only ever travelled to places, never to stay. On top of that, I know Shawn's not excited about moving overseas so I'm. . . I'm afraid something's going to happen to us if I accept the seat."
Her teacher studied her for a minute before he responded. "You are very much like Topanga, you know. You have both done well with whatever you've attempted and haven't taken many risks to experience what a failure might be like. Do you think you could be happy saying no to this opportunity?"
Juliet frowned thoughtfully. "I think I could be happy because I'd be with my friends. But then again, I might end up feeling how I did last year and be completely miserable around them regardless. I just. . . I just don't want to make the wrong choice, y'know?"
"Very few people do want to make the wrong choice," Mr. Feeny said. "I will share with you the advice I gave Topanga regarding her decision with Yale: do you have a reason to stay?"
"Well yes," she answered. "Shawn. He's the only reason why I'm not jumping at the chance. I don't. . . I don't want anything bad to happen to us."
"You don't think that he would follow you to England?"
"Compared to going to New York with Cory?" she asked. She rolled her eyes as she added, "Mr. Feeny, we all know that that's going to happen even though it's not official yet. I think he'd choose Cory over me."
"And you would chose Shawn over England," her teacher pointed out. "Is there a reason that he takes precedence?" Juliet gave him a surprised look as he chuckled. "I make it a point not to meddle in student affairs but the goings-on of my pupils doesn't escape my notice. There is a ring in your pocket, no?"
"I— um, yes," she stammered out, shocked that he was able to pick up on that. "I didn't tell anyone except for Celeste and my parents. How on earth—?"
"I've known you and Shawn for many years now, Juliet. It does not come as a surprise to me that you would take this next step. You have always been a loyal friend; I don't think that you need my help for this decision."
"I suppose not," she murmured. "I just wanted a. . . second opinion without someone, well, spilling the beans, so to speak."
The older man gave her a fond smile. "You certainly don't need my permission to do anything, but I think that this is the right action for you."
🌎🌎🌎
[Notorious, 2.3]
"Name the person who did and you walk out of here scot-free."
Juliet and Cory looked at each other. As the girl shook her head, Cory said, "I'm sorry. We can't do that."
"You thought about this and that's your final answer?"
"Yeah."
"You've decided that protecting a friendship is more important the grisly punishment I shall now have to dispense?"
"Yes," Juliet replied firmly. "Even though he didn't mean to hurt anyone. He just wanted to do something that would make others see him as somebody special."
Mr. Feeny gave her a searching look. "To make others see him a somebody special?" he repeated. "Not himself?"
"He's already special," she answered quietly as she avoided their teacher's sharp gaze.
"To be somebody special is a quality from within, Miss Capelwood. I know you know that. To give an example, I think it's a very rare quality for one to put a friend's welfare before their own."
"But just a second ago you wanted us to rat on him," Cory said, confused.
"As your new principal, yes. But as your teacher, as someone who lived and watched you grow up, I never expected it for a moment."
🌎🌎🌎
"Shawnie?"
"Hmmm?"
They were lying on his bed with the red-haired girl resting her head against her boyfriend's chest as his arms wrapped securely around her. She shifted slightly to look up at him. "Have you thought any more about England?"
"Yeah," he admitted quietly as he avoided her eyes.
She felt a spark of hope ignite in her chest. "Oh?"
"I think you should go," he said. "I don't want you to miss something like this because of me."
"But what about you? What about you coming with me?"
"England is much farther than the seventy miles to New York," Shawn replied, "and it's cold and rainy and—"
"So is New York," she interrupted him. "Especially in the winter." There was a pause as she debated sharing her plans with him before she added, "what if I asked you to marry me?"
He stilled. "What?"
"What if I pulled a Cory and Topanga? The only reason why I wouldn't go to England is because you wouldn't come with me. I want you to be with me, Shawnie."
He was still trying to process her first suggestion. What if I asked you to marry me?
He had everything he ever wanted right within his grasp. Juliet Capelwood would finally be Juliet Hunter, just like he'd always proclaimed she would be.
🌎🌎🌎
[Model Family, 1.15]
"Why don't you just marry Shawn?"
The two boys looked at each other with confusion before Cory said, "'cause our kids would look like horses."
"Besides," Shawn added with a smile as he pulled Juliet closer, "I'm already taken by Mrs. Hunter."
The redhead sighed. "Alright. Give me your paper, Shawn."
He gave her a puzzled look. "Paper? What paper?"
"So I can be your model wife," she explained patiently.
Realization flashed across his face before he smiled at her again. "That's just the thing, Julie. I don't need a dumb paper. You're already my model wife."
Topanga gave a little 'aww' as Cory pretended to wretch. Juliet sent her best friend a deadpan expression. "You didn't do the assignment, did you?"
"Oh no, I did," he reassured her. "I thought about my model wife and realized you're already it."
Juliet ducked her head as she tried to hide her suddenly very warm face.
"My turn," Minkus said and he gave them two thick stacks of paper. "Here you go, bro and who should've been Mrs. Minkus."
"For some reason, Juliet Minkus doesn't sound nearly as good as Juliet Hunter," Shawn observed evenly as he reached for the pages. "I just can't put my finger on why."
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But, he wasn't a kid anymore. There was more at stake than just his happiness. Juliet had always been more ambitious, confident and driven than he had been and he couldn't be the one to keep her from achieving her dreams. He swallowed against his selfishness. "Julie, I'd only be holding you back."
She stared at him with wide eyes. "What? That's not true!"
"It is," he insisted. "I always have. I love you too much to be the one keep you from doing what you want."
"I love you too, Shawnie," Juliet said. "That's why I want you to come with me. I don't get the disconnect here."
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[Cult Fiction, 4.21]
"What are you doing, Julie?"
"I'm looking for the disconnect," she replied. "Why didn't you tell me any of this? You know I didn't have a dad my entire childhood. Don't you think I know how you feel?"
How could she know how he felt though? Juliet had always been more confident, smarter, more self-assured and well-liked than he had been. She'd always seemed to know exactly what to do at any given moment. She'd always been driven and ambitious and never skated by like he did.
Instead of saying all that, though, he looked away and replied quietly, "but he came back."
"Yeah, he did," she agreed. "But that doesn't erase the feelings, Shawnie. I still have them and I have to come to terms with them, not shut them out. It's worse if you do." The redhead paused, seeming to consider a point before she continued: "if it's the change you're worried about, believe me, I know it can be scary but we'll make it through. It's us against the world, remember? And the us is Shawn and Juliet, not Shawn and The Center."
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When he didn't answer, she sighed before she reminded him firmly, "it's us against the world, remember? No matter where we are."
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[Class Pre-Union, 1.9]
"Well, at least Minkus isn't your best friend."
"Nope," she agreed as she leaned against his side. "It's us against the world, Shawnie."
"Promise?"
"You know it."
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[Stormy Weather, 3.16]
"We'll figure it out, Julie," Shawn promised. "We always do, don't we?"
For the first time since she'd gotten there, Juliet smiled. "I think you mean I always figure it out."
"Well, this time it is we," he said firmly. "It's us against the world, remember?"
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[Cutting the Cord, 6.12]
A few days later, he found a package waiting for him on his bed. More curious than he was willing to admit, he picked up the note first and opened it to read: 'you can have space but you're not alone. It's us against the world, remember? I've got you, babe.'
With a small smile, he put down the note and opened the wrapped present. Inside was a very familiar Walkman.
🌎🌎🌎
The following day, Juliet knocked on the door of Cory and Topanga's apartment which opened to reveal the boy himself. "Oh, good, you're here. Is Topanga home?"
He gave her a concerned look. "Um, no. Is everything okay?"
"I. . . I just wanted to talk to you," she admitted, feeling slightly awkward. "I know we don't usually talk alone together, but—"
"No, no, that's okay," Cory said as he opened the door wider. "Come in." She gave him a relieved smile and made her way to the couch as he sat down next to her. "What's up?"
"Well, you and I are both creatures of habit," she began, "and therefore don't like change. I know you don't want to move to New York because you'll only have Topanga there. That's. . . kind of the same situation I'm in except much farther."
"You don't know whether or not you should accept the move to England," he finished for her. He grinned at her shocked look. "Shawn's talked to me about it."
"I— oh. Has he said anything?" she asked hopefully.
"Only that he wants what's best for you, even if it isn't him."
Her hands curled in her lap. "That's the problem. I don't know why he's being so stubborn about this. What could be better than him?"
"Nothing," Cory agreed. "You guys love each other just like Topanga and I do. He does everything with you in mind, you know."
"I wish he'd just be selfish for once," she grumbled. "I don't want to go to England without him."
"Have you told him that?" At her deadpan look, he held up his hands placatingly. "Okay, okay, I was just asking. I tried to tell him that he was a stupid idiot and that he should let you go through the process of deciding what to do, but I could tell that he wasn't listening to me."
A faint smile curled on her lips. "Stupid idiot?" Juliet repeated with amusement. "That's a tautology."
"I have no idea what that means."
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[A Long Walk to Pittsburg, PT. 2, 4.17]
"Are we ever gonna meet your dad?" Cory asked suddenly. "He's been around for awhile now."
"Of course," she answered quickly. "He's pretty busy though so that's why you haven't yet. I think he's having a summer party once school lets out. Maybe you could come to that."
"I'd like to meet him," the curly-haired boy admitted. "I know you and Shawn are closer than we are, but you are still one of my best friends. I do care about how he treats you, you know."
Juliet reached over and took the boy's hand, squeezing it gently. It was, of course, different than when she did the same gesture with Shawn, but she'd done it in an act of appreciation and comfort. "Thanks, Cor."
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On the day of Cory and Topanga's departure, the group gathered in the Matthews' kitchen. The curly-haired boy looked around the familiar space. "Okay, that's about everything."
"I can't believe we're actually doing this," Topanga remarked.
"It feels like this is the right move for me," Eric stated as he wrapped an arm around the blonde. "You know, New York city. Nobody knows me there. I can be anybody I want to be."
The girl looked up at him. "I want you to be Eric."
The eldest Matthews went over to his friends. "Well, I'm going to New York."
"Good," Jack said.
"Good luck," Rachel told him.
As the trio hugged each other, Cory stepped behind his brother to wait his turn. "Okay, the best goodbyes are the fast goodbyes."
"Are you freaking nuts?" Shawn asked. His voice came out choked. "Where is your soul? You're gonna cast us aside like an old pair of shoes? We have to say goodbye for an hour!"
"Guys, it's only seventy-five miles away," Topanga pointed out.
"No, no, no," Cory corrected her, sounding close to his own tears. "Shawn, Jules, I was doing it quick because I thought you two wanted to do it quick."
"I want a divorce," his wife announced.
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[The Uninvited, 2.5]
"Do either of us hang out with geeks?" Shawn asked, motioning between him and the redhead.
"No, that's why I'm leaving."
"Cory, sit down. We're not letting you go this easily," Juliet said calmly.
"You just gotta loosen up," Shawn agreed.
"You don't think I'm a geek?"
"Of course not."
"You think I'm cool?"
"Of course not."
"Then what am I?" he asked, confused.
"You're Cory, she's Juliet, I'm Shawn, just like it's always been. What else do you need to know?"
🌎🌎🌎
Mr. and Mrs. Matthews entered the kitchen through the porch door with their daughter in tow as she watched their farewells. "So this is it?"
"Yes," Cory agreed. "This is. . ."
"Goodbye," Shawn finished. He lifted up a hand to wipe his eyes.
"Oh, that's it. I can't take this anymore. Here." Topanga slung a large duffle bag at the dark-haired boy. "This is for you."
"What's that?"
"His stuff."
"He's coming with us?" Cory asked. "What about Jules?"
The redhead shifted under the sudden attention that was directed at her. Her hand slipped habitually into her pocket as her fingers ran over the smooth material of the rectangular box. "I'm. . . not coming with you," she announced regretfully. "I really think that England is a good move for me."
She didn't miss the way Shawn's face fell or how Cory's eyes widened. "You don't have to leave, Jules! You know you can come with us—"
"I know," she interrupted him gently, "but this feels right. I'll only be across the pond, as the Brits say,"
"You haven't even left the country yet and you're already speaking another language," the curly-haired boy cried. He walked over to wrap his arms around her.
Juliet chuckled slightly and returned the gesture as she patted him on the head. "Promise me you'll never change, Cor."
"I promise," he agreed, his voice muffled by her shoulder.
[written jan. 2022]
[edited jun. 2022]