During the day, Blake, Angela, Rachel were sitting on the couch in the Student Union while Zoey sat on Shawn's lap, leaning her head against his shoulder while he slid an arm around. The group were talking about what news they've heard recently.
Cory and Topanga had both gotten jobs, and of course, Topanga was better between the two.
Eric and Jack walked into the Student Union. Zoey narrowed her eyes when she saw Eric breathing on something around his neck.
"Everybody relax! Nothing bad can happen to you. Nothing at all. You're with me." Eric told them.
"What's going on over there?" Angela asked.
"He found a lucky penny." Jack explained.
"You really believe in that stuff, Eric?" Zoey wondered.
Eric nodded. "Yes, Zo, yes I do. I'm the chosen one. I'm protected. I've got an invisible shield all over my body. Watch this. Rocco!"
Jack instantly grabbed onto Eric's arm. "No, no, no, please! I don't want to get hurt!"
"Rocco! Rocco!" Eric sung as he made his way over to the captain of the football team.
"Matthews, you better have a good reason for botherin' me." Rocco said.
"Let's go." Jack whispered to Eric.
"I just want Rocco to clear something up for me." Eric responded.
Rocco pointed a finger at Eric. "If it's your complexion, no can do!"
The entire football team began laughing, including Eric.
"Just curious, as an athlete on the football team, is it a distraction being gay?" Eric wondered suddenly.
Everyone in the Student Union, including Shawn, Blake, Rachel and Zoey's mouth parted in shock at Eric's question.
"Thank you." Rocco told Eric appreciatively.
Jack furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What?"
"I've been holding it in for so long." Rocco explained. He then turned to face his teammates. "Fellas, I'm gay..."
"That's okay, Rocco. So are we." One of the football players announced.
Without a word, the group huddled around the pool table, watching Jack, Blake and Eric play a game. Shawn had wrapped his arms around Zoey's waist and kissed her collarbone softly. Zoey had a genuine smile taking place of her face as she leaned back, resting on his chest.
Then the married couple walked into the Student Union. Cory had become increasingly frustrated with how easily Topanga could prove herself and it all came to an argument in the middle of the Student Union.
"Oh, look. How cute! They're having their first fight." Rachel said.
"Cory, I don't like that you can't talk to me about this." Topanga said as she followed her husband towards the coffee shop.
"Topanga, look, I just... I don't want to say anything that I'm gonna regret, okay?" Cory responded.
"Do you think maybe we should leave?" Rachel asked Eric.
"No." Eric answered with his eyes glued on the couple. "I wanna see Topanga make Cory cry."
"I mean, Cory, whatever bug you have up your butt, why're you blaming it on me?" Topanga asked.
"Topanga, if you're as smart as your A-streak says you are, you'd know just to leave me alone right now." Cory retorted as he picked up the coffee cup that waited for him.
"This is about my grades?" Topanga asked.
The couple's argument had now drawn the attention of Shawn and Zoey.
"Oh, this is not about your grades." Zoey said.
"Yes it is!" Cory exclaimed. "It's about how you shove your stupid grades in my face, or, how you get promoted, or, you sell one of my subscriptions."
"Wow. Well, I'm sorry I tried to help you with your little magazine project." Topanga said sharply.
"It's not a project, okay? Sticker books are a project. This is my career!" Cory shouted.
"Cory, come on." Shawn began, approaching him. "It wasn't your career."
"Shut up!" Cory demanded.
"Yow!" Shawn muttered and walked back to stand beside his fiancée.
"Look. My life is just as important as your life, even if I don't do my life as good as you!" Cory continued.
"As well as you." Topanga corrected.
Cory narrowed his eyes. "What?"
Topanga sighed. "I was just saying that it's not as good as you..."
"Are you crazy, Topanga?! Are you kidding me that you would say something like that right now?" Cory questioned.
"Cory, this whole thing is crazy!" Topanga exclaimed.
Zoey stepped forward. "Yeah, it really is."
"Sit down!" Topanga demanded.
"Yow!" Zoey muttered and stood back beside Shawn.
Cory stared down at Topanga. "Well, at least I'm not a hoity-toity photo assistant-kiss-Judy's tushie!"
"Maybe I have to kiss Judy's tushie because you can't sell one stinking magazine!" Topanga yelled at him.
Everyone went silent.
"What did you just say?" Cory asked.
Topanga sighed. "I just said that you haven't been doing all that well...."
"No, no, no. That's not what you said! You said I'm a loser, Topanga! I know you said it because I heard it! I heard it from your big mouth!" Cory snapped.
Topanga's eyes widen. "Oh, I have a big mouth now?!"
Cory nodded. "Yeah."
"You can't even play solitaire, you imbeicle! Did you hear that okay from my big mouth?" Topanga questioned angrily.
"You know what, Topanga? I used to be able to. I used to be able to do a lot of things before I married you. Congratulations! You killed my spirit!" Cory snarled at her. Topanga turned away from him to walk out of the building. "I win. You leave, I win! Bye!"
Angela ran after Topanga as she disappeared outside, while everyone else remained silent as they watched Cory fall silent.
••••
Later in the day, Shawn and Zoey had the apartment to themselves and went to their bedroom to have some... alone time.
Shawn groaned as his body fell of Zoey, the two of them breathing heavily with their backs against the mattress. Thin layers of sweat clung to their skin as Shawn's hand rested on top of his beating heart.
He heard Zoey shuffle beside him and tilted his head, smiling when she moved her head into the crook of his arm and chest. His strong arm wrapped around and held her even closer while she threw her arm over his torso, breathing slowly now.
"Shawnie?" Zoey whispered.
"What up, Zo?" Shawn wondered.
Ever since Cory and Topanga's outburst it made Zoey think about her relationship. She'd always done her best in school and tired to be the best at whoever she attempted to do. She was very much in Topanga's place in this instance and it made her worry.
"I, um...." She stammered, not quite sure how to ask if she had killed his spirit.
Noticing her discomfort, Shawn's fingers moved to race patterns on her bare skin. "Whatever it is, Zo, you know you can just ask, right?"
"Yeah." Zoey agreed, moving so that her chin was resting on him and she could look into his eyes. "Do you ever feel like Cory?"
Shawn furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Zoey took a deep breath. "I mean, I get good grades and I've always tried to be a know-it-all, so-"
"Zoey." Shawn said firmly, brushing some hair away from her eyes. "Your intelligence is something that I've always admired about you. I'd never want you to hide it to make me feel better. I was never embarrassed or ashamed of my feelings for you. In fact, I think it's because you were, and are, always so brilliant it made me like you even more."
Zoey felt her heart thump that little bit harder in her chest, she giggled and moved to brush their noses together. Shawn began to kiss her passionately before hovering above her. Zoey smiled into the kiss, her hand settled tenderly on the curve of his neck.
••••
The next day, everything was okay between Cory and Topanga.
Cory was deeply sorry and wanted to take back what he said to Topanga. He told her when he had an idea- she had a better one. He got good grade, she got a better one. He got into Pennbrook, she got into Yale. So when Cory got a job, but Topanga, of course got a better one.
Cory understood that Topanga was better than him but was confused why she always had to shove it in his face. She made him not think very much of himself.
Topanga wanted Cory to be happy. Everything she ever did was just trying to impress him because she always knew he was worth it because he believed in them. He was the one who held their relationship together when she was afraid of the relationship. He was the one who taught her to have faith in love.
After many hours of arguing, Topanga and Cory realized when either one of them is doing well at all, it's because they love each other. They weren't competing. They're a team.
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PUBLISHED: March 21, 2019
WORDS: 1486