Shauna's POV
It was now a week before school ended. Nothing eventful had happened in the past month in a half. Riley was still pretty bitter about the whole Maya and Lucas thing but she was desperate to keep Maya as a friend so she's pretended to move past it. Lucas was becoming impatient with waiting for Maya to be ready but he's hanging in there.
Farkle and Smackle are still going strong as far as I can tell, but I rarely pay attention anymore.
Zay hasn't changed, he's still the same as he's always been, although he's probably more anxious for Lucaya to happen than Lucas is, which says a lot.
As for me, I still get butterflies whenever I talk to Farkle but I try my best to push them away. Riley and I still aren't close, although we've forgiven each other, and Maya and I had drifted apart a bit but only because she's spending a lot of time with Riley and I'm not. Which is completely fine, and I hold no grudges towards her at all.
Anyways, now it's finals week which is the most stressful time of the year in any student's life. So hopefully tensions don't bubble over.
*****
"Hey Shauna, what's your next final?" Lucas asked, coming up to me after our final with Mr. Matthews. I looked at the schedule and sighed, "Biology Honors." "Ugh I hate that class," Lucas groaned, "I have that on Thursday. Good luck." I laughed, "Thanks I'll need it."
Lucas and I had become good friends over the past couple months. Since I had no direct involvement with the triangle but I was connected to both Riley and Maya, he would often come to me for advice for what he should do.
For the first hour or so we would talk about that and then eventually branch off into other, more casual topics. Sometimes we would even help each other with homework, which was nice because we both had the same level of intellect so we could both help each other, without one person dominating like Smackle or Farkle would've done.
We seemed to understand each other, and could talk— or not talk— for hours without it being awkward. And the best part was, neither of us had any feelings for each other, so there was no chance of ruining the friendship that we had with complications.
Anyway, as I was thinking these things, I found myself slipping into my seat for my Bio final. I stared at the scantron in front of me and felt my stomach contract with nerves. This was one of my hardest classes and I really wanted to do well.
"Hey Shauna!" Farkle slid into the seat next to me, "Are you excited for this final?" he asked cheerfully. He was a genius— obviously— and loved science so much that he was taking both Biology and Chemistry Honors classes. I couldn't understand why he'd torture himself like that but whatever floats his boat I suppose.
"Not as excited as you are," I chuckled, and felt heat threatening to crawl up my face. He looked at me with those piercing blue eyes of his and gave a reassuring smile, "Oh come on, I'm sure you'll do great! You're one of the smartest girls I know." He paused and smirked the slightest bit, "Other than Smackle of course."
My face fell the slightest bit at the last part and I turned back to my desk, making sure I had all the supplies I needed, "Thank you Farkle," I said right as the teacher announced the start of the exam.
*****
"Finals are finally over!" Zay shouted with glee on Friday afternoon, "School's out, and we never have to go back to this hell hole again!"
I laughed, "Zay, we have to go back in August." He glared at me, "Can't you let a man be happy for once?" "Maybe one day," I smirked and continued walking with the rest of the group to Topanga's.
"So it's summer," Farkle pointed out, "what are your plans?" "Stay home, watch tv, eat junk food. Best summer ever!" Maya announced.
"Lucas and I are going back to Texas for the summer," Zay told us."Wait, you are?" Riley asked sadly. She still had so much false hope for her and Lucas.
"Yeah, I thought I mentioned that a couple weeks ago?" Lucas said. Riley just pouted and sat back down on the couch.
"Well, Farkle and I have gotten the opportunity to take summer classes at Cornell so we'll be spending our holiday doing such," Smackle reported. "Oh," I replied. It seemed like everyone was doing something this summer, I was too but I had been afraid to tell my friends.
Farkle shook me out of my sadness, "What are you doing Shauna?" I sighed and looked up at his cobalt blue eyes that made me weak, "I'm going back to Spain for the summer," I said reluctantly.
Maya looked up at me surprised, "Wait really? Why didn't you tell me?" "I don't know," I sighed, "I was afraid of how you all would react. But I guess I don't have to worry anymore since you all are going somewhere anyway." "Hey I'm still stuck at home! What am I supposed to do all by myself?" Maya whined.
"I'll be here, Peaches." Riley spoke up. "Oh yeah I have you," Maya smiled at her best friend.
"Well that's settled then, when does everyone leave?" Farkle asked us. "Sunday," Lucas and Zay said. That was only two days from now.
"Monday," I said. "Monday," Smackle announced while squeezing Farkle's hands in excitement.
Riley clapped and sat up, "Ok we still have the rest of this weekend together so let's make the most of it!" she cheered, "We can have sleepovers, and make S'mores, and go to Coney island. It'll be so much fun!" "That's a great idea Riley," Lucas told her, causing Riley to blush like crazy, her eyes sparkling.
"Ok awesome!" So sleepover, movies and S'mores tonight, and then Coney Island tomorrow. Sounds good?" she asked the group and we all nodded in agreement. "Yay!" she squealed, "I have to go home and let my parents know!"
*****
We were all set up in Riley's family room. The couch had been scooted back, and we had sleeping bags scattered around the floor. Popcorn, soda, and other snacks were set up on the coffee table, and Riley had somehow convinced us all to watch the Notebook, much to Lucas, Zay, Smackle and Maya's dismay. Riley, Farkle and I on the other hand, enjoyed romcoms and were engrossed by the story.
"OMG that was so sad!" Riley exclaimed, tears streaming down her face, and there were tissue mountains all around her. "Riles you've seen this movie at least a dozen times, how are you still able to cry at it?" Maya asked her sensitive friend. "Be-because," she stammered through her sobs, "He r-reads her his journal ev-everyday in hopes to jog her m-memory but I-it n-never la-lasts and then the d-die together and it's so s-s-sad!" she wailed.
"Oh thanks for the summary, I wasn't paying attention," Zay quipped making me chuckle at his remark. "Isaiah Babineaux!" Riley replied in anguish, "This is a timeless love story and I can't believe you would undermine the importance of this cinematic masterpiece." "Sorry, I just don't care much about chick flicks," he shrugged, "Now how bout we watch It?"
"No!" Riley, Smackle, Farkle, Lucas, and I all screamed. But Maya shouted over all of us, "Yes let's do this thing!"
Riley jumped up looking terrified just at the mention of a horror film, "How bout we get S'mores?" She asked us, "Yeah that's it, let's go up to the roof and eat some S'mores over the fire pit," she grabbed Farkle and my arm's and started dragging us up toward the roof while everyone else followed.
The next morning we all woke up to Riley jumping on top of us and shouting at us to get up.
"Riley!" I grumbled, "Why are you waking us up so early!" "It's already eight and I want to be at Coney Island in two hours. Wake up wake up wake up!"
Zay groaned and shielded his eyes from the light, "Riley, we went to sleep at two in the morning. We have all day for Coney, just let us sleep." "Yeah Zay's right Riles," Maya said, "I won't go to Coney unless you let me sleep for at least five more hours."
"Maya," Riley whined, "This is our last day all together!" "Fine," she sighed and we all got up and got ready.
I slipped on a pair of regular-wash skinny jeans, a black and white, thin striped halter top, and a cropped PINK hoodie to finish it off. Finally I slipped on some black Vans, pulled my elbow-length hair into a high ponytail, slipped on my favorite gold bracelet and joined the rest of the group that was already ready.
"Everyone ready to go?" Riley asked cheerfully. She was wearing a yellow sundress with a small, red rose, floral pattern, her hair was slightly curled, and she was wearing tan sandals. "Yep." "Yay! Dad, hurry up we want to get to Coney ASAP!"
Mr. Matthews came out into the main room looking disheveled, "Okay, okay I'm coming!"
"Can Ava and I come too?" Auggie asked as he peeked his head around the corner. "Yeah sure come on let's go!" Riley screeched with excitement.
Soon the ten of us were all squished into the packed Subway heading to the infamous amusement park.
"This is going to be so fun! We're gonna go on all the rides and win all..." Riley rambled on and on about her plans for today but I zoned her out and glanced at the cute, brown haired, blue-eyed boy across from me. He and Smackle were deep in conversation about something and she was lost in his eyes. Farkle however, did not seem lost in hers.
I decided not to think about that too much, it wasn't any of my business.
*****
"I won again!" Maya shouted to the rest of us as she received her prize. She frowned slightly as she looked and the tiny orange fish, "Does anyone want this? I'll end up killing it."
Everyone shook their head fervently but Auggie raised his hand, "I'll take it! It can be a friend for Chelsea!"
"Who's Chelsea?" I asked the group. They all laughed, "It was our class fish that each of us managed to kill." "Oh," I said and laughed.
The day went by with laughter and joy. Nothing exciting to report which I guess was a good thing.
"Hey guys let's go ride the Ferris wheel!" Riley begged us. "Ok that sounds fun," Smackle admitted. "Yay!" Riley shouted and dragged us over to ride. She had been doing this all day. It was honestly exhausting.
Farkle and Smackle were paired up, Maya and Lucas, Riley and Zay, Auggie and Ava, and guess who I got stuck with? Yep. Mr. Matthews. There is nothing more magical than being stuck in the air for ten minutes right next to your history teacher.
"So, Shauna are you excited to go back to Spain for the summer?" Mr. Matthews asked me as the wheel began to ascend. I looked at him awkwardly, "Uh yeah I guess..." I answered. He nodded and I could tell there was something else he wanted to say.
"Are you and the rest of the group okay? Riley says you are but I haven't heard anything else." I sighed, "Yeah we're okay. Things are going pretty good, but honestly I think the space with all of us in separate places this summer will be good for us." "I agree."
I was shocked. Cory Matthews, the man that thought his daughter was an angel, agreed with me. "Really?" I asked. "Yes, I think maybe the summer will cause some healing and maturity with all of you." I smiled with relief, "Thank you for understanding," I said as the wheel stopped at the bottom. "Anytime," he replied as we hopped off and I headed to where the rest of the group was.
*****
It was now Monday morning. Lucas and Zay had left yesterday afternoon and we all went to the airport with them to wish them farewell and safe travels. Riley was crying and Maya just looked slightly sad. The rest of us acted as you usually do when saying goodbye.
Anyway, now my mom and I were driving the airport for our own vacation. My dad wasn't coming due to military duties but I didn't really care. I was excited to see my old friends and be back where I had grown up. The next two months would be a well deserved break from the drama left behind in New York.