Girl Meets Legacy

Well, we rang in the New Year together, but not in the way that I expected. Riley thought to herself. She was getting ready for another day of school. But something was different about this day. It was a special day. Riley and her friends were graduating middle school together and off to high school they will go. But she still couldn't shake what happened on New Year's.

The countdown was over, fireworks were in the air, and Riley couldn't stand to see Lucas and Maya kiss. She was about to walk away when all of a sudden "Riley still loves Lucas!" Farkle yelled. Riley froze. She didn't even bother to turn back. She continued to walk to the door. Down the stairs she went, and she went back inside her house and grabbed a confetti string. She took a deep breath, and went back up to the rooftop, to find everyone staring at her. "Happy New Year!" she yelled as she released the confetti into the air. Everyone remained looking at her, even Charlie. He looked as if he was upset with her.

One by one, everyone started to walk passed her, and back down to the Matthew's living room. All, except Farkle, Maya and of course, Lucas. "Farkle, what did you do?" Riley asked. "I did the right thing, Riley. They had to know." Farkle said. "I told you I needed more time," Riley said. Maya and Lucas were being quiet. Riley looked over at Maya who looked crushed, she didn't want this happen at all. She didn't want to break her best friend's heart. "Riley, why didn't you tell me?" Maya asked. "Because I didn't want you to be confused anymore. You and Lucas belong together." the brunette said. "Riley, you're my best friend. How could you keep something like this away from me? We don't keep secrets from each other… If f I had known that you stepped aside, I wouldn't have let you." Maya said. "And I wouldn't have let you step aside either, if I had known that you had feelings for him in the beginning." Riley said.

"We're just confused right now. But I think it's best if I leave you and Lucas to talk this one out." Maya said as she went to go join Farkle, on the steps of the rooftop.

"So, you don't love me as a brother?" Lucas asked, as he walked up the brunette. "Of course, I do." Riley hesitated. "You hesitated. Riley, be honest with me. Do you or do you not love me as a brother?" Lucas asked briefly. "Okay, yes Lucas I love you more than a brother. But it doesn't matter. You're with Maya." Riley said. "I'm with Maya because of what happened between us in Texas. But my feelings for you have been here longer." Lucas said. "Again, I don't want to know what happened in Texas." Riley managed to get out. "I know you don't, all that happened was that I almost kissed Maya. But I stopped myself." He said. Riley looked at him, a sudden relief were taken off of her shoulders. But she shook her head, "You have feelings for her, Lucas. You could've done something else from whatever it was you two were doing. But you didn't. You're just as confused as we are." Riley said. "I may be confused on how I feel about Maya, but I've never been confused on how I feel about you." Lucas said. "Until now." Riley said. "Well, yes now I am confused because I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do, I will do it." Lucas said. "Be with Maya, Lucas. Don't hurt my best friend." Riley said as she walked back downstairs. Farkle ran after her, leaving Lucas and Maya alone on the roof.

Meanwhile, Lucas was putting books into his locker, when flashbacks started coming to him as well.

"Maya, how do you really feel about me?" Lucas asked. "You know how I feel about you. I like you, you're a good guy. It's fun teasing you. Just like how a sister would tease a broth- oh my god." Maya said, "It's not Riley, who views you as a brother. It's me." she said. "Well, we sort of figured out that Riley doesn't like me that way. But I never have a say in this. It's either about how you feel or about how Riley feels. What about me? I play a factor in this too." Lucas said. "I think we should be friends, because all of this is too confusing. We shouldn't have done anything in the first place." Maya said. "I think so, too." Lucas said.

Lucas needed to tell Riley how he felt about her, and he needed to do the same with Maya. All of a sudden, Zay joined him by the lockers. "Hey, man." He said as he walked up. "Hey, what're you doing?" he asked. "I heard about what happened on New Year's." he said. "How'd you find out?" Lucas asked. "Farkle told me, I ran into him at Topanga's." he said. "Well, Maya and I are just friends now. It's better that way." Lucas said. "So, with everything that happened with Riley. Do you hate her for not telling the truth?" Zay asked. "Are you kidding me? I can't." Lucas said. "And why not?" Zay asked. "Because it's impossible to hate that girl. Even though, we're not together, I can't talk bad about that girl, I can't hate that girl. As much as I want to agree with everyone and admit what she did was wrong, I just can't. No matter how hard I even try, I can't hate that girl. She may have hurt me, emotionally. She may have lied to me. But at the same time who hasn't lied, who hasn't hid their feelings? Riley is the one who changed me for the better. She's the one that got me through New York, she's the one who changed my point of view on love. At first, I never knew what it was like to love someone as much as I love Riley…" Lucas said. "Did you just say you love her?" Zay asked. "I do, I mean I think I do. How can you not love her though? She's amazing. But I'm so confused." Lucas said. "You don't seem confused to me." Zay said. "Maya and I haven't really told anyone that we broke up. You're the first to know." Lucas said.

"And why is that?" Zay asked. "Because we don't want Riley to think we broke up because of her. If anything, she would just try to get us back together." Lucas said. "Let's not have another secret, man. Just tell everyone you two broke up. I'm pretty sure, Riley knows. Maya doesn't want to keep any secrets from her anymore." Zay said.

"You and Lucas broke up?" Riley said, as her and Maya walked down the hallways. "Yes, we did. We figured were better off as friends." Maya said. "I'm getting you two back together." Riley said. "No, you're not Riley. I don't like Lucas, the way I thought I did. I like him as a brother. You on the other hand, love him." Maya teased. "It doesn't matter. Maya, were graduating middle school tomorrow. High school is going to be one new adventure." The brunette said as she opened her locker. "Lucas told you in Texas you were really important to him, it does matter." The blonde said.

"I am so proud of this class. You guys have made so many great memories here, but the most important question is, how will you be remembered? What legacy do you want to leave here with?" Cory said as he walked around the classroom. "You guys are graduating today. Your last assignment is to figure out what legacy you guys want to leave here with, how will you be remembered? Will you be remembered as the person who always stood up for what they believed in? The person who found hope? The super genius, the athlete?" Cory went on.

As the class began to think about how they wanted to be remembered, Lucas couldn't take his eyes off of Riley. He didn't know what to do about her. He knew he had to tell her how he felt. Maybe that's how he wanted to be remembered, but maybe it might sound too cheesy. Lucas Friar, the star athlete who finally got his moment with his ray of sunshine.

After class, all five of them really had something to think about. As they stood in line for their caps and gowns, none of this felt real to them. It didn't feel as if they were graduating middle school. It just felt like an ordinary day. "Riley, something needs to happen between you and Lucas." Farkle said as they waited in line. "No, Farkle. We're going into high school. Things are going to continue to change and this is just for the best." Riley said. "Do you even know if Lucas loves you too?" Farkle said. "Would you stop with that?" Riley asked, "Riley, do you even know why Lucas stopped himself from kissing Maya?" Farkle asked, "No, I don't and it doesn't really matter." Riley denied. "Stop saying it doesn't matter. It does matter." Farkle said.

Once everyone got their caps and gowns, they all went over to Topanga's for a pre-graduation party. "This is guys, tonight we will graduate, as kings." Riley said as she raised her glass. "Kings!" everyone repeated after her, raising their glass.

"Lucas, tell Riley how you feel." Zay said, as they sat at one of the back tables. "It's not the right time." Lucas said. "When is it going to be the right time? If you wait too long to tell her, she can end up falling for someone else. That someone being Charlie." Zay said. Lucas did a nervous laugh. "I still like that guy." Lucas gritted his teeth. "Yeah, I'm not so sure you do." Zay said as he got up, from a steaming red Lucas, "I'm fine, Zay. I promise." Lucas reassured. "Charlie was about to have his lips touch Riley's lips." Zay said. "But the crazy thing is, on New Year's I realized that I might actually have feelings for Maya but then I realized once again that we are like brother and sister. Not to mention she still has a thing for Josh. She told me," Lucas said as he took a sip of his drink. "So, you don't like Maya?" Zay asked. "Not in that way, I thought I did. But I see her more as a sister, I care about her like how a brother would to a sister. But with me and Riley, it's different. I would move mountains if that girl asked me to. Not even mountains, I would move planets, stars for her." Lucas sighed.

It was finally time for everyone to head on back to the school, for the ceremony. Everyone was scattered around in front of the school gym, putting on their caps and gowns, and waiting to walk out to see the cheers, and smiling faces of their friends and family. "This is it kid, were no longer middle schoolers." Maya said as she adjusted her cap. "Any idea how you want to be remembered?" Riley asked, "I want to be remembered as the girl who always had her best friend by her side, the girl who finally got the chance to hope and fight for anything she believed in. John Quincy Adams has made me grow as an individual." Maya said, "This school has made us all grow." Riley said. "How will you be remembered?" Maya asked. "You'll hear it in my speech." Riley said as she twirled around.

She bumped into something, she turned around to see Lucas standing there. Riley turned to face him, along with Maya. These two girls have made middle school interesting for him. He had to choose who he wanted to be with, he needed to have a say after all. "Riley, can I talk you?" he asked. "Sure, what's going on?" the brunette asked. "Alone." He said, eyeing Maya. "That's my que." Maya said as she walked on over to Farkle and Zay. "Riley, there's something- I" "Okay guys, it's time to walk!" Cory yelled. "Um, can this wait until after the ceremony?" Riley asked. Lucas held himself back. "Yeah," he said as they took their place in line.

After they were all seated, and the principal talked. It was time for Riley's speech. "Hi, I'm Riley Matthews. Today, we as a class will leave behind a legacy at John Quincy Adams. From having a class wide detention, and rampaging through the hallways, to cleaning up the mess afterwards. To dancing the night away, to gaining new friendships. How do we want to be remembered? Well, I want us to be remembered as the class who never gave up, who continued to fight for what we believed in. From marching down, to the school board meetings, to standing behind each other, when one was being bullied. I as an individual want to be remembered as the girl who thought that no sacrifice was big enough, to help everyone around her, who never stopped believing that anyone can do the impossible." Riley said as she continued with her speech. All of a sudden, Lucas joined her on stage. Riley let him take the mic. "John Quincy Adams, is a place I never thought I would survive. Until I met some pretty amazing friends, but one stood out to me. One who helped me survive New York, one who got me through my fears… who didn't think of me as Mr. Perfect, who thought of me, as me, as someone who can change the world one day, as someone who can make his dreams come true. The one who found love." Lucas said as he took a step closer to Riley. Cory cringed. "Oh no." Cory said under his breath. "The one who found who he loves," Lucas said as he took another step towards Riley. They were an inch away from each other, now. "And the one he loves is, Riley Matthews. I love you," Lucas said. "That's right, you all heard me, I've always loved you, Riley." He caressed her face and before she could do anything, he grabbed her face and kissed her. "Noooo!" Cory yelled from the audience. Everyone started cheering, and Maya, Farkle and Zay joined the two on stage.

"Lucas, I told you many times." Riley said as they released. "I know you've told me many times, but I'm not going to listen. I love you, I just had to say it." Lucas said. The five of them turned to face the audience, and continued to say what they want their legacy to be, how they want to be remembered. "But in the end, we will leave here with the friendships we made, we will walk together to a whole new adventure, we will walk together…" Riley said as everyone held hands, "As kings." They all said together.

Once the ceremony was over, Lucas pulled Riley over to the side. "Riley, why can't you accept the fact that I love you." Lucas asked. "You just said you're not going to listen." Riley said. "I know you love me, Riley and I love you too. What's stopping us from being together?" Lucas asked. "I'm not Maya, Lucas. It doesn't matter that you two broke up. It doesn't mean you and I can just go back to being us again." Riley said. "I know we can't go back to being us so quickly, it's going to take time and in that time, I'm going to remain yours." Lucas said. "What do you mean?" Riley asked. "Now that I know how you truly feel about me, it made me relieved. Because now I know that, I don't want to be with anyone else. I'm going to wait for you, Riley. I'm going to wait for us because here's the thing… you have no idea how much you mean to me. When I'm with you, I don't want to stop talking to you, I don't want to take my eyes off of you, I don't want to leave you. I hate every second I'm not with you, because if I'm going to have a future, the first person I want in it, is you. I know this sounds crazy because we're just in middle school. But I will wait for you, Riley. I love you." Lucas said as he gave her a kiss on the forehead.