Growing Up

The Dream

I've been a prisoner for months. Locked up in this room, mountains of pages piled up around me. Unable to exit, talk to my friends, even my brothers, this experience has been painful. I can hear the whining of my brothers voice down the hall every few minutes, just as exhausted as I am. The room is trashed, stationary, paper, empty water bottles cover the floor. I've been up for hours, pulling all nighters every few days, senior year is hell. The only time I have spent with my friends in the last few months, is at school, during break. We've pretty much dedicated our entire lives to studying. Handing in assignments every second day, a test at least once a week, the stress of all this work is catching up to me and I just want a break.

"Y/n, Cory, dinner," mum calls from downstairs.

Screams come from Joshua as Cory and I fall on top of each other as we walk down the stairs. Drowsy as, Cory and I waddle our way to table. I sit down and my head drops onto my arms, unable to keep myself up.

"Honey, are you alright?" dad asks.

"I'm exhausted, I didn't realize how much work senior year was going to be," I tell him.

"Well, you saw how much Eric struggled."

"Eric did nothing his entire life in high school, Feeny basically spoon fed him the answers," Cory says.

"Well, yes, but he's not as smart as you two, Feeny knows when to test you, he knows you are more than capable."

"Yes, but does it have to be every day. We're tired," I tell him.

"Lets just eat dinner."

Our knives and forks kling and crash against our plates as we eat our dinner. As soon as we finish, Cory and I hobble our way back up the stairs to our rooms. We collapse on our beds, completely and utterly exhausted, forgetting anything about the homework we need to finish.

---

"Mummy, daddy, save me. It's the first day of school and my teacher is Uncle Cory," the little boy says.

"Hahaha, it can't be that bad son," I hear Shawn say.

He looks all grown up, his face is covering in facial hair, he's lost his curtains but he still looks so hot. And the boy reminds me of him, got the same soft blue eyes, he wears his hair like Shawn did in high school, those gorgeous locks that shape the sides of his face. He has my nose and my eyelashes.

"It's bad dad, Riley and I are stuck, she has to sit there and deal with her dad all day and I have to sit there and deal with my uncle all day, and he just blabs on and on about complete non-sense. Then there's Farkle and he just takes over the class and speaks more non-sense. Dad I'm telling you, it's a living hell."

"Who's Farkle and Riley sweety?" I ask the kid.

"Farkle Minkus, little irritating know-it-all, and Riley Matthews your niece."

"Minkus reproduced?" I questioned Shawn.

"Yeah, surprising, I know. I mean you remember the kid. Surprising he can even get a girl, let alone Jennifer Bassett," he tells me.

"He landed Jennifer Bassett. She was like the prettiest girl in our school."

"I know," he says.

I shoot him a look that makes him shut up real quick.

"Save me I beg," the little boy says.

"Cameron, you'll be fine, your uncle isn't that bad," Shawn says.

So that's the boy's name.

"Cory's my brother, I know what he means. Lets go for a visit shall we," I say to the boys.

"Haven't I seen him enough today?" Cameron says.

"Come on. It's not that bad, get your stuff so lets go," Shawn tells the boy.

We hop in the car which I believe to be Shawn's and he drives our little family to Cory's house. We stop in the parking lot and Shawn opens my door for me, grabbing my hand and taking me to Cory's apartment. Cameron knocks on the door, and we stand there and wait for someone to open the door.

A little face pops out behind the door. She's got long dark hair like Cory, deep brown eyes like her parents, she has Topanga's smile and stance, but shows minimal confidence like her father. I assume the girl is Riley. We walk in to see this beautiful little apartment, nice colors, gorgeous loungeroom, clearly Topanga put it all together.

"Hey Cor," I say.

"Shawnie, my best friend, I missed you so much," Cory says walking up to Shawn.

I stand there with a confident pissy look on my face, staring Cory down, just like Topanga does when he pisses her off, guess who she learnt that off.

"Hm," I clear my throat.

"And Y/n, my favorite little sister of all time, don't tell Morgan," he says coming in my direction with open arms.

"No, no, no, nice try Cor. I said hello and you acted like I didn't exist so don't even try."

He shies away, creeping back into his little world, he knows how much I don't take shit.

"And how's my favorite girlfriend?" I say walking towards Topanga.

"I'm doing great, how about you?" she says.

"I'm pretty good too. How are you still living with him, I mean, I lived with him for nearly 20 years and I nearly killed him every day."

"Well I've pretty much been married to him my entire life so I kinda have to put up with it now."

"Hey," I hear Cory call out.

"Well it's true big bro."

"Gee thanks."

"You love me, come on."

"Yeah, I guess, I kinda have to."

"It's ok baby, I love you," Shawn says.

"I hope so," I tell him. "So, I hear you're teaching the kids this year, and Minkus reproduced?"

"Yeah, Farkle my star student, but the others are great, I don't have favorites though," Cory tells me.

"Apparently, you babble on non-sense. You've got nothing to teach my kid and my niece."

"Hahaha, very funny, I'm a great teacher, I try to teach life lessons as well as actual ones."

"So you're trying to be Feeny," Shawn buts in.

"I'm not trying to be Feeny," Cory says in a sassy tone.

"You so are," I laugh.

"Am not."

"Are too."

We continued to argue like little kids for a while before Topanga calls us all to dinner. The whole family sits together and I see Riley, Cameron and their little boy Auggie joining us, a nice addition to our family, our group. I stare in Shawn's eyes as the entire image begins to fade away. My sight turns dark and I can no longer see my little family, my brother and his family and my boyfriend.

---

I toss and turn creasing papers and kicking books as I move around regaining my consciousness. I roll over and open my eyes, seeing the state my room is in, remembering all the work I have left to do.

"Ugh!"