Growing Up

Graduation 1

It's the last week of high school. Some of us have big decisions to make, I know I do. The last thing we all expected was an assignment from Feeny, but here we are, sitting in his class, whining like a bunch of six graders about having to do work.

"I want you to tell me how you're feeling, your emotions about leaving this place. I know some of you are feeling fine, others sad to lose all these people who are close to you, some of you still need to make some big decisions," Feeny tells us, eyeing me off in particular, "I want you to tell me how you feel, and be honest, I expect it to be completed before you graduate Mr. Hunter."

"Really, an assignment on our last week of school?" Shawn whines.

"Yes Mr. Hunter."

Topanga doesn't argue and she gets straight to writing. I sit there and think about what I should write about. Feeny's right though, I still have to make up my mind, where am I going and what's going to happened. How I feel is plain and simple, nervous, scared, worried, all those bad feeling rushing through my head and I just can't get away from it.

The siren rings and everybody leaves class but me. I sit there in my seat anxious, it's time to have a chat with Feeny, he's my best option.

"So Miss. Matthews, I believe there is something you want to discuss," Mr. Feeny says.

"Well, you're pretty much a teacher of life lessons right? So please help me Mr. Feeny. I'm so lost, as you know I got accepted into NYU, but if I go, Shawn's gonna want to come with me, and I don't want him to change his whole life for me. I want to go, but I'll be leaving everything behind and ruining someone else's life."

"You won't be ruining anybody's life, it'll be his decision. Miss. Matthews, you need to decide what's best for you. What do you want?"

"I want to go to NYU..."

"Then that's what you are going to do. This is your decision, this is what you want, so go for it."

"But..."

"No buts Miss. Matthews, you know what you have to do."

"Thanks Mr. Feeny."

I grab my stuff and head to my locker, I throw my stuff in. I feel a hand wrapping around my waist and a voice whispering in my ear.

"Hey, baby," he says.

I turn around to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck. I kiss him and his hands move down to my hips. I pull away and finish putting all my stuff away. This was going to be the hardest conversation I have ever had with anybody.

"So there is something we need to talk about," I say nervously.

"Does this have anything to do with college?'

"Yeah, look, I told you I don't want you to change your life for me, but I want to go to NYU, I've thought about it for a while and that's where I want to be."

"Ok, you're going to NYU, but I'm coming to New York with you,"  he places his finger on my lips as if to silence me so he can continue, "before you say anything, you can't stop me, I promised you that no matter what I am going to be there, and that promise still stands. My uncle has a shop there, he says I've got the job if I need it."

"Shawn, I won't let you change your life for me, you got into Pennbrook, I want the best for you just like you want the best for me," I say harshly, I'm trying my best to keep it together.

"Y/n, I'm not letting you go alone, I want to be with you, this is my decision too."

I ease up a bit, "I know, but this is a big decision. You're pretty much deciding between my life and yours."

"No, I'm choosing between my life and our life, and I like the sound of our life much better."

"Let's just talk about this later, we got an assignment to do."

"You're actually going to do Feeny's joke of an assignment."

"Yes, I'm going to give Feeny the last piece of work I'll ever write him." 

I turn away from the boy, slamming my locker shut before heading out the front door. I hop in my car and leave before Shawn has a chance to get in with me, he can go home with Cory and Topanga. 

We're back at the same place we left off, I want to go to NYU and Shawn is choosing to come with me, not considering his future. This entire thing is driving me insane, maybe I should just go to Pennbrook, it'll make everything way easier. I want to say I can rely on Eric to give me the right answer but I know that's not the case, I've got to go to my best option.

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Knock Knock

"Hey Precious, what brings you back here?"