Girl Meets College

Prologue

Summer 2020

"Congratulations class of 2020, you are now high school graduates." Mr. Turner, the superintendent, announced on stage standing at the podium to the graduating high school seniors seated before him.

Everyone in the senior class stood up as they cheered and threw their caps into the air. Best friends Riley Matthews and Maya Hunter hugged each other while jumping up and down before they both turned to hug and kiss their boyfriends, Lucas Friar and Zay ___. Their other two friends, Farkle Minkus and Isadora Smackle, were also nearby. The six friends eventually all joined together in a group hug as they cheered and jumped and down.

The Matthews and the Hunters threw a joint surprise party for Riley and Maya on the roof of their New York apartment building. Everyone came to celebrate the girls and wish them well as they were now going on their next adventure. College. College was a sore subject that the group of friends had somehow avoided talking about. Mostly due to being in fear of losing friends and ending relationships. But they knew they eventually would have to talk about it and did that night; as they all sat at the bay window in Riley's bedroom and it was brought up that this could be their last summer together.

"Guys, we have to talk about it;" Farkle eventually said, breaking the ice as everyone was silent, looking down and upset.

"Guess I'll go first;" said Smackle, being the first to speak after Farkle as everyone looked up and over into her direction. Taking a deep breath, Smackle glanced at her boyfriend sitting next to her, taking Farkle's hand. The two of them have had talked about college and their plans for the future so they knew what the other was doing. Looking back to her friends, "This doesn't come easy for me, talking about my feelings, but I just want to say that I'm grateful for all of you; for welcoming me into your friend group. Making friends was never easy for me so I didn't really have any until I met all of you." She paused as she was starting to tear up, but held up her hand to stop them from comforting her. "But going to MIT was always a dream of mine, ever since I was a little girl, and I will be going there this fall. It is scary, but you guys have given me enough confidence that I'll be okay. I am scared we'll lose touch and will no longer be friends, but that's just my nerves talking because I know that will never happen." She paused again before asking quietly, "Right?"

All six of them had tears welling up in their eyes as they all stood up and hugged Smackle in a group hug. "Once your in this circle, your in it for life;" Riley tells her, her head leaning on Smackle's. Farkle was the next one to speak. "I have decided to attend Princeton University, my dad's alma mater, and because we'll be at two different schools miles apart, Smackle and I had decided to break up."

Everyone started crying again and hugged each other with Riley and Maya both resting their heads on Farkle's shoulders. The three of them had been best friends since they were seven years old and had always thought they would go to the same college together. Maya picked her head up to look over at Riley who also did the same. "You want to tell them or should I?" She asked her best friend; the girls had talked about college since they were younger. Riley looked at all her friends as she reached for Maya's hand behind Farkle and met Lucas' eyes. "Like Smackle, Maya and I always had a dream. About going to college together and being dorm mates. New York University was the only college that accepted both of us and we'll be dorm mates in the fall." Riley looked down as the tears started falling down her cheeks.

Lucas quickly went to comfort his girlfriend as Zay went to comfort Maya. Taking Riley's face into his hands, he smiles at her. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that your going to NYU. Zay too. Because so are we as we had the same dream about attending college together as best friends. We'll be dorm mates in the fall as well." Both girls squealed with happiness as the guys picked up their girlfriends and spun them around.

The guys placed the girls back on their feet and Riley went over to Farkle and Smackle. Taking their hands as she looked at both of them, "We may be going to different colleges, but we'll always be friends. We'll visit each other whenever we can and you two can call me whenever you want. Even if it's in the middle of the night." She hugged them both as Lucas, Maya and Zay joined in for what could be their last group hug.