A story mostly focused on Joshaya but will contain hints of Corpanga, Rucas, Smarckle, etc. It all starts in the days leading up to the 25th Corpanga wedding anniversary. It takes place some years in the future (Riley, Maya, Farkle, Smackle, and Zay...
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Josh's POV
"So, what are you thinking? Everything sounds so good."
"And expensive," I laughed. Maybe Carmine's was a bit too expensive of a place to eat. "I mean 26.50 for garlic and oil pasta?!"
"I'll split the cost with you," Auggie looked up from the menu sympathetically.
"Nahh, I said dinner is on me tonight, and I'm a man of my words."
"At least try to work that 'manly charm' you claim to have on the waitress," he put air quotes around 'manly charm.' "Maybe she will give you a discount or something. Plus, she's pretty hot."
"First of all, I'm wounded with the air quotes. Secondly, I'm done with the waitresses. They are nothing but trouble," I rubbed my right eye to help ease my migraine.
"I'm sensing there is either a major heartbreak or really kinky story involved here Joshie. I'm having a little reading you right now," he stopped buttering his roll for a minute and pointed his knife at me.
"Easy there, curly." He still had some curls, but not like when he was little; since then, his curls fell loose and his hair got shorter. Plus, he was hiding those not quite curly waves with a snapback...in a really nice restaurant I might add.
"Now, now. No need to get sensitive. I'm just looking for a bit of an explanation to your broodiness," he threw a couple of rolls into his dinner napkin on his lap.
I shot him a stunned look.
"What?! They want you to take the rolls," he whispered to me in a hushed tone. He turned to the waitress as she walked by. "We'll take another basket please," he smiled sweetly.
"Surely. I'll be right back," she responded with a wink.
"Wow. You really are Cory's kid. It's actually frightening."
"Dont change the subject Uncle Josh. I thought we had this special uncle-nephew bond," he pouted.
The waitress came back with another basket of rolls and took our orders. I got the chicken parmagiana and Auggie got the chicken cutlet. We handed her our menus and continued our conversation.
"How about this, I'll tell you later, if you do some of the talking now. I mean come on, what's going on with Ava? Are you two a thing still? You've been avoiding talking about her all weekend and through today," I diverted the conversation.
"I don't know man. I mean we are, but things are just getting complicated now. We are in high school. We aren't the same people we used to be," he started spilling his feelings.
"Well, I mean...yea, not everybody can be the same they were since they were 6," I joked.
"Fine, if you're not gonna take this seriously, we can just talk about you," he threatened.
"Proceed," I picked a piece off the roll and stuffed it in my mouth.
"That's what I thought, Softy," he laughed. "Anyways, Ava has been amazing. I mean within the last couple years, she has grown so much as a person. She's become selfless, kind, giving, and somehow even more beautiful. Yet she hasn't strayed from being the confident, funny, and so so sooooo powerful girl that she is," he smirked at the last part.
"I don't even wanna know what you meant there," I held my hand up to stop him from explaining. "But please do elaborate on what the problem is..."
"Well that's part of the problem. We are in high school now. Everyone is out at parties and dating different people. And Ava and I have pretty much going on our 50th wedding anniversary. We have been there with each other through many hardships and celebrations and changes. What if it's just comfort at this point. I'm afraid that thats all it is...comfort I mean. And plus all the guys at school are going out and bonding over there dates. A part of me feels like I'm missing out on some things."
"Have you spoke to Ava about this? Maybe she feels the same way?"
"No fucking way. I'm not trying to sign a death waiver here," he said to me like that was the stupidest question ever. And to be honest it probably was.
"I'll tell you this Auggie. I've been on all the dates. It was like high school was my kingdom. I felt like I was in control. I picked the girls, the dates, everything. One day...good ol' Feeny stopped me after one of my dates. He said some wise jumble of words that didn't quite make sense to me at the time, but after a while it started to click. It made me realize somethings. About myself, about the people I love, and about life in general."
"Shit. What did it make you realize about me? How I'm such a cutie pie?" Auggie smiled and rested his head on his hands which were propped up by his elbows.
"I'm just gonna ignored that. And tell you what I realized."
"Ohhh thank god. Because frankly I'm not a mind reader and I've never been good at decoding all that fortune cookie crap," he looked relieved.
"What I realized, was that love matters. Before I continue, can you answer this? Are you in love with Ava? Don't think about what everyone else thinks. What do you feel?" I urged him.
"Of course. I've been in love with Ava since we were kids. She..." he started to rant, but I held up my hand to stop him.
"That's all I needed," I cut him off before he could talk anymore. "Anyways, I realized that with what Feeny said and then something that your dad said to me a couple months later, I wasn't that guy. I wasn't the guy that led girls on. I wasn't the guy who broke hearts. I realized that my best memories were with the people I love. And that none of these dates or anything for that matter, meant anything without the person I loved. I had been resisting admitting my feelings because I was worried about what people thought. And then for her sake, when I finally did admit these feelings, I gave her the room to grow. Feeny taught me to observe, listen, and learn about everything in my life; that includes myself, the people around me, and life in general. Your dad taught me not to worry so much about what people think, what the statistics say, and that there is a Topanga out there for me--I just needed to open my eyes. I realized that I was a Matthews Man and that commitment and emotion pumped through my veins. That was what I wanted and what was important to me. So if you meant one word that you said before, hold on to her. Because none of that stuff means anything. Don't let what other people say or think dictate your behavior. Because the one thing that I am sure of is that life is pointless without love."
"Thanks Shakespeare. Now are you gonna tell me about Maya or what?" he kinked an eyebrow.
"I'll take a raincheck," I said taking a bite of my food that just arrived at our table. "Wait what?!" I almost spit my food back out.
"Yea. Are you gonna tell me about Maya?" he repeated I sat in awe. "Do I need to say it again. Or say it slowly for you? I thought you were the smart Matthews brother."
