"Parting Ways"- A Boy Meets World Fan Fiction

3

After making a call and confirming my plans with my employer, I began to pack. I really don't have much. I may or may not have stolen a few of Jack's shirts; he doesn't have to know that.

I'm pumped! This is the biggest thing I've ever done!

Have I mentioned my decision to anybody? Of course I have! .... No, I haven't. I'm afraid they're going to tell me not to go, and I've made up my mind.

Los Angeles, oh gosh. I mean, Philadelphia is a big city, but we're talking about Hollywood here! This is huge!

I honestly don't know how I plan on leaving. I'm debating between having a heartfelt goodbye with the few people I love, or just disappearing. I thing I'll stick to the latter, less tears that way.

I wiped my eyes on the heels of my hands and set my suitcase aside for a while, I'd work on it later. What is my problem? I'm beyond excited. I shouldn't be upset. I concluded that it's just the momentary sting of separation that would bother me, and as soon as I stepped out of the airport into the hot Californian air, my mindset would change.

I always considered myself to be a lone wolf. Recently I've become very reliant on my friends, I don't know what that's about, to be honest.

My flight was in a week. If I could put off telling anybody until the day before I left it would be easier, because there wouldn't be as much time to rethink anything. Yeah, that's what I'd do.

A few days passed. Several people asked about what I planned on doing, to which I shrugged and changed the subject.

"Shawn." Cory approached me Saturday afternoon while I was on my lunch break.

I finished my bite of pizza before responding, "Hey buddy, what's going on?"

"That's what I was going to ask you." He stated as he sat down across from me and stole an olive off the slice of pizza that was still on my plate. "You've kind of been avoiding me, did I hurt you somehow?"

"No, you didn't hurt me at all. I've just been kind of..." I trailed off, which made Cory lean up on the table in anticipation.

"Did somebody press your mute button?" He asked, laughing at himself. "You've been kind of what, Shawnie?"

"Busy." I lied. I've not done much of anything but pack and plan for the passed few days. I had to hold out until Wednesday before telling Cory that I'd be leaving, though.

"Understandable; but, with all your bussiness, don't forget about your best friend, ever."

"I couldn't even if I wanted to." I smiled at him, he's ridiculous to think anybody could forget someone so Cory.

Cory gasped, "You want to?"

"Of course not."

"What a relief." He wiped his forehead to get rid of the sweat that wasn't even there.

Gosh, he was really going to hate the news he would get in a couple days. I kind of hated it, too. I wondered if I could pack up him, Angela, and Topanga, maybe Rachel, Eric, and Jack, and bring them along.

That was impossible, get your head out of the clouds, Shawn.

I wondered if my dad would be proud of me if he were here. Pft, probably not. I shook off the thought and went back to eating my pizza.

"Earth to Shawn!" Cory snapped his fingers in my face. My head must have really been in the coulds.

"Sorry, what'd you say?" I asked, my feet on the ground now.

Cory rolled his eyes at me and replied "I asked if you had the notes from yesterday's lecture? My pencil broke and I wasn't able to take any."

I didn't have any notes, I don't even think I was mentally in the class. "Uhm... I'll check and see if I do." I answered him. "Maybe you should bring more than one pencil, or an ink pen."

"I probably should, thanks Shawn, I'll let you get back to your meal." He stood up and started to walk away. "One more quick question!" He sat back down.

"What is it, Cor?"

"Do you, uh, by any chance have an ink pen I could borrow or maybe have?"

"Yeah. Yes, remind me. I'll give you one on Monday."

"Thanks so much, Shawnie!"

"No problem." I would probably forget the ink pen with the way my mind had been.

Cory then stood up for a second time, patted my head and walked off. Dang, he's so weird. I was going to miss him.

I needed to shake that off. It was time for me to take a step in my life and I wasn't going to let my feelings make me want to stay here. No way.

I had to make myself stop thinking about it before I changed my mind. My heart was set, my mind was arguing, or maybe it was vise versa...

Wednesday came before I could blink. I was completely finished packing by then. My flight left Thursday morning. I was ready to go.

Come late Wednesday afternoon, I moved my suitcases to my old, rusty pickup truck that used to belong to my dad, to avoid having to deal with them in the morning. I then started on the road. I didn't know where I was driving to, but I thought I'd circle Philadelphia one last time.

I had a date with Angela for supper, and I figured I would stop by the Matthews' afterwards. I could say goodbye to Jack and Eric the next morning.

I wasn't going to make time for agruements. I had completely made up my mind.

As I drove around Philadelphia, memories flooded my mind. I moved here with my parents, before they split up, when I was very young. Dad said it was for a change of scenery, I always assumed he was running from something. He was always running from something...

Cory and I met shortly thereafter and became best friends very quickly, we did anything and everything together. Cory calls us brothers, and though I haven't told him I agree with that statement; I do. Cory is more my brother than my actual brother.

As kids, we always thought Eric was the coolest, it didn't take us long to realize how wrong we really were.

Topanga has always been around, and I always knew there was some kind of chemistry between her and Cory. I drove passed our old grade school and remembered Cory and Topanga first getting together there.

Despite the rough times they've had since, their relationship is the strongest one I've ever seen. They have the kind of relationship that I'm incapable of.

Oh, John Adams high school. The one place where it didn't matter how much I slept the night before, I could nap for hours on those desks, and I did.

A lot went on over the years at that school. It's where I met Angela, where I fell in love, and where I spent more time avoiding work than actually doing it, if I would've tried a bit harder, I could've done a lot better. I still regret not trying harder while I was there.

I went through the drive-thru at Chubbie's to grab a some fries and a milkshake. If a booth could tell stories, we'd be in trouble; I'll spare you the details of all the schemes, laugher, tears, arguments, and revivals that happened at that restaurant and just say that it's a pretty special place.

The more I drove around the city, the more I thought about how upsetting it would be to leave. Not only did I grow up here, but it's where the few people that I consider to be my family are.

I'm not changing my mind, I'm just saying...