Girl Meets Ryan Matthews

45.

How the fuck is life, my dudes

"Guess who's back for the weekend?" Josh said, opening the door.

"Joshie!" Auggie yelled, running up to him. Josh caught him and twisted him until he held him upside down. He spun as Auggie giggled before walking over to the backside of the couch and dropping him headfirst into the cushions.

Ryan walked out of his room as Josh greeted Cory.

He ran at Josh and jumped on his back. They laughed and Josh stumbled until he fell backwards onto the couch, exclaiming, "What is with you guys and jumping on me?"

Ryan laughed as he rolled off of the couch. "Keeps you on your toes."

Josh stood up, rolling his eyes with a grin.

He greeted his brother before holding his hand out. Cory shook his head before pulling out his wallet and handing over some cash to his little brother.

"Thanks, Cor," Josh turned to his nephews, "let's go! Dinner's on your dad!"

Ryan and Auggie cheered as they quickly followed him out the door.

--

Ryan questioned his life choices almost daily.

It would seem today would continue that cycle.

"Why," Ryan said to Maya, sitting next to her on the couch. Currently, it was family game night, but Riley had the bright idea to invite over Maya, Lucas, and Farkle to it.

Cory didn't take this well.

So, currently, Riley and Cory were fighting over whether or not everyone could stay. Ryan didn't want them to, because his family is embarrassing on a good day.

"Shh, this is hilarious," Maya said, watching their argument and eating popcorn. Ryan rolled his eyes and sighed.

"How long do you think this is gonna go," Farkle asked, as the two had devolved into a staring contest. "How often does this happen?" Lucas asked. Ryan slid off the couch onto the floor.

"Why," He repeated, glaring at the ceiling. Maya snatched the game from Cory and dropped it onto the coffee table. Farkle pushed Ryan into a sitting position.

"So, are we gonna play or what?" Josh asked, standing up. Cory crossed his arms. "No."

"Yes," Riley contradicted, setting up the game with Topanga. Cory scoffed. "Do you guys even know how to play the family game?"

Maya stood up and shoved Cory back onto the couch. "Lemme teach ya," She walked to the other end of the coffee table to start labeling the players.

"Always wins," She pointed to Topanga, "Always eats too much popcorn and says she'll never eat popcorn again," Riley stopped with her mouthful. "It's just so delicious."

Ryan shook his head and laughed. Maya pointed to him, "Always zones out halfway throughout the game and makes Riley play for him." Ryan shrugged. "It's not my fault these games are so boring."

Maya began fighting Auggie for Josh, and Ryan took the instructions out of Farkle's hands.

"Hey, I was reading that!" Farkle said. Ryan shook his head and put the instructions back in the game box under the table. "If you read the instructions while trying to play it'll just make the game more confusing."

"Well, then how are we supposed to play?" Lucas asked. "Just do what we do, it's easier than fighting Mom on the rules anyway." Ryan sighed.

"So how do you win?" Farkle asked. "You have to get into one of the four success squares with your teammate," Ryan answered. He took a handful of popcorn from Riley's bowl. She curled her hands around it and growled at him. Ryan rolled his eyes.

"And then you win, and it makes this sound," Auggie slapped the buzzer in the middle of the game board and it let out a short horn.

"I win!" Topanga called out automatically. Ryan shook his head and got up.

"What's the big circle in the middle for?" Lucas asked. "Oh, we don't go there. If one person goes there then everyone has to play the long game."

"What's the long game?" Farkle asked.

"No one cares," Ryan called from his place at the fridge.

"We've never played it before so we don't know," Riley further explained. Farkle stared at the board with renewed interest. "Intriguing, can we find out?"

Ryan sat back down between Farkle and Lucas with a caprisun.

"No, it takes forever," Topanga complained. "And you don't get to hear this," Cory slapped the buzzer again. "I win!" Topanga called again. Ryan rolled his eyes.

"I think it's some long, boring metaphor for life, but whatever." He said.

The doorbell rang and Topanga repeated her win.

"Mom, are you ok?" Ryan asked. Topanga just sat back and ate more popcorn.

Ava came in and claimed Auggie as her partner. "Sorry pal, you're on your own. My woman's here," Auggie said to Josh before sitting down with her.

"Do I need to be concerned?" Ryan asked. Farkle shook his head. "I don't think so?"

"Sure, Auggie, bring your woman in. Let's bring in everybody!" Cory began walking on the couch.

"This is why I don't have people over," Ryan sighed, sitting his head on the table.

"Why don't we put up signs on the telephone poles, next to the cats and dogs, 'Matthews family game night, only not really! It's kind of everybody family game night'! Isn't it! Huh! Isn't it!"

"There's the freakout! Best show in town. Do you feel better now, buddy?" Maya asked him, way too happy about what was happening.

"Yeah, actually," Cory said, sitting back down. "Thanks."

"No, thank you."

--

Everyone was situated around the table with their partners. Topanga with Riley, Auggie with Ava, Farkle with Lucas, and Josh was with Ryan.

But Maya decided to be dramatic anyway.

"Seems everyone's partnered up except for us," Maya batted her eyelashes at Josh. "I could pick you," she turned to face Cory and said in a much ruder tone, "Or I could pick you."

"Maya, Josh is my partner," Ryan said from the other side of the coffee table. Josh got up from where he was and sat next to Ryan, smiling innocently. Maya glared at Ryan as Cory put his hand on Maya's shoulder. "Hiya, partner!"

"Ava, what are you doing?" Ryan asked as he took the stack of play money from Ava.

"Ava!" Auggie gasped. "Shh, I'm doing this for us, baby," Ava said.

"Ok! The object of this game is to create a family, protect it, and get safely through a world of obstacles that will test how strong your family is," Josh said in a game announcer's voice. "The winner of the short game is the first team to end up in one of the four success squares with a car and a house."

"Yay, capitalism," Ryan sighed. He grinned when he heard Farkle laugh.

"Ok, Maya and I will go first," Cory said, picking up the dice. "Says who?" Riley asked aggressively.

Ryan threw his head back and groaned. "Are you kidding me?"