Girl Meets Goodbye, Riley

prologue.

—Have you made your decision? —Auggie asked shyly.

—Yes —Topanga admitted, as she approached her family that stared at her making their best effort to show themselves emotionless—. Please don't try to talk me out of it —she begged.

—We won't —Riley hastened to respond.

—We know better —Cory added drawing a little smile on his face—. You've always done what's best for us. So do this one for you.

—Thank you, Cory.

—Yeah, no matter what it is, we're gonna be fine —Auggie continued taking a step forward—. You know why?

—'Cause you have good friends —Topanga answered smiling—. And you've had good teachers.

—Yeah —Riley nodded.

—A whole lot better that we were going to say —Maya intervined for the first time.

—Yeah.

Riley replied causing Topanga and everybody to let go a litte laugh as they approached the couches taking a seat. Even in the darkest times, that little ray of sunshine managed to make everyone fell that maybe it wasn't the end of the world.

—So? —Riley implied as shyly as Auggie did it the first time, knowing that the decision was already made and there was no going back.

—So... There are a lot of exciting reasons to go. A new place, a new adventure, my promotion. There are a whole bunch of reasons to go —Topanga cheered holding onto Auggie.

—Are there any reasons to stay? —Riley asked in a whisper.

—Only one.

Topanga admitted, making Maya feel that little piece of hope that she had already let go, revive. Maybe it wasn't the end of the world, she repeated to herself. Maybe it wasn't the end of her world.

—But I bet that no matter where we are, as long as I have all of you with me, I'm gonna have it —Topanga said nodding slowly.

—So... That means...? —Riley inquired with a cracked voice.

—That means I'm going to accept the offer —Topanga revealed.

The place became a total silence. No one believed what their ears just had hear, not even Maya, not even after saying goodbye to Riley she believed what Topanga just said.

Auggie's little eyes filled themselves with tears as he turned his head down making Topanga hug him harder, allowing his crying to come out.

It was years since Maya had seen Auggie cry last. He never cried. He was the happiest little boy she had ever met, almost as happy as his big sister.

Riley.

It only had been a couple of seconds but Maya still wasn't able to find the enough strength to look at her best friend that was sitting next to her. She wasn't able to watch her because she was afraid that when she do it, it could be the last time she will ever see those perfect brown eyes in front of her.

However, she new that she could not stare at the wall forever, so Maya turned her head and she saw them, those perfect brown eyes full of tears were staring at her. She couldn't resist it, all the sudden she was crying the same way Auggie was. Like the broken girl she was feeling.

—We're going to London.

Topanga muttered confirming to Maya that what was going on was real. Riley was actually leaving. No more sneaking through the window. No more Bay Windows. No more life lessons. No more best friends. After more than ten years of being side by side, day and night, Riley and Maya were going to separate.

She had always been right. Hope was for suckers, because she hoped for Riley to stay as much as someday she had hoped for her dad to come back. And he never did. And now, Riley wasn't going to either. Her destin was to be alone, she should have learned it by now, and now, all what she was able to think was: how was life supposed to be without Riley?

Belgium 1831.

This was it.