Zoey couldn't believe that she agreed to this stupid plan of pretending Cory and Topanga weren't together yet.

Cory certainly wasn't known for his brilliance but Zoey was surprised that Topanga had agreed to this.

What Zoey wasn't surprised about was that they hadn't listened to her when she'd tried to convince them that Shawn wouldn't care how they got together, just that they were.

Now she was roped into the scheme with them and had to pretend to be upset at their fake arguing.

At school, Shawn and Zoey were walking through the hallway, hand-in-hand until they stopped when they noticed Topanga and Cory fake arguing by the couch in the hall.

"I can't believe you said that to me, you stunned little whiny brillo head!" Topanga shouted.

"Well, you're just a short little nasal-voiced, blimp-lipped... so and so." Cory responded half-heatedly.

Zoey placed a hand up to her mouth, trying not to smile as she watched the mock-fight in front of her.

Shawn sighed heavily. "When will this madness end?"

"Very soon, I hope." Mr. Feeny stated.

"It's all so crazy. I feel like I'm just clinging to the wreckage." Shawn said as he opened his locker and made a mark on the door. "Well, day fifty-three of the wreckage."

••••

Zoey strolled into Mr. Feeny's class. She walked over to her desk and sat down, noticing how Cory and Topanga couldn't take their hands off of each other.

"Your plan is working. Shawn still thinks you're apart." Zoey told the couple.

"I can't believe we were every apart, my little love dumpling." Topanga cooed at Cory, pouting.

"With plum sauce." Cory added happy.

Zoey made a face. "On the other hand, you both sicken me."

"I know this is wrong." Topanga continued, ignoring her best friend. "But I'm actually starting to enjoy this deceitful little game."

"You are? Really?" Cory asked.

"Yeah. I mean, don't you find it sexy, Cory?" Topanga wondered.

"Cory and sexy in the same sentence, wow. I do believe your resolve is weakening my little kumquat." Cory responded.

"Kill me now." Zoey muttered under her breath.

Mr. Feeny passed the couple on his way to the front of the classroom. "On the other hand, you sicken me, too. And I have serious misgivings about being part of your little..." He trailed off when Shawn walked into the classroom and took his seat. "Bighorn, where General Custer and his wife... Mrs. Custer had a beach house. Oh, I'm way too involved."

••••

After class, Zoey walked over her locker, unlocked it and placed the books and folder in her arms into the metal storage.

Shawn then appeared behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissed her collarbone softly. A genuine smile took place on Zoey's lips as she leaned back, resting on his chest.

"You know, I hate that." Zoey said with a smile.

Zoey turned around to face him. She leaned up and pressed a kiss against his lips. Shawn leaned down and smiled into it, his lips puckered as they pulled away.

"I love you too." Shawn told her.

Shawn wrapped an arm around Zoey's shoulders as he lead her down the hall where they passed the newly-reunited couple who were still fake arguing.

"I can't believe how many good years I've wasted on you, Cory Matthews!" Topanga shouted at him.

"But, Topanga, then of everything we've had, everything we've shared." Cory pleaded.

"Sure, we've had some kicks, a few laughs. Maybe you should've thought about that before you spent time with that skinny lipped ski bunny." Topanga retorted.

"Ah! She has a name." Cory told her.

"I can't take this anymore." Shawn complained.

Cory turned around and noticed his best friend. "Shawn! We need your help."

"But it's hopeless." Shawn stated simply.

Cory shook his head. "No, it's not."

"Yes, it is." Shawn argued. "Cory, look how callous and uncaring she is about you."

Topanga faced away from them on the couch to hide her expression as they studied her.

"Look at her again." Cory insisted.

"Nah, she's like ice." Shawn said as Topanga began to fake cry. He quickly sat down beside her.. "What are these tears, Topanga? Are these the tears of hope?"

"Maybe a little." Topanga admitted quietly.

"But I just saw him pleading with you to take him back and you didn't." Shawn pointed out.

"That wasn't my heart talking, Shawn. Cory and I are meant to be together. I just fear that there's too much damage done for us to put us back together ourselves. You are our last hope." Topanga told him.

"Really?" Shawn asked. "I am? But I'm sure all you have to do is say so and he'll come running."

"If only it were that easy. One of the things I love most about Cory is his fierce pride." Topanga said.

Zoey couldn't help but snort in amusement and quickly covered it by coughing, earning a concerned look from her boyfriend before he turned back to Topanga.

"That's crazy. I've known Cory all my life. He has no pride at all. Watch this..." Shawn began as he walked over to his best friend. "Hey, Cor, I think she'll take you back."

"She can rot in hell." Cory responded quickly.

Shawn turned to Topanga, surprised. "Wow, you know him better than I do."

"Say you'll help us." Topanga begged quietly.

"Perhaps you thought I'd used up all my emotional strength over the last fifty-three days, but I have kept just a little right here, in the pumper, for I always knew this day would come, and I am prepared for you, my beloved friends, to squeeze out the last drop of my emotional toothpaste. I will save you two. Oh, yes. I will." Shawn said dramatically.

With that, Shawn walked away.

Zoey gave her friends a look. "You owe me."

••••

After Shawn tried talking to Cory and Topanga together, which didn't work of course, he brought them over to the apartment where they at together in the living room with Eric, Blake and Jack.

Zoey stood off to one side with her arms crossed as she opted to stand back and watch rather then participate in this madness.

"I've gathered you all here to ask one question. By a show of hands, how many of us are sick of the Cory-Topanga issue?" Shawn questioned.

Everyone raised their hands apart from Eric.

"Eric, you're the only one not raising your hand." Zoey told him.

Eric nodded. "That's right?"

"Why's that, Eric?" Shawn wondered.

"Because I'm the extension." Eric explained.

"You mean exception?" Blake corrected. "Was today's word 'exception'?"

"No, today's word was 'pertinent' but I didn't think that was having anything to do with this situation" Eric replied.

"Alright, by a show of hands, how many people are tired of Eric?" Jack asked.

Everyone raised their hands, including Eric.

"Cool, it's ubiquitous." Eric announced before he walked out of the living room.

Topanga sighed. "Look, Shawn, it was really nice of you to stage this little intervention for us, but I really think Cory and I can handle our relationship or non-relationship or whatever it was or is or might be."

"I don't think so, Topanga." Shawn told her truthfully. "You've had your chance. I'm taking your relationship out of your hands. I don't think you understand your relationship."

"They love each other." Jack said.

"Then why did they break up?" Shawn questioned.

"I don't even know what she's so upset about." Cory admitted.

"You called me cold and unforgiving." Topanga reminded him with a sour look. "You used to think I was pretty perfect!"

"You called me an insensitive jerk!" Cory exclaimed. "You used to think I was the most considerate guy in the world!"

"Maybe we've just known each other for too long. Maybe we don't really belong together anymore." Topanga suggested.

"Or maybe there's just some residual anger keeping you part." Shawn said.

"Residual." Eric spoke from the kitchen, holding a sandwich. "To leave over. Like if your mum makes a pot roast and you don't finish it, what you have left over is the residual pot roast. Residual."

Jack turned to Cory. "You don't know what it's like to live here, man. You don't."

"Then why do you and Blake stay here?" Cory wondered.

"Because... he's our friend. Because we like him and no matter what crazy things he says or does, we still like him." Blake admitted.

"Oh, come here." Eric insisted, his mouth full from the bite of sandwich he took. He held out his arms and Jack and Blake hesitated before stepping into the embrace.

••••

Later that day, Zoey sat next to Shawn in one of the booths at Chubbie's. She leaned against him and rested her head on his shoulders as they watched Cory and Topanga sit at separate tables with their backs to each other.

"Look at them. They're, like, a million miles apart." Zoey said.

"I don't think so. I don't think we ever understood how close they actually are." Shawn responded.

"What?" Zoey asked.

Mr and Mrs. Matthews then walked down the stairs into the restaurant.

"Cor, we need you to be back him when Morgan gets back from her art lesson." Mrs. Matthews told her youngest son.

"Why, you got a big emergency?" Cory wondered.

"Your mother needs me to go shopping with her for bath towels." Mr. Matthews replied. "Suddenly she can't buy them without me."

"Alan, I am perfectly capable of picking out towels by myself. I just want to make sure I don't pick out something too pink or too fluffy this time." Mrs. Matthews responded.

"Buy whatever you want. Just don't punish me over towels, okay?" Mr. Matthews said.

"Maybe the punishment is because you forgot my mother's birthday." Mrs. Matthews replied.

"I didn't forget, I made the choice." Mr. Matthews argued.

Mrs. Matthews eyes widen. "That is the most insensitive thing I've ever heard!"

"Runs in the family." Topanga remarked.

"Fine. You know, let's just get this over with, so I can back for the game." Mr. Matthews grumbled.

"The precious Phillies!" Mrs. Matthews exclaimed in disbelief. "I'm sure this game will make a difference between what, fourth or fifth place?"

Mr. Matthews stared at his wife in shock. "What... What did you just say?"

"I said they stink! You want to watch baseball, move to Baltimore!" Mrs. Matthews shouted.

"What did you just say?" Mr. Matthews repeated.

"Give me the keys. I'm driving." Mrs. Matthews declared, putting out her hand. "It's five o'clock. You're a lunatic at rush hour."

"It's not the traffic that makes me crazy, dear." Mr. Matthews said before his pitched his voice. "'Oh, oh, look out! Turn right here, please! Oh, you're too close!' and if I'm such a bad driver, why did you marry me?"

"I wouldn't have if I had listened to my mother." Mrs. Matthews replied.

"You know, I'm glad that I forgot your mother's birthday, and when June 14th rolls around, I might forget someone else's, too." Mr. Matthews said before noticing his wife's amused expression. "You think it's funny if I forgot your birthday, huh?"

"That's your birthday." Mrs. Matthews pointed out.

"What?" Mr. Matthews asked.

"And I know just what I'm going to get you, you big lug." Mrs. Matthews said with a smile.

"What? What are you going to get me? Come on, give me a hint!" Mr. Matthews pleaded.

The married couple laughed together as they made to leave the restaurant.

"Wait a minute, what just happened here?" Cory questioned, stopping his parents.

"You two just said horrible things to each other and then got all lovey-dovey." Topanga added.

"Hey, I was going to say that!" Cory snapped at her. "How come you said that when I was going to say that?"

"Who cares as long as it gets said." Topanga argued..

"Then what are we arguing about?" Cory questioned.

Topanga paused and pointed at Cory's parents. "We sound like them."

"Oh no, we do. Why do we sound like you?" Cory wondered in confusion.

"Because you love each other." Shawn announced, getting up from the booth and joined the couple. "No matter what crazy things he says or does, you still love each other."

"Then why did we break up?" Cory asked.

"Because we're in high school and you think you're supposed to." Shawn explained.

Shawn returned to the booth as Cory and Topanga exchanged a kiss.

Zoey slid her arms around Shawn and looked up at him. "Now, that was the most incredible thing I've ever seen."

Shawn smiled as he looked down at her. "Thank you."

Zoey smiled and leaned up to kiss him softly as their friends joined them, sitting on the opposite side of the booth.

"Shawn, Cory and I are back together. We wanted you to be the first to know." Topanga announced.

Shawn turned to his girlfriend. "Hey, Cory and Topanga are back together."

Zoey gasped dramatically. "They are?"

"Yeah." Cory said with a smile. "Listen, Shawn, I'm sorry we ever put pressure on you to get us back together. I mean, even though you're my best friend, no one could ever do that."

Shawn nodded. "I guess friendship only goes so far."

____________________
PUBLISHED: October 14, 2018
WORDS: 2223