Chapter Text
The first time they met, when Angela tries to think about it, was the day her file gets mixed up and she's transferred to new school two weeks after 7th grade starts.
It already seemed like a particularly sick joke fate has played on her until a thirteen year-old Angela realizes that today was the exact day she moved from New York to Philadelphia, a year ago.
Angela, resigned, sighs and makes a mental note to tell her dad that the 23rd of September was a twisted, cruel day and then she bumps into another girl.
"Sorry", she says. "I didn't really see where I was going."
The girl seems like the smiley type, even though she's not smiling right now. She shakes her head and Angela sees that something is clearly upsetting her.
"No, no, I should have seen that another person was going to slam into me. I'm sorry, I'm just", she pauses a little and takes a big breath. "I'm just not in the best mood right now."
Angela spends a good minute looking at the short white girl in front of her and doesn't really know whether or not to ask her if she's okay. Instead, she introduces herself.
"Angela Moore", she begins. "I'm new here."
"Topanga Lawrence", the girl says, trying for a smile. "I can help you around if you want."
"I'm actually trying to find my next class right now", Angela says. "It's history I guess?"
Topanga extends her hand and Angela hands her schedule over.
"Oh", Topanga says, sounding pleasantly surprised. "That's actually my next class."
She hands Angela her schedule back, their fingers brushing slightly, and suddenly she giggles a little.
Angela's more than a little weirded out, but she asks anyway.
"What?"
"You'll probably think it's weird, I shouldn't say."
"I already kinda do so it won't really matter."
Topanga laughs. "I think our energies converged!"
"....That is a little weird."
They walk in silence for a while before Angela decides to take her shot.
"What was it that you were upset about?"
"Oh nothing, this boy I've been friends with all my life is having the time of his life because everyone thinks we slept together when we didn't."
"That's sick."
They were having a sleepover when Topanga assures her that the first time they met was that day the got partnered up for a science project.
"No", Angela says, tilting her head. "I was actually partnered up with Beth Anders."
Topanga's smile is bigger now and she's vehemently shaking her head. "Oh my God, you don't remember! Our very first science project? The one that got cancelled two days later because Ms. Jenkins quit and they couldn't find a replacement?"
Angela thinks back and remembers nothing of particular note except for the weird smiley girl she talked to once on her first day of school mouthing a 'hi' in her general direction.
"That so doesn't count, T", she says, incredulously. "The only word you said to me was 'hi' and it wasn't even audible!"
Angela is almost positive sometimes that the first time she saw Topanga was the day she got transferred to John Adams but Topanga, as always, springs up another speculation.
"You remember when you told me your dad stopped downtown to get some food before you got to your apartment and you saw this really weird kid come out of that new age library?"
Angela nods slowly. "Yeah..."
"I was totally the weird kid", Topanga exclaims, raising her arms in a 'ta-da!' manner. "It actually makes sense that the first day you move to Philly is the day we first meet. It's fate, Ang!"
Angela tries to hold it but fails and bursts into laughter.
Topanga crosses her arms. "What?"
"Topanga", Angela says, wheezing a little. "The kid I told you about wasn't white!"
The night Angela came back from Europe, she stayed at Cory and Topanga's because, well, they didn't exactly let her leave.
And so, Shawn, Rachel, Eric, and Jack also stayed over, which resulted in a screwed up sleeping arrangement and an understandable lack of sleep for some.
Topanga wakes up at 3 a.m. and finds Rachel sleeping on the couch, Angela sitting on the carpet in front of the TV, and Shawn sleeping on the same carpet next to her.
Angela spots her and pats the empty space on the carpet on her other side.
Topanga walks over and sits by her friend's side, yawning. "I'm sorry we only have two bedrooms."
"You shouldn't be", Angela says. "I'm pretty sure you never expected to have a giant sleepover anytime soon."
Topanga chuckles and rests her head on Angela's shoulder. "It's fun, you know, all of us in the same place? A little bit too crowded though."
"Yeah, T, the only empty place here is the bathroom", Angela says, laughing.
Exactly three seconds pass before Angela and Topanga exchange a look and get up.
"You get the honey-pops and I'll get a blanket"
"Angie", Topanga says, mouth full of honey-pops.
"Yeah?"
"I'm not sure I know when we first met."
Angela can't help the laugh that escapes her and Topanga tries to shush her even though she's laughing herself.
Sometime during the first two years of college, they stop trying to remember their first meeting and instead try to remember their first real conversation, even though Topanga still insists on trying to remember the first meeting. She hasn't exactly given up either.
"Topanga, I'm pretty sure we agreed it'd be easier to remember the first time we talked?"
"Yeah", Topanga reluctantly agrees. "Can't blame me for trying to remember though."
"It was in 7th grade!"
"I'm pretty sure it was earlier than that; it's how it feels."
They ponder it over again, sitting in the bathtub, a box of honey-pops cereal between them.
"It's really cold at your place by the way."
"Yeah, the heater's messed up."
"Another year, another stinkhole."