Riley Matthews’ World has become a lot more complicated since we first met her in June 2014 — thanks in part to the recent introduction of a long-bubbling love triangle — but star Rowan Blanchard promises it’s all part of the plan.

“I think we all saw it coming,” the Girl Meets World actress tells TVLine. “We just knew it was natural for the characters. If you go back in Season 1, there are certain lines that Lucas says to Maya or Maya says to Lucas … and it’s so obvious they have feelings for each other. I don’t know what’s going to happen in Season 3, but for me, this all feels so natural.”

Below, Blanchard offers more of her thoughts on the series’ complicated relationships, including the most important one of all: the friendship between Riley and Maya.

TVLINE | I feel like Riley’s decision to put her Lucas feelings aside for Maya’s sake was a surprisingly progressive approach to this triangle.

[Laughs] I mean, it’s obviously a lie. She’s clearly putting that on, but I do think it was an interesting way to resolve it. You can only do the love triangle thing so many times on TV, and I feel like we had an interesting take on it, where Riley’s basically trying to shut down her feelings for him. I liked how it was really about human nature, what we will and won’t do for people.

TVLINE | Guys will come and go, but it really does feel like Riley and Maya’s relationship is the show’s core focus.

At the end of the day, I truly believe our show is a friendship show, whereas Boy Meets World was probably more of a relationship show. What we’re trying to do with Girl Meets World is show that relationships aren’t limited to romantic relationships. Friendships can be just as powerful, if not more so.

TVLINE | That said, the fans are getting pretty heated about this love triangle. What’s something you want them to remember in the midst of their ‘shipping wars?

In a way, it’s flattering that fans are getting possessive over these characters, since it clearly means we’ve created characters worth getting possessive over. But at the same time, everybody needs to chill and not fight with each other. Everything is temporary in every single section of life. Who knows, maybe we’ll be in exact opposite positions in our fourth season. So just don’t fight with each other.

TVLINE | Good call. And what of our boy Charlie Gardner? Does Riley have feelings for him?

Honestly, I think everybody is just in this hormonal feelings-fest, where nobody knows what the heck they’re feeling. When we first met Charlie, I thought he was charming in this really weird way. He just genuinely wants to please Riley and it’s really adorable. We just filmed our finale [“Girl Meets Legacy”], and he’s a part of that.

TVLINE | What can you tell us about the finale, since it’s the last episode before high school?

The finale is very interesting. It’s about the legacy we all want to leave behind in middle school — not only about what you’re physically going to leave behind, but also what thoughts you’re going to associate with middle school. Riley and Maya both know that going to high school will take their relationships to a new level, as dating is going to become a real thing, which puts everybody in an awkward position.

Your thoughts on Girl‘s ever-complicating love triangle? Hopes for high school? Drop ’em all in a comment below.