Riley tucked some of the strands of her hair behind her ear, looking at herself in her bathroom mirror. She was no longer a middle school student, but now a high-school student. It took her father a lot of power to accept that she was growing up and would be in a whole bigger school, where she had to the chance to have as much freedom as she possibly could, without her father lurking at her behind her back.

"Were going to be late for school if you keep looking in that mirror." Riley turned around to see her best-friend, Maya Hart standing in the middle of her room. She was wearing striped pants, a graphic tee, and her denim jacket. Even from the bathroom Riley could see that Maya's hair was a bit shorter than it was before.

"I'm going to be eaten alive at that school," Riley walked out of the bathroom and grabbed her things. "You look like you have grown a lot over the summer, while I'm still the lanky kid from our 7th grade class."

Maya laughed at her best-friend's comment, before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You're thinking way too much about this, Riles. Life isn't about pleasing everyone all the time, think of yourself a bit." Her words stayed in Riley's head as they both started to walk out of her room and into the kitchen. Riley tend to have the habit of letting herself put useless thoughts in her head, but it was difficult not being so hard on herself. There wasn't anything that special about her.

Her mother, Topanga was cooking dinner while her father took his usual seat at their kitchen table, looking over a few things for class. Auggie on the other hand was sitting in front of the mini TV on the counter, watching an episode of Spongebob in his pajamas.

"Morning, everyone!" They both greeted, taking a seat at the table as well.

"Good morning, sweetie," Topanga went around to their side and handed the both of them a plate of pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs. Maya and her both exchanged looks. This was the first time her mother hasn't made toast or anything else simple.

"Is someone in a good mood today?" Maya said teasingly, hurriedly grabbing the fork in Topanga's hand.

"There's nothing in particular, but my little girl now attending high-school!" Riley placed her head on the table as she heard her mother and father cheering, hearing it more worse than actually seeing them dance all around the apartment.

"It's no big deal, guys." Riley stated.

Cory smiled at her and grabbed her hand, making her look at him.

"It's only a few more years until the real world, the road to adulthood." Her father said with finality, placing a kiss on the top of her forehead.

She knew that her parents expect a lot of things of her, but her mother made sure to remind her to also take advantage of her time in high-school. It was when she was going to experience prom, homecoming, and dating..well, at least that's what she thought. But high-school pretty much flies by so quickly that its sometimes shocking when that graduation day finally happens. Riley Matthews didn't want to be surprised; she wanted to make memories and know that she's fine along the way.

"How do they expect us to open these lockers?" Maya fussed, pulling desperately at the lock.

Riley chuckled at her and began twisting her combination. One the first day, her and Maya were both stuck having P.E. as their first block. The advantage of having it during the first quarter was that you didn't have to worry about taking it later on, but the disadvantage was that majority of people have just woken up and would refuse to do any exercising that their gym teachers order.

"So, you never even mentioned Lucas since we arrived on campus." Maya told me.

"Never knew I was suppose to?" Riley sighed in relief when her locker opened, and turned to open Maya's as she looked off of her paper with the combination. "I had a crush on him during our middle school days, but it was never anything serious."

"But we both know Lucas isn't a guy that just forgets his friends, you even said loyalty is one of his main qualities." She added.

Riley rolled her eyes and moved aside as Maya's locker flung open, her best-friend squealing in delight once it was.

"Lucas is just a friend, nothing more." Riley said with finality.

She was used to Maya teasing her about how she felt about Lucas when they were in middle school. But now she wasn't going to let herself be so desperate, it was time to start meeting new people. And it's not like Lucas ever tried to go anywhere further with her, that's the major sign that a guy isn't interested in you.

"Things can change in a split second, have you seen Farkle's new hairstyle?"

"Nope, but it seems that you've noticed." Riley grinned.

"Don't even think like that, Matthews," Her best-friend said, undressing to get into her gym wear. "I'm just giving him a compliment, that's what friends do."

She recalled Maya telling her that she wasn't interested in dating anyone in their grade, since she has this idea in her head that she was going to end up with Riley's uncle, Josh Matthews. Josh was fully aware that Maya was attracted to him and sometimes chooses to be playful with her, but that's been sending her the wrong signal. Riley remembers seeing her uncle's name written all over Maya's new notebook, the sight making her chuckle.

"Still waiting for Josh to ask you out?"

"Nope, still waiting for Josh and I to get married."

My eyes widened at her response as she laughed.

"I'm just joking, Riles," Maya placed her belongings in her locker and turned to face her. "But your uncle sure is a hunk."

She mixed in with the rest of the girls in the locker room that were heading out the door, as Riley crossed her arms.

Her best-friend sure was something else.

"This new haircut is going to make the ladies scream, just you wait Friar.."

They were at a stop light and Lucas chuckled, as he watched Farkle check his reflection again in the rear view mirror. He remembered when he went with him to get the haircut and recalled him almost on the verge of tears as he saw the chops of hair on the floor beneath his feet. Lucas has told him a bunch of times that he really didn't need to change his appearance; but it seems like everyone is already changing.

But that wasn't Lucas's main focus right now. All he can think about is long, brunette hair and a beautiful smile. The features that matched Riley Matthews. He's been trying desperately to distract himself from thinking about her, and even visiting Texas didn't help him. He knew that him and Riley have made closure about sticking with being friends, but the whole thought made him frustrated.

"H-Has Riley contacted you at all during the summer?" Lucas questioned.

"Only a few times, she told me she's been busy with her family." Farkle replied.

Lucas pulled out his phone from his pocket and checked his phone history, not seeing one phone call or text from Riley this morning. It was one thing that she didn't bother to contact him while they were on break, but now she wasn't even talking to him on the first day of high-school? What was going on?

"Do you have any idea why she's been avoiding me, though?" He asked.

Farkle laughed.

"Don't think too much of it, Lucas. Riley tends to not answer her phone that much, it's no big deal."

"But even at the beginning of 7th grade she answered me all the time, now it's like I don't even exist."

"That's because she was crazy about you. Seems like you need to learn a lot more about women, young grasshopper."

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows at his friend.

"But dude, I'm older than you by four months."

"THY SHOULD NOT SPEAK OF IT!" Farkle demanded, throwing on a pair of shades.

Lucas rolled his eyes at him and looked back down at his phone, sliding back up to Riley's name. He didn't want to seem desperate, but it shouldn't even be seen that way. Friends talk to each-other all the time regularly, there was nothing wrong with checking up on one another. He tapped her name and placed his phone over his ear, tapping his leg impatiently as he waited for her to pick up the phone..

But he was instead met with her voice mail, a groan of frustration leaving his mouth.

"Just pick up the phone, woman!" He thought.

Lucas Friar didn't just want Riley Matthews to be his buddy or his friend, he wanted more than that.

He wanted to be someone that she wants to have those strong feelings for and someone that she couldn't stop thinking about.

He just wanted her to be his girl.