Oh, What a Night

Sixteen going on Seventeen

Riley was beyond thankful that her Uncle Josh had given her a ticket to tonight's Knicks game vs the Mavericks. She as thankful that she could go to the game alone; her friends were always such buzz kills whenever they went with her. Did they not understand that when you're in the garden you support the Knicks, that's what you're there for, otherwise why bother?

She found her seat, not the best seat in the place but it was okay, not far from the aisle and from what she could see she would be surrounded by other Knicks fans, no one from tonight's enemy. "Excuse me, sorry, just, yes thank you." Riley made her way past the few people in her way and just as she was about to arrive at her seat she felt something slippery under her footing and she felt herself go flying, landing in someone's lap.

"Are you okay?" His voice had a slight southern twang, a contrast to the harsh New York accents that usually landed on her ears.

Riley took a deep breath before she opened her eyes, which were immediately drawn to the green ones of whoever she landed on, "I think so. I'm so very sorry."

"You didn't hit anything flying that way, did you?"

"No, I think I'm okay." She got up, her heart racing as she really looked at him. Dear God he was like a young Chris Evans with green eyes. He looked as strong as a horse, he had a nice smile, and those eyes, dear God Riley knew those eyes would haunt her dreams for years to come.

She took her seat which was right next to him, "So, should be a good game tonight."

"Yeah I'm excited." He started to remove his jacket, revealing a Mavericks t-shirt.

"Excuse me, what the hell is that?" Riley snapped.

He was surprised by this girl, but he couldn't get the scent of Coconut out of his mind now as he stared at her, "It's my t-shirt."

"It's a Maverick's t-shirt um you know you're in Knicks territory, right?"

He leaned in close, unable to stop himself, "Well City Girl, I'm from Texas."

Riley couldn't believe how close he was, "Well, I guess I can forgive you for this indiscretion, this one time Cowboy, you did catch me after all."

He smiled, "You're a die-hard Knicks fan huh why are you here alone?"

"What makes you think I'm alone?"

"No one seems to be claiming you, no one checked on you when you slipped into my arms." He was drawn in by her smile, the way she blushed, this girl was something else.

"My Uncle gave me the ticket for my birthday, none of my friends or family will go to the games with me." She confessed, "They think I'm a bit over the top."

Lucas Friar didn't know what to think of this leggy brunette next to him as she cheered, yelled, jumped for joy, and almost fell into his lap three more times on top of the time she already had. This was not what he would've expected from New York City. Suddenly he was thinking this move to the big city wasn't the worst thing in the world.

"Oh come on Ref, are you blind? Here, let me make you an appointment with my eye doctor!" She yelled out before she sank back into her seat as the Mavericks scored another goal.

"You're team is still killing us." He smiled to her he couldn't believe how drawn to her he was. He'd never felt like that with a girl before, but he liked talking to her so far.

"Where are your friends?" She finally asked as she took a handful of his popcorn.

Lucas looked over to the court, "I uh, just moved here a couple of weeks ago. I haven't really made a whole lot of friends. You're the first friendly face I've met so far City Girl."

"Is that so Cowboy? It's a shame you're missing out on the best part of the city."

"Oh is that so, what's the best part of the city?"

She pulled her hair behind her ear, "Exploring it with your friends, do you have curfew?"

"It's at midnight, why?"

"We have plans after the game." She informed him as she looked back towards the court.

"Oh we do huh?" His eyes were on her, watching her.

"Yeah, we do." She let a smile cross her lips, "Oh come on, you're killing me here people! Can't you just win this, it's almost my birthday!"

"How would your boyfriend feel about you exploring the city with some hick from Texas?"

She turned to him, "I don't have a boyfriend."

"How is that possible?" He really couldn't believe it, this girl was amazing, she was kind, a sports fan, she might be a little klutzy but everyone had their moments like that.

She shrugged, "I don't know, I just haven't met a guy who's worth it."

"That's a shame." He went to grab some popcorn only to find the bucket empty, but he couldn't be mad as he watched her toss the last piece in her mouth.

"So City Girl how does this work?" Lucas watched her while they gathered their coats and other belongs at the end of the game, watching as she pulled her hair into a messy bun on the top of her head.

She checked the time on her phone, "Okay, come with me." She took his hand as she led him through the crowds, pushing her way through with him just behind her.

Before Lucas knew it they were out on the street, how the hell was he going to survive the city? He wasn't even sure how they got outside.

"Come on Cowboy, you gotta keep up." She pulled him down the street laughing in the cold night air, she looked around trying to decide which way to go and pulled him right and then stopped, "You really are new in town."

He studied her, intrigued by her, "I really am, is it that obvious?"

"Just a little" She stepped towards him "Stick with me tonight Cowboy it'll be a night to remember."

She was close to him, close enough that he could kiss her, all he would have to do would be to cup her face in his hands, let his fingers dig into her hair.

She pulled away before he could; taking his hand before leading him into a building.

"What is this place?"

"My favorite club in the city" She led him down the long hallway she nodded to the doorman before pulling him into the dance club, grateful of the perks of having an Uncle that was becoming one of the hottest DJs in the city, "You never would've known this was here from the look of the outside, right?"

"Right, this is amazing." He saw a band setting up on the stage, "How did you know about this place?"

"It's part of the whole exploring the city thing." She wasn't going to tell him that her best friend usually dragged her here on the weekends her Uncle was spinning so she could flirt with him after his set. She hated that it usually didn't start until ten, why did things have to start at ten? But something about this guy was challenging her, she may never see him again, she didn't even know his name, but she would be seventeen in a few hours, and this was her birthday present to herself, a New York night with a hot guy.

"So you like come here a lot?"

"Yeah, it doesn't usually get started until ten."

"It starts at ten?" He was flabbergasted, why would anything start at ten?

"Let's dance we've got a lot more to see before the night is over." She pulled him onto the dance floor, that wasn't too crowded and if any of her friends or family saw her right now they wouldn't believe that she was really Riley Matthews.

After a few songs she looked over towards the door, seeing her best friend Maya coming into the club with her Uncle Josh, at least that's the way it looked as his arm draped around her "We gotta get out of here."

"Why?" Lucas called out to her as he followed her to the back exit.

Once outside Riley shook her head, "I cannot believe them!"

"Who?"

"My best friend, she just came in."

He watched her, trying to decipher what was happening, "And that's a problem why?"

"She was with my Uncle." Riley rubbed her temples.

"Ew really that's kind of gross."

Giggling Riley smiled, "It's not that bad, he's twenty and she's seventeen, but still."

"Wait, your Uncle is twenty?"

Riley nodded as they began walking again, "Um, he was born when my Dad was like a freshmen in college, not that long before my Dad and Mom got married."

"Oh wow, high school sweethearts?"

"My parents," She started as she looked at him as she walked backwards, "have basically been a couple their entire lives. Like I mean from diapers until now, they've always had this story of their great love. Not to mention my Dad has the greatest best friend in the world. It's a lot to live up to sometimes."

"Is that what you're trying to do, live up to some epic friendship and love story?"

"If I'm honest with myself and you which for some reason I am, at the very least am with the friendship. I mean I always heard stories of all these crazy things my Dad and his friend would do, but even now, I don't think I could be like that.'

"I can't believe that. Look you're showing a guy from out of town around, late at night, in a huge city that seems pretty epic to me."

Riley sucked in her lips as she smiled, "But I'm not doing it with my best friend, I'm doing it with you Cowboy. Come on, I know a great place for us to go next."

"I'm sure you do." He realized he would probably follow this girl all over the city, to the other boroughs if he had to just to spend more time with her.

Riley led him down the street turning left and going down another block before finding the Nighthawk Diner "This place has the best BLT in the city. It's also open all night long, and if we're lucky we might see some interesting things, interesting people."

"Oh is City Girl an observer?"

"I might be" She smiled as they went in and found an empty booth.

A waitress came over and took their order, two coffees and one BLT.

Riley looked at her companion for the evening, "Okay, tell me something that you would only tell a stranger, someone that you may never see again."

He tried not to smile, but he couldn't help it around her, "Okay, so back in Texas they have a rodeo every year. When I was younger, I did mutton busting."

"What's that?" Riley shook two sugar packets before tearing them open and pouring them into her freshly poured coffee.

"Basically it's riding a sheep." He waited for her to laugh but she didn't.

"That's not a real thing, is it?" She waited for him to laugh but he didn't.

"No, it's real and I fell off Judy the Sheep, disgracing my entire family."

"That disgraced your whole family? How are you supposed to stay on a sheep?"

"Kids to it, I didn't and I have yet to live it down."

"Well, you're in a new state, new city, and only one person here knows about Judy the Sheep, and trust me no one would believe me if I told them."

"You're turn" He sat back in the booth, stretching his arms out as he watched her, "Tell me something that you would only tell a stranger, someone you may never see again."

"This is really stupid, but on Friday afternoons when the halls of the school are empty, I kind of have a little awards show for me."

"You do?"

"Yeah, and sometimes I pretend that I'm not there to accept so the French version of me has to accept for me, Bon Jour."

"That's adorable;" He smiled, "You're adorable."

"Thank you" She bit her lip, "So why did you move to New York?"

"My Dad got transferred." He poured some half and half into his coffee, "It was a good time to move, I um, I got held back for a year after I got in a fight at school."

"Why did you get in a fight?"

"I was protecting a friend who couldn't protect himself. I'm not proud of what happened, but I'm hoping to start over."

"People change people it's the secret of life. Find good people and they'll change you for the better." She took a sip of her coffee.

"How are you so wise?"

"Years of having my father as my teacher."

"Your Dad is your teacher, year after year?"

"Yeah, it's kind of weird I think I'll escape him in college in a few years. But he never escaped his childhood teacher until he moved to New York."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Oh, well my Dad had the same teacher from like sixth grade through college." Riley shrugged, "He even lived next door to the guy. But he was like a mentor, second father figure to my Father, my Mother and my oldest Uncle."

"That has got to be weird."

"Yeah, it is, but he's a good teacher, and as irritating as it is when he uses things from my life to teach a lesson, it does teach us what he wanted us to learn. But if he doesn't get to Belgium 1831 I think Farkle might explode."

"What's a Farkle?"

"Oh one of my best friends, I've known him since like pre-school, his parents and mine actually grew up together in Philadelphia."

"Small world huh?"

"That it is."

The BLT arrived and Riley took half before looking up at her Cowboy, "Go on try it."

He looked at her curiously for a moment before diving in, "Okay, this is good."

"Told you" She took a bite; watching him for a moment before looking around the diner to see if anything interesting was happening, "So what do you want to be when you grow up Cowboy?"

"I've never told anyone this before, but I think I might want to be a Veterinarian, what about you?"

"I have no idea I'm a restless lost soul searching for purpose."

"You're a dramatic one City Girl, or is that just a New York Thing?"

"It's a me thing" She ate a fry, "We should probably get going, I don't know what train you have to take but I know mine only has a few more runs to make."

"Yeah that's probably a good idea" Lucas went to pay the bill but Riley already did "You don't have to do that."

"Next time it's on you."

"Oh we get a next time, I wasn't so sure." He followed her out to the street.

Riley looked at him, "Okay how about this, if we see each other again that's great, we're not going to force it to happen. Maybe fate, or destiny, whatever you want to call it, has a plan and we'll see each other again."

"So this is it, tonight, we might never see each other again?"

"Exactly Cowboy or we might see each other again in a week."

"What if I want to see you again?"

Riley blushed, "Then you better hope the fates are on your side."

"Give me your number, please?" He was sure he would drop on his knees and beg her if he had to.

Riley thought for a moment taking out a piece of paper and writing her phone number down. As she went to hand it to him a gust of wind blew it away, "I think fate just said no to that."

He thought for a moment, he had to see her again, "Next year, a year from tonight we meet up, if we're single or dating someone else, it doesn't matter, we'll have another night exploring the city. Maybe by then I'll have a few places I'll want to show you."

Riley considered it, "Okay, next December 7th, we meet up at 7pm in front of Serendipity. We'll explore the city and we'll see where fate takes us next."

"It's a date." Lucas bit his lip as he watched her start to walk away. Hell no he wasn't going to wait a year he wasn't crazy. "City Girl"

She turned just in time to see him run to her, his hands cupping her face before his lips crashed down on hers hungrily. Her toes curled, she was sure she heard fireworks as she felt her body weaken as her arms wrapped around him and she returned the kiss.

He pulled away just enough to look in her eyes, "I'm sorry, I just, I don't know I couldn't think of spending the next year wishing I had kissed you."

"That was an amazing moment" She smiled, "Thank you."

Lucas pulled out his phone, "One picture, the only proof this night existed."

"Okay, that works." Riley grabbed her phone as well and they each reached out their arms for the picture, "Okay Cowboy, I'll see you in a year."

"Be safe City Girl." He reluctantly pulled away from her, watching her disappear down the subway station while he went and hailed a cab.

Monday morning in homeroom Riley was sitting in her regular seat, her friend Farkle behind her, with their friend Zay next to him and Maya next to her.

Zay leaned over to Farkle, "What's going on with Riley, she seems, giddy."

"No idea, she was like this yesterday, maybe it's just having turned seventeen." The boys looked to Maya and then shook their heads, "No it's not that. Did you see her besides her birthday party this weekend?"

"No man, I was trying to get my friend Lucas to hang out, he just moved up from Texas, but I couldn't get a hold of him. What about you?"

"I saw her Saturday afternoon, but she wasn't like this."

"Maybe she met someone."

"Hey Peaches?" Maya looked to Riley.

"Yeah, what's up Honey?"

"Clark said you were at the hideaway with some guy, why didn't I see you?"

Riley looked to her friend, "Clark has to be wrong, I didn't go to the hideaway let along with some guy unless it's one of these two or Uncle Josh."

Maya nodded, "Okay, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing, why do you guy's think anything is going on?" Riley looked at her phone for a moment, wishing the wind hadn't blown her number away, could fate please deliver the Cowboy to her, was she really going to have to wait a year?

The door opened and for a moment she thought maybe he was transferring here, instead it was just her father. She sat back in her seat she couldn't even look her Cowboy up on Facebook, why hadn't they exchanged names.

Wasn't that what she wanted?

Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.

Lucas had begun to keep a list of places he wanted to show City Girl, sure she might have lived here her whole life but she couldn't know every single place, could she? His list was long, he'd been making it for the last six months, but here he was sitting in a bakery not far from the NYU campus adding it to the list.

Topanga's what an interesting name, he thought as he sat in the corner working on some homework when he heard someone laugh, a familiar laugh. He looked around and couldn't believe it. Sitting in the center of the room was his old friend. He closed his book, "Zay, is that really you?"

"Lucas!" The boy jumped up and hugged his taller friend, "Guys, this is Lucas my best friend from Texas. I've been trying to get a hold of you for months when I heard your Dad transferred up here."

"Yeah, I'm trying to keep up in school I got to keep my grades up, so most of my time is studying, exploring the city." Lucas looked around at the group of friends, a young blond girl, an older boy with dark hair, and another guy dressed in black, "So are you going to introduce me?"

"Oh right man, this is Maya and her boyfriend Josh, and this is my best New York friend Farkle."

"Farkle?" Lucas tried to place why the name was familiar.

"Yeah, I don't know, I'm sure one day my parents will explain it." The young man shrugged.

"So this is the famous Lucas huh?" Maya studied the guy, he was tall, cute, not her type but he might be Riley's, and where was that girl?

"Oh I've been discussed? I'm sure Zay only gave you half the story."

"You protected him, right?" Maya questioned.

"That I did, I protect my friends even when it gets me into trouble." His cell phone rang, "I got to take this, nice meeting you, Zay Facebook me."

"Will do" Zay looked to Maya, "What are you thinking?"

"Just that it's a shame Riley wasn't here, she would've gone all goofy over him."

"What, over Lucas?" Zay shook his head, "No, I doubt that. Not when I'm here, she is my girlfriend after all."

"I think Maya's right, that's the kind of guy who would make my niece weak in the knees." Josh looked around, "Where is Riley, shouldn't she be here?"

"I'm her boyfriend; do you guys think I'm not good enough for her?" Zay looked at his friends.

"Cheerleading practice ran late" Farkle looked up from his phone, "She's on her way."

Zay watched as Lucas left the bakery, realizing how odd it was to see his old friend here, where he hung out with his new friends. The group still hadn't answered him about thinking he wasn't good enough for Riley, they were just joking around with him, right?

The group had gotten lost in conversation when Riley came in, sitting between Farkle and Zay, "I'm on the bottom of the pyramid in a spot where if I wasn't there it wouldn't matter. Why do I keep doing this to myself?"

"Because you love cheerleading even if Coach Kelly is a crazy bitch who doesn't see how much spirit you really have." Zay kissed her cheek, his fingers teasing the ends of her ponytail.

"Thanks Zay, you're the best." She rested her head on his shoulder.

"Riley, you missed it, the mysterious Lucas was here." Maya leaned forward, "You would've been a mess."

"Oh come on guys, you really think I would get all goofy over one of Zay's friends? I mean look at who he picked here in New York, us, this Lucas guy is probably just as goofy."

"He was pretty hot." Maya looked at her nails.

"Hey" Josh looked at his girlfriend, "I'm right here."

"I know, and he's not my type at all. He's Riley's type; he's got this real Chris Evans thing going on."

"Maya's right you would've been a mess." Josh looked at his niece, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing just tired. I'm going to go I have to study for finals. I'll text you later." Riley left, going up to the street and then up to the apartment. Once she was alone in her bay window she pulled up the pictures on her phone, looking at the one of her and Cowboy. Six more months and she would see him again, if he didn't forget. He couldn't forget, could he?

"You know what I don't think this guy exists." Riley looked to her friends as they sat around their favorite pizzeria.

"He exists Riley; we hang out with him all the time." Her Uncle insisted as the group all fought over slices of the pie.

Riley rolled her eyes, "Okay, so you all have this friend Lucas Friar, that for some reason I never get to meet. What's up with that?"

They all looked to each other, "It is kind of odd that Riley and Lucas are never available to hang out at the same time, or they always seem to just miss each other."

"He's coming to movie night tomorrow you'll be there right Riles?" Zay gave her a friendly smile.

Riley shook her head, "I can't we have a football game tomorrow night, I kind of have to be there as a Cheerleader, sorry guys."

"You'll just have to wait and meet the Huckleberry another day." Maya sighed as she watched the smile on Zay's face grow and made note of it.

Riley's phone buzzed, "Ugh, I gotta go, see you guys later." She grabbed her slice on her paper plate and her phone before ducking out.

Maya turned to Zay, "She's not your girlfriend, but you want her to be, don't you?"

"She is my girlfriend" Zay rolled his eyes.

Josh and Farkle exchanged a look, "Is my Niece aware of that?"

"You guys all suck." Zay took a sip of his grape soda. "Why do you all of a sudden care?"

Maya pulled a pepperoni off her slice and popped it in her mouth, "I just think you seem kind of jealous whenever we bring up Huckleberry and the possibility of him and Riley meeting."

"One, Riley is my girlfriend; we've discussed our relationship many times. Two, if she wasn't it wouldn't matter Lucas is hung up on some girl he met months ago, he wouldn't be interested in Riley."

"So you and she are going to Homecoming together?" Farkle sprinkled pepper on his slice.

Zay sighed, "Yeah, of course we are."

"Then I guess she and I need to go dress shopping." Maya smirked it was so easy to get to Zay if they just pretended he and Riley weren't dating. Of course they were together, but she wasn't sure Riley's heart was really in it, while Zay was head over heels.

"I'm really glad we went to homecoming together." Zay smiled to Riley as they danced to Photograph by Ed Sheeran.

"You're my boyfriend Zay, why wouldn't I want to go to homecoming with you?" Riley gave him a smile, "You're a great guy I can't wait to see what girl you end up with."

"What girl I end up with?" Zay stopped dancing, "Riley, you know I really like you right? I'm not just your boyfriend for shits and giggles."

Riley frowned, "Oh Zay, I know you like me, I just, you are an amazing guy, I adore you, you are one of my best friends"

"We've been dating for almost nine months, and you still think of me as one of your best friends and not more?"

"Zay, I'm sorry." Riley pulled him off the dance floor to the side of the room, "I just, there's someone else."

"Who, you've never mentioned anyone." Zay looked around, wondering who it was, "Not Charlie Gardner."

Riley laughed, "God no, he's kind of creepy all that popping up every so often. It's weird, there's a guy, I really like him, when he and I kissed it was fireworks and grand slams in the World Series, it's the kind of feeling you deserve, we all deserve and you're not getting that from me."

"Who is this guy, why have you never mentioned him before?"

"He's just a guy I know, if it becomes something more one day I will tell you all, all about it, but for not it's just the hope of something." She took his hands, "I am so flattered, I am beyond flattered really Zay, I think my heart is already taken. Chase love, find a girl who is going to set off those bottle rockets when you kiss, she's out there I know it. She's just not me."

"I hope this guy knows how lucky he is to have a girl like you." Zay couldn't believe this he was getting dumped at homecoming.

Riley blushed, "You will find a girl that makes you that lucky. Let's go and finish dancing."

"Yeah, I guess, at the very least it'll keep Charlie away."

"Please and thank you."

"I'm sorry Zay, are you sure this girl exists?" Lucas looked to his new friends as they sat around the bakery.

"Riley is real, I promise." Josh laughed, "I still can't believe you two haven't met."

Lucas started to gather his things, "Yeah, weird I got to get going, I have practice, movie night next week still on?"

"Yeah it is." Zay leaned back in his seat and sighed as Lucas left. "Has Riley mentioned another guy to any of you?"

Farkle shrugged, "Nope, never, Maya?"

"No, and if she was, I would be the one she would tell." Maya looked to Josh, "Unless she confided in her Uncle?"

"If she did, it was Eric and not me." Josh took a sip of his smoothie, "But if Riley was seeing someone, we would know right?"

"I guess not." Zay picked at his pastry, "I mean wait did she cheat on me?"

"Riley wouldn't do that, maybe it was someone she has a crush on and just hasn't gotten over?" Josh suggested, not sure that was really helping.

"You'll survive Zay, look at me I've survived Maya loving Josh, we'll survive Riley loving some mystery man." Farkle slapped his friend on the back.

"At least Farkle we've both been rejected by Riley."

"Welcome to the club; you, me and Charlie Gardner"

Maya rolled her eyes, "Don't say his name he might pop up."

"Who might pop up?" Riley came in sitting next to her Uncle and looked at her friends, "What's going on?"

"So Zay told us you broke up with him and you're seeing someone else, why haven't we heard about this before?" Josh looked to his niece, who really was more like a little sister.

"It's something that when I'm ready to discuss I will. Zay I never cheated on you, please know that." Riley gave him what she hoped was a comforting smile, "I met him a while ago, there was a spark, but nothing has happened yet. I just don't think it's fair to Zay if I feel these feelings, this hope for someone else." She looked at the table, "Who was with you, what's with the fifth cub?"

"That was Lucas' you just missed him; again." Farkle sighed frustrated that they kept missing each other.

"Oh the imaginary friend" Riley teased, "Come on guys, this joke was cute at first but, this is taking it too far."

"Do you want to see a picture of him I think Zay's got one?" Maya smiled, knowing that Riley would be smitten the second she laid eyes on Lucas.

Riley rolled her eyes, "No, I believe you. I'm going to go get something from the back, I'll be right back."

As soon as she was gone Lucas was back in, "Forgot my phone." He grabbed it from the table checking the lock screen—the picture of him and City Girl with a countdown until their next date, "See you later."

"Did this really just happen?" Farkle questioned as Lucas walked out the door once again just as Riley came back carrying a bowl of fruit.

"What happened?" She sat next to Farkle this time offering him a grape.

"Lucas came back to get his phone like as soon as you left, then the second he was out the door, you were back." Zay looked around, "This is weird right."

Riley shrugged, "Maybe your imaginary friend and I are just not meant to meet. Don't worry about it. I'm sure one day this Lucas guy and I will meet, that is if he really exists."

"He exists!" They all said in unison.

Riley just nodded and popped a grape into her mouth.