Author's Note:
Hey guys! New to Fanfiction! Please feel free to leave a review! This story will be told through Riley's .
Chap. 1
It was the first day of our senior year of high school. It felt like time was passing by in a blur. One second, we're in middle school, and the next everyone was asking serious questions about our future. What college were we considering? What major were we thinking about? Is the triangle finally over? The last question had persisted since middle school and it often felt like even if I did eventually did decide what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, the triangle would always be undecided and unanswered. We would always be stuck here, never moving forward and unable to go back in time before all these feelings happened.
Maya was my best friend. I was hers. She always had a crush on Josh. I had a crush on Lucas since the day I fell on his lap in the subway. Maya doesn't like Josh anymore. Maya likes Lucas. Riley still likes Lucas. Lucas likes us both.
"RILEY!" my mom yelled for probably the millionth time. "You're going to be late for your first day!"
Technically, it was my first day of a brand-new school year, but it felt like every other year. The more things changed, the more things stayed the same. I was living the exact same nightmare, I had been living since middle school, with no end in sight. I was having the same thoughts I had every morning before going off to school. My best friend likes Lucas. I like Lucas. Lucas likes us both. It was my first day but the day itself was no different than any other.
I leave my room and follow the smell of eggs to the kitchen.
"Is Maya joining us for breakfast?" my Dad, Cory asked. Of course, some things had changed. Maya's absence from the breakfast table was obvious evidence of that. Things had to change. Someone was going to feel awkward. Sometimes even resentful. No amount of thunder or lightening could prevent that.
"No. she's probably at school already painting. You know, trying to get ahead on her portfolio", I responded.
Maya was still my best friend. My very best friend. She was sister. But Maya liked Lucas. I liked Lucas. Lucas liked us both and no one had made any decisions. So, things were different, yes. But the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
I entered the school kind of nervous. I was still close to all my friends, but the summer before senior year was different. I refused to spend any time with my friends. I wasn't angry, it was just time to myself that I desperately needed.
There was always some college I needed to visit or some networking event. Or I needed to be in Philadelphia because my grandparents weren't getting any younger and Josh was finally home from college. But during the school year, I was trapped. It was either face my friends or break off all ties. Even though the pain of being stuck was too much to handle, I had to believe that losing all my friends and starting over had to be more painful. At least that's what I wanted to believe.
I saw my friends approaching my locker. Farkle, Zay, Smackle, Maya and Lucas. I sent a prayer up to the big guy that no one would comment on my disappearance this summer.
"Riley, I'm so glad you're alive! I was beginning to think you moved away this summer and all your excuses were just a way of letting us down easy," Zay exclaimed!
I guess the big guy was taking a break and missed my prayer.
I smiled my bright Smiley Princess Sunshine Riley smile, "oh Zay, I could never do that! I just needed to get ahead on college planning." That lie again. The lie I was telling all summer.
I couldn't help but notice how close Maya and Lucas were standing next to each other. I noticed the way Maya was studying me intently and Lucas was avoiding eye contact with me altogether.
"But I'm here now! We all have so much to catch up on! How was every one's summer? I continued.
I heard choruses of "It was great! But we missed you!" but before I could comment, the bell rang. Maybe the big guy was listening afterwards.
During lunch, I hoped to delay my entrance into the lunch room. However, as I was exiting the classroom, I ran into Maya.
"Are you going to keep ignoring us? That seems to be on brand for you as of late." Maya asked, teasingly, but with serious undertones.
"I would NEVER." I gasped, playfully. This felt normal. "I'm actually finally getting around to signing up for extra-curriculars…"
"for college? Yeah got it. Everything is for college lately. What are you signing up? Maya asked curiously.
"Well…tutoring…debate…and um, I think I'm finally going to go ahead and sign up for cheerleading because why the hell not?" I responded
Maya skimmed my face quickly before responding, "Riles, are you sure everything is ok? We haven't seen you all summer. And now you come back and are trying out for cheerleading?"
I tried not to get defensive, but I felt like I didn't have to defend my choices to Maya. Maya had decided to like Lucas and I never really got an explanation. But that's not what we were talking about right now and I couldn't let that cloud the conversation. So, I took a deep breath in, careful not to tip this already delicate balancing act.
"Peaches, I promise I'm fine. I just think its time I put myself out there. I've been saying, I wanted to join the cheerleading team since middle school. I said I was going to do it freshman year, but I never got around to it." I responded with a smile.
The truth is, that Lucas joined the football team freshman year. Maya believe that if I became a cheerleader that would mean spending a lot of time around Lucas and she had no extra-curricular activity that would give her just as much time with him. She could have joined the cheerleading with me, but she refused. So, I just didn't join. It was easier.
"If you insist. We just missed you, honey. Lucas had a rough time this summer. He lost his Pappy Joe. I'm still not sure he's okay. Maybe you could talk to him? Actually, can we talk after school? Bay Window?" Maya asked.
"Sure." I replied. Because it was just easier.