Riley POV:
I walk into history and sit in my usual seat next to Maya. My Dad has written 'The Great Depression' on the black board, Maya sees me attempting to read it through my blurry vision.
"That's depressing." She says, smiling at her comment.
"Mmmmm." I reply half-heartedly.
"You okay, Riles?" Maya asks.
"Fine." I mumble.
"No you're not!" Maya says louder than expected.
"What's wrong?" Lucas asks, leaning forward to join in our conversation-Maya's conversation really.
"Riley won't admit that she is sick." Maya says turning around to face Lucas, slight annoyance is evident in her voice.
"She doesn't need to admit it, it's obvious." Lucas states.
Their not wrong, I'm a mess. My throat is killing me, my head is pounding and my nose is blocked so I feel absolutely disgusting.
"Can anyone tell me how the Great Depression was caused?" My Dad asks.
"Oh, Farkle knows!" Farkle says as his hand shoots up in the air.
"Okay Farkle, enlighten us." My Dad says.
"The Great Depression was caused by the Wall Street Crash of..." Farkle begins and then stops when my coughing interrupts him, "1929." Farkle finishes slowly as I continue to cough. Lucas eases his way out of his chair and kneels beside me and soothingly rubs my back, not caring how weird it must look to the rest of the class, who are steering at us. When I eventually catch my breath I see Lucas looking up at me with worry in his eyes, I give him a weak smile, "Thanks."
"Riley, do you want to be excused?" My Dad asks. I nod weakly. "Lucas go with her won't you." He continues.
"Thanks sir." Lucas replies with a nod.
I shakily stand up from my chair and Lucas guides me out the door. When we are a few steps out the door I hear Maya yell, "Take good care of her Sundance!"
Lucas and I are sitting out on the front steps of the school in the cool breeze. I have my pounding head resting on his shoulder and he has his arm wrapped securely around my waist.
"You holding up okay?" Lucas asks.
"Maybe." I mumble.
"What do you mean 'maybe'?" He laughs squeezing me tightly.
"Not really." I say weakly.
"I know, I know." Lucas says softly.
"We should probably go back now. " I say a little louder. "Schools almost over."
"Alrighty then." Lucas says as he helps me up.
When Lucas and I get back to class there are only five minutes left, which are taken up by my Dad setting tonight's homework. When the final bell rings Maya, Farkle, Lucas and I head down to the subway. It doesn't take long for our train to arrive, which is good because I would have hated waiting for it to arrive in a noisy subway. There are limited seats on the train so Lucas lets me sit on his knee next to Farkle and Maya stands in front of us watching over me.
It's cold inside the train so Lucas opts to give me his sweatshirt which sleeves go down passed my hands and a hood that keeps the back of my neck warm, best of all its comfy and smells like Lucas.
During the train ride I begin to feel tired and accidentally fall asleep in Lucas's arms.
I wake up on the couch in my living room with blankets draped over me. I blink a few times before my vision comes to focus and my eyes stop stinging.
"Hey there, City girl." Lucas says from his chair opposite me. The others sit beside him and look at me too.
"How ya doing Riles?" Maya asks.
"I've been better." I force a laugh. Farkle also laughs at my bad joke to make me feel better, I appreciate it.
"Thanks for taking care of me, guys." I yawn.
I here Lucas say, "No worries, what are friends for," before I drift back off to sleep.