a/n: Hello GMW fandom! It's been a while since I posted and for that I am sorry. I've had the most amazing opportunity to travel so I've been away from home for a while. Now I'm back and I have so many stories I'd like to post. This is my second attempt of Rucas, so I hope you like it. This is set during episode 2x03. Girl Meets The Secret of Life. This is a songfic based off the song The Reason by Hoobastank. I think the song fits them perfectly and knew I had to write this the moment I heard it. As always I don't own the song or characters.

"I'm not a perfect person. There's many things I wish I didn't do"

"Lucas"

Lucas didn't bother to look up when Riley called. He was to busy hating himself. He was sitting down, back pressed against the lockers. After defending Zay he didn't want to go back to class. He was too ashamed. He wanted New York to be a fresh start. He wanted to start all over again. He wanted to present himself as a gentleman and try to change his ways. But now, he realized it was going to be so much harder then he thought. He loves the fact that Zay goes to his school. What he doesn't love of the part of his past he brought with him.

He worked so hard to gain his reputation as cowboy Lucas. As Mr. Perfect. He wanted to show he can be calm, cool and collected no matter what. He wanted to be the good kid. Earning him his many nicknames from Maya, which he didn't care about. He kind of liked them, it proved he could change. But now all his progress is down the drain, he is no longer who he wants to be.

Anger raced in his veins and he played the event in his mind again. His hands clenched to fist. He was disgusted with himself for letting it get that far. He couldn't believe he lost it in front of his teacher,Farkle, Maya and most importantly, Riley. The girl he likes very much and would of rather him get hurt then have Riley see him that way. The boy with anger issues trying to escape his bad past.

He liked everything about Riley. Her innocence and understanding is what made him like her. He liked how she only saw the good in people. Well not in me. He thought. Not anymore.

"Lucas" Riley called again.

He finally looked up. Even standing there, she looks beautiful. He felt his lost his right to compliment her. He is no longer cowboy Lucas. The boy she kissed on the subway. He's the same Lucas Friar from Texas.

"Hi" He finally responds. But not in the usual way he does with her, he usually gives her a smile. But now, his voice was emotionless. She sat down next to him, and she placed her hand over his fist.

"Are you okay?"

He became less tense and relaxed his muscles when he heard her voice and she came closer.

"I'm fine" He says as he looks off. He didn't want to worry her more then he already did.

"Are you sure?"

He felt the stares of her chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm sure" He lied again.

Riley grabbed his chin and moved his face so he could look her in the eyes.

"Then why don't I believe you?"

The question surprised him, Riley was never one to question him, well until recently. He looked at her. He didn't see the terrified look of fear he thought was going to receive. All he saw was concern in her eyes. Concern for him. He was puzzled to say the least. He never fully understood Riley's non-judgmental heart, but it made him like her even more.

"Because I'm not fine" He admitted.

"I know" She said, she leaned her head on his shoulder. "But I do know this. Regardless of what just happened, you are still my Lucas. The Lucas who covered me when the sprinklers went off, The Lucas who danced with me at my first dance and asked my dad for permission to go on a date, The Lucas who I like."

He undid his fist and interlocked his fingers with hers.

"You'll always be that Lucas" Riley promised. "No matter what"

"I've found a reason to show a side of me you didn't know"

Days past by and things were back to normal. Well, as normal as it gets. Riley and Lucas continued to be who they are without any input and the incident was behind them.

Riley was walking to class by herself one day. Farkle, Lucas and Maya all had different classes. She hummed along to a song stuck in her head and walked around with a smile.

"Hey there pretty baby" Someone called. Riley turned around to see the kid who Lucas fought earlier that week.

Riley tried to walk away, but he put his hand on the locker to block her from going anywhere.

"Not in the mood to talk?" He asked, she was to scared to response.

Her usual cry for Maya wouldn't work. Maya's class was upstairs.

He moved a piece of hair from her face, and got closer to her. "You're the Matthews kid"

She nodded. He titled her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "You know I failed his class three times"

Riley tried to move away, but he grabbed her arm and pushed her against the lockers, pinning her wrist to the lockers.

"No escaping me, like I can't escape this school" He said.

Riley whimpered. She tried to remember the self-defense her dad and Maya attempted to teach her. Then she remembered her dad's class was around the corner.

"Daddy!" She screamed the same time the bell rings.

"Daddy can't save you" He taunted.

"But I can"

Riley's heart fluttered when she saw Lucas. Before she knew what happened, Lucas grabbed the guys shoulder, spun him around and punched him in the face.

"Lucas!" Riley exclaimed, she ran to him and held him back. "Stop it, you're not like this"

When the guy recovered, Lucas pushed him to the wall, ignoring Riley's protest. Pinned his wrist down like last time. "If you ever hurt, touch or even look at Riley again. I will-

"Mr. Frair!" Cory runs to the scene. "Let go of him!"

He ran to his daughter as she ran to him and clung on to him. "Daddy please make him stop" She begged with tears in her eyes."I don't want all his progress to go down the drain"

"It's not going to" Cory promised. He kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Mr. Frair let him go" Cory said a little bit more forcefully then before.

"He harassed Riley sir" Lucas said, still pinning the guy down.

"I know and he will deal with the consequences" Cory said, approaching Lucas carefully. "But you did not make this good reputation just to lose it in a year, understand?"

"You should've seen the way he had Riley" Lucas continued.

"Lucas, Riley is my daughter. I want her safe and protected more then anything else in this world. But I know there is one more thing I need to protect her from"

Lucas looked at his teacher.

"Seeing you like this"

Lucas then looked at Riley, standing as far away as possible. Fear shined in her eyes. But she walked towards him anyway, and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Please, be the Lucas I know"

Lucas let go and Riley's hand found his. "Don't make this one of these moments I remember forever"

He let go completely and Riley hugged him. "Thank you" She said as she wrapped her arms around him. All his anger melted to concern.

"Mr. Aaron, you will come with me to the principals office" Cory said as he and Aaron walked away. He looked back at Lucas and his daughter, he walked away knowing his daughter was safe.

"Did he hurt you?" He asked Riley as he cupped her face in his hands and wiped her tears. She shook her head.

"I'm so sorry I scared you" He apologized. His worst fears came true. He lost it in front of her to a point of no control.

"You didn't scare me" She said. " I'm only scared of you getting in trouble and leaving because of me. stupid me" She muttered as tears escaped again.

"Hey, don't go thinking for a minute you are stupid, because you are not. I'm just sorry I wasn't here earlier" He said, as they took a seat on the tile.

"You didn't have to protect me" Riley argued, even though she was beyond grateful for the fact, she just wished his didn't have to get in trouble for it. " I don't want you to get in trouble for this"

He chuckled, a sound that made Riley's heart flutter again. "Riley, don't you get it by now? I'd risk anything to protect you. I don't care about my reputation, as long as you are safe and happy."

"Really?"

"Really" He confirmed.

"Mr. Friar to the front office" The intercom screeched from above.

He sighed and they got up.

"People change people Riles" He said. "Back in Texas no one could stop me from a fight, but you did. For that, I know you make me a better person"

She smiled at his words. "So I know this will have a better ending then last time" He said.

"I know it will too" She tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek. "We will get through this together"

So they walked to the office hand and hand, knowing that her changing him for the better, meant that everything was going to change for the better.

"I've found a reason for me, to change who I use to be. A reason to start over new, and the reason is you"

a/n: Well I'm not really sure how I feel about this to be honest. I loved the first half, and part of the second half. Personally I know a little about people with anger issues and I see what it does to relationships. I know this isn't a perfect portrayal, but I hope it is good enough. My stories usually deal with depression, or friendship. So having a romance with the elements of anger issues is a change. I hope I did the characters justice. As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to share your thoughts.

Have a beautiful day

-Summer