Chasing Riley
In his bedroom across town, Lucas is laying on his bed trying to figure out how his life has gotten to this point. The last few months have been brutal, on his friends, on his family and most importantly on him.
It seems like only yesterday he was riding high after his successful Tombstone ride. If he was a celebrity and someone said "Hey Lucas, you just beat Tombstone. What are you going to do next? (Like those cheesy Disney world/Superbowl commercials) He would have answered; I'm going to Rileytown!" When he looked up into Riley's eyes, from his prone position on the ground, he knew without a doubt that he was in love with her. He was going to end their "unofficial thing" and ask her to be his girlfriend. He was certain that she felt the same way about him.
Little did he know that the pain of hitting the ground after being tossed from Tombstone was nothing compared to the pain that he would endure later that day, all at the hands of Riley Matthews.
Lucas had known for a while that he had very strong feelings for Riley. How could he not? In her, he found someone who believed in him, someone who looked past the outer wrapping of his looks and saw straight to his very core. They had tried dating before and it was awkward, not because of how the felt about each other but because of the pressure their peers applied once they got wind of their date and of Riley's kiss. Just thinking about her kiss makes him happy. She was so sure of herself in that moment she was even more beautiful than usual. Just a few months prior she couldn't even talk to him and suddenly she was holding his face steady for her kiss. The exquisite innocence of it all made his heart race. But they let peer pressure hurry them along and suddenly they couldn't talk. They both loved to talk to each other about anything and everything. Once they decided to slow things down and go at their own pace, they could talk again. In fact, Riley's rant about her beloved NY Knicks will always be one of his favorite "Riley at her cutest" moments.
After getting back from the Rodeo, as he sat on the couch in Pappy Joe's living room, he thought about what he wanted to say to her. He hoped he could convey how much she meant to him. He wanted to be certain that she knew that this wasn't a spur of the moment decision but something he had thought about for some time. It was important to him too that he tell her in front of their friends, that they knew how he felt about her. With the Farkle and Maya present, he had the founding members of the Riley Committee around to witness his declaration to her. He wanted them to know how much he appreciates her, that they know that they weren't going to have to protect her from him.
His heart skipped a beat when she walked in the room with Maya. She was dressed like a true Texas girl. Plaid shirt open over a tank, denim shorts, boots, a choker and pigtails. Oh how he loved her pigtails, it was such a reflection of her personality.
She asked to talk to him, he stood and beat her to the punch. He told her how important she was, how he wouldn't have ridden Tombstone or survived in NY without her. Then as he looked into the gorgeous eyes of the girl he loved, he felt his heart shatter as she told him that she viewed them as siblings. From that moment forward, things have been brutal. Suddenly the girl he loved was telling him that they were siblings and that Maya, the lovable but proverbial thorn in his side liked him. He tried with all his might to get Riley to take it all back, to understand that he didn't see them like that but it was all for naught.
Things were strained between all of them from that point forward. Once they got back to school, Maya told Riley that something had happened between them but Riley wouldn't let her explain so the short exclamation was damning. Something ALMOST happened. He almost kissed Maya by the light of the campfire but once he realized he was looking into blue eyes and not brown, he stopped. Before he could talk to Riley and explain what ALMOST happened, she was agreeing to go out with that creep Charlie Gardner. Yes, the same Charlie that asked her to the Semi-Formal. It hurt to see them together. He wasn't sure where and when things went so wrong with Riley, all he knew was that while it hurt, he would do anything to make her happy so he went along with everything…. until New Year's Eve.
New Year's Eve was a strange bit of business altogether. Early in the afternoon, he and Farkle ran into Charlie outside Topanga's. Charlie asked him if he was invited to Riley's NYE party… a party that he knew nothing about. Was this what had become of their friendship? Had things gotten so bad that she didn't even want him around? Had he sacrificed his feelings only to end up losing her anyway? Thankfully it turned out to be a last minute party and of course he was invited. When he got to the door of the Matthews' apartment, Riley was standing in the open doorway, he could've waited or asked her to move out of the way but he needed some type of physical contact with her. As cheesy as it sounds, even bumping into her made him happy. He never realized how often they touched in some way until all of it was gone. It was one of the things he missed the most. That and the easy going nature of their friendship. They could hardly stand to be around each other anymore and this upset him to no end, after all, he was only doing as she asked. Of course that asshat Charlie was there and decided to challenge him to a round of the "Couples game". Charlie thought he would be able to show him that of the two of them, he knew Riley better. He's not ashamed to admit that jealousy reared its ugly head with every detail Charlie knew about Riley and every detail Riley knew about Charlie. Riley was supposed to be his…she was HIS princess not Charlie's. He still can't fathom what had transpired over the few months since Texas. The biggest surprise of all happened as the clock struck midnight. Standing on the rooftop, while talking to Maya, he saw Riley head for the door out of the corner of his eye. Suddenly, Farkle blurted out "Riley STILL LOVES Lucas" and in the moment, he knew things were never going to be the same.
Things were even more difficult between them all. No one wanted to talk about what Farkle said. Riley wouldn't confirm or deny if what he said was even true. Lucas had such mixed feelings. He was thrilled to know that Riley still had feelings for him but he was also worried because she didn't seem to want to do anything about it. It was then that it hit him, Riley would continue to sacrifice her feelings for him in order to keep her best friend happy. He wanted to shake Riley until her teeth rattled and demand that they talk about how to proceed. That they acknowledge their MUTUAL feelings and move forward. He wanted to push Maya to see if she truly had feelings for him or if he was merely a stand in for Riley's uncle Josh. In the end he did neither, he was quite simply lost. He was stuck in a seemingly never ending limbo where everyone's feelings mattered…but his.
Now here he is, ready to end the middle school portion of his life and move up to High School. He knew that he could not stay in limbo forever, he needed, they all needed to straighten things out and move forward…. together.
There is a brief knock on his door, Lucas looks up and sees his mom standing there with a bottle of water and a sandwich. "Hi honey. I brought you lunch. Are you OK?" his mom asked in a soft voice.
"Thanks momma. Is it bad if I say I don't know if I'm OK?" Lucas replies quietly.
"C'mon…tell momma what's got you down. Between the two of us- I'm sure we'll know how to fix everything." His mom has been worried about her son. She knows what happened in Texas between him and Riley, she knows how upset he was but he never wanted to talk about it so she never pushed. It's not like her son to not come to her when he's upset about something, he is quick to seek her advice when he needs it. The fact that he hasn't spoken to her about anything at all is concerning. She noticed a change in his behavior around the start of the New Year but there has been nothing but silence.
"You remember Riley?"
"Yes, I remember you telling me all about her and I know she left a wonderful impression on your Pappy Joe. He thinks she's your biggest cheerleader but we all know that I am your biggest cheerleader…maybe I should call Riley…"
"Mom, please. Trust me you don't need to sing her praises to me. A lot has happened since Texas and I just don't know what to do anymore." He interrupted.
"Sorry Lucas. Talk to me." She says patiently as she sits on the bed next to him.
He starts to tell her everything that has happened. About Riley pushing him and Maya together. About how everyone else's feelings seem to be more important than his. When he starts to talk about what happened on New Year's Eve he jumps up from the bed and begins pacing. His mother has mixed feelings. Part of her is thrilled that her son fell in love with someone as wonderful as Riley but she is also concerned because she hasn't seen any signs of his Texas side until now. This is how she knows how much Riley means to him. She knows that he has been trying to work on his temper since they moved to NY…knew to that there was someone behind his desire to better himself. Ironic, that now Riley is the also the reason she sees shades of his past behavior. When he is done explaining, he sits down on the bed next to his mother and leans on her shoulder.
"How did this get so complicated Mom? I really thought I was doing the right thing by taking everything slowly. I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to start High School in this limbo but I don't want to give up on Riley either."
"Oh son. First things first, you both DID the right thing… you decided together that it wasn't the right time for you to be a couple. As your momma, I just want to say that from everything you and Pappy Joe have told me about Riley, I think she is perfect for my not so little boy. That being said, you have to decide what you want to do. You could push Riley to talk to you about the feelings you both have but you have to understand that you run the risk of losing her completely. If you choose between…"
"Mom, there was never a choice between anyone….it has always been Riley."
"Be that as it may, if you didn't tell Maya that in the beginning, then I'm sorry but you have to make a choice and you run the risk of losing both of them. Either way someone is going to end up hurt. Perhaps the best thing to do at this point is to just STOP."
"Stop what? Being friends with them?" Lucas shakes his head in wonder. That's not happening, they are two of his closest friends and did his mom not hear him? He loves Riley. Does she expect him to stop that too?
"No honey. I think you need to stop the possibility of there being anything more than friendship between any of you. You are going to have to make it clear with the girls that the only way you all can move forward is to all just be friends."
Lucas is stunned into silence. How does he do that? Is there a magic way to stop loving someone? Someone that you see daily?
"Lucas, I know this is tough for you but it's the only alternative you have where you are not the bad guy. You are going to have to wait and see if the girls can figure things out on their own. Is Riley worth it? Is she worth waiting for?"
There is no hesitation on Lucas' part, no waver in his voice… "Yes mom, she is worth it"
"Then you know what to do. Now I may be a little prejudiced but I don't think Riley is going to be able to stay away from my baby for long. Here's what I want you to do. Eat your lunch, take a shower, sit down and figure out what you want to say and go see the girls. When you come home, I'll be here if you need to talk about what happened and if things go well…maybe you will tell me your version of how The Princess and the Subway Boy became a couple." She leans in and kisses his cheek. "No matter what happens Lucas, don't give up. Chase Love, it can be the greatest thing that ever happens to you."
Lucas does as his mother asks and makes his decision. Riley is worth waiting for and he will quietly chase her until she is ready to be caught. He was able to conquer Tombstone…now he's ready for his biggest challenge yet, His Princess.