PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK! DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GIRL MEETS WORLD OR THEIR CHARACTERS!
Chapter Two *His Choice*
Riley is standing at the stove, flipping some pancakes, waiting for Lucas to wake up. She couldn't sleep at all. Her thoughts kept her awake. She doesn't know what is going to happen. But she does know she needs to talk to Maya. Riley finishes up the pancakes and places them on two plates that she laid out.
She walks back to her bedroom, to see if Lucas is up yet.
He is. He has all the blankets from the palette folded up. He stretches his muscled arms, not noticing that Riley is staring at him. He hears a creak in the floor and turns around. He smiles, seeing her in her pink flannel pajamas and bunny slippers. She always looks so adorable, without even trying to. "Good morning. I'm sorry about last night."
Riley smiles back at the cowboy and ignores her racing heart. He just looks so good with his hair tousled, and sleepy grin. "It's ok. You had a tough night. I made breakfast." She exits her room with Lucas close behind.
They both sit at the dining table, across from each other, and start digging into the fluffy pancakes.
"These are good," Lucas says in between bites.
Riley pours more maple syrup over hers and smiles. "Thank you."
They spend the rest of breakfast eating in silence. They aren't sure what to say.
Lucas knows he said he loved her last night, and he still believes it's the truth, but what about Maya? He shakes his head. In all honesty, he is still confused about his feelings towards the blonde. Yes, they had that moment at the campfire. Yes, there was something there. But what?
"You seem lost in thought." Riley points out.
Lucas eats the last of his pancake before saying, "I am lost in thought. I'm not sure what is supposed to happen next."
She finishes up hers too before grabbing both their plates, ignoring Lucas arguing against that. She places them in the sink and turns back around to face him. "I don't think any of us know what is supposed to happen."
The future is so unclear to Riley. She thought before that Maya and Lucas was supposed to have their chance. But right now, looking at the cowboy in front of her with syrup on the corner of his mouth, looking completely adorable, she isn't sure that's the case anymore.
Lucas gets up from the chair and walks to her. He places a strong hand on her blushed cheek. "I know I love you. I know that."
Riley tries anywhere else to look besides his sea green eyes. She settles on the edge of his face, at his ear, but somehow the magic of his eyes pulls her right back in. How does he do that? "And you know that I love you." The words slip out of her mouth before she can swallow them down.
He smiles at her finally saying it out loud. It warms his heart to know that Riley feels the same way. He puts Maya to the back of his mind as he leans in to kiss those soft, pink lips in front of him. But before they can touch completely the front door opens.
"What's going on?" Maya says.
Her voice is like nails against this situation. Riley maneuvers her way from Lucas, to try to explain. "Maya we were just talking and then..." And then what? What is she supposed to say that won't sound completely lame? That she didn't want Lucas to kiss her? That would be a lie. Riley knows she has done enough lying.
"And then what? You were going to kiss right? I came here so we could talk all of this out. But I guess you two have already talked everything out right?" Maya's blue eyes go to Lucas. "You have already made your decision."
Lucas sees the hurt pool in her eyes and it breaks his heart. He hadn't made a choice yet. Had he?
"He hasn't decided anything Maya. We were talking and I lost control. Please don't get upset with Lucas. He hasn't made a decision yet. He likes you Maya." Riley spits out from nervousness.
Lucas avoids giving her a look. She can't keep making decisions for him or for Maya. "I haven't decided yet. But I won't deny I have feelings for Riley. This is all just very complicated. I don't know what to do."
They all stand in silence. What else can be said?
Maya breaks the silence after two long minutes. "So how do we go about this? How do we act normal?" Maya looks at Riley, but she doesn't have an answer. How can they be normal?
"We have to let it be Lucas' choice. It isn't ours to make," Riley's brown eyes go to Lucas then. "I'm sorry that I have been trying to make everyone's decision for them. The only choices that I can control are my own. We can all be friends, and when Lucas knows who he wants that will be that. No one can get hurt."
Maya nods at Riley's words, thinking that is the best way to go about this all. Because she is right. Riley and her can't make the choice for him. It has to be his to make. "Okay. Sounds good."
Riley returns her attention to Lucas. "Is that good with you?"
Lucas nods his head, trying to ignore the head ache that is sprouting. It's his choice. He looks between the two beautiful girls. How is supposed to choose and hurt the other one? They are saying the outcome won't ruin all their friendships that they have made. But how can they know that?
It's been a few days since the pact was made. They are all sitting at Topanga's, studying for a test that is coming up. Well Maya and Zay are throwing a paper ball at each other, but the others are studying.
Riley is sipping on her French vanilla latte as her eyes roam the book. They are taking a test over Romeo and Juliet. A sad and tragic love story that ends in death and despair. Usually a book this sad would make Riley's sensitive heart hurt, but she has come to like the impact the story holds. Sometimes things don't always have a happy ending. She hates feeling that way. As she watches Maya throw a paper ball at Lucas giggling, and him returning the flirting gesture with a full smile, she can't help but to feel it.
Farkle notices her demeanor, watching Lucas and Maya have their flirty combat. He doesn't regret spilling Riley's secret, but he hates to see his friends agonizing over this. "Hey Riles, do you want to quiz me?" He usually asks Smackle, his adorable girlfriend, to do that but he knows Riley needs a distraction.
He looks at Smackle, to get her to understand, but the amazing girl she is, already understood. He loved that she picked up on things so easily. That was just one of the many things he loved about her.
Smackle gives him a sweet smile and plants a very light kiss on his cheek. "I'll go get us more coffee." She gets out of her chair, and walks towards the coffee bar to order.
While Riley quizzes Farkle, Maya continues to throw paper balls at Lucas, full heartedly giggling at the Texan hero. "You aren't so heroic now are you! You can't defend yourself against them!"
Lucas laughs too, glad that Maya and him can still act like friends even with the drama that is deeply hidden. He tries to ignore the fact that Riley hasn't as much as looked his way since they have been here. Is she okay? He distracts himself from thoughts of Riley by grabbing a bunch of the paper balls and throwing them with speed towards Maya. "I think I just did defend myself!"
They both laugh again, booming loud, which once again distracts Riley from studying. She gives Farkle a small smile and closes the book. "I think I'm going to go home. We will be having dinner in an hour anyway." She gathers up her things, places them in her pastel pink back pack, and exits Topanga's, without saying goodbye to the others.
"Why did Riley leave?" Zay asks, catching Lucas' attention as well.
Farkle sighs just as Smackle comes back with their coffees. "She needed to head home. She said her parents will have dinner made soon."
Maya looks down at her phone and presses the button to check the time on it. The Matthews doesn't have dinner this early. She gathers up her stuff as well and smiles at everyone. "I'm going to go too. The Matthews' dinner wouldn't be the same without me."
They all laugh as she walks out of the café. Why did Riley leave so soon? Maya thinks back to throwing the paper balls at Lucas. Is she upset about that? Maya shakes her head. She can't be getting upset about that when it was just days ago she saw Riley and Lucas about to kiss. Maya begins her walk to the Matthew's home.
Riley is sitting at the bay window when Maya enters through the open window. "Hey Peaches."
Maya smiles. She always loved being called that by her best friend. At least that part hasn't changed. "Hey. Why did you leave?"
Riley sighs before giving Maya her fake smile. "I'm sorry. I just needed to get away for a little while. This whole thing is..."
"Complicated." Maya interrupts. "I know. But we are supposed to be friends remember?"
Riley nods her head, making her hair bounce along with it. "I know. It just takes some getting used to." She finally looks at Maya with pleading eyes. "I just don't want us to change, if we haven't already."
Maya holds her hand up that has their friendship ring wrapped around her finger. "Nothing can tear us apart. Thunder!"
Riley smiles as she holds out her finger with her own friendship ring. She presses her finger against Maya's. "Lightning!"
They spend the rest of the night like they used to. They watched romantic comedies, ate cookie dough after dinner, and threw popcorn at each other until practically the whole floor was covered. They laughed and cut up like old times. They may have the complicated world outside, but inside they have each other. They don't mention Lucas at all during the night. They just have their time together. Because nothing can tear them apart. Right?