Alright, here's chapter 2! The story's starting to get into it…

The next day after school, Maya and I were sitting in my room waiting for Lucas.

I was nervous. Whatever happened, I didn't want this to end with someone not being friends with the other two. I took a deep breath.

Maya turned to look at me. "It's okay, Riles. We'll stay best friends. No matter what."

"I know," I said, slightly smiling. "I'm just anxious for this to be done. I don't like just waiting."

"Ugh!" Maya complained. "He's taking forever!"

Finally we heard the doorbell ring.

We both looked at each other.

"This is it," she said.

"Yeah."

"Should we go down there?" she asked me.

"No, my mom said she'd bring him up."

She nodded.

We waited for a few seconds and then there was a knock at my bedroom door.

"Come in," I said.

I saw my mom first.

"Hey, girls. Lucas is here," Mom said.

"Thanks, Mom."

She nodded and left. Then Lucas walked in.

"Hey, Lucas," I said.

"Hi, Riley," he answered.

"Hey, Lucas," Maya echoed.

"Hi," he said. He looked awkwardly between us.

"Oh, you can sit," I said, noticing the awkwardness.

I scooted over toward Maya and made room for Lucas on the other side of the bay window. He sat down.

"So," Maya said, still a sense of awkwardness in the air.

"Lucas, I think you know why we brought you here," I said.

He nodded slowly.

"We need your opinion in all of this. What do you feel?" I asked him.

He just looked between us for a few seconds.

"I…I like you, Riley. I like that you're kind. I like that you're not afraid to be yourself. I like that you're so goofy, but it fits so perfectly with your personality."

I smiled and he smiled back at me. I looked over at Maya. She was looking down at her hands in her lap.

"But I also like you, Maya," he began.

She looked up, a hopeful smile on her face.

"I like that you're strong and down-to-earth and real. You've always been real. You never take things for anything less than they're worth."

She had a look on her face that I'd never seen before. Her eyes were lit up and she had the most genuine, hopeful smile on her face. She looked like she was stuck in that moment, wishing it would go on forever.

My eyes crinkled as I watched the scene. I looked back at Lucas and he was looking at her with that same look. When he saw me looking, he turned back to me. The look was gone.

We were all silent. I couldn't speak. I tried, but nothing came out. I felt tears at the brim of my eyes, so I jumped up and ran out of the room before they could come.

I bolted into the hallway, unsure of where I'd go.

"Riley!" I heard Maya calling. I couldn't answer.

I shut my bedroom door and looked around. Auggie was in his room. I couldn't go in there.

I ran down the hallway just as I heard my door open. I was in the kitchen. My parents were looking up at me.

"Riley, what's wrong?" my mom asked, concern on her face. She stood up.

I shook my head. My breathing intensified as I tried to stop myself from crying.

"Riley, what's going on?" my dad asked.

"I can't…please make them leave," I said, tears beginning to fall down my face. I ran to my mom and wrapped my arms around her.

I felt her wrap her arms around me in response.

"Honey, are you okay?" she asked.

"Please make them leave," I said again, now sobbing.

"Okay," she said softly. I heard my dad walk into the hallway.

"I'm sorry, guys. I think Riley just needs to be alone right now. I'll have her call you later, okay?" I heard him say.

"Mr. Matthews, I don't understand," Maya said.

"Maya, please. Just go."

I heard footsteps. They must have went back to my bedroom to exit out the window. I heard more footsteps headed toward me.

I felt a hand on my head.

"They're gone, sweetie," I heard my dad say.

I looked up at him, my crying beginning to subside.

"Riley, what is going on?" Mom asked.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I…Lucas…he chose Maya," I said, tears beginning to fall again.

"Oh, honey," Mom said, pulling our hug tighter. "I'm so sorry, sweetie." I buried my face on her shoulder.

"It's not fair," I said through the tears.

"I know," Mom said, trying to comfort me.

"How could he choose her? She was so mean to him. And we went on our first date. And he was my first kiss. And now he likes my best friend? And now my best friend likes him? That's not fair."

I heard my mom sigh. She took her arms back and grabbed my face. She wiped the tears away and then kissed my cheek.

"It's not fair," she said to me. "I know. But you're going to be okay."

I closed my eyes and tears fell again.

"Come here, honey," she said, taking my hand. She led me to the couch. My dad followed. He sat next to her.

"Listen to me," she began. "I know this hurts. And I cannot imagine how hard this is for you. But you can't push them away, Riley. You can't. Maya is your best friend."

I shook my head. "This isn't fair. You didn't ever have to go through this. You guys were always just together. Why can't I have that? Why can't it be that easy for me?"

My parents looked at each other.

"Riley, I know you think we had it easy, but we did go through a lot of stuff. I know we've never had to go through this, but we didn't have it easy," Dad told me.

"Everybody has their own story, Riley. That was our story. You have a story that's all your own, and it's different from everybody else. Don't worry. This is hardly the last chance you'll have at love," Mom said.

"But why would I have to go through that?" I asked.

"Everything happens for a reason," Dad said. "Because you have to learn from this."

"I just wish I could've had a relationship like you guys," I said, feeling defeated.

"Honey, no you don't!" Mom said. "If everyone had the same life, it would be so boring!"

"Maybe that's what you're supposed to learn," Dad said. "You can't look at someone else and try to have exactly what they have. It won't work. No matter what it is. Please don't try to look for a copy of us. You deserve to have your own, special story."

"And we didn't go looking for anything," Mom added. "It just…happened. That's how love works, sweetie. Don't go looking for anything. And when you least expect it, you'll find it."

I nodded. "How do I face them again?"

Mom sighed. "With courage."

Dad nodded.

"That's what your name means, you know," Mom said.

"Really?" I asked. "It means courage?"

"Yeah," Dad said. "That's why we chose your name."

Wow, I thought. My name means something. Courage.

"Thank you," I said, in awe about my name.

They both smiled at me.

"Everything will work out. It'll be okay," Mom said, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear.

I smiled at her. Then I leaned forward to hug them both.

"Can I just stay here with you guys for a little bit?" I asked.

"Of course," Mom said. She motioned for me to come closer to her.

I scooted closer and leaned on my mom's shoulder. She leaned on my dad's shoulder and he wrapped his arms around us both.

Thank you for checking out this chapter! I really hope you liked it. PLEASE leave a review! I want to know what you think!

Is there anything you want to see coming up? What do you think is going to happen?

Stay awesome!