acts like summer and walks like rain.

summary: Lucas Friar always knew that Riley Matthews was bound for great things, so he let himself get left behind while she goes and saves the world. / Ten Year High School Reunion Story.

a/n: I loooooove this song. Sort-of inspired by the idea that Riley Matthews changes the world while everyone sits and watches. Anyways, enjoy this cute little two-shot.

Oops, it's a three parter!

AND TEXAS. YAS WRITERS YAS. THEY SLAYED IT. I LOVED IT. THE CONFUSION AND FRIENDSHIPS. IT WAS PERF.

rated T for love/sex.

disclaimer: i do not own girl meets world or train's 'drop of jupiter'.


Now that she's back in the atmosphere
I'm afraid that she might think of me as plain ol' Jane
Told a story about a man who was too afraid to fly so he never did land


He's going to be late to his lunch with Maya, but it's okay because he's lying in bed with a naked girl of his dreams. Riley's still asleep, but he kisses her forehead while reaching his hand for his phone. He finds Maya's number and calls it.

"Hello?" a breathy Maya says on the line.

"Hey Maya, look something came up and I don't think I'm going to make it," he says. It's not really a lie, but looking down at Riley sleeping on his chest, there's no way he could leave her.

"I figured as much when I saw you and Riley leave together last night," Maya laughs.

"It's not what you think," he quickly defends.

"Oh save it. We'll find time to see each other. Tell honey I say hello and dinner's cancelled," she says sweetly.

"Love you Peaches," Riley says affectionately with her eyes still closed. There's a smile on her face that Lucas can't help but find adorable.

"Goodbye Ranger Rick. Don't be a stranger," Maya chuckles on the other end.

"I'll talk to you later," Lucas says as he hangs up the phone. Riley props herself up on her elbows.

"Morning," she greets him with lazy eyes.

"Morning," he smiles back at her. He leans forwards and lightly kisses her on the lips. "How'd you sleep?"

"Mmm, good." she hums smiling up at him. She runs her fingers through her hair.

"Same here," he cups her cheek. "What are you thinking?" he says huskily. She smiles seductively at him before answering him with another kiss.


But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back to the Milky Way?
And tell me, did Venus blow your mind?
Was it everything you wanted to find?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?


He calls Farkle and cancels dinner with him as well. Instead, he and Riley order room service. She's sitting on the bed wearing nothing but his dress shirt from the reunion eating a sandwich. She's talking about some adventure she had in Paris during her year abroad and Lucas can't help but to be a little in love with her.

"I really missed you," he says. Riley looks up with her sandwich still in her mouth. She bit into it quickly and swallowed it hastily.

"I missed you too," she whispers back.

"So Ms. Riley, tell me something," he says as he puts his food aside.

"What do you want to know?" she curious looks up at him.

"Your life," he mentions.

"What about it?"

"Is it everything that you wanted it to be?" he asks. Riley scrunched up her face in thought.


Can you imagine no love, pride, deep-fried chicken?
Your best friend always sticking up for you even when I know you're wrong,
Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance, five-hour phone conversation?
The best soy latte that you ever had and me.


"The Peace Corps?" twenty-three year old Lucas questions as he leans back against his desk chair. He stares at his laptop screen with Riley's face gleaming up at him. It's the first time they have skyped in years, but Riley had insisted saying she had news. He knew that she had always wanted to be in the Peace Corps since she had family friends who were in it. He never had any doubt that they wouldn't pick her. Really though, Riley Matthews was a perfect candidate for this kind of thing.

"Yep! I got in!" She said eagerly. "I'll be leaving for Costa Rica right after graduation." He frowned thinking how he wasn't going to return to New York until midsummer. It had already been so long since he's seen her. Riley was one of his best friends, but they hadn't seen each other in person since the summer before college.

"Wow Riles," he said impressed. "That's great. I'm so happy for you," he said with a hint of disappointment.

"You don't so happy," she raised an eyebrow. "Look Lucas. I know that it's crazy for me to leave the only kind of life I know to teach English in a foreign country when I don't even know how to speak spanish, but this has always been my dream. To enrich the lives of young children all over the world."

"No, I'm sorry. I don't think you're crazy or anything. I was just thinking if you're leaving right after your graduation, I won't be able to see you before you leave and you'll be gone for so long. It's already been four years," he said sadly.

"Oh," was all she said. She looked speechless from his screen.

"It's selfish of me, I know, but it's been a long time since I've seen you. I am really proud of you. You're the best person I know, Riles. You do so much for other people, you deserve the chance to do want you want to be. You deserve everything you want."

"Thanks Luke," she smiles softly.

"So Costa Rica huh?" He asked. She nodded eagerly.

"Yes! I'll be teaching English." She went on telling him the logistics and details of her new conquest. He smiled at her.

"I'm going miss you so much," he blurts out. She pauses. Her eyes widen a bit, and he finds himself lost in her eyes.

"I'm going to miss you too."


But tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet?
Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day
And head back toward the Milky Way?
And tell me, did you sail across the sun?
Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated?


It's his last night in New York and Lucas and Riley spend it by walking around the city. They're standing by the Brooklyn Bridge in silence staring at the city lights.

"Hey," he breaks the quiet between them.

"Hmm?" she hums. He pulls out his wallet.

"There's something I want to show you," he files though the contents of his wallet. He pulls out a old photo and handled it to her.

"You kept this?" Her eyes widen when she realized what it was. It was a picture of her in Costa Rica with her first class. She had sent a copy to everyone she loved during her first year in Costa Rica. She turned it over remembering she had written something different for everyone.

'Hey Lucas,
How have you been? I've been doing well. I admit the first few months were really difficult for me, but now I've found my way. I'm loving everything. I hope you're doing well.
Miss you, Riley'

"Yeah, it keeps me grounded," Lucas' voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"What do you mean?" Riley asks confused.

"You are the only person who kept me grounded. When I was stressed out by grad school or when I was going through my divorce, I kept wishing you were still around. You always kept me in check. While we were in college, I could always count on you to be there when I needed you. Even when you were in Costa Rica, you always seemed to know when I needed you most. You sent this letter when I was stressing out about my board exam and getting married."

"Lucas..."

"Riley, I have always needed you. You have this calming effect on me on me. You're really important to me."

"You're important to me too."

"I really missed you."

"I did too."

"I love you Riley. I always have." She opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out. Before she could find the words, he leans down and kisses him.


And tell me, did you fall for a shooting star,
One without a permanent scar?
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself?


They're sitting together in the balcony of his hotel room. He's on the lounge chair while she's sitting on his lap.

"Can I say something crazy?" Lucas whispers. Riley chuckles.

"You're not going to ask me to marry you are you?" She jokes. He shakes his head.

"Oh god no. I'm not ready for that... again." He adds.

"Good. I was getting a Frozen flashback. You remember when we entered that karaoke contest in high school?" He laughed gripping her waist tightly. The two of them sang 'Love is an Open Door'.

"How can I forget? We lost to your parents." Cory and Topanga had a weird but hilarious rendition of 'War' by Edwin Starr.

"They still sing that song every time we go karaoking." They both laugh.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you to come with me to Texas," he says seriously. She pulls her head away from his chest.

"What?" She asks shocked.

"Why not? It's summer and you're not working. Come with me. We'll have a good time."

"I don't know Lucas," she says unsure.

"It'll be for the summer. We can catch up with each other—"

"That's what we've been doing for the last two nights," she interrupts.

"I know. I just don't want this to end," he confesses. Riley presses her lips together in thought.

"I'll... I'll think about it," she finally says. She lays back down on his chest.

He smiles. She doesn't.


Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na


Lucas wakes up to an empty bed. His phone alarm is going off, so he forces himself to get up. He looks around for Riley, but he doesn't see her. He gets up and puts on his boxers. He searches the balcony and the bathroom for her.

All her things are gone. He runs his fingers through his hair and picks up his phone. He goes to call her, but realizes that never in the last two nights did he manage to get her new phone number. he puts the phone down and sees something on his nightstand.

It's a wad of cash.

Riley's gone, and the only thing is left was cash.

(Lucas the hooker. Maya would have a field day with this.)

END PART TWO