AUTHORS NOTE: Hi guys! Just a heads up there will be a little bit of time jump. We jump forward about two months after Riley tells Maya she no longer likes Lucas. I included a quote from one of my all time favorite movies! Lets see if you can figure out which one!

Enjoy :)

Nothing happened for a while. Then everything happened all at once.

It was early November. Since my conversation with Maya on the first day of school, I had done my best to keep to myself. I wasn't intentionally trying to shut everyone out. It was just easier this way.

Immediately after our conversation, the rumor mill at Adams High went into overdrive. Maya and Lucas: the hot new couple, or at least that's what everyone speculated. However, at school, I witnessed no signs that they were a couple. But then again, I wasn't around much.

After the conversation, I finally did everything I said I would. I joined the cheerleading team. I joined debate. I checked every extra-curricular box. It was finally beginning to feel like I could find life outside of the triangle.

But of course, I couldn't avoid everyone forever.

I was in school late one afternoon, prepping for homecoming. I was sent out to look for Samantha, a girl on our squad who had probably wandered off to flirt with one of the guys on the football team.

I looked into one of the classrooms, and accidently interrupted the science club, locking eyes with Farkle. I quickly apologized and hurried to close the door, just barely hearing Farkle say, "I'll be right back."

Hoping he was just going to the bathroom, I quickened my pace.

"Hey, Riles! Wait up! Farkle, yelled. I was caught.

I turned around and responded cheerfully, "Hey what's up!"

"What's up? Are you being serious right now Riley? What's up with you? Farkle demanded

I knew things weren't perfect, but I didn't expect our conversation to turn so quickly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, defensively.

"Don't play dumb Riley. You told Maya, your feelings for Lucas were gone. That sounds like the end of the tringle to me. But yet, the day after you tell her that, you disappear. You stop hanging out with us. You stop answering texts. What did we do?"

I knew that I should apologize. Farkle was only angry because he was hurt. Whatever was happening between Maya, Lucas, and I didn't have to affect my other friendships. But the triangle was all-consuming, spilling into every aspect of my life. If I was breaking ties with the triangle, I was also breaking ties with everything it touched and ruined.

"Farkle, I didn't exactly see you running to check if I was okay. Everyone was happy that the triangle was over. Everyone was happy that Maya & Lucas finally got together, and I get it, okay? It was an occasion to for everyone to celebrate, but it wasn't exactly a walk in the park for me." I replied, slightly raising my voice.

"You didn't give anyone the chance to check! What's that line from your favorite movie? "You took away your friendship without even discussing it with us…with me! Farkle yelled.

He was right, and it stung. But I was in too deep to backtrack now.

"I'm sorry Farkle. I really am. I'm sorry if I hurt you. But I needed to put myself first for once. I hope you can understand."

"I'm sorry too Riley. I'm sorry we were such awful friends, that you couldn't do that with us around."

"Farkle that's not what I meant…" I pleaded

"Just forget it Riley. Bye." And he walked away.

It would have been great if that were the only encounter I had that day, but unfortunately when it rains, it pours.

The game happened, we cheered, the team lost but that didn't stop everyone from being excited about the after party. If anything, it meant that everyone, especially the football players wanted to drink and forget the defeat.

After my earlier confrontation with Farkle, the last place I wanted to be was at a party. Especially if it meant risking another confrontation. But I promised the squad I would go, so that's how I found myself in the library of the quarterback's house.

The library was empty, and a nice break from the blaring music of the lively party. I could sip my beer in peace and slowly without the rest of the squad yelling at me to chug it. My sanctuary was interrupted when the door of the library swung open.

My head snapped up from the book I was scanning. This honestly couldn't be happening.

"Riley. Riley Riley." Lucas said as he sauntered over.

Great. The only thing worse than a sober confrontation, is a drunk one and Lucas looked absolutely smashed.

"Lucas. Hi. Are you okay?" I asked, concerned as he stumbled over his own two feet.

"Am I okay? HA. That's a good one." Lucas laughed, humorlessly. This was already off to a rocky start.

"We lost the game. I lost my grandpa. I lost you." Lucas continued, "I'm great at losing obviously."

"Lucas, I'm sorry about the game and your grandpa. But you haven't lost me. I'm still your friend. Riley insisted.

"FRIEND? This is what friendship looks like to you? That's funny. I think this is the first conversation we've had in months and I don't even know why. Why did you stop talking to the group? To me? Why didn't you come when I lost my grandpa? Lucas demanded, raising his voice.

"Lucas..."

"Maya was there for me, when you weren't. She was there at such a critical time, when you couldn't even be bothered. I was there for her when her mother screwed up her relationship with Shawn and Maya's shot at having a father. But it was nothing that couldn't be evened up if you had come back to city" Lucas slurred.

There it was again. We somehow always ended up here. The triangle. The constant need to even up.

"You knew how much I missed you. You knew how much I needed you, especially after I lost Pappy Joe, but you didn't care. You made your mind up about me way before you had that conversation with Maya." Lucas said accusingly.

I honestly didn't think I had. I was tired of the triangle sure, but I woke up that morning with the same feeling I had every other day. That nothing was changing, and the triangle was never going to end. I told Maya I was over Lucas without checking with my brain or my heart. It was out my mouth before I could stop it.

"Don't deny it Riley. The letters. I know you received them, and you didn't respond to any one of them." Lucas pressed.

Those fucking letters. I knew exactly what letters he was referring to but I sure as hell wasn't going to give him the satisfaction, so I just looked down at my feet.

"Damnit Riley, talk to me" Lucas whispered grabbing my face and forcing me to look at him.

"I don't know what letters you're talking about." I responded harshly.

"Fine Riley. If that's how you want to play it. Fine." Lucas responded, releasing my face. "But it's time you start dealing with the consequences of your choices. Me and Maya have been dating but we didn't tell you because we didn't want to hurt you. But you're this new and improved Riley who obviously doesn't care so screw it: Maya and I are dating. So, make your peace with it."

Lucas stepped away and walked out of the library leaving me to my thoughts. The Adams High rumor mill was actually correct. I wiped the tears starting to form. No way was I going to stay here and risk YET ANOTHER friendly reunion.

I walked out of the library and down the stairs, ready to get out of this hell hole. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, my eyes caught Lucas & Maya dancing and kissing in the middle of the dance floor. Maya & Lucas, the happy couple. The couple that should have always been.

Even though I had bowed out months earlier, the picture in front of me made me realize the triangle was really finally over. And that's what I wanted, right? No more limbo. No more evening up. No more, I like Lucas. Maya likes Lucas. Lucas likes us both.

It was all different now. Maya liked Lucas. Lucas liked Maya. Lucas picked Maya. It was that simple. It was that easy.