THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FEEDBACK SO FAR! I ALWAYS LOVE OPINIONS!(: DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GIRL MEETS WORLD OR THEIR CHARACTERS!
Chapter Four *Something To Talk About*
Maya walks into Riley's room a few days later, a bright smile on her face. "Guess what tonight is!"
Riley looks up from her book, and returns her best friend's smile. "Hey Peaches. What is tonight?"
Maya sits on the bay window with Riley. "A bonfire. I convinced Shawn to let us use his old cabin to have it. He said as long as we don't get too wild then it is fine!"
Riley closes her book completely and sets it aside. "That will be fun! What are we going to wear?"
The two friends then end up searching through her closet for something that would work for the fire.
Riley ends up settling on her lavender soft brushed cold shoulder top, light colored skinny jeans, and boots to match. She had bought the boots a few months ago to impress Lucas. She thinks back to the day she wore them to school and how his eyes lit up.
Maya notices her choice and smirks a bit. Little does Riley know that there is a reason she chose to have a bonfire tonight. And the choice of her outfit won't be a coincidence either.
It's later in the night when people start showing up for the fire.
Lucas and the gang had shown up a little before to get it all set up. The fire is roaring now though, and everything seems to be set in place.
Maya changes into her outfit and walks out into the night to the back where everyone is. She wanted awe Lucas with her plaid off shoulder button up and shorts with studded boots. It was perfect.
Lucas looks up from his red cup and feels his mouth drop open at the sight of Maya. She looks amazing, but in the back of his head he keeps getting this gnawing feeling that he shouldn't be staring at her. That he shouldn't even be thinking that way. It wasn't not even minutes ago he was thinking just how beautiful Riley looked. Lucas shakes his head at himself. He can't get his thoughts together.
He walks closer to the fire and places his hands near them to get some heat. He keeps hoping Maya will walk the other way.
Maya instead pokes him on the broad shoulder, to get his attention. She has been waiting all day to see him.
Lucas turns on his heel and his breath hitches in his throat. The fire glows against her pale skin. The flames dance in her eyes and it takes him back to that night.
Texas seems so long ago. It almost seemed simpler, knowing that Riley only felt for him as a brother. It was easier to look at Maya more than a friend. To have his hand on her face and almost kiss her. But right now, knowing what he knows, this seems more pushed.
Maya smiles at him as she steps closer to him, taking in his musky cologne.
Lucas returns the smile, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Why is he having trouble this time? Why does this feel different? Before Lucas can even react, Maya's lips are on his. Her hands are in his hair, her body pressed against his. He lets it last way too long before he backs away. "Why did you do that Maya?"
Maya hears the anger in his voice and is taken back. "What do you mean? I thought you would want to kiss me." As she says this, she realizes some people have stopped partying and are now watching this unfold. She eyes the crowd to see if Riley saw anything. She spots Riley just a little ways ahead of them, staring at them with an unreadable facial expression.
"You thought wrong. Did you even think about Riley? What if she saw that?" Lucas says. The last thing he wants is for Riley to be upset.
Riley walks up to the couple, holding back her sadness and anger. "I saw everything." Her brown eyes go straight to her best friend. She doesn't know how to feel about this. It's not like she hasn't had her private moments with Lucas. So why does this anger her so much? She sees Maya's smudged red lipstick, and the answer is clear. Riley hasn't kissed him. She hasn't let it get that far. Maya did. "Why did you do that?"
Maya rolls her eyes. She ignores the guilty feeling that is bubbling up and instead shows her fierce side. "Because I like him. Because he likes me. Did you forget that Riles? You aren't the only one he likes." Her voice begins to raise. "If you can get all flirty with him, then so can I!"
"What are you talking about Maya?"
Maya feels her eyes roll once again. She is sick of Riley's innocent act. "We came by your room the other day. You know when you were all cuddled up against Lucas. I really wish you would stop pretending that I'm the only one in the wrong here."
Farkle, Zay, and Smackle come up to their friends to try and calm the storm. But it seems they are too late. Zay was right when he said there would be war. So whose side could they possibly take?
"I was hurt okay? I'm sorry. Lucas was there for me. And nothing happened between us." Riley gives a look to Lucas. "You said our friendship could withstand this. Do you really think that now?"
Before Lucas can say anything, a crowd of people begin to chant for Riley and Maya to fight. The chanting is so loud, Lucas can barely think straight to put his words together. They are all laughing and pumping their fists up in the air. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Riley shakes her head. This is the last thing she wanted to happen. She knew the complications that would flare up once her feelings came out. She has lost her best friend, she can see it in Maya's eyes.
Maya, being her usual stand offish self, smirks at the crowd. Deep down she doesn't want to fight Riley, but her stubbornness and the hurt is overcrowding her mind. "Come on Riles! Lets give them something to talk about! I'll even let you throw the first punch!"
Farkle then steps in between the two girls. He can't believe they are going to let all this drama tear them apart. Their friendship used to be so strong. How can it be so fragile all of a sudden? "This has to stop now!"
The girls both look at him shocked. They don't think they have ever heard Farkle angry with them before.
"This isn't like you guys at all!" His eyes go from Maya to Riley. "Your friendship is too amazing to just throw away! Your friendship is something that we all used to believe in..." Farkle trails off as he looks at all his friend group. They nod, agreeing to what he is saying, except for Maya and Riley. "Please don't throw it away."
The girls stay silent, watching as the crowd gets uninterested and begin to party again. What do they do? Every time they think they can be okay, something proves them wrong.
Riley knows Maya kissed Lucas to take a jab at her. She also knows that isn't like her at all. What made them get to this point to wanting to punch each other?
"Maybe we should stay away from each other for awhile." Maya suggests, the words stinging her own tongue. Her eyes fill up, but fights them back with a determined look on her pretty face.
Her words stab Riley's heart. Riley looks to Farkle as she cries. "This is why I wanted to keep this hidden." She turns on the heel of her boot and begins to walk away from her friends.
Lucas takes a step towards where Riley is going, but Zay places a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should just leave her alone for a little bit." He suggests.
Lucas stares after her until she disappears around the cabin. This is his fault. She is heartbroken because of him. He throws his empty cup down and stomps towards some trees in the distance. He clenches his fist and punches the bark on the tree as hard as he can. He does it a couple of times before Zay is back by his side.
"Lucas stop!"
Lucas freezes from punching the trunk again and gives his friend a look. "Why? It's my fault everything is the way it is." He looks down at his fist and winces at the pain that is taking over. "I better go clean this up." He tells Zay.
Zay nods at his friend and notices some blood seeping out. "I'll help you." Zay takes his friend to the cabin to wash his fist up. This is all a mess. He doesn't know what to say to make any of this better. But the thing nothing is going to get better, not until Lucas chooses. As he helps Lucas clean up his wound, he thinks about everything that has happened. He knows who Lucas really wants to be with, but I think he just scared to hurt the other. But the thing is they are already hurt. At least their friendship is hurting.
Maya knocks on the door before walking in. She eyes his fist and gasps. "What happened?"
Lucas nods at Zay to leave and he obliges. "I punched a tree." He laughs at himself after he says it.
Maya slightly grins before taking over Zay's job. "I'm guessing the tree won."
He laughs some more. "Maybe a little bit." He winces a bit as Maya finishes up cleaning the wound.
She grabs some bandage from the cabinet above their heads and wraps it around his hand. "Good as new. How about next time you try not to entice the tree okay?"
He nods his head. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you."
She whispers a your welcome and then falls silent. Her once joking façade has turned automatically. "It's not your fault that Riley and I can't get along. I mean you may not have helped the situation, but it isn't your fault. We just can't seem to handle this. Maybe our friendship isn't as strong as we thought." She hangs her head down as she says this.
"I wasn't trying to get between you two. I hate this." He starts to walk out of the bathroom, but Maya's hand stops him from completely getting out of the doorway.
She gets him to look at her, and he can see just how much all of this has hurt her. "Do you know who you want and you just don't want to hurt the other?"
Her question hangs in the air between them.
He has been pondering that since the whole thing started. Has he known all along who he wanted? His mind goes to that certain person. But instead he says, "I don't know Maya. But right now I think we all need to get some rest. I'll talk to you and Riley tomorrow." He takes Maya's hand off of him and walks out into the hallway.
He knows what he has to do, even if it means someone won't be happy in the end. It's the only way to keep everyone's friendships in tact. He sighs deeply as he climbs into his truck. He hates how this all went down. He hates himself most of all.