Author's Note: You guys have no idea how much it makes me smile when I see someone reviewed, favorited and/or followed my story! Please continue to do so! I'm sorry if the formatting is weird. I am trying to figure things out still. I do not own Girl Meets World nor did I write 'That Don't Sound Like You.'
Truck tires on a gravel road
Laughing at the world, blasting my radio
Cannon ball splashing in the water
Doing whatever whenever you wanted
What did he do?
'Cause baby you don't sound like you anymore.
Lucas woke up when he heard someone slamming a door. He saw Riley open the guest bedroom door. Josh came out of his bedroom and goes, "Guys, Maya isn't feeling well. I don't think we are going to get to come with you today."
"What's wrong with her?" Riley asked. Lucas could hear the concern for the blonde in her voice.
"I'm not sure Riley. She woke up and just ran to the bathroom. All I heard was 'going to be sick.'" Josh said.
"Oh no! I hope it's not food poisoning!" Riley exclaimed. "I don't want Lucas getting sick on his first trip to New York!"
"It's probably just a stomach bug Riley. If it was food poisoning, we would all be fighting over the bathroom." Josh countered.
Riley started to say something, but her phone started ringing. She goes to get it off the bedside table and answers it. The group could hear Charlie yelling at through the speaker from across the room. She walked back over and shut the door for some privacy, but Josh and Lucas stood right outside the door listening to her side of the conversation and neither of them liked hearing her beg him to forgive her for acting the way she acted the previous day. It made Lucas clench his fists when he heard her apologizing to him for causing him to lash out at her. He looked at Josh, who had an expressionless look on his face.
"Is it always like this Josh?" Lucas asked.
Josh nodded. "I have tried my hardest to get her away from him, but he's so manipulating. He has Cory and Topanga fooled. This is the first time Maya and I have seen her in about a month. We encouraged her to leave NYC and go to one of the nursing schools she has been accepted to, but Charlie didn't like that so he wouldn't let her come spend time with us."
Hearing that made it feel like someone was squeezing his heart. The Riley Lucas knew would never be manipulated by someone, especially when it came to her friends or when it came to following her dreams. She has always wanted to be a nurse so he didn't understand why she would even consider listening to the creep. Lucas was lost in thought when Riley opened the guest room door.
"I have to get home. Charlie is going to pick me up there and we will meet you guys at the ferry in an hour."
"Riley, Maya can't go, and I don't feel comfortable with leaving her here alone while she's sick and this is Lucas's first time in New York. Are you really going to let him wonder the streets alone?" Josh asked his niece.
"Don't worry about me Riley. I will just walk around NYC by myself and explore. I don't want to cause any problems between you and Charlie."
"NO!" The group heard Maya yell from the bathroom.
Riley walked up to the bathroom door and said, "Peaches, are you okay in there? Do you need anything?"
"Honey, don't make Lucas explore alone. He came all this way to spend two days with you. You haven't seen in him almost 2 years. What if something happens to the innocent huckleberry while he is exploring. How would that make you feel?" she said through the door.
"Maya, I'll be fine. I will probably just go back to Topanga's. I would love to see Riley's mom, dad and Auggie." Lucas said.
"Well how about you just come home with me and you can ride with Charlie and I. The three of us can still go out and have a good time." Riley said.
Lucas looked at Josh and thought he saw a smile on his face, but it disappeared as soon as Lucas thought he saw it.
"I don't want to make things worse for you and Charlie, Riles. I don't mind just going to the bakery again."
Riley grabbed his hand and said, "Let's go see my family. See you guys later Josh. Peaches, feel better. I will come check on you later." The ex-couple walked out of the apartment and when she heard the front door shut Maya came out of the bathroom.
"Do you think our plan will work?" Maya asked. "I mean stupid Charlie kind of puts a kink in it, but do you think it will work.
Josh shrugged. "I don't know sweetheart. But I hope Lucas doesn't kill Charlie. He's still in love with her and I don't think he will be able to keep his cool if Charlie talks to Riley like he normally does."
"What do you mean?" Maya asked her boyfriend.
"Let me tell you a story about 'Texas Lucas' while I make you some breakfast."
"Good. I'm starving." The blonde put her arm around her boyfriend and they walked into the kitchen.
For the first time since they had known each other, there was an awkward silence between Riley and Lucas as they walked to Riley's parent's apartment. Lucas knew he would have to keep his anger in check, especially since he knew that Josh wouldn't be there as a buffer between him and Charlie. He couldn't stand the awkward silence between the two so he decided to ask her about nursing school.
"So you never told me what nursing schools you were accepted to." Lucas said, hoping to end the awkwardness between the two.
"Oh, I got into the University of Pennsylvania, University of Maryland and Northeastern."
"Oh my gosh Riley! Those are all really good schools! That is awesome! I am so proud of you!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug. It felt so good to be holding her again. He felt her embrace him back. They stood like that for a few moments and then he reluctantly let her go and continued walking. "I thought you said you were accepted to 4 schools though?"
"Oh, well, the other one is completely off the table so it doesn't matter."
"Why is it completely off the table? If you were accepted to it, why wouldn't you consider it?"
She looked at him and he could tell she wanted to talk with him about it, but was afraid to. So she changed the conversation.
"How's your family Lucas? How are Pappy Joe and the ranch? How are Zay and Vanessa?"
Lucas started to change the subject back to nursing school, but thought better of it so started telling Riley about Texas as they walked back to her parent's.
Riley looked up and down the street like she was looking for something and let out a little sigh of relief before they went into the building. They walked upstairs and Riley dug out her keys and walked inside.
"Well there is our little rebellious daughter who stays out all night and doesn't let her parents know where she is." They heard her dad say as the door opened. Riley and Lucas walked inside and he smiled at the three Matthews who were sitting at the breakfast table.
"LUCAS!" Auggie yelled as he jumped up from the table and jumped into the green-eyed boy's arms, but accidently knocking him to the ground.
"It's good to see you too Auggie."
"You were out all night with a boy?" Cory asked. Riley saw him start to grab his chest.
"I was at Uncle Josh's dad. I slept in the guest room and Lucas slept on the couch. I was not out all night with him. I have a boyfriend, remember?" Riley told her dad.
"Yuck. Boyfriend." Cory said.
"Yuck. Charlie." Auggie said.
Topanga walked over to Lucas and gave him a big hug. "It is so good to see you. How are your parents?"
"They are doing well." Lucas replied. "They are about to take over Pappy Joe's ranch completely so Pappy can retire and rest."
"I'm going to go change before Charlie gets here. I'll be right back." Riley told her family and Lucas before she walked out of the living area.
"Are you hungry Lucas? Can I get you anything?" Topanga asked him.
"I actually wanted to ask you both something. Auggie, can I talk to your parents for a minute?"
"Uh fine. But you have to promise to spend a little bit of time with me before you head back to Texas. Riley isn't the only one who missed you." Auggie said as he stomped out of the room.
"What did you want to ask us Lucas?" Cory asked.
"I may be over-stepping and I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but I heard that you guys are discouraging Riley from going to nursing school. Is that true?"
"Lucas, we would never discourage her from following her dream. We just think she needs to wait one more year until she can apply to NYU's program." Topanga said.
"Can I ask why?" Lucas questioned her. "Again, I don't mean to be disrespectful, I just am trying to understand why you don't want her to follow her dream now when she has the chance to right now."
"We just believe this is what's best for her Lucas. She still has so much growing up to do so we think it's best to stay here." Topanga reasoned.
"Why though? I just don't understand why you don't think she is ready to go face the world?" Lucas looked at Cory, his favorite teacher and a man he looked to as another father while he was growing up. "Sir, you always taught us that we had to make this world ours one day. Why do you guys not think Riley is ready to take on the world?"
"Why are you questioning our parenting Lucas? Is this because you think she should accept UT and go back to Austin?" Cory asked.
"What? No! Not at all. I just know she has been talking about being a nurse since 7th grade when she was in the hospital because of her ruptured appendix. Wait, she got into Texas? I didn't even know she applied. She only told me about Penn, Maryland and Northeastern. She didn't tell me she got into Texas."
"Oh boy." Lucas heard Riley say. Topanga, Cory and Lucas looked at the entryway that Riley had just disappeared through a few minutes prior. She was standing there looking at her parents.
The buzzer came on and they heard Charlie asking to be let into the building, but nobody moved. Lucas was still looking at Riley, but she refused to look at him.
"Riley, go to your room. We are not done with our conversation with Mr. Friar." Her dad told her. She didn't move at first, but her dad said her name more firmly and Lucas saw her disappear.
"Are you telling me that she didn't tell you about getting into Texas?" Topanga asked him.
"I promise I had no idea she applied. She never once mentioned it to me. When did she apply?"
There was a knock at the door, but the three of them tried to ignore it. It became more persistent so Cory went to answer it. "Hello Mr. Gardner. How did you get into the building?"
"Good morning Mr. Matthews. I buzzed, but nobody answered. Somebody let me in as they were leaving. I'm here to pick up Riley. We are going to Central Park today." Cory moved to let him into the apartment, and when he walked in he glared at the green-eyed Texan sitting on the Matthew's couch.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were at Josh's?" Charlie asked Lucas with venom in his voice.
"Maya got sick so Josh stayed home with her and Riley brought me with her so I wouldn't get lost in the city trying to get to the Statue of Liberty so you guys wouldn't be waiting on me all day to find it."
"It's not that hard to find. It's a tall green statue in the middle of a bay. I'm sure you could have found it." Charlie countered.
Riley came into the living room. Charlie walked over to her and leaned in for a kiss. Riley turned her head at the last second and he kissed her cheek. He frowned when she did that, but put his arm around her.
"Riley, are we going to Central Park today? I thought we were going to the Statue of Liberty?" Lucas questioned his best friend.
"No, we are going to the Statue. Why?" she asked.
"Charlie told us that you were going to Central Park today." Topanga said.
Riley looked at her boyfriend and Lucas realized what Charlie had planned. He had never planned on meeting Lucas, Maya and Josh at the Statue of Liberty. That's why he wanted to pick her up from her house. He let out a frustrated sigh that Cory and Topanga both noticed.
"No, I didn't say that. I said the Statue of Liberty. You guys must have not heard me correctly." Lied Charlie.
Lucas rolled his eyes, but kept his mouth shut. Topanga was going to point out Charlie's lie, but when she looked at Lucas, she figured if he wasn't going to say anything, she shouldn't either.
"You guys should probably get going so you don't get into a long ferry line. Lucas, please stay with us tonight, especially if Maya is sick. We don't need to send you back to Texas sick."
"I appreciate the offer Mrs. Matthews. I don't want to put you guys out though."
Auggie came running into the living room. "Lucas! You can sleep in my room! We can have a sleepover like we used to do in the tree house! You have to stay! Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!"
Everyone, except Charlie, started laughing at the enthusiasm of the 12 year old boy.
"I don't think you can say no to that Mr. Friar," Cory said.
"When have I ever been able to say no to any of you?" Lucas asked while chuckling still.
"I can think of one time." Cory smirked. Lucas glanced at Riley and they shared a small smile. Charlie noticed and Lucas noticed his grip on Riley tighten.
"Alright, get out of here you kids. Lucas, enjoy New York." Topanga said before the three of them walked out the door. When the door closed, Topanga looked at her husband. "He's still in love with our little girl."
Cory put his arm around his wife and nods his head. "I think you're right wife."
"How do you feel about that?" she looked up at her husband.
"I don't want to lose our little girl. I'm not ready for her to grow up yet. I want her to stay our little girl forever. I'm not ready for her to meet the world yet."
Auggie walked over to his parents and goes, "Mom, dad, let's talk about this." And the three of them talked about Riley and her time to meet the world. They never realized how much Auggie observed and were so thankful for him to open their eyes to things they didn't ever see.
Lucas knew he had a bed feeling about Charlie, but watching the way Riley acted around him made him dislike him even more. Anytime Lucas and her brought up a story from Texas, he immediately changed the subject and told her that they shouldn't talk about things he wasn't apart of, which eventually made them stop talking completely. While in the car, she heard a song on the radio she liked and went to turn it up, but he immediately turned it down, scolded her for touching his radio and complained about her busting a speaker. She didn't once actually smile. He saw her fake smile all day long. She didn't laugh either. The Riley he knew laughed at even some of the stupidest things. He thought it was adorable. Granted, he didn't do much smiling or laughing either, but he felt he had a legitimate reason. He couldn't laugh or smile knowing that Riley wasn't laughing or smiling. He wanted to talk to Riley about why she didn't tell him about Texas.
When Charlie pulled back up to the Matthew's apartment building, Charlie couldn't kick him out of the car fast enough. "Well, Riley and I are going to dinner tonight Lucas. See you later."
"That wasn't the plan Charlie. We are going to Times Square tonight." Riley said.
"I thought that was when Josh and Maya were going? I figured since they can't go, you would want to go out to dinner with me to make up for forgetting about our date last night." Charlie pouted to Riley.
"I am making it up to you Monday after Lucas leaves. We discussed this."
"But after our discussion this morning on the phone, I thought you had changed your mind and wanted to make it up to me as soon as possible."
"And Monday is as soon as possible Charlie. Lucas is only here for two nights. I am not going to make him sit at home with my family while I go out with you. That's so rude and cannot believe you would even suggest that Charlie."
"He would love to hang out with your family. Isn't that right, Lucas?" Charlie looked at him in the rearview mirror. Lucas wanted to punch Charlie in the nose he couldn't stand looking at him, but knew that if he did that, it would hurt Riley.
"Riley, what do you want to do?" Lucas asked her."
"She wants to go out with me, don't you baby?" Charlie answered for her. Lucas ignored him and asked again.
"What do you want to do Riles?" Lucas touched her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him, but she refused. "Riley." He whispered.
"I'll see you when I get home Lucas. I'm sorry about this."
"Riley, you have nothing to be sorry about." Charlie said. "He's the one who ruined your weekend by just showing up here."
"No he didn't Charlie! How dare you say that?" Riley said to him. Lucas smiled for the first time today because she was sticking up for him.
"It's just pretty inconvenient for him to be here. That's all I meant by that."
"You should probably stop talking now Charlie before I change my mind about going out with you tonight. I am glad Lucas is here. Him being in New York will never be an inconvenience to me. I am going to walk him upstairs and change Charlie. Wait here. I'll be back in a few minutes."
He starts to turn off the car, but Riley stops him. "I said wait here. I will be right back. Come on Lucas."
"Goodbye Charlie." Lucas said as he got out of the car and slammed the door a little harder than necessary.
Riley and Lucas walked into the building and headed up to the Matthews' apartment.
"Why didn't you tell me about Texas, Riley? Why did you say it was off the table?" Lucas asked the question that had been rolling through his mind all day.
"My parents wouldn't let me stay in Texas two years ago and when they saw it in the mail box, I got a lecture about even applying. There is no way they will let me go."
"Why did you apply if you knew they wouldn't let you go?"
"Honestly?" She looked up at him. He nodded. "I applied during the dark days."
"The dark days?" Lucas asked.
"During the 4 months we didn't talk." She said, looking down at her feet.
Lucas raised her chin and made her look at him. "Riley, I have a very serious question for you. And I need you to be very honest with me. When was the last time you did something that you wanted to do?"
"What do you mean Lucas?"
"When was the last time you did something that you actually wanted to do?"
She thought about it for a moment and answered, "Last night when I told Charlie that I was going to hang out with you."
"What about before that?"
She hesitated before she spoke again, but eventually said, "I don't remember."
"What happened to you Riley?" He said as he wrapped her up into a hug. "Are you this way because of him? Because of New York?" He felt her push away from him. His heart tightened at the feel of her pushing off of his chest because he knew that he had upset her. They walked into the apartment and she went straight to her room, changed and left immediately without saying bye to anyone. Cory, Topanga and Auggie looked at Lucas, curious as to why he was still there and Riley had left.
"Charlie didn't want me hanging out with them anymore. Do you mind me hanging out with you all tonight?" Lucas explained to her family.
"What were you guys supposed to do tonight?" Topanga asked him.
"She was going to take me to Times Square."
Topanga looked at Cory and he gave a small nod. "Call Josh and Maya. The five of us will take you out to Times Square tonight. We need to make sure you get to visit all of the popular tourist spots."
"Josh won't leave Maya home alone."
"Oh, I think Maya is feeling much better and the two of them would love to come out with us." Cory said with a small smile.
Lucas didn't understand what he was saying, but he did what Cory said. Maya and Josh showed up 30 minutes later, disappointed to not see Riley there. The Matthews, Lucas and Maya jumped on the subway and headed for the ever-popular Times Square and didn't get home until late that night. Riley was asleep on the couch.
"God, she is so beautiful."
"You still love her, don't you Mr. Friar?" Cory asked.
Lucas froze because he didn't realize he said that loud enough for anyone to hear, but realized he needed to honest with him. "I never stopped sir." Cory looked into his eyes and knew he wasn't lying. "I need to go to bed. I only have one day left to spend with her and I don't want to spend it sleeping."
"I'll put Auggie in Riley's room so you can have his bed."
"Thank you sir. Thank you for letting me stay the night with you guys tonight." He paused for a minute, gathered his courage and said, "Sir, I want to be honest with you about something. Please don't kick me out when I say this, but I love Riley. And being in love with her means that I do what's best for her. And I think her getting out of New York is best for her. She is not the same person she was two years ago. And I know everyone changes as we grow up, but this Riley, she has changed into someone who my Riley would never change into. She needs to get out of New York to find herself again."
"And just where do you think she should go Mr. Friar?"
"It doesn't matter where I think she should go. I am one hundred percent positive you know where I think she should go, but Riley needs to do what she wants for a change. She has always done what other people want so I think it's time for her to decide what she wants."