Chapter 6

It had been two days since the awkward confrontation between Riley and Lucas. It hadn't been since then that any of us talked. Except for me and Riley. We'd been texting nearly non-stop all weekend. Most of our conversations were talking about what Riley was going to do about our 'situation'. Then again, there was also quite a bit of flirting between the two of us...

Riley and I walked into our first class of the day, which just so happened to be history. Mr. Matthews stood behind his desk, the word 'Loyalty' was written in large capital letters on the chalkboard. Once everyone had taken their seats, Mr. Matthews began the lesson.

"Loyalty. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of this word?" he asked.

"A loyal comapanion, like a dog," Farkle spoke up.

"Okay," Mr. Matthews said. "Loyalty means to be faithful to someone, or something, and not betraying that person or thing. Before the Revolutionary War, America was loyal to Britain. Even during the war, there were Americans that didn't want to leave Britain to become an independent nation. Does anyone know what these people were called?" Farkle put his hand up. "Farkle."

"Loyalists, sir," Farkle replied.

"Correct," Mr. Matthews said. "There were people called loyalists who were loyal to being a British colony. They didn't want to betray Britain, because they believed they needed to be faithful citizens. Your assignment this week is to decide whether or not you think loyalty is important."

"Is your father psychic?" I asked Riley.

"Sometimes, I think he might be," she replied. I grinned.

Later that afternoon, I went over to Riley's apartment to work on our assignment. I climbed up the fire escape to Riley's window, but the curtains were closed. The only time her curtains closed were closed was when she wasn't home, but she hadn't said that she was going anywhere, so I tried the window. It was open. I pushed the curtain aside and climbed into the room, only to find Riley and Lucas sitting on Riley's bed, kissing.

"Riley?!" I exclaimed, hurt, startling the two and making them jump back from each other. "What's going on?! I thought you were gonna break up!"

"Why would we break up?" Lucas asked. "Riley just apologized for cheating and I forgave her."

"What?" I asked. "Riley, you told me that you didn't think this relationship between the two of you could go anywhere! Now the two of you are here making out behind my back?!"

"Wait, Riley, is that true?" Lucas asked. "Do you not think we could end up together?" Riley hesitated to speak.

"Well, yeah..." she admitted, nervously. "On Friday night, I told Maya that I don't think I could ever fall in love with you. That you and I are too similar and that we're better as just friends."

"If you feel that way, then why did you kiss me just now?" he asked.

"I didn't want to cheat on you and then dump you, I thought that if I made you too mad, we couldn't be friends any more," Riley explained. "I also think it's easier to just date a boy and pretend I'm straight than date a girl and have to go through all the trouble of coming out and the possibility that people might not accept me for who I am."

"Riley, I know that it can be hard to come out as bi or pansexual, but that doesn't mean you should hide it and stay in a relationship that doesn't feel right," Lucas said.

"Yeah, Riles, don't do that to yourself," I told her.

"I guess so..." Riley said.

"Riley, I know you can't see yourself falling in love with me," Lucas said. "But could you ever see yourself falling in love with Maya?"

"Well, we've been best friends for so long, I know I can trust her, more than anybody," she told him. "I don't want to live in a world without her. So, yeah, I guess I could fall in love with her." My heart skipped a beat. I grinned.

"Riley, if you don't think we can be together, and you think you'll be better with Maya, you should go for it," he said. "I don't mind not being your boyfriend, as long as you're happy. If being with Maya makes you happy, you have my full support."

"Thank you, Lucas," Riley said, hugging him. "Does that mean we're breaking up? Again?"

"If that's what you think is right," Lucas told her.

"It is," she said. I stepped closer.

"So Riles, now that you're single, you wanna be my girlfriend?" I asked her.

"Yes, I would love to be your girlfriend," Riley replied, smiling at me. I leaned down and kissed her, smiling against her lips.