Chapter 8 - I Got You
Riley led them towards the middle of the dance floor-The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra playing in the background. She places her hands around Lucas' neck as he snaked his arms around her waist and they begin to sway along with the music.
"So I just met your parents," Lucas said.
"Yeah why?"
He smirked, "Isn't it a little too early in the relationship for me to meet them?"
"Ha Ha very funny," She responded putting emphasis on each syllable. "I get to meet your family next week. Isn't that a little too early in the relationship?"
He scrunched his nose and gave a subtle wink, "Hmm yeah maybe so."
"Sorry about my mom suggesting we were a thing,"
"That's okay. I'm quite flattered by it," He laughed. He then took both her hands off his neck and into his, and slowly twirled her around. She slightly stumbled but he caught her with ease. "Woah. Careful there Nurse Riley."
"Thank you Dr. Friar," She smiled. "Although it was your fault for spinning me around. I don't have the best body coordination."
"No worries," He tucked a piece of hair behind her hair. "I got you."
The pair continued to slow dance along to the music, neither bothering to take their eyes off the other and completely oblivious to the world around them. Zay spotted them in the middle of the dance floor and he strategically led himself and Vanessa closer to where Lucas and Riley were. Maya, after taking another shot with Farkle and seeing her best friend with the doctor, grabbed Farkle by the tie and dragged him to the dance floor. The song had ended and Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love filled the room.
"Well don't you just love this song?" Zay said as they moved closer to Lucas and Riley. "I mean sometimes you just can't help falling in love. Am I right Ness?"
His wife shook his head and laughed a little at her husband's not-so-subtle teasing, "Sure sweetie."
Lucas shot his best friend a look and pursed his lips, "Zay Babineaux." He inwardly groaned and switched his gaze towards Vanessa. "Vanessa, this is Riley. Riley, Vanessa."
"Nice to meet you Vanessa!" Riley removed her hold around Lucas' neck and gave Vanessa a hug to which she obliged.
"Oh!" Vanessa giggled. "I like you already."
The two girls let go of each other and went back to their respective dance partners. At the corner of her eye, she sees Maya and Farkle twirling and laughing. Maya suddenly dips Farkle. She made eye contact with Riley, gave her a smirk and pointed towards the doctor with a head nod.
Lucas groaned loudly removing Riley's attention from her two best friends, "What's wrong?"
"We have to go soon," He sighed. "It's almost midnight."
"Okay Cinderella," Riley laughed. "What's wrong with that? We get to go home and sleep!"
"Yeah but I'm having a great time with you," They locked eyes and Riley's lips parted from the shock of his words. "I mean you know outside of work. Because you know, we work all the time. Like your mom said we need to have fun sometimes. Not just work work work you know? We have to live and..."
She placed a finger on his lips to shut him up, "You're rambling."
"I'm sorry," He laughed nervously. "I'd blame the alcohol to be honest."
"It's okay. We do deserve to have a break from all the work work work."
While Riley and Lucas were slowly dancing the night away, Maya and Farkle were doing ballet moves off to the sides. The DJ announced that he was about to play the last song. Maya turned to check up on her best friend and smiled at the sight she saw. Her head was cocked on to one side and she had her signature Riley Matthews' grin. She saw Lucas bite his lip and pull Riley closer to his body.
"Tell me more about this doctor dude," Farkle interrupted her thoughts as he twirls Maya once more.
"I told you they work together at the hospital,"
"Yeah there's more to the story. I'm a genius remember?"
Maya scoffed, "If you're such a genius then you should've figured it out by now." They were now doing the tango, which was odd because the music playing was a ballad.
"The only thing I can get from all that is that they have a mutual understanding,"
"A what?" Maya scrunched her face.
"Mutual understanding," Farkle said a matter-of-factly. "It's where two people clearly like each other but they're not in a true relationship yet."
The blonde dropped her jaw and stared at her friend in awe, "Wow that was pretty much on point."
"And the rest of the story, Riley will tell me in due time."
"Wanna go to the bar after this?" Maya suggested. "We have to catch up! You're always so busy with your Minkus business."
"Let's go!"
Maya dragged Farkle by the hand and skipped towards Riley. She tapped Lucas on the shoulder, making the doctor turn around and frown, "Sorry to cut in doc but we're going to have to steal Riley now."
"Right now?" Lucas pouted.
"The ball is over and Cinderella gotta go," Maya beamed and noticed the saddened look on Lucas' face. "Oh wipe that look off your face Dr. Friar. You've been stealing my best friend every day for the past week and I need her."
"I wouldn't say I was stealing her,"
"You have Texas together! Pleaseeeee," Maya brought out her best puppy dog pout.
Riley rolled her eyes, "Alright Maya." She turned to face Lucas again. "I'm so sorry but I should get going. It's getting late and you have work tomorrow."
"Yeah," Lucas nodded. "I had an amazing time Riley. I really did."
"Me too Lucas," She smiled and let go of her grip on his arm. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Riley,"
"Ugh!" Maya opened her eyes and immediately placed an arm over her face to shield her eyes from the sunlight. "Why do I keep doing this to myself? I told you we shouldn't drink that much anymore!"
Riley laughed placing a glass of water in front of her roommate. The two stayed up catching up with Farkle at the bar. They took a cab and arrived home at 3 in the morning. The two of them were too exhausted to make it to their rooms that they ended up crashing on the couch. "It's the sugary alcoholic drinks you ordered that gave you that nasty hangover."
"Why aren't you feeling shitty this morning?" The blonde asked as she slowly sat up and grabbed the glass of water.
"It's because I decided to drink water in between my drinks."
"How come you didn't tell me to drink water in between? What kind of a nurse are you?"
"I did," Riley raised her eyebrows. "And then you told me water with alcohol is for babies."
"Whatever,"
"So I don't have work today. And you don't either," Riley sat on the love seat and sipped her coffee. "You mentioned about needing me last night. Do you want to do something special today?"
"I'm just saying you've been spending a little bit too much time with doc that it makes it seem like you two really are dating,"
"Oh would you stop that!" Riley rolled her eyes. "What do you want to do?"
"Well since you're leaving for Texas in like 5 days," The blonde tilted her head up and began to think. "We should go shopping and get you clothes to wear!" Riley was about to protest when Maya interrupted her. "Can't say no. OH! And tacos."
"Okay fine," Riley got up and made her way to the bathroom. "I'm going to shower. Go eat some toast. It's on the counter."
Just as Riley got out of the shower, her phone started ringing. She picked up the purse she left on the coffee table and took out her phone.
"Hello?"
"Riles," the voice on the other line answered. She smiled and sauntered towards her room and closed the door behind her.
"Lucas, what's up?"
"Oh just checking up to see how you're doing,"
Riley blushed and gave a silent thank you for Lucas' couldn't see the red tint on her cheeks, "Thank you but you don't have to do that."
"I know," Lucas chuckled. "But the last time you drank a wee bit much of alcohol, you ended up on a stranger's bed and then became his fake girlfriend."
"I didn't drink that much this time Lucas," She rolled her eyes and realized he couldn't see that. "I made sure of it."
"Whatever you say. Just wanted to make sure you didn't take on another fake boyfriend,"
She chuckled while walking towards her closet to find something to wear, "Nah, I only have one."
"Good,"
"Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
"Yeah just taking a quick break to uh yeah... I should get going now,"
"Stop slacking Dr. Friar," She removed the towel off her head and shook her hair. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Maya won't mind?"
"A little but she'll get over it,"
"She scares me a little bit you know," He chuckled.
"She's just not used to sharing me yet," Riley laughed. "Get going now doc."
"Take care Riles,"
"Bye and thank you for checking up on me," She hung up her phone and gently placed it on her dresser. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against her wall with a smile.
"Watcha doing?" Maya's voice shook her out of her state.
"Changing," Riley marched over to her door and closed it on her friend's face. "Shower now so we can go."
She stood with her back against her door. She held on tight to the towel wrapped around her and threw her head back. "I am so in trouble."
I was going to fast forward to a day before they leave for Texas but I decided that the two still need more time to prepare for their act. So here you go!
Let me know what you think! :) Thanks for reading!
