Chapter 10 - The Year Is 2011

Lucas came home to his two bedroom apartment that he shared with Zay, donning a smile on his face. He gently closed the front door and leaned his back against it. He let out a long sigh and thought about his lunch date with Riley but was brought back to reality when he heard his roommate clear his throat.

Zay was sitting on their couch with unopened bottles of beer, hot wings, pizza and fries on their coffee table. He took a swig of his drink, grinned at his best friend then patted the space next to him. "Take a seat buddy and let's talk," The look of confusion appeared on Lucas' face.

"What's going on?" Lucas made his way to the couch and grabbed himself a bottle of beer.

Zay smirked, "Oh you know what I'm talking about."

"No, what?"

"Friar would you just tell me?" Zay huffed. "I got the booze, food and I emptied my bladder. Now tell me about your date with Riley since she already told me her side of it."

Lucas' eyes lit up. She talked about him to their friends. That was a good sign. Right? "Good or bad?"

"Good. Now get on with it," Zay adjusted himself on the couch to get more comfortable. "14 long damn years. Better be a good Lucas story."

"Ugh Zay it was perfect!" Lucas exclaimed. "She looked so beautiful and there wasn't a moment where we had nothing to say. She told me why she was so scared to see me again. Can you believe it? It was over that most adorable yearbook message!" He paused for a moment and grabbed himself a slice of pizza.

"She asked me about Texas. What it was like over there. I asked her about Chicago. We're going there for winter break by the way," Lucas managed to mumble in between his pizza chewing. "Did you know she also loves cuddle bunnies? Although one bad thing is that she loves the Knicks but I could most definitely look pass that." He took another deep sigh and leaned his head back. "She is perfect."

"Funny you mention the Knicks,"

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows, "Why?"

"Riley said she could never marry a Mavs fan," Zay chuckled popping fries in his mouth.

"What?!" Lucas spat out the beer he just sipped, more like sprayed.

"Relax Luke! I was just teasing," Zay cackled like witch. "You should see your face!"

And with that remark, Zay earned a punch from his friend, "Not cool Zay!"

His best friend flinched and rubbed his now sore arm, "You gonna call her now or what?"

"Shouldn't I wait a day or two? Something like that?"

"You waited 14 years. I think you're good,"

"I don't want to seem so eager about it..." Lucas rubbed the back of his neck.

Zay raised his eyebrows and scoffed, "Well aren't you eager?"

"Yeah but I don't want to seem like it,"

"Oh for crying out loud!" Zay screeched as he reached for his best friend's phone that was sitting on the arm of the couch, taking matters into his own hands.

"ZAY! NO!" Lucas cried trying to retrieve his phone from Zay, who was in turn pushing him away.

The two were now engaged in a full on wrestling match for Lucas' phone, with the constant pleading of Lucas for Zay to give him his phone back.

"Lucas this is for your own good!" Zay managed to say in between trying to push Lucas off and searching for Riley's phone number so he could call her.

"Damnit please give me back my phone!"

Zay tapped the 'Call' button and held the phone up to his ear while Lucas was still doing his best to grabbed his phone back. Unfortunately for him, Zay had been working out everyday and he couldn't keep up with his roommate, "Hey Riley! It's me Zay. Lucas wanted to ask you something," Zay tackled Lucas to the floor and held the phone to his ear, "Ask her out or your face gets it."

The blue eyed Texan accepted defeat, "Hey Riley! What's up?"

"Uh just out for dinner with Maya. Zay said you wanted to ask me something?"

"Oh I'm so sorry I caught you at a bad time," Lucas glared at his friend who shot him a grin.

Riley giggled, "Oh no worries! What was it?"

"I wanted to ask you if uh," Lucas began as he searched for the right words to say. "Well see I was wondering if..."

"Yeah Lucas?"

Zay thumped Lucas in the back of the head, "Say it."

Lucas sighed, "I was wondering what you were doing tomorrow."

"I have to do some online training for my internship in the morning but other than that nothing. Why?"

"Oh good to hear! Well, have a good night! Bye!" Lucas hung up the phone then with all his might, pushed Zay off him so now Zay was in an arm lock. "I hate you so much."

Zay grinned, "Oh you'll thank me."

"Who was that?" Maya asked as she twirled her pasta noodles on her spoon. "Was that huckleberry? Did he ask you out on a date?"

Riley furrowed her eyebrows, "I think? He just asked me if I was doing anything tomorrow and then he said 'good to hear! good night' and then he hung up."

"Maybe he has something planned?"

"I don't know. He seemed like he was in a tight situation."

"Boys are weird," Maya shrugged taking a sip of her wine. "If he does have something planned tomorrow, what would you do?"

"I mean I would go," Riley stabbed a piece of chicken and placed it in her mouth. "It would be rude not to."

Maya shook her head and smiled, "Just admit it, you like the boy."

"What's not to like about him Maya? He's a gentleman! Rare to see them nowadays,"

"I knew it!" Maya screamed a little louder than she had thought, causing the restaurant to stare at them. "So sorry... He's liked you since first grade Riles. I called it didn't I? I'm going to be your Maid of Honor right? Because I made this bet with Josh and I would really love to rub this in his face."

"Maid of Honor? What are you crazy?" Riley questioned her best friend's sanity. "He's a really amazing guy. I had such a wonderful time with him earlier and I won't deny that we have some sort of connection. But that really doesn't mean anything right now. We go to different colleges. We still have a year before we graduate and who knows where we're going to end up after?"

"Keyword, right now." Maya grinned. "Are you going to tell him? Or anyone at all? About where you're going after you graduate?"

"Does it really matter if I say anything now? It's still a year away,"

"Oh sweetie, it matters a whole lot."

And there you have it! A quick filler chapter before Riley and Lucas' first actual date :) That's not an actual spoiler because you already know they're going to end up together lol

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Thank you so much again readers! I appreciate each and every single one of you XOXO