The Little Things She Loves Most
They are juniors in high school
Its the little things Riley realized she loved most about Lucas. She loved that even though they weren't in the triangle anymore he still did things for her like a boyfriend or even a friend would do.
She loved that when they would have study sessions at the bakery he made sure to sit next to her to give her something to snack on so she didn't chew on her pencils or pens.
She learned that the hard way with her spitting out the eraser or walking around with ink all over her lips. So he always brought a pack of licorice and he would laugh everytime she broke it in half hanging it out her mouth like a walrus.
She loved that if the group decided on watching a scary movie he would sometimes say he wasn't in the mood for one. And they would go watch a comedy or something silly and mix together the chocolate and popcorn they always got trying to make it in the other's mouth and laugh when they would miss completely.
She loved that on Sundays he always buy a loaf of bread and meet her at the park to feed the ducks. He would even make her giggle quacking like a duck so she would toss him a piece of bread. It was one of her favorite things she loved to do and she was glad she got to share it with him.
She almost peed her pants when Lucas pretended to take the ducks bread and it ended up chasing after him. Riley had to play nurse and clean the scrap he got from tripping over a rock. She laughed till tears streamed down her face when Lucas told her it was a duck's foot and not a rock that tripped him.
She loved when her feet got tired from walking or she was getting sleepy he stop and let her hop on his back. He never complain about carrying her around especially when he had to for two hours while they searched around Coney Island for one of her flip flops.
She told him she could just buy another pair since he was probably getting tired. But he shook his head telling her he could carry her all night. And he did never getting tired or complaining until dinner time when Riley had to feed him since his arms were asleep.
She loved that he help her start a petition for Pluto to become a planet again. Sure their other friends signed it for her but Lucas went that extra mile helping her make t-shirts for them to wear. Even helping her turn her closet into a solar system that showcase only Pluto with a complete how to guide from the geniuses.
Which she didn't mind one bit about.
She loved that if she was sometimes stuck at the bakery working with Maya and her parents were busy he pick up Auggie for them. She smiled when one afternoon she found them both asleep both with their faces on Auggie's old battleship game. She took their pictures before waking both of them up.
She loved the way his eyes lit up talking to her or about something he was passionate about. They had spent a whole day at the bakery just talking about the different animals he had or the proper way to care for a bunny.
Since Riley told him that was still her dream to become a bunny farmer one day.
She loved that she could dance like nobody was watching her around him. Even though it was by accident he even saw her. It started one day when she was dancing to the soundtrack from grease. It was something she did just like her Riley awards on her own that not even Maya knew she did.
Lucas only found out since he had climbed up her fire escape and seen her as she was in the middle of doing the hand jive on her bed. He knocked scaring her causing her to fall off her bed.
He came in her window checking on her as she laid on the floor covering her face from embarrassment. He laid next to her telling her he would practice the grease lightening dance. She smiled and they dance and did the hand jive until her dad found him in there and chased him out.
What she honestly loved most was that she could talk to him about anything well almost anything.
She didn't love the fight they recently had. It was her own fault and she knew it. She let her insecurities get in the way of her feelings again. They were talking about the upcoming winter dance and she told him he should go with Maya since they both were nominated for snow king and queen.
He told her he wanted to go with her not Maya. But Riley being Riley had heard her classmates talking about it. Bringing up the old triangle and saying how Lucas should be with Maya. Since it was so obvious the fire was still there.
He told her Maya wasn't the one he wanted and it was always her. Riley's insecurities played a role in what she said next. She told him if it was always her why weren't they together then.
He shook his head at her telling her he didn't want to rush anything and he thought they were taking it slow. That they were unofficially dating he had plan to asks her out official at the winter dance.
She kept shaking her head saying it was like their eighth grade dance all over again and she didn't want to go through that. She looked at him knowing he wanted to scream at her which she deserved since she kept pushing him away but instead he just left.
She hadn't spoken to him until she got that phone call from Zay saying Lucas was in an accident and in the hospital.
So here she sat in a corner chair away from his bed while everyone else went home she stayed looking down at her fingers thinking of all the things she loved about him.
"Riley sweetheart." She looked up seeing his mom looking at him. "I'm going to go get some coffee would you like to come with?" She shook her head looking at her before looking at Lucas.
His mom tells her she would be back and goes out the door as Riley gets up standing at the foot of the bed.
She runs her fingers along his leg up to his hand holding it in hers. "Jeez Friar your hand is like ice." She jokes sitting gently on the side of his bed. "I should have brought you a hot chocolate from the bakery."
She stared down at his fingers in hers before looking at his face brushing the hair from his forehead. "Farkle must think you really are a freak face." She laughs noticing he suffered a broken leg and arm but didn't have a scratch on his face.
Riley sighs looking at Lucas and then at the door unsure of what to say. "You would think I could think of something to say other than I'm sorry." She turns his hand palm side up tracing the lines on it.
"When Zay called telling me what happened I swear I felt like my heart stopped. Actually I don't feel like it's beating right now." She turns looking at him cupping his cheek. "Not with you like this. But I don't think I would be able to say anything I truly want to if you were awake."
She turns away from him not noticing he open his eyes. "I sat here thinking about all the little things you do for me and I..." She pauses shaking her head before looking at him again. "Maybe I should just tell you."
She tells him all the things she loves that he does for her while making circles on his hand. She gasps when she feels him squeeze her hand and turns towards him.
"What?" She cries wiping her cheeks when she sees he was trying to say something. She bends down closer and he turns his head kissing her. "I knew you loved me." He whispers in a raspy voice when they pull apart.
She smiles wanting to hit and hug him at the same time. "I'll take the hug now and save the punch for when I'm not in here." He tells her smiling as she turns red asking if she said that out loud.
"I'll go get your." She starts to say but he stops her shaking his head. "Not yet." He tells her asking her to hand him his water and she waits as he drinks it. "Are you in a lot of pain?" She asks looking at his arm and leg.
"Not anymore." He tells her holding her hand in his making her blush. "So I guess the dance is out of the question." She tells him tucking her hair behind her ear looking away from him nervously.
"Yeah I guess we are just going to have to have our own dance when I'm better." He tells her rubbing her knuckles and making her turn back to him. They stare at each other and both go to speak at the same time.
"I'm sorry Ri.." he starts to say when she shakes her head saying she was the sorry one. "No I should have asked you out along time ago. I just didn't want to screw things up and..." she covers his mouth with her hand shaking her head.
"None of that matters now. Let's forget about our past mistakes and make some new memories." Lucas chuckles nodding his head. "I would like that very much on one condition." She tilts her head looking at him and he smiles gesturing for her to come closer.
She smiles and cups his face kissing him. They smile into the kiss and pull apart breathing heavily. "I was going to asks if you could itch my shoulder actually." She shakes her head smiling as she walks over to his right side scratching his shoulder.
She sits back down and he laughs hearing her stomach rumble. "I should have went with your mom to get something to eat." She tells him chewing on her lip. He smiles asking if they brought in his backpack.
She finds it and he tells her to open it and smiles seeing the pack of licorice. "Thought you might like one." He tells her smiling at her. She smiles as she bites into it and sees him looking at her. "What?"
"I love you too." He tells her taking her hand in his again. "There was never any other choice believe me." She wipes at her eyes nodding her head she knew she had to work on letting what other people say not get to her anymore.
"I don't remember saying I loved you you know?" Riley jokingly tells him putting her hair behind her ear. "Oh but you did. You said I love all the little things you do for me and that means you love me."
She giggles shaking her head at him. "Sometimes you can be such a dork Lucas Friar." He brings her hand up to his lips kissing it. "Yeah but that's why you love me."