A.n.- So I broke through the writer's block. That's the good news. This is kinda a filler chapter, but I know you'll hate where I ended it. Everything will start to make sense after a couple chapters.
"Are you sure about this Riley," the raven haired girl starting fiddling with her hair nervously. I gave a supportive smile as I flung my arm around her shoulder feeling her flinch slightly under my touch.
"Oh course Isadora, I've known him my whole life he's like a brother to me. Sometimes they just need a little push. He likes you I'm almost sure of it." If she kept with the plan Isadora would have a boyfriend by the end of the week. Now it was Maya's turn to get Farkle there. I waved goodbye and watched the giddiness come through as she walked.
"Riley, wait." The voice only pressed me to keep moving faster, since it belonged to one of the last people on earth I wanted to see right now. I was angry enough to not think about the words coming out of my mouth, and that was dangerous.
"Not now Lucas." Despite my words he pulled at my shoulder causing my body to halt facing the blonde.
"Riley, what's wrong?" I started making a list in my head but decided not to give him that satisfaction instead my gaze iced over.
"Nothing." His whole body recoiled a bit surprised by my venom.
"You didn't show in English class today." Lucas continued. He was right because I had to be present in Josh's class, but I wasn't able to tell him that.
"I didn't realize you were the teacher taking attendance." I spat. His eyebrows knit together. I had to make sure I didn't fall victim to his alluring green eyes.
"What's wrong?" He asked a second time.
"What do you want Lucas?" I huffed crossing my arms over my chest.
"What's your issue, I'm just checking to see if you're ok." He lashed back defensively.
"That's not really your concern is it? What am I, just some girl that you hardly know? Or is it just your concern since you flirted with me. "- I watched as it seemed like every muscle tensed in his body knowing I struck a nerve.
"Or because I care about you." He interjected. I didn't let my heart flutter at the words, I couldn't. He couldn't mean it like that after one night.
"No you don't." I shot back. If he did he wouldn't have gone behind my back.
"Why are you building this wall? Do you let anybody in?" Frustration was pent up in his voice.
"For someone who claims to believe in people you create assumptions and pass over judgment quickly. I noticed something was wrong and I acted on it, how does that make me the bad guy. You seem like a completely different person than who I went to the fair with. What happened to that girl? She was friendly and warm and now you're icing me out with no good reason? Which one are you? "
"Look Lucas, I'm fine. Don't worry about me just go back to Darby." I watched his eyes widened.
"You don't know the whole story." In my heart I didn't want to hear it. If I did it still wouldn't change the picture in my head. Even if he barely knew Riley he still should have told Josh.
"I don't need to."
"Riley I"-
"No you don't have to explain anything." My words disagreed with the whispers of my heart; 'Fight for me.' I desperately wanted him to tell me I was wrong.
"Maybe the fair was a mistake." I muttered. It wouldn't be the first time that my mother set up everything to crash and burn. I refused to look at him, it was just painful. I let my guard down as Josh, I let him get too close and now I was paying for it.
"Maybe." He answered half-heartedly. I turned my body away not wanting him to see how much this was affecting me and when I turned back toward him, he was gone.
"He said what?" I wish she would keep her voice down, someone might overhear. Thankfully Chubbies was a naturally loud place so any secrets would be drowned out.
"He said what?" The words were repeated a second time volume taken into account.
"I can handle him Riles, if he thought this morning was bad, wait till the next"- My eyebrows knitted together, my best friend rarely made idle threats, I couldn't unleash her on Lucas; even though it was tempting.
"No Maya." She crossed her arms over her chest defiantly so I threw a ring power for extra measure.
"Fine." She muttered like I had taken away her favorite toy.
"Besides I can deal with one more week. Then Josh will be back and I'll never have to see him again." Although trying to keep no sounds of weakness in my voice, it was something she easily saw through.
"Riles." Her tone shifted as if she was looking after a wounded puppy which added insult to injury. I should have kept my rule, if I had then maybe none of this would have happened and I didn't need to pick myself off the ground.
"I just"- I paused not wanting to reopen the wound, but I knew it was the only way to start the healing process.
"The more time I spent with him as Josh the more I liked him as Riley. I thought if I showed him the real me he would"
"See you the same way?" She offered.
"Yeah," Was about all I could reply with.
"Look Riles, you are the kindest most considerate person I know. He would be an idiot to choose Darby over you." I offered a smile to the blondes words. But as much as the words were flattering they didn't alter the truth. I glanced down at my phone hoping that a miracle happened and I would have a text from him.
"Why is this all so complicated?" My eyes jumped up to meet her sapphire ones, and even then they seemed to be sparkling.
"Do you really need me to answer that?" My shoulders dropped as I felt an "I told you so" headed my way.
"What if I messed things up with Lucas by this whole Josh thing?" My eyes searched her as if I would find the answers I desired. Lucas had mentioned leading him on and I didn't understand it at the time, and then my mind flashed back to blowing him off into change into Josh.
"You won't know till you tell him, but till you do you'll be in this limbo." Both of us knew she was right.
Maya went to stand in line for our frozen treat, I was disrupted by another blonde slipping into my best friend's spot. Her hair and skin was flawless in every way. She was one of the most popular people in the class. I had heard plenty of stories from Zay and what I gathered he wasn't a fan. She and Lucas's relationship had only lasted a couple of months, and then she had cheated on him. Needless to say I had my fill of Missy without even interacting with her.
"What do you want Missy?" There was a sour taste in my mouth; how could she cheat on him?
"What I want pales in comparison to what you want now doesn't that?"
"Alright why don't you tell me what I want Missy?" A smug smirk played on her lips.
"For your secret not to get out," she leaned back coolly exam in her nails.
"I don't know why anyone would want to impersonate their brother." I now wish I could have kept a stone face and deny all the accusations.
"How did you find out?" I blurted out before I could stop my words.
"How I find out shouldn't be your concern, it's more who I don't tell, for example my mother." A couple names flashed in my mind that could know, especially not from her.
"What do you want?" I gritted my teeth kicking myself that I got caught by Missy of all people.
"I want you to step down from the nominations for Homecoming Queen." The joke was on her, I didn't even want to be nominated, that was all Maya's doing.
"Fine." I still had to act like I was giving up a lot.
"I also want you to write my paper for Mr. Hutchinson's class." I inwardly groaned at that one. Those papers were supposed to be 10 pages long. We had known about them for weeks.
"And"- she paused striking her finger against her jawline in a pose that somewhat resembled thinking.
"I want you to stay away from Lucas." I opened my mouth to protest but she stopped me anticipating my words.
"As Riley, not Josh. He has a bright future, he just has to stay focused and not be distracted by the likes of you." My heart sank splintering into a thousands of pieces.
"Well then you wasted your time, because he's into Darby." I used as much confidence as I could muster.
"Well then it shouldn't be so hard, now should it?" Maybe if was a better liar like my best friend she wouldn't had called me on my bluff, but now I was at an impasse. I mulled over her words; if Lucas was happy with Darby who was I to stand in his way? With Josh coming back soon I would just slip into the nameless people that graduated with him that went on to do great things. Josh had to have priority over the could be daydreams.
"Deal." With the word I felt like I sold my soul to the Devil himself.
A.N.- Do you all hate Missy yet? She's not going to be nearly as bad as Charlie was in HT, but you probably will hate her anyway. I'm working on Lore and I'll update as soon as I can. Let me know what you think.