"Slut."

"Whore."

"Trash."

"I can't believe he'd sleep with her."

It was all becoming too much for her to hear and it was only 8:03. Even with her head being fully inside of her locker she could feel the intense and evil stares, the judgements, and the tears that were flowing down her face was something she didn't want anyone to see. In fact, she wanted to just go home. "Peaches." The moment Maya placed her hand on her shoulder, a smidgen of her sadness disappeared. "Don't listen to them. Anyone who knows you, knows the truth."

"That's just it Maya." Riley sobbed quietly and tried to wipe her eyes. "No one knows me."

The blonde kept quiet until she saw some girls snickering from across the hall. "DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANT TO SAY!?"

They froze. Riley froze. Even Farkle who was approaching them froze. "How dare you?!" The blue eyed girl snapped while trudging towards the 2 cheerleaders. They may not have been directly involved, but they were spreading the gossip for the day. In her eyes they were just as equally guilty as the person who lit the match and set flames to Riley. Her peaches. "If I even hear one thing about Riley leave your mouths I will ensure you won't be able to speak again." Their lips separated to speak but Maya beat them to it. "I dare you to test me. I'd spread the news that this rumor is just that, a rumor. End it, NOW!" The girls scurried off and the blonde spun around who was being comforted by Farkle.

"Thank you peaches." The brunette whispered.

"Remember our conversation from last night?"

Riley nodded, "I'm okay though. It was just overwhelming. I told you both I expected something like this."

"You did?!" All 3 of them flipped their heads to their left to the quarterback holding Missy by the arm. "Do tell princess." He wasn't a happy camper, "Farkle, Maya please give us a moment."

After reassuring them she was okay her friends left with reluctance. "Let me go Lucas."

The green eyed man ignored her statement and held her by the wrist where she couldn't move. "Come on, let's hear how you were expecting this to happen."

Her brown orbs shifted her gaze from Lucas to Missy who was only glaring, pleading for her to shut up. "Does this terrible rumor have something to do with what Missy said to you yesterday?" The brunette didn't have to say anything he already knew the answer. That's why he had a hold of Missy as if she could slither out of his grasp, like the snake she is. "I see. I'll deal with you later, but you-" He turned his focus to the head cheerleader. "I want to tell you this personally. I do not and will never, ever have any sort of romantic feelings towards you." Missy got angrier by the second, "Especially not after this. Let me clear this up for you, Riley unlike you, keeps her legs closed. She's a freaking angel on earth and I know you like to bully her. But, if it doesn't end I will personally see to it that your life becomes a living hell."

Riley was scared for Missy. His pupils had overcome the gorgeous green eyes that she loved to stare at. His free hand was in a fist, though he'd never do anything. And every word was dripping with disdain, not just of the situation but for her. Even with Lucas' threat, Riley found it hard to believe that Missy would give up on her endeavor to ruin her life.

She was a persistent little devil. "Have I in anyway made it unclear what I'm telling you?"

"No." She whispered.

"Good, so this rumor of Riley being a paid whore should come to an end and soon. Right?"

She nodded and his hold on her released, sending her sprinting in the other direction. The quarterback crossed his arms and rested his shoulder on the lockers. He was studying her, she obviously had cried. Her eyes were red, her face had tear stains and even though he'd never tell her, her lips become blood red whenever she's sad. Though he has no idea why, it could be from her biting them or she also has a bad habit of rolling her lips in. Either way, it hurt him to see how sad she was.

After a heavy exhale he opened his arms. "Come here princess."

The brunette fought a small smirk before being enveloped in his arms. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"B-because it isn't your problem."

"Riley, your problems are my problems. We've only been together 3 days and this happened, I deserve to know if someone or the entire school is going to be spreading a ridiculous rumor." She buried her face into his chest to mask the sobs, his words 'the whole school' made her cringe and her stomach churned. "I'm sorry princess. You don't deserve this."

"I wish I could say it didn't bother me."

"I'm going to fix it."

Riley's brows furrowed at the sudden determination in his tone. "Wh-What?"

She lifted her head away from his chest and he caressed her cheek, wiping away the tear stains with a flick of his finger. "Princess, whether you realize it or not, I'm here for you. No one, and I repeat no one hurts you. I will protect you as much as possible from harsh words, prissy bitches-" Language. Oh my God seriously Riley! He's making an emotional heart felt speech about how much he cares about you and you're correcting his language. Get your life together! Lucas pressed her gently against the lockers and kissed her forehead. "I'll wipe away your tears." He pecked her right cheek that was a shade of pink, "hold you when you're sad over something as silly as not finishing a book as quickly as you want." He whispered, she released a small smile but was completely enamored by his lips touching her other cheek. "I always want to make you happy." He placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "But please forgive me for today." She wanted to ask forgive him for what, but his lips were so close to hers, she could feel the warmth of them against her chin. "Can you forgive me princess?"

"I don't know what to forgive you for, but if you'll kiss me then yes." There was a small smile that was quickly erased when he finally kissed her lips. The quarterback was pretty great at rendering her speechless with his words, and with his lips. In fact, he had made it clear several times that he took pride in doing that to her.

"I like doing that to you baby girl."

"Why?" She pouted.

"Because you drive me insane. To the point of me losing control, my emotions are all over the place all the time when you're around, in a good way. But, when I do that to you, when I make you completely dumbfounded and exasperated I have control."

She smiled lightly, Riley loved having control over situations, though it rarely ever happened, she knew exactly what he meant. "No one really talks that way you know."

Lucas just shrugged. "No one has had a Riley Matthews in their life. I consider myself extremely lucky."

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

"Hey sis, you okay?"

"I'll be better if you help me carry all this food inside." It was more of a statement, telling Josh to do it then a request and he obliged his little sister.

He gave her a small laugh but quickly got back to the topic at hand. "That wasn't really what I was asking Riles and you know it."

She knew that. The brunette knew that he was talking about the rumor that had spread throughout the school and she found herself noticing every little spec of dirt on the dingy tile floor. "I-I'm fine." She had said those words to herself all day, hoping the repetitiveness would convince her of that. Though, as usual it didn't work.

"No you aren't. Maya said you were in your locker this morning."

The brown eyed girl opened the door of the school and nodded in the process.

"Did you-"

"No." Riley replied with a little more snappiness then she originally intended. "I'm sorry." She abruptly corrected, "I just-Today wasn't a great day. Aside from Lucas scaring the pants off of Missy."

"I knew he was my friend for a reason."

The siblings entered the film room and she began to set up all their food. "I'm fine Josh. I promise."

"I've heard those words before."

"But things, they're different now." The brunette whispered hoping to convince him, but in reality the whisper only made him more uncertain.

"Different how?" Josh sat down in the chair he drug across the tile to be close to her while she worked.

Silence.

"Different how Riley?"

She lazily shrugged, "I feel more confident now. I don't know if that is from me or the fact that Lucas will protect me but I feel stronger? Is that the word?" Josh didn't really say anything nothing other than an 'mm'. "Like I told peaches. You, Maya and Lucas all know me well, you'll know if it becomes something I can't handle."

"Have you talked to dad?"

"NO, and I'd like to keep it that way. He'll go to the principal and we all know how well that worked out last time." She mumbled.

Lucas leaned against the wall outside of the film room listening to the entire conversation. Though he enjoyed what she said about being more confident, which could be because she has him or the influence he had on her. He couldn't help the new found knowledge that she was hiding something from him. That for whatever reason Riley didn't trust him with it, he knew her excuse 'it's not his problem'.

But if she can't trust me with her secrets I can't trust her with mine. Why doesn't she want to lay her burden down? I'm here for her, I love her, why won't she just let me help her carry this burden.

Josh's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Well, Lucas' confidence has rubbed off on you. A mere threat from Missy like the one of her squashing you would have sent you into a fit but instead you yelled back at her. Said her life was pathetic, I'm proud of you." Why did he say 'fit' like that? Riley is not the kind of girl to throw fits.

"I don't think saying someone's life is pathetic is a good thing Josh. But, I get your point and I have a lot to thank Lucas for. He wants to help, and I'm going to let him but-I just, I want to know I can handle this on my own. I would love for him to be around forever you know, protecting me, like you do. But, he can't always be there."

Yes I can.

"I know I'm supposed to hate the guy that's dating my sister, but I don't hate him. So I'm going to say this, you have no idea what he'd do for you." Josh kissed her forehead, "And you might want to hurry you have 5 minutes." And that was all it took for her to have a fire lit under her butt.

Josh didn't notice Lucas since he came out the opposite door so he hurried inside, a little irked that Josh took away the few moments that they had together on Friday's since they didn't have classes together. And, because of the game. Either way, he wasn't going to waste any more space. "Hey princess."

"Hi." She didn't turn to look at him but was frantically trying to open all the food and the condiments.

"Let me help."

"It's okay baby-"

"I wasn't asking permission." He kissed her forehead and opened up several packages of buns and stuck spoons in the shredded beef. They worked in silence, and worked very well together Riley took note, because, "by my calculation we have approximately 40 seconds before the room becomes flooded." The quarterback closed the gap in between them and crashed his lips against hers, like a wave against a beach. Pouring all of his emotions, all of his love into a single kiss. The brunette released a light moan which made him pull away. "Sorry, but you can't do that to me." He joked.

And right on cue, at 5 o'clock football players surrounded them. But neither Lucas nor Riley moved. The brunette looked at him quizzically and touched her lips. "Lucas-"

"EAT UP BOYS! BE ON THE FIELD BY NO LATER THAN 6:10!"

His emerald orbs never left her face. He knew what she was thinking and the only response he could give her was a light smile toying at his lips. He had admitted to himself several times that he loved her, but other than his mom and family-his grandma and Pappy Joe-he'd never uttered those words to anyone else. He had a lot of questions. What's a fit as Josh calls it? What does she mean by things are different now? Emphasis on the now. What did happen 'last time'? That's just a few among the many.

For a few minutes he was hesitant. The quarterback was hesitant that he shouldn't reveal a secret of his if she won't reveal her secrets to him. At the same time, she might need some reassurance that he wholeheartedly trusts her. Maybe that could compel her to open up about what's going on without him pressing the matter.

They were still standing there silently, probably looking ridiculous to the rest of the team so he stood up and kissed her forehead. "No party tonight princess." A wave of relief washed over her body. "I have something I want to tell you. Our spot."

"Your spot?"

"Our spot."

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

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