Final chapter. Maybe I'm not sure yet. Okay so it's not the last chapter.
A bee sting. A broken arm. Getting run over by any means of transportation the pain from all of those combined was nothing compared to the look on Lucas face at the mention of just being friends.
Riley bit her lip looking away as he rubs his neck seemingly at a loss for words just like her.
"Friends?" He tells her as she looks at him. She nods again trying to keep the tears that were threatening to spill again away. She clears her throat trying to compose herself before speaking. "Yes. I think it's best if we..." She's cut off by Lucas grabbing her hands again.
"Riley I'm sorry I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me." She looks up trying but could feel the tears coming. "Lucas I already forgiven you I just think it's best if we just be friends for now." He pulls back looking at her but never lets her hands go.
"Why? If you forgive me why can't we be together again?" He whispers as she chews her cheek. "Lucas I do forgive you I just think..." she pauses before speaking again. "We got engaged after two months of dating there is still a lot we don't know about each other being friends can help that."
He shakes his head as he let's her hands go. "I have to go." He tells her getting up and walking out the bakery without a backwards glance or goodbye. Riley nods staring at the spot he was just at brushing away the tears. "Hey." She turns and sees Auggie holding a cup of hot cocoa.
"I did the right thing didn't I?" She asks as he puts the cup down and slides in hugging her. "Yeah you did if he can't see that then maybe he isn't the one for you Riley." She nods sniffing as she wipes her eyes again.
"You want me to call Maya or mom?" He asks as he hugs her. "No I just need a minute okay?" He nods as he squeezes her making fart noises trying to make her laugh like she use to when they were little.
"Hey how about we go tie doy to the pole in the batting cages and hit him with fastballs?" Riley lightly laughs shaking her head. "Okay how about we go break our record for most gutterballs?" She smiles as they get out the booth.
"I don't throw gutterballs Auggie." She tells him as he takes his apron off. "Sure Riley." He jokes putting his arm around her shoulder. They reach the top steps when she stops and looks at him. "Thanks little brother." He smiles pinching her cheek. "Anytime big sister."
Lucas didn't have a destination in mind when he left the bakery. He didn't realize he had left since he was in a fog until he felt the cold air hit his face. Friends. She wanted to be just friends was the only thing he had running through his mind. He sighs rubbing at his neck. He didn't know if he could just be her friend.
He continued walking rubbing at his neck. Friends. He shook his head as he walked through the park. Friends. He couldn't wrap his head around why she wanted to just be friends. He loved her and he thought she loved him.
He continued walking until he reaches his place throwing himself on the couch as soon as the elevator opened. "What's wrong?" Pappy joe asks as he glanced at him before killing another zombie. Lucas doesn't respond just lays staring at the ceiling sighing.
"Ducky I didn't know you were back." Gran tells him as she comes from the bedroom. She looks at him and frowns. "What's wrong?" She asks touching his forehead to see if he was sick. He turns over pouting as she walks over sitting by him. "Ducky What's wrong?" She asks again.
"Nothing." He mumbles turning so his back was to her. "Did you talk with Riley?" She asks putting her hand on his back feeling him tense up at the mention of Riley. "I don't want to talk about it." He tells her as she tells him it would make him feel better to talk it out.
He sighs sitting up as he looks at her. "No it won't Gran. It's over between us she doesn't want to be with me." She looks at him as he whispers she just wanted to be friends. Her and Pappy Joe share a look before they begin to laugh at him.
"I'm glad my misery amuses you two." He tells them going to the fridge grabbing a beer about to drink it before his grandma smack his hand taking it. "Ducky what exactly did she say to you?" Gran asks pouring him coffee.
Lucas drinks some before putting it down on the coffee table rubbing his face. "She said she forgives me but thinks it be best if we were just friends." He leans back against the couch before sitting up again.
"I know she is just saying that because she doesn't love me anymore and..." he gets cut off by his grandma slapping him upside the head. "Gran what was that for?!" He shouts out rubbing his head.
"Lucas Friar just because the girl told you she wants to be friends doesn't mean she doesn't love you. Joe talk to your grandson." She gestures at him as she shakes her head walking towards the kitchen. "What else did she say besides wanting to be friends?" Lucas looks at him before saying something about getting to know more about each other then he left after that.
"Well see how do you know she didn't have more to say. You didn't listen to her." Pappy joe tells him as Lucas groans getting up pacing. "I did and what does being friends have to do with anything we know each other we were engaged for crying out loud." Pappy Joe laughed as he turned the game back on shaking his head.
"He gets this dramatic side from your side of the family Joe." Gran tells him and he waves her off. "Lucas Friar I swear and pardon my French but you sure are being a dumbass." Lucas looks at her with wide eyes as his pappy joe laughs.
"Gran you just called me." She nods her head cutting him off. "A dumbass yes yes I did. Because that's what you're being. Did you ever think what's going through her head right now? Telling you that must of been hard on her too." She gets up heading for the kitchen but stops looking at him.
"And don't think for one second that she told you that because she doesn't love you and sees a future with you still."
Riley held the purple paint cans in her hand looking at the cat sculpture she had just made. It was big but not as big as the one she had already in her yard. She stops looking at it before tying up her hair opening the paint cans.
It had been almost a week since her talk with Lucas and he hadn't responded. She was starting to think maybe he didn't want to work on their relationship and it truly was a bet all along. She wipes at her eyes shaking her head not wanting to think of him like that.
But with every passing day and nothing from him it was getting harder and harder not to think of him like that.
She also knew if she dwelled on it then she would be an absolute wreck.
"Hey Riley made another one huh?" She smiles as she sees Kenny from the deli walking towards her with food. "Yeah I thought I'd give the first one a friend. A smaller friend." She laughed rinsing her hands before taking the food.
"You didn't have to bring this over?" She tells him sitting on her porch biting into the sandwich. "Yeah I did if I didn't the misses would have killed me." He gestures towards his wife who waves at them from the door. "Well tell her I appreciate it."
He starts to walk away before turning back to Riley. "Oh hey did you finally forgive your boyfriend?" Riley looked at him confused before he explained. "Yeah blond haired guy green eyes. He was across the street staring at the house I figured you were mad at him." He tells her as she looks across the street.
"When did you see him?" She asks trying not to get her hopes up in case it wasn't recent. "Um a couple of days ago. I figured he was in trouble with you since he looked like he was rehearsing something to himself." He waves at her before going back to his store.
Riley sits on the porch watching to see if Lucas would show up. She stays out there all night hoping he would show but he never does. "Hey Riles why are you sitting out here it's freezing." Maya tells her with Josh right behind her holding pizza boxes. "Kenny said he saw Lucas across the street a couple of days ago."
"Doing what?" Josh asks as Maya opens the front door letting them all in. "Talking to himself. I don't know really." Riley tells them shrugging as she lays on the couch. "You okay Riley?" Maya asks sitting next to her putting her head on her lap.
"Yeah I guess I was hoping maybe I would see him but I guess he doesn't want to be friends." She sits up as she looks at Maya and Josh who she could tell what they were thinking. "I'm fine guys I just need to accept that he doesn't want to be friends I'll be fine."
"Do you want me to throw paint balloons at him again?" Maya asks as Riley shook her head. When Maya told her that she did that she couldn't believe Lucas let her but she figured that explained the paint on his neck and arms the day they talked.
She shakes her head and pats her legs. "Let forget about him and eat I'm starving."
"Stop moving." Riley says adjusting the focus on her camera. "Stop moving." She says again as she shakes her head fixing the lights she set up. "Farkle Minkus would you stop moving!" She shouts as he smiles sitting properly as she smiles at him.
"So bossy Riley." He tells her as she smiles looking at the photos she took of him. "Well what do you think?" She asked showing him the photos of him dressed as Smackle favorite scientist. "These are good I'll just go change into the next outfit." Farkle tells her taking off his wig.
"Why are you doing this? Besides the obvious reason you love her. I know it's not her birthday or an anniversary so what's up." Riley asks as Farkle freezes looking around nervously something he did when he didn't want to tell her something.
"Farkle.." she puts her hands on his shoulders looking at him. "What is it your freaking me out." He clears his throat and gestures to sit down making Riley nervous as well. "I'm going to asks Isadora to marry me." He looks at her and she smiles before hugging him. "Farkle that's fantastic. I'm so happy for you!" She shouts squeezing him tightly.
"Thanks I thought using her love for science in my proposal." Farkle tells her as they pull apart. "Is that okay?" He asks making her look at him with a confused expression. "Is what okay? You getting engaged?" She asks as he nods his head making her smile. "Farkle I love you and I don't want you to hide your happiness from me."
"Are you sure I know you and..." Riley cuts him off shaking her head and grabbing his hand smiling at him. "Yes I'm good. Besides if you didn't propose to her soon I was going to have to hurt you. Smackle and you are perfect for each other and I couldn't be happier for you."
He breathes a sigh of relief as she pulls him into another hug asking how he was going to do it.
Lucas swirled back in forth in his office chair staring at his phone. Something he has been doing for the last week and a half. That and standing across the street from Riley's house trying and failing to find the courage to walk up and talk to her.
"Screw it." He mumbles picking up his phone dialing her number before hanging up before pressing the last number. He sighs banging his head on his desk he didn't know why this was so hard. Yes he did. He still loved her and didn't know how to just be her friend and letting go of all those feelings he had for her.
He sighs lifting his head picking up his phone before putting it down and grabbing his jacket. He walks out rubbing his neck knowing he shouldn't be going where he was going but he had to see her. He takes a deep breath stopping at the corner of her block wishing she was outside so they could talk.
Although a part of him was hoping she wasn't. That way they didn't have to talk and he wouldn't feel like he was getting stepped on. He takes another deep breath and starts walking towards her house admittedly regretting it when he sees and hears her outside smiling and laughing.
He couldn't see very well who she was laughing with but it killed him to know she moved on already. He turns around to walk away when he stops hearing her call out his name. He turns back around and watches as she walks towards him with a small smile on her face. "Hey." Lucas mumbles out as Riley tucks the hair behind her ear.
"Hi." They stare at each other as Lucas rubs his neck and Riley bites her lip. "So Kenny was telling the truth." She whispers just loud enough for him to hear. He widened his eyes turning red looking towards the store.
"I didn't think anyone seen me." He tells her as she smiles. They stare at each other a little longer before Lucas clears his throat. "I should go." He tells her as he starts to walk away but freezes when she grabs his hand. "That's it?" She asks holding on to his hand.
"Well there's not much left for me to say." He tells her taking his hand from hers. "So that's it. You don't even want to try being friends with me?" She asks as he starts to walk away with her following. "I'm not like you Riley I can't just turn off what I feel for you." He stops walking turning around when he sees she had stopped following him.
"That's what you think I'm doing?" She asks as he walks towards her. "Well it's pretty obvious." He tells her regretting it as soon as he says it. He wasn't sure why he was being an ass to her she had every right to move on if she wanted to. She folds her arms across her chest frowning at him.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She asks getting angry with him. He gestures back towards her house and she shakes her head at him. "I guess you never really knew me at all then." She whispers mostly to herself but Lucas catches it. She sniffs shaking her head once again walking back towards her place without a backwards glance at him.
He watches as she goes back feeling like the biggest jerk on the planet when he sees she was with Auggie who stops looking his way before following her into the house. Lucas sighs walking towards her place but stopping and walking the other way.
"Ranger Rick I could just kill you!" Maya shouts at him from the foot of his bed. He groans looking at her before getting up knowing he wasn't going to get any sleep. "How did you get in here?" He asks as she follows him into the kitchen.
"I let her in." His grandma tells him with a smile handing him a plate of food. He gives her a look as she gives it right back to him. "Well Hucklebunch you have anything to say for yourself?" Maya asks tapping her foot. "Is there something you would like to hear?" He asks pouring himself coffee.
"You know Riley told me I shouldn't come over here but I just can't believe you thought she could move so quickly from you." Lucas sighs setting his cup down before looking at her. "I know Maya I'm an idiot. But I don't know how to just be her friend after everything we had. Tell me how she turned off her feelings and I'll do the same."
Maya looked at him weirdly before laughing out loud at him. "Wow you really are dumb. She didn't turn off her feelings she's hiding them and pretending to be okay. It's what she does when she doesn't want to feel sad she hides behind her smile and throws herself into different projects to distract herself."
Lucas looks at her before looking at his cup of coffee that had turned cold. "Maybe she was right and you don't know her if you think she still doesn't love you and want you in her life." She leaves after that leaving him with his thoughts.
Riley smiled as she sat across from Auggie at the kitchen table of her parents place. They were having their family fun day something her mom suggested since she felt left out of when they had their brother sister wars that their dad joins in with them.
They were currently having breakfast as their mom told them what she had planned for them that day. "So breakfast first and then I thought maybe a morning movie followed by laser tag or bowling?" She asks as they all look at her weirdly.
"Mom I thought you didn't like bowling?" Auggie tells her as she shakes her head. "I like it it's just sometimes the rental shoes still smell and feel sweaty like they don't clean them very well." Auggie and Riley laugh as they finish their waffles.
"I say laser tag then. Defend my title." Riley tells her as Auggie sticks his tongue out at her. Her mom agrees as she grabs her purse and they head out. "Cory I'm not watching a movie about a shark attack this early in the morning." Their mom tell him as Riley and Auggie laugh standing behind them listening to them bicker.
"Okay the new superhero movie." Topanga announces getting the tickets as Riley and Auggie grab snacks. They watch the movie with Riley and Auggie saying all the dialogue to each other driving their mom crazy.
They head next to the arcade since their mom said she would try bowling again. They bowl a couple of frames and shake their heads in wonder at their mom who out bowled them throwing strike after strike.
They have a picnic in the park watching and laughing as their dad chases after a duck who stole his sandwich. Riley took pictures of it and of Auggie re-enacting it for her again as their dad frowned at them.
They head over to play laser tag but Auggie and their dad get distracted by the new dance game they have.
"How you doing?" Her mom asks as they watch their dad and Auggie dance. Riley looks at her giving her a small smile and a shrug. Honestly Riley had no idea how she was after her run in with Lucas. She thought he take time and agree to be friends to work on their relationship but now she sees maybe that wasn't going to happen.
"I'm alright I guess. One day at a time right." Her mom puts her arm around her kissing her head. "Yes one day at time sweetheart." Riley smiles as her mom shakes her head. "Looks like we might need to cut this family day short."
Riley looks at her and she gestures at her dad who was red as a tomato hunched over the dance game. Riley laughed taking his picture and one of Auggie pretending to stand over his body.
Her and Auggie were laughing looking over the pictures as they walked through the gate of her house when Auggie stops. "What?" Riley asks still looking at the pictures on her camera.
He gestures towards her porch where Lucas was sitting but stands as soon as he sees her.