A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, adds and alerts. This chapter would have been posted sooner, but made a lot of changes to further the story along. With that said, I hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

CHAPTER THREE

The alarm sounded quietly at first, barely stirring Lucas from his slumber. The alarm sounded again, but this time louder making him roll over to switch it off whist pulling the pillow over his head to cover his ears.

"Monsieur Lucas, wake up." He heard the thick French accent of his maid's voice coming from the other side of his bedroom door. "Please, you'll be late for school." She knocked on the large wooden door politely. When there was no answer, she knocked again. "Monsieur?" She slowly opened the door and quietly walked in. Lucas groaned and pulled the blanket over his head as the maid opened the curtains to let in the faint morning sunlight. "Lucas, it's time to wake up."

A soft mumble could be heard through the blankets. The maid tried to grab the sheets off him, but Lucas grabbed it back holding it tightly. She sighed, realizing that Lucas didn't seem to be getting up any time soon. Taking matters into her own hands, she began to shake him lightly, forcing him to reluctantly climb out of bed.

He took a quick shower and walked to the changing room where he dressed into his school uniform khaki pants and white rolled up long sleeve button-up shirt. Looking in the mirror, Lucas loosened his skinny red base with blue and white stripes tie and made sure his designer navy blazer was on straight. After lightly gelling his hair and brushing his teeth, he ran down the stairs and took the elevator down to the lobby. He stepped outside where his driver Andre, in a black suit and tie with sunglasses, was waiting for him.

"Good morning, Mr. Friar." He greeted him warmly as he opened the back door of the vehicle.

"No need for formalities, Andre. Just call me Lucas." He said, stepping inside the back seat of the black Cadillac Escalade.

"Very well, Lucas." Andre closed the door and slid into the driver's seat.

The ride was quiet with the radio softly playing in the background. For all of fifteen minutes, Lucas stared out the window at the many pedestrians and cars on the streets. He was staring off into the distance as if he were lost in thought, looking at the different people when suddenly someone caught his eye. Appearing from the underground subway station and onto the sidewalk was the pretty brunette from school wearing the uniform plaid navy skirt with a grey cardigan over a white button up blouse and black cross tie. His eyes trailed down to her long, toned legs that were half covered with black knee-high socks. For some inexplicable reason he was drawn to her, and the rest of him instantly longed to follow.

"Pull over right here."

"Sir?"

"Pull over." He demanded.

Andre followed Lucas' instruction and parked the car by the side of the road. Without giving much of an explanation, Lucas then immediately got out of the vehicle and hurried to cross the street to catch up with her.

"Hey!" He yelled and slowed down by the time he reached the sidewalk. The brunette stopped dead in her tracks as she spun around and smiled brightly at him.

"Lucas. Hey!"

"Hey…" he said again with a smile. "Riley, right?"

"Yeah."

"Um, I saw you…just now while I was in the car on the way to school." He spoke nervously, clearing his throat. "Did you need a ride or something?"

Riley's eyes snapped up to his with a mixture of surprise and confusion. She heard many stories about Upper East Siders. It pleased her to know chivalry existed among them.

"Oh no, it's only a few blocks away. I actually prefer walking." She assured him and he looked her over, nodding.

"Oh. Okay." His face had a look that almost seemed like disappointment.

"Thanks for the offer though."

He smiled. "Yea, sure." There was a moment of silence as he looked around awkwardly, trying to think of something to say. "May I join you?" He dared to ask, raising his eyebrows hopefully. "I mean…if that's alright with you?" Riley looked at him for a long second, and then gave a nervous nod.

"Of course." She replied with a smile. "I could use the company."

She gestured with her hand for Lucas to walk beside her, and in a moment they were walking side by side towards school. It was slightly chilly out, but neither seemed to notice. They would look passingly at the tall buildings and trees, or up at the blue sky with a few patches of lingering clouds. Every now and then he would steal a glance at her, watching as her eyes lit up in curiosity and wonder at every building and every living thing that they come across. Lucas was quiet for another minute, and then he asked. "So what's your story?"

"My story?" She looked a bit confused.

"Yea. You know…what brings you to Thomas Jefferson Prep?"

"Oh…" She lightly giggled, the sound of her soft laughter melting his heart. "Well...I didn't have much of a choice. Where my father goes, I go too." She mumbled the last bit so fast and low, he didn't quite catch it. He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate. "You see both my parents got promoted. My Mom is an attorney working for a big law firm and my Dad is a former teacher who is now head of an entire school. Money started pouring in, and they were making more than enough to send me to a prep school to better my chances in getting into an Ivy League."

"Where to?"

"Harvard."

He nodded as they crossed the street, the city passing them by as each step takes them closer to school.

"But anyway, what about you?" She asked while giving him a sideway glance. "What's your story?"

Lucas looked at her in surprise. "You really want to know my story? A privileged kid from the Upper East Side with very rich parents?"

"Why not? Something tells me there is more to you than just what's on the surface." They stopped at another intersection, waiting until it was safe to cross the street. His gaze settled on her face for a long, tense moment. He said nothing for a few beats as she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Ok...well…" he began hesitantly, "I grew up in Austin, Texas."

"Aww, you're a country boy." She teased, causing him to blush a light shade of red. "That explains the teeny weeny accent. But go on."

"I grew up in my Pappy Joe's—my grandfather's farm and helped raise animals. We grow and harvest our own produce and sell it to neighboring markets. What first started off as a successful small family business turned into an even bigger one. We now have multiple farms and land all over Texas and just recently a vineyard in California where we also sell wine."

"And how did you end up in New York?"

"Well my father wanted to expand the family business. He was specifically interested in international real estate and construction, so he founded Friar Enterprises, its main headquarters located here in Manhattan. And New York happens to be the place where he met by mother, who is a fashion designer and CEO of a fashion magazine."

"Wow…that's amazing. Your family must be pretty loaded." She said as Lucas chuckled.

"Yea…but it isn't glamorous as some people make it out to be." There was a tiny wistful tone in his voice. Riley wasn't sure what triggered it, but she assumed there was more to his life than he was letting on. So she simply nodded her head, knowing that it was none of her business as they approached the front of the school building and stood by the stair steps that led to the main entrance.

"It must to be nice though…" she paused, turning to face him, "to have everything you ever wanted."

He had a strange vacant look on his face as he was staring at her intently; his gaze flickering from her eyes to her lips and then back to her eyes. "Not everything."

She felt her stomach tightened at the melancholy, but soft gleam in his emerald eyes. They stood in silence looking at each other and smiling for maybe a little too long when they were suddenly brought out of it by the sound of the first warning bell. Her gaze fell behind him and her eyes widened.

"Oh god! I…uh, gotta go to class." She said hurriedly, realizing the time.

"Yea, that makes two of us."

"Thanks for walking with me."

"Of course. Thanks for letting me." Lucas smiled down at her and she laughed quietly through closed lips.

"I'll see you around. Thanks again!"

He smiled while he watched her leave, waiting for a short amount of time before he headed to his class.

"So who's the girl?"

The quiet voice from behind him made him jump, a curse slipping from his lips as he spun around to see Zay standing a few feet away, eyes watching him with a cheeky grin.

"What?" Lucas blinked at him distractedly as Zay rolled his eyes at him.

"The girl who you were walking to school with and talking to just now." He inquired as his lips quirked up into a smile. "Yeaaa…I saw you two. She's in my literature class. She's pretty cute, right?"

"Her name is Riley. What's it to you?" Lucas asked as they began walking up the concrete stair steps.

"Nothing, just surprised you're even talking to someone."

"I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"I meant a girl."

"Maya's a girl and I talk to her all the time." Lucas explained.

"That's different, man. You have that look on your face."

"That look?" He asked, confused.

"Yes…of someone who is interested." Zay declared with a knowing smile. Lucas' eyes widened and he sucked in a breath. He could feel his whole face beginning to heat up.

"What? No! I barely know her. I've met her just two days ago. It's not like that—" Lucas frantic stammering was cut off midstream as Zay nodded and patted his shoulder.

"No need to explain, Luke. If you say it's nothing, it's nothing."

He gave a sigh of relief as they entered the school. "Thank you."

"Which is probably a good thing considering she is the Dean's daughter." Lucas shot him a look, his gaze boring into Zay's with his mouth hanging slightly ajar.

"W-what?"