Lucas had a skip in his step and a smile on his face, and it was all due to a certain brown-haired ray of sunshine.
When he had moved to New York from Texas, he had been livid at his father. But now, he knew he would never in a million years have been happier in Texas than he was in New York.
Riley was a different kind of girl. And maybe that was because she was Deaf, or maybe it was because she was just beautiful and happy and quirky and kind. She was the kindest girl Lucas had ever met.
Girls were different back in Texas. Everything was big and over dramatic, and everyone was loud. It was a give in that Riley Matthews was not the same.
Sure, New York was loud. Maya was loud, Zay was loud, Farkle was definitely loud.
But Riley was silent, and somehow she could say more to him, more to his heart, than anyone could have with their voice.
"I know all you kids are just going to ignore me," Mr. Matthews huffed as he entered the classroom. "But just because winter break starts tomorrow doesn't mean it starts today. Today we still have class, so will you all just pay attention to me?"
Riley glanced at Maya and they shared a smirk before Riley's eyes turned forward again to watch Jana's signing.
"Where's Farkle?" Mr. Matthews asked, setting his bag down at his desk, and screaming in surprise when Farkle popped up from under his desk.
"Farkle time, sir?"
"Farkle!" Mr. Matthews yelled. "You gave me a heart attack!"
Maya giggled.
"So no Farkle time?" Farkle deflated.
"Not until my heart starts beating normally!" Mr. Matthews exclaimed.
"I thought you loved Farkle time," Lucas piped up, and Mr. Matthews turned his glare at Lucas.
"You, shush!" He ordered, and Lucas chuckled. "I don't need any of your shenanigans today, chachi." He collapsed into his chair, holding his hand over his chest dramatically. "You kids are gonna be the death of me someday," he stated.
'Why someday?' Riley signed, as Jana spoke her words. 'Why not today?'
"They've got my own daughter against me!" Mr. Matthews exclaimed. "Alright, you know what?" He picked up his bag, shaking his head. "I give up. See you all in the new year. Class dismissed."
A cheer went up in the class, as Farkle high-fived Maya. It had all been a plan from the beginning, but none of the kids knew if it would actually work.
"Hot chocolate?" Lucas said and signed to his friends, and Maya eyed Farkle and Isadora.
"Actually, I have to go home," she declared. "But don't let me stop your fun!"
Lucas turned to Farkle and Isadora, and Farkle smiled apologetically.
"We are going holiday shopping," Isadora answered for the both of them.
"I love hot chocolate!" Zay exclaimed, and Maya kicked him. "I mean, boo. Who likes hot chocolate? I'm going to just go and… not drink hot chocolate."
"Why don't you and Riley go?" Maya suggested, watching Riley's eyes shine. "Why waste a good afternoon off?"
"You want to?" Lucas asked, signing to Riley.
She nodded excitedly. 'Yes, yes, yes! I love hot chocolate.'
"Well," Maya smiled, "you two kids have fun. I'll talk to you later!" She fingerspelled something to Riley, too fast for Lucas to catch, and Riley's mouth fell open as she knocked Maya, shaking her head, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
Lucas was dying to know what she had said, but he knew that if Maya had fingerspelled it that fast, neither of them wanted him to know.
As Maya headed for her locker, and Farkle and Isadora began to meander the other way, Lucas offered Riley his hand, and she took it, her smile lighting up her face.
"I'm going to go not drink hot chocolate," Zay pouted, turning to go after Maya. "I'll see you guys."
As Lucas and Riley walked towards the front door to the school, Lucas realized that he needed to put on his gloves if he wasn't going to freeze his hands off in the New York snow. But one glance at Riley told him that he didn't want to let go of her hands.
Outside, the wind blew across their noses, but Riley's hand was so warm that Lucas realized he wouldn't have needed gloves anyways. Besides, the heat bursting in his chest was enough to make him sweat in the coldest temperatures.
Or maybe that was nerves? Either way, Lucas was happy.
"Know any good coffee places?" Lucas said and signed, and Riley nodded.
'Dark Drip is my favorite,' Riley admitted. 'Don't tell my mom, though; Topanga's also sells hot chocolate!'
"Dark drip," Lucas repeated. "You know how to get there?"
Riley nodded, her smile making Lucas's stomach erupt in butterflies.
Gosh, she was beautiful. It wasn't just that Riley was traditionally attractive - although she definitely was - it was her personality that was so addicting to Lucas. Riley was so happy that it was contagious. She was so positive that Lucas could never see a downside when with her. Her smile was the most amazing thing he had ever seen, and he would never get tired of it.
And when she looked up at him with those doe brown eyes, he could tell that he would never find another girl as perfect as Riley Matthews.
A/N: I'm probably going to fail all of my classes, and it's only the first week. But, as we all know, we are the most productive in any other thing when we're procrastinating something.
I've gotten a lot of hate on Petrichor. There are lots of people who do enjoy it, and the louder minority who absolutely hate it. Angry, negative reviews make me anxious and reluctant to write anything at all. Just don't read it if you don't like it!
If you just want fluffy Rucas, read Anecdoche! The stories you do read and review get the most attention (I get an email every time there's a review, so I actually get reminders to continue writing books that get reviews).
Good news for fluffy Rucas fans - I have a few new fluffy Rucas stories in the works! They should be the same level as this book (happy, lovey-dovey, no-drama).
If you want Rucas but with a little more drama, I'm working on Nodus Tollens - which should have no mention of anything triangle- or Lucaya-related. But it will have more of a plot than Anecdoche, which is just fluffy fillers.
Anyways, I hope I've given people some hope regarding fluff. I'm not going to change or abandon Petrichor, but those who don't want to read it can just read other stories I write!
Kisses,
C