The thing is, Lucas was not always such a problem child. To be completely truthful, he was actually a pretty okay kid. He was attentive in class, got semi good grades, and was on the peewee baseball, basketball, and football team in grade school. He was a typical "All-American" young boy. In fact, he was also a very good friend. Lucas was such a good friend that he had no problem bailing out his best friend, Isaiah Babineaux out of trouble. The only problem with that was that Isaiah- or Zay, as he likes to be called- always seemed to find himself in tight situations that involved people who were older, taller, and a hell of a lot stronger than him.
One such time, back when they were in fifth grade, Zay thought it was would be a good idea to drop a bucket of paint on the head of one of the sixth graders who was being a jerk. While the idea had its merits- bullies needed to pay for what they do and say- they didn't exactly think of a thorough way to avoid getting caught. In the end, the sixth grader they dropped the paint on and his three friends decided to corner them after school. Lucas, using his agile fifth grade boy body, was able to out-move and defeat his opponents. The downside of that was that the school that he had gone to had a zero-tolerance policy, and thus, expelled him from the school.
Unfortunately, he had a bunch of problems with the students at the next school he went to that he started getting into fights practically every day. He was suspended so many times that he had to redo the sixth grade due to all the missed work and class time. His mother and father were at their wits end about what to do with Lucas's school problems.
Luckily (or as it turned out unluckily), Lucas's father was offered a job position in New York City. Mr. Friar had been a doctor in the military for years, and had finally decided to leave the military and expand away from the armed forces. After interviewing extensively with different practices, he finally found what he was looking for in New York City. So at the start of seventh grade, the Friars left their Texas ranch house for an apartment in the Big Apple.
Lucas's parents had told Lucas that being in a new place meant that he had a clean slate. His father told him that he had the perfect chance to be the man he wanted to be without his past clouding his peers' judgments. He was the first person to talk about all the potential Lucas had if he only allowed himself the chance to make good choices. The whole speech was so uplifting and motivating that Lucas let himself believe in his father's words.
His first week at his new middle school proved that everything his father told him could be true. It all started on his first day when on the subway he met two very interesting friends. One of which could be considered his ex, if a very quick succession of events told of a love story gone bad in barely a minute counted. The other one, though, was pushed backwards by her friend and he reflexively caught her in his lap so she wouldn't fall flat on her face. He later found out that he was in their history class, taught by the falling girl's father. He even helped her realize that the "class rebel" label wasn't her at all, and at the end of the day he made three very good friends- Maya Hart, Farkle Minkus, and Riley Matthews. Lucas was so happy that everything was turning out okay that he didn't even realize the terrible thing that was happening between his parents until it already was all done and over with.
Apparently, his father had ended bumping into his old high school sweetheart while waiting on line to buy a coffee and pastry at a Pret A Manger near his father's work. It had all started innocently enough, where they would meet up and talk about everything that had been happening in their lives. But slowly, it became so much more. Lucas's dad would show up late from work, stating that he had last minute patients that needed to be seen. He would get constant texts and phone calls during times when he was home, which he would claim were from the other doctors from the shared clinic he worked at. And then finally, the week-long "conferences" started happening.
Mrs. Friar was not a blind to the changes that she saw in her husband. It was by fate that she learned of her husband's affair very quickly. She had seen them through the window of some high scale restaurant she was passing by on her way home from work one day early on in their rekindled relationship. At this point, it was before the frequent late nights at the office. Not counting the situation she was currently presented with, she and her husband had always been completely honest with each other from their very first date. Mrs. Friar could always read her husband like an open book. She knew all along where this was all headed. Her husband told her all about his first love, his high school sweetheart, his "one that got away." At first, seeing the two of them together made her so angry. How could he do that to her? However, that anger slowly turned to resignation. Objectively speaking, the couple before her looked so in love. They showed her that true love could stand the test of time and distance. She knew that her husband loved her, but she held no candle to the love of his life. But she also knew that with the honesty they shared as a wedded couple, her husband was not going to be able to keep the affair secret for long. A few nights later, just before things started getting very serious between her husband and his lover, he told her everything. Things were said, tears were shed, but ultimately they realized that they couldn't stay together anymore. The two decided that Mr. Friar would move out, and that they would tell Lucas about the new arrangement together.
With everything going on and Lucas adjusting and doing so well in school, they didn't want to do anything that would ruin that. So they waited until they could find a good time to tell him. However, they knew that if they waited too long it would just end up being a bigger disaster than it already would be. So just after winning the seventh grade class presidency, they both sat him down and told him everything. Suffice to say, Lucas did not take it very well. That weekend when Mr. Friar left with his things, Lucas told him he didn't want anything to do with him anymore, that his dad should just pretend he didn't have a son anymore, and that he wished his dad would rot in hell. Lucas later went to his room and trashed it. When his mother had come in to check on him, she saw that most of his things were broken. After looking at him just sitting on the floor with his back leaning against his bed, she saw that the most important thing that got broken that day was his heart.
As much as she tried in the days following, she was unable to help him piece it back together. His father was his absolute hero, and to realize that his hero was so humanly flawed just threw him. Which was evident when his grades started slipping, his attitude started acting up, and he started getting into trouble. When his friend Zay moved to New York City after his dad got a transfer, Lucas regressed back to the normal "Texas Lucas". Due to his new, bad behavior, Lucas lost his president spot on the student council. He had pretty much lost everything he cared for at this point, and felt so numb. It was this empty feeling that led to him promising himself that he would not care for anything anymore, because nothing is guaranteed to last forever.
His new friends tried to help him out, especially Maya- who knew exactly what it was like to have a father walk out- but he was not interested. Lucas started building walls around his crumbled heart, and only let bitter resentment and deep rage seep through. After a while, Lucas started saying horrible things about the three of them that they eventually stopped trying to talk to him.
Whenever he passed them in the halls or had classes with them, Farkle would look quickly to him and then turn away just as fast to avoid his gaze. Maya, on the other hand, would often instigate him or glare at him, hoping he would start something. Not to disappoint, he would raise to challenge, and then neither of them would back down due to their shared stubbornness. The only thing that usually stopped them was Riley. She would quietly tell Maya to let it go, grab her by the arm, and drag her away. And then, like always, she would turn around and give Lucas this searching, resolute look, and walk away with her best friend towards wherever Farkle was waiting for them. And then, like always, Lucas would feel this momentary pang of guilt and hopefulness in his broken heart for a split second. Which he would later trample down the very next second, and carry on with his life.
The reason behind Farkle's hesitance and Maya's wrath was what happened a few weeks after Lucas started pulling away from the group. They were exiting Mr. Matthew's class one day when Riley had stopped him in the hall. Riley told him that she knew he was hurting and that he was acting out because of it. But that didn't mean she didn't still care for him or still consider him a friend. She had also told him that she missed him a lot, and that when the time came when he was ready to be the guy she always knew he could be, his friends- especially her- would be there waiting for him with open arms. When she had finished saying this, she looked at him with soft, pleading eyes, hoping to make him understand. He didn't say anything for a moment, but seeing her hopeful face, he wanted to apologize for the way he was being. He wanted to tell her he didn't want to be this way, but that "Texas Lucas" was the only thing he knew how to be so he could prevent from getting burned again.
But instead, he told her to stop living with her head in the clouds and that being such a naïve little girl was not attractive. The real world would have so much fun chewing her up and spitting her out, and that if she didn't grow up soon life will massacre her. He went to walk away, but since Riley was in his way he shoved into her as he left. Unfortunately, in his rage, he accidently shoved her too roughly and she hit into the wall of lockers hard. He had overheard from a couple of students that Mr. Matthews and Maya had to walk her to the nurse's office because it was painful for her to stand up straight and walk herself.
The next day, she came in late to school and was walking slowly. The first time Lucas saw her after their conversation was when he walked into her father's classroom the next day. As he was passing by her desk to get to his, she looked up at him with big doe eyes with so many different emotions swirling in them. If asked today, Lucas could not tell a single one apart. But what he could remember was how watery her eyes seemed for a second before Mr. Matthews started his lesson. That was when Maya started becoming more hostile to him as well.
To be more accurate, Maya had started becoming more protective of Riley in every way. Not only just to him, but to anyone who said or did anything against her. Missy had ended up saying something mean about Riley in Maya's vicinity a few days later, and ended up having her sloppy joe fall on her dress by Maya. Maya had all but told Lucas to stay the heck away from Riley, and he was more than happy to oblige. That way he was able to get her, and how he hurt her both physically and emotionally, off his mind. However, her constant, silent looks filled with meaning that he couldn't for the life of him decipher, followed him all throughout the rest of their middle school and high school years.
Even now, as he started mopping up the gym floor while the astronomy club was having their weekly meeting, he could still feel her eyes straying from the group and fall on him. Lucas tried to maintain unperturbed by her lingering gaze by listening to music from his Ipod. But that didn't mean that the conversation the group was having went completely unheard by him.
"So this is a simple device made with plastic wrap, a coat hanger, and some wire. Does anyone know what this is?" Lucas heard Riley say from his current position a few feet away. She was holding up some rectangle contraption up in front of her for the newbie freshmen to guess.
"It's a star frame." Lucas said aloud in a falsely bright voice, sliding the mop back and forth across the floor.
Riley turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. He just smirked at her in response.
Lucas saw her turn back to her fellow club members without verbally acknowledging him, and continued. "This is a star frame. You can use it to locate stars and planets with your naked eye." The rest of what she was saying was drowned out by the sudden arrival of Lucas's group of "friends", who barreled into the gym specifically to make fun of him.
Lucas uses the word "friends" loosely, since the only one that he would really, and truly, count as a friend was Zay. The rest of the guys- which included Charlie Gardner and Ricky Bowman- were just extra. Sure he didn't mind hanging around them, he had some pretty good memories with them and Missy Bradford and Serena Abel, of skipping class and sneaking into an abandoned warehouse to smoke and drink back in sophomore year. But, at the same time he would trust them only as far as he could throw them. Which, truth be told, wasn't really all that far regardless of how strong Lucas was. Lucas nodded his head to them in acknowledgement of their arrival.
"Mercury and Jupiter can be seen just over the west, south-western horizon after sunset." Riley continued to explain despite the ruckus the guys were making.
"Bet you can see angels up there flying around." Charlie said to her with a smirk as the group passed by. Zay and Ricky snickered, both putting out their fists for fist bumps for such a remark. Lucas didn't think find the comment all that funny, so he didn't react.
The thing is, Charlie had always been particularly mean to Riley ever since they started high school. Apparently back in middle school he had a crush on her and asked her out. Even though she had politely told him back then that she was not comfortable dating in middle school and hoped he understood, he took it horribly and decided to make her life hellish. It just got steadily worse as they entered high school, and seemed to reach a fever pitch their final year. It didn't help that Riley always seemed so calm and collected, and ready with a quick remark, whenever dealing with Charlie. Just like right now.
"Actually, in fact there are some things that could be called miraculous." Riley told him. "Even Einstein said that the more he studied the universe, the more he believed in a higher power."
Charlie scoffed. "Well, if there is a higher power, then why is it he can't get you another sweater?"
"He's too busy looking for your brain." Riley replied plainly, her upper lip quirking upwards a bit at the corners.
"Daaaaamn. Burn!" Zay exclaimed, wrapping an arm around the now stunned speechless Charlie's shoulder. Charlie roughly shrugged it off while he and Ricky laughed harshly at his expense.
Lucas, seeing the stunned expression turning to anger, quickly intervened to prevent making a scene. "Hey, come on. Laugh, it was a joke man."
"Whatever." Charlie muttered, moving away from the astronomy club and Riley, and towards Lucas. "Let's go." He finished
"I can't. Gotta stay or Principal Bigby will have my ass." Lucas told them.
"Come on, Lucas, Principal Bigby is gone. Let's make a move." Zay said enthusiastically. Charlie reached over by the wall and grabbed the crutch Lucas had been using to move around. Not that he actually needed it that much anymore. His sprain wasn't so bad anymore and he could finally put some weight on it without feeling intense pain.
"I, uh…" Lucas hesitated.
"Uhhh," Charlie mimicked. "Come on, dude." He continued, leaning against the crutch.
"I don't know." Lucas replied back, thinking about how disappointed his mother would be if he ended up getting caught again and punished harsher than he already was.
"Well, whenever you are done being such a bitch, come find us. We're headed to Topanga's with Missy and Serena." Ricky told him. "However," he continued mockingly. "This whole cleaning thing, though, really suits you. Sexy, even." He finished with wiggling eyebrows.
Lucas rolled his eyes. "Aw, thanks buddy. Really." He said. "You guys can go."
With exaggerated blow kisses and extra laughs, the guys left Lucas to finish up his janitorial duties. As soon as they left, something compelled Lucas to turn towards Riley.
And once again, Riley had this peculiar look on her face directed just to him. If Lucas read her expression correctly, he could have sworn it looked like she was proud of him for choosing to see through his punishment.
Not liking the unusual feeling that was bubbling in his chest, he quickly went back to finishing his job. Lucas was hoping that there wouldn't be any more distractions, but the world was against him on that. Which, honestly, wasn't really all that new to him.
"Hey, Huckleberry! You missed a spot!" Lucas groaned. Of course the world would send Maya Hart into the gym precisely at this moment.
"Run along, Short-stack. Nothing to see here." Lucas called out.
Maya smirked. "True. Just seeing some Texas tumbleweed blowing away in the wind." She got up really close to him, pursed her lips, and blew air into his face.
Before Lucas could say or do anything, Maya skipped along to Riley. "Ready to go, Riles?" She asked her best friend.
Riley shook her head. "Not yet, Maya. There is still ten minutes left."
"So, let the noobs out early, pretty sure they wouldn't mind. Right?" Maya questioned the five freshmen that made up the club. All of them looked up at her with wide eyes, unsure what to respond with.
Real noob behavior, if Lucas was honest. Maya Hart was like a dog, she could smell fear from a mile away. Those freshies had no idea what they were in for.
As he was thinking this, Lucas didn't really notice that someone else had come into the gym to see him.
"Lucas!" Missy called out as she walked towards him.
Lucas winced. This is just the fricking cherry on the cake of this crappy day. "Missy, what are you doing here?" Lucas asked, trying really hard to be polite.
"Serena and I were going to meet up with guys when they said that you were still here. Are you not going to come out with us? If you're not up to it we can go back to my house. My parents aren't going to be home until really late anyway, busy season and all that." Missy suggested, twirling a piece of her long brown hair around her index finger.
Aware that he had the attention of his two former friends, he knew he had to tread carefully. "I don't think that's such a good idea." Lucas told her.
Missy stopped twirling her hair. "What? Why?"
"Missy, we've been over this already many, many times. We are over." He told her slowly, hoping that after the millionth time telling her it will finally seep through.
"Well, yeah, I know that." Missy said.
"Nothing's changed." Lucas told her plainly.
Missy didn't even bother to reply as she stomped out of gym in a huff.
"Trouble in paradise, Friar?" Maya sniggered. She only stopped when Riley elbowed her in the side.
"Fuck you, Hart." Lucas remarked.
"As if." Maya countered. "Who knows where you've been."
Lucas wanted to so badly to wipe the smug smirk off of Maya's face. He may have been a delinquent, but even he wouldn't stoop to the lowest of lows and really punch a girl. Even if that girl was a major pain in the ass like Maya Hart.
"Whatever, you aren't worth it." Lucas muttered to himself as he raised the volume on his Ipod and tried to ignore everyone and everything until he was done.
When he finally got home, he said hi to his mother, went to his room, belly-flopped onto his bed, and went straight to sleep without changing.
It was a wonderful, sweet surrender.
