AN: And I am back! At least for this chapter. I really want to finish this story but writer's block is truly the devil. And it doesn't help that the show got canceled and "A Walk to Remember" is no longer on Netflix that last time I checked. So yeah, bad apology, but I am sorry for the long delay. Hope you like this chapter. All mistakes are mine. I don't have a beta and I do minimal editing. Enjoy!
It shouldn't have shocked Lucas to find that Mr. Matthews was standing in the sitting room of the apartment waiting for the two of them. He was, after all, Riley's father. How that thought had escaped his mind, Lucas had no idea.
"I see that the two of you have finally made your way home. Any particular reason you were so late, Riley?" Mr. Matthews asked, looking directly at Lucas despite asking the question to his daughter. Lucas inwardly cringed and looked away down at the coffee table. The dried ring on the chestnut wood suddenly held his awareness.
He felt Riley gave a little shrug from his side before she replied back. "Well, you know how it gets at the end of the school day, Dad. Everyone is rushing to get to their lockers without a care; you know that I like to take my time. I do believe that is one of the reasons you don't stay behind to come home with me. And then of course, it's New York City. When are the subways ever on time when you need them to be, huh?"
Mr. Matthews gave a low scoff and finally shifted his gaze to Riley. "Riley, while you are usually do get home later than I do, it is a tad out of the norm for you to be this late. I cannot help but wonder why exactly that is." Again, Mr. Matthews gave an obvious look over to Lucas before going back to Riley.
The father and daughter were suddenly caught in a silent conversation all done between facial expressions and gestures that Lucas was not privy to. In fact, it appeared as though the two forgot that Lucas was even in the room. Lucas was more than happy for this bit of reprieve. He had been overtaken by gut-tightening guilt from the moment he saw Mr. Matthews.
If there was anyone Lucas felt as though he disappointed more than his own mother, it was Mr. Matthews. Mr. Matthews had met with Lucas and his parents when they first moved to New York City. He made sure to let Lucas know that if he ever needed anything, if the cultural shock of moving from Texas to New York sometimes got too much or anything at all, he would be there as someone he could come to talk to. At the time, Lucas was very appreciative of the offer, since he never really had a teacher who would go through such lengths for their students. The only thing that Lucas knew from his experiences with teachers back in Texas was that they were quick to judge, and their dedication to students end at 4pm. So to have a teacher who would take the time to even think about how different life was going to be now was a pleasant surprise to Lucas.
It came to an even bigger surprise to him that the sentiment didn't change for Mr. Matthews even after he became friends with Riley. Sure, Mr. Matthews started acting a bit weird and neurotic whenever Lucas and Riley talked, however his initial feelings towards Lucas was steady. He never judged Lucas on his previous record, and his past never colored Mr. Matthews opinion of him. In fact, Mr. Matthews had great faith in Lucas's ability to grow into a great person if he let himself.
Even after Lucas had shoved Riley into the locker and hurt her, Mr. Matthews still tried to talk to Lucas to see what was going on. Lucas, however, was not in the mood talk to anyone about what was going on and ignored all Mr. Matthews's attempts. He was very sure at some point Mr. Matthews had called his mother to figure out what was going on. Later Mr. Matthews kept looking at him with understanding, rather than pity, but it still caused intense anger in him. But after awhile, he gave up just like everyone else. And that thought caused Lucas to feel more anger than anything else, even though it wasn't fair to Mr. Matthews and completely illogical.
"Cory, let it go. They are here now, and they should get started immediately. Curfew is still a thing, even if school stuff seems to get in the way." A voice called out, breaking Lucas's inner musings.
There Mrs. Matthews stood, in her impeccably put together. There was no sign of her no doubt busy day in her blouse, blazer, or skirt. Lucas can never recall a time when Mrs. Matthews ever looked anything less than perfect. She looked exactly like the type of person anyone would expect a hot shot lawyer who wins cases would look like.
Seeing Mr. Matthews and Mrs. Matthews together always made Lucas wonder how exactly they could have ever gotten together and stay together. Lucas felt another pang in his heart thinking how two people so different could still be in love after so many years while his own parents, who seemed too compatible with similar interests couldn't.
Shaking his head to try to clear his thoughts, Lucas cleared his throat and turned to Riley. "Where are we going to work?"
Riley finally looked away from her father and now mother, and turned to him. "We are working in my room. Follow me." She said with a slight smile.
For a second, Lucas stood struck by how pretty that smile was. He suddenly flashed back to that subway ride all those years ago when she first fell into his lap. It was the first thing he noticed about her.
"I don't think so Riles. You are working right here." Mr. Matthews said, voice rising.
"Mom?" Riley said, turning to her mother pleading.
Her mother gave heaved a sigh. "Cory, just let them go. Riley will keep the door open. Right, Riley?" She said, looking expectant. Lucas felt heat rise to his cheeks in embarrassment at the implication.
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Riley asked confused.
Lucas wanted to face palm, she can't be that naïve could she? But then again, this is the same girl who has an unnatural love for a planet that is no longer planet. So yeah, she totally could be this naïve.
"Come on, Matthews, show me to where we are working so that way we can finish this up as soon as possible." Lucas said, trying to keep his voice light and devoid of any real emotion.
Riley nodded, and started walking down the hall. Lucas followed after her, going slower to inspect the photo frames lining the walls leading to her bedroom as much as he could without being obvious. There were many that showed Riley and her family at different times in their lives. It wasn't until he saw those photos did it strike Lucas at how different Riley looked from her middle school photo to her most current high school photo. Riley, who seemed so full of life and color in middle school, was now muted and dulled. It was so weird. Lucas couldn't help but wonder what had happened.
Once they got into Riley's room, they quickly got their scripts out and started running lines. After a few times of going through scenes, Lucas's mouth started getting dry. "Hey, do you think I could get some water?" He asked, giving a little cough.
Riley looked at him in sympathy. "Yeah sure, I am so sorry I didn't get a chance to ask if you wanted anything before. Just give me a moment."
Lucas nodded as she left the room. He was just sitting around, rereading the script again when he started to hear some voices coming from the kitchen area. Getting curious, he got up from his perch on Riley's bed, and walked out towards where the voices were coming from. He hid himself in the shadows in the corridor as he saw Mr. Matthews, Mrs. Matthews, and Riley arguing. His curiosity increased as soon as he realized he was part of the subject they were talking about.
"Riley, I know that you want to help Lucas. But what do you know about his intentions?" Mr. Matthews asked.
"His intentions? God, you sound like Maya. I thought his intentions were quite clear. He didn't want to be made a fool of during the play so he asked for help. What other intentions could he possibly have?"
Mr. Matthews looked incredulous. "Riley, you cannot think that is the only thing an eighteen year old boy wants from a wholesome girl like you." Hearing Mr. Matthews say that made Lucas flush with anger; so much for Mr. Matthews's faith.
Riley rolled her eyes. "Well then Dad, tell me what exactly does an eighteen year old boy want from a wholesome girl like me?"
From the look that Lucas saw flash across Riley's face, she obviously had some pleasure in seeing her father gape like a fish. At least until he shouted "HE WANTS TO TOUCH SOMETHING! I know what boys like that want, because I was a boy like that." He finished plainly.
"Okay, so I'll let him touch something." Riley said with a careless shrug.
Once again, it seemed as though Mr. Matthews didn't have anything to say. "Topanga!" He called out to his wife.
"Okay time out." Mrs. Matthews finally interjected. "Riley, stop trying to give your father a heart attack. Please? And Cory, you need to just take a breath and realize that even you don't believe that is why Lucas is here. For all the things that have happened to that boy and everything that he has done in response, you still believe in him and his ability to do good. So can we please just go back to what this is really about?" She looked at her husband expectantly. He couldn't stand looking at her, and turned back to his daughter.
"Riley please listen to me." Mr. Matthews pleaded with her.
"Dad, we've been through this already." Riley replied, suddenly looking very tired.
"I know we have, but can you really tell me that everything is okay? What about this new arrangement that you have Lucas? Can you tell me that you know exactly what you are risking?"
Riley walked to her dad purposefully. "Dad," she said as she grabbed his hand in hers. "You and Mom promised that everything was my choice. So please can you trust me?"
Mr. Matthews took his hand out of Riley's grasp, and brought both of his hands to both her cheeks. "I will always trust you Riley, always."
"We both do." Mrs. Matthews said, her voice filled with emotion.
A bright, smile spread across her face. "Thank you," Riley replied looking at both her parents, "Both of you."
It appeared that everything was finally all settled between the three of them, so Lucas hurriedly made his way back to Riley's room. He couldn't help but turn the conversation he overheard in his head over and over.
So deep in his thoughts that he was not aware of when Riley came back into the room.
"Here is your water." Riley handed him the glass that was in her hand. "You okay?" She asked when she saw the searching look on Lucas's face.
He was missing something, but he didn't know what.
"I'm fine."
But, he was going to find out what that is.
