2. High School Bites
Lucas pulled his bike into Beacon Hills High School, feeling giddy. He rummaged through his athletic bag making sure he had all his equipment needed for lacrosse tryouts.
A heavy body bumped into him and he looked up to see blue-green eyes and floppy hair. Charlie Gardner. Lucas sighed inwardly.
Can't I catch a break? He thought.
"Watch where you're going, Friar," Charlie said roughly pushing past him to join his friends Brandon "Rebel" Johnson and Billy Ross.
"I wasn't even in your way," Lucas grumbled.
"Meathead already giving you a bad time?" Farkle said coming towards him an impish grin on his face. "Now what is it you wanted to show me?
Lucas pulled up his t-shirt to show him his patched up bite mark. A bit of blood was seeping through the white gauze.
"Ye-ouch," Farkle gagged, his nose crinkled. "That's disgusting and painful. What do you think it was? A random angry pooch?"
"This was no local feisty chihuahua, " Lucas paused for ominous effect. "I think it was a wolf."
Lucas stared at Farkle gravely. The serious look on Lucas' face broke into confusion as Farkle exploded in laughter. His eyes lighting up as he wiped away a fake tear. Lucas gave him a push and glared at him.
"I'm serious," Lucas snapped and turned to walk towards the school's entrance.
"Oh, I know that's the beauty of it," Farkle gasped catching up to him. "That's basically impossible. California hasn't had wolves in a long time, buddy." He clapped Lucas on the shoulder.
"So what are you suggesting?" Lucas asked shrugging his hand off. "Werewolf?" He joked.
Farkle shrugged, his eyes bright with amusement. "Could be."
"You need to stop watching those movies," Lucas pointed out. "I think it's affecting your brain."
"My noggin is in excellent form," Farkle laughed knocking on the side of his head. "Speaking of excellent form. Helllooo Maya Hart."
Maya Hart made her way towards the entrance stairs. Her long wavy blonde hair billowing in the wind and her crystal blue eyes gave one dramatic roll at Farkle's words.
"Don't talk to me," She said briskly before running up to her boyfriend Charlie Gardner.
"I blame you,"Farkle groaned as they entered the school.
"Me? What did I do?"
"You're a nerd. I'm a nerd by association. It's not hard to grasp."
"Whatever man," Lucas said giving Farkle a playful push.
They made their way to English. Lucas sat in his seat twirling his pencil when he heard an abrupt, obnoxiously loud ringing startled him. He scanned the room frantically trying to pinpoint the ringing. He finally found it.
He stared outside the window dumbfounded that he can hear the ringing from inside.
What kind of ringtone is that loud? He thought.
He saw a tall, slender brunette biting her lip nervously as she looked up at a tall, strong-shouldered boy with a beanie and leather jacket.
"Mom keeps calling me? You go on without me," said the pretty brunette. "I'll catch up and see you at lunch, Josh."
The boy nodded and walked away. The girl grabbed her phone and answered it.
"Yes mom Josh brought me here safely," the girl giggled. "No, I haven't seen dad yet." She quickly started searching through her bag. "Dang...no I forgot my pencil case. Hey, I need to go I see the administrator. Love you."
Mr. Reynolds made his way towards the girl. "Riley Matthews? Mr. Matthews daughter right? Your brother told me you were out here."
She nodded and made her way inside. Lucas could hear their voices as they walked down the hallway.
"Yeah, we just moved from New York. " She said.
"I hope you enjoy Beacon Hills and everything that entails," Mr. Reynolds opened the door, garnering the attention of the tenth grade English class. "Class I'd like you to meet our new student Riley Matthews. "
The class broke out into whispers and the pretty brunette smiled sheepishly. She made her way towards the empty seat behind Lucas. Lucas turned, blushing slightly, and gave her his pencil. She beamed at him.
"Thank you," She grinned, taking the pencil.
Their hands touched and Lucas blushed furiously at the electric feeling that ran through his body. Riley looked confused but just smiled and opened her notebook.
The bell blasted through the halls and Lucas ran to his locker, shoving his books inside. It was the end of school and he wanted to get to tryouts soon.
From across the hall, he could see Riley Matthews smiling timidly at him. He waved and she grinned. Maya Hart shoved her way through the crowd and looked at Riley with a bright smile.
"Love that jacket," She said flipping her long hair nonchalantly.
"Thanks," Riley smiled. "It was a gift from a family friend when she went to Paris."
"I want you to be my new best friend!" Maya exclaimed charmingly.
"How is it that she's new and already hanging with Maya Hart." Isadora Smackle said walking up to Lucas with Farkle right behind her.
"She's pretty," Farkle stated the obvious. "Pretty people stay in packs. That's why she's with Maya..."
He droned out Farkle and Smackle's arguing and focused on Riley who seemed uncomfortable at the approach of Charlie Gardner and Brandon. Charlie immediately went to kiss Maya and that gave Brandon a chance to try to be suave in front of Riley. She smiled politely but then stared at the ground.
"I'm throwing a party this Friday you should come," Charlie said holding Maya under his arm.
"I can't it's family game night on Friday, " Riley sighed.
"Oh, come on, Riles," Maya said shaking Riley's arm. "Live a little. It'll be fun."
"Yeah, I'll see," She said softly.
"You should come watch our tryouts," Brandon said smoothly, tucking his hair behind his ear and giving Riley a huge grin.
Maya grabbed Riley before she could respond and had her running towards the lacrosse field.
"Okay I got this," Lucas breathed as he warmed up, his ears perking up at a familiar voice.
"I swear this school is full of idiots," Maya grumbled as she noticed Icky Ricky checking her out from the front of the bleachers.
"Who's he?" Riley said nodding towards Lucas.
"He?" Maya scoffed. "He's the biggest idiot here. Him and his friend." Farkle waved at her stupidly from the field.
"FRIAR!" Coach Hiddleston hollered. He tossed Lucas some equipment. "You're goalie!"
"What? Sir, I -" Lucas started.
"No, nothing," Coach H yelled. "New year, Friar. These suckers need a confidence boost. Your horrendous goalkeeping is that confidence boost. Get going, kid."
Lucas groaned but obliged. He stood awkwardly swinging the stick and rolling his shoulders as he blocked the goal post.
Just breathe, Friar. He told himself.
The team all lined up ready to get tryouts started. He felt his lungs swell up and his throat constrict. He anxiously looked at the bleachers to see Riley waving at him with a kind smile on her face. He suddenly felt lighter and he positioned his body, readying himself for the oncoming onslaught of flying balls.
One by one, they began firing he balls towards him and to his surprise, he caught them with ease and agility. It was like time went n slow motion and it fascinated him. He could hear the faint cheer of the crowd every time he caught a ball.
He saw Charlie Gardner, red-faced and kicking his leg like a bull, shove his way to the front of the line. He gave Lucas a sinister glare before charging towards him and galloping into the air, only to land like a flying rhino on the ground. He exerted all his force out of his arms, swinging the stick outwards and sending the ball directly at...well Lucas' s set of them down under.
As time stood still, Lucas could feel his pulse racing and the air crackle with electricity. He swooped the stick lower and caught the ball racing through the air like a meteor.
The crowd went wild. They all hollered both excited and confused about how wimpy Lucas Friar caught Charlie Gardner's infamous hit.
Lucas grinned, shoving the lacrosse stick in the air triumphantly. Farkle grinned at him and he even saw Maya Hart clapping her hands cheerfully. However, it was the amused eyes of Riley Matthews that caught his eyes and his breath. Her hair was shining like melted milk chocolate in the sun and her mouth was perfectly carved into megawatt grin. One that rivaled the brightness and white of the moon. One that could only be associated with Riley Matthews.
Still in awe, he didn't even acknowledge the horrible looks of malice Charlie's gang were showing him. Or Coach H beckoning him.
"FRIAR!" Coach H screeched. "Get over here."
He could still hear Farkle screaming "that's my boy" repeatedly.
Lucas still high with satisfaction and glory, stumbled towards the coach with a goofy, lopsided grin plastered on his face.
"What the hell was that?" Coach H snapped, flailing his arms wildly to emphasize his points.
"That was me trying out for the team, sir," Lucas replied his eyebrows knitting in confusion.
"Yeah, I got that Einstein," Coach H pointed out. "I meant what happened to giving the players a confidence boost? You destroyed my players' self-esteem in all but fifteen minutes. That's unacceptable, Friar!"
Lucas could hear Charlie's shout of approval, but that didn't stop his protest.
"Sir, no offense but-" Lucas began hurriedly.
"I'm offended, Friar," Coach H shook his head, his hand twirling his whistle. "I'm offended you turned into the Michael Jackson of lacrosse today when at best you were a blind doppy seal the year before. That's completely unacceptable. It's completely unacceptable to be on the bleachers with that kind of talent, Friar. You start first line, boy, don't make me regret this!
"Truthfully I'm offended that you chose now to show your talent." Coach H said writing his name on his clipboard.
"Wait I'm starting first line?" Lucas could feel the giddiness start to bubble in his stomach.
"Well, that's what I said, old man. Get your hearing aid checked, grandpa." Coach H clapped him on the back. "Remember don't make me regret this."
"I'M STARTING FIRST LINE!" Lucas yelled to no one in particular but once again the crowd went wild.
"So when were you going to tell me you started training with professionals?" Farkle joked as he jumped over a puddle of mud in the middle of the forest.
They went there in search of his inhaler and flashlight.
"I'm telling you Farkle," Lucas said repeating what he had said a few minutes ago. "It's like time stopped. I could see ten times better. Hear everything so much clearer. Smell things I couldn't smell before. For example, that old bologna sandwich buried in your backpack."
"I don't have a bologna sandwich..." Farkle reached into the pits of his backpack to pull out an old baggie with a crusty sandwich. "Well, that's inedible. "
"I think the animals bite infected me," Lucas told me looking at the floor to find his inhaler and flashlight. "Do you think it's some kind of unnatural disease?"
"I know exactly what it is," Farkle mused. "Lycanthropy."
"Is that serious?"
"Oh yeah, but it only affects you once a month."
"What like a period?" Lucas questioned puzzled.
"Well I guess, but instead of bleeding. You'll be causing bloodshed," Farkle stated grinning wickedly. "It also causes you to sprout hair at the view of the full moon and to howl like crazy. Ah ooooh. I'm a the beast of the full moon. Werewolf. "
Farkle chuckled and Lucas punched his shoulder.
"Not funny again," Lucas rolled his eyes and ran his hands through the strewn leaves and dead foliage.
"Looking for something," said a deep mysterious voice.
They glanced up alarmed to see a tall man built like a horse with a shock of dark hair and glistening green eyes.
"Uh," Lucas's mouth felt dry. The young man was glaring at him with such an intensity it made Lucas's heart jump and adrenaline surge through his veins.
"Here," the man said tossing Lucas his inhaler and flashlight. "Now get out of my property before I do something you won't like."
Lucas and Farkle nodded rapidly and make their way towards Farkle's jeep.
"Isn't that that one guy who's family died in a fire?" Lucas said hopping into the passenger side of the jeep. "The one who left to New York with his sister. He was the talk of the town."
Farkle nodded. "Yeah, that's Darren Hemming alright."
Disclaimer: I'm not Jeff Davis or Michael Jacobs. I don't own any of this.
Note: I wrote it the scenes in a different order than the show. Again it won't be an exactly like the show. Different characters, similar plot. Also, Josh will be Riley's brother in this.