Lucas

It's official, Lucas Friar is a complete and utter idiot. Why did I say yes? I obviously hurt Riley, and now she won't even do as much as look at me. She was avoiding my gaze all through first period, and now it's lunchtime. Preparing for the worst, I walk into the cafeteria. My heart cleaves in two when my eyes first see. Riley and Maya are sitting at a different table than usual, doing their best to avoid me. Riley's eyes seemingly unnatural being red and puffy, as if she had spent the morning crying. Swallowing a gulp, I walk to them and ask, "Is there a seat for me here?"

Riley whispers something to Maya, and Maya was the one to respond, "Aren't you going to sit with your girlfriend, Lucas?" Annoyance flashed across Riley's face, and she responded by hitting her arm.

Maya rolled her eyes before delivering Riley's intended response, "Alright, fine Riles. Do what ever you want, Lucas. It's not as if it would concern us." It felt as if a bullet had been shot through my stomach.

"Riles?" I asked, "Can we please talk?"

Riley whispered yet another message to Maya, and she relayed the response, "She says that you don't have the right to call her that anymore, and that if you want to talk to her, just meet her at Central Park this afternoon after school."

"Thank you, and I promise, you won't regret letting me explain." Heartbroken, I walked over and sat with Farkle at our regular table. Every few minutes, I would look at their table, and I only saw silent tears streaming down her face. It hurt me to see her hurt. Such a beautiful face needs not be graced by tears. My love for her is endless, and I could never love any other girl, yet I still caused her his pain. Knowing I'm what hurt her is the worst possible feeling in the world. Farkle and I ate our lunch in silence, my face solemn, and grave, as if I just lost my lover. In a sense I did, but she was never mine to begin with, which hurts the most.

Missy made many attempts to get me to sit with her, but I refused every single one of her offers. Finally I snapped. All of the events today just drove me overboard. Missy was trying yet again to get me to sit with her, when I stood up and started shouting, "Can you stop?! Missy, I'm obviously in a bad mood. I likely just lost my one true love, just because I said yes to going to the Ball with a whore like you! I love Riley, but since I thought she can never see a thing in me, which is likely true, I went 'what the hell,' and said yes. All I want to do right now is back out, but I was brought up to be polite, and that would go against all of my upbringing. So, no, I don't want to sit with you. I might be obligated to go with you to that stupid dance, but our interaction ends there. Don't make it worse than it has to be." Fury was coursing through my veins, and my eyes must have reflected the fire that I was feeling. As soon I had ended my little rant, I felt the entire cafeteria's eyes on me. But there was only one pair that I truly cared about. My vision tunneled on Riley, and all I saw was Riley dashing out of the room, as fast as her legs could carry her.

Riley

Hearing Lucas say all of those things, only confused me further. How can he claim to love me, and still go to that Ball with Missy? You know what, I'm going to do all I have to, in order to get over Lucas. Running, I went to find Jason. When I finally spotted him, I yelled out, "Jason!"

He whipped his head, and asked in curiosity, "Hey, Riles, what's up?"

It hurt to hear someone else call me 'Riles,' but I just continued, "Jason, do you have a date to the Winter's Ball? If you don't, I was hoping that we could go."

He smiled sweetly, a grin that had nothing on Lucas' mega-watt smile, and agreed, "I'd love to! Although, I thought you would be going with Lucas."

"Oh, there's nothing going on between Lucas and I, less than nothing in fact."

"That's nice to hear, I guess. I'll meet you there?"

"Awesome." I faked a smile and walked away. How I wished that it would be Lucas going to the dance with me. He might have confessed his love for me, but I don't know about us anymore.

Maya

I was still shocked by Ranger Rick's confession, even after Riley fled the room. It took me a few seconds to snap back to my senses. But when I did, I ran after her. Just as I was about to go up to her, I heard her ask Jason to the Winter's Ball. Jason? I mean, he's a sweet kid, but he and Riley just don't have the chemistry that Riley and Lucas have. And that confession that he just made, doesn't she feel anything? I have to make her come to reality. The reality where she and Lucas are meant to be.

"Riles," I asked stepping into the janitor's closet we were in earlier, "I knew I'd find you here. Why did you ask Jason to the dance? What about Lucas?"

She sighed before responding, "Because I wanted to forget about Lucas and the pain he caused me. I don't think I can take it. I guess this is what Lucas meant by forget."

"Riley, you don't have to go through with that. Go talk to Lucas in Central Park today. At least clear the air. Don't stand him up,the kid loves you."

"I'm not too sure that he really does."

"Are you kidding me? The guy would hang the moon for you. The moon and more, Riles."

Farkle

The entire room was left in silence after Lucas' declaration. Shock spanned out, and it was a good minute before anyone besides Riley and Maya reacted. Missy was the next to take action. The bitch slapped Lucas across the face and spoke with ice in her tone, "You may have called me a whore, but you are still going to that dance with me, whether you want to or not. My popularity will not be jeopardized by the riffraff like you." Huffing, she stomped out, and left the door to slam shut behind her. The girl means business.

Still startled, I speak quietly so only Lucas can hear, "Lucas, go see Riley in Central Park today. Make it right between you two?"

He has fear written in his eyes, but he replies just as softly, "I fear that she won't show."

"She will, this is Riley and you we're talking about."