This chapter you will learn why Riley is the way she is with Lucas and what happened senior year. Only thing I really tweaked was there was no triangle this time.
Riley shook her head as she looked at the different fruits. She was currently at the grocery store and had a hankering to make a pie. Also somehow got tricked into bringing the twins and unfortunately Lucas who was currently making them laugh by juggling apples. She knew she should stop them from falling in love with him just look at her nothing good comes from loving Lucas Friar.
She just decided on apples and blueberries putting them in her basket when an older woman walks up to her. "I have to say I've never seen a mother be able to shop without their kids or husband breaking something." Riley looked at her and she pointed at Lucas and the twins who were sneaking grapes out the bag.
Riley shook her head and smiled at the lady walking over to them. "Let's go I think I have everything." The twins step in front of her and tell her to hold on. "Look mama Riley." Charlie tells her holding her hand and turning towards Lucas.
He holds out his hands showing nothing was in them and then magically an apple appears and he hands it to Rosie who was captivated by the trick. He looks at Riley who just stares at him and then tells them time to go. They head back with Rosie asking Lucas to show the trick to Zay who kept saying he knew how he did it.
"Hey sunstar you feeling better today?" Pappy Joe asks walking in the kitchen as Riley ties her apron around her waist. Riley felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment she never wanted to seem like a helpless little girl but the panic attack she felt the day before had her more helpless than ever.
"I'm better Pappy Joe thank you." He pats her cheek and smiles when she tells him she was going to get started on dinner. He asks where the twins were and she directs them to the barn where they were helping Lucas feed and brush the horses.
Pappy Joe watched as Lucas helped Charlie hold the carrot by the horses mouth and make Rosie laugh as she sat on his shoulders brushing the horses hair. He wondered if he was doing this out of the kindness of his heart or he was using Riley's kids to win her back.
"Hey Pappy, Luke showed me how to feed the horses without being scared they will bite." Charlie cheered showing him he knew how to do. He smiled at him and looks at Lucas tickling Rosie as she brushes the horses tail. Lucas sees him watching and puts her down while she helps Charlie feed them.
Pappy Joe walked out the barn with Lucas following and peeks his head in to check the twins. "I'm only going to say this once and I hope that I don't need to slap you upside the head." He folds his arms checking to make sure the twins couldn't hear. "You ain't using those kids to get back in good with Riley are ya?"
Lucas eyes widen and he shakes his head smiling at the twins who he could see from where he was standing. "Pappy Joe I would never do something like that. I love Riley and have made some mistakes but I would never use her kids like that. I promise."
Pappy Joe eyed him and seen the genuine smile he had on his face when he looked back at the twins. He didn't know how this was going to play out with what was going on with Riley but he hoped it didn't hurt those two kids he loved like his own grandchildren.
"Okay dinner is done come eat before Zay eats it all!" Riley yells from the porch wiping her hands on her apron. The twins run up and she smiles bending down as they talk a mile a minute about what they were doing. "I fed the horses and didn't get scared at all mama Riley!" Charlie tells her with his shirt covered in hay.
"That's great bear." She laughed trying to brush some of the hay off him. "Go wash up okay?" She helped rosie take the hay out her hair and could feel Lucas eyes on her no doubt from hearing her call Charlie bear. An old nickname that once belonged to him.
"You okay mama Riley?" Rosie asked as Riley had closed her eyes a second trying not to let Lucas in her head or heart again. "Yes I am flower did you have fun?" Rosie smiled wide and held up the brush she was using on the horses. "Yeah I brushed the horses and Luke said this was a magic brush I could hold onto."
She smiled standing up and walking in the house with Lucas trying to talk to her. She sees Zay already eating and smacks his hand noticing he didn't set the table like she asked before calling everyone inside. "Smells good Riley like always." Cletus says walking in and grabbing a plate.
"Guess what little ones it's a full moon tonight." Pappy Joe tells the twins with a smile. They look at each other and then shout with their hands in the arm. "Campfire!" Zay drops his fork and looks at Lucas who was mid bite when the twins yelled while Riley was just smiling and handing Cletus another roll.
"You guys have a campfire?" Zay asked gulping and looking at Riley and the twins. "Well we do with Pappy and Cletus mama Riley stays inside she doesn't like them." Charlie whispers the last part as Zay sees Lucas staring at Riley who he was sure were both having flashbacks to the last one they shared together.
Since it was their last spring break together before they were heading off to college Lucas invites them all back to Texas with him. Farkle was excited to go just so he could go back to chubbies again and eat more ribs. Smackle decided she to would go even though it was not on her list of required activities she had for herself.
Once they get to Texas they save chubbies for the last night so Farkle doesn't make himself sick. Instead enjoying the sites and horseback riding and the debate Smackle and Zay get into about what was really the proper way to control your horse as you ride.
Riley wanted to savor her last break with her boyfriend and best friend but can see something is off with them but thinks nothing of it. Chalking it up to sadness about the group heading in different directions come graduation.
After chubbies where they have to drag not only Farkle but Smackle who threw caution to the wind and tried the ribs and almost bit the owner when he brought the check and cut them off. They decide to make a fire and roast marshmallows soaking in their last night under the stars.
After a half hour Farkle and Smackle both groan and Zay and Riley lead them back to the house to rest leaving Lucas and Maya alone avoiding each other. "What huckleberry?" Maya finally asks feeling his gaze on her like all week. "Are we going to tell Riley what happened between us?"
Maya shook her head standing up pacing a little as Lucas moved towards her. "Nothing happened remember?" She rubbed her head hoping he would drop it like they discussed the next day. He stood in front of her and she looked up at him. "I can't forget it and I know you can't either."
"Can't forget what?" Riley asked noticing she was interrupting something at the way Lucas backed up rubbing his neck and she could see the familiar pink hue on Maya's cheeks and not just from the fire. "Nothing it's not important trust me." Maya tells her taking a seat on the log farthest from the couple.
Riley suspected something was going on with Lucas and Maya. She thought maybe they were attracted to each other even though they always denied it when she would confront them about it. Telling her she was paranoid but it always was at the back of her mind itching to make it's way to the front.
"Okay." Riley smiles looking at Maya and then up at the stars. "I always forget how beautiful it is here. I could stay like this forever. Couldn't you Luke?" He smiles down at her kissing her head and agreeing. "I just want to freeze this moment with the two people I love most in the world my boyfriend and best friend."
Maya couldn't take it anymore and stands up and shouts. "Riley something happened between me and Lucas!" Riley turns to him when she hears him whisper oh boy under his breath. "What do you mean something happened?" Riley asked standing up and looking between them.
"Something that shouldn't have and will never happen again I swear Riles." Maya pleads reaching for her hand. Just as Riley was about to hold it and tell her okay Lucas next sentence stops her. "Maya and I kissed." Riley tried to control her breathing and the pounding of her heart as she looked at both of them with tears in her eyes. "What?"
Lucas tells her while she was on her college tour for standford they had gone to a party and shared a drunken kiss. That they both admitted meant nothing after it happened and wanted to tell her sooner but thought it would be better to forget it happened instead.
"I should have seen this coming. You both tried to tell me I was wrong that it was all in my head. I'm such an idiot!" Riley shouts wiping her eyes. "Riley you aren't an idiot I promise you that kiss meant nothing I love you." Lucas tells her grabbing her hand and cupping her cheek with his other. "Only you."
She wanted to believe him. Believe that it was nothing but she knew better and from the way they were looking at each other before she came back confirmed it. "No." She whispers shaking her head and stepping back.
"We need to break up. It obvious something is there between you two and I'm in the way of it so.." She gestures at them. "Riles you are not in the way of anything. Ranger rick and I are never going to happen!" Maya shouts after her.
Riley knew they were empty words they were throwing her way. They both said nothing was going to happen it was a mistake they loved her to much for them to throw that away. She almost believed that story they were telling.
Until the following week when Charlie and her both ran into each other at the movies on double date babysitting duties. They were in the arcade with Charlie trying to show Riley he could win three prizes at the claw game to her two.
They see people coming out of their movie and Riley felt like her heart stopped when she spots Lucas and Maya holding hands smiling and Lucas kissing her hand. Nobody knew but Charlie that she ended up in the emergency room with a bad panic attack she knew was stupid to have over them.
Lucas stared at her wanting to talk about that night but from the way she made it her mission to avoid him at all cost he knew he wasn't going to be able to. After dinner Riley starts to clean up while the twins dress in warmer clothes and Pappy Joe gets the fire started.
"Hey can we talk?" Lucas asked bringing in more plates to the kitchen as Riley wrapped up the leftover food. "Talk about what?" Riley asked never looking his way. She knew why he wanted to talk all a sudden. "About that night." He tells her moving closer to her. "I should have fought for..." Riley shakes her head trying to keep the tears away.
"I told you Lucas that is all in the past. Dead and buried. So please leave it where it belongs okay?" She whispers the last part feeling the lump in her throat from holding in the tears that were threatening to spill.
She excuses herself wiping at her eyes and he wanted to run after her and tell her he couldn't leave it buried and he just wanted her to hit him or yell or both. If it got him a little bit closer to her. ButRosie spots him wanting him to come roast marshmallows with her.
"So what does mama Riley do while you guys are out here?" Lucas asks Rosie as he bends down fixing the buttons on her sweater that she buttoned all wrong. "Talks. Mama Riley is a good talker she talks to my mommy in heaven."
She looks up at the sky and points to a big cluster of stars with a huge bright one in the middle. "See that one in the middle?" She asked pointing at it. "That's mommy looking down on us. Mama Riley said she loves us so much she still watches us and helps her."
Lucas smiles at her putting her on his shoulders and looks up seeing Riley looking out her window at the sky and it looked like she was talking. He felt an ache in his chest as he missed hearing the excitement in her voice as she spoke about her day.
She was after all his favorite person to talk to.