Notes: This is it. The final little epilogue of Don't Stop Here. This fic has been quite a journey for me, changing a lot from what I originally pictured when I first decided to write Lucas firmly not accepting the brother concept in Texas but it was a journey I was happy to go on. Many thanks to everyone who shared, favorited, or commented on the story—I love every one of you so much.
The night of the Spring Fling, only four days after her heart to heart with Maya, Riley finds herself in the gymnasium making last minute adjustments to the decorations. She doesn't have to be—the entire dance committee worked together after school to transform the room hanging brightly colored netting with twinkle lights and releasing balloons among other things—but the idea of doing anything else leaves her feeling vaguely unsettled and nervous.
The hours before previous dances have always involved modeling outfits in her room with Maya, primping and dancing around to ridiculously cheesy, fun music. And while they're talking again, sitting with each other at lunch and otherwise reintroducing each other back into their lives, that's really all they've been doing. Reintroducing. Everything is still quiet and awkward. Half the time nobody knows what to say for fear of reigniting the tensions and in general there seems to be a cloud of whispers and pointing glances that seems to follow the group.
The entire school had witnessed the breakdown of the relationship and now they're just as eager to watch it's reconstruction.
There's also still some very weird energy between Maya and Lucas and Riley's not sure if it's because Maya still likes him or because Lucas isn't very good at hiding that he's less trusting after everything that's happened or something else entirely. She just knows that she can't say anything and already she's caught in the middle once more; she's not going to go back on what she wants (and what she's told everyone) and back away from the budding relationship with Lucas but she also doesn't want to rub it in Maya's face.
The easiest solution that Riley can come up with is to continue keeping things mostly separate until Maya leaves for her summer camp. It's not overly hard. She's really busy trying to get back on track academically now that the rest of her life's not all over the place and even though Jenkins and the other dance committee members have been very understanding and attempted to excuse her from the remaining preparation work Riley hadn't wanted to abandon them so close to the big day so that was another time commitment that made things a bit simpler. Factor in that her parents are still feeling guilty for letting the situation build as much as it and compensating by holding family meetings and activities every night (her dad had come back in the middle of the week having confirmed that his parents would be all right and worked out a schedule with Aunt Morgan and Uncle Eric as to how they'd deal with everything in the summer months) and Riley has easily been occupied enough that nobody's schedule totally lines up. She's mostly been spending time with one or two friends at once.
It's almost like before the big discussion only the oppressive cloud of doom and sadness isn't hanging over them anymore so it's not so scary.
So to keep that going and avoid anymore drama, Riley finds herself getting ready for the dance early on her own and making sure that everything in the gymnasium is perfect. She puts some music on her phone and works meticulously, moving from corner to corner to ensure that every last decoration is in the right place and will stay there. Her work keeps her occupied enough that she doesn't even notice anyone else approaching until they're standing on the opposite side of the candy buffet she's arranging.
"Is that very important candy placement you're working on or can I interrupt?"
The warm smile in the voice is enough to make Riley grin even before she looks up. "Lucas! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be getting ready?"She knows it's a stupid question even before all of the words come out. He's standing in front of her wearing gray suit pants and a vest over a pale blue shirt. Of course he's ready. And with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows it takes Riley an extra moment to get past any other thought than he's gorgeous.
"I know we agreed that we're all just going to this as friends," they entire group had agreed no dates (with the exception of Isadora) as a compromise and part of welcoming Maya fully back into the fold, "but since this is the first dance where we're really on the same page about what we are, I wanted to stop by your place so we could still do something a little special. But your parents told me you came here early to finish setting up."
"So here you are."
"Here I am." Lucas steps around the table to join her on the same side. Standing in front of her he takes a moment, staring, before his smile seems to grow both softer and bigger in a way that Riley can't begin to understand. "You look amazing."
Riley glances down at the chambray shirt she had buttoned over her dress to protect the floral patterned fabric from any number of certainly inevitable accidents while she worked and thinks of her hair that she has plans to style but hasn't even taken out of a messy bun yet and she blushes, glancing down at the floor. "I'm not even ready yet."
"You look amazing." He repeats. He reaches over and moves a strand of hair away from her face. They stay frozen briefly before a spark of warmth seems to jolt from his fingertip and they both jump half a step back. Lucas chuckles quietly and starts to fumble his hand into his pocket. "I, uh...I got you something."
"You didn't have to do that." Her eyes widen when he removes what is so obviously a jewelry box. They aren't really at the point where they're giving each other gifts, are they? They've barely been on a handful of dates and those were all before they ever even went to Texas. And jewelry seems like the sort of thing you should really only be giving to your official girlfriend, which she's definitely not yet. "I mean, I don't have anything for you..."
Lucas hands her the box. "Just save me a dance."
Inside the box Riley finds a delicate silver bracelet with a single white and yellow daisy charm connecting the pieces of chain. "It's beautiful, Lucas."
"Here, let me help you put it on." Lucas takes the bracelet and the hand that she offers. He gets the bracelet on after only a moment's struggle with the clasp. "There. Now you're ready for the dance."
"Well I don't know about that..." Riley looks up from admiring the bracelet. She's had her fill of looking less than put together in front of her classmates in the past few weeks, and in particular she wants to look nice at this, the last dance before she enters high school. Lucas is still staring at her and smiling in the way that's enough to make her feel like a beauty on par with Maya or any of the other girls in school. There's a rush of confidence and an idea pops into her head that she just can't ignore. "But I am ready for a dance with you." Riley grabs her phone from the table and changes the song. A bouncy pop song shifts to something softer, more acoustic. She turns back to face him, smiling and holding out her hand.
Lucas' smile grows. He grabs her hand, gently tugs and twirls so she spins in a whirl as she's pulled in, stopping when she collides with his chest. They both laugh and start to sway with the music. Lucas moves his hands down to her waist; Riley curls her arms around his neck.
They dance together, inching closer with the gentle lyrics of the song until Riley is able to rest her head on Lucas' shoulder.
This is it. The warmth and security. The support and caring that she's been longing to take part in, that she's known would be so nice if she could only enjoy it but has been holding herself back from. Riley wants to memorize every inch of this moment if only because it feels so perfect. They've danced together before, but never like this. Never when they were so close or comfortable, when it feels like even if the gymnasium were to flood with students in the next few seconds, they would still be the only two people in the world that mattered.
The feelings that had scared her so much since long before Texas are still there, towering over her and leaving her in a shadow that makes her feel impossibly small, but there's something else there too. A steady presence by her side.
Riley knows without question that in Lucas she has someone who is going on the journey with her, not dragging her along.
"I'm glad you can't turn off feelings." She announces at a break in the vocals of the music.
"You are?"
Riley nods. "Back in Texas, all I wanted was to be able to stop feeling so strongly for you. Not because I didn't like you but because...I never wanted it to hurt. I was too afraid of everything bad that could happen that I couldn't even let myself imagine everything good.
"But you….fought for me in the most understanding way. And you stood by and let me learn so much more about how to trust and rely on someone. I never would have gotten any of that if I had been able to stop caring. I never would have gotten this beautiful moment. So thank you for fighting for me."
"Thank you."
Riley's brow furrows a little. "I didn't do anything. What are you thanking me for?"
"For letting me fight for you." Lucas moves a hand from her waist to gently cup her cheek and as the music swells behind them, draws her up into a kiss.