So Lucas gets his confrontation and a character that I don't see in fics appears in this chapter. Enjoy!

The Art of Letting Go

Chapter Fourteen

Lucas was happy that things between him and Riley were mended and that they got back together. However, for the rest of that weekend, all he could think of was how Missy had bullied Riley. He thought about the bruises that she'd caused and the emotional pain that Riley must have gone through. He knew that Riley and Missy were both over it, but he wasn't. He decided he needed to do something about it. A confrontation of some sort.

So, that Monday, right after lunch and right before classes, he wandered the halls of Abigail Adams High, in hopes that he would bump into his victim. And he did.

"Hey, Missy," Lucas called out to her when he noticed her frame. He walked down the hall and approached her.

The girl turned at the voice who called her name.

"Lucas Friar," Missy smirked. She scanned him from his head to his feet. "Puberty sure has been treating you well."

Lucas stared at her with a straight face.

"What brings you here?" Missy asked. "I have a boyfriend, you know."

Lucas scrunched his face, "If you have a boyfriend, why did you tell Riley to break up with me?"

Missy kissed her teeth and muttered, "I should've known that she told you."

"You really thought she wouldn't tell me?" Lucas cocked a brow.

"Well, no," Missy admitted. "She was putty in my hands. When I heard she broke up with you, I didn't think she'd confess."

"Missy, what's your problem?" Lucas pressed.

"I don't have any," Missy shrugged.

"Then why'd you bully Riley?" Lucas asked. "Did your insecurities tell you to pick on her to make you feel better about yourself?"

"Actually, no," Missy shot back. She put a hand on his shoulder. "I did it for you, Lucas. I know how much better off you are without her."

"You don't even know me," Lucas countered. He forcefully brushed off Missy's hand. "You have no right."

"Oh, come on, Lucas," Missy said as she started pacing. "We both know that she's holding you back. I heard that she wouldn't let you try out for the football team."

Lucas felt anger build inside him. Missy didn't understand his relationship with Riley.

"That's because it was for my own safety!" Lucas replied. "I have no experience in football whatsoever. I thought I was invincible, but she brought me back to reality. Besides, I'm not sure if you've heard, but I'm the star player on the baseball team."

"Whatever," Missy scoffed. "I still think she's holding you back."

"I don't understand, do you still like me or something?" Lucas questioned. "I haven't seen you in years and you think you know me. Riley and I have been together for like two years now. And I'm the happiest that I've ever been."

"I just want what's best for people," Missy replied. "Even you, Lucas."

"Have you ever thought about what was best for Riley?" Lucas asked sternly.

"Of course not." Missy snickered.

Suddenly, a boy approached the two. And Lucas couldn't believe who it was.

"What's going on here, Missy?" the boy asked, putting his arm around Missy. Lucas could only assume that this was her boyfriend.

"Billy Ross," Lucas stated.

"Lucas Friar," Billy replied.

"You go to this school?" Lucas asked. "I've never seen you before."

"It's a big school," Billy shrugged. "You have your own circle of friends, and I have mine."

"Billy," Missy said. "Lucas here was harassing me."

"Harassing you?!" Lucas replied. "Yeah, right. You were harassing my girlfriend!"

"You were harassing Missy?" Billy shook his head. "Not cool, bro. I thought we were friends."

Before Lucas could explain the situation, Billy had shoved him to the ground, earning a gasp from Missy. Lucas immediately got back up and retaliated, pushing Billy back. With the built up adrenaline in both males, they continued to retaliate against each other. Punches were thrown from both parties.

All the while, Missy tried to break up the fight. She didn't think it would get this far. Missy got anxious as interested students crowded them, encouraging for the fight to continue. They cheered the boys' names, some even placing bets on who would come out victorious. Missy began to worry; it didn't seem like the boys were going to stop any time soon. She stopped trying to get in between them, knowing it'll only hurt her in the process.

Among more students crowding the scene were Riley and Maya. They pushed through the crowd to get to the front, as Riley had a gut feeling that she knew who was involved. And she was right.

"Lucas?!" Riley exclaimed with a horrified look on her face. "Stop, stop this right now!"

"No, Huckleberry, keep going!" Maya encouraged, earning daggers from Riley. Maya turned to her best friend and asked, "What?"

"Don't encourage this!" Riley lightly hit Maya.

"I tried to break them up," Missy stepped towards Riley and Maya. The look of guilt took over her face. "But they just kept going at each other."

"Hey! Break it up," Mr. Jackson, the art teacher, instructed. He and Coach Bobby were made aware of what was happening and quickly rushed to the scene. They made their way through the crowd to get to the front. Mr. Jackson held back Billy while Coach Bobby took hold of Lucas. The two teenagers tried to escape to get back at each other, but were unsuccessful.

"There's nothing to see here," Coach Bobby said using a very loud voice. "Go to class, all of you!"

Everyone quickly fled the scene, leaving Missy, Billy, Lucas, Riley, and Maya behind. Mr. Jackson and Coach Bobby let go of the boys. Riley grabbed Lucas's arm while Missy did the same with Billy.

"Does anyone want to explain what happened here?" Coach Bobby asked, folding his arms over his chest. Lucas and Billy both looked at their feet and didn't say anything. The two had bruises on their faces and arms.

Riley tugged on Lucas's arm to try to get him to speak up, but he still didn't say a word. On the other hand, Missy was whispering in Billy's ear, trying to get him to say something as well.

"So no one's going to talk?" Mr. Jackson cocked a brow. "Alright, principal's office, both of you! Let's go!"

Riley and Missy let go of their boyfriends' arms. The boys were escorted by the two staff members to the principal's office. Riley gulped. She had just gotten back together with Lucas and things were supposed to go back to normal, and then this happened. Maya rubbed Riley's upper arm in an attempt to comfort her.

Riley and Maya, along with Zay, Farkle, and Smackle, made their way to Topanga's after school. Once they arrived, they sat at their usual spot.

"I haven't seen Lucas all day," Farkle commented.

Riley bit her lip.

"You didn't hear?" Maya asked, putting her leg over the other. "Ranger Rick got into a fight at school today."

Everyone looked surprised, except for Riley, who kept her worried expression intact.

"What?" Zay gasped. "What happened?"

"Riley, care to explain?" Maya turned to the brunette.

"What?" Riley shook her head. "I'm just as out of the loop as you are. I didn't even talk to him. He wouldn't say anything."

"So," Maya turned to the rest of her friends, "he got into a fight with Billy Ross."

"Who's Billy Ross?" inquired both Smackle and Zay.

"My old bully. He used to be friends with Lucas," Farkle muttered. He had a sudden thought. What if Billy was saying rude things behind his back and Lucas had heard and had gotten into the fight to defend him? "He didn't get into that fight because of me, did he?"

"I doubt it," Riley denied. "I'm sure it had something to do with me. Missy was there."

"Then how did Lucas end up in a fight with this Billy dude?" Zay asked.

"I'm pretty sure he's dating Missy," Maya replied.

"Huh," everyone commented.

"Guys, do you think he'll get expelled?" Riley asked with furrowed brows. Her voice was soft.

"It's a possibility," Zay answered truthfully, "I mean, he got expelled in Texas for the same thing."

"Don't scare the girl," Farkle chimed in. "I don't think he'll get expelled. His record is clean. The worst he'll get is a suspension."

"Hey guys," Lucas greeted as he approached his friends. He waved and sat down beside Riley, who immediately leaned in to him, prompting him to wrap his arm around her.

"I forgot they got back together," Zay said at the sight.

"I'm guessing you guys heard about the fight?" Lucas asked.

Everyone nodded.

"So what happened?" Riley questioned.

"Billy and I were stuck at the principal's office for the rest of the day," Lucas began. "Would've been sooner but neither of us wanted to say anything. I didn't want to cause any more trouble than I already have. I didn't think it was right to drag Riley into it with her Missy situation."

"What caused the fight?" Farkle asked.

"Ever since you guys came clean to me and told me what happened with Missy, it was all I could think about," Lucas explained, "I know it's been stupidly resolved but I felt the need to confront her. So I looked for her right after lunch. I started talking, she answered, we kind of got into an argument about Riley and then Billy showed up and pushed me. I got angry that he did, so I retaliated. And everything escalated from there."

"Lucas, you know fighting is never the answer," Riley whispered. "Even if it's on my behalf."

"I know," Lucas looked down. "I wasn't thinking. I got the anger get the best of me."

"Oh, you messed up," Maya said with an amused smile. "Riley, break up with him again!"

"Maya!" Lucas and Riley said in unison.

"I was kidding, sheesh," Maya replied.

"So what's your punishment, Lucas?" Smackle asked.

"One-week suspension starting Wednesday," Lucas informed his friends.

Two more chapters left guys! Tried to come up with more ideas but I didn't want to drag it out for too long.

Next: Cory gets involved.