A/N: I'm going to do a survey for those who would like a sequel. So please leave a review at the end to let me know. :) Thanks. Happy reading.

(Last time in Iridescence)

"So," she said, excitedly, "How was the internship at Minkus International?"

"It was… eye opening," Farkle said carefully.

"What does that mean?" Riley asked with raised eyebrows.

"It means that I'm starting to think that the life my father lives maybe isn't the life I want to inherit."

Riley scrunched up her nose, still unsure. "But you've been set on taking over the company for years. It's the closest thing to taking over the world."

Farkle smiled at that. "I guess taking over the world isn't all it's cracked up to be."

X

"Hello?" Cory replied. This was going to be an interesting conversation.

"Hi Mr. Matthews. It's Lucas Friar. There was an incident before classes this morning and Riley got really upset." There was no right way to say the words, but they had to be said.

"With Maya?" Cory asked carefully. Lucas was surprised by his tone, it was as if Cory expected something like this to happen.

"Yes," Lucas replied, sparing any details. Riley hadn't shared much with him about what happened but he knew the just of the events.

"So where is she?"

"Maine," Lucas said slowly. "We went for a drive."

Chapter 10: Homecoming

"Riley?" Cory called from the kitchen table sipping a cup of instant coffee and watching the young girl in front of him tiptoe through the house. She looked up, and Cory had to laugh, she looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"I didn't think you would still be up," Riley admitted hugging herself with her arms, and looking at the clock on the microwave. 11:06. It was later than planned to say the least.

"I always wait up for you. I wouldn't have been able to sleep anyways," Cory replied. Truthfully, he always had to know where he family was or he wouldn't be able to sleep soundly at all. It was a blessing and a curse. He was just a worrying father.

"I'm sorry, we were later than we thought we would be. Lucas would have had us home two hours ago if I hadn't told him to take the scenic route." To be fair, Lucas didn't take much convincing or even argue. Once Riley asked him, he just had to look at her and suddenly he was taking a right instead of a left and they were driving along the ocean.

"Was it worth it?" Cory asked.

"It was amazing, Dad," Riley gushed. Cory smiled at his daughter who seemed to be in a better mood.

"I'm glad, so you had a good time?"

"The best," she said quietly, reliving each an every moment of the perfect day. The day certainly didn't end after horseback riding. That was Lucas's plan all along. They ended on a high note just like he had planned. She looked back at her father and grinned. "Hey, tomorrow night is the poetry slam tournament at Trip's Slam. Do you want to go with me?"

Cory smiled at his daughter, mentally cancelling any plans he had to grade papers or tests. "I would love to."

Cory didn't even have to ask, he knew; his daughter was going to be just fine. He didn't have to worry about her wellbeing anymore. Lucas had made sure of that.

"Well, goodnight Dad," Riley smiled hesitantly.

"Goodnight sweetheart," Cory replied.

X

Riley couldn't keep the smile off her face when she shut her bedroom door behind her and leaned contently against the back of it. Things had started off rather rocky, with the unbearable confrontation she experienced with some of the people who were closest to her. She woke up that morning with a heavy heart, and now, back in her room she was giddy with excitement for what the future had in store for her.

"Maybe I should go up with you," Lucas said slowly, looking up at her building as they sat in the warmth that was the car. Neither of them truly wanting the night to end.

"That's okay. You've already done more than enough today," Riley smiled, tearing her gaze away from the house as well and looking back at Lucas. "You really did outdo yourself today. Thank you, for standing by me and making today a day I want to remember."

"You're very welcome, Riley," Lucas replied. "I had a lot of fun. Maybe we could do it again sometime, under different circumstances that is."

"I would love that."

Lucas's heart fluttered. He desperately wanted to kiss her, it just had to be the perfect moment.

"I hope my dad isn't mad," Riley sighed. "We're later than you promised and I didn't text him."

"Are you sure you don't want me to come up. It might make things easier…" Lucas dragged out.

"I'm sure," she confirmed, grabbing his face to kiss his cheek softly. "I'm serious. I really appreciate what you did for me today."

"I'm glad," Lucas said. He looked back at the house and saw a light turn on. "You should go, I'll see you tomorrow."

Riley nodded. "You're right, okay, I'll see you later," Riley replied. She opened the car door and was about to get out when Lucas grabbed her hand and pulled her back into the car, kissing her sweetly. "Mmm," Riley moaned, taken by surprise. Lucas pulled back and Riley blushed. "Thanks," she whispered. Lucas chuckled at her innocence, and started the car again.

"Goodnight, Riley."

Riley crossed her room to her desk and pulled out some stationary, beginning to write a letter to her best friend. She didn't want Maya to miss a detail of her life, even if they weren't on speaking terms or even friends at the moment, writing it down, it made Riley feel like Maya was right there listening to every word she said.

When she finished, she pulled out a small cardboard box and envelope, sealing the letter with her tongue and setting the letter inside the box where it would stay amongst the other half dozen letters Riley had written. Someday Maya would read them, and it would feel like she was never gone.

Riley looked forward to that day.

X

"So I was thinking," began Riley as she walked down the hall. A week had passed since their spontaneous escapade. Her backpack held all of her school items, and her hands were waving around like they usually did when she was expressing herself. Lucas was walking alongside her, smiling at her returned animosity. "My Uncle plays football on the NYU college team and he has a big game coming up on Saturday. My family usually tries to go to the home games, and I know you love football, so I thought maybe you would like to tag along. But it's no big deal if you can't though. I know you're busy and you have other friends besides me. I just thought-

Lucas's lips caught hers effectively cutting her off. The kiss initially surprised her, but she quickly warmed into it. His hand found it's way behind her back, pulling her closer to him.

"What was that for?" she looked away from him.

"To get you to stop ranting," he said. "Which was adorable as hell by the way."

Riley laughed nervously, still recovering from the fluster she was feeling from the unexpected kiss.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I don't even realize that I do it sometimes." Riley stopped at her locker, and began to put in the combination while Lucas leaned against the locker next to hers.

He leaned forward again, grasping her lips in his. He swore she had the softest lips in the world, making them extremely kissable. This time, her backpack was on the ground, so she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting herself truly enjoy the kiss.

Lucas pulled away first. "I would love to go to the game with you. But you don't even like football, do you? Are you sure you want to go?"

"I don't really understand it, but my little brother gets really into it, so I'm sure between you and Auggie you'll be able to explain most of the plays. Just be prepared for a lot of questions and confusion," she told him.

Lucas laughed. "I would expect nothing less."

Riley wanted desperately to know what able the two of them had. Were they friends? Boyfriend and girlfriend? She wasn't sure and she wasn't about to ask because she didn't want to ruin the great thing that they had going. She was the happiest she had been for the longest time when she was with him and she wasn't about to mess up a beautiful thing.

As the bell rang through their ears, Lucas knew it was time to get down to business. They walked to Mr. Matthews history class together hand in hand.

X

After homeroom, Riley stopped briefly at her locker to change notebooks and grab the text book required for her English Lit class.

"Izzy, wait please, just let me explain!" Riley heard a familiar voice yell through the hallways in between classes. Just then, Isadora Smackle marched down the hallway with nothing but anger and frustration written on her face. Soon, Farkle was running behind her, but Smackle was a fast walker, so Farkle huffed in defeat, stopping next to Riley as they both watched the girl disappear around the corner.

"What happened?" Riley asked.

"I told her that I'm taking a year off school to travel."

"What?" Riley asked, a large smile spreading across her face. "Are you serious?"

Farkle nodded. "I hoped that she would understand, but just like my father, she doesn't."

"Oh, I'm sorry Farkle." Farkle nodded, and finally turned to Riley, who still wore a thrilled smile, making Farkle smile right back at her. "I think travelling is such an amazing idea, Farkle. It's exactly what you need."

"I know it's what I need. I just wish everyone else would see it the same way," Farkle admitted.

"I see it that way," Riley told him. She extended her arms for a hug which he gladly accepted. She squeezed him tightly, and let herself enjoy the hug. "You were meant to do great things, and this is the perfect place to begin. I know it." She and Farkle walked side by side to their next class.

"You seem happier today Riley," Farkle told her. "More like yourself."

"I'm feeling more like myself. Last week I was dragging my feet, hating the world, but I just needed a change of perspectives. That's all. I just had to stop feeling bad for myself and start loving myself again. The world is a million times brighter when you love yourself."

"Well it looks like things are looking up for the both of us again," Farkle replied.

"I think so too."

X

"Where do you want to sit?" Lucas asked, as Riley looked out on all of her peers already sitting down. Riley briefly looked back at Lucas over her shoulder watching him scope out the seating area as well.

"Over there?" she pointed to where Farkle was sitting with of a few of his other friends. "Is that okay?"

"Sure is," he replied.

"Okay, I heard that they are selling homemade cinnamon buns in the cafeteria today. I'm so excited I love cinnamon buns. I've got to go get one," Riley proclaimed, starting to get giddy. Lucas tried not to stare, knowing he night come across as a moron, but when Riley was happy like this, he couldn't help but also feel happy.

"Okay," Lucas chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I'll go save our seats."

She grinned, and he could have sworn he saw a skip in her step. He was more Riley today than he had seen since he met her and it was amazing.

It was amazing that each day he liked her more than he had the last day. And that had to be crazy because he always swore that it was impossible to like her anymore than he already did.

"How is she doing?" Maya whispered, creeping up behind Lucas while they both watched Riley purchase her lunch in the cafeteria. Lucas turned to Maya who was frowning curiously across the cafeteria. Lucas wasn't entirely sure what to think of Maya, because she had hurt Riley, but based on what Riley had told him, Maya had been loyal her entire life, and was a great friend. He prayed that the incident that had happened was a misunderstanding and it would be an easy fix.

"How do you think?" Lucas asked, genuinely curious about how Maya was taking the whole situation. She looked a little worse for wear, coming across as more of a loner than she had when he first met her.

"Knowing Riley, the most stubborn girl on the planet, probably no different than last week."

Lucas smiled at that. Riley had surprised them both and left them speechless.

"It's been a good day," Lucas told her. "It's been a good week actually. Last week I took her out of the state and she cleared her head, things have been looking up ever since."

"Really?" Maya asked quietly with a heartwarming smile.

"I've never seen her like this, she gets excited all the time, it's like she's been stopping to smell all the flowers, nothing's been bugging her, I… I don't even know what's changed," Lucas was at loss for words. There was Riley, across the cafeteria, laughing with the lunch lady about something. The lunch lady was clearly enjoying herself because Lucas could have sworn he had never seen such a large smile. It was just something Riley was capable of. She had the ability to light up someone's day entirely with the flash of a smile.

"I do," Maya replied. Lucas turned back to Maya, "That's Riley. That's the Riley you never knew. It's the Riley I grew up with. The Riley who taught me, Maya Hart how to ride a bike because I just had to feel what it felt to have the wind blowing through my hair. It's the Riley who would cancel all of her plans because she heard that the local animal shelter needed volunteers. She's amazing, and you finally get to see full blown Riley Matthews in the flesh. I'm sorry it took so long for you to meet her." Lucas twisted his brows in confusion. "That would be my fault."

"Maya,-"

"She's the best person you'll ever know. Don't forget that," Maya interrupted. Lucas analyzed her carefully.

"You said you weren't going to give up on her," Lucas warned. Maya sighed, Lucas was too nosey and she didn't like that. Sure he cared, but there was such thing as minding his own business.

"She doesn't need me anymore. She's got you," Maya explained.

"That is not true and you know it. She will always need you. You're best friends. Why are you giving up?"

"She doesn't need me," Maya repeated, exhausted from the conversation. "She's better off without me."

"Don't give up on her. You promised you wouldn't, and she deserves that. Are you about to just break a promise?" Suddenly, Maya felt extremely small. Apparently, Lucas knew exactly what to say to her, because what he said hit close to home as she was transported back to when she was a little girl and once again faced with all of the unfulfilled promises left undelivered by her absent father.

"I'll see you around Maya," Lucas said, not wanting to leave Riley waiting.

"What a Huckleberry," Maya said to herself, leaving the cafeteria and that which haunted her.

X

"Which one is you're uncle?" Lucas asked, looking out into the field.

"He's number 37," Riley replied, scanning the field to locate him. "Right there, I think he's the line backer," Riley looked up at both Lucas for confirmation. "Is that right?"

"You've got the term right, although we won't know if that's his position until he plays," Lucas replied.

"Josh isn't a linebacker, Riley. There are three different Linebackers, two outside linebackers and a middle linebacker. Josh is the wide receiver. They are totally different positions." Auggie replied aggravated from the other side of Riley. Auggie and Ava were sharing a popcorn, which basically meant that Ava was holding the popcorn and Auggie was sneaking handfuls when she wasn't looking.

"Meh, same thing," Riley replied.

"It's not!" Auggie groaned. "They are totally different."

Lucas laughed at their animosity. "He's right, Riley. They do completely different things on the field."

"Whose side are you on?" Riley mocked hurt.

"I think I finally like you, Lucas," Auggie turned to the older boy. "You know your stuff."

"Well I do play the game," Lucas replied.

"You do? What position?" Auggie asked with large wondrous eyes.

"Quarterback," Lucas replied, nonchalantly.

"Woah, that's cool," Auggie gushed, jumping deep into a conversation about Lucas's history in playing football both in Texas and New York. Riley had to roll her eyes at them, but at least they were getting along and it warmed her heart to see Lucas putting effort into the conversation and seemingly enjoying herself. He really was perfect.

They game went on as they usually did; slowly. Riley found football unbearably boring because no matter how much her little brother tried to explain the different plays, nothing stuck. The information went in one ear and left through the other. She just didn't process it. If you put her in front of a basketball game, she would be the complete opposite. But this was football and she just didn't see the point in trying to understand it either.

Lucas caught on quickly, noticing that she wasn't getting too involved especially when Auggie would yell at her for not understanding something. His arm found it's way behind her back and he held her against him, whispering sweet nothings into her ears.

Lucas was somewhat surprised that Mr. Matthews hadn't cornered him yet for bringing his daughter home so late after their rendezvous to Maine. But he also didn't glare at Lucas the same way he used to. Something had changed between the two of them, almost like an unspoken truce. Cory wouldn't admit it, but Lucas was a good kid, he cared for Riley, and he seemed to be sticking around.

What was the harm in tolerating him?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Life was becoming sweet again.

When the game was finished, like usual, the Matthews found themselves outside the teams dressing room, where Topanga complained about the smell of the players and Auggie and Ava kept to themselves, closer to the bleachers.

"Hey kiddies," Josh said as he came out of the dressing room. "Thanks for coming to the game. Sorry you had to see us lose like that, again."

"That's alright, brother. You win some, you lose some," Cory told him, with a pat on the back. "That's life."

Josh pushed Cory away. "You really did turn into Feeny," he told him.

Cory just laughed, and that's when Josh's eyes travelled around the room, smiling at Riley and curiously at Lucas.

"Josh, this is Riley's friend, Lucas," Cory introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Josh," Lucas replied.

"Friend?" Josh wiggled his eyes at Riley. "Oh really? Looks like more than that to me."

"Hey Josh," Riley rolled her eyes at him, and is playful banter and gave him a hug. She knew what he was suggesting, but she just wasn't ready to really answer him. "Lucas is quarterback at Abe Lincoln."

"Riley finally knows what a quarterback is?" Josh mocked sarcasm.

"Shut up," she laughed. "I know more than you think."

"Oh yeah? Name one play off the top of your head."

"Oh, I know this one," Riley jumped, "Uhm, the one - the one where the blind guy,…" Josh rolled his eyes at his niece and turned back to Lucas, who was laughing at Riley.

"That's a sweet deal man, you serious about college football?"

"Nah, it's more just something to do for me."

"I see, if you're ever looking at NYU for college level, let me know and I'll put in a good word for you."

"Thanks," Lucas replied.

"Don't mention it." Josh turned back to Riley and frowned. "No Maya?"

Riley just shook her head in apology. "Sorry Josh," she told him honestly. Maya stopped going to Josh's games almost a year ago, after their fallout. Riley didn't blame her, but Josh? Josh was devastated.

He nodded. "Well, who's hungry?"

A/N: Like what you're reading? Awesome! Leave me a review and let me know if you would like to have a sequel when this story is finished. :)