A/N:Chapter 10.

Never Give In

Chapter 10

Lucas

"FRIAR! OFF THE FIELD NOW!" the coach bellowed.

Lucas took his helmet off aggressively and dragged his feet to the locker rooms. He was trying to keep cool but everything was red and uncomfortably warm. Nothing was diminishing the tension inside of him. Without giving any thought he threw his helmet at the locker area. The rack of basketballs were immediately shoved. He wanted to make a mess, he wanted to make noise. He wanted to do something. Six months. Six freaking months of nothing. There was a fire and anxiety inside of him, he needed something to do even if it meant destroying the locker room. If his head was screwed on right he would probably be grateful for Zay who pushed him against the lockers, halting him from doing any further damage.

"Get your head out of you ass," Zay said his voice leaving no room to argue. People often thought that Zay was always the easy going one, no serious bone in his body. Lucas knew better granted he only saw this side of him a few times in their long years of friendship.

Lucas took a deep breathe, fighting the urge to fight. His composure was breaking and Riley wasn't around to help him out.

"What the hell man? You're going to get yourself kicked of the team if you keep this up," Zay reason. Zay's hand was still holding Lucas in place. He felt caged.

"I don't care anymore," Lucas said trying to push Zay's hand off his shoulder.

"You do," Zay insisted and the pressure on Lucas' shoulder intensified, "You know that if she was here right now she will be chewing your ass of for being rude and aggressive. I know you miss her. We all do. But you can't stop living because she isn't here. Don't destroy what you took so long to rebuilt."

There was a bitterness and he spoke the single truth that has held him since the day he realised his feelings,"Nothing's worth it without her."

As he exited he heard a loud bag; Zay probably hit something and Lucas wanted to care but he did not have it in him.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" A voice sang out. He watched in disbelief and amusement. The brunette was dressed in something similar to a dress that Anna from frozen wore. She even had the braids and convinced Zay to be her Olaf. Currently 'Olaf' was in white face paint and a fake carrot nose twirling around her.

"I never see you anymore…" she trailed off trying to remember the rest of the lyrics, "Come out the door it's like you've gone AWAY!"

"Riley," Farkle said trying to appeal to her rational side.

"Ssh," She reprimanded, "We used to be best buddies but now we're not. And something something-AY!"

Lucas can't keep the amusement of his face when Riley and Zay started doing a funk routine in synchrony.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" Riley and Zay finished off with jazz hands.

"What are you doing?" Farkle said trying to hide his amusement at bay.

"Easing the tension," Zay offered as he stood up. And suddenly the awkward air came back with full force. Lucas could barely look at Farkle and it took Riley's watchful gaze to not make him feel like he needs to run. The same could be said for Farkle.

"I'm not sure I'm following you," Lucas lied. Riley huffed and crossed her arms.

"Okay let me spell it out; the tension between you two is stupid," Riley enunciated, "So make nice will you...come on Olaf."

With that Zay and Riley moved out of Riley's room. Both knew that they had to talk about it or they will never hear the end of it from Riley

"You know we have to talk about this," Lucas said after a beat of silence.

"I don't know what to say," Farkle admitted.

"How about the fact that you care about Riley? And don't give me that crap that you've always cared. You are looking at her differently now."

The words came out of Lucas' mouth before he could stop it. Lucas watched Farkle struggle with his composure for a moment. They looked at one another for a moment.

"It doesn't matter. She wants you."

"I heard you trashed the boys locker room" a voice behind him said. Lucas was sitting at the bleacher, he kept his eyes on the field. There was no one there, practice was over but looking at the field made him wonder. Wonder about life after high school. About other lives outside the circle he knew. The world is big. There has to be much more to life than high school glory.

"I heard you trashed the art room," Lucas conversed still not looking at the person. Said person moved to sit beside him. She was watching the field as well.

"I'm overusing this but look at us we are a mess," Maya said. This has been the first time in a really long time that Lucas was around Maya. Sure he kept tabs on her, Maya was important to Riley but being around Maya was difficult. It always boiled down to being too much, too little and overall it was not enough.

"I think I finally see why Riley held back and created that stupid triangle," Maya said, "We are both so easy to detonate and self destruct."

"I think she knew that we both loved her," Lucas said, "It was never about us. Because there is always her."

"I see the way you look at her. I know who you choose back then, I know who you choose now."

"Sorry," Lucas offered. He was not prideful enough to think that he was the only one Riley cared about. Before him, There was Maya and the two were the closest people he ever knew, "It's not your fault you know"

"It is," Maya said simply. Lucas shook his head. A part of him wanted to blame Maya.

"The police said they have been observing her months before," Lucas reiterated, the words heavy on his tongue. The was a cool breeze blowing. The sun was not as hot as it was in the middle of the afternoon. Riley was out there somewhere and if he could have anything, he would just want to hold her and know that she was alright.

"Doesn't change the fact that if I didn't go she would have still be here," Maya said. There was no self loathing in her voice, just obvious facts, "We would be at Topanga's and she would be pushing me to try for that art competition."

"Heard about that. You signing up?"

"I think that she wouldn't even hesitate to write my name down the moment she saw the signed up sheet," Maya said smiling.

"We're together," Lucas said. This was the first time that he spoke those words out loud.

"I know"

"What?"

"You guys aren't sneaky. I saw you guys making out once," Maya said. Lucas could see the person she was coming front and center, "But I'm the only one who knows so far; so chill Ranger Rick."

"I mean we are together but not together," Lucas clarified, he didn't know why that was so important to him. Maybe it was because he never got the chance to ask. He could feel the hollowness inside him, "I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend when I arrived back from Texas."

"I've been talking to Josh," Maya revealed, completely ignoring how awkward Lucas was when he said that which he appreciated, "He's been helping me with some things. He's making me better."

"I'm glad you have someone to talk to," Lucas offered. He really did. He usually had those conversations with Riley. Maya shrugged.

"I miss it...her, you, Farkle, Zay, Izzy," Maya admitted, "I miss us all hanging out and being actual friends."

"What do you do someone you love leaves?" Maya asked.

"You stay and hope for them to come back?"

"That's such a Riley thing to say," Maya stated.

"No, Riley would be like you find them and make them stay," Lucas said.

"I know her too you know" Maya reminded him

"What do you think she will say?"

"Continue," Maya answered, "Move forward but never let go of that hope... I think I'm going to reach out to our friends again."

"Good luck," Lucas called out.

"You too," Maya wished before standing up and leaving him to watch the field. It was not much but it was some place to start. Maya was mending bridges and he needed to as well. Lucas sighed before standing up. He needed to apologize to Zay.

"You and Farkle worked it out?" Lucas turned to Riley who was at the doorway of her bedroom. He was at her bay window processing everything that had just happened. Riley had taken off the costume and was now in sweats. There was no trace of make up and she looked beautiful. She made her way to him and he grabbed a hold of her hand pulling her towards him.

"Yeah, he needed to leave though," Lucas answered.

"Whatever it is that was causing that stupid tension wasn't worth it," Riley sighed as she rested her head on his chest. Yes it is, he thought. She was beautiful and unaware and everything he ever wanted.

"Riles?" He said softly.

"Yeah?" She turned and their eyes met. Tender, warm and loving. He wanted to kiss her so bad.

You're everything to me. I want to always be there for you. I absolutely adore you and I think you're my the one. Falling for you has and always been worth it. Those were some of the things he wanted to say but he didn't. Because he didn't want to scare her off, he wanted to do right by her even if it means waiting. And she was waiting for him to say something. So he did.

"I'm glad I have you."

Riley smiled, that is all he ever needed.

So that's the end of this chapter, hope you all liked it. Just a few things to bring out I am with holding certain things from the storyline so far. The last chapter is suppose to play out like that and you all will know why a few chapters later. So this chapter is just Rucas filled with your side of Zay being a friend/Olaf (I think if it were to ever happen it would be hilarious). So Lucas thinks that Farkle like Riley? We will find out how true that is the next chapter because it will be in no other than Smackle's POV. I am a little bit psyched/nervous/excited to see how that chapter comes out because it is still in draft. So I hope you guys liked this and till the next chapter :)