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Chapter 3

Lucas quickly changed into his work clothes and made a mental check list. "Tennis shoes, brown shorts, red HEB shirt, belt and his name tag." He was parked outside in the parking lot waiting for his shift, when he saw Riley walking in. The green eyed boy hurriedly exited the truck.

"Hey you, looking good." The brunette's words made him blush.

"Thank you."

"Are you ready for your first day? It's a Wednesday so it shouldn't be too bad." She looked so beautiful with the wind blowing through her hair.

"Yeah, i've been looking forward to it. I heard my trainer was one of the best."

"You heard correct. Let's get your partner number, then we will get started okay?" He followed her into the break room.

"Hey Devin, can you get me Lucas' partner number so I can get him clocked in."

"Hey Riles, yeah one second." Devin reached over to a clip board and tore off a strip of paper. "Here ya' go. Don't lose this."

"We recommend you put it in your name tag, until you can remember it. Come on, follow me." He felt like it was the first day of school all over again, and she was giving him the tour. "You saw this on Monday, but this is where you clock in. You enter your partner number then scan your thumb." Lucas did as instructed.

"Easy enough." Riley snatched the piece of paper out of his hand and placed it in the back of his name tag, that was conveniently located on his chest.

"Wow, muscley!" Lucas exposed his perfect smile and it woke up her butterflies. "Anyways, you do this to clock in and clock out. And, if you have any lunches. So let's gather up some groceries and i'll show you how to bag." They grabbed a small red hand basket and perused the aisles. "So, what are you doin' this weekend?" The brunette grabbed a few boxes of cereal and put them in her basket, then headed towards the cans.

"Uh, actually I got invited to go to PK this weekend!" Riley's eyes widened and a smile approached her face.

"Really?! I'm going too! Maybe we can meet up and race jet skis or something!"

"That sounds great! But, we won't have to meet up. Josh invited me to go with y'all!" He looked at her, hoping for a happy reaction.

"Really?" The running back couldn't decipher if she was happy or angry.

"Is that okay?"

"This is going to be so much fun!" Her smile illuminated the aisle and made Lucas happy.

"You aren't mad?"

"No. Why would I be?"

"Well, Josh said you had permission to invite me. But, since you hadn't I figured you may not want me to go."

"No!" She stopped him. "No, it wasn't that at all. We just met a few days ago and then I invite you on a weekend trip? I'd seem crazy." The green eyed boy smiled at her.

"Well, i'm pretty excited. I haven't really done anything like this before."

"You never went out to the lake?" The friends walked to the front end to begin training.

"I did, but not with the house or boat or jet skis. This is gonna be fancy."

"Enough chit chat. Let's get to work." They set the basket down on an unopened register and Riley began talking him through how to bag and what to bag other items with. "Hey Adam."

"Hey, how's it goin' over here?"

"Great. Lucas this is Adam the coolest CCM around here. I envy his wit."

"Nice to meet you. And don't listen to her, she just wants to leave early. Keep it up Riles, and I may just let it happen." Adam walked away and left the two alone again with Riley laughing.

"You're leaving early?"

"No. That is the wit I envy. I can't leave you alone. Now let's focus." He liked the sound of her not leaving him alone.

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"So, how was your first day?" The partners were walking out the sliding doors of HEB and Riley took off her signature red shirt, revealing a black tanktop underneath.

"Pretty good. How do you think I did?" Lucas admired her curves.

"Not bad, for a newb. A few more shifts and you'll be on your own. Where'd ya' park?" She scanned the lot looking for a vehicle that could belong to a high school student.

"Right over here." The green eyed man escorted her to his truck.

"WOW! Very impressive." She did a lap around his truck and looked at him. "How'd you swing this?"

"My parents thought it'd lessen the blow of moving my senior year. It was my dad's." The running back opened the door for her and she climbed in. "Braums?"

"Sounds great." The brunette buckled her seat belt and stared at the radio. "May I?"

"Have at it." She flipped the stereo to 96.3 and sang along to Bart Crow Band.

Little angel, with a bottle. I don't love you anymore
Yeah I spent some time out with the devil. Oh but you don't hurt me anymore
I waste my time and I waste my money on a broken dream
Cause you wouldn't wear my ring, baby give me back my ring

"You like country?"

"Are we in Texas?" She started laughing.

"I figured as a cheerleader that you'd prefer hip hop."

"Well, I like both. But, country music has a way of putting feelings into their songs. Plus, you can't two step to Bottom's Up." Lucas put his truck into park and followed her inside.

"Cookies & Cream please!"

"Hey Riley, you got it. How's school goin'?" The green eyed boy furrowed his eyebrows and watched their conversation.

"Great Anita, we have our first game on Friday."

"Here ya' go sweetheart. And, I will try to make it if I can!"

"Bye. Thank you so much!" Riley slid into a booth while Lucas ordered. "Oh, cookies & cream fan too?"

"Very much so, you are getting vanilla ice cream mixed with oreo's. The best cookie."

"RIGHT! Maya thinks nutter butters are the best. We get into heated debates often." The brunette tossed her legs up onto the red leather booth.

"Riles, can I ask you somethin'?" He set his cup of ice cream down.

"Sure." She took another spoonful.

"Do you know everyone?" Riley tilted her head to the side, with a look of confusion. "I mean, every time we go somewhere you know their names and have a full conversation. Just then, and with the receptionist at school, and co-workers."

"Oh, I get what you're saying now. No, I don't know everyone." She giggled and took another bite. "But, I always think a smile can change a persons day and if you really take the little time to remember their name and talk to them, it can make a difference in their lives."

"Wow, that's really deep."

"Well, it used to be common courtesy. People are always running around trying to get stuff done, and ignoring everything and every one else. I'm guilty of it too."

"I like that, a lot actually."

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"Riley, I like Lucas and I don't even really know him. Give him a shot."

"Maya, you know why I can't." the brunette raised her eyebrow. "I really like spending time with him, don't get me wrong. But, I shouldn't date him. No matter how attractive he is." Maya was laying on Riley's bed going through her phone while Riley packed for the trip. "Have you started packing? We leave tomorrow night."

"A lot of stuff I need is down there already. I just need clothes and shoes. I will do that tomorrow before the game. And, you never know what can happen in a weekend. I say if you dated Charlie, why can't you date Lucas?"

"Lucas is a decent human being. I don't want to do that to him." She laughed. "He's already gotten like 2 numbers and Missy is sniffing around hoping to mark her territory." The friends started laughing when the brunette's phone went off.

"That? What do you mean?" Riley looked at the ground.

"Nothin', I just mean me and my crazy self."

Hey. If you want, meet me at my spot in the morning and you can leave your bag in my truck. Space number 113.

-Thank you, that'd be great. I'll have a million bags tomorrow, it'd be nice to unload some.

Meet you there at 8:15.

The cheerleader tossed her phone onto the bed and continued to pack.

"One last thing and i'll drop it. Scouts honor."

"I find that hard to believe, but go ahead."

"If he is still on your mind, after trying not to think about him romantically then he is worth taking a risk."

The brown eyed girl pondered what Maya had just said and continued packing. After 8 minutes worth of silence, Riley spoke up.

"I don't even know him that well."

"Then get to know him. That's what this weekend is for."

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Riley was in her place for the fight song and was preparing to get trampled when the football players enter the pep rally.

"So, i've decided."

"I feel like my reply should be, 'on what Missy' but that'd mean i'm interested." The brunette snickered at her own joke and faced her frenemy.

"I feel like you may have a particular interest in this subject. I'm going to ask Lucas out."Riley nodded her head and smiled.

"Sounds great, I hope things work out the way they should." Meaning, if God really cares about Lucas or anyone for that matter, he'd keep Missy away from people. Darby, their captain had the team huddle up.

"They are fixing to come through. Smile, suck in the tummies, and cheer them on. Don't get trampled." The cheerleader straightened out her uniform, luckily BHS was more on the modest side of uniforms. Besides the short skirt, it was a pretty humble outfit. The band struck up the fight song and Riley began to cheer, the doors to the arena opened and a stampede of football players flooded the gym. The brown eyed girl kept a safe distance from the team as they trampled their way through the line of girls, and a pair of green eyes caught her fancy. Lucas was running through with his signature smirk and didn't take his eyes off Riley, he even ran backwards at one point. The brunette rolled her eyes and continued to cheer, but felt Missy's eyes on her.

After the mascot, and the dance team performed, the MC introduced the cheerleaders onto the floor. As Riley took her first position on the scuffed floor, she saw Lucas working his way to the front. Apparently he wanted a front row seat.

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Lucas had finally pushed his way through the teammates so he could get a better view, which was perfect because Riley was right in his line of sight.

All my people in the crowd, grab a partner take it down. Riley did a standing back tuck and the music changed to Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger. And it goes like this, take me by the tongue and i'll know you. Riley's cheering was phenomenal and she was probably the best one, in Lucas' opinion. A few of his teammates had pointed her out in the crowd and cat called her. It frustrated him but, he continued to brush it off. He kept telling himself 'that she was a cheerleader, in a short skirt, flipping and dancing seductively, she's probably used to this'. Somehow in the dance, her position for the end of their routine was right in front of the team. The brunette was gone quicker than she had gotten there and after several flips across the floor the routine had ended.

"YEAH RILEY!" Lucas looked around at the rest of his team and saw several other guys cheering her on and, his jealousy surfaced. But, once the balloons fell from above, he forgot about it. The pep rallies were never this extravagant where he was from.

"RILEY!" The running back was making his way through the crowd trying to find her but a girl, he only knew from second period stopped him.

"Lucas? Right?" He nodded his head and glanced back up to see if Riley was still in his sights. She was, and clearly trying to control her laughter as she mouthed the word 'Missy'. "I'm Missy. I'm in your second period."

"Yeah, I remember you. How are you?"

She completely disregarded his question and focused on what she wanted. "So, what are you doin' this weekend?"

"I'm going to PK with some friends." He glanced back up at Riley and used his eyes to plead with her, it had only been maybe 2 minutes and Lucas knew he wasn't interested.

"Maybe, when you get back we can go see a movie."

"Maybe." Lucas divulged while Riley walked up and touched his arm.

"Can I stick my bag in your truck?" Missy continued to glare her down.

"Actually, Riley I was talking to Lucas."

"Oh, i'm sorry Missy. I just need to put my bag in his truck since we are going to PK this weekend." Lucas grinned and looked at Missy who was pissed off.

"You're going with him?"

"Yeah, me and a few of our friends."

"Well, we are going to see a movie on Sunday." Missy snapped back.

"Actually, I never agreed to that. We'll be getting back late on Sunday anyways. Maybe another time." The brunette started coughing to disguise her laughter, which made Missy storm away.

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"Thank you, by the way for taking so long to come rescue me."

Thr brunette giggled. "Hey, I lied about putting my bag in your truck. It's in there and I wanted you to form your own opinion about her. It isn't fair to her, if you just take my word for it. Out of curiosity did you say 'maybe' to Missy?"

"I don't need someone wound that tight. And, yeah why?"

"She won't leave you alone now." Lucas leaned against his truck.

"Eh, i'll deal with it, if it comes up. She isn't hurting anyone by flirting. But, the show you put on was entertaining." The brunette looked towards the ground, acting casual. "You did great by the way. Flippin' all over the place and what not."

She smiled and looked at him. "Thank you. I thought I heard you cheering."

"Oh, it wasn't just me. Half of the football team was admirin' you. But, I uh- can't say I blame them though." The brunette looked towards the ground again, and blushed.

"I'm gonna, go inside and see if they need my help. But, um i'm lookin' forward to this weekend. It should be a lot of fun. Good Luck! And, we'll just meet you here after the game."

"Yeah." He lifted his eyebrows. "I can't wait."

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