Chapter 15

Lucas shut the back door and looked at Riley with wide eyes. "Let's get in the water." With a running start the brunette flipped into the deep end of the blue water, trying to act like nothing had happened. The running back was right behind cannonballing into the pool.

"I'm sorry. I completely forgot, which is even weirder considering I spent like 10 minutes in the bathroom trying to think of an excuse."

"It's okay, relax." His smile made her do just that. "But, they are gonna ask. So, what do you want for me to say?"

"Ugh, I don't know." She grabbed a neon pink floatie and climbed on top.

"Don't stress about it we can figure it out later." The cheerleader turned to her left and saw the waterfall made of rocks.

"I love that, the sound is so peaceful."

"Wait till it gets dark, my dad and I installed lights and uh," Lucas pulled her off of the floatie and into his arms. "it gets super romantic."

"You better cool it, your parents are watching." She tried to wiggle away. "Something tells me I may not need to be around when it gets dark."

"Who cares if my parents are watching? My mom has known i've liked you since the first day of school." Her eyes widened.

"She has not!"

"No, she has. Your dad knows too!" Riley's jaw dropped, and with all that she could muster she splashed him. "What? I thought you'd be happy!"

"What did he say? What did you say?" She wasn't angry, just extremely shocked.

"I said that i'm gonna ask you out, and i'd like his permission. After he checked my transcript, and record apparently, he cleared me to be with you. Then, I realized the hard part was getting you to agree to go out with me."

The brown eyed girl was back on the floatie, laying on her stomach, facing him. "I would agree to go out with you, if it wasn't for Charlie." Lucas admired her physique, and how her eyes turned from a deep brown to a hazel when the sun hit them.

"You're so pretty. Do you know that?" He moved a strand of hair away.

"That's why I would date you. Because, i'm starting to believe you."

"You should, I could go on and on about different parts of you that are absolutely breathtaking but, it's just quicker to say 'you're beautiful'." He winked at her and her cheeks turned red. "So, since Chase got to make a request, can I?"

"You may but, you have to be lucky for it to be approved."

"Good thing I make my own luck. I would like to partner up with you, for the senior dance thing."

"I'll talk to Darby and the co-captain and see what they say." She started smiling.

"Who's the co-captain?" Riley raised her eyebrows and tucked her lips in. "No. No freakin' way! Missy?"

"Yes sir. And, I have a feeling she's going to want you in her stunt group." Riley slid into the water now that the sun was getting to her.

"How are you not Captain or Co-Captain? You're incredible, and definitely better than Missy."

"Be nice, and I just didn't try out. I didn't know if i'd be able to handle school, job, and cheerleading. Let alone being captain, besides Darby is friends with everyone. People would take direction from her better than me."

"Yeah, Missy doesn't like you." He started laughing when he grabbed her hand to pull her in.

"I don't care either way, if someone doesn't like me I would still sit right next to them and be like 'hey girl hey'." Riley climbed on top of his back and got a piggy back ride around the pool.

"Excuse my language, but you're pretty bad ass. It's a nice change of pace."

"From?"

"Bailey." The brunette went through the files in her head trying to figure out if she heard that name before. "My ex, she was nice but she had to have everyone's approval at all times and it was exhausting."

"Yeah, it is. I used to be that way." He turned over his shoulder and made her seem crazy. "No, I really did. Maya used to call my own little world 'Rileytown', I would do anything for my friends, even sacrifice my own happiness and no matter what I did, if it wasn't okay with everyone it bothered me to my core. I'd still do anything for my friends, but I don't take it to an extreme."

"That would've been interesting to see. You're just a breath of fresh air, I can be sarcastic without hurting your feelings and you make me feel a little nervous."

"I do? Hmm, what makes you nervous?" Riley bit her lip and the butterflies in Lucas' stomach woke up.

"Your smile mostly. But, your sexy body and your eyes they give me goosebumps when I think about them. See look." He raised his arm out of the water. "It's 101 out today." Riley slid off of his back and sat on the steps.

"So, Bailey never made you nervous?" The cheerleader was prying to figure out how to keep him around.

"Not really, I think because I always knew what she was gonna do. You keep me on my toes."

"That's because we have known eachother for 3 weeks."

"So, I had Bailey pegged within the first couple days." He chuckled, "She sent me her schedule. But, not you. I have no idea what you're going to do, or what kind of personality you'll have. Are you gonna be sassy or sweet? Are you going to like me or not? I don't have to constantly be talking to you, though I wouldn't mind that. It's always fun."

"Do you still care about her?" Lucas stared at her, and could tell she wasn't mad. Riley was just curious.

"I do, but in a non romantic way. I care for her in a sisterly way. Probably because she looks a lot like Brinley."

"Great, so she's gorgeous." Riley smiled.

"She's very pretty, no offense to her but someone I know is much more gorgeous." The brunette grinned and looked at her toes in the water. "I'm gonna answer your question that you're thinking and let you know we were together for almost a year."

"Enough with the heavy. It doesn't matter anyways, your past is in the past." She tried to swim away but he stopped her again.

"Hey, just know that I like you, and only you."

"Alright, y'all come on inside. Shrimp is done." Riley's eyes brightened up.

"Shrimp? That's my absolute favorite!" The brunette hurriedly ran inside, leaving Lucas in the dust. "You comin'?"

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

"Riley, Luke has told us that you're a cheerleader?" Taylor looked at her and smiled.

"Yes m'am-"

"She's amazing, she did like a spiral in the air at the pep rally the other day." She started blushing.

"That's great, so you're a cheerleader, you have a job and go to school."

"She has a 3.9 GPA. Riley's incredibly smart, and they love her at work!" Lucas couldn't stop himself from bragging on her, there were so many things that impressed him. He realized how goofy he sounded.

"Thank you Lucas, you don't have to say that." Riley sat at the round table with Lucas on her right and Brinley on her left.

Corey spoke for the first time since they started eating. "You're a busy girl."

"Yes, I tend to be. It can only prepare me for college."

"She wants to go to UT, and become an RN for labor and delivery."

"Riley, that's so great!" The brunette looked at Lucas and whispered 'calm down'.

"Thank you Taylor. I love kids and to see the miracle of life would be an absolute honor. But, it is an extremely tough area to get into, there aren't a lot of positions open in L&D so I will take any sort of pediatrics."

"You're very ambitious." Mr. Friar took a drink and cleared his throat. "Are you two dating?"

"COREY!" Taylor practically choked on her food.

"No dad, not yet." His glance made her heart flutter.

"I'd be very lucky to date your son. But, there are other things that need to be resolved before we can be together."

Taylor smirked. "Well said Riley, i'm very impressed. You handle pressure very well. Unlike someone else I once knew." She mumbled.

"Mom, come on Bailey was nice." Riley took a bite of her shrimp and put her head down, hoping to hide her laughter.

"Very nice, and extremely nervous. Even after y'all had been together for what a year? She still wouldn't speak in full sentences."

Corey stepped to the plate. "I agree with both of y'all, very nice and nervous. I just think that, you two got extremely serious for being so young. Talking about marriage and family, things like that, y'all got together when you were 15 or 16." The brunette didn't look up from her plate and the family was silent, realizing they made Riley feel uncomfortable. Lucas put his hand on her lap and Riley hastily moved his hand away.

"Thank y'all so much for cooking." The cheerleader smiled, hoping to continue conversation. Lucas was visibly upset.

"Anytime Riley. You're always welcome." Taylor was trying to lighten the mood.

The brunette helped Taylor clean the kitchen and Lucas was outside with his dad.

"Why did you say that dad?"

"I'm sorry son, I figured she knew about Bailey." Corey kept working on the speakers for the radio.

"She knew about Bailey, and that we were together for a year. I thought that would be enough."

"Well Luke, i'm sorry. But, don't start a relationship with secrets no matter how small. And, what's with the bruises on her wrist?" He stopped working and looked at the running back. "I'm hoping you took care of whoever did that to her. 'Cause i'll take care of you with my belt if it was you."

"Of course it wasn't me, I tried until she stopped me. That's the 'other thing' that needs to be resolved before we can date. She doesn't want me to fight, it scares her."

"Well, that's understandable if the bruises were more than frequent." Corey dropped the electrical tape and looked at Lucas. "I'm sorry if she felt uncomfortable and i'm sorry that I brought it up. But, in the long run she would've found out. Women always do."

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Well lately it's occurred to me we let life get busy. We go to work and we pay our taxes on time. Well that kind of thing will not do, keeping me away from you. I just wanna love you tonight.

Lucas looked around the backyard and realized Riley hadn't come back outside. He opened up the back door and noticed she changed clothes with a purse in her hand. "Hey, you aren't going yet are you?"

"Yeah, I think so. We have to work early tomorrow, 6 a.m. comes sooner than you think."

"Sweetheart it's 7. You're a little irked with me aren't you?" He sauntered towards her.

"You don't care for her like a sister do you?" The brunette searched his eyes to make sure he was going to tell the truth. "I'm not mad, I actually expected that. Y'all dated for a good while." She sat on the couch.

"You're right. I cared for her in a way other than a sister. Main word is cared. I stopped feelin' that way several months before I left. But, I care for someone else now. Main word is care." She smiled. "I know you aren't mad, you just weren't sure how to talk to me about it. Am I right?" He was kneeling in front of her and raised her chin to get her to look at him. "We aren't dating, but you can always talk to me about anything. I know your first instinct is to run if there is conflict, because of Charlie. But, I pride myself on being nothing like him." Riley giggled. "We talked about marriage and family, because we were young. Not understanding the full responsibility of either."

"i know. I don't even have a right to be bothered by what happened. It was before we met, and we aren't even together. Gah, I hate being a girl sometimes." She placed her face in her hands.

"You were bothered because I didn't tell you. You can be irked by that. But, let me make it up to you." Her fingers split apart and you could see her beautiful eyes, she made him laugh. "Wanna dance?"

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

We're just hangin' around, burnin' it down. Sippin' on some cold jack daniels, jammin' to some old alabama with you baby, layin' right here.

"We danced to this song last night." The brunette had her head on his broad chest and saw Corey and Taylor dancing behind Lucas. "Do your parents know this song is sexual?"

He revealed his perfect smile. "I think so, it's pretty obvious. So, how long till you think this Charlie problem is resolved?"

"In other words how soon can we date? I guess we will see what happens on Monday, i'm hoping since you beat him up pretty bad, he'll just back off."

"I enjoyed that, not during. During I was mad, but afterwards I enjoyed it." Riley scoffed. "You know I don't mind the drama."

"I know, but you don't deserve the drama."

"I'm gonna be involved in it already, if it has to do with you then i'm there."

"But, I don't like it when you fight. You're gonna feel more protective over me if we're dating and it will just make you fight more." Lucas didn't say anything, but he already thought of her as his girlfriend. "Oh, shoot. What time is it?" He pulled his phone from his back pocket.

"8:45."

"I have to go."

"No, no you don't." He pulled her back into his chest. "Stay with me. Don't you wanna stay?" The running back winked.

"Very clever. Of course I wanna stay, but we have to work in the morning. If you're lucky, you'll dream of me." She looked behind him. "Mr. & Mrs. Friar, thank you so much for having me over but I have to get going. I have to be at work by 6 in the morning." She hugged them both.

"Make sure you bring an umbrella tomorrow, it's supposed to rain pretty hard till about 12 or 1."

"I will Taylor, thank you." She started walking back inside.

"I'm going to walk her out." He placed his hand on her back.

"You better." Corey laughed and continued to dance with his wife.

"Do you want a ride in the morning? I can come pick you up."

"Thank you, that's very sweet but that means you'd have to get up earlier and that isn't necessary." It was a pretty night, the moon was bright but the clouds in the sky covered up some of the stars. Lucas had Riley leaned up against her parent's car, and as usual her heart sped up.

"Why did you impose a curfew on yourself, I don't want you to go."

"You seem to be gettin' awful attached." She had a wry smile on her face.

"Is that bad?" He caressed her cheek.

"I didn't say that. But, I will say goodnight." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Sweet dreams, thank you for everything today." The brunette opened the door and after he winked she drove off. The cheerleader pulled up to the stop sign and looked in her rearview mirror, he was still standing there. Lucas' hands were in his pockets and his shoulders were close to his ears, almost like he was anxious, she couldn't help but think about how adorable he looked. Riley let out another grin as she turned right.

GMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMWGMW

Thanks for reading. Please follow, favorite and review.