Chapter 25
Riley was sitting on the tailgate of Lucas' truck, watching her friends have a good time, when another truck pulled up beside her. "Hey sugar! You're lookin' good." The cheerleader stood up and hugged him.
"Hi Zay, thank you! Wanna sit?" He nodded and jumped on the tailgate beside her. "So, on a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you hate me?"
"Like a 3. Don't sweat it. If things don't work out with Lucas, i'll be here." He winked when Lucas walked up behind them.
"I heard that!" The guys shook hands. "What happened to bro code?"
"Have you met her?" Riley started laughing and interrupted their conversation.
"Okay, well good to know I have a back up. Secondly, Zay i'm sorry about last weekend."
"Don't you worry your pretty little mind, that was only the beginning of our relationship." The brunette started coughing to hide her laughter.
"Zay, down boy! You're starting to sound like me." Riley passed them each a beer.
"I'm DD tonight. Y'all have fun." Lucas leaned over and kissed her, then placed the bottle back in the cooler. The brown eyed girl was confused.
"I don't like myself when I drink." The running back stood inbetween her legs.
"I've never seen you. How do you get?"
Zay interrupted. "He gets into a fight or 2. Not with people who don't deserve it. But, still." Riley raised her eyebrows and looked back at him with wide eyes.
"Hence why i'm not drinking. I don't get angry, I get protective. I'd like to think there's a difference."
"Not when they both lead to the same outcome. But, if you feel like you can't control it then i'm proud of you for not drinking, we're underage anyways." She winked and after a slow grin kissed him again, then the guys took off. Riley was glad that he was finally able to relax, he'd been working so hard to date her and with school and football he needed a night to unwind. The brunette decided not to dance, so jealous Lucas wouldn't surface, she wanted this night to be perfect for him. Occasionally her friends would come back to visit her but she spent most of the night with Darby. She was laughing at a joke when Chase slid beside her.
"Hey, so you know how I said i'd make it up to you?" Darby rolled her eyes.
"See you Riles." The cheerleader waved bye and turned towards Chase.
"You know how I said it wasn't necessary?" The brunette continued to kick her legs that were dangling from the bed of Lucas' truck.
"Let's go see a movie."
"I've seen them." Chase chuckled.
"You've seen every movie?" He inched closer and the cheerleader immediately scooted away.
"Impressive I know." Riley couldn't stop her smile when she saw Lucas talking with his football friends by the bon fire.
"Why are you being difficult? Obviously Lucas doesn't care too much what you do, he's way over there and you're over here."
"First, why do people keep calling me difficult? I'm a freaking joy. Second, I told him to. He needs guy time and I need my alone time." The brunette looked towards the dance area and saw Maya with Josh.
"You are a joy, I agree. And, I wouldn't need guy time if we were together." His cologne wasn't as sweet smelling as Lucas' and her eyes were getting tired of rolling.
"I'd need a lot more alone time if, IF you and I were together. I'm with Lucas."
"As he has made very aware. The arm on the shoulder and the nicknames have made it evident." The cheerleader didn't respond. "Come on y'all just started dating. It's nothing serious, go on 1, no 2 dates with me and then tell me you don't want more."
"I don't make the same mistake twice."
"So you'll go out with me once?" Lucas had noticed Chase and left Zay with his football buddies.
"I plan on having a headache." She grabbed her water from beside her.
"I didn't tell you a day."
"Then that proves my point further. Chase, I feel like my sarcastic comments should make it plenty clear that i'm not interested. It isn't code for try harder."
"I told you that it will only make me try harder." He grinned, and raised his eyebrows.
"Seriously though, this isn't me flirting. I'm happily dating Lucas."
A gust of wind blew and Riley smelt Lucas' cologne. "I know how to please you." Chase placed his hand on her thigh, the brunette looked at his hand then back at him.
"Great, then I won't even have to ask for you to leave. Also, don't place your hand on a woman unless she asks you to. It's the respectful thing to do." Riley stood up, removing Chase's hand when the running back approached the conversation.
"Everything okay over here?" Chase winked at Riley.
"Nothing, he was just leaving."
"We'll talk soon."
"Probably not." The brunette rolled her eyes and watched him leave. She turned to Lucas with sad eyes.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to pull you away from your friends." He lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes.
"Babe, don't apologize. I'd much rather spend time with you. Why are you so upset?" Her eyes brightened hearing he'd rather be with her.
"Charlie-"The running back put her up on the tailgate and exhaled heavily.
"Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. I'm not him sweetheart."
"You don't need your space or guy time? Whatever you want to call it."
"You mean that thing I get at our 2 a day practices and football games?" She giggled. "I've had enough of them, now I want you. Only you." The brunette felt butterflies and a smirk crept to her face. "Hold on, let me go talk to Zay and Josh then i'll be back."
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"Where are we going?" Lucas was in the drivers seat with a happy grin. Since Zay hadn't had anything to drink he agreed to take Josh and Maya home, and the new couple could run away from everyone.
"The lake. Is that okay?" She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. "So what exactly is Chase telling you?"
"Cheesy pick up lines. I respond with a sarcastic comment. Then, he said you don't care what I do because you were hanging by your friends. Stupid stuff."
"Well, i'm glad you can see right through that. I care very much about what you do and you in general." The green eyed man kissed her head. "Can you give me an example of a pick up line?"
"Why?"
"Just gives me an excuse to hear your jokes. I don't get them as much now that we're dating." He turned his wheel with a smile on his face.
"I'll work on that, ya' know include a bit more sarcasm into my every day conversation. But um.. I know you were listening." Lucas turned to look at her.
"How do you know that?"
"I smelt your cologne." He chuckled. "Why didn't you just walk up?" The running back didn't answer. "Were you looking for a reason to start a fight?" Still no answer, he just continued to drive. "Why?"
His eyelids fluttered and he exhaled. "My dad's always taught me that's how you resolve persistent problems. Defending what's yours kind of thing."
"Babe, i'm not going to let you fight for me. Do you know that?" The green eyed man was only a few minutes away from the lake.
"Unfortunately, yes I do."
"Why's that unfortunate?"
"You shouldn't be the one to fight your own battles. That's my job." She tilted her head as he put his truck into park.
"That's a really sweet sentiment, but can I invite you into the 21st century?" Riley giggled and they walked to the dock in silence. Her feet were dangling in the water when she started talking again. "Lucas, can I be blunt with you?"
"Yeah." He pushed her hair out of the way so he could look at her better.
"This isn't going to work out, unless you can get rid of that whole fighting solves everything mentality." He went to interrupt her, and her dainty finger pressed upon his lip stopped him. "Listen, I spent almost a year of my life in a constant argument with Charlie. I spent 6 months of that year freaking out everytime he moved his arm. I'm not going to be in that kind of relationship, where you're constantly looking for a fight. I like the fact you want to 'protect what's yours' but, I won't be yours anymore unless you cool it." She removed her finger. "Now you may speak." Lucas didn't immediately start talking, he absorbed everything she just said.
"I don't want to lose you. I just got you." She went to interrupt him, and in an almost mocking way put his finger to her lip. "Listen, i'm really sorry about everything. I just see guys all over you all the time and it makes me, I get frustrated. How would you like for me to handle it when a guy places his hand on your thigh?" He removed his finger. "Now you may talk."
"Funny. And, instead of looking for a fight address the situation. Like you did earlier, is everything okay over here was the perfect question. And how do I need to handle the situation to get those 2 to quit bothering me? Apparently my normal behavior of sheer attitude and negativity doesn't do the trick anymore." She laughed and Lucas took note of how adorable it was.
"Yeah, I don't know. That used to work, now either way, whether you're sweet or sassy, is a turn on for us guys."
"So, you see my predicament." They started playing footsie in the water.
"How about this, whenever you find yourself in a situation where a guy is throwing himself all over you. Try to leave it or find me, the boyfriend always makes the other guy feel uncomfortable when he plans to hit on the girl." The brunette laughed at the confusing statement.
"So, we have an agreement?" He nodded. "You know, it wasn't always like this. I don't know why all of a sudden Chase and Charlie are taking an interest in me."
"Can't say I blame them." He laid back on the wooden dock, Riley followed his lead and held hands. "I think it took a new guy coming to town, to realize what they've had waiting all along."
"Well, the new guy won. So they should give up."
Lucas turned his gaze from the stars to Riley. "You aren't a game babe, you're a very smart; beautiful, sweet, funny, hard working woman. I didn't win you, that would take an act of luck. I like to think I earned you." The brunette felt her cheeks blushing. "To earn something or someone, is an act of hard work. So, Riley Matthews I will continue to earn you every single day. Because you deserve a guy who would fight for you but won't because he respects what you want. And a guy who makes you see how amazing you are. I really care about you and I really like you." Lucas lifted his arm bringing her's along with it and kissed her hand.
"I like you too. And, thank you for that speech, it was very sweet." Besides the sound of water moving around from their feet, crickets, and occasional gust of wind it was a silent night. The couple welcomed the silence with open arms, Riley opened her mouth and Lucas turned his head to look at her. "Night is purer than day; it is better for thinking and loving and dreaming. Elie Wiesel was a smart man, did you know that people tend to open up more at night, emotionally."
"I can tell, that quote was probably one of the deepest things you've said to me." The brunettes eyelids closed and she silently laughed.
"A meaningful silence, is always better than meaningless words." They stared into eachother's eyes. "So, it's what i'm saying when i'm not talking that's truly important." Lucas gently stroked her cheek. The brunette didn't break eye contact, the running back was trying to weed through everything that was going on in her eyes.
"You really are much more romantic and deep than you lead people to believe."
"I'm not going to openly tell people my weaknesses."
"Why is caring about people and things and wanting to have someone romance you a weakness?"
"It puts a lot of pressure on relationships. Pressure can turn things to dust." He saw hurt and disappointment fester from her eyes. He remembered what Josh had told him at the lake house 'he did a number on her without even realizing it, she didn't even realize it until she got out'.
"You're not talking about friends or family." She shook her nead no. "You're right, pressure can turn things to dust, but the right kind of pressure can turn things into diamonds." Riley smirked and leaned over to kiss him. "Riles, I don't know what all happened with you and Charlie but i'm willing to work through anything for you. I know you probably feel damaged and guarded, but i'm not going to hurt you like he did."
She giggled and looked towards the sky. "That's probably what scares me the most." He looked really confused, how could that possibly scare her?
"Care to elaborate?" The pair were still playing footsie in the warm water, the cheerleader slowly sat up.
"I have no idea what you're planning to do, ever. So I have no idea what to expect."
"That's what keeps our relationship fun!" He kissed her. "I can make you happy, if you allow yourself to be." Her eyes lightened and she hugged him.
"You're awful deep for a guy."
"Something about opening up more at night, I don't know." They both laughed.
"I'm definitely a work in progress." She whispered.
"Well, then let's work on you together. Sound good?" She stood up.
"You know what sounds good?"
"I'm going to guess you're talking about ice cream." The brunette held her arm out, to help him up.
"What can I say i'm a fat kid inside of a tiny body." Lucas chuckled. "Plus, that's enough heavy talk for tonight, I felt feelings. It was weird." He kissed her and the pair walked back to his truck. Riley felt very relieved after their conversation, her stomach wasn't in knots but it was turning, he had her figured out in less than a week. Riley couldn't deny she loved the fact that he put so much effort into her.
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