Chapter 39
"Hey beautiful how was cheer?" Lucas could tell she was sad. "I'm sorry sweetheart, I wish there was something I could do." Riley stopped crutching, her armpits hurt really bad and she just wanted this day to be over.
"Missy isn't off cheer." The running back dropped his shoulders. "Yeah, that's what i'm saying. I offered a truce and she didn't respond. Like, what else could she possibly want to do to me?"
"What all did she say?" The couple made it to the steps and the green eyed man so graciously carried her up the stairs.
"Just played dumb mostly. Some 'I didn't do it on purpose', and 'I don't know what you're talking about', kind of things. She's going to appear sympathetic whether she is or not." Lucas opened the door to class and again everyone stared her down. "I'M FINE!" The students turned around and whispered. After they got situated in their desks the running back rubbed her shoulders. Her forehead hit her desk, and all he wanted to do was take her pain away, physically and emotionally. She turned to look at him through her hair, "Thank you for rubbing my shoulders. That feels good."
"Anytime baby girl. I know you've had a hard day or week whichever you'd prefer to use."
"I really don't want to go to the principal after this. Can you take me away?"
"Under normal circumstances, i'd love to run away with you. In this one, i'd be going against your fathers wishes and let's be honest I have to say in his good graces." The brown eyed girl blew a raspberry. "I know."
"Do you work today?" The cheerleader whispered.
"Yeah, I do. I can try to find someone to cover my shift if you want."
"No, don't do that." Riley perked up all of a sudden. "I know it's a long ways away, but i'm planning a New Years Eve party and on the 2nd take off. Every one is coming over for a FAFSA, Scholarship, School Application party! Fun, right?"
"It will be if you're there. That's all I need."
"Corny." She uttered.
"That's one of the many reasons you love me."
"If you say so." He chuckled.
"And, we're right back to sarcasm."
"HEY QUIET DOWN GUYS! Riley hang out in the classroom while we go on our walk, everyone else outside."
"By myself?" The teacher looked at her like she was crazy.
"Yeah, it's only 10 minutes i'm sure you can preoccupy your time." Lucas kissed her forehead.
"I'll try to sneak back."
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Mr. Matthews, Riley, Missy and Darby were all sitting in the principal's office. "Alrighty, so Mr. Matthews you called for this meeting."
"Yes sir, I did. Ms. Bradford and my daughter have had a difficult time getting along the past couple of years. More so recently since my daughters boyfriend has caught Missy's fancy. Yesterday in cheer practice Riley flew and Missy didn't catch her."
"Principal Hughes, I wouldn't intentionally hurt anyone like that." Darby scoffed at her statement.
"I screamed your name because your arms completely dropped before she even hit her peak. Riley tried to warn me and I didn't listen." Mr. Matthews cleared his throat.
"Anyways, Riley rotated to protect her head and landed on her knee, she has a grade 2 sprain in her PCL which means she won't be able to cheer for 2 months."
"Mhm, so what would you have me do about that? Cheerleading is a dangerous sport Cory, I mean Missy says she didn't, there's no proof." Mr. Matthews furrowed his brows.
"Darby is telling you what happened, the whole varsity squad can give you the same exact information. I'm speaking as her father not a teacher, Ms. Bradford should be dismissed from the squad." Missy stood up.
"WHAT?!" D was quick to defend.
"You're at each others throats all the time Missy, you were mad about Riley interrupting your dance and this was your payback don't act so shocked."
Missy started to fake cry. "I would never." Darby started laughing, silencing everyone, even Missy's fake sobs.
"ENOUGH!" The principal slammed his hand on his desk. "There's nothing I can do." Riley rolled her eyes. "Problem Ms. Matthews?" The brunette's jaw clenched, she was sick of Missy playing innocent and she was tired of being quiet.
"Yeah there is Principal Hughes. How much did she pay you?" Cory placed his hand on the cheerleader as the principal widened his eyes.
"Riley!" Cory snapped.
"There's nothing you can do? You have people who were there and saw her neglect to catch me, but there's nothing you can do?" Riley stood up and started to leave, intentionally hitting Missy with her crutches. "Have a nice day, I told you this was pointless dad." The brunette crutched her way out of the office and saw her 3 best friends waiting on her.
Lucas heard her and stood up. "What happened?"
"I told off the principal. Let's go." Her friends were doe eyed. "Come on y'all, i'm tired." Riley's friends followed her out in silence, until Maya couldn't take it anymore.
"What do you mean you told off the principal?" The blue eyed girl questioned.
"He said there was nothing he could do, and after Missy fake sobbed for awhile I got fed up."
"Okay, and?" The brunette stopped and shook out her arms.
"And, I asked how much he was being paid." She continued to crutch. All 3 friends started talking at the same time, but Josh talked over.
"Riley! You could be in serious trouble." Josh explained.
"I could, but I could also just blame it on the fact that I was irritable from my medicine. Which, isn't a total lie." Lucas opened the door outside for her. "Hey Maya."
"Yes peaches?"
The cheerleader turned around and made eye contact with her best friend. "Gloves are off!" The blonde smiled and walked beside her, while their boyfriends hung back.
"This isn't going to be good is it Josh?"
"Depends." Both of the guys watched their girlfriends walk away.
"On?"
"How pissed off she is."
"I'm hoping she'll let this go. She seemed pretty chill with it even this morning." Lucas didn't want to admit that this was a side of Riley he wasn't to fond of.
Josh shook his head. "I get that she's mad but being vengeful isn't going to make you feel better."
"If you talk to yours, i'll talk to mine." The boys shook hands and ran to catch up with their girls.
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"RILEY GRACE! GET OUT HERE NOW!" Cory threw his briefcase down on the couch and Mrs. Matthews ran to his side.
"What, what happened?"
"Oh you'll see." He heard crutches down the hall and exhaled heavily, pushing his cheeks out.
"Hey dad."
"What was that?" Topanga helped Riley down the step.
"My medicine made me irritable?" She sat on the couch and propped her foot up.
"That's what I told the principal, preventing you from getting detention." Cory saw the sadness in her eyes and decided to calm down. He sauntered towards the couch and sat beside her.
"I'm sorry dad, I just got mad. Missy was fake crying, Darby was arguing for me and Principal Hughes was useless as usual. I told you I didn't want to do that and you didn't listen." Cory dropped his head.
"I know, I was shooting for the moon meeting with him." Topanga sat on the oversized chair and smiled, she loved seeing them have their father daughter moments.
"I just, I don't know lost my cool. But, if she's going to be conniving that's fine, so will I." Topanga straightened up.
"We raised you better than that." Mrs. Matthews divulged.
"So what do you want me to do? She hasn't outright said it but i'm pretty positive that she isn't going to stop. I called for a truce and she walked away."
"Leave it be Riles, you only have a few more months of high school. Don't waste it getting caught up in drama. Be the bigger person." Her brown eyes made contact with her mothers. "I don't want to have to defend you in court." Riley laughed.
"Yeah, most everything I have thought of isn't something I can get away with." Her parents laughed.
"Sweetie, we are so proud of who you are." Mr. Matthews made Cory smile. "You are so smart, beautiful, funny and we even love how witty you are. We don't like the conniving you, and we know you don't like being caught up in this drama. You've never liked it, even though you may instigate it sometimes." Their daughter was fixing to reply, but realized they were right.
"Okay, i'll leave it be. But, I won't be happy about it."
"That's all we ask darling daughter. Now, go lay back down and do homework or study or something productive."
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Riley was laying in her bed half asleep when her phone rang.
Hey beautiful
Hi.
You sound sleepy.
Yeah, I am. I missed you tonight.
That's how I know you're tired. Riley chuckled. Can I talk to you about something?
I'm not going to do anything to Missy, i'm not going to get caught up in her drama.
How did you know? He loved how she always knew, but it seriously astounded him.
Because, I know you and I know you don't like me that way. I'm sorry. I don't like myself that way either. My parents and I talked already and i'm not going to ruin the last few months of my high school career caught up in drama.
You're amazing.
Yeah.
You're so pretty. How'd I get so lucky.
What?
There was a knock at her bay window and she smiled as he opened it. "Lucas freaking Friar, why do you keep doing that?"
"I missed you too, so I wanted to do something about it." He kneeled beside her bed.
"I thought we agreed that I only said that because I was tired." She giggled and took his hand.
"When you're tired your true feelings come out. The ones that you constantly push away, I make a point to be here when you're in that state of mind." He whispered.
"Why's that?"
"So you can tell me how amazing I am." She caressed his cheek.
"I don't do that enough do I?"
"I'm kidding, you do. I just like you to be one of the last people I see before I go to bed." He gently grabbed her hand off his face and kissed her palm.
"You're too good to me." Riley uttered.
"Not really, i'm just in love with you."
"I'm in love with you but I don't break into your house by climbing through your window."
"What's stopping you?"
"The law. Something you seem to disregard." She blinked and didn't open her eyes back up.
"Sweet dreams beautiful girl, I love you." He left her place and quietly closed her window.
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"How is she?" Lucas walked through the door and hung up his keys.
"I'm fine mom, thank you for asking." He sauntered towards his mother and hugged her.
"I wasn't talking about you. How's Riley?" He rolled his eyes and smiled, Taylor clearly didn't catch on to the sarcasm.
"She's okay. Frustrated I think, the principal didn't do anything so she may or may not have asked him how much he was being paid." He took a drink of milk.
"Oh that girl, she's not in trouble is she?"
"No, her medicine makes her irritable and the fact she can't cheer." His mom dropped the dish towel and sat down.
"Good. Who is the girl that dropped her?" Lucas sat down on the chair beside her.
"Missy, the reason we broke up in the first place." Taylor's mouth opened and raised her chin slightly.
"Ah, I see." His mother whispered.
"Yeah." Mrs. Friar placed her hand in his.
"You know, jealousy is just a lack of self confidence." Lucas' green eyes hit hers.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that if Riley is a better cheerleader, she gets a long with just about everyone, she's top in her class, gorgeous, funny, and she has you." The running back rolled his eyes.
"She was all those things before I-" He stopped talking and his mouth opened slightly.
"I'm sorry honey, but you may have been the last straw for this Missy character."
"So what do I do? Build her self confidence?"
"That's probably not the best idea, considering the past. But ultimately, someone needs to." Taylor heard Brinley crying from her room. Mrs. Friar kissed her son's head and left him alone in the living room.
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"NO CRUTCHES! Now i'm just gimp!" Lucas turned around on the couch and started laughing.
"You look beautiful!" Riley glanced at her outfit, converse, and a black floral dress.
"Thanks, I just wanted something that'd be easier to put on. It took 10 minutes for shorts yesterday." He stood up and kissed her.
"You ready?" He mumbled while she clutched his hand.
"Not really, it's going to take awhile to move around school. I move faster with crutches." He kissed her head.
"I love you." He opened the door to his truck and placed her in the passenger seat.
"What's wrong?" Her brows were furrowed.
"I say I love you and you automatically assume something is wrong?" The truck turned over and he put it into drive.
"You said I love you like something is on your mind, not like I love you from being sweet." He didn't say anything. "Spill."
"It's not a big deal."
"Liar." He started laughing revealing his beautiful teeth and her heart warmed.
"I talked to my mom about Missy last night." The brunette nodded waiting for him to continue. "She said that jealousy is a lack of self confidence, and that Missy is jealous of you and that's why she's trying to ruin everything. Which she isn't the first person i've heard that from so don't deny it. You're smart, funny, a better cheerleader, gorgeous, how could she not be?"
"So, what are you saying?" Riley tousled her hair.
"She needs a self confidence boost, and if she gets that maybe she'll leave us alone." He glanced at his girlfriend.
"How do you suggest we do that?"
"I don't know. That's what i'm trying to figure out." Riley clutched his hand and kissed his knuckles.
"You're too nice."
"I remember you saying that before. You said girls would walk all over me basically."
"And look at what you got!" She laughed.
"The best girl in town." The brunette rolled her eyes.
"So, we need to boost her self confidence. Like be nice?" Her eyes widened.
"I guess. Like compliment her and be friendly."
"Gross." He helped her out of the truck and grabbed her bag. "I'll try but, no guarantees."
"Just make sarcastic remarks in your head. Nothing nice to say don't say it at all." She limped towards the door, holding his hand. He started laughing at her movement.
"Shut up!"
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"Good morning Missy!" Lucas exclaimed with a fake smile on his face. He was already sitting down in second period when she walked in, since Riley refused the help.
"Morning Lucas. You're talking to me again?"
"No hard feelings, if Riley isn't holding a grudge why should I?" She rolled her eyes and sat down. "Why the eye roll?"
"Nothing." Missy pursed her lips.
"Seriously, what? She's not making a big deal out of this and you're mad at her for that too?"
"She's not perfect Lucas!" He started laughing.
"I'm aware, no one is. She doesn't think she's perfect." Lucas felt like ranting so he continued to talk not letting her interrupt. "Riley thinks she's not very pretty with a questionable personality. She is smart but she works incredibly hard for that, she's a great cheerleader but practices all the time. Everything she has, she works for, she didn't intentionally injure anyone to get there. Riley doesn't care what people think, and neither should you."
"It isn't just that Lucas!" Missy snapped quietly.
"What is it? Is it me?" She stood up and walked out of class. The running back thought about following her but after being alone with her last time didn't work out well for his and Riley's relationship so he stayed put.
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"LUCAS FRIAR!" Riley limped her way towards her boyfriend with an angry face.
"What? What'd I do?" He wrapped his hands around her waist.
"Anything and everything! But, in this particular instance i'm talking about Missy." His grin slowly disappeared. "Uh huh, what did you say to her?"
"Why? What did she say?" They walked hand in hand to class.
"Nothing." He looked at her confused. "Which is why I knew you said something. She didn't insult me, or talk to me at all."
"So, then what's the problem?"
"Don't be dense and tell me what you said?" He scooped her up in his arms to go up the steps.
"She said you weren't perfect, I said you didn't think you were and told her what you thought about yourself and you work incredibly hard to get what you do have. She said and I quote 'it isn't just that' and when I asked her what it was, she ran off."
"It's you. I knew that." He set her down before he opened the door. "So, that means we have to break up!" Lucas' eyes widened and jaw dropped. "Before my skull gets cracked, it's probably for the best."
"I thought you were kidding at first, but now you're starting to worry me."
"Of course i'm kidding silly! Look, there's nothing we can do to help her. If she wants to tweak her personality then she can probably find a guy, she's very pretty but until then we can't set her up with someone."
"I guess you're right." Riley cleared her throat and raised her brows. "Sorry, not guess, you are right. Is that what you were wanting to hear?"
"That's what every girl wants to hear." He kissed her head and grinned.
"Love you."
"Yeah, yeah love you too!"
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