Wow! Thanks for all the love for this story. This chapter I think will make some people happy and some not! This is one of my longest chapters yet and it surprised me I love it and hate it but it had to be written! Also couple question should Zay have a girlfriend or not? Happy Readings!

Chapter 4

Girl Meets Pity

"I feel like life is really short, and it's important to enjoy yourself and embrace whatever comes your way, whether it's a challenging day or a great day, just welcome it with open arms. No matter who you are, you can't escape challenges; they are part of life" - Miranda Kerr

A Week Later

Riley shuffled her semi-cold fries around her plate as she zoned out from her friends. Charlie and his best friends Billy Ross and Yogi decided to join the usual gang. To make the awkwardness a doozy Farkle and Zay invited Lucas to sit with them as well. Riley glanced between Charlie and Lucas, who would give one another stare downs.

Ever since Lucas left Riley's side abruptly and with no other contact she figured they were back to being silent acquaintances. She craved to hear what Lucas had to tell her that night, but he never mentioned it again. However, Charlie has been taking over all her time and make sure she was alright constantly.

"You should eat Riles" Charlie said as he tried to feed her a fry. She smacked the fry from his hand which made him tighten his smile and turn to his friends.

"As I was saying dude, I need that extra cash for my car and that way at Prom we could ride at style" Billy said and rolled his eyes at Riley's action.

"Yeah with my best girl" Charlie said and grasped Riley into a side hug. Riley frustrated with Charlie's smothering gets up from the table. Maya turned to Riley to speak, but Riley ran out the cafeteria with her notebook and backpack. Riley let out a frustrated whimper and leaned against a locker to catch her breathe.

No one knew except Lucas what happened that night. They all just knew that Riley was attacked and had a few bruises that needed time to heal. Only he knew what really happened; only he knew that she was attacked in more ways than one and only he knew what she was going through. Although she wasn't raped, she felt violated body and mind.

The bell rang and students shuffled out of classrooms into the hallway. Riley straightened herself and was met with two girls who stared at her. Both giggled at her which embarrassed her. The rumors started that Riley got into a fight and turned into Riley Matthews got drunk to cheat on Charlie.

Whispered rumors riled her up and she was ready to advance to them when she saw that they seized up. Riley felt a hand on the square of her lower back and turned to her right. She felt his presence around her and calmed down in an instant. Lucas stared at the two girls that had whispered about her and they hasted away. He steered her towards their History class, but she stopped mid step.

"Want to ditch?" Riley questioned and turned to him. She clutched her notebook close to her chest and widened her brown eyes at him. They hypnotized and immobilized him at the same time. Lucas placed a hand behind his neck and stuttered over his words.

"Wh… Wha…- what?"

"Do you want to ditch class with me?" Riley asked again and bit her bottom lip.

"Riley maybe we should go to class, it's your Dad's class I think he will notice we are missing" Lucas said.

"You can go, bye Lucas" Riley whispered and walked past him.

Lucas looked toward the classroom and watched Maya and Zay talk to one another. He turned to look over his left shoulder and watched Riley as she sprinted towards the exit. With a spin of his heel, he hurried behind her and grabbed her wrist. Ditching school wasn't Riley's usual idea, she loved school, especially her Father's class.

"Sure" Lucas said as Riley slightly grinned. He grabbed her notebooks with a hand and jutted them towards the exit. He was not going to let her go out there alone and he knew against his better judgement that he should have told his friends but he didn't.

They escaped into the street, careful to avoid the security guards and hurried towards the subway. Neither of them spoke a word to each other on the train except for the accidental sorry from bumping into one another on the crowded train. Lucas didn't know where they were going, but knew he had to trust her right now.

"We're here" Riley said as she pulled him off the train. They had reached 110th Street – Central Park North and Riley beamed with excitement. Lucas followed her silently up the stairs and across the street into the lavish Central Park.

He didn't know what to say to her, but he knew that he had to follow her on this adventure. Before he knew it Riley handed him a small plastic bag of fruit that she had purchased at the fruit stand.

"Can we go sit by the water?" Voice filled with timidity and uncertainty.

"Of course" He responded, his voice cracking slightly. He coughed to clear his throat and she blushed before she walked across the street towards the Harlem Meer.

Trees flourished across the grass of orange and green leaves and Riley sighed of happiness. An escape was what she needed. No lectures or her parents hovering over her worried about what she would do. It was not like she out doing drugs or sliding down a pole. All she craved was to be free for just a moment.

Lucas settled underneath a tree and she placed her bag next to his. Maybe she had to break the ice or maybe he didn't want to be around her. Maybe he was just being a babysitter for Zay and Maya.

"Do you mind?" He asked as he grabbed a green apple from the plastic bag. Riley shook her head no and took a seat next to him. Beside her laid her bag and she knew this would be the perfect time to edit and write. For the next hour the two sat in silence as Riley scribbled and Lucas ate the apples she purchased.

"I need to dance" Riley blurted out and threw her notebook and papers down next to Lucas. In a daze Lucas jumped in surprise as Riley began to shake her hips slightly. Mouth gaped open at her actions, Lucas surely did not know how to respond.

He fumbled with the plastic bag and grabbed the last apple. They had to talk after he ate this apple there were no more distractions. He glanced up at her and she was lost in her own thoughts.

She did a cartwheel onto the grass and displayed a playful grin on her face. He chuckled slightly and bit into his apple as he watched her dance around. Bubbles swarmed their seating area as an elderly man approached them with a bubble machine and an inflatable pool. Her giggles tickled his ears and he couldn't help but grin at her happiness.

"How much?" Lucas asked as the man motioned for five dollars for about five minutes of bubbles. He reached into his wallet and handed the man a crisp ten-dollar bill. The man smiled and began the show of bubbles. Riley reached up to the bubbles and began to spin in the wonderland of bubbles.

Once the show was over, the man took out a hula hoop and winked at Riley. Riley glanced over to Lucas, who stood up from his spot under the tree. The elder man poured some bubble mix into the small pool. He motioned for the two to step in the pool which Riley eagerly did. Lucas timid followed her motion and joined her.

"On the house for you two" He said and dipped the hula hoop. He raised it slowly above them, which created a bubble. It encased them into a giant bubble and Riley let out a cheer. Riley gripped Lucas's wrist and he fidgeted from her touch. She noticed his maneuver and let go of his wrist as the bubble popped. Lucas left the pool first as Riley followed slowly behind him.

"Thank you" Riley said softly and smiled at the elder man.

"No problem sweetheart" He said as he collected his things and went on his way.

Riley looked down at her feet and then at Lucas's face.

"We should go" Riley whispered as Lucas nodded. He reached down for their things and she walked away in hurriedly. She didn't dare let him see her tears not again and not ever. The ride back to her apartment was worse than earlier and this time she wouldn't glance his way. He had to break her thoughts and show her they were at her stop.

Awkward tension rose on her walk towards the apartment and she ran up her stairs to avoid him. However, she didn't count on him following her into the brownstone building.

"You didn't think I was going to let you go upstairs alone?" He asked.

She didn't respond and allowed him to continue his journey to her apartment. Grateful for the lack of parents and Auggie gave her a relieving feeling. Beads of sweat formed on her hands as she guided him towards her bedroom. The last thing she needed were her parents to find her alone in the house with a boy, and that boy being Lucas.

"In case my parents come you should go out the window. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble" Riley spoke as Lucas took a seat at the bay window. Riley sat on the edge of her bed and placed her hands onto her lap.

"No worries" Lucas commented and rubbed his hands on his jeans.

"Thanks Lucas" Riley said and let out a sigh.

"For what?"

"For being there today, this week … last week at the café" She whispered.

"Riley its no-"

"But I don't think we should hang out any more clearly it makes you uncomfortable and you are probably just watching me because of Zay, Maya and Farkle" Riley said as tears stung her eyes. She promised not to cry in front of him, but she couldn't help it. Tears pricked her eyes and slowly tumbled down her cheek, but she wiped them away.

"Riley no that's not it, look it's just me" Lucas said as he stood up and walked over to her. He placed a strand of her hair behind her ear and shivered slightly. Brown eyes met green and they both took in a deep breath.

"I think I am scared of being around you, because I do not know how to feel" Lucas confessed. Was he saying what she thought? Did he care about her? Did he want her?

Riley pulled Lucas down on top of her and pressed her lips onto his. This is the moment he dreamt of for years and it's awkward. Lips didn't melt into one another instead laid on top with no motion. Kissing her while she was this way was not how he wanted this moment to go. She shoved him away and sat up abruptly.

"Maybe you should go" Riley croaked as the tears stung her eyes.

She tried her hardest not to let them fall from her eyes but she couldn't. Rejection from Lucas was what she needed to know he didn't like her in that way. He never did, he had to pretend to be nice because of their friends. Riley lost in thought did not see Lucas reaching for her hand.

Fingers found the nape of her neck and she felt his mouth on hers. His tongue slipped in between her lips and found her eager one. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her onto his lap.

It was like he could not get enough of her at that moment. He drank every inch of her mouth and she felt his hands hold her against his chest. Gasped breaths were the only sound for a moment as they lay their foreheads against one another.

"Never say that" Lucas mumbled as she tried her best to catch her breathe.

"What?" She asked.

"Never think you're not enough, Riley, you are more than enough" Lucas whispered huskily.

"You were talking aloud" He continued.

Her voice hitches in her throat and her stomach began to do flips. She didn't mean for him to hear what she was saying, nor did she want to hear what he said. To hear that he wanted her as much as she wanted him created a situation neither could be ready for.

"Lucas …. I … We should …." Riley staggered over her words and felt Lucas kiss her once again.

Each kiss grew with a quenching hunger that neither could satisfy. His hands gripped her together and she let out a soft moan between her lips. Lucas let out a growl and started to kiss her with more passion than she could handle. Her small frame trembled in his hands and she grinded into him. Lucas pulled away from her and his lustful eyes stared into hers. She leaned her forehead onto his and let out a soft chortle.

"Riles"

Lucas and Riley both turned towards the voice and saw Maya crouched in the window. Riley stumbled to her feet as Lucas looked down. Riley slapped on a bashful grin and waved at Maya.

"Peaches!"

"You! Leave, Now!" Maya said as she stood in the room and pointed at Lucas.

"Maya look-" Lucas was cut off by a tossed pillow that flew towards him.

"Lucas get the hell out!" Maya shouted as Lucas grabbed his backpack off the floor. He glanced down at Riley, who didn't dare glance in his direction and walked out the room. Maya raised her hands in exasperation and turned to Riley with raised eyebrows.

"Cutting school Riles? Having me and our friends worried! When you were just in Lucas's lap? You have a boyfriend! Charlie, remember him?" Maya scolded and walked over to Riley.

"This isn't you! Riley I am worried about you. You left at lunch, you ditched school with Lucas out of everyone and you won't answer your phone" Maya continued. Riley walked over to her bag on her desk and pulled out her iPhone. Twenty-five missed calls and thirty-two text messages from Maya, Charlie, Zay Farkle and her parents. She shoves the device back into her bag and shrugged her shoulders.

"I was busy" Riley mumbled.

"Riley what is going on? Talk to me please!" Maya begged and stood in front of Riley. She placed her hands on Riley's shoulders so Riley could look into her eyes.

Riley nudged Maya off her shoulders and sat at the Bay Window. She pulled her knees to her shoulders and picked at the imaginary lint on her pants. Maya took the seat next to Riley and placed a hand on her knee to grab her attention.

"Riley I am really worried about you" Maya choked and started to cry.

Riley had seen Maya cry before, yet never because of her or at least not sad tears.

"I'm confused; I'm confused about the attack, about life, about school, about Charlie, about Lu-

"Lucas?" Maya finished and wiped her face.

"He saved me Maya whether you like it or not, he saved my life" Riley stated and looked at Maya.

"I am not mad at Lucas Riley; I am mad at the situation. Lucas has been such a jerk to you for so long and I've spent that time protecting you and when you needed me the most, he took my spot" Maya said and got emotional once again.

"Maya look at me" Riley said sternly and held Maya's face.

"No one will ever take your spot!"

"Not even Ranger Rick?"

Riley chuckled and nodded to Maya who returned the smile. The two sat in a peaceful ambiance until they both heard a loud slam. They knew. Riley flinched and awaited the long lecture her parents were about to drill into her mind.

Lucas sat in his room and tossed his baseball into the air as he thought about Riley. His lips still tingled from having her within his reach. For years, it was everything he dreamt of yet more and not enough. He didn't want to pull away, nor did he want her to ever leave his grasp. However, Maya had alternate plans and drove him away, she had every right.

"What the hell Lucas!" Zay reprimanded as he walked into the room with Farkle. Farkle shoved his hands into his leather jacket and took a seat across from Lucas on the bed. Zay sat on Lucas's desk while Lucas leaned his head back.

"You made Riley cut school!" Zay lectured as Farkle watched the interaction. Zay paced the floor and let out shallow breathes of anger. Lucas didn't understand why Zay was so angry, nonetheless he felt there was an underline real motive.

"Don't take her down this brooding, dark path you're on!" Zay scolded. Lucas watched his best friend rant about how he was a bad guy and didn't need to ruin Riley in the process. Lucas understood that now Zay was Riley's protector and he appreciated his longtime friend took the job seriously.

A sound of horns filled the room and the observant Farkle took out his phone. Lucas gripped the baseball as Farkle looked up at Lucas. Just by the look in Farkle's eye, he knew it didn't take Maya too long to announce what he had done.

"It was Riley's decision" Farkle announced and passed his phone to Zay. Zay grabbed the phone and read the text message from Maya aloud.

"It was Riles idea, but I'm worried about her. This isn't like her to do this. We need to talk with her, but right now the parentals are laying out a punishment for the ditching. BTW I caught her and Lucas alone in her room and it wasn't a pretty picture"

"What happened?" Farkle asked as Zay handed him back his phone.

"We kissed" Lucas said as he tossed the ball into the air again and Zay grabbed it.

"Why? She has Charlie!" Zay said and threw the ball across the room into a pile of dirty laundry.

"Because he loves her, he always had since we were middle schoolers" Farkle answered as Lucas sighed.

"It doesn't give you the right to kiss her Lucas!" Zay yelled.

"Zay I think we should hear what Lucas has to say" Farkle said as he shoved Zay to sit onto the bed.

"Lucas-" Zay began, yet Farkle covered his mouth with his hand.

"Lucas proceed" Farkle said.

Lucas lets out a series of groans before he rubbed his face in defeat. He had never spoken the words he was going to say aloud. Never had a reason to explain why for three years he treated Riley like she never mattered or how he truly felt about her and Charlie.

"Farkle is right Zay. I do love her! I am in love with her, always have been since she fell into my lap on the subway. We were younger back then and it was sweet and innocent but now it's different. We have grown and so has our feelings. I am in love with Riley Matthews and no one is going to tell me otherwise but I can't be with her! You know why? I am an asshole that's why and she has someone like Charlie to treat her like the great person she is. I bring her nothing but misery" Lucas admitted.

Zay and Farkle shared a look at Lucas let out a shaky breath. He held that in for three years and no matter how much he said it to himself, the look on his best friend's face said it all. Lucas Friar was head over heels for Riley Matthews.

"So tell her that" Farkle said as Zay tilted his head in disbelief.

"Farkle that is insane" Lucas said.

"That's love Lucas" Farkle said.

"I do not agree, but I commend you on your feelings, but Lucas if you felt this way, why not at least tell us" Zay said.

It crossed his mind to tell his friends, but he couldn't. They had Riley's best interest and he wasn't the best thing for her but actually the worst.

"She deserves the best" Lucas said.

"Lucas … Charlie is a great guy, but he isn't you. I know Riley since the 1st grade and I can say that there is something there" Farkle said and Zay shoved his shoulder.

"Don't encourage the craziness Farkle" Zay said and grabbed some papers from his pocket.

He handed it to Lucas, who grabbed it from him and opened it. Zay's horrible handwriting was scribbled across with assignments that were due tomorrow. Only Zay would still bring Lucas his homework over the years.

"Do your homework and don't exchange any googly eyes with Riley. We will see the both of you tomorrow in class" Zay said and walked out the room. Lucas could hear Zay mumbles of this was all absurdity.

"Lucas I may approve of your feelings, but know that Riley is my best friend and I do not want to see her hurt. If you aren't going to make her happy then stay away" Farkle said and walked out the room without another word.

Lucas leaned back into his chair and let out a grunt of frustration. He opened his bag and grabbed out his notebook to start on his homework for History class. If he was going to ditch with Riley, he had at least to do the homework that was assigned. A purple leather journal tumbled out onto the ground and he reached down. It was Riley's journal that she had written in and he had it.

If memories served him right, he had stuffed the journal into his bag when Riley ran off in Central Park. Stacks of paper were also in his backpack and he pulled it out. It was an invasion of privacy to read the journal, but the papers he tried to justify what he was about to do. History was going to have to wait as he began reading the emotions of the girl he was in love with.