R I L E Y

I walked into the school doors with Maya by my side, everything was great. Life was great. I ignored Missy's ugly glare as we swiftly waltzed past her.

"Bitch." Maya murmured underneath her breath, as she directly stared at Missy. "I'm surprised that her face isn't permanently stuck in that ugly glare position, oh wait it already is isn't it." Maya giggled and I laughed also. We hopped over to our lockers, before I quickly opened mine.

"So what about you and Daniel?" Maya suddenly said. My eyes went wide. "What do you mean about me and Daniel?" I replied in an awkward tone. Maya gave me a look.

A week had already gone by since I met Daniel, and we had become good friends but that's it. I don't really think of him in that way.

He actually told me that his parents are practically rich, his Dad owns a large business company in New York and London, where the main headquarters are. And his mom is a lawyer. So, he is basically a rich teenage boy, which would explain his nice attire all the time.

Which that's kind of cool, but it doesn't change my opinion on him. He's still the dude I met on the train the other day. My friend. Emphasize the word friend.

"We're just friends. And I literally mean that, I don't think of him like that." I replied honestly. "I believe you." Maya says. I gave her a smile.

Suddenly I felt two hands wrap around my eyes, and I couldn't see anything. I bit the side of my cheek, trying to hold back a smile. I knew who it was.

"Guess who?" They whispered in my ear. I turned around before opening my eyes. My smile instantly dropped. It was Daniel,

not Lucas.

"Daniel." I said, pulling on a fake smile. I was happy to see him but I was kind of hoping for someone else maybe. Maya could tell, she was trying to hold back a laugh. I gave her a glare.

"Hey." He grinned. "Hiya." I said bluntly.

"So, Thanksgiving break, what are your plans?" He abruptly asked. "Shoving food in my mouth, watching football and sleeping." I giggled. He laughed. "Sounds like fun." He chuckled. I nodded with a smile, as I grabbed my math books from behind. "What about you? Any big fancy thanksgiving plans." I spoke. He just pursed his lips, before scrunching up his nose and shaking his head.

I curiously raised my eyebrow. "You're not doing anything for thanksgiving?" I asked. He chuckled. "My family never really does. They never have. They always work on Thanksgiving." He responded.

I feel bad. Nobody should spend Thanksgiving alone.

"Well...do you want to come to my house for Thanksgiving tomorrow? My parents and I are having a Thanksgiving breakfast, then they're going to leave to go to my grandmas, so I'm hosting a Friendsgiving." I replied. Maya's eyes went wide. I gave her a look. I hadn't told her that I invited Josh yet.

"Um yeah, that'd be cool. Thanks." He grinned. I laughed. "No problem, I'll text you later with the deets." I responded. "Deets?" He laughed. I giggled. "Riley's lame attempt at pretending to say cool things." Maya chimed in with a grin. I lightly whacked her arm and she laughed.

"Alright well I'll cya later." Daniel chuckled, waving me and Maya off. "Bye." I said solemnly.

"When I say I'm not attracted to Daniel, I mean it. So don't say anything." I sighed, shutting my locker, as Maya did also.

"I won't." She pursed her lips.

"Daniel just isn't.. My type." I say, leaning my back against my locker. Maya rose her eyebrow.

"You mean that Daniel isn't Lucas. Because Lucas is your type." Maya smirked. I felt my stomach flip upside down, as my eyes went wide. "L-Lucas isn't my typ—"

Type.

Lie.

Stop lying to yourself, Riley.

Suddenly I was interrupted by a familiar someone popping in right beside me.

"Hey ladies." Lucas said. I looked over to Maya who was just smirking, and it was probably as red as a tomato right now.

"Um yeah hi bye gotta go!" I reply with wide eyes, swooping past Lucas and into the classroom.

M A Y A

Riley swiftly ran into the classroom, leaving me and the jackass alone. Great, I'm now forced to verbally say this to him.

"Blondie who hates me." Lucas smirks proudly. I gave him a look. "Whatever, yes I hate you. But, we need to talk. And don't get all douchey on me because it's about Riley." I say. He facial expression softens once he heard Riley's name.

"So meet at Topanga's after school." I said in a quiet, yet slightly annoyed tone. He didn't say anything smugly back, he just simply said;

"Okay."

And he walked back to the classroom.

Hmm, that was easier than I thought it would be. Now I just have to deal with him later.

L U C A S

I stiffed my hands into my leather jacket, as the cold air brushed against my cheeks. I wasn't sure what Maya Hart wanted to talk to me about, but since it had something to do with Riley, I knew that I had to go.

I walked into Topanga's, instantly feeling warmer. I saw Maya sitting down, and I walked over there and sat on the opposite side of her in a chair.

"Um, hey." I said weirdly. I always annoyed her, and she'd annoy me. We both annoy each other, it works out fine right? And we still do. She gave me a weird look.

"Look, I'm not really here to bond or anything, but this is important." She says abruptly. I nodded. "What's up then?" I said, adjusting myself.

She took a deep breath, before looking at me.

"Riley's my best friend. Since the very first day we've met, I had always warned her about you. Yet, she always found her way back to you.. And I've always been scared that you would hurt her because of what you've done in the past." She says. I felt this slight anger, yet comfort come from what she said.

' She always found her way back to you..'

"I don't know you personally, and no offense but I don't really feel the need too. But I just need to know, that this isn't some act, or whatever you're doing to Riley isn't fake. And that I can trust you that you won't hurt my best friend." She spoke.

I just bluntly looked around for a few moments, silently, before I stared at Maya.

"I'd never hurt her. Ever." I said, sort of flustered. I would never, hurt Riley.

"Do you care about her?" She asked. I could feel butterflies swirl in my stomach, just thinking about Riley.

"Yes." I said.

"Riley is a very special person. She isn't like any of those other girls that you've dated, or hurt.. And I want you to know that if you do ever hurt her, I'm right by her side and I won't be afraid to hurt you." Maya said bravely. I looked down to the floor.

"I've done alot of things, alot of bad things. And I can't tell you why. But I can tell you this, I would never do anything to hurt Riley, I care too fucking much about her. And I can't help it. You've judged me, without knowing anything about me really. But you can trust me with this, I care about her." I said honestly.

Maya's eyes were wide, and her mouth was slightly open as if she was shocked. She was quiet, I was quiet.

"I trust you." Maya finally said. I slightly smiled.

"Okay, good. But, if I may ask, you say you don't want me to hurt Riley when you hurt her? She told me about you fighting." I spoke. Maya suddenly moved around.

"No, we fought about you. I miss judged you." She replied, finally.

"What?" I said in disbelief. Maya let out a loud sigh. "I didn't understand, Riley would defend you for every single bad thing that you did. She always saw the good in you... And I guess I never saw why. But now I do, you seem like a decent guy." Maya semi smiled.

I slightly smiled back to her.

"Thanks." I simply said. "Yeah, no problem I guess. Now that I know that I can trust you with my best friend, imma head out." Maya says, standing up.

"Maya." I quickly say, and she looks towards me, raising her eyebrow.

I took in a sharp breath.

"I'll always be there for her.

I will always, choose Riley."

I say.

Maya genuinely smiled.

"I believe you." She spoke, before heading out the door.

''

Lucas had never really talked to Maya before, but now that he did, he knew in his heart that there was hope, that him and Riley would be together someday. No matter how long, no matter how many obstacles they would face.

He

always knew

that they belonged together,

somehow, some always, some

forever.