L U C A S

I walked through the hospital doors the next day, a fresh pair of clothes and my hair still slightly damp from my shower. I held a bouquet of white roses in my hand, for Riley.

"Doctor Hemming's room B23." A voice called upon the speaker above. I cut around a corner, before I halted at an elevator. I pressed up arrow button pointing upwards, before the doors suddenly flew open.

A girl, whom had blonde hair and was almost as tall as me, stood in the elevator, her eyes staring into me. I felt my body shuffle, immediately feeling uncomfortable. I gave her a slight smile, and she gestured for me to walk in so I did.

I leaned over and pressed the floor number, before it became silent. I could feel her eyes on me, and I quickly cleared my throat, as I crossed my arms over each other, before I looked down to the flowers in my hands.

"Whoa, how do you get your muscles so toned like that?" She suddenly spoke, as my eyes darted towards her, and I jumped back slightly, as she was right beside me. Personal space?

"Uh.. I just work out, some.." I said in an awkward tone, before I felt her hand clench onto my bicep. "Well, I say it's pretty hot." She suddenly smirked, and I was more uncomfortable than ever as the heat rose to my cheeks awkwardly. I tried to pull away but her grasp was tight, who does she think she is? I literally just stepped into the elevator!

I heard the ding of the elevator, and my eyes quickly darted forward in a panic. I suddenly saw another  blonde girl, who was short, standing outside of the elevator doors, eyes now shooting at me like daggers. And another, a boy, with a black hoodie and a black beanie. Dammit Maya and Farkle.

I quickly pulled away from the girl, and jumped out of the elevator. "Wait!" The girl exclaimed behind, but the doors shut, fortunately. 

"What was that, hm?" Maya questioned, with her arms crossed over her chest. "I don't even know." I said, flustered. "She was drooling allover you, just be happy Riley didn't see that." She slyly smirked, knowing that it would get underneath my skin. I scoffed.

"I was just standing in the elevator and she suddenly decided to throw herself on me, I was innocent!" I put my hands up in immediate surrender. Maya suddenly laughed, as we walked towards Riley's room. "Yeah, sure." Farkle said with a laugh, before we all suddenly got halted in front of Riley's room, by Mr. and Mrs. Matthews hauling stuff out.

I furrowed my eyebrows, and Maya looked just as confused as me.

"What are you guys doing?" Farkle asked, puzzled, and Topanga stopped, and looked at us all with a wide smile.

"Riley's getting moved to another room, she's doing so well, that she will be out of the hospital in four days." Topanga grinned, and I couldn't help but smile. 

But then, the reality settled in.

She still hasn't remembered me..

"U-Um Mrs. Matthews.. has.. she remembered, anything?" I said quietly, before I nervously bit down on the side of my lip. Topanga let out a sigh, before giving me a sad smile. "She hasn't yet, Lucas. But she will." She replied softly, setting her hand on my shoulder. I pursed my lips together tightly.

"Where is she, then?" I asked. "She's downstairs, room B423. We are just gathering her things." Cory suddenly said, and I nodded.

"May I go see her?" I asked. "Of course." Topanga spoke, and I nodded, before I turned around and began to walk back towards the elevator, but decided to avoid it since that incident. Besides, the stairs were faster. 

I headed down the stairs as fast as possible. I pushed open the door, before I turned around the corner, and started reading off door numbers. 

"B421...B422...B423."

I stopped at Riley's door, as I took a deep breath in, ready for the butterflies that were about to explode in my stomach, which happens every time I see her. I looked down to the flowers, that were starting to wilt in my hands, I let out a deflated sigh.

I looked through the glass window, with the blinds slightly open. She was softly lying her bed, as book in her IV strung hands. 

Her cheeks were rosy, and her hair was flowing down her side. She looked the healthiest she has looked since.. 

that one night.

I took a deep breath, knowing that this was going to be painful. It still hasn't settled in, the fact that she has completely forgotten who I am.

I took another step forward, before I quietly knocked on her door, so I didn't startle her.

Her eyes darted up towards me, and flinched a little bit once she saw. My eyebrows furrowed downwards. She never used to be this way around me.

She backed away slightly, before maybe the realization hit her, and she calmed down a bit.
"Hey." I said softly, before I took another step towards her. She set down her book. "Hi." She said lightly, with caution in her tone.

I gave her a soft smile, as I fumbled with the white rose in my fingers.

"How do you feel?" I asked, before my eyes trailed down to her hand, her nails painted navy blue with her friendship ring wrapped around one of her fingers. All I wanted to do was hold her hand.

"I'm okay. I was told I can leave the hospital in like a week." She finally smiled, looking up into my eyes. They were not the same, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

"Yeah, I heard. That's great. I knew you'd get through it, you're strong." I whispered, before I stepped a bit closer, and she glanced up into my eyes. I gave her a smile.

It was quiet, as we stared into each others eyes for a moment, her orbs of chocolate brown eyes were beaming.

"I got you these.. They're not as beautiful as you are but, I thought they would come close." I lightly chuckled, as I handed her the tiny bouquet of white roses. She smiled brightly, before she softly giggled. I handed her the flowers as her eyes doubled in size.

"White roses are my favorite.. How did you know?" She asked, before looking up into my eyes. I was just waiting for her to connect the dots, but I subtly smiled. "I've always known." I replied back, and she gave me a smile that just warmed my heart. That's my Riley.

"Thank you." She replied, as her contagious smile made my lips curve upwards. She stared at the delicate flowers in her fingers tips, before she leaned over and set them in a cup that was full of water beside her.

She adjusted herself, before I sat down in a chair next to her hesitantly. Knowing what was coming, I braced myself, before I adverted my eyes towards her. There were specific boundaries that I didn't want to cross, but the hope in my heart that something might trigger a memory, was far more important than holding her hand at the moment.

As I was about to speak, her voice beat me to it. "If, you're wondering where to start, as I see the evident look of concern on your face.." She said, as her eyebrow raised up, as she giggled, and I couldn't help but chuckle. 

"If you could just take it slow, please." Riley voice now lowered, more vulnerable. Lucas' bright expression faded at the cost her blank one. Riley's eyes were pleadingly large, as she hasn't remembered anything, but she wanted to remember, and it was frustrating, she felt as if a part of her was gone.

"I know that I don't remember things... But I have this strong feeling, that I can't get rid of. I have this feeling that I can trust you, not matter what. And I'm holding onto that." Riley whispered, as her left hand gently placed on top of his, and she could feel the quick thud of Lucas' heartbeat, as he smiled.

"How did we meet?" Riley queried, emphasizing the word 'we'. Lucas tilted his head down towards the floor, as a light laugh escaped his plump lips.

His eyes adverted back up to Riley's, but she was already staring at him. Lucas' lips curved upwards at the memory, from the first day they had met.

Riley's cheeks began to heat up, her lips and cheeks turning a shade of magenta as she tucked her strands of hair behind her ear. Lucas could remember it just like it was yesterday, it was the day that changed his life forever.

As he looked into her eyes, the memories came flooding back.

"It was a warm, fall day. I was slightly late to school, which wasn't unusual for me. It was the first day of our freshman year." Lucas spoke, as Riley observed Lucas, listening closely. She didn't want to miss a single detail.

"My best friend, Zay, of course, you remember him.. We were walking towards school, and he was bothering me about how this was going to be the best school year yet, and I didn't believe him. Let's just say I wasn't much of a believer in good things going for me. I thought it was just going to be like any other ordinary day,"

He paused, a silence lingering in the air for a moment as he bit down on the corner of his lip, smiling down towards the floor as the first thought of Riley ran through his mind like a broken record, replaying over and over again.

"Zay went over to the courtyard with some of his friends, and I was walking towards the front doors of the high school.. and then, I spotted a girl. You." Lucas whispered the last part so breathlessly, as Riley stared into this boy's mysterious forest green eyes. She literally took his breath away.

"The first time I saw you.." Lucas couldn't even finish his sentence, he was so speechless. "W-What was your first thought?" Riley asked, feeling slightly insecure as she fumbled with her fingers unknowingly.

Lucas set his hand on top of Riley's, his eyes dilated as he looked into the eyes he dreamed of everyday. They say that if you are in love with someone, you can see their eyes dilate. 

"I thought you looked like Christmas morning." Lucas whispered breathlessly as the memory replayed in his mind, as he gently caressed Riley's thumb. 

Riley looked down to Lucas, a smile lingering against her lips. 

"You were wearing a red dress with flowers, and your hair was so long, it was flowing behind you in the wind with these curls that were just so beautiful. Your skin was glowing, and your eyes were beaming. You were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life.." Lucas' eyes locked on Riley, as his heart began to beat faster. Lucas began to chuckle at himself. "I'm getting ahead of myself." He laughed embarrassingly, but Riley smiled, gesturing for him to continue as she blushed.

"I thought you were an angel, I didn't think you were real." Lucas chuckled, and Riley slightly giggled, as his laugh became contagious to her, something that wasn't unusual. He always made her smile.

"Until you turned around more, and we accidentally bumped into each other, and that's when I knew that you weren't just some dream." Lucas chuckled at his own foolishness, knowing that this might sound  completely lame to Riley, but it didn't, it made her stomach flow with butterflies.

"Continue." Riley stated, more curious than before. Lucas took a deep breath, before his lips parted.

"This will be the best year yet,"

"Dude.. I just know it!" Zay exclaimed, and my eagerness to step away from his extremely positive attitude grew. 

"Zay, don't make this any worse than it needs to be." I mumbled in a groggy tone as we continued to walk, my eyes adverted to the sidewalk in front of me. Zay made a 'rawr' sound, and I gave him a glare.

"We'll meet some hot chicks, go to lit parties. It will be epic." Zay spoke highly, as his arm slung around my shoulder roughly, and I rolled my eyes.

"Nothing good is going to come out of this, It's not like I deserve for anything to come my way anyway." I murmured and I could hear Zay sigh. "Dude, just let it go. It's a new school year, get over yourself. I bet something's going to change." Zay tried to suppress, but I let out a cocky laugh. "Like that would happen in a million years." I scoffed vitally. I could tell that Zay was rolling his eyes, so he removed his slung arm. Suddenly, I felt a forced against my shoulder, and I felt my body fill up with anger.

I turned to my side, to see a punk who was shorter than me, staring up to me. He seemed scared.

"Watch where you are going." I spat, lightly pushing him, before he mumbled "S-Sorry." And quickly scurried off. I began to walk off like nothing had happened. I heard Zay release a sigh,

"Whatever you want, Lucas. I'll catch up with you later." Zay spoke, as we spotted Conner. "Whatever." I said with a sigh, and he gave me a smirk before he ran over to the courtayrd in front of John Quincy Adams High School.

I looked up to the humongous school, my eyes trailing along the many windows and doors. I looked back down towards eye level, 

"Just have to get through another year.." I said to myself quietly, as I let out a suppressed sigh. I shoved my backpack further onto my shoulder, as I turned to my side, and began to walk towards the steps of the front doors, before, my breath was suddenly taken away.

I caught a glimpse of a girl, whom had long brown hair with curls flowering down beside her arms. Her red dress was brightly shining in the warm sun, as it beamed down onto her skin, making it seem like overcast was lightly laying over her.

Her eyes were sparkling as she talked to a girl with blonde hair, and I couldn't register who it was, I was too focused on the mysterious girl in front of me.

It was like everything around me was in black and white, but she was beaming in colors.

Her eyes were shining, and I felt something I have never felt in my entire life before,

my heart began to race, and I  couldn't speak, I felt like I couldn't breathe.

She was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my entire lifetime.

Her eyes were sparkling with this light I have never seen before, and I could see her lips move, before she suddenly smiled, and my heart made a light thud then. 

What was happening?

She suddenly laughed and my heart lightly pounded once more. She looked like an angel, was this even real?

I didn't even realize that I was walking towards her, until she turned and I couldn't see her face anymore. My heart sunk, before I looked over to see if anyone was looking at me, and luckily they weren't.

But when I turned my head to glance back at this girl, I felt something collide into my side beneath me.

I looked downwards, about to open my mouth to say something, but I became instantly speechless.

"Oh I'm sorry-" A soft, innocent voice spoke that made my heart suddenly flutter. She was cut off, as her eyes glanced up into mine,

and felt like just then, that time had suddenly stopped. It was like everything was in slow motion,

as my eyes stared into these chocolate brown eyes, that absolutely took my breath away. She was absolutely beautiful, I thought. Not even realizing how close we were, one of my hands was lightly set against her side, as for the other, was grasped around her small arm, to stabilize herself from falling over, considering how much shorter she was then me, the difference was extremely evident. She was so small compared to me.

"It's alright." I whispered, as I felt  the first smile press up against my lips in awhile. Our eyes lingered into each others for what felt like forever, I couldn't even believe that she was real.

She was so beautiful.

T H I R D * P O  V

Riley gifted Lucas a small smile, and he couldn't believe that he was seeing her bright smile up close. He finally found the courage to move away, as lightly caressed her arm as he did so, leaving Riley there, breathless.

Lucas' heart was racing as he walked away, eyes wide, carrying all of the nervousness yet slight excitement his body could possess, he couldn't believe what he had just experienced.

He knew, after that moment forward, that he would never feel the same ever again. Everything changed from the day on, forever.

Riley wasn't sure what to say, her eyes were gazed upon Lucas, mouth slightly open wide. What they both didn't realize, was that there hands naturally made their way to each others, fingers interlocked with each others.

Even though Riley's mind didn't remember, her body did. Riley stared into Lucas' eyes eagerly, it sounded almost like a perfect fairy tale. 

Lucas let out a shaky breath, Riley's voice lost in the abyss of silence, until Lucas spoke again.  "I remember it like it was just like yesterday. The first time I got to hold you in my arms, I never wanted to let go. The first time our hands intertwined, nothing else has ever fit so perfectly in my palms afterwards. The first time I got to say I love you, you were asleep, but you knew. Because you smiled." He whispered, as he observed Riley with careful eyes. Tears began to pool around her eyes, as she bit the inside of her cheek. He turned his head back to her, he cupped his hand on the side of her cheek, and tilted her head to meet up to his forest green eyes.

"I know this might seem scary, but we have been through every single possible thing that life has thrown at us. And I'm not giving up now, and I need you, to not give up either." Lucas pleaded, as his thumb caressed against her cheek softly. Riley looked into Lucas' eyes, before she shook her head. She took her hand, and set it against his, before she moved it away. Feeling his heart sink, Lucas took in a deep breath.

"Please." Lucas removed his hand from hers, feeling the distant tension. Riley covered her face with her hands.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked, slightly exasperated. Lucas held onto her hand once more, eyes gazed upon her own. "Come back to me." He whispered,

and Riley fell silent. She didn't know what to do, she was feeling something she had never remembered feeling before, even thought she has felt it infinite times beforehand with Lucas.

She was feeling alive.

"Okay." She spoke in a whisper, head nodding slightly. Lucas let go of her hand, before he stood up. He knew she couldn't remember on the spot, but she was going to try. Because she felt something.

"I'll try. I promise." Riley reassured Lucas, and he pressed his lips together in a tight line. "I promise, too." Lucas whispered, before he lightly poked her arm, making her smile. Her contagious smile made him grin wider, before he began to towards the doorway.

"Was that just chapter one?" Riley suddenly asked, and Lucas stopped moving for a moment, before he turned his head around, and smiled.

"One out of a million amazing chapters." Lucas replied quietly, and it warmed Riley's heart instantly. He gave her his infectious smile, before he silently walked out of the room, leaving Riley there puzzled.

A few moments later, Maya suddenly busted into the room, with a smile. "How are you feeling?" She asked, but Riley kept her eyes fixated on her feet. She didn't reply, too busy caught up in her own thoughts.

"You talked to Lucas?" Maya finally asked, sitting down next to Riley in the bed. Riley tore her gaze away from below, to look at her best friend.

"I did." Riley responded. Maya quivered her eyebrows, "What are you going to do?" her curious blonde friend questioned. Riley let out a hum, with a smile. "I'm going to fight." Riley replied. "Because someone once told me, that if you're lucky enough to find love, you fight for it.. always. I'm not giving up, because there is just something about him that I can't shake." She says, before Maya gave her a smile and scooted closer to her.

They didn't say anything else, Maya just pulled her best friend in for a tight hug.

"Thunder.." Maya spoke. 

"Lightning." Riley smiled.

.....

A/N: Hello fam bam! How are you? Fortunately, I'm sick but happily I was able to stay home from school today to write this (woohoo) so I hope you guys enjoyed it! Hope you guys have a good day loves <3