✓ | 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 ( 𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀. )

SEVEN.

Just as I was about to, my phone rang loudly in my pocket, startling myself as Riley remained undisturbed from the noise. She was still in her own thoughts. I pulled my mobile out and answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hey, Lucas! Zay here. Are you free to hang out with Farkle and I tonight?"

I glanced over at Riley. "No thanks," I uttered. "I think I'll pass. I've got a lot of things to do. You two have fun."

"Why not? Would tomorrow be a better time?"

"It's a busy week for me, sorry. Anyway, I better go. Bye." Before Zay could respond, I quickly hung up the call, setting my phone down onto the carpeted floor.

"Who was that?" Riley asked, still not looking up from her textbook.

"Just a friend."

She lightly nodded once, finally turning the page of her book. In this moment, I knew I was doomed. Zay always found out about things one way or another, and he was bound to realise I had just lied to him about being busy when in actual fact I couldn't have been more free. My eyes eventually glanced over towards Riley's direction, a habit that had been happening for quite a while now, and an idea finally struck in my mind.

"Riley," I breathed, cautiously watching her face as she finally glanced up at me. Her eyes didn't light up brightly as they usually did whenever she looked at me, a strange feeling of concern bubbling inside of me. Something was clearly wrong, and she wasn't telling me what it was.

"Yeah?"

I had one of two choices here. One option would make me a good friend, and the other ... well, would make me a selfish one. I could either ask her what was wrong again and hope that she'd respond truthfully, or I could take her vulnerability and somehow use it to my advantage. And acting on impulse, I decided to do the second one.

"Are you free tomorrow? I was thinking perhaps we could hang out together." There was a look of hesitation on her face. "It'll be fun, I promise," I gently insisted, plastering on a pleasing grin.

She paused for a brief moment. "I really wish I could, but I can't. I have cheerleading practice all day tomorrow," she said, sighing as her shoulders slumped even further down.

"I could pick you up after you finish," I persisted, smiling at her again to hide the eagerness in my tone. Noticing her reluctancy to my proposition, I quickly added, "Oh come on, sunshine. Just live a little."

The brightness suddenly livened in her eyes again and I had only now realised the amount of control I had over her. If I was able to lift her mood by the simplest words that came out of my mouth, I could only imagine what else I would be able to do. I mean, I had taken advantage of her so much. Even though that was always part of my plan, as it actually processed through my mind that I was using her, the feeling it gave me was quite unsettling. I didn't like it, not one bit.

"Would it just be you and me?"

Gross, no. I would never go out with Riley one-on-one. It would feel like too much of a date, and the last thing I would ever want to do is go on a date with Riley Matthews. Especially not when Maya was just around the corner. "I was thinking maybe we could have a few friends come along too? Like, I'll bring Farkle and Zay, and you can bring ... oh, I don't know, Maya or something."