Snapshots

Texas Tough Boy

(A/N: Hey to all of y'all who actually read these messages. I'm sorry I've been absent recently! But I hope you like this one! On another note, what kind of stories do y'all want to read? Please please please keep commenting, requesting, and subscribing! And don't forget to favorite! Thanks and I love y'all!)

In retrospect, she should've known that he would've lost it. She heard the comment that came out of Charlie's mouth. And Riley knew she should've done something to stop the swing of Lucas' fist that was bound to happen. But she couldn't. How dare Charlie, who they hadn't talked to in three years, say such a thing about her best friend? When she finally pulled herself from her shock, she was too late.
So now she, Charlie, and Lucas were sitting in detention. And Riley wasn't in the best position. Her dad had been at his desk keeping his attention on the trio without actually paying any mind to what they were doing, but he had left to go to the bathroom and Riley was sitting in the middle of two boys who were this close to snapping the other's neck. Riley sent a quick text to Farkle, Smackle, Zay, and Maya telling them what was going on and why she and Lucas weren't at Topanga's yet, also explaining they would be there as soon as detention was over. But Riley couldn't help but be confused. Charlie and Lucas should've been best friends on paper, but for some reason Lucas was sworn enemies with her best friend's ex-boyfriend.
As she got responses back from the crew, Mr. Matthews came back in.
"So, what happened here? Miss Matthews, Mr. Friar? Different seeing you two in here," he commented. And Riley realized he was right. Lucas got in one fight freshmen year, and that was the last time any of them were in detention.
"If I may sir," Charlie spoke up. "I was talking to my friend, and Lucas came out of no where and punched me."
"Is this true Mr. Friar?"
"I didn't come out of no where," Lucas said under his breath, readjusting the ice pack over his very black eye and very busted lip.
"Miss Matthews?"
"Charlie was talking negatively about Maya," Riley defends.
"I see. Mr. Friar, two weeks of detention," Cory tells him. Lucas nods, but keeps his eyes trained on some invisible spot in front of him, too angry to talk.
"And Mr. Gardner," he says turning to the smirking boy. "Four weeks."
Charlie's face falls into absolute shock. "But sir," he starts.
"No Mr. Gardner, you know better than to say anything of the sort about anyone in this school." Cory gets in close enough to Charlie's face that Riley could barely hear the whispers. "Especially about my goddaughter. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir," Charlie says grabbing his stuff and running out of the room into the dimly lit school hallways.
"Riley?"
"Yes daddy?"
"Is he okay?"
"I think so. He's just mad."
"Get him out of here," Cory says nodding his head in Lucas' direction. "Do whatever you can to cool him down. Mr. Friar, if anything like that happens again, we might have to take serious action. I'll see you tomorrow." Riley grabs her bag and Lucas' free hand and drags him behind her through the empty hallways of their high school.
"Lucas, you can't just go running around punching people. Even if they treat someone like that," Riley says as she lets go of his hand. He grunts at her but follows behind. And Riley knew she shouldn't lecture him right now, but he wouldn't say anything to her. She's searching her mind trying to find something to talk about and his breathing is still heavy and he's still pumping his fist where the bruises on his knuckles are starting to show. So she goes into extreme detail about her date with Ethan last Friday, knowing Lucas wasn't actually listening. In fact, she gets no acknowledgement that Lucas is even with her except for his constant footstep, just one step behind hers, almost as if he was counting his steps trying to calm down.
That is until they walk into Topanga's and see everyone sitting there. And Maya comes up to the two of them. She hugs Riley and takes one look at Lucas before leading him to a seat and going to the back to get him more ice.
"Here Texas Tough Boy," Maya says as she helps him place the three bags of ice on his various cuts and bruises. He smiles at her and Riley notices that he's physically calm. His breathing is normal and his hand is steady again. His foot has stopped tapping - something he's been doing since detention. Riley guesses that it must just be the environment of Topanga's that's helped to calm him down, but she can't confirm it.
"Thanks," he tells her, and Riley notices the softness of his voice. No longer tough and deep, but gentle.
"So I would love to hear what happened, but I'm working until closing time, so just wait for me to go on my break in five minutes," Maya says tightening the waist apron around her hips.
The group starts doing their math homework until Maya comes over and sits next to Lucas. "Is this okay?" she asks in a low voice that Riley can tell is only meant for him. "Am I hurting you?" Lucas shakes his head no, and scoots over even more in the booth for her to have more room. "Thank you hun," she says brushing her hands on her jeans. Between working here and spending breaks on Lucas' family's farm in Texas, she's become increasingly more southern. Her red lace halter top matched with her ripped jeans, tan ankle boots, and curled hair making her seem even more so. Riley makes a mental note to tell Maya she liked her outfit later.
"So, what happened you guys?" Maya asks Riley and Lucas as the rest of the gang nods, all of them eager to hear what landed miss perfect and miss perfect's brother in detention.
"Well, it started with Charlie," Riley says. After hearing the whole group groan, she laughs. "I know I know. He was being a jerk, and Lucas decided he needed to set him straight."
"So I nailed the guy," Lucas interrupts, referencing his bruised hand, face, and arm. "And we're going at it and Riley over here decides to intervene. The next thing you know we're sitting through an hour and a half of silence. Then Mr. Matthews gives us each more detention, Riley dragged me here, and I'm telling this story to y'all. Nothing major."
"Darn Lucas, you were supposed to say you were fighting off a bear attack or something and Mr. Matthews kept you back to tell you what a hero you were. Not that you were fighting someone over one little comment," Zay says and the rest of the group laughs.
"What did Charlie even say anyway? It must've been good to get you all riled up and back to your old Texas self," Maya laughs.
"Well," Lucas drags on.
"He said he hated the cheer team," Riley jumps in. Clearly Lucas didn't want Maya knowing he was defending her honor.
"Wow you must've been in a terrible mood this afternoon," Farkle jokes. 'You don't know the half of it', Riley thinks to herself.
"Well I'm not going to lie, I expected more than that. But at least that was a good way to spend my last break. Now unless you guys need me for anything shop related, I can not help you until 6:30," Maya says getting up and pulling her hair back.
"Actually, we have to go," Smackle says pointing to her and Farkle.
"Me too guys," Zay says. "Dance practice."
"Alright, bye guys. Have a good rest of your day," Maya says waving her fingers at the three leaving before grabbing a rag and starting to wipe down empty tables. Lucas and Riley spread out and get started on their science homework that they missed doing with the rest of the group.
Before Riley knows it, it gets dark outside. "Hey girl, it's 6:15," Maya tells Riley as she comes around to put out new, full, napkin dispensers. Riley looks up and notices that it is indeed 6:15 and that the place is deserted except for her and Lucas and Maya.
"Well, I guess I gotta start getting home," Riley says packing up her stuff.
"Bye Riles," Maya says hugging her quickly. "Have fun babysitting!"
"Thanks peaches," she says returning the hug. "Don't get into any more fights Lucas," she says as she heads out the door.
"Bye Riley!" Lucas laughs as the door shuts behind her.
Riley is up the stairs and halfway to the subway station before realizing she left her science textbook in Topanga's. Looking at the watch on her wrist, she decides she has enough time to go back and grab it, so she starts the trek back. It's relatively quiet for a Thursday night on this street, so she starts to get lost in her thoughts while taking the memorized path back to the little coffee shop.
One thing Riley couldn't understand from the day was why Lucas would react so strongly. Yeah, Charlie shouldn't have said that. Especially not about Maya's award-winning piece of art that was hanging up on the wall. But Lucas lost it. Farkle must've been right. He really was just in a bad mood today.
Riley quickly descended the stairs to Topanga's and went to grab the door handle when she saw that Lucas had abandoned his homework for a seat at the bar where Maya was currently refilling the sugar containers and listening to whatever Lucas was saying like it was the most important thing in the world. Riley stepped to the side and peeked through the half-open curtains to keep watching. She knew this was wrong, but she had picked up on little things between Maya and Lucas. The way he wouldn't chastise Maya for her taking his food, something he used to do constantly. The way Maya never missed a football or baseball game, even the away-games. The lingering stares where no words were shared but maybe some thought was. And then today. So no one could blame her for being curious, she thought. As Maya finished putting the sugar containers onto the tray and came around to the public side of the bar where Lucas was, he get up and grabbed the tray for her, carrying it from table to table as they continued whatever conversation was so exciting to them. Then, he went behind the counter and put the tray away as if he had done it before, and came back out to help Maya put up chairs after she had wiped down the tables. Riley watched as he put out the 'caution wet floor signs' for Maya after she finished mopping. And Riley even stayed to watch Maya put away her apron as Lucas cleaned up his books. When Riley saw that Maya had picked up her science book, she was going to leave, deciding she'd text Maya about it later.
As she was turning around however, something caught her eye. Maya double checked the lock to the cash drawer, something Riley knew she always did before leaving work. But then Maya stood up on her tiptoes and kissed the corner of Lucas' black eye. He smiled down at her and grabbed her hand as they made their way to the door. Riley booked it up the stairs, backpack and all. They weren't going to know that she was spying on them. They wouldn't and they wouldn't and they wouldn't.
And even though Riley had to run to get to her babysitting gig on time that night, she didn't care because she was content knowing why Lucas went full 'Texas Lucas' on Charlie today and why it was so easy for Maya to calm down the cowboy.
And the next day when she saw Charlie and Lucas in their detention, she laughed. Because it finally all made so much sense.