Back To Basics

Chapter 13 - "Seasons"

A few hours had passed since the incident out on the field. Riley paced back and forth outside of the main office with Zay's story fresh in her mind. Lucas and Charlie, along with their parents, we're still sitting with the principle when she arrived.

After 20 minutes of waiting and impatiently sighing, the door opens. Out walks Charlie and his mom first, her old friend avoiding eye contact while his mother gives her a polite half smile. The principle and Coach Barr follow and last out is Lucas and his father.

Riley walks straight up to them but Mr. Friar puts his hand out to stop her.
"I think you've done enough, Miss Matthews."

Lucas glares at him, "It wasn't Riley's fault, Dad."

Mr. Friar drops his defensive stance and takes a deep breath, "We'll be waiting in the car."

"I drove here." Lucas reminds him.

"Fine." His father lowers his tone, "You have 15 minutes to say goodbye and then I expect you to be on your way home."

Mr. Friar walks down the hallway, exiting to the parking lot.

Riley stood there in shock. What did he mean 'say goodbye'?

Lucas takes her by the hand and the two of them walk out to where his car was parked.

"I'm sorry I got you in troub—"

"Riley, stop." He was looking into her eyes and she knew what was coming next.

"This wasn't your fault. Charlie ruined this, you...you didn't do anything wrong."

"What did your dad mean by say goodbye?"

Lucas drops his head, staring at their intertwined fingers now. They stand in silence as he works up the nerve to tell her.

"I'm leaving..."

"I don't understand." Riley felt his grip tighten. "Were you expelled?"

"No but...My dad is sending me to live with my grandfather. He thinks he'll be able to "straighten me out"...whatever that means."

"Your grandfather?" Realization hits her. "You mean the one in Texas..."

"That's the one."

"It's already March, there's only three months till you graduate. Why would they send you away when you only have three months left?"

"His exact words were; if you want to fight like a man you're going to work like a man."

Riley couldn't wrap her head around what was happening. She just got Lucas back. They were finally happy and ready to be together, she went through all that trouble telling her parents and her friends just for it to end this way? She felt sick to her stomach.

"Maybe it's better this way." He says, avoiding her gaze.

She wanted to fight back. Tell him he was crazy, tell him that she was so in love with him and that nothing made sense if they weren't together but she couldn't. She stood there quietly, listening to him list all the reasons why it wouldn't have worked out anyway.

She blocked out most of what he was saying. He didn't want to fight for her and she couldn't make him.

The last thing she hears him say is, "It's not like we're in love."

That was like a slap in the face. She'd never felt so stupid. She was very much in love with him, she wouldn't have slept with him the night before if she wasn't. He wasn't speaking for her, he was speaking for himself and that's what hurt the most. He didn't love her.