Game On, Pretty Boy. ♕ RUCAS

♕ Chapter TwentyThree ♕ - Dance With Me.

I nod, "Oh, yeah of course."

I look down on my milkshake, not really sure what else to say. He didn't want to talk about it, Riley. You just have to respect that. Respect his choice. Trust him.

I feel a squeeze and I let my eyes fall down on my hand. He had grabbed it in his and was holding a tight grip. My head move up and our eyes meet again and I smile. 

He stands up and pulls out his hand for me to grab it. "Come on, I want to take you somewhere."

I hesitated. But I did want to know more about him and what if this was something that would bring us closer? So I did it. I grabbed his hand and let him lead me out of Topanga's and over to his car.

He opens the passenger door. "Ma'am?" 

I chuckle but i beam and step inside the car. He closes the door and runs to the other side and walks in, taking his seat by the wheel.

"Where are we going?" I ask, looking over at him.

He smiles, turning the engine on. "A very special place for me."

♕ — ♕ — ♕ — ♕ — ♕ — ♕

We drove for about thirty minutes until we reached an empty parkinglot outside some huge building. It was old but it looked amazing. It wasn't that dark outside either, it was around dinner time. 

"What is this place?" I ask looking out the window.

Lucas turns the engine off and looks out of the window at the building in front of us. He didn't utter a word at first, only admiring the old building.

"This building has no owner. It's abounded and it has been for over ten years. When we first moved to New York, me and my dad, I used to sneak out and come here. It always reminded me of my old home in Texas. It reminded me of my mother. She loved old buildings and she loved painting them, too. Back in Texas we had paintings hanging all around the house, every wall had at least one painting of an old building made by my mom. It was her way of escaping  my dads alcholic problem. And it worked until..." 

He stops on the last sentence, his eyes glued to the building,

"What happened, Lucas?" I ask with worry,

"I don't want you to know that side of my story," He says and I felt a little dissappointed at how forward he was about it. 

"Yet." He then adds.

I furrow my brows in confusion and tilt my head to the side, making him chuckle.

"Look, Riley," he starts, "I care about you. I do. I want you to know me, I want to let you in. But I think that part of my life is too messed up for you, Riley. I don't want my past of my present to scare you because I.." He bites his lips, throwing his head back and closing his eyes.

"Lu–"

"It's too messed up and I can't let you see that part of me just yet, Riley." He draws his hands over his face before looking down at his feet. "I really like you, Riley. And I don't want you to be scared of what you can see if we get involved."

I blink several times. He cares and he likes me. He just said it. Was that some type of confession? 

I breath as I take his hand in mine. "Lucas," he looks at our hands and then at me. I smile, "I like you too. A lot. And whatever you've been through, whatever has happened in the past stays in the past. I won't run off once I know what you've been through. You won't get rid of me that easy, Friar."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "My oh my, Matthews. You've got some guts, huh?"

I shrug, "What can I say? I like surprising people."