Girl Meets Season 4

5. Girl Meets Charlie Gardner

"I will, thanks Riley," he said before leaving the café. Riley went back to work cleaning up around the counter and the tables. She hadn't noticed Lucas standing outside watching the whole interaction she had had with Charlie.

Lucas couldn't figure out what was happening as he watched Riley smile at Gardner, it felt like being punched in the gut. When Gardner left the café he hid in the bushes by the stairs so that the guy wouldn't see him but just watching Riley hug him felt like they had unfinished business, and Lucas was in the way of that. He didn't know what to do so he sat outside watching her as she worked, wondering if maybe she had feelings for Charlie Gardner.

The autumn air started to chill his bones but he still didn't move, all he could do was watch her as she smiled at customers and cleaned up. It took him a minute to realize that she was walking towards him, her sweater on, her backpack on her back. Her shift was over, he had spent two hours watching her like she was the sun warming his skin but in reality he was cold to the touch.

"Lucas what are you doing out here?" she said walking up to him. "Your hands are freezing."

The touch of her hands on his brought him back to the present, "Am I holding you back?" was the first thing that came out of him.

"What are you talking about?" she said pulling him into the café, "Aunt Katy can I get two large hot teas to go please."

"Sure thing Riley," Maya's mother said as she worked behind the counter. "I'll put some extra honey in there too."

"Thank you," Riley said before looking back at him. "Talk, you were the one that always said that we will always have these big talks with one another so tell me what's wrong."

"I saw you with Gardner," he said but she looked at him surprised.

"Lucas, Charlie left here two hours ago, were you sitting out there the whole time?"

"Yes, and I need to know if you still like him?"

"No Lucas, you're the only one who has my heart, Charlie was only here to tell me something and since I haven't seen him since middle school he decided to come here and tell me in person."

Lucas looked up at her brown eyes and smiled. "Sorry I'm a jealous jerk," he said.

"No you're not," she sighed. "I realized a while ago that you're as insecure as I am, it took me a while to realize that, but our relationship really is about communication, and we're still learning how to do that without hiding so much."

Katy came over soon afterwards and put their teas in front of them, "Come on I'll walk you home," he said.

"Thanks Aunt Katy," she said as they walked out. "Drink your tea, I don't want you getting sick because you spent two hours worried about our relationship."

He took her hand as he sipped his tea, "Thanks for taking care of me."

"Someone has to, plus you're always defending me, and helping me so it's only natural that I do the same for you."

They walked up to her building, the leaves changing around them, it was a peaceful night. He should have realized that Riley would never hurt him, she would talk to him first. He hadn't noticed just how comfortable they had gotten until he felt threatened by the possibility of losing her again. The whole thing about her mother's job, had messed with his heart, he couldn't take losing her then but knew he had to. That was months ago, of course their relationship would be tested over and over again.

Riley was worried about Lucas, it was strange for him to think about their relationship as fragile as glass. She hadn't noticed that he had been out in the cold for so long because she had been working, but she was going to tell him about Charlie the moment she got home.