rucasland, rucas one shots.

code red.

It was an average day in high school. Riley got to school, and was greeted by her four best friends at her locker, like always. After chatting a bit, they went their separate ways at the sound of the bell. Riley takes her usual route to Advanced Geometry. She accidentally bumps into a strong build. The familiar cologne envelopes her. Lucas.

In freshman year, they had a huge falling out. The fight started out as a heated disagreement, but grew into a relationship terminating argument. He succumbed to the popular kids, barely talking to his old friends, while the rest of the gang stood by Riley. Riley doesn't talk to him, and he doesn't talk to her. They act as if they're total strangers. Not even eye contact. If anything, they steal and sneak their glances to one another.

"Sorry." She mumbles, keeping her head down. He looks up at the sound of that sweet, melodic voice.

And in that vary moment, the day went from typical to critical. The sound of a gunshot rang through everyone's ears, causing a stampede.

Her entire body went numb, and her feet were frozen in place. The thought of one of her loved ones being on the receiving end of the bullet petrified her. She stood still while bodies rapidly passed by her, bumping into her much more vigorously than Lucas.

"CODE RED! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! GET TO A SAFETY ZONE! I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A DRILL! CODE RED!" The masculine voice of the principal shouts through the intercom.

"Riley!" Lucas yells, unable to get her attention. At the sound of another gunshot, he scoops her into his arms and carries her into the first classroom he sets eyes on. He locks the door behind them, and sets her on the desk surface. "Riley, look at me." He instructs, softly. But she doesn't budge. She keeps her gaze to the ground, unfocused on any particular object.

He looks to see this is a chemistry classroom, meaning there's a chemistry closet. He picks her back up, and hurries into the chemistry closet. He locks the door, and flips on the light switch. He sets her down on the ground. He carefully pushes some of the shelves against the door as another barrier.

He scoots down beside Riley, who still hasn't said a word. "Riley? Can you look at me? Please look at me." He urges, caressing her cheek. He gently shakes her shoulders. She snaps out of the daze she was in, to see Lucas centimeters away from her face.

"Lucas?" She whispers, gently.

"Yeah, it's me." He assures, softly. She looks at her surroundings, with furrowed brows.

"I don't remember coming in here." She states, in a questioning tone. He hesitates to tell her, scared she'll go back into shock.

"Someone has a gun in the school, Riley." Riley's stomach drops, and her eyes widen out of shock. "So far, there's been two gunshots. You went into shock, so I carried you in here." Riley shifts her gaze down, already coming up with horrible scenarios in her mind.

"Thanks, I guess." Her voice hesitant, she never thought she'd ever have to thank Lucas Friar, again. He takes a seat beside her on the ground.

"Today was suppose to be uneventful and miserable, but here we are." She whispers, contemplating looking up to his emerald eyes.

"Yeah, here we are."

After ten minutes of uncomfortable silence, Riley's phone dings. She curses herself for not putting it on silent.

Maya
>> please tell me you're safe!

A minuscule smile tugs her lips at her caring best friend.

Riley
>> I'm in the school, so not sure. Are you?

"Riley is still in there." Maya fearfully announces to Zay and Smackle, who are pacing nervously. Maya wipes a stray tear as it rolled down her cheek. Zay sighs in disappointment.