So here we were, back in Texas. I was thrilled because my friends were here and...it wasn't for a funeral. There was so much I want to show them.
I was currently in my bedroom, looking for some clothes Maya and Riley could borrow. I had already changed into my favorite Jeans, a white long-sleeved top with a brown button up over it, and my plain cowboy boots.
"Is this your mom?" I turned to see Maya, holding a picture frame. I walked over to look at the picture. I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah. I had just gotten a camera for my birthday. She insisted we have a photoshoot." I explained, walking back to the closet.
"I bet you miss her." Riley said. I nodded.
"All the time. But I'm ok now, really." I assured them, pulling out a top.
"Where is your dad?" I paused for a second, biting my lip.
"He's uh...just out, with some friends. He'll be back eventually." I lied. "Ok, here you go, have your choice of boots, I've got several pairs, and you can just change in your room at Pappy Joe's."
"Sounds like a plan." Maya agreed. We headed back to the house, and they went back to change. I flopped down on the couch beside Lucas.
"Texan Skipper is back. How does it feel?" He asked.
"Amazing. Remind me to take this stuff with me when I go back." I put my white Stetson on and straightened it out when my boyfriend came in.
"Man, I look good in my 'Welcome to Texas,' Billy Buckaroo cowboy hat." I turned around to see him wearing a tiny straw hat with a red star on it. I laughed, standing up and taking it off him.
"That's ain't a hat, that's a teacup." Pappy Joe told him. I threw it aside and grabbed a black one off of the hat rack, putting it on his head.
"How's it look?" He asked.
"Not bad. Really good, actually." I told him. He looked adorable. He wrapped an arm around my waist. "Welcome home." The door opened and Riley and Maya came in, in the close that I'd given them. Pappy Joe took his hat off.
"Well, look at you two little darlin's." I smiled.
"What can I say, Skipper's sense of style is incredible." Maya told them. "Quit lookin' at us Huckleberry."
"I'm sorry, Maya. You look...good." I narrowed my eyes at that weird exchange. I thought Riley and Lucas were a thing...not Lucas and Maya.
"Oh, thanks."
"Yeah, you both look good."
"So do you." Farkle told me quietly. I smiled at him.
"You know what this place needs? A bay window. A bay window right now." Riley sat on a stool by the window, and Maya sat on a random saddle that was there.
"What's a bay winda?" Pappy Joe asked.
"Oh, you know, a safe place where the girls have their private talks."
"Oh, well then, I'll make sure those two stay right there forever." The door opened and Cletus came in.
"Pappy Joe, Pappy Joe, Pappy Joe!"
"Don't be alarmed. It's just Cletus. "
"Tombstone the bull gone crazy. He everywhere all over the place at the same time like one of them Houdini bulls."
"Use your words, Cletus."
"I am using my words, Garducky. Tombstone the bull gone Bananahooey."
"We don't actually talk like that. Not most of us, anyways." I muttered. Farkle chuckled, pulling my closer against him. "Also, tonight, I kind of want to take you somewhere."
"Where?" He asked.
"I'll tell you when we get there. I just...I need to talk to you about something." He furrowed his eyebrows, looking down at me.
"Is everything ok?" I nodded.
"Fine. Just fine."
~~~
The other four disappeared once we got to the rodeo, leaving Farkle and I with Pappy Joe. I grabbed his hand, intertwining our fingers. Farkle, not Pappy Joe, in case you were confused. It didn't take Pappy Joe long to find a friend to talk to, so Farkle and I just walked.
"You have no idea how excited I am that you're here." I told him. "I have so much I want to show you, and I-"
"What's wrong Skipper?" He had stopped walking. I now stood in front of him. I let my hand fall from his.
"What are you talking about?"
"You may think I haven't noticed that something's been wrong since the whole 'Rileytown' thing, but you're wrong." I shook my head.
"I'll tell you tonight. That's the thing I wanted to talk to you about."
"Why haven't you told me before now?" He asked.
"Because...it kind of sucks, and I really didn't want to talk about it." He looked kind of sad, almost hurt even. "I promise that's all it was. I'll tell you tonight, but right now, today, I want to enjoy having you here. Is that something you can manage?" He nodded and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Thank you." I pulled away, grabbing his face and kissing him. Not like the light, fleeting kisses we'd shared up to this point. A firm, passionate kiss. I pulled away and his eyes opened, widening. I laughed at the look on his face.
"You are...really good at that." I smiled.
"Believe me, so are you." Pappy Joe came over to us.
"Mutton Busters are about to go, and then the bulls. Let's go find Lucas." We nodded in agreement, and Farkle wrapped an arm around me.
~~~
We ducked into the Refreshment tent.
"The mutton Busters are getting ready to ride, then it's you, Lucas." Farkle said.
"Make us proud boy."
"Friar." MR. McCullough greeted.
"McCullough." Pappy Joe replied.
"I'm talkin' to young Friar. So, you fixin' to ride again, huh?"
"That's right." Lucas told him.
"Well...don't think about last time." He laughed. "You don't want that in your head."
"Charming." I said.
"Skipper." He tipped his hat to me. "Let's watch my grandson, Timmy, master Judy the sheep. Oh, you were about two seconds on Judy the Sheep, as I recall. And I think Skipper here had it at four. You got beat by a little girl. But don't let that be in your head." I looked at my feet.
"You were a mutton Buster?" Farkle whispered. I nodded.
"Yup."
"How come you ain't out there with your grandson?" Pappy Joe questioned.
"Well, then I wouldn't have the pleasure of watching him right in front of your face."
"And now, Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, It's Mutton Bustin' time. and now, this year, Judy the Sheep, who will be ridden this year by Timmy McCullough."
"That's my grandson!"
"And the gate opens and Timmy McCullough is holdin' on-No he's not." I cringed. Poor kid.
"Ha! That's his grandson!"
"Pappy Joe." Riley scolded.
"Sorry, Riley. Stereotypical Cultural Reduction's all I have left."
"And now, for the event we've all been waitin' for, Bull ridin'! And this year, will we finally have a master of Tombstone?"
"Yes." I said, looking to Lucas. "Yes, we will finally have a master of Tombstone." He nodded in Thanks.
"The record on Tombstone is three point seven seconds. But first, riding Buttercup is Eddie Callaway! Ooh, Eddie. That had to hurt." We watched as Eddie was laid out. Lucas looked like he was gonna throw up.
"Are you out of your mind?" Maya asked.
"Lucas, You're serious, right? You can seriously do this."
"Yeah, I learned from the best actually."
"Who's the best?"
"Eddie Callaway." We said together.
"You can do this, Lucas. I know you can do this." I told him.
"Coming up, our main event. Lucas Friar tangles with Tombstone.'
"Lucas, look at me." Maya said. He turned around. "If you do this...I will never speak to you again."
"Maya!" I exclaimed.
"Maya-" Riley started.
"Why are the two of you for this?"
"Because I want him to succeed." Riley answered. "I want him to make his grandfather proud."
"You're not proud of him if he doesn't do this?" Maya asked.
"I think you have a fin grasp of the general situation, yeah. In my opinion it's about facing life, which runs harder than any bull. You gotta face your fears. You ride them, or they ride you."
"I'll never speak to you again." She pushed past him, leaving the tent.
"Maya, what..." We all exited the tent.
"Why would she do this?" Lucas asked Riley.
"I don't know, but I'm about to find out."
"Riley, I'd...I'd kinda like you to watch."
"I can go talk to her." I offered.
"I want you to watch too."
"Then we will." Riley said, glancing at Maya before walking with Lucas towards the pen. I sighed, standing on the gate beside Farkle.
"You can do this Lucas! You can do anything! This bull is nothing!" Riley yelled.
"You got this, Lukey!" I yelled.
"That's the bull?!" Riley laid eyes on Tombstone.
"It doesn't matter, Riley. It doesn't. It doesn't matter how strong the bull is, it matters how strong Lucas is. He can take it."
"Lucas, tell the bull you're gonna be a veterinarian, it's your only hope."
"I'm gonna be a veterinarian." The bull started bucking angrily. "HE DOESN'T CARE!"
"Here we go, Folks. Time for the moment of truth." The gate opened, and I screamed. He was doing it! Lucas was staying on! Eventually, the bull hurled him to the ground, so he landed on his stomach. Riley ran over to him.
"Lucas, are you ok!? Lucas get up!" He flipped him over onto her lap, and Farkle, Zay and I followed.
"I stayed on for like, 30 seconds."
"Yeah. Yeah, I knew you could." We all helped him up. And I looked up at the timer. I screamed.
"What?" Lucas asked. I pointed to the timer, jumping up and down and wrapping my arms around his nick.
"You did it Lucas, You did it! 4.468 seconds! You did it!" He hugged me back, smiling.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and girls, that is an official time! He's done it! Let's hear it!"
"Lukey! I'm proud of you Lukey." Cletus said, approaching us. Pappy Joe handed him the trophy.
"We all are, boy. I never seen nothin' like it in my life."
"You wanna hold onto this for safe keeping?" Lucas handed it back to him.
"I'd be honored."
"I'll keep it shinin' like the sun, Garducky."
"Ladies and Gentleman, Lucas Friar, the new master of Tombstone!" I left the pen with Farkle and Zay.
~~~
I guess Riley had gone to talk to Maya, and I headed back to the house with the boys. We sat down on the couch, Zay on one end, Lucas on the other, and Farkle and I in the middle.
"I really do wish I grew up with you guys, Lucas." Farkle said
"You just did, Farkle."
"Yeah, from now on, it's always been the four of us." The screen door opened and Riley and Maya came back in.
"Hey Lucas, can I talk to you?" Riley asked.
"Actually, I have something to say to you, Riley. If it wasn't for you, I don't know if I would have got on that bull, and If it wasn't for you, I don't know if I would have survived in New York. You're really important to me. "
"You are really important to me too, Lucas. We've always been really good at talking to each other, but we've never been too good at holding hands. And then we tried being a couple, and we couldn't even talk to each other. I don't want that. I want to know you're always there to talk to. You're my brother, Lucas, and I'm your sister."
"That's what you think we are?" He asked.
"That's what I think we are. " She kissed him on the cheek.
"I love you, Lucas. And...now I know how. How do you feel about him Maya?" We all looked at Maya.