Wonderland [RUCAS]

Eighteen // Bella Notte

[Disclaimer: this chapter includes some swearing/cussing]

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"We are not dating! It's almost graduation, high school relationships barely last." Lucas exclaims talking to a group of boys. It's four weeks until graduation, where they all separate.

"We're not dating! Graduation's a month away and have you seen Glee? Almost every relationship didn't last after high school." Riley explains to a group of girls that have surrounded her. She groans and walks away from the group of girls.

"Just ask her on a date, Luke. She'll say yes. Take her out on a date like those movies. Meet her at Central Park and have dinner somewhere nice. I'll hire a street band to soften the mood walking back. It's going to perfect." Farkle says. "Farkle, I don't have any money." Lucas retorts. "I'll handle that." Farkle says. "You would do that for me?" He asks him. "I ain't doing it for you kid. I'm doing it for Riley." He reassures Lucas.

Lucas sighs, You could do this bro. She's just a girl. "Are you okay?" Maya asks noticing Lucas waking around and rubbing his hands together. "I-I'm fine. No, I'm not fine. I'm asking Riley on a date soon, I'm afraid she'll say no." Lucas explains still prancing around. "Calm down. She'll say yes. You know you guys might not last, it's a month until graduation." Maya says. "I know, but let's have it while it lasts." Lucas replies. "She loves you, you little piece of shit." Maya says quietly. Lucas chuckles. They always joke around like that. "I won't believe it until she tells me." He replies. He walks away to ask Riley if she would like to go on a date with him.

"Hey Riley!" Lucas greets her at her locker. "Hey Lucas." Riley replies. "I was wondering if you would like to go to on a date with me. I mean you don't have to if you don't want to. I know graduation is a month away, and we're probably never going to contact each other ever again. We should just have fun while it lasts and-" Lucas tries to say. "Lucas, I would love to go on a date with you." She says interrupting him. "Thanks, Central Park at 5:00 on the bridge?" Lucas asks. "Yeah okay." Riley agrees. This is going to be a perfect night. Well maybe.

Lucas stands at the bridge waiting for Riley to arrive. He turns around to see her walking in a blue flower dress holding a gray clutch. Lucas sighs, she looks beautiful. She continues to approach him occasionally stumbling because of the heels she's wearing.

"Hey." She says quietly. "Hey." He repeats. Lucas holds out his hand and Riley takes it. They walk around Central Park.

"I don't go here that often. There's too many tourists." Riley says to Lucas in the crowded park. "Yeah, I get it. New York is crowded in general, but I love it anyway." He replies. "It truly is the Big Apple." Riley says. Lucas checks his watch. "Riles, we have a reservation. Let's go to the subway." Lucas says. He fights through the crowd and goes down the steps to the subway Riley in hand. They head on to the train.

"And I thought this date was going to be fancy, but we're in the dirty subway." Riley says sitting next Lucas and a wall at a corner seat. "Riles, you're forgetting something. This was the first time we saw each other. We sat in the exact same spot. Don't you remember?" Lucas says gesturing to the seat. "Oh yeah, you were holding a textbook or something." She reminisces. "And you wrote in that journal of yours." Lucas adds in. "I remember. I was writing about my own wonderland. How everything would be perfect." Riley says. Lucas chuckles. The train abruptly stops. "Here we are." Lucas says as he gets up. They exit the train and leave the subway.

"Lucas, you're taking me to the Hard Rock Cafe?" Riley asks arriving at the location. "Yeah, it's not the fanciest. I heard they had a filet mignon though." Lucas jokes. They check into the front desk and they are shown to their table.

"It's like I am starring in my own romantic comedy!" Riley exclaims while eating her salad. "What would this rom-com be called?" Lucas asks curious. Riley thinks for a while. "Maybe... I don't know." Riley concludes, then chuckles. "Lucas, what college did you get into?" Riley asks. "I got into UCLA in California. It's a great school." Lucas answers wiping his mouth with a napkin. Riley's face drops. "UCLA? I got accepted into NYU. You're all the way across the country!" Riley says sadly. "Oh. That's okay we could video chat and text." Lucas tries to lighten the mood. "But the only thing keeping high school friendships together is high school itself. We practically forced to see each other. It becomes to big of an effort to contact each other." Riley says. "Let's not talk about college and enjoy the dinner." Lucas suggests. Riley nods agreeing to the suggestion.

After dinner, they walk down the streets of New York in the night walking to the subway. Music plays, the band Farkle hired starts playing. They stop and face each other.

"The night is truly beautiful." Riley says. "You're beautiful." Lucas mumbles. "You know how you said this is like a romantic comedy." Lucas says, Riley nods. "Well, this is the moment where I kiss you." He says as he leans in. Riley turns away, "No. Don't." She says. He stops and moves his face away from hers. She shakes her head and runs away. "What the hell just happened?"

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THIS CHAPTER WAS NOT PROOFREAD/EDITED

Bella Notte- beautiful night in Italian (I believe)

One more chapter until the epilogue.

Next chapter title: Sweet Dreams

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