Collide ✖️ Rucas

Chapter Six

When Davis came to pick Riley up, she was all ready. She kissed Alice goodbye and set a curfew with her mother. She was wearing an outfit that she had just bought that day when she went with Maya. It was a simple black halter-top, a black miniskirt, and a black pair of tennis shoes. Her hair was in a braid. When Davis walked up the stairs to get her, he smiled widely, glancing over at her.

"You look great," he stated with a grin. Riley laughed as she put her cellphone back in her handbag.

"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself," she replied. And he did look cute. He was a bit shorter than Lucas, and his hair was darker, almost black. He was still well-built, and his hair was fashionably messed up, making it look as though he wasn't trying to impress, but she knew that making it all that way to a while to prefect. As they walked to the car and he opened the door for him, she noticed how tidy it was. When he hoped in the other side, she asked with a grin, "Your mom's car?"

"How'd you know?" he asked as he put the key in the ignition and the car started up. She was quiet as he backed down the driveway but smiled when they started driving along.

"It's way too tidy to be yours," she stated with a grin.

"Maybe I'm just a tidy guy," he answered with a grin.

"Who uses the latest Taylor Swift perfume?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "Because I can smell it, and it's not mine." He laughed and shook his head.

"Okay, you got me," he said as he turned around the corner. They pulled up at the party, which was already all hyped up, music pounding out the window and doors, people everywhere with beer cans in their hands. "Oh man, it's going to be a wild one," Davis muttered as he pulled the car up behind a van. Riley glared across at him, a twinkle in her eyes.

"I've never been to a party that isn't," she replied.

Inside, the throngs of teenagers engulfed them, and they only reason Riley didn't lose Davis was because he was holding her hand. They twisted through the crowds until they got to a less crowded area than before, and settled against the wall. Riley saw Maya in the middle of the makeshift dancefloor, wrapped around Zay. She couldn't see Smackle, but she knew her friend would be there somewhere with Farkle. Her eyes settled on Lucas, who was walking across at the other side of the room, a beer can in his hand, laughing with some friends. Her eyes lingered on him a little longer than possible before turning back to Davis as he began speaking.

"You want a drink?" he shouted above the song. She nodded.

"Dr. Pepper!" she yelled back.

"Don't you drink?" he shouted.

"One of us has to be sober enough to drive!" she replied loudly and he laughed before disappearing into the crowd. Suddenly, someone appeared at Riley's elbow and she saw Sarah standing there, looking slightly stressed and out of place at the loud party. Nevertheless, Riley was glad to see her and gave her a hug.

"Hey babe!" she yelled. "Thought you weren't coming!" As soon as she finished her sentence, Charlie appeared behind Sarah, looking slightly shy as Sarah gave him a bashful smile. "Oh," Riley grinned knowingly. Davis appeared again and handed her a drink, taking a long drink of his own bourbon.

"Hey dude," Davis said as he and Charlie slapped hands. The music changed, and a song by Alan Walker started playing, Faded. Halfway through the song, Davis nudged Riley. "Don't you guys have a dance to this song?" he asked. She grinned.

"Yeah!"

"Then why don't you dance?" he yelled. Riley grinned and shrugged. "Go on!" he urged and Sarah gave an encouraging smile. Riley laughed and made her way to the middle of the dance floor. Maya and Smackle instantly joined her, and several other girls were added to their small group. Everyone else left the dance floor and crowded around them, cheering, laughing, and clapping. When the song finished, everyone cheered and Riley laughed, hugging Maya and Smackle in turn. Davis gave her a hug as they made their way out of the crowds. As they walked through into the lounge, they passed Lucas and Riley caught his eye.

"What are you looking at?" Riley asked him, only barely being heard over the music.

"Nothing important!" he replied and Riley stopped short.

"Don't hate what you can't have!" she spat at him, catching the attention of several people around them, including Maya and Smackle, who exchanged worried looks.

"Stop looking at what you can't afford," Lucas snapped at her. Riley scoffed and sneered at him.

"Afford? You screwed with half of the girls in the school, I could afford you ten times over!" she snapped. Lucas pushed himself off the wall so he was standing right in front of her, his eyes flashing wildly.

"You want to run that by me again, Matthews?" he asked in a dangerously low voice.

"Be a pleasure, Friar," she replied, her eyes meeting his, challenging him.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Maya yelped, stepping in between them and forcing them apart. "That's enough," she muttered as she took a hold of Riley's elbow and led her away into the kitchen where it was quiet. "Okay, Riles, you know I love you, but seriously, we got practice tomorrow, I don't want you to be all...emotionally drained from a fight with Lucas." Riley snorted and looked away. "Riles, just relax and cool off," Maya said. Riley looked outside and a smile crossed on her face, Maya frowned, looking slightly worried.

"Nothing," Riley said with a grin as she turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Maya called after her.

"To cool off!" Riley yelled back before disappearing. Maya watched the space for a moment before shrugging and returning to Zay. Outside, Riley was at the shadowy edge of the huge pool. Missy Bradford, the girl who was hosting the party, was rich, and the pool was massive. Smiling, Riley stripped down to her bra and underwear and jumped into the water. The music was too loud and she was in the dark end, so no one noticed her. Riley dunked under the water and glided around for a few moments, when she came again, she saw Lucas standing not too far away. Her first instinct was to snap something at him, but then she remembered what Maya said and decided to ignore him. He obviously hadn't seen her yet, he was looking in the opposite direction, his body half-turned. About forty minutes later, Riley got out of the pool, and Lucas was so oblivious to her being there...or so she thought.

"You know, I haven't screwed half the girls in the school," he muttered as she walked past him, her hair dripping. She stopped.

"No, you haven't covered the intermediate year levels yet," she replied with a slight amused edge to her voice. Lucas shook his head as he turned to fully face her, his eyes quickly raking over her body, making her feel very exposed in just her bra and underwear. She hugged her clothes closer to her chest.

"You only see the bad in me, don't you?" he replied, although it sounded more like a statement than a question.

"I don't hear you complimenting me very often," Riley muttered. She looked up and her eyes caught with his. She was startled when she saw something different in his green orbs.

"I like your eyes," he mumbled. Riley was startled and didn't know what to say. She bit her lower lip, his eyes not leaving hers. Her eyes looked over his face, from the floppy sandy hair which hung over his forehead, down to his chin, and finally resting on his lips. She had the sudden urge just to kiss him, when a cheer went up from inside. Both of them jumped and Riley backed away several steps.

"I, uh, got to go," she mumbled, stumbling away, back into the shadows. Lucas watched her go and bit his lip, before returning to the party.