empty → LUCAS FRIAR ✓

s i x

CHAPTER SIX
( MONSTER )

IT WAS CLEAR that Brayden wasn't sure what to say. She still stared at Lucas, finding the sincerity behind his eyes that she needed. But what he had just said . . . was he really talking about Riley? Surely he wasn't- Brayden saw the way he always looked at her. But recently, she hadn't seen the two together at all.

"Riley isn't here today because I went to her apartment last night," Lucas starts before Brayden can speak. "I explained to her why I couldn't be with her, but that I still wanted to be friends. She may have taken it hard, but the truth is always worth it."

"You don't have feelings for Riley," Brayden says softly, surprised at the words that had just left her lips. "You've fallen for someone else."

"And I know it's a long shot-" he says quickly, cutting off the rest. "But, for what it's worth, I thought you deserved to know, too. I've never been one for lying, and I'm not about to start now. No secrets."

The brunette's heart beat out of her chest, her head spinning with relief. Instead of Lucas letting her down gently, he had surprised her. He had grown feelings for her, too, like no one else ever had. But if Allison heard about that, things would quickly go in a down spiral.

"You mean I'm the girl . . . " she doesn't go on, her back stiff. "You have feelings for me, and you told Riley?"

"She'll grow to understand what it feels like," Lucas assures her. "I guess that her kindness made me infatuated, and maybe I liked her for a little while. She was one of the only people I'd ever talked with, and she understood. Riley was always there."

Hearing Riley's name made her gut twist. This time, though, Brayden knew that Lucas wasn't talking about her in a lovestruck way. He was no longer infatuated with Riley Mathews, but had found someone new.

"And now that I look back on it, I feel stupid. Because why didn't I ever talk to you? Why didn't any of us take a second glance at the people near the back of the room?"

Brayden didn't answer, not wanting to talk about how distracted his group was. They were constantly consumed with drama and gossip and lies; so much that they never took the chance of talking to someone new that didn't seem to fit in. They hadn't noticed that there were students they had never talked to, or worked with.

It was always the core four.

"Now I see my options, and I want you to see yours." Lucas bites his lip as he finally finishes. "I really, really like you, Brayden Toles."

He knew her last name. He had taken the time to learn her last name- and oh, how important that was to her. Lucas had learned to be around someone other than his main friends, and actually listened to what they had to say.

"I really, really like you, Lucas Friar," Brayden breaks into a smile, laughing as she shakes her head.

Lucas looked as if he was hearing wrong. For a moment he was confused, then realized what that meant. He, too, smiled, and broke into a soft chuckle. And for a short moment, they sat in silence.