The Age Of Seventeen

Part 44

M A Y A

"You!" I give Lucas a hard look and pull him up by his collar. We were in his room, and I hid my anger well enough in front of his mom, saving it all for him and him only. "Why would you hurt my best friend knowing how much she f*cking loves you, you prick! How could you sleep with Smackle? Of all people, why her? And why did you have to cheat on Riley!?"

Lucas looked like he was going to piss himself and couldn't breath so I let go, tossing him back down on the bed. "Talk, before I punch answers out of you!" I scream when he doesn't reply.

"I-I..I-I'm sorry, Maya. It was all a big mistake, Smackle and I were drunk." He explains, but it only makes me angrier that he was irresponsible.

"You could have gotten her pregnant, you stupid jerk! Did you even wear a condom?" Lucas stays quiet and I seriously have to turn around and take a deep breath to calm down. "I can't believe you, Lucas Friar. You're this smart know it all, but when it comes to women and sex you know nothing!"

"Shh, Maya please my mom will over hear.." Lucas pleaded, lunging himself forward and cupping my mouth.

My own hand prayed his off and twists it. "Sounds like a you problem! And by you I mean stupid, handsome, cowboy Sunshine Dance Mc' boing boing problem!"

"I'm sorry!" Lucas yelped and his face turned red from my grasp on his arm. "Do you realize you're breaking my arm and this won't bring her back!?"

"IT FEELS GOOD!" I exclaim even louder than he did, but let go realizing he was right. As much as I want to beat him up right now, this will solve nothing.

"I'm sorry," He mumbles, as he pins my arms above me so I won't hit him. "Things got out of hand. I was hoping out of all people you would know what situation I'm in." He says this because a night like Smackle and Lucas had was one Farkle and I had a year before.

"Yeah, and look where it got me." I state. "And besides, I didn't go sticking my wee-wee into no one else."

"True." Lucas nods.

"Okay, you're too damn close, let go of me." I say, feeling the awkwardness come over me as I realize we're inches apart. He let's go of my hands slowly just in case I hit him, but I don't.

"So what now?" I ask a couple of minutes of silence later.

"I don't know where she is, Maya. And I'm sure even if I knew I can't hurt her by going over there and making her having to remember everything she had left here." Lucas sadly points out.

Lucas was my last hope if Josh wouldn't tell me anything. Zay might know something, but my treatment towards him lately had been anything but friendly to say the least. So even if he knows anything he wouldn't tell me. "Lucas you are my last hope, please help me help Riley. She needs me right now, I know she does. Help me bring her home."

•

"Go away!? Why!?" Lucas exclaimed at the girl he loves. He knew what he had done had been wrong and caused her pain, but she was practically ripping his heart from his chest and packing it away in the blue suitcase, along with everything else. "Please, I'll give you the space you need- I'll do anything to make things better, but please don't leave me, Riley."

"You want to do something to make things better?" She looked up from her suitcase with big red eyes. He nodded immediately, feeling a little relief. There was hope she would stay in those words. Or so he thought. "Then cover for me when I leave."

His smile dropped. "W-what?"

"I told them I'm going to go camping with you, Zay and Smackle. Maya doesn't know anything, and it's better this way, she will try to stop me." Riley knew her best friend would do anything to keep her here. And she knew if Maya found out she would beat Lucas near death.

"Riley I don't think this is a good idea," Lucas argued. "I messed up, yes. But don't leave! You can't leave New York, Maya and your family over something I did. Please, Riles."

"I'm leaving tonight. Zay and Smackle already know what to do. The least you could do is do the same." Her voice held so much hurt it pained him. He had hurt her so bad, and unconsciously. He hated to be the reason tears streamed down her perfect, innocent face.

"If it's what you want, then I'll do as you say. Just know by leaving you're hurting us more than I had." The boy bit back his tears. His green orbs were washed away by the tears that formed in them. "Can I at least know where you're going?"

"Just know I'm not to far, and in the best hands I can be in besides my parents'." She brought her suitcase to the floor.

"Is this goodbye?" A tear rolled down Lucas' cheek and deep down it hurt Riley more than anything to leave him. But she couldn't stay either.

She had to lie to her family and leave without saying anything to her best friend. All because Lucas had hurt her that bad.

"Yes, Lucas this is it. No more Riley and Lucas," Riley cried silently. "Not ever."

"There has to be a way to work things out-" Lucas explained, but Riley interrupted.

"Get that idea out of your head, things won't be the same after this. Maybe we will stay friends, because as much as I'd like to I can't completely drive you out of my life. But what I can do is drive you out of my romantic one, so I'll do that."

"What if I don't want that?" Lucas protested. "What if I want to be with you even after this?"

"You know what I can't do this. Lucas, please leave." Riley said.

Lucas wanted to beg her some more, but she was clearly not ping to budge. Before he left he wanted to hug her one more time and tell her he still loved her. That sleeping with Smackle just made him realize how much he loves her and only her. But he didn't say anything.

He just left.

•

M A Y A

"All she said was 'Just know I'm not to far, and in the best hands I can be in besides my parents'." Lucas told Maya. He too had been wondering where she is.

"Well I can only infer she is with some close family, if she's not too far." Maya contemplated.

"I know. But what about the other part?" Lucas questioned, referring to the part about the next best hands.

They thought about it for a little and when it hit them they both turned to each other and said; "Philadelphia!"