A/N: This one shot is for my GMW Rucas Challenge Multichapter winner: LittleBitNerdy. Hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I don't own GMW

A dark figure walked through the hallways of John Quincy Adams Middle School an hour before school started, making sure that no one would see him. He pulled a small slip of paper out of his pocket and shifted his eyes from the numbers written on it to the lock. Once the tumblers of the lock clicked into place, the locker opened effortlessly at his touch. He looked around at the personal touches Riley had put up and smiled. She was everything to him, and hoped that what he was doing would be enough to show her. He placed the single rose and the note on top of her books and shut the door. As he left the building, he hoped that he wouldn't make a fool out of himself for what he was planning.

OoOoO

Riley sighed as she and Maya approached their lockers to get ready for their first class. After everything that had happened for her this past week, namely Charlie and Lucas, Riley wished she could just disappear for a while. She probably shouldn't have been that annoying to Lucas or that rude to Charlie… but she didn't get why Lucas would automatically assumed that they would be going together. Where was she when their 'unofficial' thing started? Riley thought they agreed to stay friends since neither of them were ready. But did they forget to cross back over that line?

She blew her bangs out of her face as she opened her locker, and then let out a groan when she saw what was waiting for her.

"What up, Riles?"

"Look," she groaned as her eyes stayed fixed on the single rose lying on her books.

Maya did as Riley said, and she did her best to repress a smile. "Aw, did little Riley get a gift?"

Riley rolled her eyes as she took the rose and the note out of her locker. "Great, who left me this? How did they even get these into my locker?"

"How did Charlie get into your locker?" Maya retorted.

Again, Riley sighed and didn't bother to respond. Instead she glanced at what the note said.

It read: Meet me near the pond at Central Park at 7pm tonight. There's something I need to tell you

"So, who's it from?" Maya asked coyly.

Riley shrugged. "I don't know, they didn't sign it, but whoever it is wants me to meet them at Central Park tonight. Maya, I don't know if I want to go…" she trailed as she looked down at the note in her hands.

Maya's eyes widened slightly as she stepped closer to her best friend. "Why?"

"Just everything that happened with the semi-formal… I don't want something similar to happen. If anything, I wish I could forget the whole thing."

"Look, why don't you go to see who it is. Once you know who wrote the note, you can leave if you want."

Riley let out a sigh as the bell rang through the halls. "Fine… I'll go."

OoOoO

Riley approached the pond at exactly seven o'clock like the note had said, but there was no one around. Anger surged through her as she gripped the rose in her hands. This was the last thing she needed at the moment, and she couldn't help but feel that she was being played. She sat down by the pond's edge and rested her head in her hands. Maybe whoever wrote the note is late, her mind reasoned. I'll give him ten minutes, then after that I'm gone.

However, she didn't need to wait five out of those ten minutes she allowed the mystery man. Soon after she had sat down, Riley saw a figure come out from behind the trees not that far away. Whoever it was approached slowly and was holding something behind his back. Once he was about five feet from her, he stepped into the light and Riley was able to figure out who it was.

"Hi Lucas," she said softly as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Lucas knelt down beside her and smiled. "Hi," he returned. "I'm really glad you came."

"I wasn't even sure if I was going to."

He bit the inside of his cheek and nodded. "I don't blame you. The reason why I asked you here was to give you these," he explained as he pulled a small bouquet of roses similar to the one she held in her hand and gave them to her.

Riley blushed as she took them. "What are these for?"

"I wanted to apologize for automatically assuming we were going to the dance together. It really was stupid of me, especially with all the hints you were throwing at me. I didn't realize how stupid my assumption was until the dance. Can you forgive me?"

Riley's blush deepened as she nodded. "Yeah… but the next time you think we have an 'unofficial thing' going on, can you check with me? I thought we agreed to stay friends, and while we do like each other… neither of us are ready, no matter how much we want to be," she said, mumbling the last part.

Lucas nodded. "Agreed."

"By the way, how did you get the note inside my locker?"

"Maya gave me your combination."

"Oh…"

"Now, if you'll allow me, there's one more thing I wanted to do with you tonight," he said as he took ahold of Riley's hand.

She stood up and followed him towards where he entered. "And what is that?"

Instead of answering, Lucas led her back towards the trees to show her. Once there, Riley's mouth fell agape at what she saw. A small area was lit with tea lights, making the little light there was to make spectacular shadows.

"Wow," she whispered.

Lucas turned to her and smiled. "May I have this dance?"

Riley giggled lightly and nodded. "You may."

With that, Lucas led Riley around the small area to the tunes of the nature surrounding them and to the sound of their beating hearts.

A/N: Let me know what you thought of it! ~cowgirlangel95 out!