Lucas smiled, brushing her hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "Glad you finally caught on," He stated smugly.

"Stop being so smug about it," She whacked him playfully on the shoulder. "Just kiss me."

He was about to oblige but then halted. "I shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"You're still with Charlie. I shouldn't kiss you."

"About that..." She bit her lip. "I'm calling off the wedding. I can't be with Charlie when I love you."

Lucas's face lit up and he grinned at her. He pushed them both upright and he took her hands in his, kissing them lightly.

"Are you going to tell him today?" He asked her, brushing her fingers against his jaw.

Riley shook her head. "When we get back. I want all the privacy I can have for that announcement. Also, I need time to figure out what I'm going to say."

"Of course," He murmured, grabbing her body and pulling her onto lap and nuzzling her neck.

"Even if we had our bad times," She glanced down at to where she had the bruise had had created yesterday, which was covered with some really good concealer. "He still means something to me and I owe him a good explanation as to why we're calling off our wedding."

Lucas kissed her cheek and got up from the bed. "That's true. He'll be back soon. I respect him, reluctantly, but I do. I think it's best we keep our interactions to a minimum this weekend."

"I agree," She told him. "I already feel awful for us kissing."

"I'm going to go back into the living room," Lucas said as he walked towards the door. "Maya is going to have a field day after I tell her."

Riley smiled and watched as he walked away. She quickly busied herself with cleaning up the mess of makeup she left in the bathroom. She had done an excellent job in covering her bruised arm, but it still felt so sore. She didn't know how to tell her friends, or if she wanted to tell them. They never kept secrets from each other, not after Texas, but this was something she couldn't let out. She could only imagine what they would do to Charlie.

Riley felt like she owed him for putting up with her all these years. For mending her broken heart. She knew it was the wrong thing to do. She should have told someone the first time he ever emotionally abused her. She should have told someone that yesterday's bruise, wasn't the first bruise he had ever given her. These were the types of stories she'd talk about, the type she told everyone to avoid and she always told them to talk to someone and get help.

Yet she couldn't. She was terrified. Now she knew how all those girls she talked to about emotional and physical abuse felt. She was scared that Charlie would hurt her, or worst of all someone she cared about. She didn't want to think the worst of him, but lately that's all she ever saw. She couldn't tell anyone about it. At least not now.

Charlie Gardner walked around the beach watching as the setting sun slowly dipped towards the ocean. He kept his eyes on Riley who was sitting on the sand, her legs tucked in her arms and her chin resting on her knees. He watched as her eyes scanned over the dark blue waves crashing in on the smooth sand.

He also watched as Lucas Friar stared at her from afar, not even paying attention to Missy who was desperately trying to get his attention. Billy was tossing a football with Zay and he kept giving Charlie strange glances. He hoped Billy kept his end of the favor. They were friends but he knew Billy was also fond of Lucas since his middle school days. However, Charlie knew he'd remain loyal to him and not go tattling off to Lucas.

He made his way towards Riley taking a seat next to her on the sand. Her eyes were illuminated by the orange sunset, the golden flecks in her eyes becoming more prominent. She remained silent, rolling a small seashell in between her fingers. She looked so innocent and calm and he was reminded of their middle school days.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked hesitantly.

Her eyes remained fixed on the waves as she spoke, "Summer rain."

She turned to look at him, her eyes displaying an explosion of emotions. "I've always liked summer rain."

His face pulled together in confusion. "Summer rain?"

She nodded, "It's so calm. So peaceful and beautiful. Refreshing and reinvigorating."

"It's always seemed so boring and weird to me." He confessed looking away from her.

"I think it's unique," She stated with a note of passion. "It's special and pure. It can be a calm, subtle drizzle or a heavy, boisterous thunderstorm. It might be weird because it's in the summer, you'd expect sun. You'd think summer and rain don't go well together...but the combination is beautiful. "

"You're certainly passion about summer rain."

She blushed lightly. "It's just I've always let other influence what I thought about it. I've always liked summer rain and so many people thought they were boring. After a while, I let their opinions matter more to me than my own. I also let them take away that from me. For a long time, I hated summer rain," She admitted. "I never once fought for it, for what I thought about it. After a moment of clarity, I realized that everyone that tried to stop my love for it was wrong. It wasn't boring at all, it was worth loving. You can't help what you love, Charlie."

His eyes snapped back to her face, she was so eerily calm and devoid of emotion. "What is this about, Riley?"

Her eyes darkened along with the sky and she leaned in closer to him. "Do you love me, Charlie?"

Charlie scoffed, "Of course I do, Riley! What kind of a question is that?"

"How? How do you love me?"

"Riley," He groaned a hint of annoyance coloring his voice. "You know how. I may not passionately speak about it like you do with summer rain, but I do love you."

"Do you love me or do you love the memory of me?" Charlie's eyes flickered to hers, his stomach sinking at her shot at him. "Or do you simply love the image I give you as a politician?"

"R-Riley how can you possibly say that?" He could feel Josh and Maya's eyes on him as they neared the pair.

She bowed her head and her voice dropped, "Charlie, I never once saw you as a bad person who would just use me. I've always seen the good in you, but I've done a lot of thinking."

"Riley is this about last night," He glanced up at Josh and Maya and panicked as they got closer. "Baby, I'm sorry about that. I know you don't love, Lucas. How can you? He broke your heart and didn't even look back."

"I know some part of you loves me," She confessed absent-mindedly. "I'm not sure if I still know that part of you."

Charlie was about to respond when Maya and Josh approached them, both positively beaming and displaying their collection of seashells to Riley like little kids. Charlie politely excused himself and went to the cooler to get a drink. Lucas was hovering nearby, poking a stick into the bonfire. He dropped the stick into the fire and walked over to where Charlie was opening up a can of beer.

"I'm surprised you're not being followed by paparazzi," Lucas said grabbing a can for himself.

Charlie reluctantly turn to look at him, his eyes narrowed and his mouth formed into a scowl.

"I'm running for mayor not the latest teen heartthrob, Friar," He voiced coolly.

"Mayor today, senator tomorrow," Lucas said his voice hard. "What's next presidency?"

"Marriage," Charlie answered briskly, his eyes flickering over to where Riley was laughing with Maya and Josh, like a child on Christmas. "Marriage is next." He faced Lucas, trying to gauge his reaction.

Lucas's expression remained stoic, but Charlie noticed his hand tighten on his can. He smirked wanting nothing more than provoke Lucas.

"She'll make an amazing First Lady eventually, don't you think?" Charlie inquired with a hint of mockery. "President Charlie Gardner and First Lady Riley Gardner. Riley Gardner does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Lucas clenched the can firmer, his jaw tightening along with his grip and he tried his best to not full on punch Gardner.

"Oh wait," Charlie let out a humorless laugh. "I suppose you always thought Friar would be the last name she'd be taking as hers. Things don't always go our way, do they Friar?"

Lucas glanced up at Charlie who was still staring at Riley.

"I always knew she deserved someone better than you," Charlie admitted frankly. "You were never right for her."

"And you are?" His voice was harsher than he wanted it to be, he was struggling to remain calm with every line Charlie threw his way.

Charlie scoffed. "I'm a lot better for her than you."

"I may not be good for her," Lucas started, his voice dangerously low."But you aren't exactly qualified for the job of good husband, Gardner."

"Is that so?" Charlie remarked, his blue-green eyes taunting him. "Is that why she's wearing the ring I gave her? Is that why she chose me and not you?"

Lucas nearly blurted the change of plans Riley had recently told him. She wasn't going to marry Charlie and Charlie certainly had not won over Lucas.

"See, Friar, you're nothing but some Texan hothead," Charlie told him. "You're a veterinarian. Good for you. I run my own company and I'm going to be a politician. I'm successful, I have a thriving career and you have a struggling rundown clinic in Texas. Even in middle school, I was always above you. Face it, Friar, even if she chooses you, do you really think she'll stay with you?"

Lucas remained silent and Charlie continued, "She'll realize she could do better and she'll leave you. You can never make her happy. All you've ever done is make her unhappy. One day you'll lose your temper and hurt...her." Charlie finished softly, his eyebrows pulling together.

"I would never hurt her," Lucas voiced feebly, his mind swirling with Charlie's words.

"You already have." Charlie walked away from Lucas, but he caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

"What do you mean I already have?"

"You're setting her up for disappointment, Friar," Charlie explained exasperated. "You've hurt her so many times. The time you nearly kissed her best friend, the time in high school when you went along with the cheating scandal, and you'll really do a number on her when she sees the kind of man you really are. She'll be disappointed that she ever wasted her time on someone like you."

Charlie paused, glanced at Riley than at Lucas. "If you really loved her, you'd let her go. You'd let her be with someone who can truly make her happy and give her everything she's ever wanted. I'm sorry, Lucas, but that would never be you."

Lucas dropped his grip on Charlie. The light in his eyes washing away with the darkness of the sky. He watched as Charlie walked back to Riley. He noticed the way Riley showed him all the seashells excitedly. Noticed the way he'd laugh along with her and throw a joke here and there that would earn a playful punch from Josh.

He suddenly fell like he didn't belong there. He made his way towards the house ignoring the footsteps behind him. He really hoped it wasn't Missy finding the moment to strike when he was the most vulnerable.

"Lucas!" Lucas brushed off the voice and kept marching his way inside the house. "Lucas, man, wait! Hey!"

Billy grasped his arm and pulled him to a stop. Lucas breathed heavily, he was one second away from punching the nearest wall to him out of anger and frustration. His whole body was quivering and Billy stepped back.

"Are you okay?" Billy asked concerned.

"Do I look okay, Billy?" Lucas snapped hotly. He took a deep breath and addressed Billy more calmly, "I'm sorry I'm just not in a good mood. I appreciate your concern but I'd really like to be alone."

"What did Charlie say?"

"He didn't say anything. What makes you think that?"

"Well for starters you rampaged your way over here like the Hulk," Billy pointed out. "Also, it's Charlie. He's always running his mouth. He can't seem to stop saying things he's not supposed to."

"He didn't say anything," Lucas gritted his teeth, hoping that Billy would just leave him alone.

"You're a horrible liar," Billy said. "What did he say about Riley?"

"Why do you assume he mentioned Riley?"

Billy gave him a pointed look. "Oh I don't know lucky guess." He muttered sarcastically.

"It was nothing."

"It was something if it has you all fired up like this," Billy insisted. "You look like you wanna punch something and then crawl into a whole and cry."

"Thank you for that wonderful description," Lucas grumbled. "He just said something I knew all along, but I was just fooling myself. I stand no chance, Billy."

Billy's lips formed into a line and he glanced at Lucas with soft eyes. "Don't let others take away something from you, Lucas. Don't let them determine whether or not you deserve something or aren't good enough. Don't let their opinions matter more than yours."

"What if my opinion is the same as theirs?"

Billy pursed his lips, and Lucas can almost guess the mental debate he was having with himself. "You may think it is, but opinions change. Don't put yourself down. You're entitled to happiness too. Word of advice, fight for what you want. Hold on tight and don't let go."

Billy turned to walk away, only to look back and say, "If there's anything to chase. Chase love. It'll drag you to the very pits of hell, but you make sure to hold on tight. It'll be worth it in the end. Anything worth having takes time, Lucas."

Lucas couldn't sleep. Everything Billy told him was swirling in a dizzying vortex in his head, along with every one of Charlie's spiteful words. He got up, in need of a drink to quench his thirst.

He made his way to the kitchen. He grabbed a glass of water and chugged it down.

"You sure are thirsty."

Lucas coughed and spluttered, his eyes flying to where Missy Bradford was standing with a short black silk nightie. He felt a hot flush rise from his neck to his face as Missy walked towards him provocatively. She ran her fingers along his chest and he flinched away from her touch.

"Are you okay, Lukey?" She asked with a bat of her eyelashes. "I heard all the rolling of the sheets from my room. Couldn't sleep?"

"N-no." He stuttered uncomfortably.

She took the glass away from him. "Here let me get you more water and we can talk all about it."

She went to go fill up the cup from the built in water dispenser in the fridge. Lucas took a seat on the island, his head resting in his hands. When Lucas wasn't looking Missy grabbed something she had tucked in her bra and dumped it into the water and watched it dissolve. She gave him the glass of water with a smile.

He downed it down quickly and Missy prompted him to speak about his troubles. He did so, his words slurring the more he spoke and he found himself losing his balance while sitting.

"Are you okay, Lucas?" God, he was really hating that question lately.

"I feel sick, Missy," He let out as Missy helped off the stool and led him towards his room.

He dizzily walked with her, taking advantage of her supporting arms in fear of falling if he tried walking by himself. They made it to his room and he glanced at Missy to thank her. His vision was blurred and he suddenly found himself staring at Riley.

"Thank you, Riley," He murmured collapsing onto his bed.

"Riley?" Missy questioned shutting the door. "I'm not-oh, I mean you're welcome, Lucas."

"Riley," Lucas murmured again rolling into his sheets and pulling Missy down with him.

Missy ran her hands under Lucas's shirt and he groaned. With a smirk, she yanked it off. Thinking it was Riley he pulled her in for a kiss, though it was brief as his vision was dimming.

"I want...I want to sleep." He confessed, closing his eyes slowly.

"Sure, honey," Missy said stripping his pants off and any article of clothing he currently had on.

She took off her nightie and slipped in bed with him, wrapping his arms around her.

This is exactly what Charlie wanted, she thought.

Charlie wanted Riley to think the worst of Lucas. Missy wished Charlie would want her. Except, like Lucas, he was too in love with the idea of Miss Perfect, the Great Riley Matthews.

Riley woke up to the stream of sunshine flooding her room. She rose from her bed groggily, Charlie was sleeping on the couch in her room. He was snoring away, completely unaware of the harsh sunlight hitting his face.

She had wanted to confront Lucas for his early, abrupt departure from last night's bonfire. She assumed he'd be awake by now. He surely got a good night's rest.

She tiptoed past Charlie and made her way to where Lucas was staying. She knocked once and heard a groan, which she took for a come in. She opened the door and gasped in shock in what she saw.

Missy was wrapped in Lucas's arms and they were both naked. They were both deeply asleep and she quickly closed the door, as quiet as she could. Her mind was reeling, and she could feel the hot tears forming in her eyes.

He had lied to her. He never loved her. It was all just a lie. There was physical evidence in that room, in that bed, that he never cared for her. She was a fool. How could she possibly think Lucas would ever want her over someone like Missy? He had slept with Missy and this time it was not a lie.

She rushed back towards her room, colliding with warm, sleepy body. Charlie.

"Riley? What's wrong?" He questioned his voice thick with sleep.

"Just hold me." Riley launched herself into his arms and he slowly guided them into their bedroom.

Charlie knew exactly where Riley had come from and if Missy had done her job correctly, he knew exactly what Riley had witnessed.

"Riley I have something I wanted to tell you," He said lifting her chin. "You won't tell me what's wrong and I'm not sure if it's a good time-"

"What is it, Charlie?"

"Due to a very important and extensive business trip, I was thinking we'd change the wedding date."

"When?"

"In a week or two," At the look on her face he added, "You have everything practically ready by now and I know it's soon but-"

"Yes."

"What?"

"I'm okay with it," She states, a feeble smile on her face.

Charlie beamed down at her. "Excellent!"

He brought her in for a hug, a sleek smirk playing on his face.

She didn't know what had brought on her sudden agreement, maybe it was the image of Lucas and Missy rolled up in his sheets or maybe her own mind pushing the idea of her never being truly happy. She had to move on from Lucas once and for all. Charlie could make her happy, or at least happy enough to just keep going. All she wanted to do was cry but that would only have Charlie questioning even more.

She was done with Lucas Friar. Done with all his lies and done with the idea of her happily ever after. Maybe some stories don't have a happy ending.