A/N: My very first Girl Meets World fanfic that takes place right after college. Slightly AU.

Summary: At a young age of 22, Riley Matthews knew she wanted the opportunity to contribute to the positive growth and development of an entire generation. As a student counselor, she took pride in her students' accomplishments. However, as Riley becomes charged with the additional responsibility of providing advise outside of academics, things get personal as her current world collides with her past.

Prologue

A sudden knock on the office door caused her to look up from the computer screen, the ever-familiar sound requesting her presence. She briefly looked over her appointment calendar with furrowed eyebrows, not expecting to see anyone at the moment. But considering she had time to spare before the next one, she decided then she was going to make an exception.

"Come in." She replied, pushing paperwork aside so she could give her full attention to whoever stood behind the door. She looked up and smiled as a petite female with medium length wavy brown hair walked in. "Well hello, Jasmine." She greeted the young teen with a smile, motioning her to sit down on the empty seat in front of the desk. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Hi, Ms. Matthews." She sat down with hands clasped nervously on her lap. "May I speak with you?"

There was uncertainty in her tone of voice as she studied Jasmine with concern etched in her features. "Of course, what's up?"

"Well," she started off with a deep breath she held for quite some time on her way to the office. "I got my official letter from Yale."

Ms. Matthews arched her brows in anticipation as she could feel her own heart beat accelerate 10 times faster. "And?"

The young teen smiled. "I got in!"

"What!" Ms. Matthews nearly fell back on the chair with excitement causing Jasmine to press her lips together from laughing. Once Ms. Matthews got a hold of herself, she hopped over the desk, knocking over a picture frame as she pulled the young teen into a celebratory hug. "Congratulations! You did it!" She exclaimed, pulling back from their embrace as she placed her hands on Jasmine's shoulders. She stared at the young lady, so many hopes and wishes came rushing through her head for her. She thought about the time when she first met Jasmine, a struggling sophomore in the verge of failing high school after her mother passed away at the age of 13. It was times like these that make her job all the more worthwhile. "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it without you." Ms. Matthews smiled, brushing off the last comment with a shrug. She prided herself on being a splendid high school counselor for only a mere two years of holding the position right after graduating from NYU. She loved her job, and all of John Quincy Adams High School loved her for doing her job. "You did all the work, hon. With just a little push I had no doubt in my mind that you will succeed."

Jasmine gave a weak smile in return as Ms. Matthews watched with concern growing in her heart. She was obviously hiding something from her. "Okay…I expected a little more excitement from you." She replied teasingly, hoping to ease her conscious.

"I am excited, Ms. Matthews. It's just," she trailed off, glancing away briefly to gather her thoughts together before meeting with her gaze once again. "You've been in love before right?"

Ms. Matthews stood there stunned, caught off guard by the question. This was territory she suddenly had no desire to tread into. "W-why would you ask me that?"

Jasmine shrugged. "I haven't told Eric about Yale."

Realization dawn on Ms. Matthews as memories begin to cloud her mind. She knew exactly where this conversation was heading. "Oh." She nodded for Jasmine to continue despite the twinge of discomfort she felt in her gut.

"I didn't think I was going to get in. But now that I did, I just…don't know what to do." She sighed in frustration. "I'm terrified of losing him."

Ms. Matthews remained speechless, not trusting her voice to speak. She tried to grasp for the right words inside the swirling cloud of emotions in her head, only to feel the turmoil of her past swell over her.

"What?" She didn't want to do this as part of her ached, wishing that she could take back everything that was said, and run away with him; somewhere where they could somehow make it work. But the reality of their situation was real and she knew his scholarship offer to Texas A&M University was going to change the course of their relationship. "You're breaking up with me?"

She bit the inside of her lower lip, trying to pull herself together. "I—" She tried to start, but it was hard to find her voice as she avoided looking at his green eyes. Looking at them would only make it worse. "I can't pretend that a long distance relationship is going to work." She swallowed thickly, trying to disguise the nervous quicker in her voice.

He was conflicted sitting beside her at the bay window seat of her bedroom, trying to process everything. "Riley, I tell you about my acceptance letter and the first thing you want to do is break up?!" He exclaimed loudly, giving into the darker part of his personality he tried so hard to work on for the past few years. He couldn't stay mad at her for long, but her words have caught him completely off guard. This was one conversation he knew was not going to end well and it terrified him. "I haven't decided where I'm going next year." He continued, "I haven't made a decision."

"Lucas…" she looked into his eyes, the pair of green she loved when she first laid eyes on them in the subway 5 years ago. She could see the frustration and hurt written in every line of his face. She was torn, scared and too afraid to admit it. She didn't want a long distance relationship. She knew it wasn't going to work. It would be almost impossible to maintain because they would rarely get what they need. They were going to meet new people. This would only make things complicated. What was she supposed to do? Beg him to stay and drop all his childhood dreams of one day attending Texas A&M University to become a veterinarian? She just couldn't do it. It would be selfish. She would rather have him go after what he wanted, and do whatever he wanted, even if she wasn't there beside him. "I'm not going to be in the way of chasing your dreams."

He knew what she was trying to do. Riley being Riley tried to do the noble thing, putting her friends' and family's happiness above her own, doing what she thought would be the right thing to do for everyone involved. Lucas responded in a frustrated tone. "But you're not getting in the way of anything." He shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. "Why are you doing this?" His voice was soft, yearning. Riley felt her resolve begin to crumble.

"Because I love you, Lucas." She paused and took a deep breath to calm down. "Because I believe in you. I believe you're destined to change the world and do incredible things. And I believe the only way that can happen is if we," she swallowed thickly, struggling to regain her composure. She felt tears fall onto her shirt, and she shut her eyes, forcing the tears back in. "break up."

"Riley, come on." Lucas's eyes began to tear up as he realized how serious she was being. "Please don't do this. We can figure this out together like we always do." He reached out to her, his touch causing her to tremble slightly. Her heart sank at the sight of him. She had never seen him cry before as the image before her made her insides clenched in agony. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him.

"I don't want to be like all of those long distance relationships that hang in there for a few months—and then break up, Lucas. "

He blinked in confusion. "How can you be so certain that it will happen to us?"

"I'm not. But I know in my heart this is the right thing to do."

He shook his head, unwilling for this to happen. She looked into his eyes. They were soft and gentle, not wanting to give up something he really wanted. She could feel what he was feeling and it killed her.

"Then I'm staying here."

Her eyebrows shot up in confusion. "W-what?"

"I can't imagine my life without you, Riley. So if me staying here is the only way I can still have you, then I'll stay."

"Lucas, you will always have me in your life. That will never change." She took a deep breath, gathering every ounce of courage as she swallowed her fear of what's to come. "I still want us to be friends."

He was silent for a moment and Riley watched as her words seemed to finally sink into his head. She saw fresh new tears cornered at the side of his eyes, refusing to fall as she let herself get sick to her stomach. She had to do this. It was the best thing for both of them.

"You don't want me to stay." His gaze wandered off her eyes and settled on their locked hands. She didn't know exactly what to say. She loved him so much, and it was in that moment she fully understood the meaning of love, and what it really feels to let something you love go. Of course she wanted to be with him, but not like this. He had to understand that.

"I will always love you, Lucas. Please hold on to that."

He gave a weak, broken smile; one that she knew would haunt her in her dreams. He squeezed her hand once more before putting it up to his lips as tears streamed down his face. "I love you too, Riley."

A/N: To be continued? Let me know what you guys think.