A/N: I really like the format of "n times something happens to a character and one time the opposite happens." I've been reading a lot of fics lately that are written in this style, and I wanted to write one of my own. Enjoy!

Doubts & Uncertainties

Four times Riley questions Lucas's feelings for her and one time she knows for sure.

i.

The group is at Farkle's apartment, hanging up Maya's artwork in the living room. Stuart had offered to buy some of Maya's creations. Maya's grandmother is sick and Katy can't afford to help pay for treatments and hospital fees while also raising Maya. Farkle told his dad about Maya's situation and wanted to help. Maya accepted and appreciates them reaching out to her.

"My dad wants that painting over the fireplace," Farkle instructs, pointing at the painting of the New York City skyline that Maya had painted a couple of months back after realizing how pretty the buildings looked with all the lights at night.

Maya carefully picks up the painting and looks at the brick wall above the fireplace. She realizes she's too short to hang it up. Lucas leaves his spot beside Riley to walk across the room to help Maya. He lifts her up with no problem, and Maya hangs the painting. Once it's centred, he puts her down and admires the art.

"Wow," Lucas is amazed. "That's a beautiful painting. I like how all the colors complement each other."

"Thanks," Maya smiles, putting her hands on her hips. "Took me a couple of weeks to do. Riley helped, actually. She painted a small purple cat in one of the windows of a building."

"You're really talented, Maya," Lucas compliments.

"Thanks, Ranger Rick," Maya says. "It makes me happy that my art makes other people happy. It gives me hope for the world."

The moment Lucas left Riley's side she's been paying more attention to her implied boyfriend and best friend interacting than helping Farkle with hanging other paintings. Farkle notices Riley's distraction and puts the painting he was holding on the floor, leaning it against the wall.

"Look at the way they look at each other," Riley says, disgusted. She knows deep down that there is a possibility that the two might like each other. She's always ignored the feeling, but watching them have a moment where Lucas looks smitten with her has triggered these thoughts.

"Riley, they're just friends," Farkle reminds her. "He likes you and she's your best friend. They wouldn't do that to you."

"But that's the thing," Riley sighs. "What if they do like each other but I'm in the way of that?"

ii.

Abigail Adams is hosting its annual back-to-school semi-formal. High school dances are a lot different than middle school dances. Boys in high school are less shy now and are more open to asking girls to go with them to the dance. This leaves Riley more than hopeful that Lucas will ask her, not like what happened back in middle school. Surely, Lucas has learned his lesson.

Days pass, and the semi-formal is getting closer. Yogi already asks Darby with a grand gesture almost similar to the one Charlie Gardner had planned to ask Riley way back then. Farkle asks Smackle with a clever pun that no one seems to understand except for the two of them. Zay even asks Maya to go to the dance as friends.

"The dance is in two days," Riley groans. The group minus Lucas are sitting at their spot at Topanga's like they usually do. "He still hasn't asked me to be his date."

"I'm excited," Smackle beams. "I've already got my dress picked out and everything!"

"I'm sure you'll look beautiful," Farkle smiles at his girlfriend, putting his arm around her.

Riley, disregarding the exchange between the intellectually superiors of the group, turns to Zay.

"Zay, you're his best friend," Riley states. Zay nods. "What do you know?"

"Well, as a child he—" Zay begins, but is cut off by Maya.

"About the dance, Zay," Maya snaps.

"Oh," Zay's face drops, though he knows that's what Riley was talking about in the first place. "He hasn't said anything to me about asking anyone to the dance. You would think he would at least tell me, y'know, being his best friend and all from when we were back in Texas, but nope. Haven't heard a word. I'd like to know, too, though, why he hasn't asked you to the dance yet, Riley. It's pretty much a given that he's going to ask you. I don't know what's taking him so long."

"It's like middle school all over again," Riley shudders at the thought. "Except no other boy has asked me."

Riley turns to Farkle and Smackle.

"Farkle, Smackle's your girlfriend. Why did you feel the need to still ask her to the dance even though it's obvious that you two are already going together?" Riley interrogates.

"I don't know," Farkle shrugged. "I like to make her feel special. But maybe Lucas thinks you're going together, too."

"Maybe Lucas already asked someone else," Riley assumes. She feels hollow at the thought.

iii.

After an unsuccessful baseball tryout at school, Lucas turns to Riley for some cheering up. She encourages him to return the following day, giving him a pep talk about how much she believes in him and how great of a baseball player he is. So, he listens to her. He is inspired by her words and is very thankful that a girl like Riley believes in him so much. With confidence, Lucas faces Coach Bobby and demands to let him try out again. Impressed by his determination, Coach Bobby lets him. And this time, he makes the team.

Making the baseball team gives Lucas newfound popularity with the rest of the school. Girls from all grades are swooning over him.

Riley frowns when she sees a tall brunette who looks like she could be a senior talking to Lucas at his locker. He seems interested in her, Riley thinks as she continues to watch the two interact from her own locker. Lucas smiles at the girl.

Maya walks down the hallway when she notices her best friend eavesdropping.

"She's pretty, huh, Peaches?" Maya comments, nudging Riley's arm.

"Not funny, Maya," Riley replies with her eyes still glued to Lucas and the girl. "Do you think he likes her?"

"Can't tell ya, Riles," Maya answers truthfully. "He's probably just being friendly."

"But me and him have had an unofficial thing since the seventh grade," Riley whines.

"The girls here don't know that," Maya tells her. "Have you spent time with him lately?"

"No," Riley sighs. "He's been too busy with baseball practice. But apparently he has time to talk to that chick over there."

"Don't jump to conclusions," Maya says softly as she rubs Riley's arm to comfort her. Riley turns to Maya with sad eyes.

"Should I even bother wasting my time on him?" Riley questions.

"You never gave up on him before," Maya reminds her.

"Yeah, but what's the point if the feelings aren't reciprocated?" Riley points out.

"I'm pretty sure they are," Maya assures her.

"No, they're not," Riley disagrees. "I don't know how I feel about him anymore."

iv.

Riley wants to try cheerleading again. She wants to be good at something, to be known for something other than being the girl who sees the good in everybody. She's jealous of her friends, they all have their talents. Farkle and Smackle have their super intelligence, Lucas and Zay are good at sports, Maya has art. Riley doesn't tell the others of her plan because she knows they'll be unsupportive of her. So, she tells Lucas. She knows he believes in her the same way she believes in him.

"So why'd you call me here, Riles?" Lucas asks as he crawls through the window to Riley's bedroom. Riley's sitting at the bay window. He sits very closely beside her, obviously not knowing what personal space is.

"I wanted to tell you something," Riley says. Lucas focuses on her in interest. Riley stands up with her arms spread out and announces, "I'm going to try out for cheerleading!"

"Uh, that's great!" Lucas fakes his enthusiasm. Riley notices.

"You don't think I can make the team, do you?" She frowns and sits back down beside Lucas.

"Riley, the other girls have a lot of experience," Lucas says, avoiding answering her question directly. "They've been cheerleading since they were kids."

"I have experience," Riley reminds him of her cheerleading days in middle school. She tries to disregard his negativity of the matter.

"Riley," Lucas sighs. "You're not very good. Coach Jackie only let you on the team out of pity."

"You don't believe in me," Riley concludes, tears welling up in her eyes. Riley can't believe his words. She encouraged him to try out for baseball for a second time, she encouraged him to ride the bull back in Texas, but when she needs encouraging, he can't do that for her?

"That's not what I said—" Lucas tries to explain, but Riley interjects.

"You implied it!" The sound of Riley's voice increases.

Lucas knows the damage has been done. He looks down in shame. He doesn't mean to upset her. He just doesn't want her to get hurt like last time. Riley slides over to one side of the bay window, creating a large gap between the two that wasn't there before. She turns away from him, slightly sobbing.

"Riley, don't cry," Lucas closes the space between them again. He starts to rub her back. "I do believe in you, but—"

"How am I supposed to see a future with you when you don't even believe in me? How do I know you believe in us?" Riley whispers, letting tears roll down her face.

v.

Lucas somehow convinces Riley to hang out with him without the rest of the group. He's been hearing from his friends that Riley might not like him anymore, and that she doubts his feelings. This hurts him. He knows that she's starting to doubt her own feelings, especially with what he said to her about the cheerleading thing. He doesn't realize that his actions are greatly affecting Riley's attraction towards him, which sucks for him because he is so sure of his feelings towards the brunette ever since they met when he first moved to New York.

Truthfully, Riley agrees to spending time with Lucas because it's what she wants. She doesn't want to be confused about either of their feelings. And the fact that he tried so hard to convince her to say yes shows her that maybe there's still something there between them.

"What movie are we watching?" Riley asks, trying to avoid silence between them on the awkward subway ride. It's a Friday night, the subway is crowded with locals and tourists trying to get their way around the city, looking for something to do. Lucas is sitting in the seat in the corner of the subway car. He offered the seat to Riley earlier, but she insisted that she'd rather just stand and that he take the seat instead. Lucas wasn't happy with that, so they argued for a few minutes but Riley ultimately won.

"Anything you want," Lucas shrugs with a shy smile. He was too focused on trying to convince Riley to hang out with him that he forgot to pick a movie beforehand.

"A comedy," Riley says with a straight face. Lucas nods in approval.

The two stop talking. The indistinct chattering of the other passengers gets louder. Lucas looks down at his hands as he fiddles his thumbs. It's going to be a long night if they don't talk.

Riley turns around so that her back is facing Lucas. Lucas frowns. She doesn't even want to look at him. Maybe asking her to hang out was a bad idea. But it's too late. They're already on the way.

The subway comes to a screeching halt, jerking around the commuters in the subway car. A stranger accidentally pushes Riley in the chaos, resulting in her falling in Lucas's lap, a situation that seems almost routine at this point. His first instinct is to wrap his arms around her to steady her on his lap. Riley opens her mouth, about to apologize, but he says something first.

"Hi," Lucas grins sheepishly, silently remembering the first two times this exact situation happened. Now it's the third time, and he's still reminded of the first. "I'm Lucas."

"I love it," Riley beams, realizing why he said what he did. Not a second later, Lucas takes her face in his hands and kisses her. The kiss lasts a while, for neither of them wanted to part. When they do part, they stare into each other's eyes, and Riley remembers why she likes him so much.

And, she was sure of his feelings for her.

A/N: I hope you all liked it. Thanks for reading, please review!