I just can't help it! Rucas is forever my favorite ship on this show and I can't stop myself from writing stories about them. This one will be a little different from what I usually do. It's an A/U. Lucas is a single dad and Riley is a kindergarten teacher. All our favorite characters will still be in it! I wanted to try something different so I hope you all enjoy! Let me know what you think. I love to hear reviews and your thoughts! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Girl Meets World or any of the characters

Chapter 1

Riley Matthews woke up that first day of the school year like she did every other year. The twenty- seven year old turned off her alarm clock and then stretched out her back. She stared up at the ceiling for a minute and allowed herself the chance to wake up. This year was going to be better. She made herself a promise every year on the first day of the school year that this year was going to be better than last year. She was going to push her students to be better. Be it, they were only kindergarteners, but she believed she could make a difference in their lives.

If you asked Riley why she got into teaching that would be the reason she gave you. She always wanted to make a difference, the same way her dad did for her and her friends. She wanted to push them to be better than they were the day before. She wanted to show them that someone believed in them, no matter what. Being a teacher was something she had dreamed about since she was just a little girl. She always wanted to be just like her dad. That's why this year was going to be better. She was going to be a better teacher than she was the year before.

"Riles?" A familiar voice floated throughout Riley's apartment, causing the brunette to raise an eyebrow and climb out of her bed. She walked into the living room and saw her blonde best friend sitting on the couch, clearly waiting for her.

"Peaches? What are you doing here so early?" Riley asked. Maya Hart-Matthews looked up and smiled at her best friend, almost hesitantly. Riley knew almost instantly that there was something on her best friend's mind. Something that was clearly troubling her.

"I'm freaking out," Maya said as she ran her fingers through her blonde locks.

"How is that possible?" Riley asked, a chuckle escaping her. She looked over at the clock on her wall and then back at the blonde. "It's only six-thirty in the morning. You can't possibly have a problem this early in the morning."

"I only have three weeks left!" Maya exclaimed, resting her hands on her very pregnant stomach. "In only three weeks I am going to be a mother. I can't be a mother. I'm not ready to be a mother!"

"Oh Peaches," Riley smiled softly and then walked over to sit with the pregnant blonde on the couch. She rested a hand on her arm, causing Maya to look over at her and let out a tired sigh. "Does Josh know where you are?"

"Uh," Maya widened her eyes and then bit her lip. "He may have been sleeping when I left this morning."

"Maya!" Riley exclaimed. "He is going to wake up and panic. You know how protective he has been throughout your pregnancy."

"He knows by now that if I'm not there then there is a good chance that I'm over here," Maya pointed out.

"True," Riley nodded and laughed softly. Her uncle was used to Maya just getting up and making her way over to her best friend's apartment. It had been something that blonde had done since she was just a little girl. There was no way she would stop doing it now, just because she was married.

"What about you?" Maya asked, nudging the brunette's shoulder.

"What about me?" Riley raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm not pregnant."

"You're not dating anyone either," Maya said as she shot her a look.

"Oh don't start this again," Riley rolled her eyes and then made her way to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. It was way too early in the morning to be having a conversation about her non-existent dating life without a cup of coffee.

"I just want you to be happy," Maya insisted. She slowly stood up from the couch and walked over to where Riley was standing. "You have always talked about getting married and having a family of your own. I just want to see that happen for you."

"I know," Riley nodded and then smiled softly at her best friend. "I love you for that, I really do. It will happen for me. I know it will. I just haven't met the right guy yet."

"Are you sure that you don't want me and Smackle to set you up?" Maya asked. "We would be more than happy to find the perfect guy for you."

"I'm sure," Riley chuckled. "I don't want to force it. When I meet him, I'll know."

"It will be the right moment?" Maya asked. She knew her best friend was always going on about the moment. She always said that when the moment hit her and she met the man she would spend the rest of her life with, she would just know.

"It will be the right moment," Riley nodded. She truly believed that. She believed in her heart that she would just know when she met her soulmate.

. .GIRLMEETSWORLD.

Lucas Friar woke up before his alarm that morning and spent the next few minutes staring up at the ceiling. It was a comforting feeling and one where he was able to enjoy the silence, time to collect his thoughts. Silence was not something that he came by very often with a five year old. He smiled as he thought of his daughter because she was truly his everything and more. He was young when she was born. He was only twenty-three years old but she was the best thing that ever happened to him and changed his life for the better. It was only him and his little girl though. Her mother ran out on them six months after she was born and she never looked back, leaving Lucas to raise the little girl by himself.

Being a single dad was hard. He had to completely change his life after she was born and he learned every single day how to be a successful parent. He was still learning how to be a good dad. Haley Grace Friar was one of the most easy going little girls in the world. She had a smile that could light up an entire room. Her emerald green eyes matched her father's and always seemed to be looking to him for the answer. She had dark brown hair, just like her mother's. She had her father wrapped around her tiny finger and it had been like that since the moment she was born. She could do no wrong in her father's eyes.

"Good morning daddy," Haley's voice sounded from the doorway. He looked over and saw her standing there in her pajamas and holding on tight to her teddy bear stuffed animal. Zay, Lucas's best friend and Haley's godfather, had given it to her when she was only a year and a half and it was her most prized possession. She took it everywhere she went and couldn't sleep without it.

"Good morning sweetheart," Lucas smiled and slowly sat up in bed. He swung his legs around to the side of the bed and sat down on the edge of the bed. She walked over to the bed and jumped up to sit on the edge of the bed with her dad. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to his side, kissing the top of her head. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes for a minute. "Are you excited for your first day of school?"

"I am!" Haley exclaimed and opened her eyes in excitement. She started to bounce on the bed in excitement and Lucas laughed. "I am going to make so many friends and we are going to color."

"Well I think you are going to do more than just color," Lucas laughed.

"Really?" Haley raised an eyebrow at him. He laughed again because his little girl had a personality of her own.

"Sure," Lucas nodded. "You are going to learn so much and you are going to love it."

"Do you think my teacher will like me?" Haley asked, suddenly very nervous. Lucas ruffled her hair and then nodded at her again.

"Of course I do," Lucas said. "Your teacher is going to love you. What's not to love?"

"Can we have pancakes for breakfast?" Haley asked. She smiled wide at her dad and knew that he would never be able to say no to her smile.

"Absolutely," Lucas agreed.

"With extra bacon?" Haley asked.

"With extra bacon," Lucas laughed.

"Yay!" Haley cheered. Lucas lifted her up into his arms and then started to tickle her. She let out hearty laugh that turned into a fit of giggles. Her laugh was contagious and soon Lucas was laughing along with her. "Daddy, stop!" She shrieked and he eventually stopped tickling her and she sat on his lap. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart," Lucas said. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and then planted a kiss on her dad's cheek. He felt his heart soar with love for his daughter. There was nothing in the world he wouldn't do for her.

. .GIRLMEETSWORLD.

"Come on daddy!" Haley tugged on his hand, attempting to drag him throughout the parking lot.

"I'm coming," Lucas insisted. "We will get there. School doesn't start for another ten minutes."

"But I have to see my classroom," Haley said. "I have to meet everyone."

"Okay okay," Lucas agreed and picked up his pace a little bit. They made it up to the school and then suddenly Haley stopped in her tracks. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at his daughter. "What's the matter?"

"I don't want to go," Haley said. He smiled because he knew she would eventually get nervous so he kneeled down right in front of her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"You are going to love it," Lucas promised. "Remember how excited you were this morning?"

"What if no one likes me?" Haley whispered.

"That will never happen," Lucas insisted. "Everyone is going to love you and I bet you are going to find your best friend as soon as you get in there."

"Like you and Uncle Zay?" Haley widened her eyes. She absolutely loved her uncle and thought he was the funniest person in the world.

"Exactly like us," Lucas nodded. "But better."

"Okay," Haley said and then Lucas chuckled when she stood up a little straighter. She had a new sense of determination about her. "I can do this."

"Let's go then," Lucas said.

He stood up straight and waited as his daughter grabbed onto his hand. They walked up the front steps of the school and then made it to Haley's new classroom. He found the hook with her name on it and helped her place her backpack on the hook. They looked around the classroom and he could see the excited look on Haley's face. There were little desks all around the room and a bunch of her new classmates looking around the room with their parents. He had a really good feeling about this classroom. It felt bright and had a happy atmosphere to it. It left him with a comfortable feeling.

"What do you think?" Lucas asked, squatting down to Haley's level.

"I think it's awesome!" Haley exclaimed. "There are lots of toys. I wonder which desk is mine."

"I'm sure your teacher will tell you," Lucas said.

"Well hello there," a kind voice greeted the pair. Lucas looked up and was immediately captivated by the woman in front of him. She was beautiful, genuinely and naturally beautiful. Her brown eyes were kind and welcoming. She had long brown hair and was dressed in a floral dress.

"Hey," Lucas said as he stood up.

"Hi," she said. She looked like she was clearly stunned herself and attempting to maintain her composure. He saw as she nervously ran her hands over the front of her dress and then smile again.

"Hi!" Haley chimed in, clearly interrupting the moment between the two adults.

"Well hello there," she squatted down in front of Haley and smiled. Lucas noticed that her smile was genuine and that she seemed like a truly kind person. "What's your name?"

"I'm Haley. Haley Grace Friar," she introduced herself.

"Well it's very nice to meet you Haley. My name is Miss Matthews," Riley introduced herself and extended a hand to the little girl. Haley giggled and grabbed onto her hand, giving it a shake.

"Are you my teacher?" Haley asked, tilting her head to the side slightly to get a better look at the older woman.

"I sure am," Riley nodded.

"Are we going to color?" Haley asked.

"You bet," Riley smiled. "Lots of it."

"Yay!" Haley cheered. Lucas chuckled because he knew that Haley's teacher had just won her over.

"Why don't you go over to the blocks and meet some of your classmates?" Riley suggested, gesturing over the section of the classroom with all the colorful blocks.

"Okay," Haley nodded. She was about to rush over there when Lucas called her back over for a hug.

"Bye Haley," Lucas smiled as he kneeled down in front of her. Haley launched herself into his arms and hugged him close. "I'll be back at two fifteen to pick you up. Have a great day. I love you."

"I love you too daddy," Haley said before kissing his cheek. She smiled at him once more before running off to her new classmates. Lucas watched her go and felt his chest tighten. She was growing up too fast and wanted time to slow down.

"It gets easier," Riley said from next to him. Her voice was soft and Lucas could tell she genuinely meant it.

"It does?" Lucas asked, standing up and looking at his daughter's teacher. He had a hard time believing in that moment it was going to get easier.

"She'll be okay," Riley promised. The two looked over at Lucas's daughter and saw that she was already playing with another girl. They looked like instant best friends. He smiled to himself. Maybe it would all be okay.

"I'm Lucas," he turned around and extended a hand to the beautiful brunette in front of him.

"Miss Matthews. Well Riley," she smiled and grabbed onto his hand before giving it a shake. The two felt a spark run between them and they quickly pulled back. They both looked flustered and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Uh," Lucas stuttered. "I guess I should get going."

"Yeah," Riley nodded. She looked like she was as flustered as he was feeling. He knew that she felt the spark almost as much as he had. "We will see you later," she said.

"See you later," Lucas nodded. He looked over at his daughter once more and saw that she was perfectly content where she was.

"Goodbye Mr. Friar," Riley said.

"Goodbye Miss Matthews," Lucas smiled at her. She smiled back and he swore it was the most beautiful sight in the world. If possible, it made her even more beautiful than before.

Riley watched as Lucas left the classroom and her mind was spinning. There was something different about him. He made her stomach fill with butterflies and a red blush fill her cheeks. He was handsome, incredibly handsome. He was probably one of the most handsome guys she had met in a really long time and he was kind. He seemed very polite and she could see just how much he adored his daughter. She had to remind herself to stop though. He was probably married. He and Haley's mom were probably together but she didn't remember seeing a wedding ring on his finger.

"Get a grip," Riley mumbled to herself and then shook her head to herself. She needed to focus on the day and not Lucas Friar. That was easier said than done though. He was on her mind the entire day but what she didn't realize was that he was in a similar position. All Lucas could think about that day was Riley Matthews. They both knew there was something there and something strong between them.