In Memory of Reed Fray

Prologue

“I love you, okay?”

His voice was tainted with exasperation because just by looking at her, it was clear that she was so damn confused. She just continued to stare at him, her face contorted in an expression that showed confusion, fear, and awe. She wanted to say something; what, he wasn’t sure because she kept closing her mouth again and again. He stared at her, his grey eyes intense and waiting. Finally, she closed her eyes briefly, just a nanosecond, and then exhaled a loud breath and stared at him evenly.

“I thought I made it clear?” she said, surprising herself with how calm she sounded when her heart was pounding inside, “I told you not to fall in love with me.”

Her voice broke when she said the last word. He wanted to reach out and hug her because for a moment, he had a glimpse of the broken girl beneath it all. But her words made him do a double take. He had always thought that there was no truth behind her warning; that she was just bluffing. But as he continued to stare at her, there were no longer the traces of confusion and awe. Her eyes now only shined with fear.

“This isn’t a sappy romance movie, you’re not sick right?”

It was obvious that he was trying to lighten up the tension that was wrapped around the two of them. She could see that but she had to make things clear, “You can’t love me, Reed.”

He exhaled a loud breath, pinching the bridge of his nose out of frustration. Her eyes softened at the sight. She always found it endearing when he did that. Most guys yelled when they were frustrated but Reed Fray was different. She pushed him away, once, twice, hell more times that she could count but he wouldn’t budge. He was adamant to be her friend and slowly, gradually, she let him in. He made her feel special and any girl would fall for that kind of guy and honestly, it was taking a lot of effort in her part to keep herself in check.

“I don’t get it, Viola. You’ve pushed me away more times than I could remember to count but I didn’t listen. I chose to be your friend because I wanted to, finally, finally! You let me in and then somewhere in between we’ve had these moments and I find myself falling for you!”

She couldn’t deny the truth ringing in his voice. She did let him in. How stupid could she be? Letting him in just like that when she had been warned, when she knew what kind of danger she was putting him in. But even just by looking at him, there was something about Reed Fray that told her he was genuine.

She noticed how his grey eyes were stormy with frustration, “I fell in love with you, and believe me, and it wasn’t in my control anymore. I know you lost a lot of important people in your life in a short amount of time. But trust me when I say that you’re not gonna lose me.”

She just stared at him. He was a catch, easy on the eyes and it wasn’t a wonder why the girls of Benjamin High had fallen to his feet. He was the typical golden boy, the guy-next-door, the one any girl would want to bring home to Daddy. But Viola wasn’t that girl; for one thing, she didn’t have a Dad to take him home to. Now, what kind of love story would theirs be?”

“You can’t love me,” she whispered, her defenses falling.

His jaw tightened, “Why?”

“Loving me is dangerous.”

His grey eyes stared at him evenly, “I’m willing to take my chances.”