In Memory of Reed Fray

Two

Reed Fray’s death caused quite a stir. Students of Benjamin High were mourning the loss of their most valuable player, their quarterback. The entire football team seemed lost and dysfunctional without Fray leading the troop. Cheerleaders seemed to be bawling their eyes out every second. Students placed candles in front of Reed’s locker and stuck letters on it too. Everyone was mourning for the loss of their beloved golden boy but no one knew the pain Viola felt.

Reed Fray was more than just a quarterback than just the golden boy of Benjamin High. He was hers. Her best friend, her only friend, and the one guy who loved her despite knowing all her imperfections and her troubled past that still managed to cling with her despite all her attempts of running away from it.

He had pummeled himself in her life and now left without warning. She squeezed her eyes tight, feeling her chest squeeze even tighter and tried to drown out Mr. Harley’s boring voice as he taught them AP Calculus. It was hard to be in this class because she shared it with him and for the past months, he had made this class bearable for both of them.

But now his corny jokes were gone, his sweet notes too and there were nothing distracting her from her troubled thoughts, “Ms. Rose!”

Her head snapped up and she looked at her teacher, “Yea?”

“I’ve been calling your attention for the last minute!” he scolded, glaring at her, “Detention for not paying attention!”

Mr. Harley wasn’t as considerate as the other teachers. While others pardoned her distracted attitude because of Reed’s death, he didn’t. Well, at first he did, seeing how she and Reed had been in some sort of relationship but after a while, his consideration died down and she didn’t get the same treatment anymore.

As school ended and students rushed to get out to spend their Friday night with friends and preparing for parties, Viola dragged herself to the detention room. Opening the door and peeking inside, she felt a sense of relief to see the guidance counselor there. When she entered he looked so surprised, his green eyes widening behind his thick-rimmed glasses.

“Viola Rose,” he said softly.

She smiled meekly, “Hey Mr. Carson.”

Mr. Carson was the guidance counselor and Viola had been meeting with him since she got here. Her foster parents wanted to hire a psychologist but the moment they enrolled her to school, they had bumped right into Mr. Carson, who had just been accepted the job. He had overheard their talk with the principal about Viola’s past and he had kindly offered to talk to her during her free periods once school started.

“What brings you here?” he asked gingerly. He always had a soft-spoken tone when talking to the student and his eyes always flashed concern. Maybe that’s why he worked as a counselor, maybe it was his true passion.

She shrugged, “Mr. Harley gave me detention. I’ve been too distracted to listen to him.”

“Ah,” he said nodding, “Old Kurt Harley being insensitive. No worries dear, he had sent a couple of students here for the past week. Most of them have close relationships with Fray.”

She bit her lip, not knowing if this information should cheer her up. She looked at who she’d be having detention with and she could mostly identify them. Brennan Cole, the receiver in the football team, she’d met him quite a few times since Reed hung out with him. Toby Dorscher, he was a resident detentionee, or whatever. David Carlton, with a bruised cheek and bloody lip, it didn’t take an i***t to know why he was here. Looking at the back, she felt immense relief when she saw Tori Garcia.

The Filipina was waving at her like crazy. Okay, maybe Viola was a tad bit irritated by her enthusiasm and she was afraid of being too attached with her but Tori didn’t seem to notice Viola’s distance to her. She stuck to Viola like a leech but with Reed’s death, she found the solace of having her around comforting.

“Hi Viola!” she said with a grin, her dark brown eyes brightening. Her shoulder length hair was cast down but she was also sporting a crown braid. She was thoroughly pretty and most guys noticed too.

“Hello, Tori,” Viola replied softly, “What got you in trouble?”

Tori smiled sheepishly, “Kinda screamed at Mrs. Fletcher. Bloody woman was pestering me to answer a question that questions my religion. I’m not gonna let her waver my faith just because she doesn’t believe.”

It was one of the things that Viola admired about Tori. She was pretty firm about her religion. Maybe it comes with being a Filipino, “Well, we can’t have that, can’t we?”

Tori nodded, “What ‘bout you? What brings you here?”

Viola shrugged, “Mr. Harley’s not that considerate anymore.”

Tori flashed her a sympathetic smile and patted her back, “Well, if it consoles you, Mr. Carson doesn’t really make us do anything in detention. At least, that’s what Toby says.”

For a while it was quiet and Viola and Tori were both doing their homework. But then the door swung open and Skylar Fray entered the room in lazy strides, “Sorry I’m late.”

Mr. Carson looked alarmed at first, eyes wide with fear, as if seeing a ghost. But then a moment later, realization dawned on him and he nodded at Skylar, “Where have you been? Detention started half an hour ago.”

Skylar shrugged, “I had a business to take care of. But I’m here now, so chill.”

He sat at the back but cast a look at Viola. She bit her lip. Those grey eyes reminded her so much of Reed. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and she felt a hand on her shoulder. Tori rubbed her back soothingly, “It’s alright. I know it’s hard to forget about him especially if he gave you so much to remember. Tell you what, how about you have dinner at my house?”

It was a usual thing for both of them, Tori inviting her and Viola declining. Honestly, her foster parents didn’t mind. They wanted her to have friends. But she was scared of being attached to anyone. She was afraid that he might get to her friends before he got to her. Like always.

But it was a bingo night for her foster parents and since Reed had been gone, she was scared of being alone. They had to cancel bingo night last week because of his death and her panic attack, but now they had no reason to not go. She can’t beg them not to because she was scared. That would be selfish of her.

“C’mon, Vi, Mama’s cooking isn’t bad. I think you’d even love Filipino cuisine.”

Viola was hesitant but she did owe Tori, even if the latter had no idea that she did. Biting her lip, she slowly nodded and a wide grin spread on the Filipina’s face. She squealed and hugged Viola, “I promise you won’t regret it!”

When detention was finally over, Viola followed Tori out. Tori was chatting about Filipino dishes when Viola heard someone calling her, “Viola!”

She turned around and felt unnerved to see a set of familiar grey eyes. Chills ran down her spine and it took her a moment to realize that those eyes weren’t Reed’s. Skylar Fray towered before her and Tori and only when she looked at his entire face that she realized it wasn’t Reed.

“Skylar Fray.”

He cracked a cold smile, “The one and only.”

“Well, do you want something from her because we’re kinda in a hurry,” Tori said haughtily. Viola looked at the shorter girl, surprised at how she acted towards Skylar. Sure Tori was always a bubble of energy but she never was the type to be a b***h to people. She was just so nice. And Skylar always had been the more intimidating and scary twin.

“Victoria,” Skylar said in a low voice, nodding at her in acknowledgment, “I see you’re still pissed about what happened when we were freshmen.”

Tori narrowed her eyes, “I see you haven’t changed at all. Still the d**k you always had been.”

Skylar was about to the same something but Viola cut him off lamely, “Well, did you want something from me?”

Skylar looked at her, grey eyes calculating, “Yes. I need to talk to you in private.”

She heard Tori scoff, obviously insulted. Viola leveled her blue eyes to his, “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say to her.”

“It’s about Reed,” he replied darkly, “And it’s personal for me.”

“If it’s that persona, you wouldn’t bother sharing it to me” Viola replied.

Skylar clenched his jaw, “Reed was right about you being difficult.”

He had talked about her to his twin. That thought made her heart flutter and ache at the same time, how much did he share? “Look, Skylar, we don’t have time right now. Whatever you have to say just say it.”

“Yea and you’re gonna make us late for preparing dinner,” Tori added.

“I just wanna talk to you in private,” Skylar repeated, his voice with a note of urgency, “I want to know if you know who killed him.”

He was gripping her shoulders and she looked at him with fright. She didn’t know what he was talking about. Just like everyone else, she had no idea who could kill Reed. But looking at Skylar’s eyes, it seemed like he believed that she knew something, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hey easy on the grip, Fray,” Tori scolded, laying a hand on Skylar’s, the one on Viola’s shoulder.

But Skylar ignored her, his eyes frantic, “I know you know something. His death had something to do with you.”

“What’s going on here?”

Mr. Carson’s voice floated in the empty hallway and Skylar automatically let go of Viola. He turned to their teacher, “Nothing.”

The older man ignored him and turned to Viola, “Was he hurting you?”

Viola shook her head, “No. We were just talking. Let’s go, Tori.”

When they arrived at Tori’s car, both of them were quiet. The drive to Tori didn’t take long and within moments, they were in front of a two-story white house. When Viola got out, she heard a motorcycle right behind Tori’s car and was surprised to see Skylar. His eyes were cold as he helped his sister off of the bike.

“They live next door,” Tori said softly and Viola had a vague remembrance of Reed telling her Tori and him were neighbors, “Hey, you okay?”

Viola shrugged, “I’m fine.”

“That encounter with Sky earlier, do you know something about Reed’s death?”

Viola shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself, “No. I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

In truth, she had a feeling of what Skylar meant. That Reed’s death had something to do with her. But she refused to believe it. Whoever was after her before had been found by the police but before he could rot in jail, he had killed himself. At least, that was what they’ve been told. And though it still scares her and with Reed’s death, she was assured that it wasn’t the same person anymore.

Hopefully.

The Garcias welcomed her in their home and Tori helped her Mom in preparing their meal while Mr. Garcia talked to her to keep her entertained. The smell of their dinner wafted to the living room where she and Mr. Garcia was, “We’re having adobo. It’s one of the Filipino’s best-served dishes and I’m sure you’re gonna love it. Masarap siya, sobra.”

Viola nodded and smiled, being in the Garcia’s household made her forget her worries for a moment, especially because she was trying to decipher whatever Mr. Garcia was talking about since at times he had used their dialect. As he spoke, Viola’s eyes wandered around the room and landed on the window where she saw a hooded figure beside the street lamp. Shivers ran down her spine.

It was the same outline of the man who was after her the year before.

But it can’t be him. Please, don’t let it be.