“What did you just say?” Reighley was blown away by the term he had just heard. “How do you know about that-?” He was abruptly interrupted by the scorn of a redhead.

  “Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Get off of him” Freya shouted in the distance. Feeling that she had waited long enough for Reighley, Freya went to find him herself. She didn’t expect Guinevere to be all over him. An exorbitant amount of jealousy surged through Freya’s heart. “Stay away from Reighley, you homewrecker!” Freya shoved Guinevere off him, knocking her to the floor.

  “Freya wait!” Reighley shouted.

  “Reighley, stay away from this girl. She’s nothing but bad news. She’s the one who put that bounty on you during the race. She even had the nerve to have people place bets on you losing.” Freya explained.

  “What should I do?” Reighley asked himself. He was stuck between both girls unable to pick a side. “This is just a big misunderstanding,” he thought. “These girls are two sides of the same coin. Can they really not get along? Not to mention… How did Guinevere know about Insight?” He looked at Guinevere, whose head was down, and then back at Freya. Freya’s aura was like a roaring lion. He could tell she was ready to fight if it came down to it as her fists were clenched.

  “Reighley… Who is this harlot to you?” Freya asked.

  “She’s…” Reighley’s heart was being torn in two. Guinevere needed someone to help her more than anything and yet Reighley felt like if he took her side it would make things worse. Guinevere looked up at Reighley, anticipating what his next words were as if her life depended on it.

  Insight showed Reighley Guinevere’s aura. It was fickle. Ever changing and without shape, yet still cold, retaining the opacity of black ice.

  “She’s… my friend,” Reighley said. He couldn't justify shutting her out. Not after seeing Guinevere’s aura and hearing about her past. Reighley knew she needed help like plants need sunlight.

  Upon hearing this, as if the summer had finally arrived after nine years of winter, all of Guinevere’s icy aura melted away in an instant. Her opaque black ice disappeared, and in its place was a mixture of green on the ground below, and a light blue above. The aura showed Sunflowers beginning to sprout around her as an open sky appeared with the light of the sun beaming through it. For once, someone stood up for her and took her side even when it was risky. Even if it would benefit them not to. Guinevere knew that this was the perfect opportunity to abandon her and yet Reighley didn’t.

  “How did I not realize it before?” Reighley couldn't believe what Guinevere’s aura had become. This was the first time Insight allowed him to witness hope be born. It was as if a breath of life had been breathed into it. It was beautiful. He didn’t consider the possibility that Guinevere’s aura wasn’t always cold.

  “It was just frozen over,” he thought. It was a hidden prairie; a lost summer. He never thought to ask what led to her becoming such a mean-spirited and cold person. “Just how many people’s auras have I seen that I didn’t think twice about before tossing them all into the same basket? How many terrible people weren’t always terrible people?” Reighley asked himself.

  Guinevere was in awe as she read the words above Reighley and began to have an understanding of what Insight truly was. She wished to see the world through his eyes. She felt like she finally had obtained something of value that Freya could never have. Relatability. They were in the same metaphorical boat together. They both had something only the two of them could ever truly understand. She and Reighley were different from the rest of the world, and due to this, she knew that she could trust him with the knowledge of Reverie.

  “Well sorry, I don’t care if she’s your friend or not, but she’s uninvited from this party,” Freya said to Reighley. She then pointed towards Guinevere and glared harshly at her. “Guinevere, leave, now, before I have you thrown out.” Freya threatened.

  “Fine. I’ll go.” Guinevere said. She stood up and dusted herself off. Freya watched her and was shocked she didn’t put up a fight.

  “You’ll be hearing from my lawyers by the way,” Freya said, trying to provoke Guinevere.

  “Freya, stop. That’s enough.” Reighley said halting Freya. He could see the aggressiveness in her that she took after her father, as at that moment she reminded him of Jim.

  “No, you stop! Stop defending her like… like she’s your girlfriend! You shouldn’t even be talking to her. What if she stole your first kiss or something?” Freya said. She was genuinely worried that had happened while she wasn’t there. Guinevere was always doing crazy things to her whenever she was given the chance.

  “Who knows? Maybe I did…” Guinevere deviously taunted, putting her fingers on her lips.

  “Ugh! Just get out of here!” Freya yelled. Finally, Guinevere headed to the door, but before leaving she looked back one more time.

  “Freya. You don’t deserve him.” Guinevere said. The look on her face was completely serious. After that Guinevere left.

  “Oh yeah? Well, your haircut looks stupid! Fishbowl!” Freya needed to get the last word in. Even if the insult was lame. “Still, why do I feel like I lost?” Freya thought with her fists still clenched. “Where does she get off at, telling me I don’t deserve Reighley? I’ve worked very hard on myself lately. She doesn’t get to decide that.”

  “She didn’t kiss me,” Reighley reassured. He could see the strain the dispute caused her and hoped to put her at ease.

  “Don’t talk to me right now…” Freya was beyond upset. She grabbed ahold of Reighley’s wrist and began pulling him towards the Ballroom. Not many people were out in the venue, but the commotion that the three were in, had the attention of those lounging around. “Why is he acting so different? When did it start? Was it back then?” Freya felt like everything was falling apart. Brick by brick, her world began tumbling down. “Was it at the start of finals? Did I do something wrong? Was it because I told him I missed him? Why won't he stay by my side?” She thought. The questions in her mind clouded her head and misty eyes clouded her vision as she walked, putting her on autopilot. Without any answers, those questions lingered and continued to roam like an endless mist narrowly avoiding the ground. The seeds of insecurities that had been sowed in her mind began to sprout. Suddenly, Freya felt a jolt in her shoulder just before the two were about to reach the door to the Ballroom. Reighley had pulled away from her, deftly slipping from her grasp.

  “Freya, listen to me,” Reighley said abruptly. When Freya turned to look at him, she saw steady determination in his eyes. “Whatever happens after tonight. I need you to know that-”

  “Stop! Just… stop. Please.” Freya shouted with her head down and eyes shut. She thought she was prepared for the conversation the two needed to have, but she couldn’t bear it at the moment. “Can we just go back to the Ballroom? You and I are supposed to dance together. Can this wait until after?” Freya pleaded.

  “Yeah.” Reighley conceded. Freya grabbed ahold of Reighley’s hand but it was one-sided. His grip on her hand was loose. She tightened her fingers, to convey that she would never lose hold of him again.

  The two arrived in the Ballroom, hand-in-hand, and a spotlight shone upon Freya, leaving Reighley in the shadows.

  “What the…” Freya said shocked squinting her eyes, unable to see a thing.

  “There she is! The lady we have all been waiting for.” Isabelle announced. Freya covered her brow with her hand to block out the spotlight to see what was ahead. She was surprised by a spark that flickered in the center of the room. The crowd around her parted creating a walkway for her to reach the center.

  “Happy Birthday!” Everyone shouted in celebration. Destiny appeared behind Freya as if out of thin air. She shot off party poppers and confetti in succession. Afterward, the rest of the crowd did the same. Freya’s heart skipped a beat. Not just from the surprise, but the jostling she got from Destiny, as she gently pushed her toward the center. This caused her to let go of Reighley. She glanced backward into the crowd but couldn't see him anymore. The blinding spotlight that followed her made it all but impossible to recognize anyone’s face at a distance.

  Before she knew it, the spotlight faded away. The only remaining light was that of candles. The red and orange of the flames cast a ruddy glow upon her. She was in front of an extravagant birthday cake. Standing slightly apart from the crowd was her family. She looked over at those who helped raise her. Herald met her eyes with a warm smile. Like a proud grandfather. He was standing with arms behind his back in his usual professional manner in his butler attire. Elise was standing next to Herald, looking as serious as could be. She curtsied when Freya looked at her. Lily, however, waved at Freya, finally acting more casual with her, even in uniform. Destiny, who was in a snow-white dress, placed her hand on Freya’s shoulder getting her attention. She whispered that she helped make the cake. Lastly, her parents looked at her with separate expressions. Prismarine had the face of a proud mother. She had the look of someone who was teary-eyed at the thought of their little girl becoming all grown up. Jim appeared stoic, but on his face was a grin. A simple smile stating loud and clear he was happy to be here. The two wore matching color-coordinated outfits that likely cost more than most people's mortgages.

  “No, no, no…” Freya had a terrible sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. As if she knew deep down inside that was the last time she would ever hold Reighley’s hand. Desperately, she searched deep across the crowd for him.

  “Freya. What’s wrong? Are you okay dear?” Prismarine asked. “Are you feeling alright? You look unwell.” Her maternal instincts told her something was wrong with Freya. She knew her daughter well enough to distinguish a worried look from a surprised one.

  “Where’s Reighley? He was just here.” Freya said loud enough for the crowd to hear.

  Jim, being one of the tallest persons present, was the first to spot Reighley in the crowd. Reighley returned Jim’s inquiring gaze with steady determination. Jim shifted his head back in a beckoning jester, silently inviting the young man to come up and join the family. Reighley lightly shook his head “no”, subtly signifying to him that this was how things needed to be.

  “Is this what you really want?” Jim thought. His eyes furrowed slightly in bemusement. He didn’t understand why Reighley still wished to leave Freya. He even succeeded in giving Jim a fighting chance to fix things. Because of this, Reighley had earned his respect over the course of the night. “Fine. I’ll keep your secret. From one man to another.” Jim gave Reighley a slight tilt of the head confirming to him that he wasn’t going to say a word.

  Moments later, Isabelle changed the screen to Reighley, putting a spotlight on him.

  “Don’t worry! Reighley’s over here by me.” Isabelle said. Freya’s heart began to settle when she saw him standing over by his sister. He idly stood by the streaming setup. When he realized he was spotted, he waved at her as he leaned back against a wall.

  “Come over here dummy!” Freya shouted. The rest of the crowd laughed at the remark. However, Reighley, before heading over, whispered something into Isabelle's ear and then placed one arm over the back of his head, laughing it off as he approached.

  “Happy Birthday, Freya,” Reighley said when he arrived.

  “Hey, kid.” Jim nodded as Reighley waved back. Freya felt it odd that there was no animosity between the two. She attributed it to the 100 Zombie Run. The hardships they had faced together and overcame, squashed the quarrel the two shared. Freya felt envious about how easily they could settle their differences. She could have never imagined that happening between her and any of her female friends while they were fighting. She knew just how vicious girls who did not like each other could become. She was in fact one of them. If the roles were switched, she knew the zombies would have been the least terrifying thing for her to keep a lookout for.

  “Geez… don’t scare me like that. Well… perhaps I was worried over nothing.” Freya thought. She took a deep breath, letting out all the anxiety that had built up, and turned back towards her family. The cake that awaited her was white, red, brown, and orange. A five-tier cake with separate stacks each with a different flavor. The bottom tier was a Lemon Meringue Cake. The ever-swirling frosting covered the entire section, making a beautiful brown-tinted pattern. The second tier was a Red Velvet Cake. It was sprinkled with thousands of tiny broken chocolate bits. The third tier was a Fudge-filled Chocolate Cake. Surrounding the cake was a bowl of pure milk chocolate around it. It was designed to catch any fudge filling from leaking onto the other layers. The fourth tier was a ridiculous, Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Written sloppily around it were letters that spelled, “made by Destiny.” causing Freya to let out a hearty chuckle upon reading. Finally, the fifth tier was a strawberry shortcake. It was perfectly assorted with strawberries on the edges of it. On it were sixteen candles and the words, “Happy Sixteenth Birthday, to the best daughter parents could ask for.”

  It dawned on Freya. The realization that she had just obtained everything she could have ever wanted in one day. Almost Everything… Her family was able to spend an evening together without the quick departure of her father. All of her friends and loved ones are nearby to celebrate and appreciate her. Being loved and cherished by them caused most of her worries to escape her mind. All except two. Although She wouldn’t admit to the first one, she didn’t exactly know how to talk to her dad. There was a level of respect and mannerisms that Freya needed to uphold in his presence. The fact that most of their conversations happened monthly and only during meals, didn’t leave much time for practice. This made their upcoming dance seem rather terrifying in retrospect. The second worry was with the boy she loved. Although close, recently he seemed so distant. Like someone itching to leave the space they were in. He appeared uncomfortable, with a fake smile, like he didn’t belong here. She had to figure out a way to show Reighley that this was where he was meant to be. She and her family welcomed him with open arms.

  “Alright party people. It’s time to start singing!” Isabelle announced. “DJ! Take it away!”

  Destiny cleared her throat and led the song, Happy Birthday in an octave just a tiny pitch too high. She did so, in the hopes that during the singing, the voices of the choir would crack from being unable to reach their notes. She was successful in her attempt as well. The voices of several guys cracked during the final Happy Birthday verse in the song. One of those poor souls was Deven Stalik. The singing was like nails on a chalkboard, and Deven immediately played it off like it was someone else. Destiny acted as if she was a mastermind who had it all figured out since the start. She struck a pose while letting out a small chuckle.

  After the singing came to an end, the chat went wild over the voice cracks and several people failed to hold back laughter causing Deven to flee the scene. Freya took one last good look at the cake that awaited her and engraved its design in her heart. After taking a moment to contemplate what to wish for, she blew out her sixteen candles with one deep puff of breath. Celebration and cheer erupted from the crowd. The loud clapping of hands drowned out every noise. Freya walked over to Reighley and grasped his hand with a gentle touch. When he looked back at her with agency, she mouthed the words “I love you” to him. Reighley’s eyes widened as he read her lips. He was too late. The worst had occurred. Freya leaned in on Reighley and spoke into his ear.

  “You don’t have to say it back. I just… wanted you to know.” Freya said blushing. She let go of his hand and backed away. She told him how she felt. It wasn’t a last-ditch effort to get him to stay with her or a desperate attempt to win his heart. She felt like, at that moment, she had to say it. So, while the attendees of the party and those who were watching over the internet were celebrating and would remember this day as the sixteenth birthday of Freya, only the two of them would share a different memory than the rest of the world.

  The cheering subsided and Isabelle began to announce, yet again.

  “Alright, people. It’s time for the lady of the hour’s first dance of the night. DJ! Get over here.” Isabelle beckoned for Destiny to approach the DJ stand that was set up center stage. Once she stood behind the table, she pulled out a microphone and began speaking.

  “Freya. As your best friend and as someone who loves and cherishes you, I would like to make the first song out to you and your father. Enjoy.” Destiny said. She began playing a slow dance song.

  Freya was static. The nerves were getting the better of her. Jim walked over to her and held out his hand giving a courtly bow.

  “May I have this dance?” Jim asked. Freya replied with a nod, taking his hand the two made their way from the crowd and began to waltz.

  “Hello, Father,” Freya said, unable to make eye contact. She instead watched as their feet moved together.

  “Hi, kiddo.” Jim awkwardly answered. The two’s movements were slightly off-beat from each other.

  “Have you been well?” Freya asked. She didn’t know what to talk about or to say. She couldn’t help but speak formally to him, even after all this time.

  “Honestly? Pretty terrible. Work has been keeping me busy.” Jim answered with a chuckle.

  “Yeah… it has.” Freya agreed. They were both in the center of the dance floor, and all eyes were on them, but no one could hear the conversation they were having. The two had a silence between them for a brief second until Jim spoke.

  “Freya,” Jim asked, "Would you please just look at me?” From the start of the song, Freya wouldn’t meet his gaze. Hesitantly she looked up at her father. When she finally looked into her father's eyes, she saw it. On his face, he had the look she had hoped to have gotten out of him when she tried to get back at him. He looked exactly how she pictured it in her mind, but… it wasn’t everything she thought it was cut out to be. To her, he looked old and deeply saddened. The look on his face caused her heart to ache.

  “Father, I…” Freya couldn’t help but feel awful.

  “Freya, I want you to take a good look at everything around you,” Jim asked. Freya was confused but listened. As the two spun, her eyes began to wander. She looked from the DJ table, to the streaming setup, then to the birthday cake which was now being eaten, and then all the way over to the tables with refreshments on it until her Jim spoke again. “Every object and possession you see in this room I own or very well could own, but… I don’t own you. You’ve become your own person, and I am so proud of you. When I came here tonight I thought I would still see my rash little redhead. Now look at you. You’re already sixteen years old. It felt like it was just yesterday when I came home and saw my little girl just learning how to walk. Today felt like it was so far away, but here we are…. You’re all grown up now, and you're free to make your own decisions and choices. And I just wanted you to know that I would give it all up, just so I could be your dad for one more day.”

  The rigid movement of their dance slowly softened. The structure and formalities of the waltz fell apart along with the barrier between the two of them.

  “Dad. I’m sorry. I love you so much.” Freya began to cry slightly. “I am grateful for how hard you work. Because of you, Mom and I live an easy life while you work endlessly. I know that, but I just wanted you to see me again. You were gone for so long. I felt like I didn’t matter to you anymore. When I finally accepted you were out of my life, you started getting in the way of everything.” Freya let it all out. She held nothing back. “You started problems between Reighley and me. From the start, you were against him, and for no reason! He’s an incredible guy and he doesn’t deserve to be treated that way. And then… you made Mom cry. I started hating you for that, but all I really wanted was to see you and to live life as a normal happy family. That’s so hard when you’re never around.”

  “I know… and I knew about your mother too…. The staff at home told me about it. I just chose to ignore it, because it was out of my control. But nothing is ever really out of our control. I just didn’t make the time, that's all. I put my job before my family, but no more. That’s going to change from here on out. I’m going to spend more time at home and see you and your mother more often. I promise.” Jim answered, hugging his daughter tightly.

  “And Reighley?” Freya asked.

  “You’re right about him. He’s a good kid. I misjudged him from the beginning because of his criminal record. I thought I was protecting you from him but look at me. I am in his debt. Turns out I was just trying to protect myself from realizing my daughter had grown up. I won't treat you like a kid anymore. I’ll start trusting your judgment from here on out. So tell me why you are serious about him. I’ve never seen you fight so hard for anything or anyone before.” Jim’s opinion of Reighley had improved a lot over his interactions with him, but he wanted to know what Freya saw in him.

  “He’s incredibly selfless. Like way too selfless. He puts everyone else around him first, even to his own detriment. He’s hard to impress. I’m pretty sure I annoyed him when we first started dating. Well, I probably still do sometimes. Oh yeah… the allowance you gave me, I sort of used some of it to persuade Reighley to be my boyfriend,” Freya confessed awkwardly, ”so thanks for that. Reighley was the first person I had ever met who wasn’t star-struck just by seeing me, and the only guy who’s ever treated me like a normal girl.”

  “I’ll choose to ignore the part where you said you used my money to pay him because it’s your birthday, but… It sounds to me like you have it all figured out.” Jim began to question just how different the world had become since he dated. "Just how crazy have things become that something like this could be considered okay?”

  After a tearful apology from the both of them, the two began to dance perfectly in sync with each other, and with smiles on their faces. Prismarine was off to the side and began to cry with a smile as well. She didn’t know what was said between the two of them, but knew what had been left unsaid, was now spoken. Eventually, the slow dance came to an end. Freya hugged her dad and then both Jim and Freya took a bow towards each other and stepped aside as the rest of the party applauded.

  “Isn’t that just beautiful?” Isabelle said, wiping a fake tear from her eye. “Okay, now we dance!” She shouted. “DJ hit it!” On her signal, upbeat music more fitting for the rest of the crowd kicked in and everyone there began dancing. Freya gave her dad one more hug and then left to go find Reighley on the dance floor. She didn’t have to look far, as he had been watching the interaction nearby. Freya approached him with a bashful look. The last thing she told him was that she loved him and her heart began to beat rapidly and she had butterflies in her stomach.

  “Good for you,” Reighley said. “I’m glad things are better between you and your dad.”

  “I know you did something.” Freya pulled Reighley in close and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.” She said in his ear.

  “I didn’t do anything.” Reighley blushed.

  “Our dance is next, so I hope you practiced,” Freya said.

  “Right. Hey, I’m going to go get a drink real quick.” Reighley lied.

  “Okay!” Freya said with a smile. “I can never tell what he’s thinking. I wish I could read minds just so I could hear his thoughts.” Freya thought. Reighley headed towards the drink table and waited until Freya turned away from him and began talking to some of her friends. Then he snuck out of the ballroom and back into the venue heading to the table where the guest placed their gifts. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small keepsake box and placed it on the table. He then subtly snuck out of the building.

  Reighley wasn’t looking forward to walking home. He factored in how long a fifteen-minute drive would take as a walk home. When he reached halfway down the stairs he had begun to lose the resolve to finish what he started.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” Officer Templeton asked. Reighley had completely missed him. Officer Templeton was standing next to the entrance at the top of the staircase.

  “Oh, you’re here? Look, man... I’m not having a good night tonight. I just want to go home.” Reighley explained. He had a lifetime’s worth of trouble with the law, so he tried to be polite. Reighley knew that Officer Templeton, at the end of the day, was a public servant. Still, he didn’t want to waste time talking to him.

  “Where’s your mom?” Templeton asked.

  “She’s at home,” Reighley explained. The fact that Templeton didn’t ask about his parents and instead only about his mother, told Reighley just how much Templeton knew about him.

  “I can give you a ride. I’m not stationed here.” Templeton offered. Reighley watched as Templeton made quick work of the stairs and pointed towards his patrol vehicle which was parked right off to the side of the lot.

  “Um… my mom told me to never get into white vehicles with strangers.” Reighley jested.

  “Yeah, and I bet she also told you not to walk home alone at night.” Templeton sternly lectured.

  “Fair point.” Reighley acknowledged. He then hustled to catch up with Templeton and walked with him towards his car.

  “Where were you headed?” Templeton asked.

  “I live near San Fran Kyoto Peak, but you probably already knew that, didn't you? You can just drop me off at the station.” Reighley elaborated.

  “Not happening. I’ll take you home, don’t worry.” Templeton said.

  Reighley looked at Templeton’s aura using Insight. It was slightly different compared to the last time he had seen it. He was shrouded in a normal green aura in the shape of a trench coat, almost like an honest hard-working detective. Almost. Reighley was sure he recalled Templeton’s aura being much darker in color.

  “Come on. Get in.” Templeton said.

  “My mom will flip if she sees me in a cop car,” Reighley said, entering the vehicle. He took a moment and silenced his cell phone, preparing to ignore the incoming spam calls and texts Freya was bound to send him. The two began heading towards San Fran Kyoto Peak. Reighley was sitting in the front passenger seat and couldn’t help but feel awkward. After all, Templeton was the first of many who ended up giving Reighley such a hard time.

  “So how’s school going?” Templeton asked.

  “Uh… good I think.” Reighley was boggled by the question. He wasn’t sure if Templeton was baiting him into admitting something he didn’t do, like cheating.

  “Yeah, that’s good. I wanted to apologize for the way I treated you before. That put a stain on my badge.” Templeton said.

  “Oh. Well, thanks I guess. You won't have to worry about seeing me anymore anyhow.” Reighley explained.

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  “What, why’s that?” Templeton asked.

  “I’m switching schools after today,” Reighley said.

  “Was that because of me?” Templeton questioned. He sounded genuinely concerned that he was the cause of Reighley’s sudden departure.

  “No. There are a lot of reasons, but surprisingly, the way I was treated at school was not one of them.” Reighley said.

  “Ah… Well, I see that’s a relief. Oh! Not you leaving Gilford High, just the fact that it wasn’t because of me.” Templeton corrected himself. Reighley let out a slight laugh causing the tension to dwindle. The two began to chat for the remainder of the ride, no longer at odds with one another. Eventually, the two arrived at Reighley’s place. Jericho, hearing a car pull up, looked outside and saw her son in a police vehicle.

  “Oh no… not this again,” Jericho said worriedly. Once the vehicle was parked, Templeton awkwardly began twiddling his fingers.

  “Umm say. Mind if I ask you something before you go?” Templeton said.

  “Shoot. Not actually though.” Reighley said with a chuckle.

  “That lady at Motherboards. The one who’s like a genius at gaming. What’s she like?” Templeton asked.

  “Oh, Elise? She’s a tough cookie, but she’s a nice lady.” Reighley explained.

  “Elise? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Templeton asked.

  “What? You don't remember her name even though the both of you work for the Young Family?” Reighley asked bewilderedly. It was like a bomb went off inside Templeton’s brain. All the dots finally connected.

  “What!? Elise, is that Elise?” Templeton freaked out.

  “Yep,” Reighley confirmed.

  “How did I not know?” Templeton asked himself.

  “You should probably get to know the people you work with for good rapport and all,” Reighley suggested. Templeton started contemplating his work relationships.

  “Do you… think I would have a shot with her?” Templeton asked.

  “I don’t know, your badge looks pretty polished to me,” Reighley said, exiting the vehicle. When he did, Jericho rushed towards the car.

  “What did he do this time?” She asked while pulling Reighley close, ready to discipline him.

  “Oh, nothing Ma’am. I was just giving him a ride home, that’s all.” Templeton said.

  “Oh thank goodness. I was worried. He has gotten into trouble in the past. Thank you very much for bringing him home, sir.” Jericho thanked.

  “Oh, it was no problem at all. You’ve got a good kid. He’s a smart one. Well, I’ll get out of your hair now, you two have a good night and make sure you stay out of trouble, kid. You have a bright future ahead of you.” Templeton said while driving off.

  Reighley and Jericho walked towards their doorstep until Jericho began probing how the night went for her son.

  “So, Reighley, how did the dance go? Did you and your girlfriend have a good time?” Jericho asked. “Also, where’s Isabelle?”

  “Isabelle is getting a ride home from a staff member,” Reighley explained. He had asked a favor of Elise, to give Isabelle a ride home at nine o clock. “And no Mom, we… broke up,” Reighley said with a sad expression.

  “Oh… buddy, I’m sorry. Well, don’t be too down on yourself. I’m sure you can do better next time.

  “It was me Mom. I ended it.” Reighley confessed. “I was the problem,” Reighley thought.

  “Oh. Well. I trust that you knew what you were doing. Let’s go inside now. I’ll cook you some dinner and get you some ice cream, okay?” Jericho said. She knew just how hard breakups could be, especially for teenagers. “The last thing I want my son to be is bitter towards the world and at himself. Come on, Jericho! Cheer him up. For the first time in his life, your little boy needs you. I've been waiting so long for an opportunity to act like a real parent.” Afterward, the two went inside.

  Freya spent some time socializing and thanking attendees for their gifts and realized Reighley had yet to come back from getting his drink. She looked around toward the fruit punch bowl wondering where Reighley had gone. Another slow dance song started and she was ready to hear him out. However, she was looking all over but couldn’t find him anywhere. Eventually, her search led outside of the ballroom and as she passed the gift table, something caught her eye. Although it was small, it stood out from the rest of the gifts. She walked up towards it and had a gut feeling that this was Reighley’s gift for her due to what it said.

  To: A good person.

  The card didn’t have the name of the donor on it and yet that phrase could only have come from Reighley. When she opened it she saw a necklace. It was a beautiful lavender flower. It looked like it had been removed from something and soldered onto a hoop to rest on its chain. Underneath the necklace, however, was a card. When she opened it, she felt her heart break into a million pieces as she read what it said. “I don’t love you.”

  She dropped the keepsake box and the necklace. Her hands began to shake, and then the rest of her body involuntarily convulsed for a moment. She was about to fall to her knees, but the thought of Reighley still being near, gave her the strength to stand.

  “I… I have to find him! Before it’s too late.” Freya seeks the help of her friends and family. She decided to ask everyone she could to see if they knew where Reighley was. Freya didn’t care if people saw her crying. She felt like she didn’t have much time to explain everything. She started with Ulysses, who, when asked, couldn’t look her in the eyes.

  “Do you know where Reighley went?” Freya said with tears in her eyes.

  “Uh… I have no idea. I was dancing with Lily, so I’ve been pretty distracted.” Ulysses answered honestly. He didn’t know how to handle the delicate situation.

  “Okay… I thought you would know.” Freya replied with disappointment and hurried on to the next. She met with Isabelle and pulled her aside.

  “Izzy. Where’s your brother? Did he say something to you earlier?” Freya asked.

  “Uh. I don’t know. He just said that Elise would be taking me home soon. Is everything alright?” Isabelle asked worriedly.

  “I can’t find him anywhere.” Freya panicked. She felt her hope had begun to fade away, but she wouldn’t let that stop her. She had to find him and she knew the perfect person to track him down.

  Herald watched Freya approach him with tears in her eyes. “So the young master went through with it after all.” Herald thought. He knew exactly what had happened.

  “Herald. I need your help. I can’t find Reighley. Tracking people is your specialty right?” Freya begged.

  “Of course Milady. I’m no Mr. Templeton, but I can manage just fine. Follow me.” Herald answered modestly. After he agreed, the two immediately left to head towards the exit of the venue.

  Jim stepped in front of Freya, halting her from leaving the venue.

  “You have to respect his decision,” Jim said placatingly.

  “You knew? What did you tell him? Is he leaving because you told him to?” Freya became completely hysterical. She made the immediate assumption that Jim was the reason Reighley was acting this way.

  “No. He told me about it earlier this week.” Jim explained.

  “So you are still trying to control my life! Didn’t you just tell me you’d trust my judgment?” Freya asked, her voice filled with scorn. “My life isn’t one of your business transactions! !” Freya said while stomping past her dad.

  “No, I was just trying to…” Jim quietly answered.

  Freya rushed out the front door, hoping he hadn’t been picked up yet or had walked home. “I should've known something was wrong!” Freya blamed herself. She was balling her eyes out, but she was still determined to find Reighley. Looking towards the stairs at the entrance, it revealed she was too late. He was gone. There was no sign of him.

  On their way there Freya tried to rationalize why Reighley abandoned her.

  “Okay let's think this through… What exactly do I know about Reighley.” Freya pondered the question, but after a long thought, she realized that she didn’t know all that much about him, other than the vague rumors she had heard before he arrived at school.

  “Think, Freya… think! There has to be some reason he left.” Freya finally thought of where to start. She reflected on her first date with Reighley. It was all going smoothly until the two went to the Hall of Shadows. “When we entered the Hall of Shadows together everything was still fine. That all changed once we entered the mirror maze. That’s when Reighley had a mental breakdown. Gosh! Why didn’t I bring that up again before now? Clearly, he was not okay.” She then thought about the first dinner she had at his house. “It wasn’t just then either. There wasn't any mention of Reighley’s dad being absent from the family. The only mention of him happened the first time I picked him up.” She remembered the single photo that Reighley had with his dad. The one she saw after dinner. “Everyone went quiet when that photo came up. And his criminal record… I don’t even know what he did, except for the fact it exists. No, that’s not right. I’ve always known, haven't I? Everything about him. I just chose to ignore it all and be infatuated with him.” It dawned on Freya that she had been a self-absorbed terrible girlfriend.

  “Wow... There is so much about him that I don’t know. I never even tried to learn anything about him. I'm not sure what he likes, what he does in his free time, his favorite foods, nothing... I only projected what I liked on him.” She thought.

  When they arrived, Freya could see the light seep through the crack in the garage door. She had been texting and calling him the entire ride over, but he never answered or replied. Before Herald had even placed the vehicle in park, Freya rushed out the door and stood outside on the doorstep. She knocked on the door.

  “He has to answer!” She thought. “There is so much more I still need to say to him!” She waited and then knocked again. Finally, Jericho opened the door. Freya’s heart was aching but she knew she only had one shot to fix things.

  “Hello Freya.” Jericho greeted.

  “Hello, Mrs. Summers. Is Reighley home?” Freya asked, wiping the stained mascara off her face. “I’d like to talk to him,” Freya said.

  “Yes. Let me go grab him.” Jericho said. She went back inside and the moments between her entering and returning felt like an eternity. Freya knew her feelings would reach him. To her, they had to. Otherwise, nothing else mattered. Finally, after a minute had passed, Jericho pried open the door and said.

  “I’m sorry, but he said he doesn’t want to talk to you,” Jericho informed. Freya fell silent. She couldn’t process what had just happened to her.

  “Oh… Okay.” Freya cried. The tears wouldn’t stop pouring out of her eyes. She walked over to the garage door and looked down at the floor. She could see the shadow of someone standing on the other side. “Reighley. I liked your gift. It was really thoughtful. I know you can hear me. I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I need you to know that I chased after you, because you’re someone worth chasing after.” Freya waited for a response, and after a few seconds, the shadow disappeared. That’s when her heart truly broke. Time had frozen over from how cold he was. It was as if he was someone completely different. He wasn’t acting the way she knew him to. It didn’t make sense to her why he would just up and leave. She felt he was forcing himself to be the bad guy, but it didn't matter to Freya either way.

  Later on, Freya never returned to the party. Instead, she went home and cried herself to sleep. After that, Monday came and Reighley was nowhere to be found at Gilford High School. All that remained was an empty desk. Even Kaede didn’t know where he had gone. Reighley ended up switching schools. He also moved away to a different house. He used the money he won from the very race she had made for him to do so. No matter how often she texted him or called him, he never answered. Several months went by and she still believed deep down that one day, Reighley would realize how much he loved her and the two would make up, but that never happened. It hurt, more than any physical wound she had ever suffered. Her heart hardened and became more and more jaded each time she contacted him with no reply. Eventually Freya Young became bitter. She felt like she was talking to a brick wall. A year later, she stopped trying to contact him when he blocked her number…

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  “...”

  “Is that it?” You thought to yourself. “After all that. That can’t be how it ends… right? I thought this was book 1?” Normally, this is where the story would come to an end. We don’t always end up with those we cherish the most, do we? Did you forget the name of the series? Not all of us get the happy endings we desire. Most of us are lucky enough just to experience the precious times we’ve had throughout life with the ones we love. But you, you’re different, aren’t you? You kept searching. Page after page you never gave up hope. You didn't stop at the end. You kept reading despite being told the story was over. Maybe for the hope that things could turn out just a little bit differently. For the small chance that someone, anyone could undo and change what had just happened.

  Well… sorry to disappoint, but what you read is the true ending. I am running short on the gifts I have left to give. I have but one more. Which I have chosen you to take. If you were satisfied with the ending, then stop reading.

  However, if you’re still unsatisfied…

  Then turn the page. After all… you too have an ability. The power to change how this book ends. All you have to do is keep reading…

  So, will you turn the page…?

  (Very well. It has been unwritten...) but not without a cost.

  (Someone turned back the clock)

  SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

  “I… can’t bear to see her like that.”

  “It… hurts too much to watch.”

  “Is there really no other way…?”

  It was bugging her to no end. The future she had seen. The one that awaited her cousin, Freya. What bothered Sarah Bellum the most about it all was that there was something she could do to prevent it from happening, assuming she cared of course. The visions of the near future played like a sequence in her head over and over again. It started with Reighley leaving the party early without saying goodbye, then Freya finding the gift he had left her, and finally Freya crying alone in the venue. No matter how she looked at it, it was a bad end.

  “Lai, it’s Sarah, are you there?” Sarah asked over her earpiece.

  “Yeah. What’s up?” The voice replied.

  “I got the bag you said to grab,” Sarah explained.

  “Sweet. I’ll be seeing you shortly.” Lai confirmed.

  Sarah was driving, already halfway to her destination, when she looked over at the blue gift bag she had stolen from Freya’s party. Curiosity was getting the better of her. Her partner Lai was a reliable source. The two had been working together for over five years at this point. Lai always managed to know where a decently valued item to take was whenever the two had a theft job together. His ability was called Voyager, but that’s all she was ever told about it. Somehow, by using it, he always knew where to find things. They often stole things that the rightful owner wouldn’t even notice had gone missing. Sarah never did look inside the bag. All she was told was that she needed to snag the blue bag hanging off the corner of the table.

  “Say… Lai?” Sarah asked.

  “What is it?” Lai questioned.

  “What's in this bag anyway?” Sarah said while rummaging her hand through the bag. Her hand felt what seemed like chalk through a fishnet sack.

  “Oh, just some luxury bath bombs. Each one is worth 5,000 yen. There should be at least thirty of them in there.” Lai answered.

  “What!?” Sarah jumped out of her seat. “I hurled myself down a flight of stairs for some bath bombs!?”

  “Woah, woah, woah. Take it easy, will ya? Trust the process. That’s at least 150,000 yen (1,061.66 USD). It should get us by for the month, and besides, I know the perfect group of sorority girls who will buy this stuff right off of us.” Lai elaborated.

  Sarah let out a sigh and looked at her bruised body. “Alright… but you better let me use one of them,” she said seriously.

  “It’s coming directly out of your cut.” Lai compromised.

  “Fine… but you’re buying dinner.” Sarah reluctantly agreed.

  “Deal,” Lai answered.

  While Sarah was driving down the road, ahead of her was a billboard sign. It had a video ad on it for SocialLight. On the ad was Freya herself. She was taking a selfie of herself and posting it directly on the site. A second after she posted the photo, it gained millions of likes, which Sarah found hard to believe.

  “This could be you. It’s time for your spotlight!” The closed captions on the ad said.

  “Tacky,” Sarah commented. A moment later she was past the billboard. That feeling was eating away at her. At first, she felt bad, but it proceeded to change into guilt. She had no real reason to help Freya, after all, Freya and her family didn’t help in her time of need. Sarah’s father passed away at a young age. When she turned sixteen, her mother, who was Prismarine’s sister, died. This left Sarah to fend for herself. When Sarah came looking for help from the only other family she had beside her grandmother, no one was home to answer her. It seemed their life of stardom placed the Young family in what felt like a different plane of existence. They didn’t even come to her mother’s funeral due to them being across the world at the time of her death, and yet….

  “Lai… I’m going to need a rain check for dinner?” Sarah asked.

  “Huh…? What’s going on?” Lai questioned.

  “I- I have to take care of something real quick,” Sarah said. She looked across the road, making sure traffic was clear, and made a U-turn back the way she came.

  “I just had to look, didn't I? I can’t let things end this way. If I do, I won't be able to sleep at night.” Sarah thought to herself, determined to change fate.

  She had sped fast back to the party. If it hadn’t been for Lai, taking her in, she would have been living out on the streets. He didn’t have to do that for someone like her, but he did anyway. She wanted to be more like him.

  “Please let me make it in time!” Sarah prayed.

  She arrived back at the parking lot and opened her car door. A guard in the distance saw her and called her out.

  “Hey! You can’t just park there!” Guard A, said.

  “Sorry, but this is an emergency!” Sarah claimed as she rushed past him.

  “What? What’s wrong?” Guard B, asked.

  “It’s a crisis of the heart!” Sarah said. Both guards watched her clumsily stumble past them and gave her an odd look. They knew who she was however and didn’t stop her from entering as the Bellum family was listed as a V.I.P. guest.

  After running into the venue, she sprinted past Reighley who had just placed his gift down on Freya’s gift table.

  “Thank goodness. There’s still time!” Sarah said. She ran into the ballroom and thanks to her foreknowledge she knew where Freya would end up. Hastily she grabbed her on the shoulder.

  “Sarah!?! H-how have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages, I honestly didn’t expect you to show up.” Freya said.

  “Yeah, don’t get used to it. I came to tell you that I saw your boyfriend sneaking out the front entrance.” Sarah warned.

  “What?” Freya’s heart sank.

  “Don’t waste any time! You can still catch him.” Sarah encouraged with a shove on the back. She led Freya towards the exit.

  “Ah! Right!” Freya was very confused about why Sarah told her this but was thankful nonetheless. The two sprinted towards the ballroom exit and when she passed through the doors she saw the back of Reighley who was walking out of the entrance.

  “He was just going to leave?” Freya thought. “Oh no you don’t. You’re not getting away that easily.” Freya rushed out the door and by the time Reighley was down the steps Freya shouted from the top of her lungs.

  “Reighley, I love you!” She screamed. “Didn’t you hear me the first time?” Reighley was sure he wasn’t followed, yet Freya somehow showed up.

  “I don’t understand. Why are you here?” Reighley thought to himself. He then looked into Freya’s eyes and replied to her. “No, you don’t.”

  “Alright. I’ll be taking my leave now.” Sarah said awkwardly. “There… the rest is up to you. You have your chance now.”

  Sarah, who was right behind Freya, walked past the two and raced her way back into her car. However, she was seen by Officer Templeton, who was sitting in his police vehicle eating a burrito. He noticed the bruises on the girl and when she took off, he followed her.

  Freya couldn’t believe how frustrating it could be to hear someone tell her how she was feeling.

  “Yes, I do. You don’t know how I feel inside!” Freya yelled.

  “Yeah, I do, and that’s the problem.” Reighley thought, clenching his fist. He could see her aura. “That doesn’t matter. It’s only been a month. There’s no way that you’ve fallen in love with me in that short amount of time. Besides, our deal was based on whether or not I love you, not the other way around.” He said. Both guards A and B were standing between Freya. They felt awkward so the two side-stepped their way inside.

  “Then tell me. How do you feel about me?” Freya asked desperately.

  “I… You are someone I could fall in love with, but I can’t.” Reighley stopped looking Freya in the eyes as he lowered his head.

  “Why not!?” Freya questioned.

  “I just can't, okay?” Reighley shouted. It was the first time he had ever raised his voice at her, but it wouldn’t stop Freya.

  “BUT I LOVE YOU! I don’t care who knows it!” Freya shouted even louder than before.

  “Stop lying! You can’t love me. How could anyone love me…? All I do is push the people I care about further away. I’m a terrible person…” Reighley tried to hide the anger on his face.

  “That’s not true!” Freya claimed. She hated seeing him hurting. She wanted more than anything to help him.

  “It is, and I’ll prove it to you…” Reighley said softly.

  “Reighley stop this!” Freya pleaded.

  “Do you want to know the real reason why I even dated you?” Reighley asked.

  “Please! Don’t do this!” Freya begged.

  “It wasn’t for the money. I only entertained the thought of us being together, because I thought you were awful. I thought that I deserved someone like you, but I was wrong. You’re too good for someone like me. You’re completely out of my league in every way. I'm just a hypocrite. I told you this entire time to be a good person, but that's impossible for me.” Reighley looked back up at Freya. The look in his eye told Freya just how long he had been feeling this way. There wasn’t self-pity, or pain, just acceptance.

  “Reighley, you know that’s-” Freya tried to get a word in but was abruptly interrupted.

  “So our deal is off. I haven't fallen in love with you in the month we spent together. So that’s that. We’re breaking up.” Reighley said as he turned to walk away. Freya watched the back of Reighley and noticed he hesitated with his decision.

  For some unexplained reason, the phrase, “You chase after those worth chasing,” echoed into Freya’s heart. She had never heard anyone say those words before, yet it was the green light that signaled her body to move.

  “You can’t fool me.” Freya thought. “I won't let it end this way!” Freya rushed after Reighley down the steps and hugged him from behind.

  “Hey!? What are you doing-” Reighley felt the embrace of Freya and began to struggle slightly.

  Freya ignored Reighley and pulled him close, squeezing him and refusing to let go.

  “I don't care if you're a flawed person! I don't care what my dad thinks of you or if everyone else detests me. I had to chase after you because you're someone worth chasing. It doesn't matter if you love me or not. I need you in my life, and I don't want to lose you!” Freya confessed.

  “To: a good person,” Reighley said.

  “Huh?” Freya muttered.

  “Did you see my gift box?” Reighley asked.

  “No,” Freya answered.

  “It said, ‘I don’t love you’ on it,” Reighley said. “I was trying to get you to hate me.”

  “That doesn’t matter. Whatever it is that's eating you up inside, we'll work through it together, I promise!” Freya reassured him. “So, please... Don't leave me…” Reighley quit struggling. He knew he had to tell her. It was the only way she would let go of him.

  “Freya, I... ruined someone's life,” Reighley explained. He recalled the first time he deliberately hurt someone. The image of a boy clenching his knee, completely helpless on the ground was static in his mind. Freya stood there clinging on to Reighley. She didn't respond since this was the first time he opened up to her. Instead, she listened to what he had to say. “Back in middle school. There was this kid. He was a prodigy or something on the track team, but to me that was irrelevant. I only saw him as a bully. Someone who picked on other kids… One day, he and his friends were harassing a boy in my class. So I stepped in.”

  “That doesn't make you a bad person. You defended someone.” Freya said.

  “I broke one of his legs,” Reighley admitted.

  “But, you didn't do it on purpose though,” Freya argued.

  “I did. He was already on the ground after I punched him in the face, and you want to know what's even worse? I enjoyed it. After I beat up his lackeys I went straight for his leg. There was something so satisfying about snapping his kneecap in two. Knowing that the damage I had done would never truly heal. The thought that I ruined his entire running career invigorated me. Turned out that was the case. He couldn't run track any more thanks to me. His future was cut short. They had the entire confrontation on camera. I'm incredibly lucky I only got one year in Juvy.” Freya didn’t know what to think of Reighley’s story. She knew that in his heart he was a good person, even back then. “Do you know what it's like to live with that? Do you have any idea how much I hate that part of myself? I have to wake up and live with that, every day. I can't even look myself in the eyes!” Reighley yelled. Afterward, he lowered his guard and relaxed the tension in his muscles. He knew that was it. The secret was out. He was now too scared to turn around and face the girl he loved. He couldn't bear to see the face of disgust she must have been unable to hide. He expected her to run away and yet still she didn't let go of him.

  “Freya, let go. The last thing I want to do is ruin your life. That's why I need to go. Go and get as far away from you as possible. That's why you need to let go.” Reighley said. There was no response for a short time. The two stood there in silence until Freya finally had the words she wanted to say.

  “Reighley... leaving me would ruin my life,” Freya said. He didn't have a response to that. It sounded dramatic, but he could tell by the tone of her voice how serious she was. He couldn't understand someone caring about him so much that if he disappeared, their life would be ruined. He couldn't fathom deserving someone like that in his life.

  “Forget the deal we made.” Freya acknowledged. “That doesn’t matter. You have been nothing but good to me. Everything good that's happened to me was because you entered my life. My friends reconnecting, my friendship with Lily and Ulysses, fixing my relationship with my dad. It was all because of you. You're so selfless that it's selfish. You try to put everyone first but then forget that they want you to be happy too! The way you act is self-destructive! Nobody hates you! I can't watch you throw it all away. I love you too much for that.”

  Reighley turned around to see the girl he had spent the month with. She looked at him with a comforting and loving smile. Her aquamarine eyes shimmered with admiration. He couldn’t get it. He told her about how he felt about himself, but she didn’t seem to care.

  “But… I was going to leave you, without even saying goodbye…” Reighley said.

  “And I would have followed you no matter where you ended up, even if you never accepted me. I would wait forever for you to come around.” Freya promised.

  “Is this really alright?” Reighley asked himself. The aura he had seen when he looked into Freya’s eyes remained unchanged, even after he told her his secrets. How he was a freak and a cynical monster. The aura showed him a light royal purple color without a hint of darkness in it. Her eyes had heart-shaped pupils and that was it. There was no more arrow pointing to whatever she wanted because she had what she wanted. She simply felt love. Reighley stopped fighting it and let out a deep sigh.

  “Alright… You win. I just can't get rid of you, can I?” Reighley conceded with a small laugh.

  “Nope.” Freya giggled. “I’m like super glue.”

  “You better not tell people that, I hear weirdos sniff that stuff.” Reighley joked with her.

  Freya finally loosened her grasp but didn’t fully let go. She was smiling due to Reighley finally starting to act like himself again.

  “Haven’t I caught you sniffing my hair?” Freya accused.

  “So, you noticed that huh? Guess I’m a weirdo.” Reighley blushed.

  “You’re my weirdo.” Freya hugged again. This time Reighley hugged her back.

  “I love you… too,” Reighley said. “I’m sorry. I won’t ever leave you again. I promise.”

  “You mean it?” Freya asked.

  “Yeah. I mean it.” Reighley reassured.

  “Good. Now, no more side chicks, capiche?” Freya snarled.

  “What… Since when did you become a member of the Italian mafia?” Reighley played along.

  “Since I ate pasta made by Gordan Romsly.” Freya grinned.

  “Goofball,” Reighley commented.

  “Dummy.” Freya jested. “Can we go back inside now?” Freya asked.

  “Yeah,” Reighley answered.