Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant

A/N: The lyrics are from the song 'Drop Dead Gorgeous' by Republica

One Last Time by Cara Mascara

Backwards words, he got 'em
Shut up, I'm talking
This time, you'll listen
But when I look at you you're forgiven

"I didn't have sex with her!" He's kidding me. He's got to be kidding me!

"So that makes it okay?! You wee all over that skank!" I'm not going to cry over him though. I can't cry over him. He does it all the time. I'm almost used to it. And at this point, his cheating doesn't even bother me. It just bothers me that I'm letting him do this to me over and over again. All his backward words and lies aren't going to save him this time. I'm not standing by him anymore.

"It wasn't what-"

"Shut up! I'm not done talking! How long do you expect me to put up with this?" His blue eyes were laced with confusion. He really doesn't understand. He doesn't see anything wrong with making out with another girl while I'm his girlfriend. "You make me look like an idiot because no matter what people tell me, I stick by your lies. I know what I'd think of someone who put up with your behavior. I'd say 'that girl is an idiot'. I'm tired of being the idiot."

"You're not an idiot."

"I know. That's why I can't do this anymore. You don't need me and it's pretty apparent to me that you don't want me." His eyes pleaded with me. We've been through this before, but this time it's for real. I sighed and shook my head. He's hopeless, he really is. "Reid, it's over. Just… go away."

You drive, too fast and
I smoke, too much and
My heart, is broken
But when I look at you you're forgiven
You're forgiven

"I'm driving." Of course he is. He always has to drive. It's a control thing. Reid needs to be in control. Always.

You're probably asking what the hell I'm doing with him. Well, it's simple really. He wanted to go to Nicky's. I didn't. He begged. I caved. Now he's diving.

I can never stay mad at Reid for long. Now, don't get me wrong. We are not back together. We're just friends. I told him that was it. Nothing more, nothing less. No friends with benefits. No dating. Nothing but fiends.

I put the butt of my cigarette in the ashtray and blew the remaining smoke out the crack of my window. Pulling out another cancer stick, I placed it between my lips and tried to light it as he whipped around a corner.

I fell to the left and dropped my lighter in my lap. "Slow down Reid!" I told him. He drives way too fast for his own good. And mine now that I think of it.

A smirk graced his lips and he glanced at me from the side. "You smoke way too much Cyn." I rolled my eyes and took a long puff of the cigarette before blowing it in his direction purposely. He waved the smoke away and continued driving into the setting sun.

I took this time to look at him. Its no secret Reid Garwin is one of the Spenser heartthrobs. And he certainly uses those looks to his advantage. How else would he get away with all his lies and how else would he be able to play numbers of girls at a time? You just take one look at the blonde and can't help but forgive him.

I know my ex-boyfriend lies
Oh he does it every time
It's just his permanent disguise
Yeah yeah but he's drop dead gorgeous

"I've been thinking about you a lot lately." Here we go. Let's start the count for tonight. Lie number one. Maybe not a complete lie, but word manipulation. See, Reid never thinks about anyone but himself, and maybe the other Sons occasionally. He might think about doing something with me, but not me. Not my feelings. Not my thoughts. Nothing that requires much depth. Sex is usually the simple explanation to Reid's thoughts.

"Well, don't waste your thoughts, because it's not happening."

I saw a crease in his brow and he scowled at me quickly before turning his attention back to the road. "That's not all I think about you know." Lie number two! If that weren't all he thought about, he wouldn't have known that's what I meant. "Cyn, trust me, okay? Tonight I'm gonna prove to you that I deserve another chance."

I couldn't help but snort. Lie number three. And we aren't even at Nicky's yet. It's going to be a long night.

Don't go changing every time
Not for me to compromise
You're still a friend of mine
Yeah yeah and you're drop dead gorgeous

"Tonight is all about you babe. Dinner's on me," Reid told me once we walked into Nicky's. I resisted the constant urge to roll my eyes every time he opened his mouth and allowed him to take my hand and lead me over to the bar counter where Nicky was cleaning some glasses.

"What can I get a Reid?" the gruff owner asked as he set a glass under the counter.

Reid glanced at me then looked at Nicky. "Two burgers. No onions or mustard on one, two fries, a large Coke and an Iced Tea." Well, I must say. It's rather impressive that Reid actually remembered something as insignificant as how I take my burger. He usually can't remember a girl's eye color.

I'll admit, I'm shocked and slightly impressed.

"You got it. 'Bout five minutes," Nicky told us before he walked off.

We sat. We ate. We talked. He was taking way too much interest in me. Asking way too many questions. It all felt too false. He was trying way too hard. I had to do something about this. It's painful to sit through.

"Reid, you don't have to waste your time trying to impress me by pretending you're interested in my life."

His face completely fell. He frowned and pulled his hand away from on top of mine. "Did you ever think I was actually trying to make an effort to get you back? I'm not pretending. I just want everything to work out."

"Yeah well, it's a little too late for that Reid. You've burned me too many times already." He let out a huff of air before getting up and disappearing into the crowded dance floor, probably over to the pool tables.

I felt bad I'll admit it. His expression looked sincerely hurt. But I can't do it to myself again, can I? No…

Yeah - end of, stop sulking
Get out, you're walkin'
Too bad, I've spoken
But when I look at you you're forgiven

How stupid am I? I went looking for him. I actually went looking for him. I was going to tell him sorry and let him know that I actually had been having a good time. And maybe, just maybe there was a sliver of hope for us.

But it was so fucking stupid of me to even consider doing this.

I couldn't find him anywhere, so I asked Tyler when I spotted him playing foosball with one of the guys from his swim team.

"Hey Cynthia," he'd greeted me, never taking his eyes off the game.

"Hi, have you seen Reid around anywhere?" I tucked some of my blonde hair behind my ears. Tyler scored a final goal for the win and waved off his opponent before guiding me over to a quieter, less crowded part of Nicky's.

"He came over here. He was pretty down. He seriously looked upset. He aid he didn't want to talk about it." Tyler's blue eyes searched my green ones for an answer to the unasked question of what happened.

"I just… I don't want to hurt him Tyler. I just don't want him to hurt me again. I mean, at this point, it's almost like I expect him to cheat on me. And that's not right."

"I understand," he said with a nod of his head. He knows how Reid is obviously. "He cares a lot about you though. He wouldn't go out of his way to keep you on his good side if he didn't. He just…"

"-has a funny way of showing it? I've heard it all before. That's the problem."

"No, he just doesn't know how to show it. I really think you should go talk to him. Last time I saw him he was on his way outside, probably for a cigarette or something." I nodded and gave Tyler a small smile before disappearing out the side door and into the alley. I looked around and saw a few people from school hanging out. But no Reid. I walked around to the front and saw he wasn't there either. Sighing, I looked through my purse for my phone. I'll just call him.

Shit. It's in my ca. I left it hooked up to the charger. I crossed the street and made my way oven to my car. Would you just imagine what I saw?

I open the door and see fogged windows and Reid with some tramp slobbering all over him! In the backseat of my car!

"Get out!" My voice scared me. I could see by the expressions on Reid and the unknown slut that it scared them too. She scampered out of the car, pulling her top on, and back towards Nicky's faster than lightning. Reid however took his time. He knew I was going to explode.

"I'm-"

"You're what? You're sorry?! Bullshit Reid! You can walk back to school!"

Your lies, don't want 'em
Drop dead, not joking
This thing, is broken
But when I look at you you're forgiven
You're forgiven

"I'm sorry Cyn." He went forward to hug me and looked confused when I moved away. He actually thought I'd let him touch me after that! This time it hurt. This time it hurt more then any other time. Because I let my gaurdd down. I actually thought maybe he could change for good this time. How stupid am I?

"How many times do you expect me to believe that hollow lie of an apology?" I choked on a sob and turned away from him. I don't want him to see me cry over him. So it's not the first time, but this is probably the worst thing he's ever done.

"It's not a lie Cyn, I-"

"Don't call me that! Only my friends can call me that." I whipped around and said it so bitterly. He ran his hands through his hair. "Give me my keys."

"Can we please talk-"

"No! You don't get to talk to me ever again Reid! You're an asshole! Besides, what would we talk about? How every time I think maybe there's a sliver of hope for you, you go ahead and prove me wrong?! Drop dead!"

I know my ex-boyfriend lies
Oh he does it every time
It's just his permanent disguise
Yeah yeah but he's drop dead gorgeous

The year flew by. Sooner then I expected graduation had rolled around. I'd only spoken to Reid once since that incident at Nicky's. I ignored all his efforts until one night when I got a phone call.

For some reason he called me when his father died. He needed someone to listen to him, and I was always a good shoulder to cry on. And he did. Yes, Reid Garwin is human and does cry.

I didn't talk much to him. Just ran my fingers through his hair while he cried out all his anger and sadness. But he talked. He talked a lot more then he probably should have. I think he said more than he wanted to too because he told me he was in love with me.

Yeah, I know.

Since then, Reid hasn't even attempted to talk to me again.

It doesn't shock me. It's probably just another one of his lies anyway.

Don't go changing every time
Not for me to compromise
You're still a friend of mine
Yeah yeah and you're drop dead gorgeous

Caleb Danvers gave his Valedictorian speech and then Provost Higgins began presenting the diplomas. I got mine before Reid, but I followed him with my eyes when he went up to get his diploma.

Blue locked with green and an almost undetectable smile twitched onto his lips.

After he walked off the stage the ceremony seemed to blur by and before I knew it, I was throwing my cap into the air with the rest of my classmates. Tears were shed, hugs were given and received, and when I was getting ready to head over to the Dells for one final bash, there was a knock on my dormitory door.

I maneuvered over the boxes of my roommates and my packed stuff. She's already headed to the Dells. I was a bit surprised to find Reid on the other side of the door, black knit beanie and fingerless gloves in place as usual.

"Need a ride?" he asked, waving the keys to the new Corvette his mother had bought him for his graduation present. Everyone had seen it in the parking lot and I heard though the grapevine it was Reid's.

I almost said no.

But what the hell? Chances are, I'll never see him again after tonight anyway, except for maybe when I leave tomorrow morning.

We drove in near silence except for the radio except for one question he asked me. "Are you going away to school?"

"I don't know. I got accepted to Brown and Harvard, but I also got accepted to Stanford." I was seriously considering Stanford. It might be my only chance to get out of New England.

"Stanford's in California."

"Yeah…" The silence resumed.

When we got to the Dells he walked me in the opposite direction of the party. By the time we stopped we could hardly hear the echo of the music over the sound of the waves lapping against the shore.

We sat on a rock, both staring forward into the water. After a few minutes, I started to wonder what we were doing. "Reid, is there a reason we're just sitting here?" I didn't say it in a rude way. It was a genuine question. I seemed to have startled him because he jumped, lost in his thoughts I guess.

"Yeah, just… just give me a second." He was mumbling to himself before he stood up. I watched him pace in front of me a few times before he dropped on both knees in the sand and held both my hands in his.

All I could think is, God, we're not doing this again, are we?

"I thought about this a lot. Like… a lot, a lot. Since my dad died. Since before then! God I don't know! I sound so stupid." His gaze dropped down to the sand and I squeezed his hands reassuringly. I'll listen to what he has to say this one last time.

His eyes shot back up to mine and he licked his dried lips. "What I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry. And I know you think I don't mean it when I say that, but I am. And we've been through a lot… everything." It was true. Reid and I had been an on again, off again couple for four years. "And when I told you I was in love with you, I meant it. And I wouldn't just say that." Okay, I wasn't expecting that. It's believable. I don't think Reid Garwin would tell a girl he was in love with them unless he meant it or was trying to get something really important from them, and I certainly don't have anything he couldn't get somewhere else. "Cyn… I want you to marry me."

I couldn't even speak.