Summary: Reid Garwin. The playboy had reached the point of loneliness. He wanted somthing somthing real. Somthing he could hold onto. A real relationship like what his friends have. However, what happens when he has to choose between someone he wants, and someone he needs.

Authors Note: Hey Everyone. I'm writing a new story. This is my first Covenant story. Hope you like it. Please review and tell me what you think.

Discalimer: I do not own the Covenant or any of the characters. Also I do not own the poem "How do I love thee" The poem is written by Elizabeth Browning.

How Do I love thee

Chapter One: Grief

Reid was beggining to feel lonley. Caleb spent his time with Sarah, and Pogue had Kate. Even Tyler had a girlfriend, Jean. So what was Reid supposed to do. He was driffting away from his friends. He had built up a reputation on being a play boy and was tired of it. He wanted a real relationship, a solid one, like what his friends have. He couldn't have that. Not after the way he treated girls. It seemed almost impossible to find a girl he would truley love. Someone he could care about.

Almost.

"Who can tell me the imagery used in this sonnet?" Ms. Evans said as the class finished reading this poem individually. Sadly, not one student spoke up to answer the proffesors question.

"Okay, well what about the meaning. Who can tell me the meaning of this poem?" Again, the class fell silent. Ms. Evans crossed her arms and scanned the class. Needless to say, she had, had enough. Truthfully, the whole class didn't know anything about this poem. To them, it was just another poem in to read in English class.

"Elizabeth Browning wrote this sonnet because she was in love" the professor said raising her voice. Her recent dynamic change caused a few students to raise their heads from their desks. However, raising her voice was not going to interest or motivate the class.

"How many of you have ever had a crush on someone before?" It seemed she tried a new apporach. The class beagn to roll their eyes and groan. She was a teacher. Teachers aren't suppose to care about a students social life.

"Oh come on, you're a bunch of teenagers, I know you have all had a crush on someone before." Students in the class (mostly girls) started to laugh. Ms. Evans smiled at her accompishment. At least now, some people were paying attention.

Amoung these girls was a quiet girl named Naomi Nevaeh sat on the far left hand side of her English class. She had a crush on someone at that moment. The blonde boy sitting at the back of the classroom,. Naomi's thoughts drifted away to Reid Garwin, the bad boy, the rebel. The boy who didn't pay any attention to her, who never ackoledges her exsistence. He was her crush. The boy in this sonnet, if she had written it. How could she possibly love thee?

"Mr. Garwin" Ms. Evans said loudly enough to send Reid out of his fog. "Would you be so kind as to read the sonnet out loud for us."

The blonde boy lifted his head from the desk and picked up the piece of paper, cleared his throat and started reading. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height, my soul can reach, when feeling out of sight, for the ends of beings and ideal Grace..." Naomi's thoughts drifted off to him. How could she love thee? The boy with an attitude would never be interested in her. He went for the girls modeled after Barbie. Not an average looking girl like herself. He was shallow, cocky, and would do whatever it takes to get in a girls pants. Even so, she still liked him. How could she have developed a crush on someone who was so...rude, so dispicable?

"...In my old greifs, and with my childhood's faith, I love thee with a love I seemed to loose, with my lost saints, -- I love thee with the breath, smiles, tears, of all my life and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death."

The professor nodded, at Reid "thank you, Mr. Garwin. Now, class. The persona in this poem, was not in love with just anyone. She was in love with someone who she knew was wrong for her. How could she love someone, who was wrong for her. But, she didn't care, she would love him even though she knew she was wrong to love him."

The brunette sitting on the left hand side of the classroom, continued with her thoughts of Reid Garwin. She smiled at what the teacher had said. In an odd way, she had taught her a lesson. Its almost as if this sonnet was made for her.

"So Reid what are you doing tonight. Wanna head down to Nicky's" Reids friend and roomate Tyler Sims said.

To watch you and your girlfriend turn into mush over eachother? Reid thought, I'll take a pass.

"No, sorry Ty, I'm not really feeling up to it tonight" Tyler sighed. Hoping his friend would have said yes.

"Come on Reid, everyone's going. Jeans going too." Reid rolled his eyes. Jean, thats exactly who he wanted to see. The girl Tyler spends majority of his time with.

"Yeah Tyler sure I'll go" Reid said sarcasticly, "and when your done using me as a third wheel, you can teach Jean how to ride a bycicle." Tyler let out an angry sigh at his friends remark. Reid had been anything but nice to Jean ever since he met her, and Tyler was getting fed up with Reids attitude.

"What is your problem Reid. Jean is nice, and she has been nothing but nice to you."

"My problem? My problem is, you spend a little to much time smooching her, and not enough time with your friends." Reid yelled.

"Thats bullshit. I spend a lot of my time with you guys. I don't know why your even acting like this. Pogue and Caleb don't think I'm giving my time to Jean"

"Caleb and Pogue?! The're to busy with there own girlfriends to even notcie you Tyler. Who cares about them. I'm talking about me. Don't forget that you still have friends, Ty. Your life does not revolve around that stupid dirty blonde."
Tyler had, had enough. Reid had snapped him like a twig. "Don't you dare talk about her that way. She is sincere. Unlike you. Someone who is suppose to be my friend. If you were my friend you wouldn't act like this. I don't need to be around you all the time. Why don't you find a girl Reid. Instead of knocking up anything that walks," and with that Tyler left his friend behind.

Slamming the door behind him, Tyler sighed in fustration. What the hell was his problem anyway? Once he caught up to Caleb and Sarah he began to tell them that Reid wasn't coming. "Reid always comes to Nicky's with us" Sarah said. Caleb shook his head. "I wander why Reid is acting like this? Maybe someone should talk to him."

"Well its not going to be me" Tyler warned "I'm through trying to talk to Reid." Caleb was about to respond when Ms. Evans the english teacher appraoched the three of them.

"Tyler Sims..." she said staring directly at him. "Your wanted in the Provost's office"

An hour later there was a knock on Reids door. Reids first thoughts were that it was Tyler, asking for forgiveness. But Tyler wasn't going to give in that easily.

"Reid I know your in there so answer the door," the male voice said. The voice did not belong to Tyler, like Reid had thought. Instead it belonged to his other friend, Pogue.

"What do you want Pogue. I'm not about to apologize to Tyler."

"This isn't about Tyler, we need to talk." Reid knew that Pogue wasn't going to walk away from this, so instead, Reid made his way to the door and opened it. Pogue stood their, disappointment filled his eyes.

"Reid I don't know how to put this, but Tyler...his mom..." Pogue didn't finish his sentence. He didn't have to. Reid could tell by the tears that were swelling up in his eyes. "She died...just last night. None of us knew until recently. And Tyler, we can't find him. He disapeared after he heard what happened"

Reid sat on the bed covering his face with his hands. How could this happen? Tyler's mother was dead. She was like a mother to Reid. "How did she die?" Reid asked, with his face still in his hands.

"They don't know. They said it was made to look like a suicide, but she wouldn't kill herself. They found a note on the kitchen table addressed to Tyler, explaining her death. But she wasn't found anywhere."

Pogue stood in the doorway waiting for Reid to say somthing. "I'm sorry Reid. I know you and her, were close. Imagine Tyler. He was devastated." Pogue said trying to comfort his friend.

Tyler. Reid thought about his friend, and immediately felt guilty for the fight he and Tyler had earlier. Imagine Tyler. He was devestated. Pogues words hit Reid. He was supposed to be their for his friend. Instead he was sitting here sulking and refusing to speak to Tyler because of his stubborness and selfishness.

Imagine Tyler. He was devestated.

Naomi Nevaeh walked towards the back of the schools library eager to get to the spot she always sits at to do homework, when she saw a one of the sons of Ipswich already sitting there. He was holding onto a letter starting at it with an unreadable expression. She was only a few feet away until she realized he was crying. Her gasp caused the boy to jump and look directly at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realized this table was occupied. I can go somewhere else" Naomi said politley. Just as she turned around to find a different table, the boy quickly stopped her.

"Please stay, it would be nice to have some company." Naomi turned around and nodded. They sat in silence for a long period of time before the boy broke the silence. "I'm Tyler Sims. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier" Naomi nodded, and tried to smile.

"I'm Naomi Nevaeh." It was only now she got a good glimps of the boy. He looked like a disaster. Tear stains were on his cheeks, and his eyes were bloodshot. She tried to think of a way to comfort him, but she couldn't.

"I know this isn't my place," Naomi struggled to find words. "Are you okay, I mean did you want to talk about it" she said hoping it wouldn't seem as stupid as it sounded. Tyler nodded and lifted up the letter he was holding.
"It's a leter from my mom. She passed away just recently. In fact last night," he said holding back his tears. "I didn't really plan on talking about this. Not now anyway." Naomi forced herself to give a friendly smile.

"I'm really sorry Tyler. If there is anything I can do to help, I will do it." Tyler shook his head.

"No. but thanks. At least someone will listen to me. I got in a fight with my friend. He was really close to my mom also. I wander how Reid is taking this." Naomi's head tried to wrap around what Tyler said. Tyler got in a fight with Reid. How could Reid possibly start a fight with a boy in this condition. He is suffering over a lost mother, and he started a fight with his friend. Reid Garwin. He was the once partly responsible for bringing this Ipswich boy to tears.

How could she love thee?

A.N: TAA-DAA Chapter One. I hope you guys like it. I know its a little bit out there but, I hope you like it. Please reveiw and I'll update soon.

Song I based this Chapter on : Reefs - October Fall

Thanks