She wasn't at all surprised to see him on the other side of her door Monday morning. Unprepared, perhaps, but not surprised.

"Forget something?" Mariah asked, leaning against the doorframe. For once, she was actually on time to leave for the bus. Her mom was already gone and dad still asleep. All that she needed were her shoes and bag.

"Want a ride?" Ray nodded to his car.

"It's not enough for you to drop me off, now you wanna pick me up too? I mean, I know I'm a good teacher, but this seems a bit much?"

Ray looked different in the morning light. Same white polo and tan pants – though he chose to leave them untucked instead of his usual neat look. With the weather getting colder, he'd added a green zip-up sweater that made his gold eyes seem brighter than ever. Certainly brighter than Saturday night in the shadows when the outline of his face was all she could see. That was, until she got close enough.

He'd kept his hair unbound, pulled up like how it was at the party. Mariah still wanted to play with it.

Ray tucked his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, shrugging as an answer.

Mariah tried to read his expression. Over the weeks as they've gotten to know each other, she felt that she had come to a good understanding of who he was and how he thought. But Ray was proving to be more than she'd thought at first. His face showed nothing at the moment, other than a reserved self-confidence that was becoming more obvious.

"Let me get my things – come in." Mariah pushed open her door so that he could stand inside, away from the cold. She ran downstairs to finish getting ready, stopping in the bathroom to check herself in the mirror one last time. Her eyeliner was perfect – sharp as a knife – but she wanted something more. Looking through her collection, she found a dark lip tint given to her by Julia.

A dark lip was Julia's signature look, and as Mariah dapped just the tiniest bit on, she tried to channel the daring girl. It wasn't a drastic look. However, it was enough of a change to make Mariah feel different. Prettier.

She grabbed her bag on the way back upstairs and met Ray by the front door.

He smiled when she made it up. "Ready?"

"Always,"

She locked up behind them and tried not to feel overjoyed as they walked to Ray's two-door.

"Do you need anything? Coffee, breakfast?" Ray asked as he turned the car on.

"I'm good."

Ray glanced over as he drove off. "So,"

"So?" Mariah smiled. She knew what he wanted, but there was something about making him squirm that pleased her. That was the old-Ray, though. This new, more confident Ray didn't waste any time.

"Are we going to talk about what happened on Saturday or we just going to pretend it didn't happen?"

Mariah blinked. "I don't know. A lot of things happened on Saturday. You'll have to clarify."

"The kiss, Mariah." When they came to a stoplight, Ray looked at her full-on. "Or, more accurately, the almost kiss."

"Ah," Mariah laughed, pretending to suddenly remember. The truth was, it was a moment she was finding hard not to think about.

After dropping them off at Hilary's car Sunday morning, she snuck back into her bedroom and tried to catch a few hours of sleep. In the afternoon, Julia and Mariam called to check-in and make sure she was okay. Unable to keep it a secret from them, she unloaded everything that happened between her and Ray.

Her friends were appropriately excited. Mariah had her doubts, but Mariam reiterated that it was her last year of high school, and while it was important that she focus, it was also a year to have some fun.

Before, Mariah could argue. She could roll her eyes and ignore everything Mariam and Julia had to say about "fun." But the image of Ray, looking up at her with those eyes as she leaned over him, refused to leave her alone. It was making it harder to deny their points.

"So."

"So." She laughed at his look of suffering.

"Mariah."

Seeing that he was close to his breaking point, Mariah relented. "What do you want to talk about? What it means?"

"That's a good starting place."

"What did it mean for you, Ray?"

He didn't seem to understand how he ended up on the hot seat. "I-uh," he faltered, "It meant a lot to me."

Mariah turned her head away so that she could smile. Turning back, she smirked. "Yeah?"

"Stop looking at me like that," he warned. Despite the words, there was a playful tone that pushed Mariah even further.

"Uh-huh," she teased.

"And what about you?"

"Me?"

"Mariah, please! You're killing me, here."

"Okay, fine." Mariah bit her lip to keep from laughing at him. Remembering the lip tint and Julia, she turned to Ray. "I don't regret it."

"Okay," Ray prompted, wanting more.

"And I wouldn't mind if," Mariah drew out, trying to find the right words. "If, in the right situation, we found ourselves there again."

Ray seemed pleased but also in disbelief. His eyes, still on the road, danced back and forth. For just a moment, he looked at her and she could believe how excited he seemed.

Turning back to the road, he asked, "And what does that mean for us?"

This was the question Mariah didn't have an answer to. Dating seemed like such a permanent thing and, considering she was going to university next year, nothing about her was permanent at the moment. She didn't know what to tell Ray.

"Look, there's how many days left in the school year? I'd rather just have fun with people I enjoy than worry about what's going to happen next year."

His excited expression dimmed. "Okay."

"And I really - surprisingly - enjoy your company."

"Me, too."

"But I don't want to get hurt. I don't want to start something that's just going to be over this time next year."

"Makes sense," Ray's voice lacked any emotion and she got the impression that he was holding back.

She couldn't believe what she was about to suggest. "So, I say we just let whatever happen, so long as we're having fun."

They were closer to school. She was about thirty minutes earlier than when she usually arrived and wanted to spend that time with Ray, but she wasn't sure how he was going to be feeling after their conversation.

"So," Ray said slowly. "What is it that you want exactly?"

"Well," Mariah was losing confidence in the face of Ray's hesitation. Not willing to bend, she pulled on more of her fiery fearlessness. "We continue hanging out and if something happens, that's okay, and if something doesn't, that's okay. We have fun and when we graduate, we part on good terms."

Ray pulled into the school parking lot. Stopping in an open space, he turned off the car but continued staring out the window, refusing to look at her. Mariah waited, breath halted, for him to say something.

Finally, he looked at her. "That's what you want?"

She'd thought about it all Sunday. She didn't want to get into a relationship. She didn't want to break up. "Yeah. That's what I want."

Ray nodded. "Then that's what we'll do."

Mariah smiled. "You're cool with that? Really?"

"I'm not going to pressure you into something you don't want to do, so we'll see if this works."

Mariah couldn't have been happier with the outcome. If there weren't students milling about outside, she'd have leaned over and kissed him then and there.

"That being said," Ray continued, "am I allowed to take you out?"

"Like on a date?"

Ray shrugged. "Or just as friends. Whatever happens, right?"

That's what she had said. "Yeah, I guess. When?"

"Whenever,"

Mariah had to give it to him, he was handling this better than she thought he would. The was a casualness in his responses she hadn't anticipated.

"Friday night?"

Ray nodded. "Sure."

"But we're still on for tutoring," Mariah said. "You're grades come first."

"You're one to talk," Ray said, getting out of the car.

Mariah scoffed, following him out and. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Wasn't you who said your grades are the most important?"

"Yeah, but I'm not the one who needed tutoring."

Ray put a hand over his chest. "You hurt me, Mariah, using my weakness against me like that."

She shoved his shoulder. He caught her hand, wrestling with her as she tried to get away while they laughed.

"What's this all about?"

Mariah straightened up as Hilary approached them. She hadn't given the girl another thought since Sunday morning, too distracted with Ray. Feeling bad, because Saturday must have been a hard night for the girl, Mariah observed Hilary with a critical eye.

She looked more cheerful than she had before. Since Mariah started talking to her, Hilary had always looked like she was being weighed down by the world. Mariah had always thought it was just school stuff; Hilary always did the most. Then Julia told her what Tala had said - what Hilary had done when she hadn't come to school and Mariah began to worry that it was so much worse.

"Nothing," Ray said, letting Mariah's hand go.

Hilary rolled her eyes and arched a brow at him. "You expect me to believe that?" Hilary turned to Mariah. "He's a horrible liar."

Mariah laughed as Ray protested and Hilary ignored him, smirking as he denied her accusations.

"I gotta go," Hilary said when he was done. She walked around them, heading toward the school building. "Mariah, have you made up your mind about the carnival? I want to start making plans."

"You need me to make plans?"

"Not for the carnival, but for our group. We'll get dinner and stuff."

'Our group' she said. Mariah marveled at the idea of being a part of any group besides her trio. "I don't know -"

"Just come," Ray bumped her. She looked up to him, ready to argue for the sake of arguing. "What were you saying about having fun?"

"Yeah, you should come," Hilary joined in, "you can't leave me alone with these boys now."

"Okay, fine!" Mariah agreed, laughing. It was a weird thing, being included. Being wanted by them. "I'll go."

"Great!" Hilary clapped. "Now, just to get everything else in order."

Mariah smiled as she rushed off. "Hilary seems back to normal,"

"She's doing better. It's nice to finally talk about it." Ray said as they walked, heading towards her locker.

Mariah nodded, knowing what it was to be off track with friends.

"And about the carnival," Ray continued, "if the ticket's an issue, I can get yours."

"No, I'll figure it out." She could make the argument with her parents that, after years of going to the school, she deserved a reward. If she asked early enough, they could save for it.

"Mariah, let me. I want to."

"You already pay for so much." Mariah shook her head. "It's not fair."

"It's what friends do, right. Besides, we want you there. It's only right that we cover it."

Coming to her locker, Mariah stopped to open it, thinking about what Ray said. She didn't want to fall into the trap of taking advantage of Ray's kindness.

"I'll think about it," she offered as a deal-breaker. "It's still months away."

Ray smiled, pushing away from the lockers. "I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah," she replied, watching him go. Down the hall, Tyson caught him, throwing an arm over Ray's shoulder and dragging him away as they laughed. "Loverboy," she heard Tyson shout.

Joy warmed Mariah's chest. As she closed her locker and looked around, people still eyed her but it wasn't with the same nosy-stare from the week before. And, really, she couldn't care less. Because whatever was going on between her and Ray felt fresh and bright, and it gave her something to look forward to.

Mariah slapped his hand, but she couldn't help the smile. "Stop."

"It looked like it was in your way,"

"If it was in my way, I would have moved it." She said, turning to look at him. They were laying side by side on her bedroom floor, books opened in front of them. While he worked through the math that she'd shown him, she wrote the draft for her history assignment.

They were supposed to be focusing, but he wouldn't stop playing with her hair.

"Oh, okay." Ray nodded, returning to his page.

Mariah rolled her eyes. She knew as soon as she went back to her work, he'd be bothering her again.

"Ray," she said, laughing when he turned to her with innocent eyes. "I need to get this done. You need to get that done."

"Yeah, I'm doing it. You know, we'd be going so much faster if you'd stop talking."

She pushed him. It was their third study session of the week and while things were going good, she knew she couldn't keep getting distracted. At least her parents were getting used to Ray being there. It was almost like they had forgotten where he came from and he was just any other friend. Though the new rule was he had to be gone by the time her dad was leaving for work if her mom was going to be late.

In other words: no being alone with Ray.

It was fair; it's how parents work. And it would be so much worse if they knew where Ray had been Saturday night.

Ray leaving early was a small price to pay. Besides, it did allow her to actually get some work done without the distraction.

"Dinner," her dad shouted down the steps. There was a pause as he listened in, making sure there were no distinct sounds of them 'misbehaving'.

"Coming," Mariah shouted back.

Ray followed her up the steps, poking her in the sides and she had to swat his hand away again before her father saw anything. Mariah was sure where he had been hiding this daring nature, but it seemed that ever since the party and they're 'almost kiss' he'd been more flirty than ever. After their conversation Monday morning, nothing else had transpired between them. Just a lot of laughing and teasing, but no 'almost' anything.

Yet.

Mariah could feel it building. At least, on her end, she could feel it. In certain moments she'd look over and see him, sometimes in the lunchroom laughing with Tyson or Miguel, or next to her at her locker or in the car, and she'd just want to...move closer.

What she'd do once she got there was anyone's guess, but she was going to do something. And soon.

But not in front of either of her parents. Her dad was waiting for them, plates already filled. They each picked one and joined her dad at the dining table. At first, she felt it was odd for Ray to join her and her Dad for dinner but she was getting used to it. They talked a lot about cooking and kept away from all embarrassing topics.

"How's studying?" Her dad asked as they sat down.

Mariah looked over to Ray to see his reaction. He'd somehow school his once mischievous features into the classic good boy persona from when they first met.

"It's good. Thanks to Mariah, I'm passing all my tests and my parents are happy again."

At the mention of his parents, Mariah's gaze shifted to her dad.

Jon cleared his throat. "And your parents...don't mind you spending time here?"

Mariah stayed quiet, curious herself about what was going on with them. She wanted to ask, but could never find the courage, too scared of the answer. It had never been her intention to drive a wedge in his family. God knows if she did, the Kon's would never let it go.

Ray shrugged. "My dad's okay."

That answered that. No doubt his mom was still giving him a hard time. Mariah huffed.

"I couldn't imagine having parents who don't want me to be happy."

"Mao!" Her dad chastised, eyes wide in a warning. "You don't even know her."

"I know enough," she replied, spearing a roasted carrot.

"Yeah," Ray agreed. His stare was downcast, sheepish in a way that Mariah hadn't seen in a while. Her heart went out to him, for having to deal with such a loathsome woman. "She doesn't listen to me either. I tell her Mariah isn't what she says but my mom refuses to hear it."

Mariah tried to hide her smile at Ray sticking up to his mom for her. "You should need to defend me," she said. "My family's done nothing to her."

"You've never had a broken heart, Mao."

"Well, even if I did, I wouldn't take it out on other people like this."

"Mariah's right. My mom is behaving childishly."

"Your mom is trying to protect you," Jon sighed. He set his utensils down, folding his hands in front of him.

Mariah always saw her parents as young, but when the creases formed at the corner of her dad's eyes, she couldn't help but think of the years of experience he had. He didn't talk often of his life before their family, but he had always carried this air of being something more.

"Protect me from what?" Ray insisted. "From being friends with...Mariah?"

'With the wrong people' was what he was going to say; Mariah could see it there, in his eyes. Maybe not something he believed, but it was said enough for her to know.

Mariah tried to think of what it would be like to be in her dad's position. To be sitting at the table with the son of an ex. And while she had no ex's to speak of (much in thanks to Lee, and partly because of her school), she thought it would be very awkward. Did her dad see his college girlfriend staring back at him when he looked and Ray?

She shivered. That'd be weird.

"How much has your family told you about what happened?" Her dad asked, looking at Ray.

He shook his head. "Nothing, really. I found out from Mariah but my dad's mentioned a few things."

Jon nodded. "I thought so. Look, your mom will probably never stop being mad at me for what I did, and whether or not I deserve her anger is irrelevant. The point is, I hurt your mom and I lost my family. Most people like to say I lost my family connections, but the truth is I didn't speak to my mom for almost fifteen years until she got sick. I have family that I haven't seen in almost twenty years now." He looked over to Mariah. It pained her to see tears in his eyes.

"I don't regret it," he continued, "because I love my wife and my children. But I don't blame your mom for not wanting to lose you."

"But the only way she'd lose me is if she pushed me away over this," Ray said. "Isn't that how your parents lost you? Wasn't it their decision in the end?"

Jon nodded. "Yes. It was my parent's decision. But from your mom's point of view, I left her for another woman and gave up everything. She sees the way we live, the things we have, and she wants more for you. And I think her greatest fear is that you'll make a similar decision, and give up your entire life for something less."

"That's a bit of an assumption," Mariah mumbled, playing with her food. "We're not even dating."

"Your mom and I weren't dating when I ended things," her dad replied.

Ray leaned forward in his seat. "Why did you break-up with my mom? If you don't mind my asking."

Her dad coughed. "Well, I had developed feelings for Mariah's mom by that point, and didn't think it would be right to carry on a relationship when my heart wasn't complete towards her."

Ray narrowed his eyes. "If that's how it was, then my mom should be more understanding."

"My parents did start dating like immediately after they broke up," Mariah quipped. "So, you can understand why she thinks my dad's a cheating liar."

Ray ignored Mariah's commentary and turned back Jon. He seemed to be enjoying the information her father was freely providing. "How did you and Mariah's mom meeting anyway?"

Mariah dropped her fork. She'd heard the story many times before. It was practically one of her bedtime fairytales growing up. Before, it had never meant much. However, now it had entirely new meaning as surprising similarities started to fall into place.

Her dad chuckled at her reaction. "We were study buddies. She was helping me in math."

Ray's eyes met hers across the table, seeing the parallels.

So, we get a little more of the parent's backstory and things with Ray and Mariah progress...just the tiniest bit. Let me know what you think. Is it going too slow? Too fast? Whether you review or not, thank you for reading and spending your time with this chapter. I'm very appreciative. - Konix