Chapter 1
Ray was staring at himself in the bathroom mirror. He thought to himself,
"Another year gone, and I still haven't told Lily how I feel... Why is it so
hard?"
Why was it so hard? He'd come close so many times but he never was able to
summon up the courage. Hell, Robbie and Travis had both made moves on Lily,
but he was the only one that actually felt something real for her. He
absentmindedly stared to walk out of the bathroom, even though the door was
closed. He fell to the ground with his forehead in his hand with a THUD!
and a cry of "SHIT! THAT HURTS!".
He managed to walk downstairs, holding on to the railing to stop from stumbling down. In practically no time at all, Ray was smothered by his mom saying "Oh my goodness! My little Ray of sunshine is all ready 17!".
"Mom, come on." He gave her a hug and ran out the door. This year would be new, it would be better; this would be his and Lily's year.
He got to school and ran to his locker. Waller had already gave him a weird look, per usual. This year already seemed to be the same. Then, he felt a tug on the back of his shirt, and he heard the soft whisper, "Ray..." He got very excited and turned around quickly. Of course, Lily was standing there. She was dressed in a t-shirt and jean jacket that (he thought) made her look like a rocker angel. He said, "hey, Lily, um..." She immediately gave him a sarcastic smile with her eyebrows arched and with a subtle laugh said, "Happy 17th, Ray. Now, you have to get to class before Waller starts chasing you around with a pitch fork." He smiled, and she grabbed his arm and they ran to English.
Chapter 2
At lunch, Robbie and Travis showed up with a half eaten cupcake with white sugar frosting and a piece of gum stuck up in the middle, molded into the shape of a candle. Ray let out a short blast of laughter. Travis sat down and laughed as Robbie over exaggeratedly put the sad looking cupcake down in front of Ray and patted him on the shoulder.
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it.", Ray said. Lily took the stick of gum and started to chew. "Thanks Ray." She winked. He began to blush, so he 'dropped' his fork and bent down to get it. When he came back up, he said the ultimate conversation starter. "So..." Robbie replied with a smirky grin on his face, "So... happy birthday! Feel any different this time around?". "I'll let you know if I do, but the way its going, chances are, no." Lily put her hand on his shoulder and he was surprised. "No worries, something'll happen. You're just off to a slow start."
"You don't know how true that is", Ray said, hoping he hadn't said too much. Robbie gave him a lopsided look of confusion. "What the hell did that mean?"
"I'll tell you later...", Ray motioned to Travis and Robbie.
Chapter 3
By today's broadcast, everyone was updated, except for Lily. Travis and Robbie promised they wouldn't tell, but Ray never knew if it was true. After all, Question Mark wasn't Robbie and Smog wasn't Travis. "I'm Question Mark, and I'm wondering, how long can you keep and important piece of information from someone?"
Robbie glared at him.
"After all," Robbie continued, "when it's important, you gotta tell them eventually."
"I agree", Travis said in his voice of wisdom. "The secrets lie with lies when the gates of Heaven and Hell are opened for those who approach."
Lily gave him a confused look. "sure... plus. Think of it this way. Lets say, if a guy were to like me and not tell, I'd be surprised. But also, a little annoyed. Like, if a guy, or girl, likes you, wouldn't you be worth enough to them to not keep secrets?"
Ray began to get uncomfortable. He defensively shot back, "But what if they know you have feelings for someone else? Isn't it that much harder to tell you?!" He was noticeably raising his voice. He became flustered and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. Lily looked at him funny, and then shook her head.
"What do you think listeners? You know the number."
Ray took off his head phones and turned off his mike as Travis and Lily handled the calls. Robbie whispered to him, "Man, are you alright?"
"Does it look like I am?" He was really distraught.
"What a happy birthday" Robbie said sarcastically.
"Thanks a lot, Robbie, thanks a whole lot." Ray gave him a glare and left the station.
Chapter 4
They didn't see him until after the show. The three of them came out talking, and Lily came over and sat down beside Ray. His hair was windblown and he was pitching rocks across the blacktop. "Looks like fun", Lily said with an air of sarcasm. "Mind if I join you?"
Robbie and Travis turned to them and said "Later guys, we're going to Mickey's". "Okay, we'll see you later", said Lily cheerfully.
Ray motioned them off and Robbie bent down and whispered to him "Good luck, man."
"Okay, Ray, what was that about?" "I just got... a lot on my mind... Lily, can I tell you something?"
"Anything, really." She put her hand on top of his and give it a squeeze. She smiled, and he couldn't help but smile back, even though he was focusing on his feet while he talked.
"Well... there's this girl... that I really like. And... I don't know how to tell her."
"I know what you mean. I really like someone too, but, I don't think they know." She looked deep into his eyes, almost as if she was trying to look right through the back of his head. "She is absolutely gorgeous and I've know her for a while. Practically my whole life. But, I piss her off, a lot. And... I dont think she feels the same way. But a couple of days ago, someone told me she did like me the way I like her. I wanted to tell her, but I saw her with someone else. A really good friend of mine."
"That must have been horrible for you. Do I know her?" Lily sounded sympathetic. He could hear it in her voice and she was still looking at his face, but had seemed to be looking down at her hand, which was still touching his.
"Yah... yah, you do. You know her really well."
Lily laughed. It wasn't exactly funny. But she had always found something funny about Ray. Not really "haha" funny. It went deeper than that.
"Well, who is it?" she said. "Ok, Lily, I'm gonna cut right to the chase..." He paused. She looked at him, trying to be comforting, expecting nothing and everything at the same time.
Chapter 5
Ray was quiet. He grabbed her hand and brought it up to about his shoulder height. He grasped it with both of his hands. She became confused.
"Lily... I like you. A lot. I have for a while, but... I just... couldn't tell you." He dropped her hand and put his forehead in it instead. He was scared. And he awaited her response.
Lily stuttered. "Wh-what? What do you mean, you 'like' me? Is that why you were acting so weird in the broadcast today?" She was getting angry.
He nodded. He was really embarrassed. He had expected a better response. Not necessarily for her to jump into his arms, although that would have been nice.
"Well... Ray... I like you too... but how can I trust you after you kept it from me for so long?"
"It was hard, Lily! You have to understand how hard it was for me! We were such good friends but I wanted to be more! Ever since I found out girls didnt have cooties... I saw you differently." He paused and looked dead straight into her eyes. She had never looked so beautiful to him before. Her eyes sparkled, the wind was blowing back her hair, and she looked... speechless. "I love you, Lily...".
They had just discovered something. There was no turning back. They loved each other. She started swaying from side to side, not looking at him in the eye. He let out a sigh of relief.
"I did it", he thought to himself. She finally made her move. She stepped forward so they were close and looked up at him. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her slightly forward. They leaned in for a kiss, but before they did, Lily put her finger on his mouth and she said to him, "I love you too...".
Then she passionately kissed him and it seemed like everything disappeared. Everything felt exaggerated. Every feeling, every motion every sense. They were just two people in a million. They were together and that was all that mattered.
Then, out of nowhere, Robbie and Travis emerged from a behind a dumpster. They were clapping and Robbie was sarcastically wiping away tears.
"Aww, well isn't this just the cutest thing ever?" Robbie was laughing and smiling.
"Way to ruin the moment", Ray said. Lily put her arm around his waist and hugged him. He put his arm around her and they turned towards Robbie and Travis.
"So, is this a happy ending?" Travis said with a somewhat fake smile on his face.
"Nah", said Lily. She looked at Ray. "This is a happy beginning."
THE END
He managed to walk downstairs, holding on to the railing to stop from stumbling down. In practically no time at all, Ray was smothered by his mom saying "Oh my goodness! My little Ray of sunshine is all ready 17!".
"Mom, come on." He gave her a hug and ran out the door. This year would be new, it would be better; this would be his and Lily's year.
He got to school and ran to his locker. Waller had already gave him a weird look, per usual. This year already seemed to be the same. Then, he felt a tug on the back of his shirt, and he heard the soft whisper, "Ray..." He got very excited and turned around quickly. Of course, Lily was standing there. She was dressed in a t-shirt and jean jacket that (he thought) made her look like a rocker angel. He said, "hey, Lily, um..." She immediately gave him a sarcastic smile with her eyebrows arched and with a subtle laugh said, "Happy 17th, Ray. Now, you have to get to class before Waller starts chasing you around with a pitch fork." He smiled, and she grabbed his arm and they ran to English.
Chapter 2
At lunch, Robbie and Travis showed up with a half eaten cupcake with white sugar frosting and a piece of gum stuck up in the middle, molded into the shape of a candle. Ray let out a short blast of laughter. Travis sat down and laughed as Robbie over exaggeratedly put the sad looking cupcake down in front of Ray and patted him on the shoulder.
"Thanks guys, I appreciate it.", Ray said. Lily took the stick of gum and started to chew. "Thanks Ray." She winked. He began to blush, so he 'dropped' his fork and bent down to get it. When he came back up, he said the ultimate conversation starter. "So..." Robbie replied with a smirky grin on his face, "So... happy birthday! Feel any different this time around?". "I'll let you know if I do, but the way its going, chances are, no." Lily put her hand on his shoulder and he was surprised. "No worries, something'll happen. You're just off to a slow start."
"You don't know how true that is", Ray said, hoping he hadn't said too much. Robbie gave him a lopsided look of confusion. "What the hell did that mean?"
"I'll tell you later...", Ray motioned to Travis and Robbie.
Chapter 3
By today's broadcast, everyone was updated, except for Lily. Travis and Robbie promised they wouldn't tell, but Ray never knew if it was true. After all, Question Mark wasn't Robbie and Smog wasn't Travis. "I'm Question Mark, and I'm wondering, how long can you keep and important piece of information from someone?"
Robbie glared at him.
"After all," Robbie continued, "when it's important, you gotta tell them eventually."
"I agree", Travis said in his voice of wisdom. "The secrets lie with lies when the gates of Heaven and Hell are opened for those who approach."
Lily gave him a confused look. "sure... plus. Think of it this way. Lets say, if a guy were to like me and not tell, I'd be surprised. But also, a little annoyed. Like, if a guy, or girl, likes you, wouldn't you be worth enough to them to not keep secrets?"
Ray began to get uncomfortable. He defensively shot back, "But what if they know you have feelings for someone else? Isn't it that much harder to tell you?!" He was noticeably raising his voice. He became flustered and ran his fingers through his hair nervously. Lily looked at him funny, and then shook her head.
"What do you think listeners? You know the number."
Ray took off his head phones and turned off his mike as Travis and Lily handled the calls. Robbie whispered to him, "Man, are you alright?"
"Does it look like I am?" He was really distraught.
"What a happy birthday" Robbie said sarcastically.
"Thanks a lot, Robbie, thanks a whole lot." Ray gave him a glare and left the station.
Chapter 4
They didn't see him until after the show. The three of them came out talking, and Lily came over and sat down beside Ray. His hair was windblown and he was pitching rocks across the blacktop. "Looks like fun", Lily said with an air of sarcasm. "Mind if I join you?"
Robbie and Travis turned to them and said "Later guys, we're going to Mickey's". "Okay, we'll see you later", said Lily cheerfully.
Ray motioned them off and Robbie bent down and whispered to him "Good luck, man."
"Okay, Ray, what was that about?" "I just got... a lot on my mind... Lily, can I tell you something?"
"Anything, really." She put her hand on top of his and give it a squeeze. She smiled, and he couldn't help but smile back, even though he was focusing on his feet while he talked.
"Well... there's this girl... that I really like. And... I don't know how to tell her."
"I know what you mean. I really like someone too, but, I don't think they know." She looked deep into his eyes, almost as if she was trying to look right through the back of his head. "She is absolutely gorgeous and I've know her for a while. Practically my whole life. But, I piss her off, a lot. And... I dont think she feels the same way. But a couple of days ago, someone told me she did like me the way I like her. I wanted to tell her, but I saw her with someone else. A really good friend of mine."
"That must have been horrible for you. Do I know her?" Lily sounded sympathetic. He could hear it in her voice and she was still looking at his face, but had seemed to be looking down at her hand, which was still touching his.
"Yah... yah, you do. You know her really well."
Lily laughed. It wasn't exactly funny. But she had always found something funny about Ray. Not really "haha" funny. It went deeper than that.
"Well, who is it?" she said. "Ok, Lily, I'm gonna cut right to the chase..." He paused. She looked at him, trying to be comforting, expecting nothing and everything at the same time.
Chapter 5
Ray was quiet. He grabbed her hand and brought it up to about his shoulder height. He grasped it with both of his hands. She became confused.
"Lily... I like you. A lot. I have for a while, but... I just... couldn't tell you." He dropped her hand and put his forehead in it instead. He was scared. And he awaited her response.
Lily stuttered. "Wh-what? What do you mean, you 'like' me? Is that why you were acting so weird in the broadcast today?" She was getting angry.
He nodded. He was really embarrassed. He had expected a better response. Not necessarily for her to jump into his arms, although that would have been nice.
"Well... Ray... I like you too... but how can I trust you after you kept it from me for so long?"
"It was hard, Lily! You have to understand how hard it was for me! We were such good friends but I wanted to be more! Ever since I found out girls didnt have cooties... I saw you differently." He paused and looked dead straight into her eyes. She had never looked so beautiful to him before. Her eyes sparkled, the wind was blowing back her hair, and she looked... speechless. "I love you, Lily...".
They had just discovered something. There was no turning back. They loved each other. She started swaying from side to side, not looking at him in the eye. He let out a sigh of relief.
"I did it", he thought to himself. She finally made her move. She stepped forward so they were close and looked up at him. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her slightly forward. They leaned in for a kiss, but before they did, Lily put her finger on his mouth and she said to him, "I love you too...".
Then she passionately kissed him and it seemed like everything disappeared. Everything felt exaggerated. Every feeling, every motion every sense. They were just two people in a million. They were together and that was all that mattered.
Then, out of nowhere, Robbie and Travis emerged from a behind a dumpster. They were clapping and Robbie was sarcastically wiping away tears.
"Aww, well isn't this just the cutest thing ever?" Robbie was laughing and smiling.
"Way to ruin the moment", Ray said. Lily put her arm around his waist and hugged him. He put his arm around her and they turned towards Robbie and Travis.
"So, is this a happy ending?" Travis said with a somewhat fake smile on his face.
"Nah", said Lily. She looked at Ray. "This is a happy beginning."
THE END