Midnight Talk between Friends.
Chapter Two.
"Hilary…" Ray replied to the sitting girl in front of him. Hilary turned to face Ray. "What are you doing up here?" He sat down beside her.
"I was just thinking." Hilary replied looking him in the eyes. Though he did know that there was more than just thinking that brought her to be out at this time of a cold night and it was getting colder by the minute.
"About what?" He asked. She never wanted to tell him that it was him that she was thinking about.
"Stuff… normal stuff." She lied. He knew that she wasn't thinking normal things as she could think that at home. "I just wanted to be alone for a while."
"You were crying though." Ray said. Hilary looked down her hair covering her eyes.
"I wasn't." Once again she lied and she was about to start crying again.
"Yes you were. You are also going to crying again." He said. "Can't you tell me what is up?" This was getting ridiculous to him.
"I wish I could but you're the one person I can't tell." Hilary said. He knew what she was saying was again not true she probably could if she wanted to.
"Why?" Ray asked. "You can tell me anything." He had whispered the last bit. She shook her head. Why couldn't she tell him this? "Come on Hill." He never called her that before, it was either Tyson or Max - not him.
"It's only that…. "Hilary trailed off. "I'm sorry." She then brought up her knees to her chin. She was shivering.
"You really shouldn't be out on such a cold night." Ray told her.
"Look at yourself." She snapped back. Ray laughed.
"You're right I should. I'm probably a mess just coming back from China." He said. He was though and Hilary never knew why.
"You can't look as bad as I do. I look a mess, I guess." She said. She gave a giggle. She didn't look like she wanted to though. This made Ray want to figure out what the matter with her was. "Ray?"
"What?" He asked her.
"Why did you come back?" She asked. Why? Well he felt that something was missing in China. Something he couldn't figure out.
"Something was missing." He said. "It's crazy but I don't know what."
"It's not crazy." Hilary replied wiping away hidden tears from her eyes.
While he knew that something was missing, Ray also knew that Mariah wasn't the girl he wanted anymore. He just didn't love her anymore. He had went back to see if their relationship was going to go anywhere. It wasn't though. He never felt attracted to her anymore there was also someone else. Yet again he didn't know who.
"It is but anyway are you going to tell me what is up?" He asked her.
"I told you I can't." Hilary told him. A tear slid down her cheek but a finger not hers caught it.
"What's this, I thought you weren't crying." Ray told her. "Please tell me why you're crying."
"I'm sorry but I can't. I'm just not strong like Tyson and the others." She said placing her head into her hands.
"Hilary." He said wanting to comfort her. Why did he want to comfort her? "What do you mean not strong?"
"I can't just stay confident and watch the team break up." She sobbed. Ray felt some rain drops start to wet his raven hair.
"Do you want to go somewhere dry?" Ray asked Hilary.
"But… I'm okay here." She said.
"Well I'm not okay with you being here." Why did he suddenly care about her? He hardly even talked to her before. Could she be the missing link? What was he thinking? He only wanted her out of the rain. "Hilary if you do one thing for me in your life will you please come with me." She steadily got up. He smiled and stood up himself. She was finally listening to him. It had gotten dark. "Isn't it dark already?"
"Yeah it is passed midnight." Ray explained.
"Oh." Hilary draped her arms around her shivering. "So where are we heading?" Good question, he didn't know. Probably Tyson's.
"Tyson's I think." He said. There really wasn't anywhere else for him to go but he really didn't want to have to face Tyson.
"Well my place is nearer. I'm sure mom won't mind if you want to stay the night." Hilary offered.
"I can't intrude." He said. Though Hilary did convince him.
Hilary entered the house first.
"Mom." She said. She went up stairs Ray stayed in the living room thinking about what had just happened. Why was she out there anyway? Anyway just knowing she's safe made him happy. Hilary came back down she was quite shocked.
"My parents aren't in." She said. "They're never out this late. I know dad was taking her out for dinner but well… this is a surprise." He nodded. "Ray. Why did you leave for China in the first place?" She thought of Mariah and that it was her. ""It wasn't just to join back up with The White Tigers was it?" He knew she knew about Mariah.
"Well I had to see if my relationship with Mariah was going anywhere." He truthfully told her.
"Did it?" She asked. 'God if he says it will I better not tell him about what I was thinking about'
"No it never… I just after seeing her again knew it wasn't going to last. She thought the same."
"I'm sorry Ray." He smiled his expression then changed.
"Hilary… why where you out there? The truth - you weren't thinking about normal things were you?" Ray asked. He was now certain that she wasn't telling the truth before. Hilary tried to change the subject.
"I'll get the blanket… you can sleep on the sofa." She said.
"Okay but Hilary…" Ray asked wanting to know. "Why?" Hilary spread out the blanket and gulped.
"Okay Ray…you were able to tell me the truth about your leave I guess I can tell you the truth…." Hilary said sitting on the covered sofa. She signalled for him to sit next to her.
"Yes. The truth." Ray repeated what she said. She sighed. He could tell that she was nervous about telling him this. Why?
"Well…"