The Only Flaw
By: Allie-Dee

Disclaimer: Don't own RFR. Yeah, big shock..

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The great things of people don't make you love them. The flaws do.
-Allie-Dee

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"Ray, I love you!"

Did she say that? I stop Grace from taking me away, and I look back, watching Lily try to run after me, but is surrounded by people complimenting her. No, of course she didn't say that. I look back at Grace, and she looks heart-stricken, like she was as shocked as I was, but knew that she heard what Lily said. And I feel lightheaded for a moment, just thinking...

Lily loves me?

Then the song, the days before today, and how she's been acting weird, hit me hard. Of course she loved me. Why was she so irritated and always smashing pencils when she watched Grace and me laugh together? She loved me. She didn't want me to be with someone else. Then why did she say it was too late...why didn't she tell me? Why did she set me up with Grace?

Thoughts consume me, and I keep watching Grace's face turn pale. "I understand..." she whispered, looking like she was going to cry, "...if you want to be with her."

No, Ray! Don't just dump a girl because Lily said she loves you! What if she's going to turn out saying, "I never loved you Ray. I never really did." And leaves you with a another broken heart? You like Grace, she's nice and you have knees that turn into jell-o around her. Maybe it's even more than that, maybe you even love her.

But...it's Lily, my mind protested suddenly. The girl I've been thinking about for years at end, wondering if she's going to get a clue and start to realize I like her! And now, she's finally told me she loves me! The timing stinks, yes, because I mean...Sound Wave? Why tell me now? In front of Grace?

I bet she felt like me, desperate to tell the one she loves what she always wanted to tell them. I remember the huge weight that never left me, and I just had to burst out! I just had to tell her! I understand how she felt. I understand what one-sided love feels like. If I just left Grace and went with Lily, I could be happy.

Whenever I would see Grace though, avoiding eye contact as we pass by her, or whenever she has to sit next to me, and looks at me with those sad eyes...it would be hell. I couldn't break a girl's heart because the girl I loved that broke my heart wanted to be with me. It's too low, even for me.

"Ray!" I hear her yell. I want to turn around and look at her one final time but...something makes me grasp Grace's hand, makes me rush out of there.

We run down the block and then I hear Grace's voice screaming at me. "Ray! Stop!" I huff for breath as she lets go of my hand. "Ray, go to Lily. Don't you love her?"

"Grace..." I felt lost for words. "I've always thought I have, since I've been around her for so long. I told her, and she turned me down. Now she's finally said she loves me and I feel happy, but...but when I'm around you...I feel even happier. I don't want to lose you."

Biting her lip, she looked away. "But Ray. Are you just staying with me because you don't want to have a messy break-up? You don't want to feel like a jerk?"

"Partially, but..." Then she turned to me, giving me eye contact. I took a breath. For a split second, the light made her look like Lily. And then this light bulb went on in my head.

Grace is a copy of Lily.

Of course she's not really, but the reason I like her so much was because she was so much like Lily. She had this air around her that felt fresh, just like Lily. I forced myself to believe that Grace was amazing, but she was just a photocopy of Lily so I wouldn't be lonely.

But even though they are alike, she's still different. She's perfect. And Lily has flaws. For some reason, Grace doesn't. She seems so great, and fabulous, but there isn't any flaws, to make her unique, like Lily. Lily is stubborn like a mule and can never seem to just say something important without making it a mess.

And that's why I love her. Because, maybe, when you truly love someone, you always look at the flaws of that person that other people hate...and you adore the things that make them weird. I can't see Grace's flaws. And I can't bring myself to care about them. The only flaw I can think that she is that she doesn't have any.

"Grace, I like you so much. I really do. But..." I couldn't say anything more.

She shook her head, tears making her eyes shiny. "Ray, we were a good "together-for-a-little-while-just-to-see-if-we-click" couple. But you and Lily are a great 'together-forever-because-we-do-click'. We might've had a connection, and I do anything for you, but Lily's already killed the ninjas, walked on a rickety bridge over lava and traveled the world in only 10 days for you. And I'm only at the starting line."

"You're a really great girl, Grace. You get someone that'll treat you right." I said, giving her a hug.

She hugged me tightly and then let go. "And you get someone named Lily Randall." Grace gave me a smile. "Goodbye Ray."

I stood there for a second, just looking at her and then ran off in the other direction, not able to look back. All I could do was look in front of me, to search for Lily. When I got to the building, there was a girl outside standing there, trying to find someone, tears rolling down her cheeks. I could hear the sobbing a mile away. As I got closer, I saw it was Lily, crying. I realized that was another one of Lily's flaws. She could never hold in tears for longer than 2 minutes. I grinned to myself, as I sprinted faster.

And I knew everything was going to be okay.

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Author's Note: Not my best, but I had to write SOMETHING about this episode. And here it is. Enjoy or hate it, I don't care.

Allie