"Reya!" shouted Jared, catching her attention, and she turned and gave a joyful cry, running up to him and hugging him. She hadn't seen him much since the incedent at the school. Josh came up, turning it into a group hug, and Reya started laughing.
"What are you guys doing here?" she cried.
"Trying to get some cash, what's it look like?" said Josh. "Are you okay? They're not really telling anyone much of what happened"
"I'm fine," she said. "Just... trying to move on"
"That's good," said Jared. "Hey Rey, we're a dollar away from buying enough cheeseburgers for both of us, and we could really use a vocalist. I know Mary's not here, but she's sick. Will you do it? Just one song." Reya did not want Wonka to hear her singing voice, which was horrid in her mind. But then she thought of a song that might mean something to him so she nodded. "If there's a cheeseburger in it for me," she answered.
"If we don't get enough, we'll split one with you," said Jared, extending his hand.
"Agreed," she said and signalled Wonka to follow so she would feel like she was neglecting him. She started to follow Josh and Jared, but tripped on her feet and fell down on the ground. They all laughed and Wonka extended a hand to her.
"Walk much?" he asked and she rolled her eyes.
"Haha, so funny I forgot to laugh." He pulled her to her feet, and they walked up to the wall. Josh slipped the strap to his electric guitar over his head and on his shoulder.
"So what song?" he asked. She leaned over and whispered something in his ear, and he whispered back to Jared. They both nodded, and Jared started gently plucking the strings on his guitar, and nodded when she could start.
"Meet me after dark again and I'll hold you/ I have nothing more to say with that/ And maybe tonight we'll fly so far away/ We'll be lost before the dawn/ If only I could hold you/ And I could see you, my love/ And let me never ever wake again/ And maybe tonight we'll fly so far away
We'll be lost before the dawn/ Somehow I know that we can't wake again/ From this dream, it's not real but it.../ And maybe tonight we'll fly so far away/ We'll be lost before the dawn/ Maybe tonight we'll fly so far away/ We'll be lost before the dawn"
-'Before the Dawn,' Evanescence
She was lost in the music, completely forgetting where she was. Her voice had cracked once, and it took great restraint to not laugh. Her voice wasn't American Idol material, but somehow the imperfection made it sound more real and tollerable to listen to. Wonka smiled, noticing she still had some grass hanging from her shirt, and she was brushing at it when they stopped. Someone walking by dropped in a five dollar bill, and they cheered, highfiving each other. She told them she had to go, but took three dollars to get herself the cheeseburger later. She walked off with Wonka and they walked away from the park, waving to Jared and Josh.
-
"How can you eat that stuff?" asked Wonka as Reya sank her teeth into a Mcdonalds cheeseburger. "It's not real food at all"
"Yet it tastes so good," she said, smiling. She took a sip of rootbeer and they walked back to the park. Jared and Josh were gone so they took a seat on the concrete wall.
"It's not even real meat"
"Where's da beef?" she said, acting like the old lady and he chuckled. "See, I'm easily satisfied. As long as it settles, which it sometimes doesn't, but as long as it does, it's good"
"Interesting philosophy," he chuckled, and she smiled. "By the way, that song you sang earlier... I thought it was beautiful."
"Thanks," she said. "You know, it was sort of dedicated to someone"
"I figured," he said.
"How's Cujo?" she asked. "I haven't seen her lately"
"Well, last I read he was on a bloody rampage in a town somewhere"
"The cat, you twit," she said, taking another bite of her cheeseburger.
"She's fine. Actually she's taken a liking to my slippers. I still haven't found one of them..." Reya laughed.
"Aw"
"No, my poor foot gets cold in the morning"
"And yet, somehow life goes on"
"Oh I see how it is," he said, standing up. "You want to end this relationship, then fine! I'll go"
"Stop it, you drama queen," she said, smirking. "You're reacting to a missing slipper like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
"A bloody movie, and a dreadful waste of time," he said, sitting down next to her. "The worst kinds of horror movies are the ones with slashing and blood. The best ones are the ones that mess with your mind"
"Have you ever seen Beautiful Mind?" she asked.
"That was a good movie," he said, nodding.
"I love the scene when he stands with her and traces out the designs in the stars"
"I can do that," he said softly.
"Yeah"
"It's quite simple. You just need to look for it"
"Alright... show me an angel," she said. He looked around at the sky and then cleared his throat.
"Here," he said, taking her hand. He used her finger to trace it out until she could see it. An angel with its wings spread out and long hair and a dress.
"It's beautiful," she muttered.
"And there's a rose," he said, and traced it out for her. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Ah, so I'm to be a pillow now?" he said. She snickered a little and he put his arm around her.
"You know... it's weird," she said softly. "How two people as different as us are so attracted to each other"
"We're not too different," he said. "Like you said, we both are considered crazy and we're both missing a parent. We're both creative, expressive, and we both love each other." She smiled and nodded.
"That's true." She looked up at the stars, and he kissed her cheek gently. She looked at him and he kissed her lips, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and rested his hand under her jaw, half cupping it. It wasn't a first kiss, but it still gave her shivers. She could feel his heart hammering in his chest and she kissed his cheek.
When they walked back to her house, he had his arm around her waist, and she had hers around his. As they walked, they would take three steps, then skip on the fourth. At one point she sang, "We're off to see the wizard..." and he laughed. They got to her house too soon, and he gave her a quick kiss good-bye and she went back into the house.
