Disclaimer: I don't own the concept of fairytales
A/N: This chapter is dedicated to my only reviewer, embracing.
Chapter 2
"Jeremy." I whisper into his ear. He jumps in surprise.
"Don't do that!" He mock-growls, pretending to slap my hand away from his shoulder. I laugh and collapse into the seat next to him.
"How are you?" I ask him, keeping my face turned away from him under the pretext of looking in my bag for books.
"I'm fine. And yourself?"
"Good…good…" I murmur. Jeremy looks at me.
"What's the matter?" This guy is way too smart for his own good. S-M-R-T.
"Nothing. " He places his hand under my chin and turns my face towards him. I cast my eyes downwards.
"Who did this to you?" He asks horrified.
"What?" I pretend not to understand. He glares at me.
"You know perfectly well what." What am I supposed to say? My father was feeling particularly violent last night and decided to hit me?
"I… fell off my bike." Lame, I know. "Please don't worry about me. I'm fine."
He casts me a suspicious look.
"You and I both know that I do not, for one moment, believe you."
I nod.
"But you're going to let it rest anyway," I cast him a cheeky grin."
He rolls his eyes.
"Only for now." Jeremy tells me, a warning note in his voice.
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We walk out of the library together. Jeremy glances sideways at me.
"Do you want to go to the park first?"
Anything. Anything to delay getting home.
"Sure."
We sit down under a tree. It starts to rain. Jeremy stays under the tree, sheltering from the first drops of rain. I spring to my feet delightedly and dash out into the gathering storm.
I whirl and spin and spread my arms out.
"Get back in here!" Jeremy calls. I ignore him and continue spinning. The water splashes all over me, soaking my clothes and my hair. My hair plasters to my forehead. Jeremy calls out to me.
"You look like a girl in love in a cheesy movie!" I look at him and stop spinning.
"I am." I tell him. "I love the rain. It reminds me of my mum… My mum is crying for me."
"You want your mother to cry for you?"
"Tears… of joy… tears of sorrow… each a delicate gift from Mother…"
Jeremy gets up and pulls me back into the shelter of the tree.
"You twit." He says affectionately.
"Mum's dead." I say quietly. "But she loved the rain."
"I'm sorry." He looks helpless.
"Don't be." I smile. "She wouldn't have wanted to stay."
Jeremy draws me into a hug. I cling to him, and allow myself, for the first time since Mother's death, to cry. He strokes my hair.
"Don't cry…" He whispers. I pull away.
"She's gone… and I'm happy. What type of daughter am I?"
"The type who didn't want to see her hurt any longer."
I sit down on the wet grass. After little hesitation, Jeremy follows suit.
"It's better this way." I say, wiping my eyes.
"You don't have to be so brave all the time." He whispers.
"Oh, but I do." I look back out into the rain. "This is the only thing that reminds me of mother."
Jeremy comes closer.
"She wouldn't have wanted you to suffer."
"I don't suffer."
He looks at me as I lower my gaze.
"Don't you?"
I can't help it. I raise my eyes to meet his. Bad move.
"I don't…" I whisper. It is all I have time for as he leans down to kiss me.
A/N: PLEASE REVIEW!
