Chapter 3:
January 3, 2002
You know how they say ignorance is bliss? I've always been one to argue that knowledge is power.

Today I was proved wrong.

Ignorance is bliss.

Today I learned that not only does the love of my life not love me in return, but she loves our best friend. She's in love with Miguel.

So basically, I've made a fool of myself over this girl for years, believing that she returned my deep feelings. But she didn't love me. Not like that.

But I suppose that this does explain a lot of things about her. It explains why she never seemed happy to see me. It explains why she rarely kissed me.

I'm the "genius" of Harmony High. I should have figured this out long before I heard Kay's words.

For such a "genius," I must not be all that intelligent.

Reese roamed the hallways during his lunch hour, looking for his beloved Kay. Miguel and Charity had been making plans to go out that night, and Reese was hoping that Kay would want join them.

"It's just that I love him so much, Simone! I don't know what else to do!"

That was Kay's voice. Reese knew that he should make his presence known but couldn't help the curiosity that filled him. Maybe if he listened in, he would get some insight into Kay's complicated and confusing mind.

"Kay, I can't help you. Not tonight. My parents are dragging me and Whitney to some hospital charity banquet," Simone explained. "I'm really sorry, but I just can't do it."

"Simone!!!" Kay exclaimed. "I need you to help me! I don't know how else I'll be able to pull it off!"

"I told you I was sorry, Kay. There's nothing I can do!"

"After all I did to help you get Chad, this is how you repay me?" Kay fumed.

"Look, Kay, I have tried to help you get Miguel more times than I wish to remember. All of your 'great plans' have gone up in smoke before—what makes you think that this one will be any different?"

Reese collapsed into a nearby bench in shock. Miguel was the man that Kay loved? Kay loved Miguel rather than him?

Kay heard Reese sit down and quickly slapped her hand over Simone's mouth. "That's enough, Simone!" she hissed. "Someone's listening!"

Reese sighed aloud. Right now Kay had no idea that that 'someone' was him. But did he want her to know? Did he want her to see how much she had hurt him?

Logically, Reese decided that perhaps he had misunderstood their meaning. He had to talk to Kay. He had to find out what she had really meant and hope that his first assumptions had been incorrect.

"Kay?" Reese called out cautiously as he walked around the corner.

"Reese!" Kay gasped, all the color draining from her face. It was obvious that she had never imagined that Reese had been the one who had heard their conversation.

"Can we talk?"

Kay nodded and looked towards Simone, who ran off without another word. Reese saw how quick she was to avoid the confrontation that was about to occur and felt his own heart sink. This did not look good.

"How much did you hear?" Kay asked cautiously.

"Enough," Reese responded flatly. "Kay, was Simone telling the truth? Do you really love Miguel?"

Kay took a deep breath, as if deciding whether or not she should tell the truth. Reese prayed that she would be honest. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to live on her lies.

"Yes, I do," Kay whispered softly.

At that moment, Reese's world came crashing down around him. He had thought that his life had been perfect. He had thought that the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the world was in love with him.

But it had all been nothing more than a lie.

~*~*~*~

Hours later, Reese sat in the Book Café nursing a cold mocha latte and a broken heart. Kay had claimed that the whole situation had been a big misunderstanding and that she had never tried to mislead him.

Reese knew better than to believe her lies a second time. It didn't matter what her explanation was for their first kiss. The fact still remained that she had let him think of her as his girlfriend for over two years.

"Can I sit here, Reese?" Charity's soft voice asked, breaking his melancholy train of thought.

"Yeah, sure, Charity. Have a seat," Reese replied, meeting her sad eyes.

"Miguel told me that you and Kay broke up," Charity sympathized. "You must feel horrible right about now."

Reese had told Miguel about the breakup, but, of course, he left out the whole part about Kay being in love with him. It hurt enough to just think about it. Saying the words would just make it too real.

"Yeah, it really sucks," Reese agreed. "What are you doing here tonight? I thought you and Miguel were headed out to dinner and a movie."

Charity smiled blissfully. "We are, but Coach rescheduled basketball practice, so he told me to meet him here at 7:30. I know I'm a little early…"

Reese looked at the clock on the wall. 6:53. Yeah, she was early. Really early.

"So, Charity, what's going on with you?" It looked like she was in for some waiting tonight. Why not spend the time talking?

~*~*~*~

"Excuse me," a deep voice with a British accent began, "you two are friends of Kay Bennett, correct?"

"I suppose you could say that," Reese replied. "What's it to you?"

"She asked me to meet her here at 7:20. She said she might be a tad late, but that some of her friends would probably be here. I presume that that would be you?"

"Yes, that would be us. I'm Charity Standish—Kay's cousin," Charity informed him.

"Splendid to meet you," the man replied, shaking her hand. "I'm Christopher Mitchell."

"Reese Durkee," Reese added. "So, how do you know Kay?"

~*~*~*~

A good half an hour had passed and there was still no sign of Miguel or Kay. Charity was frantic with worry, but Christopher had a calming influence on her. Whether it was his stories of life back home in England, or the tale of his transatlantic flight, Charity was too busy laughing to have any horrific premonitions. For that, Reese was thankful.

He had never felt all that close to Charity, but since Kay's revelation earlier that day, he felt as if a bond had been forged between them. Kay had apparently tried time and time again to separate Miguel and Charity with no success. A small part of Reese couldn't help but wonder if she was the reason why Miguel was late tonight. He wouldn't put it past her.

All the same, he and Charity had something in common—and for the first time it was something more than just Miguel. Kay had been hard at work to end both of their relationships, and it looked like it would be up to Reese to make sure that she wouldn't succeed.

The jingle of the bells above the door made Charity forget Christopher's tale as her head swung towards the door to see Miguel and Kay rush in, their hair dotted with snowflakes.

As much as Reese hated to admit it, Kay looked beautiful. He cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling, with the tiny snowflakes littering her hair.

Once he realized what he was doing, Reese forced himself to look away from the beautiful goddess before him. He was never going to get over Kay if he kept acting like this. He was a glutton for punishment.

But as his gaze drifted towards her again, he realized that the pain didn't matter. While it would be easier to get over Kay if he didn't have to see her on a daily basis, he knew that he didn't want to live without her in his life.

After all, the day might come when Kay would realize that she was in love with him and not Miguel.

Ok, so it was a stretch. But Reese was a scientist. And through science, nothing is impossible. Not even Kay falling in love with the nerdy Reese Durkee.